Health Risks Of Painkiller Addiction

Health Risks Of Painkiller Addiction

Health Risks Of Painkiller Addiction

Any type of addiction is harmful to the body in both physical, mental and emotional aspects. Since the word addiction is accompanied in various circumstances, we often see this word negatively in nature. How can we really identify if a person is addicted or not? Today, we will discuss the nature of painkiller addiction and its corresponding health risks.

Addiction is mostly defined as a habit or activity that is uncontrollable in nature. Having difficulty to cease control of your cravings for example can be considered as addiction to foods, watching porn as porn addiction, cigarettes to smoking, opiates for opiates addiction and so on and so forth. Obviously, addiction can affect the mental and emotional side of a human being, making it so difficult to overcome.

So lets talk about the more common, very popular and lethal type of addiction, the painkillers. Often used as a dependable drugs to give relief to pain, headache and other types of sickness, painkillers are often used inappropriately and not as prescribed by their physicians. Illegal or abusive use of painkillers has many health side effects.

Most researchers and studies in the US proves that people who frequently uses painkillers have different behaviors and aggressive attitudes. The ignorance and lack of knowledge of most people who are considered painkiller dependents are ignoring all the potential health risks involved with regards to the over consumption of these drugs.

What is more alarming is that, even the youth are getting highly dependent on various over the counter painkiller drugs. Because most of these drugs are cheap and easily available, teenagers can acquire painkiller with less difficulty. Painkillers can get an individual very high, making it one of the biggest problem every government are facing today.

Most people who are considered addicts are often caused by overly getting dependent on painkillers in both physical and mental stress or sickness. Experts also suggest that people who are suffering from fear of suffering pain are more prone in becoming addicts because of the high probability of painkiller dependency. Even if a sickness gets completely cured, people will still take painkillers because they feel that the pain will still re-occur.

Some of the known health risks for painkiller addiction are the following.

• increase risks of heart attack
• increase risk of developing cancer
• higher risks of liver disorders
• higher tendency of mood changes
• gives stress and anxiety
• aggressive behavior

Sudden withdrawal of painkiller will also cause minor health conditions such as cold sweats, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, diarrhea and insomnia. These withdrawal symptoms are often triggered because the body has already adapted to drug abuse, thus changing can have an adverse effect on health.

To avoid this type of addiction, you have to follow your doctor's prescription and advise on how to properly use drugs. If there are side effects, talk to your doctor immediately to make necessary adjustments on your medicinal requirements. You physician knows best for you and you should follow all the instructions to the letter to avoid any misconception on the proper use of pain killers.

Painkiller addiction is more of a mental condition and does not require any medicinal treatment. Proper health care and knowledge about these drugs should be given precisely to all patients who are in need of painkillers. Therapies are widely available to support and properly treat your medicinal abusive behaviors. Talk to your doctor if you think you are already a painkiller addict.

 

Health Benefits Of Bottle Gourd

Health Benefits Of Bottle Gourd

Health Benefits Of Bottle Gourd 

Bottle Gourd or "Upo" in Filipino, is a nutritious vegetable found in most tropical countries such as Philippines and India. It has a bottle-shaped structure with yellow-green skin and a pulpy flesh with white seeds. This article will discuss the health benefits of this wonderful plant.

In Ayurveda, bottle gourd is widely used as a herb and healing plant. It is also considered as a weight loss food because of its high fiber content which helps suppress hunger for a longer period of time. Unknown to many, this vegetable is composed of 97% water, similar properties with watermelon, an antioxidant rich fruit.

Bottle gourd is a known nutrition-packed food with low calories and absolutely no fats. It contains vitamins A, C, B6, E, K, calcium, iron, folate, potassium, manganese, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium. 

Below are some of the known health benefits of this nutritious plant. 

