Belly fat is an insidious condition that leads to some evident consequences. For starters, it’s unattractive. As a personal observation, nothing is more unattractive than an individual (male or female) with a large abdomen. But physical appearance is only half the story. Belly fat can be the beginning of a downward spiral to ill health. The purpose of this article is to shed light on belly fat: the facts.
The truth about belly fat
For starters, what is belly fat? Belly fat, also known as visceral fat, is excess weight that develops over time around the center of the body.
There are two types of belly fat. One (subcutaneous) tends to give the body a pear shape because it accumulates in the lower body, while fat in the abdominal area which yields the apple shape is largely visceral. Where fat finally ends up is influenced by many factors, including heredity and hormones.
Visceral, fat is of explicit concern as a result of it being a key player in a variety of health issues— far more so than connective tissue fat, the kind you can grasp with your hand. Visceral fat, on the contrary, lies out of reach, deep among the abdomen, where it pads the areas between our abdominal organs.
Belly fat surrounds our organs and increases risk for disease. The especially detrimental problem with visceral fat is that it releases cytokines (immune system chemicals), which can greatly increase the chance of cardiovascular (heart) disease, boost chances of acquiring diabetes, raise blood pressure and bad (LDL) cholesterol. In women, It’s additionally related with breast cancer and also the necessity for gallbladder surgery. Needless to say, these are some potentially serious side effects.
Causes of belly fat
Common causes of belly fat include:
Poor diet – Sugary food, such as cakes, cookies (I’m guilty), and candy, as well as drinks, such as soda and fruit juice, can: cause weight gain, slow a person’s metabolism, reduce a person’s ability to burn fat.
Low-protein, high-carbohydrate diets can also affect weight. Protein helps an individual feel fuller for an extended period of time, and people who do not include lean protein in their diet may eat more food overall.
Trans fats, in particular, can cause inflammation and may lead to obesity. Trans fats are found in many foods, including fast food and baked goods, for example, muffins or crackers. The American Heart Association recommends that people replace trans fats with healthful whole-grain foods, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats.
Reading food labels, which is required reading today, can help a person determine whether their food contains trans fats among other things.
Excessive alcohol – Consuming excess alcohol can cause a variety of health problems, including liver disease and inflammation. A 2015 report on alcohol consumption and obesity in the journal Current Obesity Reports indicates that drinking excess alcohol causes males to gain weight around their abdomens. However, study results in females are inconsistent.
Inactivity – If a person consumes more calories than they burn off, they will inevitably put on weight. An inactive lifestyle makes it hard for a person to get rid of excess fat, especially around the abdomen.
Stress – A steroid hormone known as cortisol helps the body control and deal with stress. When a person is in a dangerous or high-pressure situation, their body releases cortisol, and this can have an impact on their metabolism. People often reach for food for comfort when they feel stressed, and cortisol causes the excess calories to remain around the belly and other areas of the body for later use.
Genetics – Some things we just can’t control. There is some evidence that a person’s genes can play a part in whether or not they become obese. Scientists think genes can influence behavior, metabolism, and the risk of developing obesity-related diseases. Similarly, environmental factors and behavior also play a role in the likelihood of people becoming obese.
Poor sleep – A study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine links weight gain to short sleep duration, which could lead to an excess of belly fat. Both poor quality and short duration of sleep can play a part in the development of abdominal fat. Not getting enough good sleep may, potentially, lead to unhealthful eating behaviors, such as emotional eating. For more detailed information on sleep and health, see my article: https://universal-health-products.com/the-importance-of-sleep-for-health/
Smoking – smoking is not considered to be a direct cause of belly fat, but it is believed to be a risk factor. A 2012 study published in the journal PloS one showed that, although obesity was the same between smokers and nonsmokers, smokers had more belly and visceral fat than nonsmokers.
Losing belly fat
All is not lost. By adopting the following changes, one may be able to lose their unwanted belly fat.
Exercise – A inactive life style brings with it several serious health issues, including weight gain. Excessive weight opens the door to a host of health issues. Therefore, anyone trying to lose weight should include a good amount exercise in their daily routine. Walking is a good place to start. For details see the article: https://universal-health-products.com/the-benefits-of-walking-exercise/
Undertaking both aerobic exercise and strength training can help tackle belly fat. Exercise is most effective if people combine both cardiovascular and high-intensity training alongside weights and resistance training.
Better dietary choices – A healthy, balanced diet can help one lose weight, and it is also likely to have a positive effect on their overall health. Things to avoid include sugar, fatty foods, and refined carbohydrates that have low nutritional content. Instead, it’s best to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates.
Reduce your alcohol consumption – Anyone desiring to lose excess abdominal fat should monitor their alcohol intake. Alcoholic drinks typically contain extra sugar, which may contribute to weight gain. Actually limiting alcohol is a good thing for overhaul health.
Increase sunlight exposure – A 2016 review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health **indicates that exposure to sunlight in animals can lead to a reduction in weight gain and metabolic abnormalities. The review further highlights that few studies have looked at the effects of sunlight on humans, in respect of weight gain. It also states that more research is required to support the findings so far. So stay tuned for that one.
Reduce your stress – Stress can cause a person to gain weight as mentioned above. The release of the stress hormone cortisol influences a person’s appetite and could cause them to eat more. Eating under stress is a common reaction. Stress-relieving tactics can include mindfulness and meditation, and gentle exercise, such as yoga.
Examine your sleep pattern – Sleep is vital to people’s overall health, and too little rest can have a severe impact on well-being.
Sleep’s primary purpose is to allow the body to rest, heal, and recover, but it can also have an impact on a person’s weight. Getting enough good-quality sleep is crucial once an individual is trying to shed weight, and belly fat.
Losing belly fat takes discipline to engage the necessary lifestyle changes. For information on a complete program that aids losing belly fat, click this link.
Good health!
Please feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below
The purpose of this article is to explain what sleep is and the importance of sleep for health.
Sleep is an indispensable part of our being. Proper sleep is as essential as diet and exercise. Actually, without sleep there would be no diet and no exercise—we simply couldn’t function—period. All of the systems of the body (there are twelve) rely on sleep for efficient functioning. After reading this article you’ll understand how.
What is sleep
Sleep is supposed be a naturally continual state of mind and body. It involves relatively inhibited sensory activity, altered consciousness, reduced interactions with surroundings, reduced muscle activity and inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles during rapid eye movement sleep (which will be explained later).
The Importance of sleep for health
Sleep plays an important role in our physical and mental health. Decades earlier, most people thought of sleep as a passive, dormant part of our daily lives when the body simply—shut down. However, today we have an understanding that our brains are extremely active during sleep. Furthermore, sleep affects our daily functioning and our physical and mental health in many ways that are just beginning to be understood. For example, sleep is involved in healing and repair of our heart and blood vessels.
When the body goes into sleep mode, it begins its work like the night shift of a factory. During this time, the healing of damaged cells takes place, the boosting of the immune system, a recovering of the day’s activities (e.g. that tension headache disappears), and as mentioned earlier, recharging of the heart and cardiovascular system. Sleep also balances our appetites by helping to regulate levels of the hormones ghrelin and leptin, which play a role in our feelings of hunger and fullness. So when we haven’t had enough sleep, we may feel the need to eat more, which can lead to weight gain.
The third of our lives that we use sleeping are a far cry from being unproductive and plays an immediate role in how complete, energetic and successful the other two-thirds of our lives can be.
These vital renewal activities occur during various stages of sleep.
The stages of the sleep cycle
During sleep, we generally pass through five phases of sleep: stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. These stages progress during a cycle from stage 1 to REM sleep, then the cycle starts over again with stage 1. A complete sleep cycle takes an average of ninety (90) to one hundred ten (110) minutes, with every stage lasting between five (5) to fifteen (15) minutes. We adults spend nearly fifty % of our total sleep time in stage two (2) sleep, about 20 percent in REM sleep, and the remaining 30 percent in the other stages. Infants, in contrast, spend about half of their sleep time in REM sleep.
Let’s examine these stages a little further:
Stage One Sleep
During stage one, which is light sleep, we drift in and out of sleep and can be awakened easily. Our eyes move particularly slowly and muscle activity slows.
Stage Two Sleep
When we enter stage 2 sleep, we are still in light sleep. However our heart rate slows and our body temperature drops. Our eye movements stop and our brain waves become slower, with occasional bursts of rapid waves called sleep spindles (sudden bursts of brain activity). The body is getting ready for deep sleep.
Stage Three, Four & REM Sleep
In stage 3, extremely slow brain waves called delta waves begin to appear, combine with smaller, faster waves.
By stage 4, the brain produces delta waves nearly totally. It is especially hard to wake someone during stages three and four, which together are called deep sleep. There is no eye movement or muscle activity. People who wake up during deep sleep don’t revise instantly and sometimes feel dazed and disoriented for a few minutes after they wake up. Some kids encounter bedwetting, night terrors, or sleepwalking during deep sleep.
During the deep stages of NREM (non REM) sleep, the body repairs and regrows tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. This is a crucial stage.
As we get older, we sleep more lightly and get less deep sleep. Aging is also linked to shorter time spans of sleep, although studies show that we still need as much sleep as when we were younger.
