Low Testosterone in Men: What Causes it and How it can be Reversed

When it comes to health challenges facing men, the usual suspects are typically mentioned – obesity, cardiovascular issues, blood pressure and diabetes, just to name a few. While these problems certainly deserve their fair share of attention, there is yet another threat that can cripple the long-term health of men that often goes overlooked. Millions of men are afflicted with low levels of testosterone, with many completely unaware of their condition. Though it might seem to be a rather trivial problem, maintaining normal levels of testosterone allows men to avoid many of the common pratfalls associated with aging.

It’s easy to underestimate how many men struggle with low testosterone; most men likely aren’t aware of their testosterone levels, and those that are probably don’t discuss the subject all that often. According to a 2007 study conducted by the New England Research Institute, approximately one-forth of men over the age of 30 have lower-than-average amounts of testosterone. The study featured a large and diverse sample size, surveying 1500 men between the ages of 30 and 79.

The Risks of Low Testosterone

Low testosterone is not only commonplace among men, but it also can prove fairly damaging to the body. Men lacking testosterone are prone to weight gain, joint pain, shrinking muscle mass and weakening bones. Testosterone is also the key ingredient to a healthy sex drive; men who begin to lose this hormone also find themselves losing their passion for physical intimacy.

Even more alarming is the correlation between low testosterone and diabetes. Research has indicated that men with low testosterone are at a significantly higher risk of becoming diabetics later in life. The reason for this disconcerting link is that testosterone helps the body’s tissues absorb blood sugar in the presence of insulin. When testosterone begins to disappear, the body must increase its insulin production to prevent blood sugar spikes. Eventually, the body stops responding to this additional insulin, and the bloodstream’s blood sugar levels rise to unhealthy levels, leading to the onset of diabetes.

Diabetes isn’t the only life-threatening condition that can be caused by low testosterone; obesity also tends to strike men who lack the testosterone hormone. In many cases, it is excessive weight that causes low testosterone. However, this relationship can also function in the reverse; some men, despite eating a limited amount of food, still struggle immensely with their weight. A study of over 2,000 men, released in 2010, found that forty percent of obese participants suffered from low levels of testosterone. When diabetes was thrown into the mix, the rate rose to 50 percent.

Why Men Lose Testosterone

As alluded to in the above section, the level of testosterone in the male body is closely related to the patient’s overall level of health. If significant and chronic health problems began to appear in the body, a person’s level of testosterone will quickly begin to dissipate. The following diseases are all known inhibiters of testosterone production:

• Testicular cancer or treatment for testicular cancer
• Hormonal disorders
• HIV/AIDS
• Chronic liver or kidney disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity

In addition to these conditions, sustaining a significant injury to the testicles can also reduce testosterone levels, as can various types of infection.

While various medical conditions and injuries can put a dent in testosterone production, it is commonly believed that gradually declining testosterone levels are an inevitable part of aging. This long-held notion has received a second look, with Australian researchers recently finding no connection between age and testosterone. According to this team of experts, men who maintain optimal health well into their latter years have the same testosterone levels as they did in their youth. This hypothesis appeared to hold up regardless of the participant’s age; the men in the Australian study ranged from 40 to 97 years old.

Natural Ways to Elevate Testosterone

A declining level of testosterone isn’t irreversible; to the contrary, making some adjustments in lifestyle and diet can serve to elevate your amount of this key hormone.

Consume More Zinc – Compared to such notable nutrients as vitamin D and calcium, zinc doesn’t get a whole lot of attention. Despite this lack of press, it’s a good idea to get more zinc, as doing so can improve the body’s testosterone level. This mineral, found naturally in red meat, eggs and dairy, prevents the body from turning testosterone into estrogen.

Focus on Healthy Fats – Few ingredients have a worse reputation than fat – why do you think so many food producers offer “low fat” versions of their most popular items? Though many people do their best to avoid consuming fats, writing them off entirely would be a mistake. Sure, saturated and trans fats aren’t very healthy for you, but monounsaturated fat certainly is. In addition to promoting cardiovascular health, people who consume healthy amounts of monounsaturated fats tend to have few problems with testosterone. You can find this good version of fat in olive oil, avocadoes and nuts.

Lift Weights – The most obvious benefit to strength training is blatantly obvious – a more impressive and bulky physique. These external improvements aren’t the only reason to pump iron, as regular strength training has the added bonus of increasing male testosterone levels.

Get Enough Sleep – The reasons for getting to bed earlier are too numerous to count, but you can add a higher amount of testosterone to the list. A good rule of thumb is to aim for 7 to 9 hours per night.

Lose the Extra Pounds – As with sleep, it doesn’t take an overactive imagination to figure out the benefits of losing weight. In addition to letting you slip into smaller-size clothes, shedding pounds also reduces the body production of estrogen. Estrogen effectively cancels out the impact of testosterone. Because of this, testosterone has an inverse relationship with body fat; increasing the amount of one will reduce the amount of the other.

