Benefits Of Ginkgo Biloba

Introduction:

Ginkgo trees, are one of the oldest species of trees cultivated in China and are believed to be 150 to 200 million years old. The ginkgo trees grow in average soil and even in full sun. The tree can grow 100 – 120 feet. Ginkgo trees are very resistant to pollution and infection and hardly suffer any disease. Insects rarely attack these plants. Due to these reasons these trees are most tolerant even in urban conditions and are grown as shade trees.

Ginkgo or ginkgo biloba extracts is made from various parts of these trees. Chinease has used ginkgo biloba for the centuries for treating various ailments. Now it is most researched herb and is used by most of the countries as herbal medicine.

Working of Ginkgo Biloba:

Ginkgo leaves contains two groups of active components known as flavonoid glycosides and ginkgolides. These active ingredients helps in increasing blood flow to the brain and improving overall network of blood vessels, and consequently increases the inflow of oxygen and essential nutrients to brain and other important organs of the body and simultaneously helps controlling in allergic inflammation and asthma.

Benefits of Ginkgo Biloba:

The research on this herbal medicine continues for the last three decades and some of the benefits as evidenced by clinical studies have been summarized below.

Depression

Patients suffering from varying degrees of vascular insufficiency also noted an improvement in mood while taking ginkgo biloba extract. This has prompted a surge of interest in its use as a treatment for depression, especially in the elderly. Many people have found GBE to enhance other depression treatments and to often even prevent the need for pharmaceutical treatments in mild cases of depression. Those under the age of fifty may also benefit from ginkgo biloba's antidepressant effects. So far though, the greatest level of improvement has been noted with older patients.

Alzheimer's & Mental Function

As more than 300 studies demonstrate, ginkgo facilitates better blood flow through out the body, most notably the brain, where it both protects and promotes memory and mental function, even for people with Alzheimer's disease. It also offers a wealth of possibilities in the treatment of many other common ailments.

Alzheimer's

Since doctors are still not sure what causes Alzheimer's disease, we do not have a definite idea of how ginkgo works to stabilise, and in some cases, improve the quality of life for those suffering from this degenerative disease. Scientists have noted that Alzheimer's is marked by a major loss of nerve cells in the brain, particularly those in areas controlling memory and thinking. Since doctors have found antioxidants to help slow the destruction of nerves, it is not a stretch to see ginkgo's antioxidant properties helping in this area. The disease is also believed to have a connection to decreased blood flow to the brain. If so, ginkgo's vasodilating effects may be a big help in the treatment process. Either way, prominent doctors and scientists believe ginkgo to be the supplement of choice to help hold off and possibly treat Alzheimer's.

Antioxidant Properties

Although oxygen is essential for life, it can have adverse effects on your body. Unstable oxygen molecules can often be created during our body's normal break down and use of oxygen or can form in response to external factors and pollutants. These unstable molecules, called free radicals, can damage cells and structures within cells. If the genetic material in cells is affected and not repaired, it can replicate in new cells, contributing to cancer and other health problems. These free radicals may also weaken artery walls, allowing fatty deposits that can lead to hear disease. As an antioxidant, ginkgo biloba combats free radicals and repairs molecular damage. A great deal of research suggests that antioxidants such as GBE may play important roles in preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer and other ills. Antioxidants may even halt the damage to cells, thereby slowing the effects of aging.

Impotency

Another use for ginkgo biloba is in the treatment of impotency. The main cause of male impotence is poor circulation and impaired blood flow through the penis, which is often the result of atherosclerosis. Since ginkgo biloba increases blood flow, it's been found to help up to fifty percent of patients after six months of use.

Raynaud's disease

Raynaud's disease is believed to be caused by blood vessels that over react to the cold and spasm, reducing blood flow and there by depriving extremities of oxygen. Ginkgo biloba may help this condition by widening the small blood vessels, which would keep these spasms from completely blocking the blood flow.

Parkinson's Disease

The lack of dopamine is believed to produce the progressive stiffness, shaking and loss of muscle coordination typical in Parkinson's disease. Doctor's theorise that along with other treatments, Ginkgo biloba may help symptoms by increasing the brain's blood flow and thereby allowing more of the depleted dopamine to be circulated to the areas that need it most.

Other Conditions

Other uses for which ginkgo biloba extract is often recommended include depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, allergies, vertigo, short-term memory loss, headache, atherosclerosis, tinnitus, cochlear deafness, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and PMS.

Strokes

Scientists continue to study the prevention and treatment benefits to stroke patients that are attributed to GBE. It's believed that by preventing blood clots from developing and increasing the blood flow to the brain, ginkgo biloba may help stop strokes from occurring. It's also believed that the herb inhibits free-radical damage of brain cells after a stroke.

Multiple sclerosis & Organ transplant

GBE also appears to have an anti-inflammatory action that may make it valuable in the future for conditions such as multiple sclerosis and organ transplants.

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Home Remedies For Bloodshot Eyes

Home Remedies For Bloodshot Eyes
Home Remedies For Bloodshot Eyes

As the name suggests bloodshot eyes makes your eyes blood colored. The blood vessels in the white portion of the eyes are enlarged and irritated causing the redness. Some common reasons for the redness of the eyes are due to coughing, eyestrain, dry air, over exposure to sun, dust, foreign body, an allergic reaction, infection, trauma, fatigue, alcohol consumption, lack of vitamin B2 and B6 and high blood pressure.

You can get bloodshot eyes by

Blepharitis – Caused by skin bacteria that leads to itching and turns your eyelid greasy and crusty.

Conjunctivitis – Also known as pink eye is caused by a virus, bacteria and allergy or skin irritation. It is very contagious if caused by an organism.

Corneal ulcers – It is caused by viral infection affecting the outer cover of the eye.

Uveitis – It causes inflammation of uvea, including iris, ciliary body and choroids. It is related to autoimmune disorder, infection or exposure to toxins.

Home Remedies for Bloodshot Eyes

Reduce the redness by splashing cold water over closed eyes. This soothes the eye and shrinks the blood vessels as in case of an allergic reaction.

You can apply cold compress to your eyes by using an ice pack wrapped in a towel.

Use warm compress for red eyes without any itching. This may be due to fatigue or tiredness

Put three drops of rose water in your eyes.

Soak cotton pad in a mixture of rose water, milk and Aloe Vera juice. Place these cotton pads over your closed eyes for 10-20 minutes in a dimly lit room. This will help in reducing the redness.

You can try the hot and cold compress on your eyes, alternately.

Stay away from allergy triggering agents which may lead to bloodshot eyes.

Goldenseal is a native medicinal plant that contains berberine which compresses blood vessels and helps in reducing the bloodshot effect. You can use it as a compress or wash to get rid of the pain.

To get relief from bloodshot eyes have two ripe tomatoes first thing in the morning on empty stomach. The vitamin C and flavonoids in the tomatoes makes the blood vessel walls stronger.

You can also use non-preservative artificial tears, this helps in soothing your eyes and clearing the redness.

Wear genuine preservative-free contact lenses. The ones with preservatives can cause redness and other related infections.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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Fibromyalgia Causes Symptoms And Treatment Possibilities

Fibromyalgia Causes Symptoms And Treatment Possibilities
Fibromyalgia Causes Symptoms And Treatment Possibilities

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease giving painful points in muscles and joint areas, stiffness and problems of neurological art like fatigue, poor sleep quality and depressive feelings. The disease develops gradually and can affect great parts of the body. It is chronic, but may give better and worse periods. The disease can make a person nearly disabled, but can also be mild or almost disappear over time.

THE SYMPTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA

By fibromyalgia there are tender points in muscles, tendons and ligaments around the body. The points are especially common around the joints. Tender areas in the mid parts of the muscles are fewer and with lighter pain. The points give a constant aching and a sharper pain by pressure. However, muscular work and exercise do not necessarily increase the pain. When the muscles are warmed up and exercised, the pain may disappear or decrease for some time.

The neck, shoulder area, hips, knee surroundings, jaw joint areas, head, face, and eye surroundings are especially often affected. When the neck and head area is affected, the pain often takes the form of a common headache.

Other symptoms of fibromyalgia are:

- Muscular stiffness, especially in the morning.

- Mental and physical fatigue.

- Poor quality of sleep. The deep part of the sleep is especially affected.

- Muscular tension.

- Dizziness.

- Anxious feelings.

- Depressive feelings.