When we switch into (rapid eye movement) REM sleep, our breathing becomes more rapid, irregular, and shallow, our eyes jerk rapidly in various directions, and our limb muscles become temporarily paralyzed during sleep. Our heart rate increases, our blood pressure rises, and males develop penile erections. When individuals awaken in the course of REM sleep, they often describe bizarre and illogical tales – dreams.
How much sleep do we need
The amount of sleep each person needs depends on a range of factors, including age. Infants for example generally require about 16 hours a day, while teenagers need about 9 hours on average. For most adults, seven to eight hours a sleep session appears to be the most effective quantity of sleep, though some individuals may need as few as five (5) hours or as many as the (10) hours of sleep each day. Women within the initial three months of gestation (pregnancy) usually require more sleep than usual. The amount of sleep a person needs also increases if the individual has been deprived of sleep in previous days. Getting too little sleep creates a sleep debt, which is much like over drawing our bank accounts. Eventually, our bodies can demand that the debt be repaid. We may accidentally oversleep or nod off unexpectedly. We don’t appear to adapt to obtaining less sleep than we have a tendency to need; where as we may have a tendency to get accustomed to a sleep-depriving schedule, our judgment, response time and additional functions continue to be impaired. More on sleep deprivation to follow.
On the other hand, getting too much sleep may not be good for you, according to research. A recent study confirms that individuals sleeping on the far side of eight hours could have a greater cardiovascular related death rate. It further revealed that people who slept more than eight hours and less than four hours each night carry the same risk of dying of coronary heart disease (CHD). Sleep is good, but like I always say: too much of a good thing, is a bad thing!
Sleep deprivation and health
Sleep deprivation is simply the condition of suffering from a lack of sleep. Sleep deprivation can be caused by situations that aren’t due to underlying disease. Examples include stress, school or job requirements, poor social habits, or poor sleeping habits.
We all understand the advantages of sleeping well, and we’ve all experienced the feeling of being refreshed after a good night’s sleep. We also know the feeling of fatigue after a poor night’s sleep. But even though we know this, in our busy culture, many of us are not getting the quality sleep we need to truly receive the health benefits of sleep.
Sleep deprivation is a serious menace in our society. It causes problems not only for the victims of sleep deprivation but others around them.
Many studies present it clear that Sleep Deprivation is dangerous. People who were sleep-deprived was tested by employing a simulating driving machine or by using a hand-eye coordination tests performed as badly as or worse than those that were intoxicated. Sleep deprivation also magnifies alcohol’s effects on the body, therefore a fatigued person who drinks will become much more impaired than someone who is well-rested.
How does sleep deprivation affect others in addition to the victim? Driver fatigue is to blame for a probable one-hundred thousand motor vehicle accidents and fifteen hundred deaths each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Since sleepiness is the brain’s final step before falling asleep, driving while sleepy will– and frequently will– cause ruinous circumstances. Caffeine and different stimulants cannot overcome the results of severe sleep deprivation. The National Sleep Foundation says that if an individual is having trouble keeping their eyes targeted, if they can’t stop yawning, or if they can’t remember driving the last few miles, they are in all probability too drowsy to drive safely.
Other ways include irritability which makes others uncomfortable. Lack of productivity – a sleep deprived person cannot function as well as one who isn’t. Reflexes are slower and concentration suffers which lead to inefficiency and difficulty learning new concepts.
Focusing back on the individual, ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.
Obesity: poor sleep is strongly linked to weight gain. People with regular shortened periods of sleep tend to weigh considerably extra than those that get adequate sleep. In fact, shortened sleep durations is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity. The effect of sleep on weight gain is believed to be measured by numerous factors, including hormones and the motivation to exercise.
For one who’s trying to lose weight, getting quality sleep is absolutely crucial.
Mental health problems, such as depression, are strongly linked to poor sleep quality and sleeping disorders. It has been predicted that ninety percent of individuals with depression complain regarding sleep quality.
Poor sleep is even associated with an increased risk of death by suicide (for more info).
Those with sleeping disorders like insomnia or obstructive sleep apnea additionally report considerably higher rates of depression than those devoid of sleeping issues. For more information on Sleep Apnea, see my article https://universal-health-products.com/sleep-apnea-the-facts/
Poor sleep has been strongly linked to long-term inflammation of the digestive tract, in disorders known as inflammatory bowel diseases (for more info).
One study discovered that sleep-deprived individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease) were doubly as probably to relapse as patients that slept well. Researchers ar even recommending sleep analysis to help project outcomes in people with long-term inflammatory issues.
Causes of sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation can occur for a host of reasons:
Aging: people 65 and older may have trouble sleeping because of medication they’re taking, or medical problems they’re experiencing and general aging.
Sleep disorder: these include sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless legs syndrome.
Illness. …
Stress and other factors.
How to treat sleep deprivation
If an underlying medical condition isn’t the cause, there are natural remedies for sleep deprivation. One might try these:
o Exercise at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week. But not within three (3) hours of bedtime.
o Get plenty of natural light exposure during the day.
o Avoid Caffeine late in the day.
o Avoid heavy consumption of alcohol.
o Stick to a regular sleep schedule (same bedtime and wake-up time), even on the weekends.
o Take a warm bath or shower before bed.
o Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine.
o Take a nap (if possible). While naps don’t essentially structure for inadequate or poor quality nighttime sleep, studies show that a brief nap of 20-30 minutes will facilitate to enhance mood, alertness and performance.
o Note: keep in mind that getting enough sleep on regular basis is the best way to stay alert and feel your best. But once fatigue sets in, a fast nap will do wonders for your mental and physical stamina.
If there is no change after trying these suggestions, see your clinician.
Please feel free to leave a comment, concern or question below.
Snoring is a serious problem in our society. It is disruptive to sleepers and their partners. It can cause problems in a relationship and depending on the cause, reap havoc on a victim even during the day. For example: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes as well as 1,550 fatalities per year. So, it’s no wonder why a popular question today is: what can you do about snoring?
Facts about snoring
Let’s look at some statistics:
Up to 30% people aged thirty and above have issues with snoring; even as high as 40% in the middle-aged category.
Two thirds of adults in partnered relationships say that their partner is a snorer. When partners were asked individually if they snored, the response was yes 6 out of 10 times or 60%.
Here’s a shocker: 5.6% of children are habitual snorers!
The approximate ratio is 2:1 for suffers of snoring amongst men to women. But the gap closes when women reach menopause.
For adults that have reached their sixties the numbers rise significantly to sixty percent of men and forty percent of women. Reasons for the differences between men and women are quite simple.
More men tend to be overweight or at least have larger necks. A neck size of at least 17 inches almost guarantees a snorer. Most men, (85%) who snored do not consider it a problem and instead complain that their wives are light sleepers.
On the other hand, women snorers are usually shorter and heavier that their feminine non-snoring counterparts. When women snore it is more commonly through their noses than their mouths whereas for men it is tends to be both.
Women are more apt to try to find snoring treatment than men. The reasons women snore less on average are that they tend to have smaller necks, larger air passages and a smaller uvula (an extension at the back of the soft palate which hangs above the throat). All of which make it less likely for her to snore.
So, before we go further, what is snoring?
What is snoring
Snoring is a hoarse and harsh sound from nose or mouth that occurs when breathing is partially obstructed while sleeping. It is the result of a partially blocked airway. See the diagram below:
Notice the difference in the two airwaves
What causes snoring
Snoring can be a symptom of a disease such as obesity and sleep apnea. For more information on sleep apnea, logon to my article: https://universal-health-products.com/sleep-apnea-the-facts/ But, snoring can also have causes that aren’t due to an underlying disease. Examples include nasal congestion, deviated septum, or alcohol consumption (more on that below). In chronic cases of snoring, it’s important to seek a doctor’s care in order to get the medical treatment you need to address the underlying condition.
How can you stop snoring
Cases of snoring caused by benign factors such as sleeping position — can often be treated with simple home remedies. The key is to increase air flow through your throat. Some suggestions are below:
If you are overweight, lose weight – This will help reduce the amount of tissue in your throat that might be causing your snoring. You can lose weight by reducing your overall caloric intake by eating smaller portions, healthier foods and exercising. Make sure you exercise daily. You may additionally take into account seeing your doctor or a specialist (nutritionist) for assistance.
Sleep on your side – Sleeping on your back can cause the tongue to move to the back of the throat, which partly blocks airflow through your throat. Simply sleeping on your side may be all you need to do to allow air to flow easily and reduce or stop your snoring.
Raise up the top of your bed – Elevating the top of your bed by four inches could facilitate cutting back your snoring by keeping your airways open.
Use nasal strips or an external nasal dilator – Adhesive nasal strips will be placed on the bridge of the nose to assist increase the area within the nasal passage. This can build your respiration more effectively and scale back or eliminate your snoring.
You could additionally attempt using a nasal dilator, which is a stiffened adhesive strip that’s applied on top of the nose across the nostrils. This can decrease flow of air resistance, making it easier to breath.
