Healthy Eating: 5 Salad-Bar Toppings To Just Pretend Don't Exist (Glamour)

Healthy Eating: 5 Salad-Bar Toppings To Just Pretend Don't Exist (Glamour)

Healthy Eating: 5 Salad-Bar Toppings To Just Pretend Don't Exist (Glamour)

Salads, I love salads. Whats the right salad topping to go with it when you are eating healthy conscious?

Salads can be tricky things. I mean, even though they might have things like lettuce in them—and, heck, the word "salad" in their names—that doesn't mean they're necessarily the best healthy-eating choices. In fact, some restaurant salads can pack as many as 1,300 calories per dish!

Also Read: Healthy Living: 20 Superstar Superfood For Super Healthy Heart

So salad bars are especially good because you can control what goes on your salad, keep an eye on your portions—and, what I find is an extra-special bonus, make it exactly with the stuff you like most. The only problem is when the stuff you like is yummy—but not really all that healthful. (Looking at you, mayo-filled noodles!)

Experts say these are some of the big health bombs to avoid at the salad bar:

Bacon Bits.

The crunchy, salty little nuggets—which aren't even necessarily made of real bacon—have basically no nutritional value. Two tablespoons are as much as 100 calories, with almost 400mg of sodium, which is about 1/4 of your recommended daily salt intake.

Dried Cranberries And Raisins.

Fruit is fine on salads, right? Definitely—especially if it's fresh. But, as Jillian Michaels says, there's a reason dried cranberries are called "nature's candy"—they actually contain about 29g of sugar per portion. And lots of us pile way more than one portion on our salads.

Cheese And Creamy Dressings.

OK, cheese isn't all bad—it can deliver a nice shot of protein and calcium. But you have be careful about the kinds you choose (even cottage cheese at salad bars is usually the whole-fat variety), and, of course, how much you put on. Sprinkling on just a bit of flavorful varieties, like Parmesan or gorgonzola, can help keep fat grams down. And creamy dressings—well, you probably already know that they can add on calories fast. If you simply replace the ranch and blue cheese dressings with balsamic vinaigrette or non-creamy Italian, you cut the calories practically in half.

Nuts
Glazed nuts. Sweet and crunchy, yes! But they can add 180 calories to your salad, which is basically the same as an entire packet of chocolate candies.

Fried chicken or shrimp. Adding lean protein to your lettuce leaves is a definite do—but these fried varieties are just disasters. A three-ounce portion of fried chicken adds 15g of fat to your salad!

What are your favorite healthful salad toppings? And how do you avoid going overboard at the salad bar?

I like to hear your healthy eating approach regarding salad bar toppings.

Post Credits

Post Site: http://www.glamour.com/

Post Arthur: Lexi Petronis

Lexi Petronis is a health writer. Loves '80s music, spin class, and velvet-nosed kittens. Wishes nachos were a food group.

Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexipetronis

Email: vitamingglamour@gmail.com

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Healthy Lifestyle: Variety And Moderation Are Key To A Healthy Lifestyle (Windsorstar)

Healthy Lifestyle: Variety And Moderation Are Key To A Healthy Lifestyle (Windsorstar)

Healthy Lifestyle: Variety And Moderation Are Key To A Healthy Lifestyle (Windsorstar)

Bread is the staff of life, or it was, until marketers and researchers started sharing their opinions of which foods were best for our good health.

Today we are bombarded with research, studies and testimonials as to what is healthy and what will harm us. I like to simplify things and say all things in moderation are fine and good, and choosing more foods in their natural state, not processed, is healthier.

If we eat too much bread and not enough other food groups, our bodies will not gain the various vitamins, minerals and nutrients they would otherwise benefit from.

Also Read: Healthy Living: 20 Superstar Superfood For Super Healthy Heart

As a nutritionist I get many questions about what to eat. Here are a three of them, along with my opinion about what choices to make:

Question:

Which is better, butter, margarine or oil? And which oils? Olive, canola, coconut or omegas?

Answer:

I like butter on my toast and also add it lightly to air-popped popcorn. Nothing beats the taste. Butter comes from separating fat from the cream milked from cows. There’s not much processing or additives in this fat.

Margarine is made from oils extracted from seeds such as canola, rapeseed, corn and olives, and processed into a more solid state. It was invented by a French chemist in 1813 and became popular in North America during the Second World War, when butter had to be rationed.

Today, there are processing techniques that are non-hydrogenized to make these oils spread like butter. Their properties also offer an unsaturated feature that does not elevate one’s “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels.

Fat is calorie-dense (36 calories per teaspoon). For people who have been told to avoid or reduce saturated fats and can’t give up butter, compromise by blending it with an oil, which is unsaturated. If you don’t know the difference between the two fats, saturated is hard at room temperature and unsaturated remains a liquid.

Research that compared people on a low-fat diet, a low-carbohydrate diet or Mediterranean diet showed all were successful if they could maintain their calorie control. The average weight loss after one year from any of these diets ranged from five to 10 pounds.

There are new fats on the market being touted as the healthiest choice. I would choose one that enhances the flavour without using a lot of it, like coconut oil in a rice dish. A little sesame seed oil in your hummus would require less tahini for flavour. Explore your options.

Question:

Is wheat a bad food to eat? Should I switch to rice or grains such as couscous, quinoa, or oats?

Answer: 

Although today’s processing of wheat flour is not what it use to be, it would be hard for me to give up my bagel in the morning. All breads, in moderation, will give us nutrients. If we choose whole grain, aim for higher fibre content. Adults should have 21 grams or more a day.

Incorporating more whole grains will give us more intact nutrients, fibre and a lower glycemic index because they take longer to digest and release insulin more slowly. They also add variety to our diet.

Question:

Is rice or almond milk better than regular cow’s milk?

Answer:

There are more steps to processing and creating non-dairy milks that try to fortify their products with added calcium, protein, flavouring and nutrients. If you are not diagnosed as lactose intolerant, and can consume dairy products in moderation, choose milk. Check Canada’s Food Guide for your recommended intake. More is not better.

Keep in mind these are guidelines, and not recommendations, for generally healthy individuals. Your best assessment will come from your health-care provider.

Post Credits

Post Site: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/

Post Arthur: Victoria Mikhail

Victoria Mikhail is a local dietitian/nutritionist who wrote The Athlete Can Cook. Check out her website: www.spicedwithnutrition.ca.

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Vaginal Hygiene: How To Keep The Vagina Clean, Tight And Prevent Nasty Odour

Vaginal Hygiene: How To Keep The Vagina Clean, Tight And Prevent Odour

Vaginal Hygiene: How To Keep The Vagina Clean, Tight And Prevent Nasty Odour

I saw this post about how to keep your vagina clean, odourless and tight on RML and thought I share it with you. Even if you don't have a vagina like me, I'm sure you know someone close to you who does, and this post about vagina hygiene will definitely be useful to them. Prevention they say is better than cure. The earlier you start practicing these healthy steps the better for your vaginal health and hygiene.

Below is what she wrote;

Have you ever wondered once or twice or more, how tight your vagina was, or whether your vagina has a bad smell? If you're married or sexually active, you probably have. It will definitely be on your mind when you want to do the do or it's time for your partner to go 'down'.