1. Bottle gourd juice is a great alternative remedies for diarrhea, diabetes and liver detoxification.
2. This vegetable aids in nerve related diseases such epilepsy and neuralgia.
3. Bottle gourd juice is also a good remedy for stomach upset, ulcers and indigestion or hyperacidity. 
4. Promotes weight loss
5. Bottle gourd helps treat jaundice 

Aside from the benefits above, bottle gourd is also a natural thirst quencher due to its high water content. This also makes bottle gourd to have a relaxing or soothing effect which prevents fatigue and is anti-bilious. 

In summary, bottle gourd is a perfect alternative for breakfast and afternoon snack instead of indulging yourself to unhealthy processed and junk foods. So the next time you go to your local market, don't forget to buy some bottle gourd to support your health needs.

 

Food News

Food News

11 Not-So-Healthy 'Health' Foods

Fruit juice and a bran muffin for breakfast; a Caesar salad for lunch; a protein bar snack; and a turkey burger with all the fixings for dinner. Sounds like a reasonably healthy day, right? Not so fast. All of these foods have a healthy reputation, but they all have something else in common, too: They’re hiding the types of sugar, fat, and calories that can bust your diet or even lead to weight gain.

Get the inside scoop on these and other popular diet darlings to find out what to avoid and what to eat instead.

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Granola: Sugar Overload

More than any other food, granola has tricked the diet industry into thinking it’s healthy, when really those organic, all-natural whole grain and nut mixes are packed with calories, fat, and sugar. Just a quarter-cup serving of granola can easily have upwards of 130 calories, not to mention at least 4 grams of sugar and 5 grams of fat. To get the crunch you crave, make your own healthy mix to skip out on added sugars. Measure your portions carefully, and sprinkle granola on top of yogurt instead of eating it alone.

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Dried Fruit: Sugary Saboteur

Dried fruits are great sources of concentrated vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but — and it’s a big but to avoid — you have to limit your intake because you’re also getting very concentrated calories and sugar. Consider prunes, which are dried plums: Just one cup of prunes contains more than 400 calories and 45 grams of sugar while one cup of fresh plum has just 76 calories and 16 sugar grams. Plus, when you eat fresh fruit you get the added water content that can help you feel full.

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Sushi Rolls: Beware of Sodium

In theory, sushi rolls are almost perfect — protein in the form of seafood (often from healthy fatty acid sources such as salmon and tuna) combined with seaweed, veggies, and a small amount of rice. If you ate sushi in the traditional small quantities along with some miso soup, you’d actually be doing well for both nutrition and diet. But modern sushi rolls are a little more dangerous: Many varieties, such as tempura rolls, come fried or topped with mayo and cream cheese. Plus, soy sauce contains excess sodium, and all the white rice can cause blood sugar spikes in people with diabetes. When eating sushi, it’s best to stick to brown rice rolls, fresh veggies, and no sauce.

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Caesar Salad Calorie-Bomb

Romaine lettuce, the foundation of Caesar salad, is richer in vitamins and minerals than iceberg lettuce, so that’s a good start. But look past the leaves, and you’ll see plenty of diet trips, such as high-fat dressing, calorie-rich cheese, and fatty croutons. Just because you ask for dressing on the side when you order your salad doesn’t mean you’re spared all the excess calories, says Villacorta, adding that a fully-loaded Caesar can top 800 calories. Instead, top your greens with grilled chicken strips and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

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High-Calorie Fish Sandwiches

Fish is often touted as a low-calorie superfood (in fact, the American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week), but once you fry that fish, slather it in high-calorie tartar sauce, and slap it between two slabs of white bread or a buttered roll, you’ve more than negated any health benefit you might see. Opt for grilled fish or chicken on an open-face sandwich or a fish taco loaded with salsa and vegetables — hold the sour cream and cheese!

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Margarine: Hidden Trans Fat

 

Margarine can be a better choice than butter, particularly for people who are concerned about their heart health. But not all margarines are created equal: Many stick forms contain hidden trans fat, which can be even worse for your heart than the saturated fat in butter. When choosing a stick, go for the brand with the lowest levels of fat and cholesterol. If you’re at risk for heart disease, choose a brand that has been fortified with plant stanols and sterols, which can help reduce bad cholesterol levels.