Use an oral appliance – You may want to try an easy to use, one size fits all mouthpiece designed to stop snoring. It opens up your airways to allow you to breathe better while you sleep, stopping you from snoring. For more information, click this link.
If you have chronic allergies treat them – Allergies can reduce airflow through your nose, which forces you to breathe through your mouth. This increases the likelihood that you’ll snore. Consult with your doctor about what kind of over-the-counter or prescription allergy medications may improve your condition.
Correct structural issues in your nose – Some individuals are born with or encounter an injury that offers them a condition known as a deviated septum. I mentioned this earlier which is the misalignment of the wall that separates both sides of the nose, which restricts airflow. It can cause you to breathe through your mouth during sleep, causing snoring. It may be necessary to seek surgery to correct this condition. Talk to your doctor, preferably an otolaryngologist.
Limit or avoid alcohol before bed – Make an effort to not consume alcohol for a minimum of two (2) hours leading up to your retirement. The depressant, sedative effect of alcohol relaxes your jaw and throat muscles. As a result, these muscles collapse onto your airway, restricting airflow causing snoring.
Avoid taking sedatives before bed – If you take sedatives and snore, talk to your doctor to discuss what your options are. Stopping sedative use before bed could ease your snoring.
Stop smoking – And we have yet another reason to stop smoking. Smoking is an unhealthy habit that can increase your snoring problem. Talk to your doctor regarding therapies — like gum or patches that may assist you to quit.
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Snoring will disrupt your sleep as well as your partner’s. Trying one or more of the above treatment options is a good place to start to help you get your sleep under control. But if that doesn’t work, besides being annoying, it may indicate a serious health condition. In that case, seeing your doctor is advisable.
Feel free to leave a question, concern or comment below.
The endocrine system (pronounced: EN-duh-krin) is one of the governors of the body. It governs the hormones’ that control almost every organ, cell and function in the body. There are twelve systems (governors) in the body. This article’s focus will be all about the endocrine system.
What is the Endocrine System
The main components of the endocrine system are glands. A gland is an organ that makes and Secrets hormones’ that does a specific job in the body.
Therefore, the endocrine system is a system made up of glands that produce hormones’. Hormones are like chemical messengers to the body that carry data and directions from one set of cells to a different one.
The glands that are involved are:
pituitary
hypothalamus
thyroid
parathyroid
adrenals
pineal body
the ovaries
the testes
The pancreas – belongs to both the endocrine system and the digestive system. Because it secretes hormones’ into the bloodstream, and producers and secretes enzymes into the digestive tract.
What is the function of the Endocrine System
The endocrine glands release hormones’ into the bloodstream. This allows the hormones’ to travel to cells in other parts of the body. As a result these hormones’ help control mood, growth and development, the way our organs work, metabolism (the chemical processes that occur within the body in order to maintain life), and reproduction.
Additionally, the endocrine system regulates how much of each hormone is released. This can depend upon levels of hormones’ already within the blood, or on levels of other substances in the blood, like calcium. Many things affect hormone levels, such as certain diseases, conditions, stress, and infection. They can also be subject to changes in the balance of fluid and minerals in the blood, and aging, the environment, and genetics
Too much or too little of any hormone can cause the body harm. However, medication can be administered to treat a great number of these problems.
The Importance of the endocrine system
The endocrine system is vital to our existence. We need it because without it, there would be mostly no trace of the vital biochemicals I mentioned, hormones’.
Endocrine glands are responsible for the secretion of hormones’ like adrenaline, insulin, thyroxine, and so on. There are 9 main endocrine glands in a human individual that I mentioned earlier. They are known as endocrine because they are a class of glands that pour their secretions directly into the bloodstream, without any ducts to regulate the flow. The pancreas is an exception to this, as it has both endocrine and exocrine parts.
Endocrine glands release chemical substances (hormones’) directly into the bloodstream or tissues of the body. Alternatively, Exocrine glands unleash chemical substances through ducts to the skin of the body or onto another surface inside the body. Some examples of exocrine glands are: salivary glands, sweat glands and pancreatic fluid. Portions of the pancreas secrete pancreatic fluid into the small intestine to digest food. This is what makes it is part of both the endocrine and digestive systems.
The endocrine system interacts with the neural (nervous) system in the body when it comes to communication, and also when it comes to regulation of a particular endocrine gland function in itself. For example, being in dangerous situations triggers our fight/flight response, which happens due to an adrenaline surge from the adrenal glands.
Therefore, endocrine glands are needed because they are crucial to processes like communication, growth and just about every major bodily function.
Glands of the endocrine system
There are nine glands which make up the endocrine system. Their descriptions follow.
Hypothalamus – The hypothalamus is a small region located at the base of the brain, near the pituitary gland. While it’s terribly little in size, the hypothalamus plays a vital role in several important functions, including: discharging hormones’, maintaining daily physiological cycles, regulation of emotional responses, and regulation of body heat, managing of sexual behavior, and controlling appetite.
Pituitary Gland – This ductless gland is relates to the scale of a pea. It is usually referred to as the master organ of the glands because it controls many different hormone glands within the body, together with the thyroid and adrenals, the ovaries and testicles. It uses information it gets from the brain to tell other glands in your body what to do. It in addition makes many necessary hormones’, as well as the expansion hormone; luteotropin, that helps breastfeeding moms build milk; and also the interstitial cell-stimulating hormone, that manages the estrogen in women and androgenic hormone (aka testosterone) in men.
Pineal gland – Makes a chemical called melatonin that helps your body get ready to go to sleep. It is a hormone which modulates wake/sleep patterns and seasonal changes. The gland is additionally called the third eye. And it’s called the third eye because it is a third eye you have within your brain. Darkness causes the Pineal gland to produce the Melatonin.
Thyroid gland – This gland makes a hormone which controls your metabolism. It is a bow-tie shaped gland located in the neck. It actually makes two hormones’ that are secreted into the blood: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones’ are required for all the cells in your body to work properly.
Parathyroid – This is a collection of four (4) tiny glands behind your thyroid. They play a role in bone health. These glands control the levels of calcium and phosphorus.
Thymus – The thymus starts to shrink after puberty which is why I didn’t mention it in the above list of glands. But for the record, this gland makes white blood cells called T-lymphocytes that fight infection and are crucial as a child’s immune system develops.
Adrenals – The adrenal glands are small glands located on top of each kidney. They generate hormones’ that you just cannot live without, including sex hormones’ and cortisol. Cortisol helps you react to stress and has several alternative necessary functions. They also affect your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure, response to worry (stress) and other alternative functions.
Pancreas – As mentioned earlier, this organ does double duty. The Pancreas is an element of both your digestive and endocrine systems. It makes digestive enzymes that break down food. As for the endocrine system, it also makes the hormones’ insulin and glucagon. These guarantee that you have the proper quantity of sugar in your blood and cells.
Ovaries – In females, these organs create estrogen and progestin. These hormones facilitate the development of breasts at adolescence, regulate the menstruation cycle, and support a pregnancy.
Ovaries also perform double duty in that they produce eggs to be fertilized to commence a pregnancy; making them part of the reproductive system as well.
Testes – Lastly, in men, the testes make testosterone. It helps them grow facial and hair at adolescence. It further plays a major part within the development of male generative tissues like testes and prostate, and promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as like augmented muscle and bone mass, and the growth of body hair.
Below is an illustration of the endocrine system.
The Endocrine System
Diseases of the endocrine system
Unfortunately, with bodily systems, life happens and the endocrine system is no exception.
Most of them follow below.
Hypopituitarism(hypothalamus and pituitary glands) – Is a condition in which the pituitary gland does not produce one or more of its hormones’ or not enough of them. This condition can occur because of disease in the pituitary or hypothalamus. When there’s low or no production of allthe pituitary hormones’, the condition is called panhypopituitarism.
Hypothyroidism (thyroid gland)– is a condition in which the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone. Since the foremost purpose of this endocrine secretion is to “run the body’s metabolism,” it is reasonable that individuals with this condition can have symptoms related to a slow metabolism.
The estimates vary, but approximately 10 million Americans are likely to have this common medical condition. Additionally, as many as 10% of women may have some degree of thyroid hormone deficiency.
Hypothyroidism is more common than many would believe, and millions of people are currently hypothyroid and don’t even know it. For an summary of how this hormone is made and the way its production is regulated, check out this thyroid hormone production page.
Hyperthyroidism (thyroid gland) – this is the opposite of Hypothyroidism. With this condition, the thyroid is overactive and occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much of the hormone thyroxine. It therefore can accelerate your body’s metabolism, causing unintentional weight loss and a rapid or irregular heartbeat.
Parathyroidism (parathyroid glands) – the single major disease of parathyroid glands is over activity of one or more of the parathyroids; that’s known as hyperparathyroidism. Under this condition, one or more of the parathyroid glands behaves inappropriately by making excess hormone (PTH) regardless of the level of calcium. In different words, the parathyroid gland still create giant amounts of parathyroid hormone, even once the calcium level is regular and it shouldn’t be making any at all.
Over-production of this hormone can rob one of their health, causing them to feel run down and tired, causing osteoporosis, and many other serious problems. Fortunately, hyperparathyroidism can be fixed with new minimally invasive surgery techniques in less than 20 minutes in most cases.
