Fact or Fiction: Does Glucosamine Relieve Joint Pain?

Glucosamine is now one of the top-selling dietary supplements in the United States. It is used by many older adults at risk for or suffering from osteoarthritis, a population that is exploding as baby boomers now enter their 50s and 60s, and as our expanding waistlines put more long-term pressure on our knees and hips.
Glucosamine is used to treat joint pain and other symptoms of osteoarthritis. It is usually packaged by itself or in combination with chondroitin. Suppliers of glucosamine and chondroitin claim that they reduce osteoarthritis pain, promote healthy joint function, and nourish joint cartilage.
Both glucosamine and chondroitin are sold over the counter as nutritional supplements (and thus are not regulated by the FDA). Physicians also may prescribe or recommend a three-month trial of an oral glucosamine/chondroitin complex for patients with more severe knee or hip pain.
While there have been some anecdotal reports of benefit, and it is well established that the health risks associated with supplementation are low, real clinical evidence of glucosamine’s analgesic (pain relieving) and structural effects have thus far been inconclusive.

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Could Melatonin Relieve Pain?

What Is Melatonin?

Melatonin is naturally produced in the brain from tryptophan but can also be found in dietary sources such as tart cherry juice, tomatoes, grape skins and the seeds from fennel, celery, poppy and sunflower. Although dietary sources may not contain the dosage similar to the synthetic version, the natural hormone may act as an antioxidant protecting against free-radical damage.
Have you ever been in pain? Chances are you’re wincing as you answer that question. Pain is the most common symptom of all medical conditions. Therefore, pain relief is not only essential for recovery but also key for keeping you sane. We may now be able to turn to nature for help with this ubiquitous ailment. A recent review examined the use of the hormone, melatonin as a painkiller in fibromyalgia, irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) and migraines.

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Top 3 Bogus Fad Diets

Before you spend any money on a fad diet, read this first. Because your fad diet may be making you fat.
It’s time to retire three bogus fad diets, which not only do not work, but can also be quite dangerous if followed for too long. Studies consistently show that the vast majority of weight lost–particularly on fad diets– is regained. Why? For one thing, to cope with an ultra-low calorie diet, your body goes into starvation mode and down-shifts its metabolism. When that happens, weight re-gain is likely to ensue even at lower calorie levels than before when regular food intake resumes. Either way the proof is in the numbers. The diet industry is a $ 60 billion industry, but all that money spent on the ever-growing number of quick-fix diet books, foods and products available has certainly not translated into results: the number of overweight and obese Americans has been steadily growing for the past few decades and remains at an all-time high.
Read on to learn about three of today’s bogus fad diets…

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Slow Carb Diet Tips

Slow-carb diet is the new craze, but is it crazy? The short answer is no. If you’re a veteran of low-carb dieting who’s won the short-term weight loss battle but lost the long-term weight maintenance war, the so-called “slow carb” lifestyle may be a strategy worth considering.
The slow-carb diet is based on the fact that not all carbs are created equal. Some have a low glycemic index, meaning they have a modest effect on blood sugar levels, whereas others have a high glycemic index, causing dramatic spikes in blood sugar after meals. Since spikes in blood sugar drive high production of the hormone insulin–which then promotes fat storage and retention–a diet that keeps insulin levels moderate and consistent throughout the day tends to help with weight loss.

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The Psychology of Procrastination

We’re all familiar with the scenario: a deadline for a big project is looming, but rather than tackling the job head-on we procrastinate. We’ll do anything, from watching television to cleaning, to avoid starting the “big project.”  This avoidance causes other emotions such as guilt and anxiety. Procrastination is a common problem, and experts believe that there’s more to it than just laziness or a poor work ethic.
It is widely believed among psychologists that procrastination can be a symptom of depression—people who become depressed often lose their sense of motivation. Furthermore, procrastination is also a common trait in found in maladaptive perfectionists, or people who have high levels of anxiety and an unhealthy fear of failure. Certain types of maladaptive perfectionists set such stringent personal goals, or believe that others hold them to unrealistic standards, that they experience depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and consequently procrastinate.

