Tips for Increasing Physical Activity

Choose activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. Fitting activity into a daily routine can be easy — such as taking a brisk 10 minute walk to and from the parking lot, bus stop, or subway station. Or, join an exercise class. Keep it interesting by trying something different on alternate days. Every little bit adds up and doing something is better than doing nothing.

Make sure to do at least 10 minutes of activity at a time, shorter bursts of activity will not have the same health benefits. For example, walking the dog for 10 minutes before and after work or adding a 10 minute walk at lunchtime can add to your weekly goal. Mix it up. Swim, take a yoga class, garden or lift weights. To be ready anytime, keep some comfortable clothes and a pair of walking or running shoes in the car and at the office.
 

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More ways to increase physical activity

At home:

• Join a walking group in the neighborhood or at the local shopping mall. Recruit a partner for support and encouragement.
• Push the baby in a stroller.

• Get the whole family involved — enjoy an afternoon bike ride with your kids.
• Walk up and down the soccer or softball field sidelines while watching the kids play.
• Walk the dog — don't just watch the dog walk.
• Clean the house or wash the car.
• Walk, skate, or cycle more, and drive less.
• Do stretches, exercises, or pedal a stationary bike while watching television.
• Mow the lawn with a push mower.
• Plant and care for a vegetable or flower garden.
• Play with the kids — tumble in the leaves, build a snowman, splash in a puddle, or dance to favorite music.
• Exercise to a workout video.

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At work:

• Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk or skate the rest of the way.
• Replace a coffee break with a brisk 10-minute walk. Ask a friend to go with you.
•  Take part in an exercise program at work or a nearby gym.
• Join the office softball team or walking group.

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At play:

• Walk, jog, skate, or cycle.
• Swim or do water aerobics.
• Take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga.
• Golf (pull cart or carry clubs).
• Canoe, row, or kayak.
• Play racket ball, tennis, or squash.
• Ski cross-country or downhill.
  
• Play basketball, softball, or soccer.
• Hand cycle or play wheelchair sports.
• Take a nature walk.
• Most important — have fun while being active!
   

Calories Count Chart for Mixed Dishes

Many popular foods don't fit neatly into one food group. For example, a cheese pizza counts in several groups: the crust in the Grains Group, the tomato sauce in the Vegetable Group, and the cheese in the Dairy Group. Some other common mixed dishes and how they count in each food group are listed in the chart.

Some mixed foods also contain a lot of fat, oil, or sugar, which adds calories. The estimated total calories in each dish are also shown.

The values listed are estimates based on how these foods are often prepared. The amounts in an item you eat may be more or less than these examples.

Click here to see chart.

Lack of Water is Dangerous for Your Blood

If we consume less than 8 glasses, then our body will create a balance by taking water resources from one element of the body, including the blood. Lack of water is harmful for our blood. Because, the blood will be thick. As a result, the journey of blood as a means of transport of oxygen and nutrients is disturbed. Blood which is thicker will also pass through the kidney that functions as a filter or tool to filter toxins from the blood.

If you a kidney have to filter thick blood, it must work extra hard. It is not impossible that the kidney could be damaged and will later have hemodialysis. what about the brain?

The thick blood travel will also be hampered as it passes through the brain. In fact, brain cells are most wasteful, consuming food and oxygen carried by blood. Thus the function of brain cells is not running optimally and may even die quickly. These conditions will increasingly lead to stroke.

Brain and blood are two important organs that have moisture content over 80 percent. The brain has a component of water by 90 percent, while the blood component has 95 percent water. At least, we normally need two liters a day or 8 glasses a day. Here are nine benefits of water (mineral) for the body.

1. Streamlining the digestive system. Consuming adequate amounts of water every day will expedite the digestive system so that we will be avoided from digestive problems such as ulcers or constipation. Burning calories will also run efficiently.

2. Slow the growth of cancer-causing substances, prevent kidney stones and heart disease.Drinking water will give the body more energy.