In roughly 3 percent or 4 percent of all patients with primary hyperparathyroidism can have an enlargement of all four of these endocrine glands, a term called parathyroid hyperplasia. In this case, all the parathyroid glands become enlarged and produce too much of the parathyroid hormone. This is a much less common condition, but the end results on the tissues of the body are equal.
An even more unusual situation occurs in less than 1% of the people who have 2 parathyroid adenomas while having 2 normal glands. However, this is very infrequent and can make the diagnosis and treatment of this disease a bit complex.
Another disorder of the parathyroid glands occurs when there is not enough parathyroid hormone, leading to under activity. This condition is known as Hypoparathyroidism. This leads to decreased blood levels of calcium and increased levels of blood phosphorus.
This condition is also remedied with surgery which consists of removing the malfunctioning parathyroid gland.
Adrenal gland disorders – With adrenal gland disorders, your glands make too much or not enough hormones’. In this condition, Cushing’s syndrome, there’s too much cortisol, while with Addison’s disease, there is too little. Some people are born without the ability to make enough cortisol.
With Cushing’s syndrome, sometimes taking synthetic hormone medicine to treat an inflammatory disease can lead to Cushing’s. Also, some kinds of tumors produce a hormone that can cause your body to make too much cortisol. This can result in accelerated weight gain, skin that bruises easily, muscle weakness, diabetes, and many other health problems.
With Addison’s disease, it’s usually caused by a problem with the immune system. The immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues, damaging the adrenal glands. Other causes include infections and cancer. This can lead to weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, low blood pressure, and sometimes darkening of the skin. If untreated, it can be fatal.
Diabetes (Pancreas)– A constellation of diseases that allows too much sugar in the blood (aka high blood glucose). Diabetes is the most common disease of the endocrine system.
There are three (3) major diabetes types: Type 1- juvenile diabetes, type 2- adult onset diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
In type 1, occurs when the body fails to produce insulin. Insulin the hormone that is accountable for permitting glucose in the blood to enter cells, providing them with the energy to function. A lack of this effective hormone plays a key role within the development of diabetes. Insulin is essential for life. Therefore, people with type I diabetes are insulin-dependent, which means they must take artificial insulin daily to stay alive.
In Type 2, the consequence is the way the body uses insulin. Although the body still makes insulin, unlike in type I, the cells in the body do not respond to it as effectively as they once did. This is the foremost common variety of diabetes, Consistent with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and it has strong links with obesity.
In Gestational diabetes, the occurrence is in women during pregnancy when the body can become less responsive to insulin. Gestational diabetes does not occur in all women and usually terminates after giving birth.
Less familiar types of diabetes include monogenic diabetes and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes.
Premature ovarian failure (Ovaries) – Also known as (POF) is when a woman’s ovaries stop working (producing eggs) before she is 40.
POF is different from premature menopause. With premature menopause, menstrual periods stop before age 40. You can no longer get pregnant. The cause could be natural or it could be a disease, surgery, cancer therapy, or radiation. With POF, some women still have occasional periods. They may even get pregnant. In most cases of POF, the cause is unknown.
Missed periods are usually the first sign of POF. Later symptoms may be similar to those of natural menopause.
Ovarian cysts (Ovaries) are fluid-filled sacs in or on an ovary. They generally form during ovulation, when the ovary releases an egg. They are typically harmless and disappear by themselves. Most women have them sometime during their lives.
Most cysts of this type are minute and don’t cause symptoms. Women may not find out that they have them until they have a pelvic examination.
Rarely do ovarian cysts become cancerous. This risk increases with age.
A health problem that involves these cysts is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Women with PCOS will have high levels of male hormones’, irregular or no periods, and small ovarian cysts.
Ovarian torsion (Ovaries) – is the twisting of an ovary. The ovary and often the fallopian tube as well become twisted around tissues that contain veins and arteries. It is uncommon but it can cause severe-acute abdominal pain in females, and it is a gynecologic emergency – delay in diagnosing this condition can result in loss of the ovary.
Ovarian Cancer (ovaries) – Cancer of the ovary is not common, but it causes more deaths than other female reproductive cancers. The sooner this cancer is found and treated, the better the chance for recovery. But ovarian cancer is hard to detect early. Women with this particular cancer may not have any symptoms or just minor symptoms until it is in a progressive stage. Then it is difficult to treat.
Testicular Torsion (Testes) – Torsion is another word for twisting and for a testicle, that’s not good. When testicular torsion occurs, the twisting kinks as what happens to a garden hose, and blocks the blood vessels to one testicle. Certain men developed a problem during their gestation
that made them susceptible to this male reproductive gland torsion. Although testicular torsion is rare, as with an ovarian torsion, it is an emergency. Sudden pain in a testicle demands an urgent trip to the nearest hospital emergency room. If treatment is delayed, the testicle can die. This condition is most common during puberty – between ages 10 and 15 — so it’s important to let young teens know that any pain should be reported, even in spite of the possible embarrassment.
Epididymitis (Testis) – The epididymis is a long, coiled tube that sits alongside the testicle. Its job is to store male reproductive cells (sperm) where they mature. Epididymitis happens once the channel becomes inflamed or infected. Sometimes, this is a sexually transmitted infection. More often, epididymitis comes from injury, a buildup of pressure such as after a vasectomy, or from urine draining back into the tubules during heavy lifting or straining. Epididymitis can cause symptoms ranging from a mild irritation to severe testicle pain, swelling, and fever.
Varicocele (Testis) – is a dilation of the veins above the testicle. It’s basically a varicose vein and is usually harmless. Occasionally, however, varicoceles can impair fertility or cause mild to moderate pain. If there’s a bulge above the testicle, especially when standing or “bearing down,” then an examination by a doctor is advisable, preferably an urologist.
Hydrocele (Testis) – This is a fluid collection surrounding the testicle and is usually benign. But if it is large enough, it can cause pain or pressure. Though men can develop a hydrocele after an injury, the majority of men with hydroceles have no obvious trauma or known cause.
Testicular cancer (Testis) like any cancer, testicular cancer happens when cells in the testicle develop mutations that cause them to go haywire. These cells may multiply recklessly and invade areas where they don’t belong. In this carcinoma, this method typically creates a slow-growing painless lump or firmness in one of the testicles. In most cases, the man himself discovers it at an early stage. If an individual gets medical attention soon enough, testicular cancer is almost always curable.
How to prevent endocrine diseases
Some endocrine issues, like type 1 diabetes, can’t be prevented. But there are things we can do to prevent other problems or make them better:
Maintain a healthy weight. Eat healthy foods and get plenty of exercise. This can help avert or delay type 2 diabetes.
Include iodine in your diet. It can help prevent thyroid problems. When you use salt, select element (iodized) salt over other forms of salt.
Make sure all your doctors know about any hormones’ you’re taking. These may involve contraception drugs, thyroid hormone, insulin, or endocrine medical aid for menopause.
Isn’t it amazing how all the components of the endocrine system work together to help the body function? But none of this can work without the central nervous system. I explain the importance of the central nervous system in my article www.whatisthecentralnervoussystem
Just imagine this is only one of the systems in the body. I will be covering the others in future articles.
In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or question below.
One of the lessons I’ve learned in life is, there is good and bad to everything. The purpose of this post is to address the question: what are the health benefits of probiotics.
For starters, what do you think when you hear the word, bacteria? Good or bad? Most of the time, as soon as we hear the word bacteria, we think – bad. After all, they’re the cause of diseases such as pneumonia, strep throat, urinary tract infections and the dreadful methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (aka MRSA) and a host of others including the dreadful flesh eating vibrio vulnificus.
But, believe it or not, there are good bacteria! The bacteria in our bodies outnumber our body’s cells 10 to one. Most of these bacteria reside in our gut, and the majority is quite harmless.
The human gut is very complex and has a huge impact on overall body health. A healthy gut contributes to a powerful defense system, brain health, heart health, healthy sleep, improved mood, and effective digestion, and it may help prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases
The gut is basically the gastrointestinal tract. It is the passage way food travels as it supplies the nutrients for our bodies. It consists of the long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the back passage known as the anus.
The gut processes food from the time it is first eaten until it is either absorbed by the body or passed out as stools (feces).
Most of these good bacteria reside in the intestines where most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients take place. While some foods and liquids are absorbed through the liner of the abdomen, the majority are absorbed in the small intestine.
So we have good or friendly bacteria and bad or unfriendly bacteria, just as there’s good and bad cholesterol.
The goal is to achieve a balance between the two for optimal health. Studies have shown that the balance or imbalance of bacteria in our digestive system is linked to overall health and disease. Having the right gut bacteria balance is even linked to numerous additional health benefits, including weight loss, healthier skin and a reduced risk of many diseases.
Probiotics are friendly bacteria and aid in keeping this essential balance.
What are the health benefits of probiotics
Probiotics are microorganisms that are of a certain type of friendly bacteria, which provide health benefits when introduced into the digestion equation. Probiotics are live microorganisms which are consumed through hard (fermented) foods or supplements. They seem to be safe for most people.