For getting your vagina tight, I know Kegels are great and I practice them when I remember. By the way, am I the only one who gets aroused doing Kegel exercises?

About how to keep away the bad vagina smells, bear in mind that all vaginas have their own natural smell, maybe I should say scent. That unique scent can be an aphrodisiac for your partner, but when your vagina starts smelling too fishy, there's something fishy.

You need to get rid of that foul vagina smell from the inside out, and from the outside in.

Here are some tips I found;

1. Eat a good quantity of citrus fruits like Oranges and Lemons

2. I don't know what Indian Gooseberry is but it's supposed to help for OK vaginal odor

3. Add fresh yoghurt to your diet

4. Garlic is your friend, as it helps keep away bacterial infections

5. Tea Tree Oil is mentioned too, I've never used it. I know it's great for hair too.

6. Drink lots of water, of course.

7. Use water every time you use a toilet, a wipe may be better than tissue paper. Avoid using douches.

    Wash your vagina with unscented soap or simple feminine wash for the external area only.

8. Keep the vaginal area clean and dry also keep your pubic hair short.

9. Choose cotton underwears or those with cotton in the vagina area. Or go commando, that is, without

    undies at all. A pretty bold airing move the virgie

10. During your period, change your sanitary pads or tampons frequently and use panty liners during your           ovulation.

I would love to hear your own ideas on how to prevent vaginal odour. Please leave a comment below.

PS, who can count how many times I said vagina in this post?

Below are some useful Youtubes videos to help you keep your vagina clean, tight and prevent odour.

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Healthy Longevity Tips: How To Live Long Like 123 Years Old Bolivian Aymara Herder

Healthy Longevity Tips: How To Live Long Like 123 Years Old Bolivian Aymara Herder - Carmelo Flores Laura

Do you know this man? Look familiar? No he is not a wanted man! Well he is a Bolivian Aymara herder and if Bolivia's public records are correct, this Aymara herder, Carmelo Flores Laura is the oldest living person ever documented. Guess how old he is...

He is 123 years and a month old. That makes him the world's oldest person!

Healthy Longevity Tips: How To Live Long Like 123 Years Old Bolivian Aymara Herder - Aymara Village

He is a native Aymara, lives in a straw-roofed dirt-floor hut in an isolated hamlet near Lake Titicaca at 13,100 feet (4,000 meters), is illiterate, speaks no Spanish and has no teeth. He walks without a cane and doesn't wear glasses. And though he speaks Aymara with a firm voice, one must talk into his ear to be heard.

Longevity Food For Thought
Makes me wonder whether rich people ever live this long even with all the technology to try and cheat death

Healthy Longevity Tips: How To Live Long Like 123 Years Old Bolivian Aymara Herder  - With Great-grand Children

Carmelo Longevity Lifestyle
Carmelo obviously owes his longevity to his lifestyle which the benefit cannot be denied. Like most Bolivian highlands peasants, Carmelo Flores Laura has been chewing coca leaf, a mild stimulant that staves off hunger all his life.

"I walk a lot, that's all. I go out with the animals," says Flores, who long herded cattle and sheep. "I don't eat noodles or rice, only barley. I used to grow potatoes, beans, oca (an Andean tuber)." 

He says he doesn't drink alcohol, but imbibed some in his youth. He's eaten a lot of mutton, and though he likes pork it is hardly available. He fondly remembers hunting and eating fox as a younger man.The water Flores drinks originates on the snow-capped peak of Illampu, one of Bolivia's highest. 

Flores says he has never been farther afield than La Paz, 80 kilometers (50 miles) away, and has never been seriously ill.

Summary Of Carmelo Longevity Tips
We will take Carmelo's healthy longevity lifestyle tips one at a time in his words and break it down in health terms.

Live In A Straw Roofed Dirt Floor Hut which means Live A Simple Life. You do yourself a great disservice when you worry so much about any and everything. The strain becomes unbearable to your health. You fling your health gate wide open to problems like high blood pressure. Just curious, do the wealthy individuals in our society ever live this long?

Must Read: Healthy Habit: How To Make Lasting Healthy Habit Change

Chew Lots Of Cocoa Leaf which means Don't Eat Every Time Your Stomach Grunts. They say give to the pig when the pig grunts and to the child when the child cries and you will have a fat pig and a spoilt child. I say you will have a fat pig and an obese spoilt child. Fight your cravings or they will fight you down. Try to control how often you eat. This is also very good for people watching their weight. How can you be disciplined in watching your weight when at the slightest 'abdominal provocation'

Must Read: Best 5 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Sugar Cravings

Don't Eat Noodles Or Rice, Only barley which means Watch Your Diet. What you is is usually what kills you. Take your nutrition and diet very seriously. Eat healthy foods, eat superfoods for healthy strong body and organs. A good diet gives your body the right nutrition to function at its best in providing you energy to work, mental well-being, improved immunity to fight against disease, etc.

Must Read: Healthy Living: 20 Superstar Superfood For Super Healthy

Walk A Lot As An Animal Herder which means Exercise Regular. Walking is a very good form of exercise to keep fit. The health benefits of walking is tremendous as you can see with this Bolivian Aymara herder. Next to walking is running. The health benefits of running is also great. It's a long term medical investment in one's good health.

Must Read: Most Essential Health Benefits Gained From Running Regular

Don't Drink Alcohol. This point is self explanatory. Although a little intake of alcohol has health benefits for your body system, Carmelo says he doesn't drink alcohol now. He drank in his youth. The alcohol he drank in his youth can be likened to drinking a healthy dosage of alcohol now. Serious health implication arises when alcohol intake is abused.

Must Read: Health Benefits Comparison: Wine vs Beer

Drink Water From Snow-capped Mountains which mean always drink clean, fresh pure water. Unclean water can land you a long stay in the hospital. Make sure you purify your water properly before drinking to avoid water borne diseases. Nothing can replace water. Don't drink juice or soft drinks in place of water when you are tasty, it won't work.

Don't Go Beyond 50 Miles which means Do Moderate Exercise. Even though exercise is good, excess or too much of it is bad for your health. Well they say too much of everything is bad.

I'm wondering is too much of making money and too? That's is for this post. I hoped you have learnt something from this man, Carmelo, the oldest Bolivian Aymara herder and also the oldest man in the world. Apply it to your life and you might end up taking the title from him.

Adapted from Yahoo News

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Healthy Habit: How To Make Lasting Healthy Habit Change

Healthy Habit: How To Make Lasting Healthy Habit Change

Healthy Habit: How To Make Lasting Healthy Habit Change by Amanda Deverich

Some say change is hard. Quitting smoking, dieting, exercising and even flossing regularly are health-habit changes that can be hard to make. Learned helplessness studies show the reason people do not succeed is that they attempt change in ways they think should work, but don't. Logic tells people facts and fear should inspire and motivate people to change. Sometimes this is true, however, motivation is often lost due to the fundamental belief that it won't really work this time because it never has in the past.

Information alone is not enough to change behavior. Knowing the health implication or health benefits of habit change is not enough motivator. Sometimes people do act on the knowledge they have and others do not. There is a word for the illogical failure to act upon knowledge: akrasia. Akrasia is a Greek term for knowing we should do one thing, yet we do another. I know if I eat that extra slice of pizza I will not lose the weight I would like to lose. Knowing this fact and knowing I should act in accordance is not enough for me to choose not to overeat. Relying on information alone to spark healthy habit changes is insufficient for many people.