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Sugary Fruit Juice

A drink that's 100 percent fruit juice sounds like a healthy way to check off your daily fruit needs. The problem is, even if you’re drinking unadulterated juice (not a juice drink, a diet trap with tons of added sugar and sometimes barely 10 percent real juice), you’re missing out on the fiber and the nutrients available only in the whole food, especially fruits with edible peels. In general, experts advise that only a third of the 2.5 cups of fruit you need each day should come from juice. And moderation matters for this health food. Serving sizes for store-bought juice in bottles and at juice bars and cafes are out of control, says Villacorta, and if you’re not careful, you can add hundreds of calories to your daily diet through juice. He suggests scaling down your fruit juice servings to one 4-ounce glass a day, or skip fruit juice entirely and just eat the real thing.

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Fat-Filled Bran Muffins

 

Store-bought and café muffins may seem like a healthy food choice, but too often their whole grains are lost in a sea of oversized portions, sugar, sodium, and fat — a resounding diet trap. To add insult to injury, some store-bought muffins skip out on the whole-grain ingredients and many don’t contain enough to counteract the sugar and fat in your diet anyway. You can keep your muffins from becoming a diet trap by making them yourself and boosting the fiber fill-up with oat bran and ground flaxseed — just refrain from using supersized muffin tins to maintain diet portions.

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Needless Nutrition Waters

Although it seems intuitive to combine two components of healthy nutrition — water and vitamins — into one package, brand-name vitamin or nutrition waters might not be the best choice for your body or your budget. Dietitians generally recommend a varied diet as the best way to get good nutrition, in part because your body may not be able to absorb vitamins as effectively without other dietary elements such as small amounts of fat and the fiber. That’s why a big mixed salad with a touch of homemade dressing is the health food choice to get your vitamins and minerals — and just plain water from the tap will do for hydration. Know that some nutrition waters may not even contain all the vitamins you need for the day, and be doubly aware to avoid any that contain sugar (and calories) — a diet trap to steer clear of.

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Diet-Busting Turkey Burgers

Turkey is generally thought of as a fit and trim alternative to red meat, but depending on the cut and preparation, a burger can easily have more fat than a lean cut of beef, not to mention the calories from the bun you save when you just eat a cut of meat. Look for the leanest ground turkey available at the store, or go completely meatless and try veggie burgers. Regardless of your patty preference, go light on the condiments, layering vegetables onto a whole-grain bun or lettuce wrap instead of cheese and mayo .

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What Are The Top 10 Healthy Foods?

What Are The Top 10 Healthy Foods?

1) Apples

Apples are an excellent source of antioxidants, which combat free radicals, damaging substances generated in the body that cause undesirable changes and are involved in the aging process and some diseases.

Some animal studies have found that an antioxidant found in apples (polyphenols) might extend lifespans. Tests on fruit flies found that polyphenols also help them to preserve their ability to walk, climb and move about.

Another study found that adult females who regularly ate apples had a 13% to 22% lower risk of developing heart disease.

2) Almonds

Almonds are rich in nutrients, including iron, calcium, vitamin E, fiber, riboflavin, and magnesium. A scientific review published in Nutrition Reviews last year found that almonds as a food may help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. The authors wrote:

"The message that almonds, in and of themselves, are a heart-healthy snack should be emphasized to consumers. Moreover, when almonds are incorporated into a healthy, balanced diet, the benefits are even greater."

The fatty acid profile of almonds, which is made up of 91-94% unsaturated fatty acids, may partly explain why it helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Almonds also have the highest fiber content of any tree nut.

3) Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in fiber, folate, potassium, calcium and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are compounds which reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli also contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant, as well as vitamin C.



If the enzyme myrosinase is not destroyed during cooking, broccoli can also reduce the risk of developing cancer. The best way to cook broccoli and to preserve the myrosinase is to steam the vegetable lightly - if it is overcooked, and the vegetable's beneficial effects can be seriously undermined, researchers from the University of Illinois wrote in the peer-reviewed journal Nutrition and Cancer.