They are often taken as supplements that are supposed to colonize our gut with these health-boosting microorganisms. One thing to note is that there are different cultures or strains of probiotics. Each one yields different effects to the body. For example, one strain can lead to weight loss, while another can lead to weight gain. More detail on this to follow.
These benefits are the result of the ability of probiotics to restore the natural balance of gut bacteria. An imbalance means that there are too many unhealthy microorganisms and not enough healthy-good bacteria. This can be the result of illness, medications such as antibiotics, poor diet and other factors. Consequences can include digestive issues, allergies, mental health problems, obesity and more.
Probiotics can help prevent and treat Diarrhea – Diarrhea is a common side effect of taking antibiotics. It occurs because antibiotics can negatively have an effect on the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut.
Probiotics may also facilitate with different varieties of diarrhea not associated with antibiotics. Depending on the type and dose of the probiotic taken, effectiveness varies.
Probiotics can improve some mental health conditions – An increasing number of studies link gut health to mood and mental health. Both animal and human studies indicate that probiotic supplements will improve some mental state disorders.
Probiotics can help keep our hearts healthy – Probiotics may help keep our hearts healthy by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure.
Certain dairy lactic acid-producing bacterium scale back cholesterol by breaking down bile within the gut. Bile, a natural produced fluid largely a product of cholesterol, helps digestion. By the breaking down of bile, probiotics can prevent it from being reabsorbed in the gut, where it can enter the blood as cholesterol. Five studies have found that eating a probiotic yogurt for 2–8 weeks reduced total cholesterol by 4% and LDL cholesterol by 5%.
Lowering cholesterol keeps arteries clear which keeps our blood flowing properly and our hearts happy and healthy.
Probiotics may also lower blood pressure – Studies have found that probiotic supplements reduce blood pressure, but only modestly.
A proper blood pressure also keeps our hearts happy and healthy.
Probiotics may reduce certain allergies – Probiotics may reduce the risk and severity of certain allergies, such as eczema in infants. However, more research is needed.
Probiotics may help reduce symptoms of some digestive conditions – Over one million people in the US suffer from inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease (28Trusted Source). Probiotics could facilitate the scale back of the symptoms of gut disorders like colitis, IBS and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Probiotics may help boost the immune system – Probiotics may help give our immune system a boost and inhibit the growth of the harmful gut bacteria I mentioned earlier.
Also, some probiotics are shown to support the assembly of natural antibodies in the body. They may also boost immune cells.
A large review found that taking probiotics reduced the chance and extent of metastasis (respiratory) infections. Some has also been shown to reduce the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women by 50% (39Trusted Source).
Probiotics may help to lose weight – Probiotics may help with weight loss through a number of different mechanisms. I touched upon this earlier.
For example, some probiotics stop the absorption of dietary fat within the gut. The fat is then excreted through fecal matter instead of being stored in the body.
Probiotics can also assist you in feeling fuller for longer, burn additional calories and store less fat. This is partly caused by increasing the levels of certain hormones.
They may also help with weight loss directly. In one study, dieting women who took a certain probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus for 3 months lost 50% more weight than women who didn’t take a probiotic. Another study of 210 people found that taking even low doses of Lactobacillus gasseri for 12 weeks resulted in an 8.5% reduction of belly fat (46Trusted Source).
However, it is vital to remember that not all probiotics aid in weight loss. For example, surprisingly, some studies found certain probiotics, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, can even lead to weight gain.
Also, important to note that more studies are needed to clarify the link between probiotics and weight.
If you want to buy a probiotic supplement, then there is an excellent selection online at the Vitamin Shoppe. You can take probiotics as tablets, capsules and powders that contain the bacteria in dried form.
Live probiotic cultures are typically found in a soured dairy farm product like yogurts and milk drinks. Fermented foods like preserved (pickled) vegetables, tempeh, miso, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut and soy products may also contain some lactic acid bacteria.
However, be aware that some probiotics can be destroyed by stomach acid before they even reach the intestines where they are effective — meaning that you get none of the intended benefits.
If you want to experience any of the health benefits, it’s important that you consume adequate amounts.
Most of the studies showing advamtages used dosages of one billion to a hundred billion live organisms or colony-forming units (CFU) per day.
Please feel free to leave any comment, question or concern below.
If someone were to ask you, what is the most important organ in the body, what would your answer be? Would it be the heart…the brain…the lungs…the kidneys…the liver…the eyes? What about the intestines (large or small)…the stomach or the spleen? Have you ever asked, what is the central nervous system?
Additionally, if someone were to ask you, what is the most important system in the body, what would your answer be? Would it be the digestive system…the endocrine system…the respiratory system…the urinary system? What about the circulatory system?
Well, if someone were to ask me what is the most important organ in the body, my answer would be the brain. Why? Well, because the brain controls every organ and every system in the body. Without the brain, nothing happens—Zero action! There is no organ in the body that is independent of the brain. Therefore, it’s safe to say, the brain is the most complex organ in the human body.
If someone were to ask me, out of the systems listed above, which is the most important one in the body, my answer would be…none of the above. Why? Well, because the ones listed above are the most commonly recognized ones…the ones we hear about the most…the ones we are told to protect the most.
Question: if the brain controls all the systems and organs in the body from the top of the body, the head, how does it control all the rest of the body? Well, it’s done with the system that’s not listed. The unpopular one!
So which one isn’t listed? The Central Nervous system. Without the brain, as I mentioned, there’s zero action. But without the central nervous system, the brain cannot carry out its function. So without the central nervous system there’s zero action.
What is the central nervous system
The central nervous system (CNS) comprises the brain (the popular aspect) and the spinal cord (not so popular).
It is the complicated network of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body. The brain is the center of our thoughts, the analyst of our external environment, and the source of control over body movement.
Again, The brain is the most complex organ in the human body; the cerebral cortex (the outermost part of the brain and the largest part by volume) contains an estimated 15–33 billion neurons, each of which is connected to thousands of other neurons. Neurons ar cells inside the nervous system network that transmit data to alternative nerve cells, muscle, or gland cells.
In total, around one hundred billion neurons and one thousand billion glial (support) cells make up the human brain. That’s a lot of horse power! Our brain uses around twenty (20%) percent of our body’s total energy.
The brain is the central management module of the body and coordinates all activity from physical motion to the secretion of hormones, the creation of memories, and the sensation of emotion.
To carry out these tasks, some areas of the brain have specific roles. However, several higher functions — reasoning, problem-solving, creativity — involve different areas working together in networks.
However, the brain cannot carry out its function without the spinal cord.
What does the central nervous system do
The spinal cord runs almost the full length of the back and carries information between the brain and the body, but also carries out other tasks as well.
From the brain stem, where the spinal cord meets the brain, there are 31 spinal nerves that enter the cord. Further down, it connects with the nerves of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that run in from the skin, muscles, and joints.
Motor instructions from the brain journey from the spine to the muscles and sensory data journey from the sensory tissues — like the skin — toward the spinal cord and finally up to the brain.
The spinal cord additionally contains circuits that manage particular reflexive responses, such as the involuntary movement your arm might make if your finger were to touch a flame. The circuits inside the spine also can generate additional complicated movements like walking. Even without input from the brain, the spinal nerves can coordinate all the muscles necessary to walk.
Most systems and organs of the body manage only one task, but the central nervous system does many jobs at the same time. It controls all voluntary movement, such as speech and walking, and involuntary movements, such as blinking and breathing as well as our heartbeats. It is additionally the core of our thoughts, perceptions, and emotions.
What is the function of the spinal cord
The spinal cord is the main road for communication between the body and also the brain. It is the Super High way of the body. When the spinal cord is wounded, the exchange of data between the brain and alternative parts of the body is disrupted.
What protects the spinal cord
The vital parts of the central nervous system are crucial for the operation of the body. Therefore, it is important for them to be protected from irreparable damage as much as possible. Now the brain is protected by the skull (another popular component), but what protects the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is protected by the spine. The spine consists of bones, discs, ligaments, and muscles. It is made of 33 bones called vertebrae. The spinal cord passes through an opening in the center (called the spinal canal) of each vertebra. Sandwiched between the vertebrae are discs that act as protective cushions, or shock absorbers for the spine. Ligaments and muscles help keep the vertebrae in the right position.
As you can see from the diagram, nature has provided ample protection for this essential part of our anatomy-the spinal cord.
But…life happens. Accidents as well as general wear and tear occur to this valuable protection which can leave the spinal cord vulnerable to damage. Trauma resulting from auto accidents and falls are the major cause of spine and spinal cord damage. Damage to the spinal cord causes serious consequences such as: paralysis, loss of sensation, severe pain, and loss of function.
So how do we protect the protector? How do we protect our spines? How do we contribute to the efficient functionality of our spines? A little preventive effort could go a long way to reducing your chances of suffering from wear and tear on our spines resulting in debilitating back pain. After all, muscles, ligaments, and nerves from the spine provide support to our entire body. Just as we take preventative measures for our hearts, livers, kidneys, etc., we must do the same for our central nervous systems that these organs rely on.
Here are some things we can start:
Exercise good posture by standing, walking, sitting, lifting and lying in positions where minimum strain is placed on supporting muscles and ligaments.
