HEALTH CARE DIGITAL

Simple Living in Japan: Health Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Grahatechno) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:14:00 +0000

	Eat More Fish Getting the protein you need from fish rather than red meat and other high-fat sources reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke. Studies show consuming the omega-3 fatty acids found in most fish decreases triglycerides in the blood and inhibits the arterial plaque build-up that can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
	Walk More, Drive Less Exercise, even in small amounts, has been shown to slow weight gain, decrease bad cholesterol levels, control blood pressure, and decrease the risk of heart attack and stroke.
	Eat Smaller Portions People tend to eat as much as they're given, regardless of hunger. In Japan, meals are usually served in courses with small bowls or plates. Consuming smaller meals decreases overall caloric intake and allows the body to more thoroughly digest food. Studies have found this leads to lower fat storage and lower cholesterol levels, among other benefits.
	Eat Slowly and Stop Eating Before You Are Full Eat like a crane, as the Japanese say. Eating slowly gives your body a chance to digest properly and signal fullness before you've overeaten. And follow the Japanese saying Hara hachi bunme—eat only until you are 80 percent full. This reduces overall calorie intake and avoids obesity, which leads to many health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
	Try Yoga and Other Meditative Exercises Yoga, tai chi, and other meditative exercise techniques have been shown to improve flexibility, balance, heart and lung capacity, and overall well-being.

Source : National Geographic

Different Types of Health Insurance Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Grahatechno) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 03:16:00 +0000

Traditional health insurance

Fee-for-service

Managed care

Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)

Exclusive Provider Organizations (EPO)

Exclusive Provider Organizations are PPOs that look like HMOs. EPOs raise the financial stakes for staying in the network. If you choose a provider outside the network, you're responsible for the entire cost of the visit.

Point-of-Service (POS)

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)

Weight Loss for Teens – A Parent Should Not Worry Too Much

noreply@blogger.com (Grahatechno) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 10:17:00 +0000

Concerns are always being raised in relation to the dangers of child or teen weigh loss, especially with parents. For many teens today, the image of the body is at the fore front of their minds, especially when you look at the models used in magazines etc. Teenagers will be easily swayed by their peers or TV/Movie idols, and some will go to drastic measures in order to look as good, and wear the clothes that their heroes are wearing. More and more teenagers are suffering from either anorexia or bulimia (both very serious illnesses), both of which they can often easily hide from their parents.

It is very difficult to understand how anorexia and bulimia affects people who, to others, may look healthy and being a normal size weight. For many sufferers, they see themselves as fat and undesirable, and they usually lack self confidence and self esteem. They may feel this because they have been laughed at when they were younger, or it can be that they are just too shy or embarrassed to discuss how they feel. But whatever the reason, those suffering from either anorexia or bulimia are at risk. Their health will become compromised (not now but may be later on in life). Should such eating problems not be diagnosed early enough, then the damage they cause to their body may be irreversible.

You can not force a person to eat if they don’t want to, and neither can you stop a person from purging themselves. What you need to do is get to the root of their problem and discuss with them how they feel about themselves. Find out why they feel that they need to lose the weight in such a manner. Then you can look at ways in which you can help them to combat this problem.

However, those people who are suffering either from anorexia or bulimia will most likely need professional help (you don’t need to send them a way to rehab). There are plenty of self help groups which have now been set up to aid with these eating disorders.

How do I recognize if my teen is suffering from an eating problem? Unfortunately, most people, especially children, are good at hiding the symptoms related to eating problems. But below are some signs that should help.
1. The color of their skin. Does it have a healthy glow or is it dull and pale?
2. Eyes - are they bright or dull?
3. Hair – It is full and shiny or has it become dull, flat and thinning?
4. Legs and Arms – Have they got good tone, or do they look just like skin and bone?
5. Have their energy levels decreased?
6. Teenage Girls – Has their menstrual cycle altered in any way?

There are other ways in which bulimia may be diagnosed. Because a teenager will be forcing themselves to bring up the food which they have eaten, they develop cavities near the gum line. So if you can discreetly watch their bathroom habits, are they constantly going to the bathroom after they have eaten in order to purge the food from their body? Do they brush their teeth often because they want to make themselves sick or have they loose stools and stomach cramps because they are taking laxatives?

Those teenagers who are suffering from anorexia will often play with the food on their plate, or say they are not hungry or that they earlier when they were out with their friends. Others may well skip breakfast and just grab something on the way school, or they won’t take the lunch that you have prepared for them to school…or if they do, they throw away as soon as you are out of sight. Discreetly check with the school to see if they are eating meals at school, and if you are able to, speak to their friends and find out what, if anything, they are eating when they are with them. However, it is important that you do not pry too much, or it will lead to them only hiding the problem from you even more.

If you are able to, monitor what they are reading and logging onto on the internet. For many teens, they will deny that they have a problem where eating is concerned. Parents must find a way to get past the idea that thereis nothing troubling the teen, and that they go through stages when they don’t like certain foods or they will avoid eating a meal with the family. However, if you are reading this chapter and you see things in it which seem familiar in relation to your teen, then it may be worth taking a further look at your teen’s lifestyle.

Today, there is a lot of pressure being put on teens to become vegetarians, and some vegetarians will allow fish as part of their diets.This is okay as this provides the necessary nutrients, Vitamin B12, zinc and iron, which a teen will need while they are growing. However, it is wise to show them which fish are the best to eat more often, and which they should eat less of. It is the teens who give up meat and fish altogether that a parent should be concerned about.

Protein is important for us to grow, maintain healthy muscles, skin, hair and good health. The best source for protein is from animals, and those teens who give up this source will need to get it from other areas, such as through vitamin supplements. Studies carried out claim that the quantity of nutrition provided by pills is not the same, or as good as they would get from animal sources.

Therefore, as a parent, if you should have any concerns in regard to what is written above, it is time to take action. A great way of doing this is to help your teen to understand why they should eat properly, and what foods they should be eating, as well as how much and when and what they should avoid. Not only will this help you, but it will help your teen to better understand the importance of food, and what we need to have a healthy body, as well as the best ways to combat weight gain naturally.

So now is the right time for you to take action with regard to your teen’s health and any concerns they may have about their body image and weight.

Source : beerkala