Everyone needs sleep. Sleep allows the body to rest and affects both physical and mental health. While scientists are unsure of everything that sleep does for the body, there is no question that sleep is necessary for survival. But, how much sleep does a person really need?
The amount of sleep a person requires is affected by the person’s age. As people age, they tend to need less sleep. Babies need an average of 16 hours of sleep per day and teenagers require approximately nine hours. By the time someone is an adult, they generally need an average of seven to eight hours in order to remain in optimal health. Some people may function effectively on as little as five hours of sleep and others may need as many as ten hours per night in order to feel their best.
Other factors that affect someone’s sleep requirements are the amount of sleep they have had in recent days and their general health. For example, a pregnant woman usually needs additional sleep in her first trimester. Someone who is ill or has a depressed immune system generally needs additional rest as well. When the immune system is depressed, the body produces chemicals to fight infection; these same chemicals induce sleep. Very elderly people often find that they sleep less than when they were younger adults. Read more…
Did you know that you can increase good health by making sure that you get enough water? Yes plain water that has
been purified in some way. The water most of us get from the tap is full of chemicals that is bad for our health. Do
not drink tap water, unless you have your own well, which you know is not contaminated.
Drinking water is essential for a healthy body. Water regulates body temperature, lubricates joints, keeps skin youthful and muscles strong.
Water is present in every cell and tissue and involved in so many biological functions: digestion, absorption, circulation and excretion. It helps us with keeping our
hormones balanced and our brain chemistry Relies on water for proper balance. Water gives us energy and strengthens the immune system.
Most people are not drinking enough water and are semi dehydrated. Your body cannot work at optimum level without the water it needs.
What happens when you don’t drink enough water?
I won’t go into all the details, but do want to mention a few things here. All the things mentioned above that water helps keep in balance and lubricated are affected when you don’t drink water. You will not feel as well as you possibly
could, your body does not have what it needs for good health and so your health declines. Read more…
You cook healthy recipes, take a multi-vitamin, eat enough vegetables to stock a small produce stand (or so it seems) and drink plenty of water. You also make sure you get enough sleep, and you rarely skip a day at the gym. Still, you have low energy and are frequently sick. What’s the problem?
It might be your enzyme levels.
Enzymes help the body with a number of specific tasks — digesting food, stimulating the brain, providing cellular energy, and repairing all tissues, organs, and cells. Our bodies get these valuable enzymes by naturally producing them and by receiving them through food. As we age, however, it becomes increasingly difficult for our bodies to manufacture all the enzymes necessary for proper functioning. Additionally, enzymes are destroyed by certain cooking processes and chemical additives in food, as well as when we expose our bodies to pollution and environmental toxins. And when our enzyme levels run low, our risk of illness increases.
Home Off the Range
Almost all food today is cooked and processed. When food is cooked, however, many of the vital enzymes are destroyed by heat, as they are by the chemicals in processed foods. This places a burden on our digestive systems because when enzymes aren’t received through the food we eat, our bodies are responsible for manufacturing the enzymes necessary for digestion. And as the body directs all its attention to digesting food, other organ systems are compromised — vital enzymes that could be used for keeping our bodies healthy are diverted to the digestive system. The result? Illness and chronic disease Read more…
Each gender finds itself with certain health risks and needs. Women are required to pay particular attention to certain health conditions because of body composition, such as reproductive organs. They are also more susceptible to certain diseases, thereby causing them to pay more attention to their health and prevention practices.
There are numerous diseases of noteworthy concern to women, though there are various ways to address those problems early through nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes. As pointed out by the Mayo Clinic in a recent article through information taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1. The number one health threat to women in America is heart disease, also the most preventable of all conditions. Alcohol should be consumed in moderation and cigarette smoke should be avoided. A simple diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fiber, and fish are important, along with physical activity to maintain a healthy weight and the monitoring of stress levels. Read more…
By now, it’s almost a cliché to reiterate that smoking is the chief cause of preventable death in the United States. Yet approximately 46 million Americans are still lighting up, according to the latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With New Year’s resolutions still fresh in people’s minds, U.S. News spoke to clinical psychologist Daniel Seidman, director of smoking cessation services at Columbia University Medical Center, about his new book, Smoke-Free in 30 Days: The Pain-Free, Permanent Way to Quit (Fireside Trade Paperback Original). In it, Seidman draws on his 20-plus years of experience with thousands of patients and walks people through the quitting process—including how to prepare for the “quit day” and how to maintain their success. Here are edited excerpts from the chat:
Are you a reformed smoker?
My story is that both my parents were smokers and died very young from it, so I’ve been very concerned about this issue. My father was 47, and my mother was 59. My mother had lung cancer. She smoked [Kent brand] cigarettes. It was later found that [the brand's specialized filter contained] asbestos. [According to a 1995 article in the journal Cancer Research, the filter contained a form of asbestos for several years during the 1950s.]
What does your monthlong program entail, and what makes it unique?
It outlines what to do each day. What we’re saying to people is rather than think about this as just being [about] willpower, focus on things you can do each day that will help you change your behavior, change your attitude, [and] use medicine to the greatest effect. It’s sort of like playing the piano. Nobody says, “If you have enough willpower, you’ll be a good piano player.” They say, “Practice.” [Quitting] isn’t just about being strong. That’s sort of a trap that people believe: “If I’m strong, I can do it. If I’m weak, then there’s nothing I can do and I just have to smoke.” We’re saying [that] if you make these efforts and do these exercises and follow these daily recommendations, you can be successful. Read more…