Avoid sitting for long periods.
Proper nutrition always plays an important role in the efficiency of the body. In my post https://universal-health-products.com/dietary-supplements-the-facts/ I explain the importance of nutrition from supplements as well as diet.
Retain a weight that is appropriate for your height and frame.
Participate in strength, stretch and aerobic curriculums.
Wear proper footwear
If you’re a smoker, stop smoking.
Last but not least, get evaluated by a professional. Things have a way of sneaking up on us and as I like to say, prevention is better than cure! It is so important to be proactive with our health instead of reactive. When it comes to our backs especially, we tend to do nothing until we’re in pain. I am guilty!
But to have your spine evaluated and maintained by a competent chiropractor can stave off problems down the road. Therefore, a good place to start would be to consider preventive chiropractic care.
If you’re already in pain, seriously consider chiropractic for finding a solution. Chances are you have a Vertebral Subluxation. This is when one or more of the vertebrae in your spine move out of alignment and create pressure on the nerves. Why does this matter? The pressure on the spinal nerves causes them to malfunction and send confused signals throughout your body. These interruptions essentially mean that a part of your body isn’t engaging at 100 percent. As a result, your body’s innate ability to heal itself is compromised.
Again, Life happens! Subluxations occur by on or more of the “Three T’s: Trauma, Toxins, and Thoughts. Get help – it will only get worse if neglected.
Besides the obvious pain reduction in the back and or neck, chiropractic care also helps to eliminate pain in other areas of the body as well. When the spine is correctly aligned, it reduces pain from top to bottom. This means that from the lower back up to the neck experiences a decline in the total pain felt.
A properly aligned spine allows the body to operate more efficiently, allowing it to heal itself in many instances.
I have started chiropractic recently and I have one regret…I didn’t start sooner!!
It behooves us to have a strong focus on our spine care as it plays a most vital role in the function of our entire body. Remember – Good health is our best asset!
Good Health!
Please feel free to leave any comment, question, or concern below
There’s a ton of propaganda regarding the causes and management of male erectile dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to address the myths and facts about erectile dysfunction.
What is Erectile Dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, is when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection that’s firm enough for sex. It is sometimes called impotence, though health care providers don’t commonly use this term. About 30 million men in the U.S. are affected by ED. One myth concerning this condition is that it only affects older men. Studies have shown roughly one half of American men over the age of 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. While it is more common in older men, age alone is not the cause. In fact, a lot of men still relish sexual intercourse as they age.
What Causes Erectile dysfunction?
ED can be caused by several factors: physical, medical, or emotional. Early on, ED was mostly thought to be an emotional problem. However today, ED is mostly thought to be a physical or medical problem with three basic causes.
An erection occurs when aroused, blood flows into the two chambers inside the penis called the corpora cavernosa. These chambers extend from the top of the male sexual organ deep into the pelvis. These chambers contain spongy tissue that has the ability to gain blood volume and grow in size. When not aroused, the arteries supplying blood to the penis are only partially open. This provides the blood flow required to maintain healthy tissue.
Therefore, the first cause is that not enough blood flows into these chambers. Alcohol, smoking, cardio vascular disease and high glucose will have an effect on blood flow and result in to ED (impotence).
The second cause is that the penis can’t hold the blood during an erection, meaning that the penis can’t stay erect because blood doesn’t remain immersed long enough. This type of difficulty is termed blood vessel leak or cavernosal disfunction, and can happen at any age. This dispels the myth that Erectile dysfunction doesn’t affect younger men.
The third cause is nerve signals from the brain or spinal cord don’t reach the penis. This can be result of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Certain illnesses (i.e. Diabetes-high blood sugar heart disease), injuries or surgeries in the pelvic area can cause damage to the nerves in the penis. Also, mood problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression can play havoc on one’s sex life.
It may also result as a consequence of taking certain types of medications such as blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants and ulcer medications. Also, erectile tissue can be damaged when one has undergone radiation treatment for prostate or bladder cancer.
This dispels the myth: it’s because you’re not attracted to your partner. Fact is many things can cause erection problems. Although lack of sexual attraction to your partner can be one among them, it’s far more likely to be something else.
The good news is there ar several safe and helpful treatments to assist men improve their sexual performance. More on this later.
Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction
Symptoms of ED might include: recurrent difficulty obtaining an erection, difficulty maintaining an erection, reduced libido.
Other rare symptoms that can be related to ED are: premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, low testosterone levels.
How to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction
Be Proactive
Prevention is better than cure! In my article https://universal-health-products.com/the-benefits-of-physical-wellness-2/, I emphasize in detail the importance of seeking wellness—the overall emphasis on being well. So before I address treatment options, let’s look at prevention measures—how to avoid ED.
It’s not uncommon to experience difficulty obtaining an erection on occasion, but if it starts happening more often, don’t ignore it. Talk to your doctor. You might have a health issue that’s inflicting it. The sooner you deal with it, the sooner your sex life can be back on track.
In the meantime:
Control your weight – Surprisingly those extra pounds can affect more than a waist line. They take put a burden on your sex life. If someone is obese, they’re more likely to get high cholesterol levels and diabetes, which can lead to erection problems. A study shows that men with a waist size over 40 inches are more likely to have erectile dysfunction. In order to stay ahead of ED, try to keep a healthy weight. This is a segue to the next one.
Watch your diet – ED is often linked to heart disease, therefore a heart-healthy diet would be good for your erections, too. Try to decrease the consumption of artery-clogging foods like full-fat dairy far, products, fried foods, and red meat. Eat a lot of garden-fresh fruits and veggies, fish, and whole grains. Cleaning up your diet can be beneficial in the bedroom.
Watch your blood pressure – High blood pressure can narrow your blood vessels, lessening blood flow through your body. If less, flows to the penis an individual may notice it’s isn’t so easy to obtain an erection. If you do not check your pressure often, it’s time to start. You may have a high blood pressure problem and not even know it. It’s not called the silent killer for nothing!
Watch your cholesterol – When cholesterol builds up in your blood vessels, it causes them to narrow, which can slow down your blood flow, similar to high blood pressure. That can cause difficulty to get or keep an erection. If your cholesterol is high, your doctor can suggest ways to lower it, like medication or a change in your diet.
Watch your diabetes – If one has diabetes, they might find themselves with ED if they don’t take care of it. The is a result high blood sugar which will injury the nerves and blood vessels in the penis. It is best to talk to a doctor about ways to get and keep diabetes in check so one can stay in the groove.
*Don’t smoke – If you’re a smoker – one word – QUIT! That’s a dirty four-letter word to some. Need another reason to kick the habit? Here’s one: Men that smoke are double as possibly to acquire erection issues as men who don’t. Smoking hurts your sex life because it also narrows your blood vessels. Additionally, erectile dysfunction medications might not work as well for men that smoke.
Watch your drinking – Drinking and sex don’t always go together. More than a couple of drinks can dampen your libido, soften your erection, or make it difficult to have an orgasm. If alcohol is the cause of your ED, it will probably go away when you cut back on or even quit drinking.
Pass on the Drugs – Recreational drugs can lead to erection trouble. Both uppers (i.e. cocaine and amphetamines) and downers ((i.e. marijuana and opiates) can cause problems. These drugs slow down your central nervous system, and some can also damage blood vessels. If one thinks that they have a drug problem, this is just one more reason to seek help.
Get Exercise – Exercise is good for your sex life in lots of ways. It helps your heart and blood vessels remain healthy, keeps your weight in check, lowers stress, and in general just makes you feel good. And your workout doesn’t even have to be strenuous. A study shows that even a 30-minute walk daily might lower the probably of getting erectile dysfunction.
Watch your Testosterone – Testosterone levels gradually start to fall around age 30 and continue to drop as you get older. If it gets too low, it will affect your sexual drive and your ability to obtain an erection. A blood test can reveal if you have low testosterone, and there are plenty of ways to treat it.
Stay away from Anabolic Steroids – Too much of a good thing, is a bad thing! One might not suppose pumping their body full of additional testosterone to build up muscles would hurt their erections, but it can. All that artificial T turns off your body’s ability to create its own, which means the problems will start when the steroids are no longer being consumed. You can get a lot of other bad side effects, too, from shrunken testicles to baldness. It’s best to stay away from these risky drugs.
Manage your stress – When you’re stressed out from relationship problems, a major life change, or work, your libido can take a downturn. And if you end up with ED, it may lead to even more anxiety. So cut down your stress levels, and you’ll see benefits in the bedroom.
Treat sleep apnea – Analysis shows a link between the disorder and ED. When you get treated for apnea, you may see improvements in your erection problems as well. So if you think you might have sleep apnea, or if you know you have it and aren’t doing anything about it, it’s time to talk to your doctor. In my article https://universal-health-products.com/sleep-apnea-the-facts/ I detail all the facts on sleep apnea with a possible solution.
Know the side effects of Your Medications – ED is a common side effect for many prescription drugs, such as: Diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, muscle relaxers, cancer drugs, antihistamines, opioid painkillers. If you use any of these medications and start to have erection problems, don’t stop taking them on your own. Talk to your doctor about possible fixes.
How to Treat Erectile Dysfunction
If you do not have one or more of the above mentioned medical conditions (i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc), one option is a natural treatment for ED. In some cases it can be a deficiency in one’s diet that can be the cause. Healthy food and (some) vitamins and natural supplements can improve your overall health and blood flow. And anything that improves blood flow can treat some of the potential underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (as well as making you healthier).This is where dietary supplements can be a handy solution. In my article, https://universal-health-products.com/dietary-supplements-the-facts/, I address the important role dietary supplements play in meeting our dietary needs.
Dietary supplements for ED
Some natural supplements are shown to extend nitric oxide levels and increase blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it’s important to know the ingredients contained within a supplement.
Some of the major ones are:
L-Arginine HCL I – This chemical compound and aminoalkanoic acid is changed into nitric oxide in your body, and numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness on male sexual performance and erection quality. In one study, Thirty seven percent (37%) of men with impotence reported a big improvement in their ability to realize and maintain an erection when taking l-arginine daily for just over a month.
Pomegranate 40% Ellagic Acid – Pomegranate contains high amounts of antioxidant-rich ellagic acid, which is very effective at boosting blood circulation.
MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) – MSM is an organic form of sulphur, a mineral that, as well as supporting blood flow, is crucial to your cell and tissue health – including those in the penis.
L-Methionine – An essential amino acid, L-methionine is thought to work by blocking the conversion of histidine into the hormone histamine. Histamine plays a key role in achieving climax; the higher the degree of it, the more quickly one is to likely to ejaculate, which is why high levels of histamine have been linked to premature ejaculation. By lowering your histamine levels, L-methionine can help you last longer by delaying ejaculation.
Zinc (as Citrate) – This essential mineral plays a vital role in your testosterone production. Low testosterone levels will cause mayhem with one’s libido and their erections, nevertheless most men don’t get enough of this mineral in their diet.
**Cordyceps – Used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years as a natural aphrodisiac, many studies have proven the powerful ability of this type of fungus to increase sex drive and sexual function. Scientists believe this is due to two chemicals which appear to have a direct effect on the area of our brain responsible for controlling sexual desire.
Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, studies have shown that niacin boosts blood flow by helping blood vessels relax and expand. Niacin also helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, which means more stamina for sex.
All the above natural nutrients are available in health food stores and websites. However, a supplement that contains these valuable ingredients together in a unique blend with proper potency can deliver very favorable results.
The Best Supplement For Erectile Dysfunction
For information on a supplement that contains a powerful combination of these nutrients, click on this link.
Please feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below
Walking is the most underrated form of exercise. It isn’t nearly as popular an exercise as running or jogging. However, walking can be as good as a workout, if not better, than running. This is why I’ve decided to write this post to bring out the benefits of walking exercise.
Is walking better than running
Honestly, it is true that running is more physically demanding, which leads people to label it a better or healthier workout. But the two really shouldn’t be compared against each other. Running, due to larger muscle mobilization, greater forces used and faster motion capability, will always have the well-known leg up on walking. But even though walking might not be a “ better” physical exercise, it may be a better exercise choice for some people. For example, individuals with knee, ankle and back issues and additionally for people who are overweight to obese. Walking may be a lower impact exercise and may be executed for longer durations of time.
Walking will yield a great deal of similar advantages of running. But running burns nearly double the quantity of calories as walking.
If you’re unaccustomed to exercise or aren’t able to run, walking will still assist you to get in form. Walking is accessible for nearly all fitness levels. It can boost your heart and give you more energy overall. Let’s look at the benefits.
Benefits of walking
Burns Calories
Walking can help you burn calories which can help you maintain or even lose weight. Your actual calorie burn will depend on several factors, including: how fast you walk, how far you walk, the terrain (more calories are burned walking uphill than on a flat surface), and your weight.
If an individual wants to burn more calories or slim downquickly, running is a better choice. For example, for somebody who’s a hundred sixty pounds, running at 5 miles per hour (mph) burns 606 calories. However, walking briskly for a similar period at 3.5 mph burns simply 314 calories.
But walking may also provide varied advantages for your health, including helping you maintain a healthy weight.
You can confirm your actual calorie burn through a calorie calculator. For a general estimate, you can also refer to this chart.
Strengthens the heart
Walking a minimum of half an hour every day, five (5) days per week will cut back your risk for coronary cardiopathy (heart disease) by approximately nineteen percent (19 %). And your risk may be reduced even more if you walk more days and when the duration or distance you walk per day is increased.
Can help lower blood sugar
Taking a brief walk following a meal could facilitate lowering your blood glucose level.
Taking a brief 15-minute walk three (3) times every day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than by taking a 45-minute walk at another point during the day according to a small study. However additional analysis is required to confirm these findings.
One might consider taking a post-meal walk a regular part of a routine. It can also help to fit exercise in throughout the day.
Eases joint pain
Walking will facilitate the protecting of the joints, including your knees and hips. This is because it helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support the joints.
Walking might also supply benefits for individuals living with the inflammatory disease arthritis, such as reducing pain. And walking five to six miles per week might also facilitate the prevention of arthritis.
Boosts immunity
Walking could cut back your risk for developing a common cold or the influenza.
One study tracked 1,000 adults during flu season. Those who walked at a moderate pace for thirty to forty five minutes every day had forty three (43%) percent fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections overall. If they did come down with it, their symptoms were lessened. This was compared to adults in the study who were sedentary.
You should try to get in a daily walk to experience these benefits. If you reside in a very cold climate, you can try to walk on a treadmill or around an indoor mall.
Boosts energy
Going for a walk when you’re tired may be a more effective for boosting energy than grabbing a cup of coffee. And more healthy too!
Walking increases oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of the hormones that help elevate energy levels.
Improve your mood
If you’ve had a bad day, walking can help you turn that frown upside down. As stress is reduced and you get some fresh air, your mood is uplifted. That’s why many doctors recommend going out for a walk as an important part of depression treatment, as well as other conditions.
Extends life
Walking at a quicker pace may extend your life. Researchers found that walking at an normal pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 % reduced risk of overall death.
But walking at a brisk or rapid pace (at least four [4] miles per hour) reduced the chance by 24 percent. The study looked at the association of walking at a faster pace with factors like overall causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Increases muscle Tone
Walking increases muscle tone especially in the legs. Walking can strengthen the muscles in your legs. To build up additional strength, walk on a route that consists of rising and falling areas (hilly) or on a treadmill with an incline. Or include stairs in your designated route.
*Also exchange walking with other cross-training activities like cycling or jogging. You can also perform resistance exercises like squats, lunges, and leg curls to further tone and strengthen your leg muscles.
Clears thinking
Walking might facilitate clearing an individual’s head and assist them to think creatively.
A study that incorporated four experiments compared individuals attempting to consider of new concepts as they were walking or sitting. Researchers found participants scored higher while walking, notably when walking outdoors.
The researchers determined that walking releases a free flow of concepts and could be an easy way to increase creativity and acquire physical activity simultaneously.
The next time you have to think something through, try taking a walk while doing so. It may save you some time! Nothing like killing two birds with one stone!
Thirty minutes a day
The recommended time interval is thirty minutes to achieve the benefits mentioned above. Just half an hour each day will increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, cut back excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.
For example, let’s look at burning calories. At a brisk walking pace, one would burn a hundred to three hundred calories in half an hour. (depending on your weight) or two hundred to six hundred calories in a hour. By walking for 30 minutes or more at a time, some of those calories will be from stored fat. During the first 30 minutes of exercise, your body is burning sugars stored as fuel.
On a weekly basis, if you eat 3,500 calories less than your energy requirement, you will lose one pound per week. If your calorie intake and output are in balance, allowing you to maintain a steady weight, and you begin walking 30 minutes a day without increasing your calorie intake, you can calculate what amount of weight you can lose.
If you weigh one hundred fifty (150) pounds and walk uphill for half an hour at 3 ½ mph every day for one week, you will burn two hundred (200) calories. Multiply two hundred (200) calories by seven days, for a total of 1,400 calories. In four weeks, you will have burned 5,600 calories. This equals a weight loss of 1.6 pounds in four weeks.
To summarize: to induce the health advantages, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be slightly winded.
Moderate activities like walking cause very little health risk however, if you currently have a medical condition, seek advice from your doctor before beginning any new exercise program of physical activity.
Please feel free to leave any question, comment or concern below.
Most adults today take at least one dietary supplement either every day or at the minimum occasionally. Today’s dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and many other products. Dietary supplements are available in a range of forms: standard tablets, capsules, and powders, as well as drinks and energy bars. Popular supplements contain vitamins D and E; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs like Echinacea and garlic; and specialty products such as glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils. The purpose of this post is to supply information on dietary supplements. Hence, the title— Dietary Supplements: the facts. So we begin with a definition of a dietary supplement.
What is a dietary supplement
The words “dietary supplement” describes an extensive and varied category of products that you consume to support good health and supplement the diet. A dietary supplement is not a medicine, nor should it be considered a substitute for food. It is a supplement; it enhances the diet.