Lay off the Alcohol and Cigarettes – Two of the world’s biggest vices are alcohol and smoking. Your body doesn’t exactly enjoy dealing with either one of these habits, as both smoking and excessive drinking deluge the body with toxins. In response, the body has to focus more of its limited resources on removing these toxins from the body, thereby reducing its output of testosterone.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7

Celiac Disease: A Brief Overview of a Troubling Condition

Some of the frustrating illnesses seem to feature the same traits: there is no known cause, no known cure and a seemingly endless list of symptoms. One such condition that meets all three criteria is celiac disease, a digestive disorder that impacts approximately 1 in 100 Americans. While there is no way to rid the body of celiac disease, a diet that eliminates certain foods can markedly improve the lives of those struggling with this condition.

History and Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Though celiac disease is still unknown by many people, this condition is hardly a newcomer; the earliest descriptions of the disease date back to the second century A.D. The disease quickly gained a nasty reputation, causing wide variety of symptoms in those unlucky enough to develop it. A list of this condition’s many symptoms is shown below:

• Abdominal Pain
• Bloating
• Gas
• Constipation
• Indigestion
• Reduced Appetite
• Lactose intolerance
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Stools that are bloody or extremely foul-smelling, or that float
• Noticeable weight loss

These symptoms alone would make celiac disease an imposing foe, but the above list only refers to gastrointestinal problems caused by this disease. After celiac disease has firmly entrenched itself inside the gut, a patient might also begin to suffer from the following maladies:

• Busing upon minimal contact with external objects
• Depression/Anxiety
• Delayed growth in children
• Hair Loss
• Itchy Skin
• Missed menstrual periods
• Mouth ulcers
• Muscle cramps and joint pain
• Nosebleeds
• Seizures
• Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
• Unexplained short height

As alluded to earlier, medical science still does not have a definitive answer as to the causes of celiac disease. Researchers believe that there could be several factors that contribute to the appearance of this condition, including the presence of certain genes, a diet heavy in gluten and significant emotional stress. One recent theory holds that two specific chemical signals, known as interleukin 15 and retinoic acid, might cause celiac disease to develop inside the patient. This idea is not without merit – a recent study found that celiac patients contained high amounts of both chemicals in their intestines.

While researches have yet to pinpoint the root causes of celiac disease, it has long been known that one particular substance causes the rapid appearance of this condition’s symptoms. Gluten, a protein composite that gives dough its elastic nature, triggers numerous digestive problems in patients with celiac disease. In these individuals, the immune system overreacts to the presence of gluten by inflicting damage on the small intestine, preventing this organ from properly absorbing key nutrients. This disruption of the small intestine’s routine operations can have a chain-reaction effect on the rest of the body, as the brain, bones, liver and other crucial body parts can easily become significantly undernourished. It is this cause-and-effect relationship that explains celiac disease’s wide range of symptoms.

Healthy Diets for Celiac Disease Patients

Not surprisingly, the consumption of gluten is explicitly verboten for celiac patients. The problem with maintaining a gluten-free diet, however, is the widespread presence of gluten. Gluten is found in all foods containing wheat, barley, rye and triticale. In addition, wheat can also appear on food labels under the names bulgur, durum flour, farina, graham flour, kamut, semolina and spelt.

This effectively makes gluten a fairly difficult substance to drop cold turkey, as numerous foods include at least one of these ingredients. Doctors usually encourage celiac patients to remove the following foods from their diet due to their gluten content.

• Beer
• Breads
• Cakes and pies
• Candies
• Cereals
• Cookies and crackers
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies
• Imitation meat or seafood
• Matzo
• Pastas
• Processed luncheon meats
• Salad dressings
• Sauces, including soy sauce
• Seasoned rice mixes
• Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
• Self-basting poultry
• Soups and soup bases
• Vegetables in sauce

It bears mentioning that some food producers make “gluten-free” versions of the above products, rendering them safe for celiac patients.

In lieu of gluten-heavy products, individuals with celiac disease are urged to craft a well-balanced diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables, of course, always make for excellent choices. With regards to dairy products, celiac patients might consider taking a break from consuming items like milk, cheese and butter. This is especially true if a patient has experienced lactose intolerance; once the gluten-free diet has been established, patients can slowly reintroduce diary products back into their meals. Any diary items with gluten, such as flavored milks or certain kinds of cheese, should be entirely avoided.

Fresh meats, poultry and fish are also acceptable, provided they have not been marinated, breaded or coated with butter.  Celiac patients can also enjoy nuts, beans and seeds, as long as they are eaten in their natural state without additives. People with celiac disease can also eat numerous types of grains and starches without ill effect. This list of gluten alternatives is shown below:

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn and cornmeal
• Flax
• Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)
• Hominy (corn)
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sorghum
• Soy
• Tapioca
• Teff

Though modern medicine has not yet found a cure for celiac disease, people afflicted by this lifelong digestive condition can greatly alleviate their symptoms through sound dieting decisions. By eliminating their intake of gluten, celiac patients can lead healthy lives with relatively few medical problems.