3. If we lack of water, our body will absorb the water content in the skin so the skin becomes dry and wrinkled. Therefore, consuming plain water can protect the skin from the outside, as well as moisturize and heal the skin. To maintain the beauty (especially for woman), we should drink 8-10 glasses of water daily.

4. For fertility, water increases production of testosterone hormones in men and estrogen hormones in women. According to the findings of a thrombosis research institute in London, England, if someone always showers with cold water then their blood circulation will be more smoothly and their body feels fresh and fit. Bathing with cold water will increase production of white blood cells in the body and increase a person’s ability to attack viruses. Even a cold shower in the morning can increase testosterone production in men and estrogen in women. Which meansfertility and sexual excitement will increase. Also improves skin tissue, healthier and stronger nails.

5. Water is also believed to be able to cure heart disease, rheumatism, skin damage, respiratory diseases, bowel, and female diseases, and much more. There are also pretty much alternative medications which uses water.

6. Hot water is not only used to treat various skin diseases, but also effective for treating paralysis such as stroke. Therefore, water can help strengthen back muscles, circulatory system and respiratory system. Effect of heat causes dilation of blood vessels, improving blood circulation and oxygen network, thereby preventing muscle stiffness, relieve pain. The content of ions, especially chlorine, magnesium, hydrogen and sulfate carbohydrates in hot water, helps dilation of blood vessels thus increasing blood circulation. Besides that, the water PH, can sterilize the skin.

7. Water gives relaxation effects. Try standing in the shower and feel the effects in the body. Shower water that falls into the body feels like a massage and is able to eliminate fatigue because it feels like a massage. A number of alternative medical experts say, that having contact with shower, a walk in the surrounding waterfalls, or rivers and parks with lots of fountains, will acquire the properties of ions negative. Negative ions which arise due to water droplets collide can relieve pain, neutralize toxins, combat disease and help to absorb and utilize oxygen. Negative ions in the blood stream will accelerate the delivery of oxygen to the cells and tissues.

8. For those who want to loose weight, drinking hot water before eating is one way to reduce the amount of food intake. Moreover water contains no calories, sugar, or fat. However it is best to drink water at medium temperature, not too hot, nor too cold.

9. The decreased amount of water in the body, will also decrease the organs function and will be more easily disturbed by bacteria, viruses, and others. However, the human body has a mechanism in maintaining the balance of water intake in the body. Water our bodies require approximately 2  – 2.5 liter (8-10 cups) per day. Total water demand is already including the water intake from food (such as soup, soto), syrup and others. In addition, water intake also obtained from the metabolism of food consumed and tissue metabolism in the body. www.medicmagic.net

Cardiovascular Fitness - Cardio Workouts

There is so much talk about the need to have good cardiovascular fitness to maintain good health these days.

But for somebody with no knowledge on the subject, there might be some confusion on exactly what cardiovascular fitness means and how to raise the level of their cardiovascular fitness.

This article aims to clarify exactly what cardiovascular fitness is, the benefits of cardio workouts, and the basic principles to increase ones cardiovascular fitness.

Cardiovascular fitness, also known as cardiorespiratory endurance, is a term that is used to describe a unique form of muscular endurance. In essence, it describes the efficiency in which the lungs, heart, and vascular system work in order to provide oxygen to the working muscles of the body so that the exertion of the muscle is able to be maintained. Of course there are many factors that can affect cardiovascular fitness including heart rate, stroke volume, and the ability of the muscle cells to take up oxygen out of the blood. When we exercise our bodies in the aerobic threshold, which I will explain later, we cause several changes in our body to occur. Our general metabolism starts to rise, our muscles increase their metabolism, the efficiency of delivering blood back to our heart is increase, and in turn the efficiency by which our heart operates is increased in delivering blood to our working tissues.

The benefits of cardiovascular fitness are numerous.

The first benefit would be that it strengthens both the heart muscle and the muscles involved in breathing such as the lungs. Not only can we carry out sustained periods of exertion with minimal discomfort there are also physiological benefits such as reducing ones blood pressure, increased resting metabolism to burn fat, and the release of endorphins to the brain which gives us a general feeling of well being decreasing the chance or warding off depression and anxiety. The list can go on and on. What you need to know is that the health benefits of getting into a good cardiovascular state are numerous.