Who Do You Fear

Fear of consequences is not a perfect motivator. There is a true saying that nothing happens until the pain of staying the same outweighs the pain of change. The consequences of not changing gets some people to change, but not all. Some people remain unchanging in painful situations. They are frozen in fear. They deflect the anxiety of the problem by ignoring, minimizing or making fun of it. "I'll go out in a massive heart attack rather than spend years doing crunches and eating cardboard food!" People are well aware that the ultimate risk of smoking or not losing weight is death. Yet, the fear of death is too overwhelming to act upon. Some people internally panic and go into flight-or-freeze mode. They must make death a remote possibility. People thwart change by suppressing anxiety which would otherwise move them to act.

Must Read: Best 5 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Sugar Cravings

Finally, some people do not change habits because they are resigned. They believe they are doomed. No matter what efforts they make, they believe they will not be able to change. They suffer from learned helplessness, a condition where they believe they have tried everything and that nothing will work, even if they do try. This is a false belief. To alleviate the frustration, they disown their true desire to better themselves and as a result become depressed, angry, or outright self-destructive. Sadly, many medical professionals also believe people will not change. Too many times they have seen patients fail to make the effort to instill new health habits. They, too, can lose faith and hope in their clients. Medical professionals ethically dispense the tools and advice with little confidence it will actually be used and applied.

Information, fear of death and feigned hope cannot inspire people to change. There is a way to overcome the akrasia, the frozen overwhelm and the learned helplessness. The catalysts for growth are relationship, hope and ongoing repetition of doing what works.

Relationships can be found in groups or with individuals. Being part of a group has powerful benefits. A group provides a behavioral standard and support. Groups have a culture and a spirit that helps shape its members. In its positive form, this culture can help people make changes by offering support, expectation, encouragement and accountability. Formal healthy-habit groups may be focused on weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking, recovery or other lifestyle change effort. Informal groups such as friends, family, school, work or church can also be very effective. The key is that there is a positive culture of sustained change. If you want to be a non-smoker, hang around non-smokers. If you want to be a runner, hang around runners. 

Must Read: Most Essential Health Benefits Gained From Running Regular

We need our small wins validated and celebrated -- even if it is in a quiet way. We need someone to actually care that we did not go to the gym that day and who knows how to listen, encourage and believe we will get back in the swing and go tomorrow. Individuals can also be powerful change motivators and sustainers. Finding a guru to lead you is a good idea. A guru is someone with knowledge and charisma. A guru exudes confidence in their methods and that the method can work for you. This can be a fitness guru, a spiritual guru, habit change guru, a parent or friend or an accountability partner.

Groups and gurus can instill hope. They are living models that change can be made and they care about you. When we rely solely on ourselves and our long-standing history of bad health habits, we have no framework, no evidence to believe change is possible. We must chose relationships with others that offer hope. If some of the very medical professionals who are supposed to be able to help us are hopeless that we will change, why should we try? After all, they know more than we. We need someone who evangelizes. We need someone that can lead us on the path that will pay off if only we keep trying. Hope is a powerful motivator. Hope gives energy to try again, to believe that what we are doing actually is going to make a difference in our life.

How Do I Stay Physically Fit With No Motivation To Exercise

Hope is sustained with results. Results come from a method that works. When you suffer from learned helplessness, believing you have tried everything, you need someone to show you what you haven't tried. You have a false belief that no matter what you try it will not work. If your current method does not work, get another method. There are many ways to diet and exercise that work. The trick is to pick one that gets results, that has a culture, group or guru and to keep applying the method. Make a plan and measure progress. Do not be dissuaded by small steps forward followed by failure.

Examine and identify where you may have went wrong. Reapply. Get more information. Repetition is important. Repetition not only instills the method, but moves you closer to results. It also compensates for the days you lose hope or fall off the regimen. If you plan to floss every day and only floss to five days, you are far better off than zero. You have begun to change your habit. Repeat your process the next week, stick with it using accountability and family support. Your wife, dentist and self will love you for it! Over time, a new habit will take root.

Change is a process, not a moment of transfiguration. At first, change takes focused attention to become a habit. Be purposeful, get relational support, identify methods that work and continually apply the strategies. Once a habit is formed, it will give the budding change momentum and add a helpful inertia that makes it easier and easier to maintain the change. Soon then, the change will take root, transforming into a healthier, new you.

Culled from Huffingtonpost

Habit is easier to form than to deform. Instead of spending the rest of one's life trying to change a bad habit, it will be much better if the good habits are formed from the start. But this is usually easier said than done. If you read this article "how to make lasting healthy habit change" start to finish, I'm sure it has strengthened your resolve for a lasting healthy behavioural change if that is your goal.

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Quality Marriage Results In Quality Health - Research Revealed

Quality Marriage Results In Quality Health - Research Revealed

A Brigham Young University family life researcher Rick Miller found that as the quality of marriage holds up over the years, physical health holds up too. This research result was the outcome of a 20-year longitudinal study tracking health and marriage quality.

He said that there is proof from previous research that marital conflict leads to poor quality health and his study showed that happy marriages have a preventative component that keeps people in good health over the years.

The study shows positive quality marriage relationships sustain quality health over the long run.

Health Benefits Of Happy Marriage Revealed

The study used data from a nationally representative sample of 1,681 married individuals followed over the course of two decades - the longest study on marital quality and health to date.

Miller and colleagues measured marital quality in two ways: First, in terms of happiness and satisfaction, and, second, in terms of marital problems (Do you argue about money? Do you fight about in-laws?). Respondents then rated their health on a 1 (excellent) to 4 (poor) scale.

The results showed those with higher marital conflict were more likely to report poor health.

Of course they are busy warring each other to notice health issues. Even when they notice these health issues in their partner most reaction is "Serves you right for treating me badly". Because of the conflict, the quality of care they give each other is drastically lowered.

Relationship Guide: 12 Reasons Why Couples Drift Apart You Should Avoid

Miller said that the implication is that marital conflict is a risk factor for poor health and couples that fight or argue frequently should get professional help to reduce their conflict, as it affects their health quality.

Miller added that when spouses have a bad day, in a happy marriage, they are more likely to support each other and empathize with each other and that support reduces stress and helps buffer against a decline in health. A shoulder to cry on is a very powerful medication on its own.

The study has been published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. (ANI)

Now you know that when your marriage suffers, your health suffers too, I'm sure rationally couples should strive for a better marriage hence better health.


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Most Essential Health Benefits Gained From Running Regular

Most Essential Health Benefits Gained From Running Regular - Running Woman

The health benefits of running cannot be overemphasized. Running can be done indoors on the treadmill or outside for the natural feel. For the health conscious, regular running is an essential part of their existence, a healthy lifestyle at that. If you want to lower stress in your life, running is a healthy choice. A better

Understanding of the right way to warm up and cool down can add to the health benefits of running. Also get yourself a good pair of running shoes and you are good to go. Running is a smart thing and you even get smarter as you do it because it helps grow new brain cells, makes you a better learner, and boosts memory.

The health rewards of running are long-term when you make it a frequent habit. It’s a medically established fact that all forms of exercise generate more energy for the brain, but research indicates the more aerobically challenging the exercise, the greater the mental payoff. Running falls into this category.

Below is List of Essential Health Benefits Resulting from Running.

Mental Health: During running some chemicals are released which help people fight symptoms of anxiety, depression, and bipolar. A regular running habit will boost your mood and build self-esteem. It also increases your self-confidence or better personal image of yourself as you reach fitness and/or weight loss goals. Feeling happy with who you are, and being satisfied with yourself is the best way to boost your overall mental health.

Healthy Heart: Running is one of the best ways to build healthy heart muscles and increase the amount of blood the heart can pump without over exerting itself. Running is to the heart what effective workout is to the body. By running regularly you can improve circulation, and reduce the risk of a heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke. A healthy heart can increase length and quality of life

Boosts Brain Power: Research reveals that running has a great impact on the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory. You can increase your mental functions by going running as it boosts blood flow to the brain and helps it receive oxygen and nutrients, making you more productive at work. **That doesn’t mean if you that if you have an SAT test you should go and run 15km instead of studying for your test believing the answers will come to you since you have ran.**

Prevention of High Blood Pressure: Healthy arteries alone cannot prevent high blood pressure. However, getting your arteries to work does. When you run, your arteries expand and contract harder than usual. This allows them to stay just as fit as the rest of your body. Keeping your arteries elasticity up by running, is a great way to maintain a healthy blood pressure. This reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Weight Loss: On the average a runner burns 1,000 calories an hour during a training session. The more you run, the slimmer you get and the faster you run in turn. As you run regular you gaining more muscle which helps you lose weight from fat. Running also helps tighten the skin as the weight comes off. Losing weight greatly reduces the risk of heart attack and other illnesses associated with extra weight.

Physical Strength: Physical strength is one of the most popular reasons for beginning a running routine. Building strength in your lower body, muscles, tendons, and ligaments can greatly reduce the daily effects of fatigue and aging. Building physical strength also helps prevent future injury to muscles and bones due to increased stability.

How Do I Stay Physically Fit With No Motivation To Exercise

Discipline and Personal Control: It takes a disciplined mind to run on a regular schedule. Running regular reduces the effects of many disease processes, the amount of medication needed to control your health, and being able to control these things, gives you a sense of self control. One feels a sense of personal control of one’s destiny and future when you are able to control your own schedule, your own health, etc. This helps boost self-confidence and increases quality of life.

Bubbling Happiness: People who run regularly are often happier than people who don’t. there’s a sense of elation associated with running known as “runner’s high” – it’s the rush of hormones causing a feeling of well-being known as endorphins. Running regularly can also improve patience, humour and ambition, and make you more good-tempered and easy-going.

Stronger Bones: Running frequently taxes your muscles, joints and bones so the bones are stimulated to remain stronger and do not easily weaken with age. High impact sports and activities, such as running, can actually improve your bone mineral density. Osteoporosis is kept at bay.

Increased Joint Strength: In addition to strengthening one’s bones and bone density, the health benefits of running include increasing strength in your leg muscles, tendons and ligaments. Increasing the strength of your tendons and ligaments increases joint strength and stability. Stronger tendons ligaments and joints greatly lower the risk of hip, knee and ankle injuries.

Healthy Beauty Sleep: I can relate totally with this key benefit of running. I always enjoy a healthy beauty sleep when I run. Studies show that runners find it easier to get to sleep at night and sleep longer. Insomnia is kept at bay. A good sleep reenergizes and rejuvenates the body. The body needs rest to function effectively. Because your muscles are less tense you will be more relaxed at night. You will fall asleep faster, sleep deeper and wake up refreshed.

Lowers Effects of Diabetes: A regular running lifestyle can actually help lower the symptoms of diabetes on the body. Research indicates that regular exercise can actually help maintain a healthy blood sugar and reduce diabetic resistance to insulin. Having more manageable blood sugar can increase the types of food you can eat, and decrease the amount of medication you need.

Must Read: Best 5 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Sugar Cravings

Improved Immune System: Generally runners have a stronger immune system, that means you'll suffer less from minor illnesses such as colds, allergies, fatigue, menstrual discomfort, backache, and digestive disorders. This is partly due to the fact that exercise improves the flow of fluids in your lymphatic system, which means that viruses, bacteria and toxins are filtered from your blood and lymph more effectively.

Reduces Asthma Effects: Studies reveal that by adding a regular running routine to your exercise schedule, an individual can healthily reduce the asthma effects they experience. Also it can reduce the frequency and the severity of your asthma attacks. This is made possible because regular running strengthens your lungs and bronchi over time.

Increases Pain Tolerance: By raising your endorphin level (the natural pain killer in your body) exercise can help alleviate pain such as PMS symptoms and menstruation pain. The deep breathing during exercise encourages more oxygen into your blood circulation and helps to relax the uterus.

Improved Cholesterol Levels: Exercise raises the level of good cholesterol (HDL) compared to bad cholesterol (LDL) and lowers the less healthy fat levels (triglycerides) in your body.

Now that you have read the essential health benefits gained from running regularly, do you want takes advantage of these health benefits or not? They say health is wealth. Don't go chasing wealth at the expense of your health. Start a lasting running regimen today and you will be glad you took this wise decision.

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Health Benefits Comparison: Wine vs Beer

Health Benefits Comparison: Wine vs Beer

Its an established and accepted fact that consumption of wine and beer has its health benefits. In 2000, a Danish research revealed that all forms of alcohol can lower the risk of heart disease, thanks to its ability to increase HDL cholesterol and hence reduce the thickening and hardening of the arteries, red wine was shown to be the most effective in preventing heart disease. However it is yet to established and accepted which among wine and beer has the most health benefits. 

WINE BENEFITS
Wine Is Good For The Heart: Lowers Risk of Heart Disease
Red wine (and white wine, to a much lesser extent) contains tannin procyanin. This antioxidant encourages cell growth while also preventing plaque build-up in the arteries and reduces the risk of stroke and other serious heart problems. In fact, this antioxidant is believed to the be the explanation for the so called "French paradox," the fact that the French have lower rates of heart disease than people from other countries, despite diets that tend to be high in fat and cholesterol.

Red-wine tannins contain procyanidins, which protect against heart disease. Wines from Sardinia and southwest France have more procyanidins than other wines. Source: a study at Queen Mary University in London, published in Nature, 2006.

Red wine contains resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant compound. Resveratrol also protects your heart and arteries against the effects of saturated fat in your diet, so drinking one or two glasses of red wine a day can help protect your heart and prevent cardiovascular disease.

The flavonoids and sapponins in red wine also help to protect your heart against cardiovascular disease. The alcohol in red wine, when consumed in moderation, raises your levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, helps prevent the formation of blood clots and can help to protect your arteries from the damage caused by "bad" LDL cholesterol.

Lower Risk Of Cancer
Substantial evidence suggests that drinking red wine in moderation can help prevent cancer. The many antioxidants in red wine can help prevent the oxidative damage responsible for the process of aging and for many degenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Guercetin, one of the many antioxidants in red wine, may help prevent lung cancer. Research has shown that resveratrol, the same red wine antioxidant that helps protect your heart, can also kill cancerous cells.

Resveratrol also inhibits cancerous cells' ability to remove irradiated particles, making radiation therapy more effective against cancer. Resveratrol also attacks cancerous cells and inhibits their ability to function.

Wine Promotes Healthy Weight:
No wonder you don't ever hear of anyone complaining about having a "wine belly". In general, wine is far lower in calories than beer. The fact that one glass (about six ounces) of wine has fewer calories than an equivalent amount of beer helps wine drinkers maintain a healthy weight more easily compared to beer drinkers.

Promotes Longevity
Wine drinkers have a 34 percent lower mortality rate than beer or spirits drinkers. Source: a Finnish study of 2,468 men over a 29-year period, published in the Journals of Gerontology, 2007.

Prevents Tooth Decay
Red wine, even non-alcoholic red wine, hardens your enamel to prevent tooth decay. Hardened enamel is more resistant to Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria which lives on your teeth and is responsible for tooth decay. The polyphenols in red wine can also prevent gum disease, and even help to treat it by reducing inflammation in the gums.

Lowers Risk of Stroke
The possibility of suffering a blood clot–related stroke drops by about 50 percent in people who consume moderate amounts of alcohol. Source: a Columbia University study of 3,176 individuals over an eight-year period, published in Stroke, 2006.

Cuts Risk of Cataracts
Moderate drinkers are 32 percent less likely to get cataracts than nondrinkers; those who consume wine are 43 percent less likely to develop cataracts than those drinking mainly beer. Source: a study of 1,379 individuals in Iceland, published in Nature, 2003.

Slows Brain Decline And Improves Memory
Brain function declines at a markedly faster rate in nondrinkers than in moderate drinkers. Source: a Columbia University study of 1,416 people, published in Neuroepidemiology, 2006. Wine could preserve your memory. When researchers gave memory quizzes to women in their 70s, those who drank one drink or more every day scored much better than those who drank less or not at all. Wine helps prevent clots and reduce blood vessel inflammation, both of which have been linked to cognitive decline and heart disease, explains Tedd Goldfinger, DO, of the University of Arizona School of Medicine. Alcohol also seems to raise HDL, the so-called good cholesterol, which helps unclog your arteries.

Boost Your Body Immunity
In one British study, those who drank roughly a glass of wine a day reduced by 11% their risk of infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, a major cause of gastritis, ulcers, and stomach cancers. As little as half a glass may also guard against food poisoning caused by germs like salmonella when people are exposed to contaminated food, according to a Spanish study.

Build Better Bones
On average, women who drink moderately seem to have higher bone mass than abstainers. Alcohol appears to boost estrogen levels; the hormone seems to slow the body’s destruction of old bone more than it slows the production of new bone.

Prevent Blood-Sugar Trouble
Premenopausal women who drink one or two glasses of wine a day are 40 percent less likely than women who don’t drink to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a 10-year study by Harvard Medical School. While the reasons aren’t clear, wine seems to reduce insulin resistance in diabetic patients.

Health Benefits Comparison: Wine vs Beer

BEER BENEFITS
On the other hand, beer boasts of the following health benefits. Remember, though, to always drink in moderation, and be sure to get a designated driver to get home safely.

Reduces Risk of Heart Disease
All alcohol, whether it is beer, wine, or liquor, is known to help reduce heart disease. According to a 2008 article in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, moderate consumption of alcohol makes blood less sticky, and so it is less likely to clot. Alcohol can also increase good cholesterol and lower the bad, as well as lower your blood pressure. A Harvard study of 70,000 women found that those who consumed beer had a lower blood pressure than those who consumed wine or hard alcohol.

Helps the Kidneys
Alcohol gets a bad wrap for being hard on your kidneys, but beer can actually help in that department. According to the 2011 ADA Times, beer can actually reduce your risk of kidney stones. The hops not only help slow the release of calcium from the bones — too much calcium can cause kidney stones — but beer also has a high water content, which helps clear out those kidneys.

Packed with Nutrition
Beer is a surprising source of many nutrients. One 12-ounce beer has around one gram of fiber. It is also packed with B vitamins like niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, riboflavin, and vitamins B6 and B12. It is also rich in silicon, a nutrient that is said to help strengthen bones.

Reduces Risk of Diabetes
In 2011, Harvard did a study of 38,000 middle-aged men which showed that, when they upped their intake of beer to two a day, they dropped their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 25 percent. There was, however, no noted benefit from drinking more than two beers a day.

Reduces Risk of Cancer
Just putting your meat in a marinade of beer can eliminate almost 70 percent of carcinogens from the meat, a Portuguese study found. That might not transfer to drinking the beer, but who doesn’t love a good beer marinade? If you do just drink it, though, it does contain loads of helpful antioxidants that can keep you healthy.

Increases Brain Health
Researchers think that a few beers a day can also stave off Alzheimer’s and can reduce your risk of stroke. In 2005, a study was done of 11,000 older women, and those who had one beer a day had better mental function than those who didn’t. In fact, they decreased their risk of mental decline by as much as 20 percent. The Harvard School of Public Health also did a study that showed that a few beers a day might reduce the risk of stroke by thinning the blood and preventing blood clots from traveling to the brain.

In Conclusion
The keyword is moderation. When consumed in moderation, both wine and beer does offer some clear essential benefits for our health. Choosing wine over beer, or vice versa, is often a matter of personal preference. However, if you want to help your heart and give your cells a boost, a glass of wine is clearly a better choice.



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Best 5 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Sugar Cravings

Best 5 Healthy Foods That Help Fight Sugar Cravings

My sugar cravings as a kid was off the charts! I eat dozens of cubes of sugar daily let alone other foods that naturally contain sugar. That's a really unhealthy diet. Imagine growing into an adult and still crave for sugar like that, that will be disastrous to one's health.

According to NatureNews;
Sugar cravings and eating too many foods that contain sugar may cause health problems such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. If one gives in to his sugar cravings, the sugary foods that he ate will cause his blood sugar to increase quickly and then crash. The blood sugar crash then makes him crave for more sugar, so he eats more sugary foods and the cycle continues. According to Dr. Deirdre Rawlings of the Clayton College of Natural Health, one can break this unhealthy cycle by eating healthy foods that fight sugar cravings.

Dr. Rawlings recommends that people eat these best 5 healthy foods in order to combat sugar cravings effectively.

These 5 healthy foods that combat sugar cravings effectively are as follows;

Sweet corn
Sweet corn is another healthy food that can help fight sugar cravings. Sweet corn is native to Central America but it was introduced to the rest of the world by explorers from Spain. Sweet corn is different from ordinary field corn because of its mutation at the sugary locus. Sweet corn is great for fighting sugar cravings because it tastes sweet when cooked and one will feel quite full after eating an ear of it. It is also rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.

Sweet potato
Another vegetable that tastes sweet when cooked is the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes can be chopped up and then fried to make sweet potato fries. Sweet potatoes will not only satisfy sugar cravings, but also supply the body with vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B6, and iron. The nutrients in sweet potatoes can help prevent heart disease, cancer, and other degenerative diseases.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes can also fight sugar cravings because they are high in serotonin. Studies suggest that low serotonin levels are among the main causes of sugar cravings. The serotonin in tomatoes functions as a neurotransmitter that tells a person's brain that his sugar cravings have been satisfied. Tomatoes are also high in chromium, a mineral that reduces food cravings, regulates cholesterol, fat and blood sugar levels.

Apple
Fruits also taste naturally sweet, making them effective in fighting sugar cravings. One of the best fruits that help fight sugar cravings is the apple. Apples taste very sweet and they are also high in fiber. Fiber makes the stomach feel full and helps satisfy sugar cravings. Also, apples are easy to carry and they don't need to be peeled or cut like other fruits. Apples also take longer to chew, so the person eating it will soon start thinking that he is no longer hungry, thus reducing his sugar cravings.

Cinnamon
The extraordinary properties of cinnamon can help fight sugar cravings. The main active ingredient of cinnamon is hydroxychalcone which helps enhance the effects of insulin and satisfies your sugar cravings. Cinnamon also prevents the blood sugar spikes that cause sugar cravings and normalizes blood sugar levels.

In conclusion
The foods in this list will not only fight sugar cravings, but also improve the body's overall health. It is a wise and healthy practice that these foods be included in one's daily diet so that one will be able to control their sugar cravings.



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Healthy Living Tips: 5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Orgasm

5 Surprising Health Benefits Of Orgasm

Only humans and dolphins engage in sex strictly for pleasure, the rest do it solely for procreation. The pleasure to enjoyed for most adults in the end game which is orgasm. That short pleasure explosion moment can be unforgettable or simple forgotten if not done properly. Besides this pleasure, orgasm has 5 surprising health benefits.

Today is National Orgasm Day, and to celebrate we're giving you Health reasons why you should be taking a joyride to "Orgasmland" more often.

A number of international studies have spanned the entire sexual spectrum: from the emotional benefits of kissing and cuddling to the longer-lasting benefits of having 200 Orgasms a year. But what about the less-widely known biological benefits of the human orgasm?

Healthy Choice-Making
For years, pop culture has projected lighting up a cigarette to be a ubiquitous post-coital ritual, but some studies show that orgasms can act as a regulator when it comes to appetite and cravings.

Throughout intercourse, the body produces phenethylamine, a natural amphetamine that may help to reduce cravings for junk food, cigarettes and overeating.

Preventative Care
As the old sporting adage goes, the best offense is a good defense, and the same goes for your health.

According to researchers at Wilkes University, people who have regular sex were found to have higher levels of immunoglobulin A, or IgA, an antibody that fends off infection.

In addition, men who have orgasms at least five times a week are at a lower risk for prostate cancer – even less so if prostate massage is involved.

Headache Relief
The clichéd ‘Not tonight – I have a headache’ excuse is valid no more.

According to scientists, the hypothalamus region of the brain – a small, cone-shaped area connected to the pituitary gland and targeted by headaches – experiences activity during orgasm.

As an added bonus, arousal and orgasm increases the amount of oxytocin in your system, which causes your pituitary gland to release endorphins—peptides that dull pain and trigger feelings of well-being.

Lighter Periods
Your uterus will contract during orgasm, and this helps eradicate cramp-causing compounds and expel blood and tissue. More contractions mean shorter periods with fewer cramps.

Helpful tip: When having sex during your period, stick to the missionary position – your flow is lighter when you’re horizontal.

Glowing Skin
Due to a post-orgasm endorphin rush and increased blood and oxygen circulation, your skin reaps some beautiful benefits from the bump and grind.

The “sex glow”, as some call it, is in part also caused by your body’s release of (deep breath, now) dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, which promotes healthy skin and improves your complexion.


Now that you've read these 5 surprising health benefits of orgasm, are you going to increase your orgasm rate? Let us hear you.


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Healthy Lifestyle: Breast Reduction Surgery Increases Quality of Life - BREAST-Q Study

Healthy Lifestyle: Breast Reduction Surgery Increases Quality of Life - BREAST-Q Study

Different strokes for different folks. While some women are getting breast implant to increase the size of their breast, others with a sense of healthy lifestyle are doing the opposite. I wonder if men loves big or small breast.

WonderWoman has this post about the Health Benefits Of Breast Reduction Surgery. According to the a new study, breast reduction surgery produces measurable improvements in several important areas of health and quality of life.

The study used the BREAST-Q questionnaire, a well-validated survey instrument, to document the physical and psychosocial health benefits of breast reduction surgery.

"The improvement in physical well-being is important for justification of insurance coverage," according to the paper by Dr. Michelle Coriddi and colleagues of Wexner Medical Center at the Ohio State University, Columbus.

The study was designed to evaluate and confirm the benefits of breast reduction surgery-one of the most commonly performed breast plastic surgery procedures.

Previous studies have found it highly effective in relieving symptoms related to overly large breasts.

The BREAST-Q was used to obtain a more complete picture of the clinical outcomes and is "the only questionnaire to assess breast reduction outcomes that meets international and federal standards for questionnaire development," according to Dr. Coriddi and coauthors.

In a series of 49 patients undergoing breast reduction, 78 percent anonymously completed the BREAST-Q before and/or after surgery.

Changes in patient-reported satisfaction and quality of life after breast reduction were assessed.



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Cultural Stereotype: Why Multiple Body Piercing Appear Whorish To Most Nigerians

I want to believe we all know what body piercing is, hence multiple body piercing. Any part of the body is a veritable site for piercing to lovers of body piercing. Let's see how most Nigerians react to multiple body piercing.

“Let us forget about fashion, any decent Nigerian girl won't punch holes all over her body. If you see body piercings all around on a girl then she is a slut or some runs chic”

The quote above is the average sentiment of most Nigerians towards body piercing both male and female based on responses on the issue. Yeah some would say Never Judge A Book By Its Cover. The natural opposing response to that is You Are Addressed The Way You Dress. There are some morally offensive dress codes generally associated solely with prostitutes, they usually employ these indecent dressings and accessories to attract patronage. So no right thinking decent will want to dress like unless that’s your true nature.

What About The Health Benefits Or Implication Of Multiples Body Piercing?
There is no health benefits whatsoever associated with multiple body piercing. Rather, it often comes with numerous diverse health implications or issues. Major complication is granulomatous responses, melanomas and basal cell carcinomas. Other hazards from body piercing include:

1. Blood poisoning
2. Localised severe swelling and trauma around the piercing site
3. Scarring (Kelooids)
4. Localised infection like Hepatitis
5. Allergic reactions to metals and antiseptics
6. Severe bleeding, etc.

Sample Opinions Of Others From Nairaland

“I can't judge a book by its cover but even as a girl I'm guilty of looking at someone with multiple piercings as irresponsible. But then again the way you dress is the way you'll be addressed, no matter how decent they are, I don't think anyone with piercings will be taken seriously”

“If it is not your people's culture to ‘multi-pierce’, refrain from adopting it. Such mundane fantasies will do you more harm than good. I hate multiple body piercings. Especially in the nose. It looks like snot. I no! Back in university, I had d exact same piercing in the pic. I no no who send me message o! Exploring tinz. Na in I go chook bar for nose, gawd! Painful and It NEVER heals!!!! I had to take that shyte out. Never again! At least i dint go extreme with mine unlike mi sis. Trust me u don’t wanna no d amount of butchering she pack. Nips, nose, lips etc.”

“Okay here is the thing, I often see Nigerian girls with multiple ear piercings (three and above) as slightly "cheap" girls or girls with easy values!... I know I may be wrong about some but all the bad chicks I know have a minimum of two piercings!!.... (And I know a lot of bad chicks oh). Right from university days, I started noticing that the more piercings they have, the more "sluttty" they are. So do you agree that Nigerian girls with multiple ear piercing are more often than not, wayward? Is it just me or do you all also feel same way or at least notice more wayward tendencies in multiply pierced chicks”

“Piercings aren’t a clear indication of personality type. Some girls just like how they look, so they get them. Trends are trends if you know what I mean”

“I can't tell for sure. But sincerely having multiple body piercing and stuffs turns me off big time.... That's just me anyway, who cares.”

“When I go round offices, I see girls who are mature and looking for marriage with multiple piercings on the ear but one earing and trying to hide the other holes. One of them told me once that it was just a childish mistake she made in the university. I bet if anyone would believe her. When will women learn that most compliments that men pay them are not from the bottom of their hearts? Men, most times compliment ladies because it makes them feel good and guarantees the man easier access to her "London". Men are always like: "what the heck, she is not my sister or wife". Ladies, please grow some brain”

“I grew up in the northern part of Nigeria and it’s not a big deal, (teenagers pierce a lot here) I have four pierces on my ears but I make use of just two.”

“Though not econometrically proven, I however believe that women with multiple body piercings especially when it's beyond two, look whorish, or at least have the tendency to be.”

Why would any girl insert 4 holes in her ears!!! Just because it’s cool! Naija men will treat you like a LovePeddler! #fact”



“I think MOST girls that have multiple piercing are not bad some do it because of culture while some do it for fashion but seriously i don’t see the sense in multiple piercing it doesn’t boost your appearance more than one piercing does...but if some girls think it is cool they might as well pierce their whole face in the name of fashion.”



“Body Piercing should not be used to judge someone. Some people like fashion and they remain decent. Some girls don’t were jewelries doesn’t make them decent either. Fashion trend and decency have links but are two different things.”

“Any form of body modification is a huge turn off to me. Let us forget about fashion, any decent Nigerian girl won't punch holes all over her body. If you see pierces all around on a girl then she is a slut or some runs chic.”

Personal Opinion
I grew up like most Nigerians in an environment where girls get only one ear piercing and boys don’t. deeper Life Church members don’t even pierce their ears, it’s against their doctrine.

Then piercing and inking was strictly the stock and trade of prostitutes. I repeat strictly the lifestyle of prostitutes. These piercings and inking most times is a sign of membership to a certain whore clique.

But I know better now. Most people are very eccentric with fashion. They want to be “trendy” or set the trend. Having multiple piercings doesn’t mean the person is a whore. Nevertheless the childhood knowledge imbibed is still inside me and can’t be ignored completely.

Having excessive body piercings and excessive inking of one’s body is a major turn off for me. That’s just me though.

Conclusion
General experience and sentiments about multiple body piercing was rooted in age long practice of prostitutes in Nigeria. They popularized it first before entertainers and showbiz industry splashed it around in music videos and also through their lifestyle. Like most goods and services, multiple body piercing is an imported lifestyle except for a few clans in the northern part of Nigeria.

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R.I.P. Talia Joy Castellano: You Fought An Inspirational Cancer Fight

'It is with a heavy heart that we share with all of you that Talia has earned her wings at 11:22am. Please lift her beautiful soul, her beautiful light to heaven.'

That was the message posted on her Facebook page today of the Florida teen. Talia Joy Castellano amazed and inspired and millions of others with the simple, mature and inspirational manner she handled her terminal illness at her age. I admired her so much.

In an interview with her last October on her eponymous daytime show, Ms DeGeneres stopped to say:

'You really are quite something. There's a depth to your soul that is not a 13-year-old soul. You’re an old soul and you are very special and amazing, and I’m so honored that you wanted to meet me and that I got to meet you.'

That more than the truth. She was too mature for her age.

Since the news broke dozens of fans have taken to Twitter to offer their condolences including Ellen DeGeneres, Miley Cyrus, Kendall Jenner and Justin Bieber.

In one of her YouTube tutorials Talia explained that she didn't wear wigs because they made her feel 'fake and 'just not me'.  Instead, she used make-up as a confidence booster and her upbeat and entertaining video tutorials went on to attract millions of hits.

Rest in peace Talia Joy Castellano. We will never forget you. We will never forget how you gallantly and the strength you gave many to fight. Once again R.I.P. Talia Joy Castellano

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Why A Woman Will Stab Her 8 Month Old Baby Boy 90 Times Beats Me

Some women are desperately looking for a child either by adopting or carrying the pregnancy for 9 months while one Chinese woman wants to kill her own 8 months old baby with 90 scissors stabs to the face. It's so insane. Why a woman will stab her 8 month old baby boy 90 times with a scissors beats the hell out of me. The mental health of this woman is in question.

An eight-month-old baby boy has miraculously survived after his mother stabbed him 90 times with a pair of scissors. Xiao Bao, from Xuzhou, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, needed more than 100 stitches after his mother relentlessly stabbed him for biting her while she was breastfeeding.

Xiao Bao lives with his mother and two uncles, who earn a living by recycling trash. According to the Daily Mail, it was one of the uncles rushed Xiao Bao to the hospital after he discovered his nephew's limp body in a pool of blood in the yard of their home.

Xiao Bao's mother later confessed to stabbing her baby after he nipped her during breastfeeding.

After the horrifying incident, neighbors have pleaded with the local government officials to take the baby away. However, authorities have rejected their pleas, saying that there was no evidence that the mother was suffering from a mental illness and that Xiao Bao still has his two uncles as guardians.

Mental illness is still a taboo subject and modern China, and neither medication nor psychiatric treatment is commonly accepted. Nonetheless, a 2009 study published in the journal The Lancet, estimated that 91 percent of the 173 million Chinese adults believed to suffer psychiatric problems never receive treatment.

What kinda relationship will this woman have with her son by the time he grows up?

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Recalling Better Days Has Its Mental Health Benefits - Research

Remembering the good old days has its benefits after all. I have a very deep sense of nostalgia. I often think its abnormal. Little did I know that recalling better days and its accompanying nostalgia has its mental health benefits. I wonder what better days memory you are recall as you read this article.

Nostalgia used to be thought of as a negative emotion, but new science is finding that fond recollections of the past can make your life better--and even make you a better person.

Thinking about the good old days can serve as an emotional pick-me-up when times are tough. It’s a pretty basic concept, but oddly, living in the past, or experiencing nostalgia, has been thought of as a disorder since the 17th century, according to an article by New York Times, "ever since the term was coined by a 17th-century Swiss physician who attributed soldiers’ mental and physical maladies to their longing to return home--nostos in Greek, and the accompanying pain, algos."

In the past decade, though, scientists have applied a more rigorous research method to understand the ups and downs of nostalgia, and have determined that there’s quite a few positive effects of nostalgic thinking--including feeling warmer on a chilly day when thinking about toastier days of yore.

Research Findings On Nostalgia

Research, led by Constantine Sedikides of The University of Southampton in the U.K., has shown that nostalgia can "counteract loneliness, boredom and anxiety. It makes people more generous to strangers and more tolerant of outsiders," reports the Times. "Couples feel closer and look happier when they’re sharing nostalgic memories." Researchers acknowledge that:

Nostalgia does have its painful side — it’s a bittersweet emotion — but the net effect is to make life seem more meaningful and death less frightening. When people speak wistfully of the past, they typically become more optimistic and inspired about the future.

They’ve arrived at an understanding of the positive effects of nostalgia by examining the ways that people react to sad news, like a report about a deadly disaster. Those people often became "became more likely to wax nostalgic. And the strategy worked: They subsequently felt less depressed and less lonely."

But it can be more existential than that as well. According to psychologist Clay Routledge, nostalgia "brings to mind cherished experiences that assure us we are valued people who have meaningful lives. Some of our research shows that people who regularly engage in nostalgia are better at coping with concerns about death."

So what does this all mean practically? The first is that nostalgia’s done best when it’s less about comparing the past with the present with the conclusion that the past is better. In Routledge’s words, "'[I]f they focus on the past in an existential way--‘What has my life meant?’--then they can potentially benefit.'"

Sedikides suggests using nostalgia almost like a therapy: “If you’re not neurotic or avoidant, I think you’ll benefit by nostalgizing two or maybe three times a week […] Experience it as a prized possession."

Fastcoexist

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Sweetners Reduce Health Benefits Of Milk

Sweetners Reduce Health Benefits Of Milk

As a kid I loved sweetened milk more than anything. I hardly take pap, but once you prepare my pap with peak condensed sweetened milk, I’m drinking that pap with glee. Little did I know I wasn’t drinking a healthy milk. Sweetners reduce the health benefits of milk I don't do that anymore though.

According to The Inquisitr;
Milk is touted as an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and other essential nutrients. The USDA recommends children and adults alike drink two to three cups of milk a day or at the very least to supplement with other dairy products like yogurt and cheese in order to attain the health benefit.

However, milk, both regular and chocolate, may not be doing a body good, especially if you are drinking down a cold tall glass of added sweeteners. The sugars used to enhance the flavor of most low-fat store-shelf dairy products can negate the health benefits, according to Harvard pediatrician David Ludwig.

Ludwig is the director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“Americans are consuming billions of gallons of milk a year, presumably under the assumption that their bones would crumble without them,” Ludwig wrote in an article published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics. On average, the US dairy industry produces 20 billion gallons of milk annually.

Nigeria imports $1million worth of milk daily!

Drinking reduced fat milk has been recommended as a way to meet dairy intake guidelines and avoid saturated fat. But when the fat is reduced in milk or yogurt products, it’s often replaced with sweeteners, which makes it taste better but also adds sugar and calories, reports TODAY.

“The worst possible situation is reduced-fat chocolate milk: you take out the fat, it’s less tasty,” Ludwig says. “So to get kids to drink 3 cups a day, you get this sugar-sweetened beverage.”

One cup of low-fat chocolate milk is 158 calories, with 68 calories coming from solid fats and added sugars. One cup of unflavored, reduced-fat 2 percent milk is 122 calories, with 37 calories from solid fats and added sugars.

Several other studies have addressed the use and impact of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial sweeteners on one’s health – finding them addictive and causal to metabolism related diseases and disorders.

People are better off eating other calcium-rich or calcium-fortified foods as a healthier substitute in lieu of drinking sweetener-laced milk. These foods are easier to find with a growing number of adults becoming lactose intolerant.

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When Is The Best Time To Look For Best Residential Apartment In Lagos?

I just want to share one very valuable tip on when you want to rent an apartment in Lagos so that you don’t painfully regret it.

First of all, let’s have a little introduction to the entity Lagos. Lagos State is the former capital of Nigeria. Lagos is the land of opportunity. It is the legendary Timbuktu of Nigeria. A place one must see before meeting the maker. As a kid when Lagos was the capital of Nigeria till now, there has been this mentality that people literally pick money on the streets of Lagos. If you can’t make it anywhere in Nigeria, you can always make it in Lagos the center of excellence. This mentality of Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike causes a tremendous inflow of all manner, shades and colour of people in droves into Lagos even when they don’t have any form of accommodation. Many claim to be indigenes even when they can’t speak yoruba, you can’t differentiate who the real Lagosians are.

What happens is that, the sudden population explosion in Lagos incredibly outpaces rate of growth & development and utilization of available resource. Jobs are not enough, transportation, infrastructure, healthcare, education, housing, etc. can no longer match demand. This is where daily living stops and daily hustle starts. Those American artists who sing/rap about hustling will be greatly humbled when they experience hustle the Eko style. Eko o ni baje o lol!

The Problem Of Accommodation In Lagos
This brings me to the problem of renting a residential apartment in Lagos. Anybody who understands Lagos very well will tell you that once you own your own apartment or house in Lagos and don’t pay rent, more than half your problem is solved. The money spent on rent in Lagos is astronomically high. The stress from the hands of most Lagos landlords is so hazardous to health more than anything. Almost all the residential apartments with exorbitant rent placed on them don’t worth it at all! They are grossly overpriced! Landlords just take undue, greedy and wicked advantage of demand being in excess of supply plus a government that don’t care about its citizens.

Flood Situation In Lagos
With the flood situation in Lagos getting out of hand, you don’t want to have an apartment in Lagos that is threatened by flood. It’s like all the undeveloped land in Lagos has been sold out. Rich politicians mostly control the real estate. That’s why some select privileged individuals can afford to own more than half of the property on a street. They want to buy up everywhere either by hook or crook. People don’t really buy land anymore to develop, they just buy shores, swamps, marsh, sand fill it and then erect structures as they desire or as their resources muscle can withstand. A large portion of Lagos sits on swamps, extended river banks, and all kinds of water bodies. Because the land is already saturated with water, the sand filling wasn’t done properly and no drainage system or the few drainage is blocked, flood effortlessly takes over most of the neighbourhood in Lagos once the rain starts.

Did I forget to mention the kind of disease you can contact via these floods?

When Is The Best Time To Look For Best Residential Apartment In Lagos?
The one best tip to avoid flood prone areas when searching for best accommodation in Lagos is to search during the rainy season! It’s very simple. That way you can easily tell the flood situation of the area. Unless you are ready live through any flood condition then don’t bother renting an apartment in any particular season. When I rented my place, it was dry season. That was the first time I rented a place. I was a novice, the compound is cool no doubt. The environment was ok. People asked if the area is flood prone I said NO. I didn’t quite understand their lingo until the first heavy rain. Like I said my compound is nice but the streets weren’t unfortunately no Moses to part the flood street for me. You don’t want to dress up in that lovely classy suit and be wading through flood water with elements of sewage and garbage.

You will know first-hand if the compound or accommodation is flooded. Also you can tell if the roof of the building is good or not. Don’t make the same mistake I made when looking for accommodation in Lagos.

Note, I focused on flood here, however it is not the only thing to consider when renting a place. Of course you’ll consider rent size, proximity to your office, proximity to a market, secure environment, clean water, power supply (unfortunately this may be the same for everywhere), transportation, peaceful landlord, etc. Good luck in your search for a place to live in Lagos. Eko o ni baje o!

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