 

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

More than Just Bone Health: The Many Reasons Why Your Body Needs Vitamin D

Vitamin D might just be the most popular nutrient to ever exist; products that contain high amounts of this vitamin, such as milk and breakfast cereals, proudly boast this fact on their packaging. This immense popularity is well deserved, as vitamin D is essential to ensuring prolonged bone health. In fact, the reason your favorite brand of milk contains vitamin D is to protect your bones. Starting in the 1930s, the US government began fortifying milk with vitamin D to combat rickets, a then widespread condition that causes bones to become soft and weak.

Despite its sterling reputation, many Americans fail to get enough vitamin D on regular basis; the National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 36 percent of Americans fall into this category, though a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine put this figure at a much higher 77 percent. Regardless of actual number, it is safe to say that the diets of many Americans are sorely lacking in Vitamin D.

The problem of vitamin D deficiency is magnified when all of the benefits of this nutrient are taken into consideration. While it’s common knowledge that vitamin D helps build strong and resilient bones, research has linked vitamin D consumption with reduced risks of depression, muscle pain and even cancer. Below are some of the lesser-known benefits of wildly popular vitamin.

Depression – Neglecting vitamin D might be the reason for your downbeat attitude. A team of researchers from the University of Texas recently concluded a massive study on depression and vitamin D, observing 12,500 participants over a four year span. The researchers found that subjects with exceedingly low levels of vitamin D were most at risk to suffer from depression. These findings were echoed by another study conducted by an American-based doctor, who found that her patients’ depression symptoms improved dramatically after taking significant amounts of Vitamin D supplements.

Dementia – A study released in 2010 suggested a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and dementia. This particular study examined 858 adults over the age of 65, and found that subjects with the lowest levels of vitamin D were also the most likely to suffer from dementia symptoms. Specifically, elderly subjects deficient in vitamin D were 60% more likely to experience a general decline in cognitive abilities, and 31% more likely to have problems organizing their daily activities.

Muscle and Bone Pain – Do you frequently deal with pain in both your muscles and bones? The blame for this persistent problem might lie with your diet. A 2003 study sought to explain why 150 children and adults suffered from chronic bone and muscle pain. The one common factor in all 150 subjects? A noticeable deficiency in vitamin D.

Six years later, a report issued by the prestigious Mayo Clinic reinforced this theory, noting that patients afflicted with chronic pain had worse symptoms if their diets lacked vitamin D. According to Mayo Clinic doctors, subjects low in vitamin D required twice the amount of pain medication as other patients.

Being Overweight and Obese – Extra body weight is typically associated with a junk food-heavy diet. While this notion is usually true, new evidence indicates that low levels of vitamin D can also lead to a bigger waistline. A researcher from the University of Michigan found that people lacking in vitamin D were particularly susceptible to rapid gains in weight. Likewise, a study authored by the University of Minnesota reported that increasing vitamin D consumption could assist with weight loss. Of course, vitamin D alone won’t shed those excess pounds, so people who are overweight or obese should still exercise regularly and eat healthier.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

 

Exposing the “Silent Killer”: The Warning Signs of Hypertension, and How to Treat It

Of all of the problems dominating the modern health landscape, hypertension (also referred to as high blood pressure) might be one of the most challenging opponents. This isn’t just because of the many consequences of hypertension – the disease can lead to a myriad of problems impacting the heart, kidneys, brain and even the eyes. What makes high blood pressure such an imposing threat is its stealthy nature. Of all of the 68 million Americans with hypertension, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that one fifth are completely unaware of their condition (other estimates put this figure at about one-third of hypertension patients). By paying close attention to some subtle warning signs, patients with undiagnosed hypertension can get the medical attention and treatment they need.

The Dangers of Hypertension

Hypertension can be defined simply as abnormally high blood pressure. Blood pressure refers to the force of blood against the artery walls as it is pumped out of your heart. A healthy blood pressure measurement falls below a reading of 120/80 mmHg (the “mmHg” abbreviation stands for “millimeters of mercury”). People with measurements that fall between 120/80 mmHg and 140/90 mmHg are considered to have pre-hypertension; this means that while they do not yet suffer from hypertension, they are likely to develop the condition in the future. The threshold for hypertension is 140/90 mmHg; having blood pressure readings at this level or higher confirms the presence of hypertension.

Once high blood pressure develops, it immediately begins straining numerous key body parts. Hypertension forces the heart muscle to work harder to push blood through the arteries, causing the heart muscle itself to thicken. While we usually think of bigger muscles as a good thing, a bigger heart muscle is certainly not a sign of good health. Thicker heart muscles make it much harder for the heart to pump blood; if this burden becomes too much for the heart to bear, it will completely fail. Additionally, high blood pressure can cause the heart’s surrounding arteries to harden, eventually leading to heart attack.