In an ideal world, we’d easily be able to get all the nutrients we need from diet alone. But because of our demanding schedules, there has been ever-increasing reliance on processed convenience and fast foods. These processed foods are often high in calories yet offer little or no nutritional value. Therefore, dietary supplements are needed to fill the gap to provide us with the nutrients we need.
Dietary ingredients can be one or a combination of vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, concentrates, metabolites, constituents, or extract.
What do dietary supplements accomplish
What do dietary supplements do? If you don’t eat a nutritiously nourishing variety of foods, some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements can’t completely take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy diet.
Types of dietary supplements
As mentioned earlier, dietary supplements include: vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes. Below is an explanation of these essentials. These are all available under one roof.
Vitamins – What is a vitamin? Complex organic compounds that are required in small amounts by the body for normal growth and metabolism. A crucial part of a balanced diet, vitamins occur naturally in foods and may be added to processed foods to increase their nutritional value. Vitamin supplements play a crucial role in this need.
What is a vitamin supplement? A vitamin supplement is a preparation, in various forms (Pills, capsules, etc.) to serve as a dietary supplement with vitamins. The objective is to fill the gap left by a lack of vitamins supplied in one’s diet.
Minerals— identical to vitamins, minerals help your body develop, grow, and maintain a healthy state. The body uses minerals to perform many functions. From building strong bones to transmitting nerve impulses, minerals run the gamut. Some minerals are used to make hormones or maintain a normal heartbeat.
Like vitamins, mineral supplements are available in various forms.
Herbals— an herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbals are one type of dietary supplement that contain the plant substance that’s beneficial to the body. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants.
Many consider herbs to be natural and therefore healthier and gentler than conventional drugs. Many use herbs for a variety of medical conditions, as well as for overall health and well-being. For others, herbal use is grounded in traditions passed down from generations prior.
Some commonly used herbs include: Garlic (which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower high blood pressure), Ginger (used as a digestive aid), ginseng (which may help improve cognitive function and augment athletic performance).
Botanicals— A botanical like an herb is a plant or plant parts valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties and are contained in the same forms as herbs. In fact, Herbs are a subset of botanicals.
Amino Acids—Amino acids play a role in the development of protein within the body and are crucial in promoting wound repair and encouraging healthy tissue in muscles, bones, skin and hair. Amino acids are also central in eliminating waste deposits related to metabolism.
Enzymes— Enzymes ar biological molecules (typically proteins) that considerably speed up the pace of nearly all the chemical reactions that surface inside cells. They are very important to sustain life and serve a broad scope of important functions within the body, such as aiding in digestion and metabolism. Almost all organic chemistry reactions in living things require enzymes.
Why are enzymes important? With enzymes, chemical reactions go much faster than they would without the enzyme. Enzymes control the speed of chemical reactions in your body. Without enzymes, these reactions would take place too slowly to keep you alive. Some enzymes, like the ones in your gut, break down large molecules into smaller ones.
Why take dietary supplements
What are the benefits of taking supplements? Scientific evidence shows that some dietary supplements are beneficial for overall health as well as managing various health conditions. For example, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong and reducing bone loss; folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects; and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils may facilitate some individuals with cardiovascular disease. Other supplements require additional study to conclude their merit. One thing to note, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether dietary supplements are effective before they are placed in the market.
It is also important to note that overuse and interactions can undermine health benefits. Dietary supplements are products designed to bump up your daily intake of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Many are safe and provide vital health advantages; however there are some that create health risks, particularly if overused.
The best way to approach dietary supplements
The best way to approach dietary supplements is to take a multivitamin. Why? Simply because it’s the most balanced way to ensure that we’re getting the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals required for optimal conditioning of our bodies. It’s the best of all worlds, nutritionally.
Why take a multivitamin you ask? Well, yes, we can get a lot of nutrients from food, especially fruits and vegetables, but the simple fact is we don’t.
When we don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, we miss essential nutrients, which can leave us vulnerable to serious negative health conditions. Adults should consume 1 1/2-2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables daily. Yet, studies found that 76% of adults don’t eat enough fruit and 87% of adults don’t eat enough vegetables.
So how do we get our nutrients? A multivitamin of course. A multivitamin supplement is like insurance, a daily guarantee to ensure your body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs. It can make up for the shortfalls that happen when we don’t get what we need through food.
Here are a few more key reasons to take a multivitamin: slower aging, can reduce cardiovascular disease, reduces cancer risk, boosts immunity, supports eye health, contains water-soluble vitamins that’s needed on a daily basis, healthy hair and skin, and feeling better overall. Thanks mostly to the B-complex vitamin family, taking a multivitamin is associated with a boost in energy levels, feelings of well-being, as well as a decrease in stress and anxiety. This alone, makes it worth maintaining a multivitamin regime.
Where to buy dietary supplements
Dietary supplements are widely accessible in health food stores, drug stores, grocery stores, fitness centers and on-line sites and they are available in several forms including: two piece capsules, soft gels, tablets, bottles of liquid, powders and gummies.
Please feel free to leave any comment, question or concern below
To define free radicals, the body is always under attack from a condition called oxidative stress. Oxidative stress begins when oxygen in the body splits into single atoms with unpaired electrons. Electrons are usually in pairs, so these atoms, called free radicals, search to seek out other electrons so they can become a pair. This causes damage to cells. I’ll elaborate more later.
Why are they bad?
Free radicals are associated with human diseases, including some major life changers which I’ll mention later. They also may have a link to aging, because of what has been defined as a gradual accumulation of free-radical damage.
Substances that generate free radicals can be found in the foods we eat (e.g. cooked and process meats), the air we breathe, the medicationss we take, and the water we drink. These substances include alcohol, cigarette and cigar smoke, fried foods, tobacco pesticides and air pollutants.
Free radicals ar the natural byproducts of chemical processes, such as metabolism. Yet, free radicals are essential to life. for example, the body’s ability to turn air and food into chemical energy depends on a chain reaction of free radicals. Free radicals are also a crucial part of the immune system, as they travel throughout the body attacking foreign invaders. The problem is that when built up, they harm the cells of the body. As I like to say, too much of a good thing is a bad thing!
Once free radicals are produced, a chain reaction can occur. The first free radical pulls an electron from a molecule, weakening that molecule and turns it into a free radical. That molecule then takes an electron from another one,
weakening it and turning it into a free radical. This outcome, causing a domino effect, can eventually disrupt and harm the entire cell. This free radical chain reaction may lead to broken cell membranes, which can change what enters and exits the cell. This chain reaction may change the structure of a lipid, making it more likely to become trapped in an artery. These damaged molecules may mutate and grow tumors. Or, could change DNA code.
The oxidative stress mentioned earlier, occurs when there are too many free radicals and too much cellular damage. Several studies throughout the last few decades have suggested that oxidative stress plays a role in the development of many conditions, including macular degeneration, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, emphysema, alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ulcers and all inflammatory diseases, such as arthritis and lupus. Free radicals are also associated with aging. “The theory of aging regarding free radicals states that we tend to age as a result of free radical harm over time. Free radicals can damage DNA’s instructional code, causing our new cells to grow incorrectly, which leads to aging.
There are no official symptoms of oxidative stress. However, according to naturopathic doctors, symptoms include headaches, noise sensitivity, fatigue, memory loss and brain fog, muscle and joint pain, vision problems and decreased immunity, wrinkles and gray hair, In a word, aging.
Antioxidants and Free Radicals
I mentioned antioxidants in the beginning. They are the strongest defense against free radicals. Antioxidants ar molecules in cells that stop free radicals from taking electrons and inflicting harm. They are able to give an electron to a free radical without becoming weakened themselves, thus stopping the free radical chain reaction. “Antioxidants ar natural substances whose job is to scrub up free radicals. Antioxidants finish up the radical waste within the cells.
Well-known antioxidants include beta-carotene and other carotenoids, lutein, resveratrol, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene and other phytonutrients.
Our body produces some antioxidants on its own, but in inadequate quantities. Oxidative stress occurs when there are too many free radicals and too few antioxidants.
Antioxidants can also be acquired through diet. “Antioxidants are plentiful in fruits and veggies, especially the colorful ones. Some examples include berries, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach, nuts and green tea. There are also supplements that contain powerful antioxidants. For more information see my post: https://universal-health-products.com/what-are-the-hea…urmeric-curcumin/
Antioxidants became into view in the Nineteen Nineties when scientists began to understand the potential effects of free radicals on cancer development, atherosclerosis and other chronic conditions. During the subsequent decades, many studies have been conducted on the effects of antioxidants with mixed results. Scientists don’t fully perceive the mixed results from the trials or the precise mechanism that causes antioxidants to be effective or ineffective against free radicals. But it’s safer to lean towards consuming antioxidants than not. Better safe than sorry!!
Also, note that regular exercise can also build up antioxidant defenses. The key is regular exercise. Intense initial cardio exercise causes chemical reactions that make free radicals form at a faster rate leading to initial exercise-induced oxidative stress. Therefore, out of shape and infrequent exercisers who do a spontaneous bout of intense physical activity may invoke oxidative stress, while those who are consistently active have no need to worry.
Good Health!
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