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How to Choose the Best Light Therapy Box

Mother nature shuts off the lights earlier in winter and for millions of people darker days bring a bout of depression called seasonal affective disorder (SAD). If you’re experiencing the blues this winter, it might be time to get a dose of sunshine from light therapy. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, between 50 and 80 percent of people using light therapy to treat SAD experience complete recovery from symptoms.
Read on to see our tips for finding a light therapy box…

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Heart Healthy Eating 101

You know that eating healthy is important for your heart, but what exactly does it mean to follow a “heart-healthy diet”?  It certainly doesn’t mean you have to compromise taste, quit your favorite foods, or starve. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) compiled some basic guidelines to help Americans improve their health and lower their risk of heart disease.  A plan entitled, the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC diet) makes very specific recommendations to fight cardiovascular disease and its associated chronic risk factors.  If you ask me, everyone can benefit from a little “TLC”.

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Blood Pressure Numbers: What Do They Mean?

On a recent beautiful morning while I was taking my two-mile power walk, I was surprised when one of my companions asked, “What’s the story with those blood pressure numbers, what do they mean?” And, in fact, the other walker chimed in that it was a mystery to her as well.
Those are hugely important numbers, I explained, because when they’re consistently too high (hypertension), the result can be a stroke, a heart attack, kidney failure and even blindness. It’s also a “silent killer.”  You can be walking around with very high blood pressures and feel perfectly fine.

What is the difference between the two numbers?

Let me first explain the two numbers:  The higher recording, systole, occurs when the heart contracts. The lower number, diastole, occurs when the heart relaxes between beats.

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Can You Fight Cancer with Fruits and Veggies?

Most people think a diet high in fruits and vegetables will prevent them from getting cancer. However a recent review of the research indicates that there might be less of an association than previously suspected.
Just because broccoli may not be the veggie version of Superman–does not mean you should skip your greens. As the professor who wrote the review indicated, it might be difficult to truly assess this relationship because of other factors that could play a role, such as smoking, alcohol use, environment, how long the person has eaten a diet high in fruits and vegetables and other dietary factors.
So should you still bother eating your fruits and veggies? Read on to find out…

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If You Can Only Eat One Thing for Gorgeous Skin, Eat This

Gorgeous skin is made from the inside out. Skin care with diet works 80% while cosmetic treatments have just 20% effect when talk of a gorgeous looking skin. Skin care with diet outperforms topical cosmetic treatments so you must invest time and money in the right direction so that you enjoy natural and long lasting results.

If you are given an option to choose just one ingredient for complete skin care with diet, the only thing that has all in one effect for a healthy younger looking skin is Strawberry. There are several reasons to choose strawberries as the superb diet for skin care.

High Antioxidant Content:

Strawberries like blueberries are considered to be the best skin food when discuss skin care with diet. Strawberries specifically are a known super skin diet as their antioxidant content is very high.

Antioxidants combat free radicals which are major aging and disease accelerators and slow down aging by reducing oxidative damage to cells. In simple words, they help skin care by protecting the cells from damaging and this is what improves the skin tone.

Vascular Constrictors:

Strawberries are thought to be the best vascular constrictors, which assist in reducing redness for those who suffer from sensitive skin conditions. Skin care with diet such as strawberries helps neutralizing acne prone skin.

Perfect Remedy for a Sun-Damaged Skin:

Strawberries are essential for your skin care as they are a perfect solution for a blotchy, dry, dull, sun damaged skin. All you need to do is just keep eating a handful of Strawberries on regular basis and you are sure to get a healthy, clearer, firmer, younger looking fair complexioned and evenly toned skin in return.

Strawberries Make Your Wrinkles Starve:

Strawberries are an “all in one pack” remedy when talk of skin care with diet as they feed your skin while make your wrinkles starve and finally gone.

High Concentration of Beneficial Phytochemicals:

By Phytochemicals we mean health protecting compounds that are present in all plant diets such as fruit and vegetable.

Presence of beneficial phytochemicals make all fruit and vegetables good when comes to skin care with diet. But Strawberries have an exceptionally high concentration of healthy phytochemicals. These phytochemicals have an anti-aging effect as they neutralize free radicals, leaving your skin wrinkle free and young.

Simple and Handy To Take:

Topped up with all these qualities, what makes Strawberries special and the one and only diet solution towards skin care is that they can readily be taken without any cooking fatigue. They are a perfect topping for your breakfast bowl of yogurt or cereal.

It’s the high time to start taking your skin care with diet and enjoy looking younger.

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