- Disturbances in bowel function like diarrhoea, constipation, pain and bloating.

- Bladder irritability.

- Increased sensitivity to and irritability from sensorial stimuli, like light, sounds and touch.

- Dry mouth, eyes and skin.

- Pain during menstruation

The disease does not give any anatomical and tissue changes in the first place, but inactivity, tension and poor circulation may in the long run affect the body shape and give inflammatory reactions.

THE CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF FIBROMYALGIA

The exact causes of fibromyalgia are not yet fully understood. An injury to the upper spinal region may trigger the disease. Bacterial and viral infections may also be an initial cause of the disease. Fibromyalgia sufferers often have a magnesium deficiency.

The initial causes seem to alter the production and secretion of transmitter substances in the brain and nervous system, especially serotonin, melatonin and substance P. Neurotransmitters carries signals from one nerve cell to another. Some signals from the central nervous system to the body may therefore be increased, and other decreased, producing the symptoms of the disease. The disturbed nerve signals then produce the following functional changes that give the symptoms of the disease:

- An increased activity in brain parts, giving anxiety and disturbing the deep sleep.

- A decreased activity in other brain parts, producing depressive symptoms.

- An increased muscular tension during sleep.

- An increased constriction in the blood vessels in the muscular and joint structures.

- Decreasing blood flow in the muscles and joint areas due to increased muscular tension and blood vessel constrictions.

- A decreased activity of glands producing saliva, sebum and tears.

LIFESTYLE MEASURES AND EXERCISE TO TREAT FIBROMYALGIA

It is difficult to find a treatment that completely cures the disease, but a skillful combination of lifestyle measures and sometimes also medical treatment can take away most symptoms.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia can make it difficult to attain an active lifestyle. Yet, to do work, sport activities and hobby activities will decrease the symptoms and the consequences of the disease.

Regular training will greatly decrease the symptoms of the disease. The training should engage all the muscles of the body and also include exercises that improve the condition.

A combination of muscle strength training as for example weight-lifting and condition training as jogging will be especially useful. Swimming exercises both the muscular strength and the condition at the same time, but the water should not be cold.

In the beginning, the training sessions should be short and easy, but they should be made longer and heavier as one gets used to training activities.

Relaxation techniques like autogenous training and meditation can help to normalize the function of the nervous system and increase the blood flow to the muscles.

Physical yoga can help to reduce stiffness, increase the blood flow and reduce anatomical defects in the joints and muscles.

The symptoms of fibromyalgia will often cause sufferers to believe that they manage less than they actually do. It may be useful for the sufferer from fibromyalgia to seek counselling to help him normalize his activity levels, or adopt a higher activity level compatible with his disease.

A healthy diet is important. The food should be as natural as possible, and include food sources like: Vegetables, fruit, full corn bread or cereals, nuts, almonds, fish, seafood, fouls and mushrooms.

You should avoid great amounts of fat meat, fat cheese or saturated fat from milk and red meat. You should also avoid great amounts of soy oil or corn oil. You should not use margarine and avoid food containing chemically altered fat. Great amounts of all the mentioned fat types tend to deteriorate the blood circulation and increase inflammatory reactions.

You should consume fish oil, olive oil, rape oil, canola oil, nut oil and sunflower oil, or food containing these type of fat like olives, nuts, sunflower seeds and fat fish, because the fat you then consume will decrease inflammatory reactions in the muscles and joint areas.

MEDICAL TREATMENT OF FIBROMYALGIA

Certain types of medication can be used to relieve the symptoms for a time, but should generally not be used permanently:

- Analgesics can reduce the pain in the tender points.

- Antidepressant can help to take away depressive feelings and improve the sleep.

- Muscle relaxant at bedtime can help to relax during sleep.

On the market you will also find alternative drugs to treat fibromyalgia, based on herbs, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. These drugs contain ingredients to give several useful effects:

- To repair nutritional deficiencies found by fibromyalgia

- To normalize the production of neurotransmitters and thereby improve the local blood circulation in muscles and joint surroundings.

- To improve sleep and relaxation in the muscles during sleep.

- To help for tiredness.

- To reduce pain by an analgesic effect.

Examples of ingredients found in such medicines are:

- Magnesium – To cure deficiency in the body’s magnesium level.

- 5-HTP – A serotonin precursor to help against serotonin deficiency and thereby improve local blood circulation.

- Melatonin – To improve sleep and relaxation during sleep.

- Rhodiola Rosea extract – To help against fatigue.

- Ginger Root – To treat pain and inflammation in muscles and joints.

Classical massage or other types of physical therapi, for example a couple of times each week, can also help to increase blood flow, reduce tension, reduce stiffness and thereby take away pain.

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Milk Thistle Is Good For More Than Just The Liver

Milk Thistle Is Good For More Than Just The Liver
Milk Thistle Is Good For More Than Just The Liver

Milk thistle has been used in Europe for over 2000 years for the treatment of liver problems. It is native to the Mediterranean regions of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and has been naturalized to Australia and California. Milk thistle has been used for the treatment of liver disease such as alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis. It helps regulate blood sugar, fat metabolism and helps with the excretion of certain hormones. It’s been known to help with acne, constipation, crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. The liver produces bile and milk thistle helps in the production of bile which metabolizes fats in the small intestines.

Milk thistle can help with atherosclerosis, gallstones, high cholesterol, iron overload, and some forms of cancer. Milk thistle helps the liver convert LDL cholesterol (Bad cholesterol) into HDL cholesterol (Good cholesterol), and milk thistle helps the liver reduce the amount of cholesterol in the bile which is dumped directly into the intestines where it can be reabsorb. Reducing the cholesterol in bile will help lower the chances of forming gallstones.

Milk thistle can help with some forms of cancer related to the hormone estrogen. Laboratory experiments demonstrated silybin, the active ingredient in milk thistle, will fight for estrogen receptor sites and block the estrogen that is in the body from landing on cancer cells. Milk thistle would be a good preventative herb for those at risk for breast cancer and cancers stimulated by estrogen.

Milk thistle in large doses has shown to protect the kidneys from damage during chemotherapy. A study done with mice given milk thistle in very large doses equivalent to 30grams per 110 pounds in adults completely shielded the kidneys from damage during chemotherapy. The two drugs used were doxorubicin and cisplatin; milk thistle actually increased the effectiveness of these two drugs. With liver cancer, milk thistle will protect a special immune system cell called kuppfer cells which destroys bacteria, toxins, and other foreign matter that enters the liver. Milk thistle has also shown to help fight prostate cancer.

Milk thistle can help the liver become less insulin resistant which would be a benefit for diabetics. The liver helps remove insulin from the blood stream with type 2 diabetes and can help with diabetes caused by liver damage from excess alcohol drinking. When there is excess insulin in the blood stream weight gain can occur, milk thistle can help fight weight gain by helping the liver remove insulin from the blood.

Milk thistle is best used with phosphatidylcholine, when taken together can boost the absorption by 95% that means more of the milk thistle makes it into the blood stream then with out phosphatidylcholine. Phosphatidylcholine is also known as soy lecithin which can be picked up at any health food store. If you are currently a diabetic, you should monitor your blood sugar carefully while you on milk thistle. Women who are using the birth control pill should not take milk thistle because it helps the liver remove hormones from the blood stream and may render the birth control pill ineffective. Anybody who starts taking milk thistle might experience loose bowels because gallbladder activity will increase, but after a few days this will subside.

The statements in this article are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease please consult your health care physician before discontinuing medication or introducing herbs into your diet if you are currently on medication of any kind.

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Flaxseed Essentials

Flaxseed Essentials
Flaxseed Essentials

Despite all the concern about fat in our diet, the body does require healthy fats and oils to function. The problem is that most people are getting the wrong kinds of fats in their diet and are lacking the good, healthy fats. Besides being an energy source, healthy fats and oils are nutrients used in the production of cell membranes, as well as in several hormone-like compounds called eicosanoids.

These compounds help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, blood vessel constriction, blood clotting and the nervous system. In addition, dietary fat carries fat-soluble vitamins.

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Home Remedies For Blisters

Home Remedies For Blisters
Home Remedies For Blisters


According to us blisters are a very common thing and we come across them very often in our daily lives. It is a very common occurrence like cold or fever depending upon your lifestyle. The common forms of blisters are the ones wherein the blister is raised and filled with a liquid. These blisters can form on any part of your body mainly hands and feet where there is more friction.