A surge in blood pressure can also weaken blood vessels in the kidneys, the organs tasked with purging waste from the body. If its blood vessels begin to falter, the kidneys themselves could easily follow suit, allowing dangerous toxins to accumulate inside the bloodstream. Should the kidneys fail entirely, a patient will require either a kidney transplant or dialysis, a treatment that involves cleaning the kidneys with the aid of a dialysis machine.

In addition to threatening some of the body’s most vital organs, hypertension is the also the leading cause of strokes. As blood is pushed through the vessels at abnormal force, it may rupture weakened blood vessels that pass through the brain. If a vessel does burst, blood will quickly leak inside of the brain, and subsequently cause the patient to suffer a stroke. High blood pressure can also heavily damage blood vessels in the eyes, leading to blurred vision or even blindness.

Possible Hypertension Red Flags

As mentioned above, many patients with hypertension are completely unaware of their dangerously high blood pressure. The main reason for this problem is that undiagnosed hypertension patients often display no discernable symptoms. Consequentially, the only surefire way to conclusively determine the presence of hypertension is through regular blood pressure tests. Exactly how often a patient’s blood pressure should be checked varies from case to case; if you are concerned about your current blood pressure levels, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Though many people develop hypertension without any obvious warning signs, some patients may experience symptoms that indicate unhealthy blood pressure levels. People in this category often have blood pressure readings that are much higher than 120/80 mmHg. A list of these possible red flags is shown below:

• Strong headache
• Fatigue or confusion
• Problems with vision
• Pain in the chest area
• Difficulty breathing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Blood in the urine
• Pounding in the chest, neck, or ears

Reducing Your Blood Pressure

Doctors usually prescribe various medications to hypertension patients, with the goal of reducing their blood pressure readings to healthy levels. Aside from these medications, people with hypertension (or those at risk of developing hypertension) can reign in their blood pressure through implementing some healthy lifestyle adjustments.

Lose Excess Weight – We’re stating the obvious here, but carrying around extra weight is no good for the body, leading to everything from diabetes to cancer. So it shouldn’t be surprising that being overweight or obese dramatically increases your risk of hypertension. Likewise, shedding unneeded poundage will likely reduce your blood pressure back to acceptable levels.

Exercise Regularly – You might be tempted to dismiss this piece of advice, especially if you seldom exercise. Many people mistakenly believe that they need to spend hours toiling in the gym to reap the benefits of working out. In reality, just 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity can lower your blood pressure by 4 to 9 mmHg.

Strictly Watch Your Sodium Intake – Sodium, a mineral added to foods to boost taste and prevent spoilage, can lead to hypertension if consumed in excessive amounts. Hypertension patients are commonly advised to cut back on their sodium intake, with a cap of 1500 milligrams per day. This same guideline applies to people over age 51, African-Americans and those with diabetes and/or kidney disease. You can consume less sodium by eating fewer processed foods, limiting your consumption of salt and by reading the nutrition labels of products prior to purchasing them.

Drink in Moderation – Unhealthy amounts of drinking not only place a heavier burden on your liver, but can also raise your blood pressure. People under age 65 are best served by consuming no more than two alcoholic drinks per day; people over 65 should stick to one daily drink. 12 ounces of beer, 1.5 ounces of 80 proof liquor and 5 ounces of wine all qualify as one alcoholic drink.

Manage Your Stress Levels – This final tip might be the toughest one of all. Working at a demanding job or dealing with difficult family members can easily cause stress, thereby causing a harmful rise in blood pressure. If you are unable to remove the stress triggers in your life, you might consider practicing deep-breathing exercises, yoga or meditation. A professional therapist might also be useful.

 

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7

Feeling Sleepy Again? The Possible Reasons Why you’re Always Tired

You know the feeling – it gets to about two in the afternoon or so, and it becomes harder and harder to stay alert and focused. Your eyelids become heavy, your productivity slows to a crawl and all you can think about is catching a quick nap. Well, perhaps you can take solace in the fact that you have plenty of company; looking up the phrase “why am I so tired” on a popular search engine yields approximately 105 million hits.

So why do so many people struggle with staying awake? The reasons can vary, and can depend on a number of different factors. The following list details some of the common culprits behind your lack of energy.

Irregular Sleeping Patterns – Let’s get the most obvious reason out of the way; simply put, getting insufficient sleep will make you tired the next day. What you might not realize is that getting too much sleep can also leave you feeling sleepy soon after waking up. A number of people sleep too little during the work week, only to try to compensate for this mistake by sleeping in on the weekends; many of these same people find themselves still feeling lethargic even after getting 10+ hours of sleep. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Lack of Exercise – This reason might strike you as sort of a contradiction – after all, doesn’t exercise make you tired? Actually, a regular exercise routine provides the body with more energy on a daily basis. Couch potatoes, in contrast, often doze off while watching TV.

Too Much Caffeine – Caffeine is well known for its ability to provide quick pick-me-ups to tired workers. Unfortunately, the aftermath of a caffeine spike can be pretty ugly. When the energy boost provided by that cup of coffee or tea wears off, many people experience an “energy crash” that renders them fatigued and sluggish for several hours. In addition, many people become overly reliant upon caffeinated drinks, to the point that they need them simply to feel “normal.” It’s best to limit your daily intake of caffeine to about 300 milligrams, or about three 8 ounce cups of coffee.

Taking a Pass On Breakfast – A surprisingly high number of people opt to skip breakfast on a regular breakfast, often in a misguided attempt to shed pounds. Not only will this strategy not trim your waistline (many people who don’t eat breakfast wind up eating too much later in the day), it can also deplete your body’s energy reserves.

The Initial Effects of Diabetes – In addition to the nearly 19 million confirmed diabetics in the United States, the CDC estimates that roughly 7 million people have diabetes, but have not yet been diagnosed. One of the early red flags of diabetes is a persistent lack of energy.

Anaemia – Anaemia may not be a household word, but it is still one of the leading causes of chronic fatigue. A person develops anaemia when their body stops producing a sufficient number of healthy red blood cells. Though this condition is often hereditary, anaemia can develop due to a lack of iron in the body. If a case of anaemia is indeed caused by an iron deficiency, a doctor may recommend a patient consume significant amounts of lean meat, shellfish and high-iron cereals.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome – For some individuals, strong and unabating feelings of tiredness might be caused by chronic fatigue syndrome, a mysterious condition with no known cause or cure. Cases of chronic fatigue syndrome are often severe enough to cause patients to radically alter their lifestyles. Doctors usually treat this disease with a combination of medications and stretching/range-of-motion exercises.

Sleep Apnea – There are some unfortunate people who, despite having no chronic health problems and leading healthy lifestyles, still suffer from frequent bouts of fatigue. The answer behind these baffling energy problems might be sleep apnea, a condition that briefly stops the body’s breathing while the patient sleeps. Though such disruptions are only momentary, they can cause the patient to feel exceedingly tired the following day. One of the most effective tools for treating sleep apneas are CPAP machines, which treat the patient by increasing air pressure inside the throat.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

Believe it or Not: Some crazy facts about the Human Body

It’s perfectly easy to take the body for granted. After all, we live with it every day, and most of us don’t exactly look like anything out of the ordinary. In fact, given all of our daily responsibilities, it would probably a bit strange to devote much thought to the inner workings of your body.

Still, the body is an impressive piece of machinery, and is capable of performing some truly impressive tasks. It also boasts some rather, um, strange features. Here’s a list of some of those traits you probably didn’t know your body possessed.

Your Tongue has its Own Print – Virtually everyone knows that our fingers and toes have unique prints, but the same fact is also true of our tongues. Yes, our tongues, of all things, come complete with their own prints.

Your Body Sheds a Lot of Skin – Cats and dogs aren’t the only mammals that shed. The human body is constantly shedding dead skin, to the tune of 600,000 particles every single year! This equates to about 1.5 pounds of discarded skin flakes. All of this shedding adds up; by the time you hit age 70, you will have shed approximately 105 pounds of skin.

You Lose Bones With Aging – Would you believe that a full grown adult has fewer bones than a baby? Well, it’s 100 percent true; a baby has about 350 bones, while an adult skeleton only consists of 206 bones. How is this possible? After all, don’t we get bigger with age? If anything, you would think that we would get more bones with the years pile up. The reason for this seemingly inexplicable factoid is that many of our bones fuse together as we grow, resulting in a lower number of bones overall.

The Stomach Replaces Itself – This one’s a bit of a double-whammy; not only is one of our most important organs capable of replicating itself, but it does so every four days. Well, at least that’s true regarding the lining of the stomach.

The stomach’s lining consists of numerous wrinkles along the stomach wall known as rugal folds. When digesting incoming food, these rugal folds flatten out, enabling the stomach to expand. This temporary increase in size allows the stomach to withstand its powerful acids; with it’s lining, these acids would literally digest the stomach itself. As you can imagine, the wear and tear associated with this job wears out the stomach lining pretty quick, necessitating its rather rapid replacement cycle.

The Nose has Quite an Impressive Memory – Pop quiz – how many distinct scents do you think your nose can remember? 500? 1,000? 5,000? All are reasonable guesses, but all are wrong answers. No, try 50,000. Yep, your nose can recall the smell of roughly 50,000 items.

You’re Skin Isn’t as Clean As You Think – Okay, you flubbed that last question, but we’ll let you take a swing at a second one. How much bacteria do you think resides on each square inch of your skin? Well, bacteria are awfully small, so 100,000 bacteria cells sounds like a good guess, right?

Actually, that answer isn’t even close. One square inch of skin has a whopping 32 million bacteria crawling all over it. Before you rush to shower off these microscopic cretins, you can rest assured that virtually all of these bacteria are harmless.

The Average Sneeze travels Faster Than Cars on the Highway – It’s usually pretty tough to fend off a sneeze. Most of us just wind up sneezing into our shirt sleeves, or a tissue if we’re lucky. The reason why a sneeze is so hard to hold back is its sheer power; a human sneeze can clock in at over 100 miles per hour.

Blondes have More Hair – While the idea that “blondes have more fun” might be debatable, science has confirmed that blondes do, in fact, have more hair. A person with blonde hair will typically have around 146,000 hair follicles, or holes in the scalp through which hair grows. People with black hair, in contrast, tend to average around 110,000 follicles. On the other end of the spectrum are redheads, who have only around 100,000 per head.

Your Nerve Cells Send Messages Really, Really Fast – As the control center of your body, the brain must send a constant stream of messages to the various parts of your body. While it’s fairly obvious that the brain sends such signals at a fast rate, the exact speed at which these messages travel still might surprise you. The fastest nerve cell messages clock in at a staggering 268 miles per hour; many other nerve cells traverse the body at around 150mph.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

Tips for Kicking Your Sugar Habit

Sugar has a fairly contradictory relationship with consumers. On one hand, we’re generally taught about the unhealthy nature of sugar at a pretty young age – remember when your mom told you couldn’t get that certain cereal or cookie brand because it was “too sugary”? On the other hand, shoppers just can’t seem to get enough of this sweet and powdery substance, to the point that sugar has become a cornerstone of the modern American diet.

The statistics tell quite a bitter tale of sugar’s stranglehold on consumers. The average American adult consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day. For US children, this number increases to an even more disconcerting 32 teaspoons a day. Both amounts far exceed the American Heart Associations’ recommend daily limit of 9 teaspoons. If you can believe it, it is estimated that the each American consumes 130 pounds of sugar each year.

To make matters worse, quitting sugar isn’t exactly a cake walk. Sugar can be a highly addictive substance, with recent research concluding that sugar is even more addictive than cocaine. Though removing or significantly reducing sugar intake might be an almost insurmountable task, the consequences of failing to do so can easily be life threatening. A decades-long sugar habit has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

So how can a sugarholic curb his or her addiction to sugary junk foods? The good news is that there are a number of practical steps that can be taken to loosen sugar’s grip on your diet. If you find yourself unable to resist your cravings for products laced with sugar, consider adopting some or all of the following lifestyle changes.

Eat Smaller Meals More Frequently – One reason for strong sugar urges are imbalances in our body’s blood sugar levels. If your bloodstream begins to run low on sugar (known as glucose), you will likely start to crave items like cookies and soda. Eating small, healthy meals every two to three hours should keep your glucose levels in check, thereby preventing sugar cravings.

Replace Junk Food With Fruit – The next time you start to reach toward the cookie jar, stop yourself and instead get some fruit, such as an apple or banana. Yes, fruit has sugar, but it’s different from the sugar found in candy, pastries and cakes. Fruit contains natural sugar, which is usually packaged with fiber. It is the presence of this fiber that guards against glucose fluctuations.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners – You might think that putting some sort of non-sugar sweetener in your drink is a great way to enjoy a tasty beverage without the ill aftereffects. Unfortunately, this line of thinking may very well be counterproductive. Some studies have linked artificial sweeteners to obesity and metabolic syndrome, a condition that can subsequently lead to heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Get Sufficient Amounts of Protein – This piece of advice might seem a bit out of place – after all, how could protein have anything to do with controlling sugar intake? As it turns out, quite a bit. When eaten in combination with carbohydrates (such as whole grain bread), protein can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Adult men should consume 56 grams of protein daily, whereas for women the magic number is 46 grams.

Be Careful What You Eat – Think that low-fat yogurt you picked up earlier today is good for you? Think again; products marked as “low fat” are often filled to the brim with sugar. Take yogurt, for example. Some low fat yogurts can pack over 25 grams of sugar.

Know Sugar’s Aliases – In many cases, sugar will appear on a nutrition label under a different name. This isn’t a rare occurrence, as there are over 50 aliases that food producers use to put sugar into products. A partial list of these assumed identities is shown below:

Dextrose	Corn Syrup
Golden Syrup	Barley Malt
Maple Syrup	Caramel
High Fructose Corn Syrup	Molasses
Fruit Juice	Sucrose

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

The Habits of Highly Productive People

You’ve probably noticed (perhaps not without some jealousy) that a certain sect of people tend to get things done on a more consistent basis than most other workers. These individuals tend to distinguish themselves at a relatively early age, earning excellent grades in high school and college en route to a successful career. But what allows such people to excel on consistent basis in their academic and professional pursuits?

A number of observers have attempted to answer this question, and have unearthed a number of common traits that successful people tend to possess. If you aren’t satisfied with your current level of production in the workplace, consider adapting some of the following work-related practices and techniques.

Stop the Multitasking – In recent years, the term “multitasking” has carved out a permanent niche in the American office vernacular. In short, this term refers to an employee who attempts to perform two distinct tasks simultaneously. For example, a worker might attempt to answer a phone call while drafting an email. In theory, multitasking should allow someone to be twice as efficient, enabling them to kill two workload birds with one stone. In reality, this practice often makes people less effective at performing both activities, and may also cause them to lose focus as they try to switch between tasks. Productive people tend to focus on one task at a time, devoting all available energy to completing the task before moving on to the next objective.

Determine Your “Peak” Hours – Ever notice that you seem to be most productive at certain times of the day? Productive people certainly do, and plan their work schedules accordingly. For example, suppose you are most efficient between the pre-lunch hours of 10AM and 12PM. Use this period of time for knocking out your most challenging tasks.

Eliminate Distractions – Many workers let various distractions derail their workday. You might give into the urge to check your favorite social media site, or find yourself unable to concentrate on a certain task due to frequent visits to your email account. Maybe your cell phone keeps going off, or you receive a constant influx of text messages. Top-tier workers realize that these things can hurt productivity, and proceed to deal with them before they become too problematic.

Divide Big Projects into Smaller Tasks – Being assigned a tough project at work can be awfully overwhelming, given just how much could be hanging in the balance; success can bring accolades and possible promotion, yet failure can lead to demotion, career stagnation or even job termination. To give yourself a better chance of success, try breaking up the project into a series of clearly-defined, attainable goals. If possible, try establishing goals that can be completed within a few hours.

Get Enough Sleep – Yes, you’ve heard this one plenty of this before, but chances are you still aren’t getting the 7 to 9 hours of daily sleep you need each night. Productive workers, on the other hand, usually get to bed at reasonable time. Not surprisingly, they are well-rested and ready to function at full capacity the next day. Night owls should take note of this fairly obvious connection.

Stop Trying to Do Too Much – While it’s easy to dismiss mediocre workers as lacking motivation and skills, many employees struggle at work for the exact opposite reasons – they try to do far too much. These workers might accept the responsibility of massive projects they simply cannot handle, and are unable to say “no” to coworkers seeking assistance. They may also try and fit too many things on their personal “to-do” list, instead of focusing on only the most relevant and important tasks facing them.

Focus on the Important Stuff, Not the Busy Work – Here’s another mistake made by well-intentioned workers. Some employees might spend an inordinate amount of time working on tasks that are not especially important, using up valuable hours better spend elsewhere. Productive people tend to identify the most important tasks in their workload, and set about performing them as soon as possible.

Don’t Procrastinate – There probably isn’t a bigger challenge to becoming a more productive worker than the urge to put things off. It pretty much goes without saying that highly efficient employees are able to resist this urge better than most. There are a number of ways to avoid workplace procrastination; strictly limiting your social media pit stops and using daily “to-do” lists would be a good start.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

How Does Winter Impact our Health?

It’s pretty safe to assume that most people don’t particularly care for the winter season. Sure, there are exceptions – if you’re an avid skier or snowboarder, winter might be the perfect time of year for you – but most of us associate winter with frigid temperatures, outbreaks of cold and flu, horrendous weather, car and traffic problems caused by said weather and dead-black skies by 5PM. No wonder so many people look forward to spring and summer.

All of these factors can exact a heavy toll on your emotional and physical wellbeing. Many people claim that the harsh winter environment makes them feel more stressed, tired and depressed than usual. If these feelings sound familiar, you can take heart that they might not be all in your head; Old Man Winter can indeed have a negative impact on our overall health. The following list details how the wrath of winter impacts various parts of the body.

Lips – Our lips can be very susceptible to wear and tear, both from our own bodies (from heavy breathing from the mouth) and outside elements. This is especially true during winter, with its cold winds and temperatures sapping moisture from the lips. Dry lips, of course, are very prone to noticeable chapping, cracking and peeling.

Skin – Like our lips, our body’s skin can lose a good deal of moisture due to the unforgiving winter climate. In temperatures below freezing, skin that is not covered by winter clothing is vulnerable to both frostnip and frostbite. Frostnip affects the outer layers of the skin, causing our fingers, toes, and nose to feel cold and eventually turn red and numb. If these parts of the body are not soon warmed, they can develop frostbite, a condition that can lead to permanent tissue damage.

Waistline – The notion that a change of seasons can lead to weight gain might initially seem questionable. However, research has shown that people tend to exercise less during the winter months. This might be due to the shorter amount of daylight in the winter, which can discourage people from leaving the house. In addition, exercise tends to have an inverse relationship with unhealthy eating habits – the less you get of one, the more you get of the other.

Mental Health – Given the early sunsets and hostile weather, you might find yourself feeling downbeat and dejected on more than a few occasions from December through March. If you’ve noticed this correlation, you are hardly alone – numerous studies have found that depression is far more common in the icy throes of winter than in the sunny summer. In fact, this condition even has its own name, as seasonal affective disorder (or SAD, an apt acronym if there ever was one) is estimated to impact 10 million Americans.

Heart – The link between winter weather and serious heart problems has some well-respected supporters, most notably the American Heart Association (AHA), which notes that the frequency of heart attacks doubles during the winter season. Though this connection might sound a bit baffling, it actually makes sense when one considers all the effort it takes to clear mounds of snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks. All of this heavy lifting and shoveling can be exhausting to anybody, but can be downright deadly for those who are significantly out of shape and/or have heart problems. For people who fall into these categories, the AHA recommends taking frequent breaks during shoveling, and urges against eating big meals beforehand.

Shoveling Injuries – Your heart isn’t the only body part that can be damaged from purging mounds of snow from your driveway. Each year, approximately 11,000 people in the United States are hospitalized due to injuries sustained while shoveling snow. The most common reasons for hospitalization include head injuries, muscle sprains, fractures, cuts and lower back problems.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.

Cyber Overload: A look at Internet Addiction

When you stop and think about it, it really is amazing just how big a role the internet plays in our daily lives. In fact, it can safely be said that those under the age of 25 probably can’t envision a world without the internet. Research has confirmed the ubiquitous nature of the internet; a 2010 study from Forrester Research found that, for the first time, consumers spent as much on the internet as watching TV. Another report found that Americans aged 13-24 actually spent more time on the internet (16.7 hours per week) than watching television (13.6 hours).

Given the internet’s meteoric rise over the past two decades, it perhaps isn’t surprising that some people develop a literal addiction to this worldwide, interconnected network. Below are some examples of the health risks of spending far too much time online:

• In 2005, a 28 year-old South Korean man died after spending a stunning 50 straight hours playing an online game.
• An even more incredible case of internet addiction also comes from South Korea. In 2002, one gamer spent an unfathomable 86 straight hours playing an online game, a dubious streak that wound up claiming his life.
• A 20 year-old English man suffered a fatal blood clot after a 12 hour online gaming session.

Granted, these are extreme cases, but it appears that more health professionals are prepared to classify “internet addiction” as a mental health condition. In late 2012, several news stories reported that the American Psychiatric Association was considering adding “Internet Use Disorder” in its latest revision of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders. According to the New York Post, the entry for Internet Use Disorder would feature the following symptoms:

• Preoccupation with online gambling and a need to spend more time wagering via the Internet.
• Withdrawal symptoms when computer use is denied.
• Continued excessive Internet use by an individual, even if he or she knows how dangerous the problem has become.
• Lying to shrinks and loved ones about excessive Internet use and online gambling.
• Losing interest in other forms of entertainment and hobbies.

The potential inclusion of Internet Use Disorder raises a disconcerting question – with an estimated 282 million Americans using the internet in 2012, exactly how many users would qualify as addicts? Some sources claim that the number might be quite large; the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery suggests that as many as 1 in 8 Americans might struggle with some form of internet dependency (the same organization also reports that the number might be as high as 30 percent in several Asian countries, like South Korea, China and Taiwan).

The “Shutdown” Law

You’ve probably noticed that South Korean internet users keep appearing in this article. There is good reason for this, as the country appears to have a large population of hardcore online gamers. The South Korean government has noticed this trend as well, to the point that a new law was issued in 2011 aimed at curbing internet overuse.

The Shutdown law prevents children under the age of 16 from playing online games between the hours of 12AM and 6AM. In theory, this will force intense adolescent gamers to get some badly needed sleep. In practice, the gamers might turn out to be one step ahead of the government. A significant number of teenage players have been able to illegally hijack their parents’ online identities, allowing them to circumvent the law.  In response to this development, the South Korean government is pressuring gaming companies to turn over personal information about young gamers, including social security numbers and phone numbers.

While internet users in the United States typically don’t have the insatiable online appetite found in many South Koreans, research indicates that Americans have become heavily attached to modern technology. A 2010 University of Maryland study examined the impact of heavy internet and cell phone use on college students. The participants were barred from using every type of media for 24 hours – in other words, they couldn’t use their cell phones, surf the internet or watch TV for an entire day.

The results of the study did not paint a pretty picture; many students reported feeling withdrawal symptoms after just one day without modern media channels. Students who were used to sending text messages throughout the day, for instance, felt as if they had been somehow separated from friends and family. A large number of participants made the same claim regarding e-mails and social networking sites, stating that they felt alone and isolated without access to these mediums.

As technology continues to evolve, the issue of internet addiction will doubtlessly receive further attention from researchers. As it currently stands, is term “Internet Use Disorder” is vaguely defined, as is still being evaluated by the American Psychiatric Association. In the meantime, you can prevent yourself from becoming too attached to the internet by using the proceeding guidelines:

• Limit the amount of time you spend online each day.
• If you find yourself spending endless hours on the internet, install a “shutdown timer” on your desktop, which will automatically turn off your computer after a predetermined amount of time. These timers can be found through a simple search engine query.
• Make plans with your friends and acquaintances to hang out at various places, such as malls and bowling alleys.
• Instead of using instant messages, opt for making phone calls.
• Keep a log of all the sites you visit, and the length of time you visit them. Record your emotions when you looking out these sites; this will allow you to determine if you’re using the internet to deal with stress and/or boredom. If this is indeed the case, use other activities to occupy your time, such as learning a new hobby or exercising.

The preceding article was written by an employee of Natural Knowledge 24/7.