Diet More Important Than Exercise Against Obesity

Exercise is something that almost everyone had heard the benefits of. Everything from heart conditions to depression is said to be alleviated a little bit by regular physical activity. So it comes as no surprise that when hearing advise on how to fight obesity, people would often be told that they need to exercise more regularly. However, it may not be as much of a cure-all for obesity as some would paint it out to be. While improving someone's nutritional intake and exercise has been one of the hallmark prescriptions for reducing weight, new studies suggest that what a person eats may be the critical factor.

For example, researchers had found that the slimmer Nigerian women were more physically active, but surprisingly, there appeared to be no significant difference between the two groups when it came down to how much was burned during exercise. It was found that, while people could burn more calories by regularly exercising, they have a tendency to compensate by eating more food. Or in some cases, eating the wrong type of food. The data revealed that diet seemed to be a more likely reason for one group weighing less than another despite the same levels of physical exertion. In one study conducted between Nigerian and Chicago women, both groups had the same amount of physical exertion, but the Nigerian women weighed less and had lower risk of obesity. The only fundamental difference was in their diet, with the Nigerian women having high fiber and carbohydrates, and consumed low amounts of fat and animal protein.

Still, the researchers believe that more studies into the matter need to be conducted, as the data contradicts numerous previous studies. One example was found within the Old Order Amish, who were found to have a genetic mutation that increased their risk of obesity. However, they had managed to stay thin and avoid becoming obese due to engaging in a lot of physical activity.

The Element of Fear

Is there such a man whose heart is not touched by fear?

Fear is a word that has inspired many creative minds to conspire magnificent works of art in whatever form, depicting its reality in an attempt to capture its actuality. But the enigma surrounding fear could be as abstract and as deep as that of love or any other emotion of all human beings regardless of whatever state of mind they may intend to feel during certain given circumstances. Because of its foreboding nature and that twinge of danger associated and equated with it, fear has enticed, inspired, and even repulsed a variety of personages coming from different walks of life.

But to live without fear or to be without it completely is both an impossibility and an improbability. As with other negative and positive emotions, fear serves a particular purpose necessitated for our survival in this world. For a man to live without it is just like saying that he is not mortal to begin with.

What is fear?

Fear is a distressing emotion that alerts us of imminent danger threatening harm or worse, putting our existence at risk. It is a natural response necessitated for our survival. However, contrary to common perception, fear is diverse from anxiety. The latter is triggered by external factors. Overcoming anxiety requires specific measures that are different from the exercise of dealing with fear.

Moreover, fear is associated with behaviors related to escapism and avoidance. But in such cases, the negative stimulus is neither inescapable nor uncontrollable. Normally, when we suddenly feel afraid, it is a signal that there is something potentially dangerous and should, thus, be avoided. However, it remains pending, giving us ample time to devise strategies of escaping and avoiding it altogether. This is in direct opposition to anxiety wherein we are overwhelmed by the stimulus, which is always external, prompting us to perceive it as both beyond our means and inevitable. So, when we are burdened by anxiety, we feel helplessly trapped in a dangerous or threatening situation.

Oftentimes, fear is linked to pain. Several theories have identified fear as one of the primary emotions. It is one of our natural built-in mechanisms necessitated for survival, serving as a response to a given negative stimulus.
How do we behave when we are afraid?

People who are afraid pass through many different emotional stages. When we are gripped by fear, we could have any of these two common behavioral reactions:

1.We could become so intimidated by the stimulus that we give in to whatever demands are posed to us in order to avoid getting hurt.

2.We shift to defense mode and become aggressive to the extent of becoming deadly. The latter is categorized as instinctive reaction instead of a premeditated one since it results from an increase in our adrenaline level.

The following characteristics are typical in the visage of a person whose mind is gripped by fear:

• The eyes widen, indicating an obvious negative anticipation for what would transpire next.

• Dilation of the pupils would occur. It is an involuntary act to take in more light.

• The upper lip is raised.

• The brows are drawn together.

• The lips are stretched horizontally.

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Maricel Modesto is a writer and editor who writes for various health and lifestyle magazines.

The Much Dreaded Menstrual Pain

One of the much dreaded discomfort that majority of young girls and women experience is the monthly menstrual pain. Menstrual pain, which is also commonly referred to as menstrual cramp, is basically a sharp pain that is felt in a woman's lower abdomen. This usually occurs once menstruation starts and continues for some women for two to three days. Menstrual cramps are considered nuisance by young girls and women for the symptoms' severity can range from mild to severe pain that can definitely disrupt one's daily activities.

Understanding menstrual cramps

It is proven that menstrual pain is among the leading causes of absenteeism in young girls and women who are younger than 30 years old. While there are still quite a number of women who fortunately experience less or no pain at all during their menstruation, there are those who are even temporarily disabled by the symptoms of menstrual cramps.

Below are some of the factors that can most likely make a woman experience menstrual pain:

1. Early start of menstruation
2. Period lasts up to five days or longer
3. Obesity or overweight
4. Too much alcohol consumption
5. Cigarette smoking

Moreover, there are many known causes of menstrual cramps. Certain chemicals in a woman's body, prostaglandins for instance, are said to produce symptoms that are associated with menstrual pains. These chemicals rouse a woman's uterine muscles to contract. Those who have high levels of these chemicals in their bodies are the ones who experience severe and pain contractions in their uterus.

The following are other known causes of menstrual cramps:

1. Ovarian cyst
2. infections in the reproductive organs
3. Endometriosis
4. Narrow cervix
5. Intra-uterine device
6. Adenomyosis
7. Fibroids

Known symptoms of menstrual cramps

Apart from the pain experienced in the lower abdomen, menstrual cramps can also be associated with the following symptoms:

1. leg pain
2. Nausea
3. Vomiting
4. Weakness
5. Irritability
6. Headache
7. Diarrhea
8. Lower back pain
9. Fainting

Self-care home treatments for menstrual pain

As recommended by physicians, the fastest way to relieve painful menstrual cramps is to take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as Orudis, Advil, and Aleve. These medications are known to be effective in blocking the painful effects brought by prostaglandins.

In addition, a woman experiencing menstrual pain can also make use of a heating pad and place it against the pelvic area. Exercising daily, especially before the start of the period, is also a good way to prevent experiencing menstrual pains. Other easy-to-do home remedies are as follows:

• Massaging the back and lower abdomen

• Taking 100 mg Thiamine everyday

• Eating a low-fat vegetarian

• Taking 1200 mg Calcium everyday

On the other hand, another option for women to prevent menstrual pain is to seek consultation with a licensed gynecologist and ask prescription for a hormonal birth control pill. Birth control pills are proven to improve a woman's menstrual cycle by lessening the pain. When pain is not reduced in taking pills, other treatments are usually recommended by physicians. These treatments include acupuncture and nitroglycerin patch.

No woman deserves the pain brought by monthly menstrual period. So free yourself from the pain and seek relief treatments that will best suit you.


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Rcon Franchesca V. Pascua is a web content writer and researcher who specializes in health and fitness topics. She enjoys reading health-related features and articles and sharing what she learns by providing tips and guidelines on how to achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Too Afraid...Too Often...Too Dangerous

The very familiar view of your room with its high ceiling and old, convenient furnishing greet you. You have awakened to yet another ordinary day where you expect to do the very same things you've done the day before and those that came before it. You know you should be out of bed by now, rushing to the shower to ready yourself for work. But you dare not lift yourself from your bed. Muscles tight, your hands fasten themselves in a vise grip clutching the sides your bed. Gasping for air, your heartbeat drums frantically against your chest. Slowly at first, the once hazy images you saw in your dream come back to you, presenting themselves in open consternation for your conscious mind. If not for the tremendously paralyzing fear taking hold of you at this very moment, those images are nothing more than daily concerns no different from those other people face every day. But in your current weakened and unusually very frightened state, they are life-threatening menaces assaulting your senses, tearing your sanity apart. Shaking uncontrollably, you make a futile attempt to gather your wits about you, hoping they would somehow give you something to hold onto, something to keep you from totally falling apart. It wasn't like this before, and you weren't like this before. Worries are mundane, and you know that. But these past few months have shown a remarkably negative twist you least expected...and things don't look pretty at all...No...Not at all...

If you find yourself beleaguered by worries, which are otherwise trivial, and they storm your mind unrelentingly, causing uncomfortable physical symptoms, then chances are: you must be suffering from general anxiety disorder. Overcoming anxiety borne from this psychological disorder is possible through a combination of psychotherapy and medication, which your doctor should carefully monitor. To find out if your symptoms fit into this ailment, consider carefully the following indicators:

You're always looking forward to the worst that could possibly be. You think that you are just being extremely pessimistic. But you know there is something else worse than being just a pessimist. It's not that you want things to really turn out terribly. No. You are not a terrible person to want the worst in everything.

Your bills worry you to death. Not knowing what would happen during the seminar worries you to death. Even thinking of what to prepare for dinner drives you mad as a hatter. And at times, you also find yourself worried as to whether or not you're going to wake up tomorrow.

Sleeping has become a real hassle. Turning and twisting in your bed for half an hour or more has become a brightly occurrence you're starting to get used to. On top of that, you awaken in the middle of your sleep because of nightmares—you knew they were there, but somehow, upon opening your eyes abruptly, they just vanish as if they never came.

Every time you drive yourself mad by worrying too much, you experience muscle tension, twitching, sweating, hot flashes, and headaches.

You are as crotchety as crotchety could ever be. The slightest disturbance is enough for your head to burst into flames.

Your often gasping for air and spaced out. At times you are so nauseated, you could no longer do what you should do. Your trips to the bathroom have also become frequent. And that funny feeling of having a lump in your throat has become a daily fixture. These days, it hardly bothers you anymore. You're comfortable with it already.

You're very excitable, and you startle easily that there are times that you overreact to otherwise not very surprising surprises or sudden events.
You always feel exhausted even if you hardly moved a muscle throughout the day.

You can't keep your mind focused on one thing.
The inconvenient feeling of dejection strikes you often.


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Maricel Modesto is a writer and editor who writes for various health and lifestyle magazines.

Living with Schizophrenia: It's Not Easy but It can be Done

Schizophrenia is a lifelong psychiatric disorder. More than having split or multiple personalities, schizophrenia causes people afflicted with it to live in imagined realities and contend with excessive paranoias over which they have no control. Science and medical studies have yet to produce a medicine that can permanently cure the imbalances in the brain chemicals that trigger the disorder – and until then, schizophrenics have to learn to live with the condition.

If you are afflicted with schizophrenia, do not lose hope. Managing the condition is not easy but it can be done with the right medications and life techniques. In fact, there are several famous and accomplished personalities who have have to battle with schizophrenia throughout their adult lives. Some of these notable persons include the Nobel Prize-winning mathematician John Nash of “A Beautiful Mind” and famous athletes Andy Goram (former football goalkeeper, now coach to Scotland's Clyde Football Club) and Lionel Aldridge, a Superbowl winner. Several musicians of note have also been diagnosed with schizophrenia but nevertheless moved on to make better name for themselves like Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green and Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett. If they can do it, you can also turn your life around and start living to the fullest despite having schizophrenia. Here are some tips to make your situation more manageable:

1.Seek comprehensive medical care.

While most schizophrenics opt for outpatient care, you can also choose to get into a rehabilitative facility dedicated to schizophrenia until you learn how to control symptoms. In these centers, you will be taught of life skills and management techniques that can help you cope with your condition. These centers are also equipped with expert doctors and psychiatrists that can help treat your symptoms. If you do not want to stay in a center, you can get the same benefits by working with a medical team that you feel comfortable with. Be open about your symptoms, thoughts, and anything that enters your head regardless of whether you think it is imagined or not. Opening communication lines with your health care provider can save you from trouble in the long run.

2.Be religious in taking your medications.

While medications like Geodon, Abilify, and antidepressants only serve to control schizophrenia symptoms, they are useful in preventing relapses and even worser episodes. Do not let the skyrocketing costs of medicines today prevent you from taking your medications properly since you can order prescription drugs online and save money. Take your medications even if you do not feel any symptom or haven't had an attack in recent times. These medications can help you feel better and prevent further brain chemical imbalances from occurring.


3.Modify your lifestyle to a healthier one.

If you still indulge in habits like using drugs and drinking alcohol, stop them. These substances can negate the effects of your medications and make your symptoms worse. Smoking can also have the same effect and contribute to increased schizophrenic episodes. You can also explore healthy ways to channel your energy, such as hobbies, exercise, and recreational activities. As always, a healthy diet and regular exercise can help you on your way to recovery.


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Kristine Anne Gonzaga is a content writer and researcher who specializes in health topics and health-related issues. She delights in finding tips and ideas on simple and practical health care and sharing them through her writing.

Hirsutism: A Hairy Issue

Everyone has body hair, the amount of which is dependent on the genetic makeup of the specific person. However, men are generally considered to be hairier than women given that their bodies produce more testosterone, the hormone necessary to produce hair. In the occasion that a woman experiences excessive hair growth in areas where men typically grow hair such as the face, chest, and back, she may be suffering from a condition called hirsutism.

Hirsutism is a condition of unwanted, male-pattern hair growth in women caused by an excess of androgens, the hormone necessary for testosterone production. Aside from excess male hormone, hirsutism can also be caused by ethnic or genetic traits. Whatever the cause, hirsutism can cause considerable discomfort for women. If you suspect that you are suffering from hirsutism, here are some tips that can help you manage this hairy issue:

1.Be aware of the symptoms.

Hirsutism is more than just sprouting a beard over your lipstick. There is more to it than an overgrowth of hair. Young people are likely to experience a spurt of hair growth when they hit puberty but it doesn't mean that they are suffering from hirsutism. If you are way past the adolescent age and have hair on parts that should have and shouldn't have it, other symptoms of hirsutism to watch out for include a deepening voice, baldness, acne, decreasing breast size, increased muscle mass, and clitoral enlargement. If you have or suspect to have these symptoms, consult your doctor for a possible case of hirsutism.

2.Get the possible causes out in the open.

The most effective means to treat something is to address underlying conditions that made it possible. As such, discuss with your doctor the possible causes behind your hirsutism. Some causes to consider aside from those discussed above include polycystic ovary syndrome (imbalance of sex hormones), Cushing's syndrome (exposure to increased cortisol), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (abnormal steroids production), tumors, and medications.

3.Undergo exams and tests your doctor will prescribe.

Most often than not, your doctor will probably have you undergo certain diagnostic examinations before confirming any diagnosis and prescribing any treatment. These tests can range from the typical full physical examination to more technical ones like ultrasound and CT scans. Be sure to get these diagnostic tests done in a public hospital where they are often cheaper or in an in-network facility of your health insurance provider to save on costs.

4.Use the prescribed medications.

Depending on the cause and severity of your case, your doctor may prescribe that you undergo different treatments or use several forms of medications. Some of the most common treatments for hirsutism include electrolysis and laser therapy, procedures that permanently remove unwanted hair. While speedy results are expected from these treatments, they do not address the source of hirsutism. Medications, on the other hand, can range from oral contraceptives, anti-androgen drugs, and topical creams which treat the underlying hormonal imbalances to eliminate the cause of hirsutism. You can usually get these medications from a discount pharmacy.

5.Manage unwanted hair.

Treatment for the underlying causes of hirsutism can take a long time. Aside from laser therapy, you can also opt to manage or remove unwanted hair by using depilatory creams, plucking, shaving, and waxing. Just be sure to follow directions and get professional advice to avoid irritating your skin and getting ingrown hairs and rashes.


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Kristine Anne Gonzaga is a content writer and researcher who specializes in health topics and health-related issues. She delights in finding tips and ideas on simple and practical healthcare and sharing them through her writing.

Take Control of Holiday Stress

The holidays will be here whether you like it or not. So, you either face it or skip it. Skipping the holidays entirely means going somewhere else where you will not be bothered by anything that will remind you of the festive season. And that will be quite a feat. For everywhere you go, there will always be something that will remind you that it's the holiday season, and you will only be hounded by your conscience for running away from it.

You don't have to go through such an emotional ordeal just to cope with the stress and anxiety that go with the holiday traditions: the gift-shopping list you still haven't bought, the gifts you have already bought but haven't had the time to wrap yet, the pile of party invitations here and there... and so on and so forth.

But for many, the number one source of holiday stress is none other than your very own family. Once you think about the family dinner, the obligations, and the burden of family traditions, it's more than enough to trigger the advent of holiday stress.

To prepare yourself in coping better this season, ask yourself just what it is in holidays that you dread about. By specifically identifying that vague sense of dread, you are setting yourself up in dealing with it directly. Here is a list of some of the things that can trigger a holiday stress:

• Unhappy memories. Family reunions during the holiday season will naturally bring back old memories. Some of these memories may be more bitter than sweet. Some people associate the holidays with a bad time in their life, such as the loss of a loved one or a previous depression. Then, this time of year can bring those memories back.

• Unwelcomed relatives. Finding yourself in the company of relatives you avoid the rest of the year can trigger anxiety. Those who struggle with depression may face the stigma of being labeled as lazy or too emotional. It can really be hurtful when people think that way.

• Negative changes. Just like news, everything that’s changed in your life - specifically the changes that border in the negative, such as separation, financial losses - are usually the ones that become highlighted as topics of conversation. Any of these can really unsettle a gathering and add holiday stress.

• Lack of energy. Since this is also the cold and flu season, you’re more likely to be stressed out by obligations and errands. You’re immune system is down, eating habit at its worst, and sleeping a lot less than you used to. By the time the family gathering rolls around, you’re all worn out, tense, and fragile.

While the holidays can make people feel seem out of control, it doesn't have to. Take some control over the holidays, instead of letting them control you. When yo do things not because you want to but you have to, think again. Do you really have to?

Make a list of reasons why you engage in these holiday traditions, and then a list of reasons why you shouldn’t. This list will remind you that you do have a choice. Try not to do things the same way just because that’s how you always do them. Focus on the holiday stresses that you can control. If the old holiday traditions aren’t working, if they’re not making you happy and causing holiday stress, it’s time to do it differently.





Resource Box : Monch Bravante is a freelance writer and an advertising practitioner with special interest in public health issues.