The different types of blister are fever blisters, blood blisters, and friction blister which is the most common blister among the three. Fever blisters are formed around your mouth, chin, cheeks or nostrils. These can also be found in your mouth but are smaller than canker sores. Friction blisters are caused by friction by doing things with your bare hands, wearing a new shoe, due to heat, frostbite, chemical injury or friction. Blood blisters are mainly developed due to a smash or punching injury. This kind of injury ticker the blood between the skin layers causing it to be a blood blister.

Self-Care Measures

The first thing to do for a blister, if it is due to burns is to put pour or soak the injured part in ice-water.

How to avoid blisters on your feet? Before wearing your shoes you can apply Vaseline or petroleum jelly all over your feet to avoid any friction.

You can wear silk under socks to prevent blisters and save yourself from the agonizing pain.

Rub baby powder on your feet. This prevents blisters from appearing on your feet.

Home Remedies for Blisters

You can provide a cool compress to the blister by soaking a towel in a mixture of salt and ice-cold water.

Apply 10 percent tannic acid to the required areas of the skin, twice daily. Continue this for two to three weeks to make your skin stronger and healthier.

Sweating causes further inflammation of the blisters. To get your feet dry, soak them in a mixture of epsom salt and warm water. Do this by the end of the day for five minutes and later soak it dry for best results.

You can treat broken blisters by applying few drops of Listerine to disinfect the wound as it is a wonderful antiseptic.

You can apply aloe vera gel or juice, vitamin E oil or zinc ointment on the blisters to alleviate pain.

Garlic oil also helps in disinfecting the infected blisters.

Dab blisters with witch hazel at least four times a day. This would relieve pain and also help in drying process of the blister due to the presence of astringent tannins.

Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

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Natural Treatments For High Blood Pressure

Natural Treatments For High Blood Pressure

Natural Treatments For High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious condition and is often dubbed the “silent killer” because it can do so much damage to your body before you even know you have it.

High blood pressure can cause heart failure, stroke and even death in the most serious cases. And, did you know that some of the medications your doctor may prescribe could do almost as much damage as the high blood pressure itself? Such medications can have rather serious side effects including dizziness, nausea, stomach problems, loss of appetite, fatigue, impotence and insomnia.

Herbs for Hypertension

There are a number of scientific studies that indicate that a natural approach or treatment for your high blood pressure could be an effective alternative. There are many different herbs that are used to treat hypertension, including the following:

Hawthorn, also known as Crataegus Oxyacantha, is a well-known heart tonic and is one of the best safe herbal supplements to help treat hypertension. By dilating the blood vessels Hawthorn can provide your heart with the level of energy it needs to pump your blood. Hawthorn is full of anti-oxidants, which can keep plaque from building up on the arterial walls and reduce the risk of a heart attack. It works only it it’s taken consistently for a long period of time.

You can find hawthorn in herbal formulas designed to treat high blood pressure. Also, you can make a tea with this herb by adding two teaspoons of crushed leaves and berries to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for approximately twenty minutes, then strain and drink. You may drink up to two cups of this tea per day.

Another highly studied herb that is used to treat hypertension is Passiflora Incarnata. This herb contains different natural chemicals that help to calm the entire body, relax the blood vessels and help reduce overall blood pressure. To make a tea using passion flower mix a teaspoon of dried leaves with a cup of boiling water and let it steep for about fifteen minutes. Strain and drink before going to bed.

Viburnum Opulus, also known as Guelder Rose bark is considered a cardiac tonic. It helps to relax the body and get rid of the tension that usually is associated with high blood pressure.

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Four Drug Free Ways To Lower Blood Pressure

Four Drug Free Ways To Lower Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries, the vessels that carry blood away from the heart. It is normal for your blood pressure to fluctuate during the day. When it stays high, you have high blood pressure, or hypertension. This increased pressure puts a strain on your heart that could lead to a heart attack. It also affects other organs in the body like the kidneys and brain. There are literally hundreds of prescription medications for treating blood pressure but certain lifestyle changes can also have beneficial effects on blood pressure.

According to The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, over 90% of Americans have or will have hypertension in their lifetime. When blood pressure reaches 115 over 75, the damage to the body has just begun. For every 20 over 10 increase, the damage actually doubles. According to a national survey, 70% of Americans are aware of their high blood pressure, 59% are being treated, and 34% have it under control.

Eating foods that are low in saturated fats, low in total fat, and low in cholesterol can reduce blood pressure. A well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low fat dairy products should make up the majority of your eating plan. Be sure to ease into any change in eating regimen. Sudden changes can cause bloating and diarrhea, lessening your chance of sticking with it. The lowered pressure effect of this dietary change is often the same as taking a blood pressure medication.

Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces your chances of developing hypertension. The best way to control body weight is to eat less calories and exercise more. Proven calorie reduction techniques include eating smaller portions, using low fat or fat free products, and limiting sugar intake. Exercising just 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week can produce dramatic results. The physical activity can include anything like walking, bicycling, or gardening. Simply getting your body in motion and keeping it in motion for a period of time is all you need.

Reducing sodium in your diet is another way to keep the pressure down. The average American should consume no more than 2.4 grams of sodium per day. For someone with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend 1.5 grams or less of sodium. Processed and pre-packed foods usually contain a high amount of sodium. After a high sodium meal, many people have a bloated feeling due to excess water retention. This extra volume increases the blood pressure. Salt substitutes are available but be sure to check with your doctor before using any of them. Most contain potassium which reacts with certain medications.

Drinking an excess amount of alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It also harms the liver, brain, and heart. Alcohol is also high in calories, which can that lead to weight gain. If you drink, be sure to have a moderate amount. This is defined as one drink a day for women and two drink a day for men.

None of these lifestyle changes will work unless you stay on them. Americans must change how we view blood pressure. This disease is much more prevalent than previously thought. The sooner action is taken, the better.

An excellent resource for blood pressure reduction techniques is found at the National Institute for Health website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/index.html.

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Can Flaxseed Cure Cancer

Can Flaxseed Cure Cancer

The flax plant, an ancient crop, yields the fibre from which linen is woven, as well as seeds (linseed or flaxseed) and oil. The oil, also called linseed oil, has many industrial uses – it is an important ingredient in paints, varnishes and linoleum for example.

Like olive, canola, and most other plant oils, flax seed oil is highly unsaturated and heart-healthy. Lignans and other flax seed components may also have antioxidant properties, which means they may reduce the activity of cell-damaging free radicals.

Recently small studies of cancer patients who consumed flaxseeds have produced some encouraging results.

In one study men with prostate cancer who ate an ounce of ground flaxseeds (almost three tablespoons) a day as part of a very-low-fat diet were able to slow the progress of their cancers between the time they were diagnosed and the time of surgery. A similar study of women awaiting surgery for breast cancer found that those who ate a flaxseed muffin daily (with about four tablespoons of ground flaxseeds per muffin) had a slower tumor growth rate. Studies of animals, too, suggest some anti-cancer benefit from flaxseed. But it’s always difficult to know whether it’s the lignans that help, or some other element in the flaxseeds. And not all studies have yielded positive results.

Besides lignans, flaxseeds and their oil are also the best food sources of an essential fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid. “Essential” means we must consume it, because our bodies cannot manufacture it. Essential fatty acids are important for cell membranes, blood pressure regulation, and other functions. Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3, similar to some of the fatty acids in fish oil. Like aspirin, omega-3s may reduce blood clotting, thus lessening the chance of a fatal heart attack.

Flaxseeds and their oil may also lower total blood cholesterol, as well as LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

But that should come as no big surprise, since any highly unsaturated oil will do that, particularly if substituted for saturated fats. The fiber in flaxseeds may also help against cholesterol, since it is soluble (similar to that in oats).

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What Can Happen If High Blood Pressure Is Left Untreated

Because people with high blood pressure do not usually have any symptoms until the disease has reached an advanced stage, high blood pressure is often called the “silent killer.” That is why having blood pressure checked regularly is important.

The lack of symptoms is why some people who are aware they have high blood pressure do not take any steps to control and treat it. Because they feel okay they think everything is okay. But if high blood pressure is left untreated, serious problems may develop over time.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure can cause strokes. As high blood pressure causes a person’s arteries to get narrower and narrower, it is harder for blood to get to the brain. That can potentially cause blot clots in the brain, cause a blood vessel in the brain to leak, or cause a blood vessel in the brain to rupture.

Kidney disease (http://www.gothypertension.com/hypertension/hypertensionandkidneyfailure)can occur if high blood pressure is left untreated. If the arteries in the body are narrowed from sustained high blood pressure, the impaired flow of blood throughout the body can cause waste to build up in the blood because it is not getting to the kidneys often enough to discard all the waste products. As the waste builds up, it becomes more and more difficult for the kidneys to try and get rid of the waste, putting a big strain on the kidneys. This can cause the kidney functions to greatly diminish or even fail entirely.

If the kidneys start to function at less than twenty percent of capacity, dialysis treatments will usually be needed. A kidney transplant would be an option to avoid having to get lifetime dialysis treatments if the person is a candidate for a transplant and a kidney becomes available.

Problems with a person’s eyes can also occur as a result of untreated high blood pressure, causing a loss of vision if it gets severe enough. High blood pressure can also lead to memory loss and dementia.

Heart problems are another serious problem that can develop if high blood pressure is left untreated. The arteries in the heart can become hard and stiff from restricted blood flow, causing a condition called arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

It is common for people with untreated high blood pressure to have plaque accumulate in the major arteries of the heart. The plaque deposits reduce blood flow to the heart and can eventually cause a heart attack. High blood pressure narrows the arteries and blood vessels in the body. Getting oxygen rich blood to the heart becomes more difficult as the arteries get narrower. If the heart cannot get enough oxygen, it will cause a heart attack.

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Tips For Preventing And Controlling High Blood Pressure

A healthy lifestyle can help people with various disorders and diseases better control them, gaining a better quality of life. High blood pressure is one the diseases that can be better controlled with a healthy lifestyle. In some people, a healthy lifestyle can prevent high blood pressure from developing.

Many of us have heard over and over to “lose weight and get more exercise” because it will help a person to maintain better health. Maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly can do a lot to help prevent and control high blood pressure.

High blood pressure and a high weight are closely related. Being overweight significantly raises a person’s risk of developing high blood pressure. An overweight person raises their risk by as much as six times. But, as a person starts to take the extra pounds off, their blood pressure typically goes down too.

Try to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein.

Exercise is another important factor in preventing and controlling high blood pressure (http://www.gothypertension.com/managing/highbloodpressureandexercise). Exercising makes the heart stronger and enables it to pump blood throughout the body with less effort. The easier it is for the heart to pump blood, the easier it is on the arteries.

Regular physical activity helps a person reach and maintain a healthy weight. The latest federal guidelines suggest a person engage in moderate physical activity 30-60 minutes a day, 5-7 days a week. Walking is a good physical activity, especially for people just starting an exercise routine. Swimming, biking, and jogging are also great forms of exercise. In addition, federal guidelines suggest a person engage in vigorous physical activities, such as strength training, three times a week for at least 20 minutes each time.

Smoking is hard on the heart and nicotine cases the blood vessels to constrict, narrowing the blood vessels and making the heart work harder to pump blood through the body. Smoking also interferes with some blood pressure medications, making them much less effective. Quitting smoking reduces the risk for high blood pressure, will help to control existing high blood pressure, and will also reduce a person’s risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and having a stroke. Quitting smoking is very difficult, possibly the hardest thing a person will ever do, but doing so goes a long way towards improving a person’s health.

Avoiding excessive sodium is suggested to help control and prevent high blood pressure, although there has been controversy in recent years about whether or not reducing sodium intake will have much of an effect on blood pressure. It may not have a big impact, but even a small reduction in sodium can have a positive effect on a person’s health.

Take any prescribed high blood pressure medications as directed – don’t skip doses or quit taking it entirely. If, after being on medication for a period of time blood pressure returns to normal levels, it does not mean that person’s blood pressure has become normal. It means the medication is doing its job and is controlling the blood pressure. Blood pressure medication needs to be taking indefinitely, often for life.

Avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Not only can it cause high blood pressure, it’s also bad for the liver and kidneys.

Although studies have not proven whether or not caffeine affects high blood pressure, some studies have shown that people who regularly consume caffeine each day have higher blood pressure than people who don’t. On the other hand, some studies have shown that people eventually develop a tolerance to caffeine and that it then no longer affects their blood pressure. As a precautionary measure, physicians will usually advice patients with high blood pressure to limit their caffeine intake.

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