The researchers said that adding broccoli to a meal can often double its anticancer properties.

Another ingredient, sulforphane, which exists in broccoli, is also said to have anti-cancer as well as anti-inflammatory qualities. However, overcooking can destroy most of the benefits.

4) Blueberries

Blueberries are rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants and fiber.

According to a study carried out at Harvard Medical School, elderly people who eat plenty of blueberries (and strawberries) are less likely to suffer from cognitive decline, compared to other people of their age who do not. (Link to article)

Blueberries were found in another study carried out by scientists at Texas Woman's University, to help in curbing obesity. Plant polyphenols, which are abundant in blueberries, have been shown to reduce the development of fat cells (adipogenesis), while inducing the breakdown of lipids and fat (lipolysis). (Link to article)

5) Oily fish

Examples of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines and anchovies. These types of fish have oil in their tissues and around the gut. Their lean fillets contain up to 30% oil, specifically, omega-3 fatty acids. These oils are known to provide benefits for the heart, as well as the nervous system. Oily fish are also known to provide benefits for patients with inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis.

Oily fish also contain vitamins A and D.

6) Leafy green vegetables

Studies have shown that a high intake of dark-leafy vegetables, such as spinach or cabbage may significantly lower a person's risk of developing diabetes type 2. Researchers from Leicester University, England, said that the impact of dark green vegetables on human health should be investigated further, after they gathered data from six studies.

Spinach, for example, is very rich in antioxidants, especially when uncooked, steamed or very lightly boiled. It is a good source of vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, as well as selenium, niacin, zinc, phosphorus, copper, folic acid, potassium, calcium, manganese, betaine, and iron.

7) Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, beta carotene, complex carbohydrates, vitamin C, vitamin B6, as well as carotene (the pink, yellow ones).

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, USA, compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. The sweet potato ranked number one, when vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, protein and complex carbohydrates were considered.

8) Wheat germ

Wheat germ is the part of wheat that germinates to grow into a plant - the embryo of the seed. Germ, along with bran, is commonly a by-product of the milling; when cereals are refined, the germ and bran are often milled out.

Wheat germ is high in several vital nutrients, such as vitamin E, folic acid (folate), thiamin, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, as well as fatty alcohols and essential fatty acids.

Wheat germ is also a good source of fiber.

9) Avocados

Many people avoid avocados because of its high fat content; they believe that avoiding all fats leads to better health and easier-to-control body weight - this is a myth. Approximately 75% of the calories in an avocado come from fat; mostly monosaturated fat.

Avocados are also very rich in B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and vitamin E.

Avocados also have a very high fiber content of 25% soluble and 75% insoluble fiber.

Studies have shown that regular avocado consumption lowers blood cholesterol levels. 

Avocado extracts are currently being studied in the laboratory to see whether they might be useful for treating diabetes or hypertension.

Researchers from Ohio State University found that nutrients taken from avocados were able to stop oral cancer cells, and even destroy some of the pre-cancerous cells.

10) Oatmeal

Oatmeal is meal made from rolled or ground oats, or porridge made from ground or rolled oats. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the term "porridge" or "porridge oats" are common terms for the breakfast cereal that is usually cooked.

Interest in oatmeal has increased considerably over the last twenty years because of its health benefits.

Studies have shown that if you eat a bowl of oatmeal everyday your blood cholesterol levels, especially if they are too high, will drop, because of the cereal's soluble fiber content. When findings were published in the 1980s, an "oat bran craze" spread across the USA and Western Europe. The oats craze dropped off in the 1990s.

In 1997, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) agreed that foods with high levels of rolled oats or oat bran could include data on their labels about their cardiovascular heart benefits if accompanied with a low-fat diet. This was followed by another surge in oatmeal popularity.

Oats is rich in complex carbohydrates, as well as water-soluble fiber, which slow digestion down and stabilize levels of blood-glucose.

Oatmeal porridge is very rich in B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium.