A Season for Wellness and Optimism

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Season of Happy, Health & Hope_w-CPDHolidays can be a mixed bag for health. Almost everybody embraces this magical and festive season with joyful spirit and exciting anticipation of a new year ahead. On the flip side, there are stress issues or the temptation to have more drinks, more palatable foods and overindulgence. Yet our holidays can be filled with wellness, happiness and hope.

This blog will focus on scientifically proven health hazards during holidays, and on right actions or behaviors that help guide you to a healthier, more sparkling holiday season.

First, what has research found on holiday health issues?

1.      It’s common that total and LDL cholesterol levels are elevated after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Observational studies show that a large majority of 25,764 adult participants have elevated levels of total cholesterol and LDL (“bad cholesterol”) after the holiday season, implying a higher risk of hypercholesterolemia in the general population.

2.      Catecholamine buildup from holiday stress, excitement or overindulgence can result in cardiac deaths.

Evidence indicates that alcohol, certain foods (e.g., those high in phenols) along with holiday overeating inhibit a key enzyme responsible for catecholamine inactivation and cause accumulation of catecholamines, leading to cardiac death (often referred to “holiday cardiac death phenomenon”). Furthermore, while polyphenols (a type of antioxidant compounds) occur naturally in many plant-based foods with various health benefits, be aware that food industries also add them to some foods and too much consumption may have adverse effects.

3.     The Christmas and New Year’s holidays are a risk factor for cardiac events and deaths.

It’s essential to know that sudden cardiac death is not rare. According to AHA’s 2018 update – each year there are more than 356,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests (i.e., cardiac deaths) in the U.S., nearly 90% of them fatal. Sudden cardiac death is also a major public health concern worldwide.

Next, how to enjoy lovely celebrations and prevent harmful outcome?

  1. Cook turkey or chicken and enjoy the process. Limit consumption of red or processed meats.
  2. Eat less “tasty” foods that are likely packed with fat, sugar and salt. Instead, have more fresh vegetables and fruits and nuts, or use them to create a healthful and nutritious dish or dessert.
  3. Drink or serve less alcohol and soft drinks. Take pleasure in self-made vegetable & fruit juice or drink more tea. —— * Please understand that I’m not advocating to make a tightened schedule more stressful by spending more time in the kitchen, but I just want to remind folks of health benefits bundled in some pleasant activities – cooking and cleaning together through a team of family, friends and/or coworkers – an act of care, because eating healthy is an important way to take care of yourself and your family during the holidays and year round.

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  4. Practice moderation to avoid overindulgence or overeating. As the research evidence mentioned above, “holiday cardiac death phenomenon” can occur out of unhealthy behaviors. This is exactly why moderation is key wisdom and why processed foods should be limited.
  5. Foster emotional capacity and power, which is indispensable for surviving stressful situations in work or life. Control your stress level and handle a variety of factors or matters with grace, love, and kindness, such as leaving “political fireworks” off the dinner table, driving with courtesy, coping with loneliness or an unfavorable relative, etc.
  6. Have a more active and livelier holiday. Don’t discount exercise. Find ways to be physically active and strengthen your heart. Dance more, walk more and move around more.
  7. Keep good sleep patterns and make sure you have seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Holiday events may affect our sleep time. Work overload and short sleep duration contribute to potential cardiovascular disease and events. When coupled with stress, sleep deficiency can weaken your immune system and increase the likelihood of getting an infection especially in the middle of flu season.
  8. Don’t delay seeking medical help and treatment.

Healthful and joyful holidays can help you lay the foundation for your New Year’s Resolution on a sound and continuous track.

Takeaway Message

As you wrap up the end of the year, this is also a time to make a commitment to improve your health and overall well-being. So start now, start small, and keep on. Practice healthy behaviors, reward healthy behaviors, encourage and share healthy behaviors.

  1. Picture yourself with a consistent healthy lifestyle in the coming year.
  2. See your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol numbers constitute a new profile.
  3. Feel your energy and vitality to greet a productive new year!

Believe it and feel the JOY!

Wish you a wonderful and safe Holiday Season!

 

Image Credit: Pixabay, CPD

 

A Link in the Puzzle: Diet, Microbiota and Breast Cancer

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

BC ribbion & L. puzzle to microbiota_Sm4LI

The microorganisms are important players in human health and disease. Specifically, as we know, the human gut microbiota contributes to colon health and various chronic conditions including obesity and colorectal cancer. Gut microbiota can also exert their effect distantly, e.g., on the brain.

In addition to previously described risk factors of breast cancer and the aforementioned findings, here I’d like to discuss how gut microbiota are tied to the risk for breast cancer in three ways.

1.      Estrogen as a causal link

Estrogen is a causal link to an increased risk of breast cancer. In particular, breast cancer risk is directly associated with high levels of endogenous estrogen and a difference in estrogen metabolism.

We also know that gut microbiota can modulate circulating estrogen levels. Conversely, estrogen-like compounds may regulate or promote certain bacterial species in a large quantity. Moreover, postmenopausal estrogen metabolism is correlated to microbial diversity.

2.      Microbiota as an active player  

Microbiota has been linked to cancer development and progression. The microbiota profile of women with breast cancer differs from that of healthy women. The breast microbiome in women with malignant disease is also remarkably different from that of women with benign disease. Additionally, in breast cancer, changes in microbial composition and totality are noted in tumor tissue, but not much in normal controls.

The differences don’t tell the whole story. Research findings show that certain gut microbes play a helpful role in breast cancer by supporting anti-cancer immunity and immune surveillance and by altering systemic estrogen levels. On the other hand, evidence indicates that dysbiosis (an imbalance of gut microbiota) has been linked to breast cancer, under which conditions a reduced metabolic ability of microbiota and a weakened immune system occur. The microbiota distress can lead to elevated levels of blood estrogens and its metabolites, thereby increasing the risk for breast cancer.

Collectively, not only composition and totality of the microbiota but also their functionalities contribute to tumor growth in the breast tissue through inducing chronic inflammation, triggering uncontrolled immune responses, and modulating hormonal metabolism such as important estrogen levels.

3.      Diet as a critical modulator of gut microbiota  

Diet can modify the composition of gut microbiota, which has a key role in maintaining gut homeostasis and is closely related to our inflammatory and immune responses. Functional foods such as prebiotics and probiotics can help your health.

So, how do you apply today’s knowledge, particularly through diet? Five key points

  • Eat more fermented foods such as yogurt or sauerkraut. They function as probiotics (i.e., “live microorganisms”) to foster good bacteria.
  • Eat abundant fiber-rich vegetables, fruits and whole grains. These foods function as prebiotics (i.e., indigestible fibers to feed beneficial bacteria). Beyond their basic nutrition and anti-inflammatory capacity, they have a positive effect on the composition of gut microbiota, and facilitate a lowered reabsorption of estrogens.
  • Avoid or limit meat-rich and sugar-rich foods, processed foods, sweetened beverages, and artificial sweeteners.
  • Consume real foods, not dietary supplements. Take supplements like probiotics or prebiotics only when necessary. Consult with your physician first regarding your need.
  • Practice personal health hygiene. Hygiene is one of several factors that determine the composition of gut microbiota (besides age, race, diet, genetics, environmental exposures, and antibiotics usage).

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In summary

Pathophysiological alterations in the composition and totality of the microbial community, along with abnormal changes in the cells, have a significant impact on cancer development.

To prevent breast cancer, one fundamental strategy is to modify individual estrogen metabolism, and achieve this through lifestyle modification and/or chemopreventive approach, particularly through diet. A healthy, balanced diet can keep gut microbiota in a dynamic balance with your body and mind.

Key reference:

Fernández MF, Reina-Pérez I, Astorga JM, Rodríguez-Carrillo A, Plaza-Díaz J, Fontana L. Breast Cancer and Its Relationship with the Microbiota. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(8). pii: E1747. (Review)

 

Image credit: Pixabay.com and CPD

 

Stop Childhood Obesity or Dangerous Risks Persist

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

SeptToolkit_Childhood Obesity AwarenessWe are at the end of September, as you probably know that this is the month for national awareness of childhood obesity. But the problem doesn’t stop in September.

Childhood obesity is a continuous yet urgent issue that needs to be addressed and worked on every day.

1 in 5 children in the US are obese, and this obesity epidemic in children deserves our attention.

The good news is—childhood obesity can be prevented!

Before I talk about how to work towards a solution, let me outline what impacts childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is influenced by many factors, including

-          poor diet (esp. fast foods, sugar-sweetened beverages or sugary soft drinks),

-          sedentary behaviors or physical inactivity,

-          metabolic elements,

-          genetics,

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-          family dynamics or house environment, and

-          community and social impacts.

Importantly, parental lifestyle plays a crucial role in a child’s health outcome. Research shows that high pre-pregnancy BMI is an important contributor to excess adiposity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular or metabolic disease risk in the offspring during childhood.

Stopping childhood obesity is critical because the persistence of obesity into one’s adulthood has been associated with increased chronic illnesses and premature deaths.

Sure, there is no simple solution for this problem, but there are many ways to keep kids healthy. Here are eight key strategies and immediate actions:

  1. Prevention of childhood obesity starts with a healthy diet at home. Have regular family meals and model healthy eating for your kids.
  2. Pack nutrient-rich and fiber-rich snacks for your children.
  3. Let the kids participate in age-appropriate grocery shopping and cooking activity, in order to cultivate their knowledge or interests in healthy foods and beneficial diet habits.
  4. Encourage the kids get more physically active and exercise regularly. Do it with them too. Modern technologies provide too much sitting time or screen time for children.
  5. Dink safe and filtered water instead of Coke and sugar-sweetened beverages.
  6. Ensure your kids to have sufficient sleep. Shorter sleep period is linked to childhood obesity. So, take necessary measures to limit their screen time at night and remove the mobile devices from their bedrooms.
  7. Take care of children’s emotional health and help them with social issues.
  8. Execute early intervention and prevention at various fronts as early as prenatal period, if not earlier. This can provide the greatest protective effect on your kid’s early development and later life.

In brief, childhood obesity is a serious and urgent public health problem. Family interventions are the key strategy in our efforts to tackle this problem. Parental healthy lifestyle passing on to the next generation is an invaluable gift for children’s well-being.

A Wellness Alternative to Outdoor Nature

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Mom-s Plants in Living RoomWho doesn’t love nature? Experience in nature and exposure to the great outdoors not only elevate our spirits but also enrich our health benefits.

Walking in the natural forest (or forest bathing—popular in Japan) can increase human natural killer cells, and therefore strengthen the immune system of participating individuals.

Sitting by the ocean or walking along the beach can provide us a relaxed body, a stress-free sensation, and the admiration of tranquility.

Digging dirt in the garden is no less wonderful. Gardening enthusiasts or devotees like my husband can give you a long list of how gardening is good for your mind and your body. He most favorably says “It’s therapeutic.”

What happens if you have to constrain yourself to an indoor setting due to certain reasons (e.g., time or physical limit)? Or what if at the end of a busy day at work, you arrived at home with mental/emotional stress and physical exhaustion but no desire to stop at a park?

How about the idea of accommodating nature at home or in an indoor environment?

Interestingly, a study, conducted on 16 residents at a rehabilitation center in Norway, has found that the experience of window views and indoor plants improve their sense of care and the resilience to stress. These recoveries are attributed to the healing environment.

The therapeutic value of plants in the hospitals for surgical patients is known for years. These houseplants serve as a complementary medicine to enhance the healing environment. Live plants, especially those with an oxygen-releasing ability, can improve or clean indoor air. There are also plants that help eliminate some harmful chemicals from the air and reduce our health risk.

If the patients can benefit from the positive influence of a view of nature during their recovery, we can devise and implement several remedies to better our wellness in daily life, without sweating out on some big home-building projects.
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How can you transform outdoor nature into interior nature? Seven practical tips

  1. Grow plants or flowers in your living room. My mom has done so for decades, and I displayed some of her “crops or produces” here in the image.
  2. Grow some herbs in the kitchen. I did this years ago, and it went well with basil, chives, and rosemary, etc.
  3. Apply natural wonders to your decorations. For example, maple leaf as a bookmark, lovely leaves as the background of family photos, roses from your garden as a spectacle, or nature-inspired paintings.
  4. Create an art piece using stones, rocks, and wood, or combine natural objects with a little water fountain. It’s quite cool and calming.
  5. Add one special touch to your room with preferable or memorable natural charm.
  6. Use household items or housewares made from natural materials such as baskets, stone countertops, or bamboo varieties.
  7. Consider nature sounds. Listen to nature-stirred music with tunes or melodies like wind, rain, water flow in a stream or creek, and forest birds. Have a pet or friends such as birds.

The list can go on and on. Can these techniques help lower the level of your distress?

Whether you describe it as nature decoration or nature therapy, the strategy can attach an appreciation or essence of the natural world to your own home, and more likely, improve your mood and vitality. You may delight to relax or reflect in the refreshing environment with a sense of harmony and serenity.

Of course, you can hang plants and flowers at the patio or balcony too. My dear friend Mary is talented at it. Her colorful plants and blooming flowers are always greeted by and mingled with numerous chirping or singing birds, which formed a sector of natural beauty and cheer in the residential area where I once lived. What a blessing for us!

So, let’s cultivate enjoyable and peaceful moments in life, especially where we spend quality of time. Stay wholesome through embracing nature and a health-promoting environment. As a result, stress reduction helps lower the levels of inflammation in the body and thus may enable the immune system to rest and revitalize.

Melatonin: Beyond Inducing Sound Sleep

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Melatonin in Blue Words_BaptistHealth.comHow would you like to learn more about melatonin? Better yet, what if I showed you how it can defend against cancer?

As you may have known, the human body produces melatonin naturally. Melatonin is a hormone synthesized and released by the pineal gland, and also from other sites including the immune system, gastrointestinal tract, brain and skin. Melatonin is well-known for its sleep-inducing benefit, and mostly used as a sleep aid for insomnia or improving sleep quality under various circumstances.

But its usage for sleep is not the attention here.

There are numerous novel insights into the actions of melatonin, based on credible evidence from experimental and human studies. I summarized them in three areas as follows:

1.      Antioxidant properties

There is a causal relationship between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and many chronic conditions including cancer. Particularly, research reveals that ROS levels are higher in cancer cells than those of normal cells.

Melatonin is a bioactive molecule and ubiquitously distributed in the cells. It has remarkable antioxidant capabilities through direct detoxication of ROS, indirect stimulation of antioxidant enzymes, resulting in a decrease in cellular ROS. In addition, Melatonin may chelate transition metals involved in generating harmful free radicals. So, antioxidant effects of melatonin can prevent potential oxidative damage.

2.      Anticancer effects

Compelling evidence shows that melatonin exerts inhibitory effects on cancer development through multiple mechanisms.

First, melatonin mitigates cancer at the initiation, progression and metastasis phases. The inhibition is attributed to suppressing tumor growth and promoting apoptosis (i.e., cell death) of many cancer cells. Importantly, melatonin also targets at blocking angiogenesis, thus cutting off nutrients and oxygen supply to cancer cells. This is of significance because increased angiogenesis is a key feature of cancer progression and metastasis. (Note that in tumor, angiogenesis implies the formation of new blood vessels that tumors need to grow.)

Women may think they’re no more appealing to female cialis online devensec.com their spouse. Some of the most popular kinds of generic drugs include same ingredient of the original and show viagra cheap no prescription parallel effects on male sexual potency. Doctors are very well aware of the clinical and performance advantages gained by restoring optimal mobility, viagra shipping flexibility, and stability to the muscle/joint complex. It is therefore important to do your homework. about viagra 100 mg viagra price in india Second, melatonin may combat inflammation and strengthen immune system. Poor sleep promotes inflammation as we know, and melatonin plays a role in anti-inflammation. It can modulate the immune response by producing Interleukin-1 and Interleukin-2, through these components to prevent microbial infections and control T cells, B cells as well as natural killer cells, thereby lowering cancer risk.

Third, melatonin inhibits a molecular process associated with metastasis by limiting cancer cells to enter into blood stream, and preventing them from establishing secondary growth at distant sites.

Lastly and clearly, although the influence of melatonin is mediated via the activation of its receptors (MT1 and MT2, proteins located on the cell membrane), many actions of melatonin can be receptor-dependent and receptor-independent. The later involves indirectly through alterations in intracellular events; for example, directly detoxifying ROS and promoting apoptosis by melatonin.

Because melatonin is generated and distributed in a variety of tissues, it may provide a defense against diverse types of cancer, including lung, breast, prostate, gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal cancer.

3.      Synergetic advantages with chemotherapy

While increasing efficacy of chemotherapy, melatonin has the ability to attenuate acute and chronic drug toxicity, therefore, it can improve patients’ well-being.

Intriguingly, co-administration with melatonin can enhance the sensitivity of cancers to the inhibition by conventional chemo drugs, and reduce cancer’s previous or total resistance to the treatments. Many types of cancer are susceptible to melatonin-induced inhibition.

In brief, melatonin can cheer you up with cancer fighting spirit and shell while it calms you into a good night sleep.

 

References: Here 

Image credit: https://www.baptisthealth.com/pages/home.aspx

Integrity of the Immune System Is Like Peace in the Storm

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Immune-system_Sm640_1359197You got sick; maybe you contracted a virus infection. However, if your immune system is strong, it probably warded off your condition.

That’s because the human immune system is our “silent defender.” It is also a complex system, and much is involved in how it performs its functions.

Recent conversations with some folks prompted me to emphasize the importance of nurturing your immune system (although I’ve covered related topics previously).

Essentially, the cells in the immune system and immune-regulating proteins are key players in the “inner storms” that occur in our body. They participate in controlling the body’s pro-inflammatory status, active anti-inflammatory responses, and healing process. The balance and integrity of the immune system are paramount for fighting diseases from acute infection and inflammation to chronic illness such as hypertension and cancer.

In daily life, we have all experienced stress or inner conflict that may cause our peace of mind to disappear, leaving us moody, discontent, or feeling lousy. Sometimes we temper it or fight it off, while at other times stress may overwhelm us, affecting our physical and psychological well-being. Chronic stress, via prolonged elevation of the stress hormone cortisol, proves to have a negative impact on immunity and increase our vulnerability to illnesses.

As we age, the immune system weakens, which contributes to more infections and more illnesses. A pervasive feature of aging is chronic inflammation, a significant risk factor for morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Other factors (e.g., dietary and environmental) also influence our immunity.

However, when our health is great, with our body operating well, our immune system provides us peace in the storm. That’s why we need to develop inner reserves from which to draw strength in difficult situations, and that’s why we shouldn’t do things that detract from the peace and asset that our immune system provides our body.

In light of that, let’s recap 10 very effective ways to strengthen your immune system:
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  1.  Get enough sleep. That means for adults, 7–8 hours of sleep each night.
  2.  Manage stress and minimize it. Nobody is immune to stress in these modern days. Stress burden and sleep deprivation are connected. To keep your stress in check, one of the best strategies is to integrate a relaxation practice into your daily routine; it could be deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, or even tai chi—whatever you enjoy and works for you.
  3.  Never smoke and avoid tobacco smoke.
  4.  Curb alcohol consumption. There is no safe level of alcohol intake.
  5.  Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds to obtain a variety of micronutrients. Also important is to drink a lot of water.
  6.  Get more active. Physical activities have profound beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system and immune function as well as in reducing inflammation. There are many ways to become more active throughout a day, at work or at home.
  7.  Enjoy the sun with adequate protection. Sunlight triggers the skin’s production of vitamin D, and a sufficient level of vitamin D helps lower the risk of some infections. But excessive indulgence in sunbathing or tanning elevates the risk for skin cancer.
  8.  Maintain personal and food hygiene. Wash your hands habitually, clean fruits/veggies meticulously, cook meats thoroughly, and get a flu shot when advised. All can avoid infections.
  9.  Have a positive outlook on life and a sense of humor. Love and laugh! Laughter boosts immunity.
  10.  Consider probiotics with care. Because of the role of gut microbiota in immunity and diseases, probiotics are the buzz now. However, know that these supplements are not for everyone. For some, probiotics could do more harm than good, especially for people with a weak or compromised immune system (such as HIV and cancer patients). Plus, supplements are not regulated. So, it’s safer to consult with your physician before taking them.

Collectively, these are long-term solutions to boosting your immunity, rather than a quick fix.

 

Image credit: https://pixabay.com/illustrations/immune-system-defense-infection

Be Vaccine-Vigilant, Not Vaccine-Hesitant

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Calendar w-Vaccination_svc.eduThe latest victims of misinformation are hundreds of cases of measles outbreaks. Based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been a confirmed 764 cases of measles from January 1 to early May this year in 23 US states.

Obviously, there is a growing public health threat from measles. I’d like to highlight 5 key points why measles vaccination is critical:

  1. Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by morbillivirus. Severe complications and death can result from measles infection.
  2. Yet some parents resist or hesitate vaccinating their children with the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR). However, they should have peace of mind based on solid science: MMR is very safe and effective in preventing measles, mumps, and rubella. There is NO evidence that measles vaccination causes autism, period.
  3. The World Health Organization (WHO) placed vaccine hesitancy on the list of the top 10 threats to global health in 2019. Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world, and unvaccinated people can get infected. Such people may be at risk of being exposed to and contracting measles on their next international trip or while on a cruise ship.
  4. Take viral infection seriously because virus infection is a well-known cause of cancer in humans. Some common examples: hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a primary carcinogenic agent of liver cancer; human papillomavirus (HPV) causes cancers of the cervix, anus, oral cavity, and pharynx. Simply and conclusively, chronic inflammation as a result of persistent viral infection significantly increases the chance of cancer development.

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  5. Last but not least, understand that there is misinformation circulating across the Internet, and it comes with a price of some sobering health consequences. Be aware and cautious with what you read. Trust reputable medical authorities and consult your physician when in doubt.

The thoughtful bottom line is:

It is a risky and even dangerous choice not to get children vaccinated. It can endanger the health of a child, the family, neighboring kids and adults, all unvaccinated individuals, and the community as a whole. Significantly, it can also harm very vulnerable cancer patients whose immune functions are compromised.

So rather than being vaccine-hesitant, become Vaccine-Vigilant.

Image credit: https://lookingglass.svc.edu

The Climate Crisis Is a Health Crisis

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Green Power & Plant in hands_PixabayApril is here, and the annual Earth Day, a worldwide drive to celebrate the natural world and its wonders and to protect our environment, will soon be here (April 22). So it is appropriate for us to address rising concerns about climate change.

Climate change is not a buzz word nor science fiction, but rather an urgent crisis based on scientific facts. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 13: Climate Action) calls for the world (i.e., us) to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.”

So, how urgent? And how does climate change affect you?

A plain fact is that greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide, CO2) absorb heat. The climate becomes warmer and warmer, because CO2 has been released into the atmosphere in increasingly faster and larger amounts. This acceleration of the greenhouse effect results from the expansion of fossil fuel burning, livestock farming, deforestation, and other practices over past decades. Basically, these are human activities.

Consequently, we see more and more extreme heat, rising seas, flooding(s), wildfires, hurricanes, and disasters. These events endanger the beauty and richness of the planet and the harmony of the ecosystem, and they threaten national security (seriously). More alarming, they take not only economic tolls but tolls on human lives by their severe impact on public health.

We have a window of 12 years to reduce carbon emissions. The well-being of future generations depends on and demands our speedy actions.

Let us focus on exactly how climate change can impact human health.

We know that dangerous storms resulting in flooding by heavy rains cause more contaminated water, more environmental pollutants, and more disease-spreading pathogens, leading to more human deaths. As the World Health Organization assessed, rises in malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress caused by climate change could kill an additional 250,000 people each year by 2030 and forward.

We know that warmer regions harbor more disease-carrying insects, and climate change has altered the geographic pattern of these bugs. For example, Lyme disease, an infection spread by tick bites, reached its highest occurrence, with a reported 40,000 cases, in 2017 after steadily growing since 1991, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data.

We also know that extreme heat waves and extreme weather patterns cause more psychological distress, depression, and other mental health concerns.

Some people in some demographics might dismiss the urgency of dealing with climate change, thinking it doesn’t affect them. It is true that the poor and minorities are often the victims most at risk of suffering from communicable diseases, and among them, the most vulnerable are children. However, climate change affects everyone, because evidently it is causing growing incidences of non-communicable diseases (e.g. heart disease and cancer) in both low-to-middle income and high-income countries.

We know that more water vapor creates a thicker blanket of pollutants—not only warming the earth but producing reduced air quality. Additionally, high temperatures render inert chemicals more volatile and more soluble; some of them are carcinogenic or possibly carcinogenic, and human exposure to them is increasing. The more pollutants around, the more asthma, respiratory diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

All of this is indisputable.

In any case, it purchase viagra is highly recommended to consult healthcare provider as soon as possible. Medication therapy can also be cialis samples free combined with other medicinal treatments that are stuffed with high forms of nitrates by the patients since the results could be seen after having these pills at its initial stages. Men who do cheapest cialis 40mg djpaulkom.tv not get enough sleep are at higher risk of ED. We are pointing out that symptoms can occur such as persistent heartburn, stomach inflammation, gastritis, ulcers, and even cancers. buying levitra from canada Importantly, we also know that our human activities—ironically, including human convenience—have led to today’s “inconvenient truth.” Therefore, each and every one of us has a responsibility to act without delay.

There are numerous ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and I’d like to share seven top ideas for taking “greener” actions and lifestyle modifications on a daily basis:

  1. Bike or walk instead of driving whenever possible to reduce the carbon fingerprint and overcome a sedentary lifestyle.
  2. Buy local to reduce fossil fuel for transportation and greenhouse gas emission, and if it is close to home, walk to the farmers’ market; needless to say, the better quality of food you will likely find there doubles your health benefits.
  3. Cut meat consumption, especially red meats, and embrace a plant-based diet. Note: Less meat ¹ No meat. By eating less meat, you help curtail livestock production and coexistent greenhouse emissions, while lowering your intake of potentially carcinogenic agents.
  4. Recycle, recycle, and recycle. And even better, minimize the use of plastics from water bottles to plastic bags and straws, in order to prevent pollution and cut carbon emissions.
  5. Reuse items when possible to reduce wastes in landfills. Reuse grocery/shopping bags and reuse other household products or personal items after repairing. You may also donate still-useful items to charitable organizations.
  6. Unplug electronic devices, turn off TVs, and switch off lights when not in use, to curtail carbon dioxide emission by consuming less electricity and preserving more natural resources; particularly in the evening, doing so will also promote a good night’s sleep.
  7. Plant a garden or a tree around the house if you haven’t yet, to offset the greenhouse effect and global warming, as plants and trees take in carbon dioxide. Plus, gardening keeps you physical active.

It all comes down to behavioral change and at times it takes giving up some convenience. You have a choice to act on one thing or all of the above, and certainly you can go further beyond.

I challenge you to make a thoughtful resolution or update your New Year’s resolutions, and contribute your personal efforts to combating global warming.

Imagine when that effort is multiplied many times, what changes it will bring to the world.

Again, climate change and health impact go hand-in-hand. So, let’s save the planet, save the world, and save lives!

Please share this post, “spread the words” is one of actions by raising the awareness.

 

Image credit: pixabay

 

Sensible Caring for a Healthy Heart and Healthy Body

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Heart & Lifestyle_Clipart-CPDFebruary is a month filled with love, festival events, and health observances, including the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, Black History Month, World Cancer Day, and Heart Health Month.

In addition to sharing love and celebrating festivities, let’s direct our love to two major health issues.

Consider the top two killers in the US—heart disease and cancer. Heart disease causes about 23% of all deaths, and cancers about 22% of all deaths.

Not long ago, one of my husband’s associates described her story of a heart attack. It was not as dramatic as the kind of sudden onset that you often see on TV or read about in the newspaper, but it was indeed a vivid and a life-or-death event. To cut a long story short, her feeling of fatigue, nausea, and left shoulder pain led her to a hospital ER at her husband’s urging. Once there, she suddenly became unconscious at one point during tests and treatment, with a “flat-line” on the electrocardiogram (ECG) that lasted for three to four minutes. Fortunately, the medical team was able to revive her heart using treatments including shocks by a defibrillator and chest compressions.

The incident, consistent with what science tells us, shows that heart attack is not an old man’s disease; it doesn’t discriminate between genders or among ages. A fairly healthy middle-aged lady may experience a heart attack. Strikingly, symptoms of heart attack differ in men and women, particularly the fact that the typical chest pain or chest pressure commonly seen in men may not be a major complaint in women.

The incident reminds us of what is termed a silent heart attack. This is a heart attack without apparent symptoms that can go unnoticed. However, it may be detected by ECG during a routine check-up or a visit for some reason at a clinic.

The incident also reinforces how essential it is to learn the risk factors for heart disease and live a healthy lifestyle. Heart disease and cancer have some common risk factors, esp. those modifiable ones, a healthy lifestyle can offset them. So, every step counts and every choice counts.

Let me take hypertension as an example, because it’s a known “silent killer.” High blood pressure initially doesn’t have symptoms and doesn’t affect daily functions until after it has done severe damage to the heart and vasculature. Hypertension is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Although a causal link between hypertension and cancer has not been established, hypertension and hyperlipidemia are common among patients with cancer. High blood pressure is also associated with an increased risk of developing cancer.
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However, when digging deeper, we find that salt (sodium, diet salt) is a sneaky, slow, and silent killer. More salt intake can increase blood pressure. Average Americans’ daily salt intake exceeds the recommended amount of <2300 mg/d or 1 teaspoon measure, with about 75% of salt coming from hidden sources—particularly processed and packaged foods. Ideally, it’s better to limit salt consumption to <1500 mg/d, as American Heart Association advised.

Take another example, stress. Stress is inescapable in modern life. However, uncontrolled or chronic stress poses a higher risk for the development of hypertension and heart disease. Furthermore, a higher level of stress hormone cortisol in the blood can exhaust or compromise immune system—fundamental defense that keeps cancer at bay.

Therefore, rethink stress and reduce stress. When facing demanding tasks or difficult situations, stop and smell the roses, or at least stop and take a few deep breaths, telling yourself “all shall pass.” Plus, apply any stress-relief techniques that work best for you.

Taking everything into account, there is a lot you can do to lower your chance of having heart disease and cancer. Whatever steps you take, make it attainable and stick with it. And if you stray, get back on track as quickly as you can.

Remember: On your journey each day you have a silent partner—your immune system. You can strengthen it by consuming a healthy diet and drink, daily exercise, adequate sleep, and keeping a positive attitude and a joyful spirit. Collectively, these approaches help you prevent both heart disease and cancer.

The bottom line is –

Your heart health and overall wellness deserve your attention all year long, not just on one day or one month.

 

Image Credit: Clipart and CPD

 

How Bottlenecks Affect Weight Management

By Hui Xie-Zukauskas

Wt. loss w-water_M_PixabayThe Bottleneck Effect on Weight Gain

From time to time, most of us have gotten stuck in a traffic jam or a slowdown when driving through so-called bottlenecks. These bottleneck areas often result from the merging of a three-lane to a two-lane highway, a lane closure due to construction, a stop signal, or an accident in busy traffic. Afterwards, the cars begin to speed up again.

Like traffic bottlenecks, other bottlenecks occur in our life that affect our health, including our weight management.

With the start of a new year, many people likely made a new year’s resolution for reducing to a healthy weight, given the fact that obesity is a growing epidemic in the U.S. and worldwide. Weight gain is a big challenge for many, many people.

We have previously addressed the various health consequences and cancer risk of obesity. In this post, I suggest a new approach to help you with weight gain or weight regain.

Let’s picture you as a problem-solver and use your willpower to get your resolution done.

First, the complexity of obesity

I understand your frustrations and struggles, especially given that genetics is nobody’s fault. Based on what science tells us, many factors can contribute to weight gain or weight regain after a weight-loss triumph. What I focus on here is behaviors, of course, without throwing biology out of the window.

Visualize this simple model of energy balance: Energy intake = Energy expenditure, or Calories in = Calories out. (See the schematic illustration below.)

Imagine what happens when energy imbalance occurs: Calories in > Calories out, then you gain weight.

Now consider this situation: suppose that you eat healthy and exercise regularly, but as you’re aging, your pounds start piling up, and you wonder where did they come from?

Energy balance & imbalance_CPD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientific evidence shows that many factors may regulate your weight, some of them being:

  •           Eating a fat-, sugar-, salt-rich, red-meat-heavy, or a processed-food-oriented diet
  •           Overeating, whether out of habit or for emotional comfort
  •           Sedentary lifestyle
  •           Exposure to environmental pollutants or chemicals (natural or synthetic)
  •           Intensive stress (work, finance, or personal life, etc.)
  •           Lack of sleep, particularly obstructive sleep apnea
  •           Aging
  •           Medication(s) you take
  •           Chronic conditions

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No doubt, each individual’s condition is unique. That’s how you can be a problem-solver for your weight gain and be a part of the solution.

Where is your bottleneck?  

A starting point is to identify the bottleneck for your weight gain or regain. For example, maybe you eat less and move more, but you are in your golden age when your body’s hormones change—a bottleneck.

Or you may be exposed heavily to environmental chemicals (at work or home) that tilt your body toward getting obese by promoting fat production and reducing metabolic rate—another bottleneck.

Or maybe you do have a healthy weight under your watch, but unexpectedly, you then take a drug for some treatment that alters your metabolism (as many medications do), causing a different kind of bottleneck.

So, you get the idea.

Moreover, what happens if those folks with debilitating pain are unable to exercise as needed despite eating healthy? That’s not just a bottleneck, but more like a funnel clogged at the bottom—leading to limited or minimized energy expenditure. In this case, consult your physician for pain relief and to deal with the underlying problem(s).

Whatever it is, there is a likelihood that somehow or somewhere there is a bottleneck(s) for your weight gain or regain that is likely to be associated with your disrupted energy balance.

Finding the bottleneck is certainly helpful, but not the final solution. Next, you need to re-set or re-tweak your behaviors and lifestyle based on your body’s recalibration to adjust to your situation. Make sure that your solutions are specific and realistic.

A healthy lifestyle is a journey, not a destination

Living a healthy lifestyle involves individual choices and behaviors. Modifying your behaviors is within your control. Keep in mind that every step counts. For instance, you may eat less, but do you eat right? By that I mean that you need to eat the right products (nutrition) in the right portions. In addition, beware of not just weight per se, but also how much and where the fat is distributed on your body. Any quick fix for weight loss is not a long-term solution.

Equally important is your perseverance with a balanced diet and regular exercise. Persistence can not only benefit your weight stability but also reduce your risk factors for various chronic illnesses including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The bottom line:

With this new approach in a new year, you can be a problem-solver by discovering your bottleneck(s), and tackling the challenge(s) on a weight-management journey. Remember the importance of teamwork too, such as your physician’s treatment, psychological counselling, and the support of family and friends.

Rooting for your health!

 

Image credit: Pixabay