Before we begin looking at different activities to increase your cardiovascular fitness some basic principles need to be shared. In order to illicit a change in the body one needs to stress their body to a state where the heart is beating at a rate equivalent to at least 75% of the age predicted maximum heart rate with an aim to getting to 85%. For the beginners out there it is important that you do not try to overdue it. It takes time for the body to make changes and by overdoing it you put your body at risk, never mind not enjoying the exercise.

Choose an activity that you will enjoy doing. It doesn't have to be getting on to an elliptical machine or treadmill unless you enjoy doing that type of activity. Depending on your current level fitness, a power walk outside may be all you need to get the heart going. You could also go for a run outside, ride a bike, climb stairs, go swimming, inline skating, go for a hike, play tennis, or even play with the kids outside. I'm sure you can think of some other activities from here that can get your heart rate up and keep it up.

The time requirement will vary depending on the intensity that you are working out but in general you will want to strive for 30-90 minutes on most days with the bare minimum being 30 minutes 3 times a week. If you find it too difficult to go for all 30 minutes all at once, break it up. Do 15 at one time and do 15 minutes another. This should only be for the beginners though. You should try to get to a point where 30 minutes of continuous exercise can be easily maintained.

The Intensity with which you exercise is going to very widely depending on your starting fitness level. We have already discussed heart rate, but there are easier ways to determine if you are exercising hard enough without overdoing it. You could work off the scale of 10, where 1 is basically doing nothing and 10 is going all out. You will want to try to get to a 6-8. Beginners might only be able to go at these levels for short periods of time. That is alright as long as you try to work up over time to do more. If you have a workout partner, the easiest way to determine your intensity is to talk with your workout partner. If you are working out so hard that you can't keep a conversation going because you are too out of breath then you are working to hard. You should be exerting yourself but not killing yourself.

I hope this information provides some clarity and gives some encouragement to increase your cardiovascular fitness level.

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Definition of Cardiovascular Endurance

The definition of cardiovascular endurance simply put is the body’s ability to continue exertion while getting energy from the aerobic system used to supply the body with energy. This is the system that kicks in third after the phosphogen and the glycogen lactic acid system, and so the one that supplies energy to the human circulatory system and the muscles over extended periods.

Cardiovascular endurance is most useful for long distance sports; for marathon training, long distance running, jogging and swimming, however it will also be useful for everyone else and a lack of it will lead to individuals becoming quickly tired and out of breath. In a marathon, the person who comes first (while allowing for injury or general poor technique) will generally be the person with the best cardiovascular fitness. To fully understand the definition of cardiovascular endurance, it’s important to understand how the body utilises energy to power its muscles.

Essentially, all energy in the body of every living organisms comes from a substance called ‘ATP’, the ‘energy currency’ of life on Earth. ATP stands for ‘Andenosine Triphosphate’, a name that describes the chemical composition of the substance. ATP you see is an adenine nucleotide made up of three phosphates attached by powerful high-energy bonds. When these bonds are broken they release energy, which the body then utilises to power the muscles etc and which forms the basis of the posphogen system, powering the body for 3 seconds using the ATP stored in the muscles.

As well as giving off energy however, the phosphogen system also has two other by-products, ADP and AMP, which stands for Andenosine Diphosphate and Andenosine Monophosphate respectively. These are similar to ATP, except in that they describe adenine nucleotides with just two or one posphates respectively. In other words, they are the two parts of the ATP once the bonds are broken. Fortunately however the body also stores and produces another substance called Creatine in the Kidneys. Creatine is meanwhile used by the body to recombine ADP and AMP to make new ATP that can be once again used by the body. This then supplies an additional 8-10 seconds of energy on top of the initial 3 seconds and can be used by the body for extended explosive exercise. Using these methods combined then the body can utilise the phosphogen system for energy for a full 13.5 seconds, making it the best type of energy for explosive movements, such as weight lifting, 100 metre sprinting or jumping. Some athletes take a creatine supplement with the belief that it will increase that 8-10 seconds. The definition of cardiovascular endurance does not encompass this system of energy release, as the ATP and creatine is readily accessible by the body, thus cardiovascular endurance is not necessary for sprinting.

Once the body has used up its supply of ATP and creatine, it will move on to a secondary method for energy – the glycogen lactic acid system. Here the body falls back on another substance found in the muscles, namely glycogen. As a form of carbohydrate this too can be broken down into ATP and so used for energy supplying an addition 1.5 minutes, though this system is slower than the phosphogen system and also results in another by-product named ‘lactic acid’ which can cause the muscles to feel stiff and uncomfortable. It’s lactic acid that creates the feeling of the ‘burn’ sought after by bodybuilders and runners while training, but which can also make it difficult to continue performing when it builds up. This is why the glycogen lactic acid system is the secondary system used.

It is only after these two systems however that the aerobic system kicks in. The definition of cardiovascular endurance then is the ability to continue exertion following the initial 1.43.5 minutes. At this point the muscle must find its energy from other areas around the body and then transport it to the areas it is needed and this is done via the bloodstream. Here the body uses oxygen to break down energy stored in the mitochondria around the body in the form of foods – either fat or protein. In this way the body begins to ‘burn’ its own fuel supplies, stored as fat and muscle, in order to find energy to continue exertion. This energy, in the form of ATP of course, is transported via the blood to the muscles resulting in the feeling of being ‘pumped’. This system can supply the body with up to two hours of additional performance, though precisely how long will depend on the fitness of the individual (that being the definition of cardiovascular endurance). While this system is fairly slow, and can eventually begin to damage muscle tissue, at the same time it produces no by products other than harmless carbon dioxide and water. It is the aerobic system that the body relies on for long distance running such as that needed for a marathon.

The aerobic system relies on many other organs and systems being in place then, and in fact another definition of cardiovascular fitness could be to have a strong heart, high VO2 max, lung capacity, breath control and a healthy circulatory system. It is through these bodily systems that we are able to extract the oxygen from the air and transport it through the blood to the relevant areas. The term VO2 max refers most specifically to the body’s maximum rate at which it can draw oxygen from the air, and can be trained through cardiovascular exercise and more specifically by training where the air is thinner – in the cold or at high altitudes.

Obviously a strong heart is crucial for cardiovascular fitness as it’s what will pump the blood round the muscles to the mitochondria and the muscles. This will be transported through the veins and arteries that make up the ‘human circulatory system’. A healthy circulatory system can be maintained through consumption of fibre, which travels through the veins and arteries to unclog arterial plaque, and by eating a diet low in carbohydrates and saturated fats.

Between these elements then is found an in-depth definition of cardiovascular endurance. Through understanding the exact process that goes into cardiovascular fitness you can train each aspect separately to improve every aspect of your performance.

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Meats and Sweets Are Not Healthy Treats

Dietary factors, second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of cancer, account for about 30 percent of all cancers in Western countries and approximately 20 percent in developing countries. Announcing findings in 2005 of its twenty-year-long study tracking 150,000 Americans, the American Cancer Society found that men and women who ate the most amounts of red meat (compared with those who ate more poultry, fish, and non-meats) had a 53 percent higher risk of distal colon cancer.

Also in 2005, a study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health, in which 1 million Koreans were tracked for ten years, reported that high sugar consumption could be a risk factor in developing several types of cancer. These researchers suggest that glucose intolerance may be one way that obesity increases cancer risk and that rising obesity rates may increase future cancer rates.

“More than 11 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. It is estimated that there will be 16 million new cases every year by 2020.”
--World Health Organization

Eye Wrinkles Treatments

If you are like most people, then you have probably waged an anti-aging war against wrinkles. It is not uncommon for both men and women to look at themselves in the mirror, noticing unsightly lines and wrinkles forming, especially under and around the eyes. Today, more than ever, people have options with regards to eye wrinkle treatments. The cosmetic industry has responded to our need for more youthful appearance, as has science and the medical community.

However, there are several under eye wrinkle treatments available, which can be an overwhelming choice for many consumers. As well, they come in different types of applications and various price ranges. Aging is a natural process and cannot be stopped, but it can be delayed, so long as people make the right choices. Much of the choices come through personal lifestyle changes that will have an impact on the way we look.

The old adage, the eyes are the windows to the soul, is only partly true, as they are also responsible for giving away our age. The better we treat our bodies, the better we will look. Therefore, we have to commit to the effort in numerous ways, such as by quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, eating better, eating smarter, and getting a good night's rest. Of course, exercise is always a big part of this as well.

A strict beauty regime is also important in your quest to get rid of wrinkles. You should always remove makeup before going to bed, use a quality moisturizer in the morning and at night. For the daytime moisturizer, try one that also contains a sunblock, thereby killing two birds with one stone. Protection against the sun is crucial because it is one of the biggest factors involved with the development of wrinkles. Having said that, you may also want to invest in a good pair of sunglasses which will help to reduce squinting. While moisturizer is great for the entire face, a specially designed anti-wrinkle cream for the eyes is imperative, because the skin around the eyes is different from that on the rest of the face.

Botox and wrinkle fillers are good solutions to fade away fine lines and wrinkles, but they do come with their own set of pros and cons. Either choice is not permanent, and these injections will have to be redone after some time to maintain the look. Of course, there is also cosmetic procedures which involve surgery. These are just a few, as there are other solutions which can work. The best is to investigate each one and choose accordingly.

Is age catching up with you? Do you see the onset of wrinkles, drooping and sagging skin, and other signs that show your age? Anti-AgingMatters provides you with tips about anti-aging health, diet and eye wrinkle treatments that will make you look and feel great. Don't delay...time is the only thing you can't get back.

Diet, Exercise, and Consistency

CONSISTENCY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS When was the last time that you obtained something that was of value without hard work? My guess is that it rarely if ever has happened. I have heard more times than I care to count the phrase: I've tried everything to lose weight, and it just won't come off. What I want to say to them this is: 'Okay, tell me the last 100 actions you've taken to lose weight' (really the goal should be to lose FAT, but I digress). A common response would be, 'well, I haven't done a hundred things'. 'Okay, tell me the last 50'. 'Well, I haven't done 50'. 'Okay the last 25'. At this point, the point has been made, and they see where I'm going with it. The thing is, they haven't done 100 things, 50 things, 25 things, or even 5 things usually! Here's what most people have done:

1) Started a 'diet'. When I say 'diet' there was no structured plan, they didn't have a breakdown of macro's (carbs/fats/protein), and rarely do they even have a caloric goal. They just try to 'eat less'.

2) They set a goal to lose X lbs. (I'm not a big fan of this, and I'll go into why in a different article).

3) They go to the gym, walk on the treadmill for a half hour, try and work on a machine or two and head home.

4) The weekend comes along, and they fall off the wagon, and gorge, and when it comes time to weigh themselves, they haven't loss any weight. DIETS DON'T WORK they say! I CAN'T LOSE WEIGHT! In actuality all that has been done is they have developed poor habits, and frustrated themselves because they didn't have a plan. They have also convinced themselves that diets don't work, and they can't lose weight.

Here's the deal, the absolute most important piece of a body transformation is this:
CONSISTENCY. Consistently following a properly calculated diet, consistently following a properly laid out exercise program which entails resistance training and typically cardio (however depending on your goals, cardio may or may not be necessary, resistance training though ALWAYS is). I don't mean to beat up on those that have tried to lose fat and failed, I commend them for trying. I think it is great they have taken the initiative that is the first step. Heck, I was there myself a few years back. I would go to the gym five days a week, during the week my diet was on point, but the weekend came, and I would indulge a little here, a lot there, and guess what happened? I didn't get the results I wanted. I convinced myself that I couldn't lose the weight and get the body I wanted because I was cursed, or my body just didn't want to lose it or that I had poor genetics. Now, I know how full of garbage that is, and I was in complete denial. At one point, I decided enough is enough.

If somebody else can get ripped, so can I. So guess what happened? Over the next 14 weeks I went from 18% bodyfat down to 7.1% bodyfat. I didn't miss a single gym session. I didn't half-ass a single gym session; I didn't stray from my diet once. I wrote down everything I ate. I hit my calories and macros. In a word I was CONSISTENT and guess what happened? I got results! I don't say this to toot my own horn. I say it to impress upon you the importance of being CONSISTENT. It is frustrating that it took me 32 years to realize this ever important principle, but I'm just thankful I was able to figure it out. So I ask each of you this:

Can you honestly say to yourself that you are giving it 100%? Both with your diet and in the gym? I'll let you think about that for a bit. My next article will discuss HOW to design a diet & workout program. Till then, train hard, & stick to your diet.

Broccoli Prevent Prostate Cancer

Broccoli, which is often used for stir-frying the cabbage family that is closely related to cauliflower. It turned out that the study of the journal Oncology, said that broccoli contains the phytonutrients sulforaphane and indoles which have anticancer effects.

Research on indole-3-carbinol proved, these components help to reduce the active metabolite of the potent estrogen in increasing the risk of tumor growth. Especially in cancer cells that are sensitive to estrogen and simultaneously raise the levels of 2-hidroksiestrone, a form of estrogen that are protective against the presence of cancer.

According to research, indole-3-carbinol is not only suppress the growth of breast cancer cells, but also suppress the spread of cancer cells to other organs.

The experts also found that sulforaphane increases the enzymes that detoxify the body by cleaning up carcinogenic substances more quickly than the body. Researchers at Johns Hopkins examined the effects of sulforaphane on some kinds of tumors.They were able to prove that the tumor weight decreases and the slower growing, even smaller.

Not only that, sulforaphane also have the ability to reduce cell growth and cell death in leukemia and melanoma cells. Even the research studies published in the journal Carcinogenesis of Rutgers University states that sulforaphane provide special protection to individuals who have a gene susceptible to colon cancer.

Another study published in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society stated that the indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which is a component of Brassica such as broccoli and cabbage have been identified as a component of anti-cancer agent against certain reproductive tumor cells.

A study investigating the effect of I3C on cell cycle and proliferation in human prostate cancer cells showed that the prostate cancer cell growth is inhibited. The researchers claim that this can be recorded as a result of studies showing that "I3C has the potential antiproliferative effect" on prostate cancer cells, which qualifies as a "potential chemotherapeutic agent" against prostate cancer so?Still hesitant to eat broccoli?

Cell Phone Radiation Damage Sperm Sells

Phone ringing sound in your pants pocket can be a danger alarm for sperm cells. According to a study that found cell phone radiation hazards on the quality of sperm.

Some research has shown men sperm count cell phone users have fewer, more slow moving and damaged, compared with men who did not use the phone. But actually the problem is where to store the cell phone.

About two months ago researchers from South Africa found the man who brought his cell phone on your hip or in front pants pocket has a slower sperm in swimming and also less concentrated. Both are very influential on a man's fertility.

Latest study on the effects of radiation conducted by researchers from Turkey to the subject of human sperm cells stained in the cup which was given exposure to mobile phone radiation for an hour. Exposure causes the sperm to be abnormal, so the difficulty reaching the egg.

\ "You should be aware of this research by a man who was still in the reproductive age and used to put a cell phone in his trouser pocket, \" says Joel Moskowitz, Ph.D., director of the University of California, Berkeley's Center for familiy and Community Health.

Another study conducted on mice also gave alarming results. The researchers placed mice in a special cage with a mobile phone is placed 2 inches from the bottom of the cage.

Once adjacent to the cell phone 6 hours every day for 18 weeks, the researchers found the percentage of live sperm decreased 25 percent, from 70 percent previously. Besides sperm cells the mice were also stuck together so it can not fertilize an egg.

Moskowitz said the results of this study have not reached a conclusion because the mechanism of radiation on changes in sperm cells is unknown.

One theory says the phone will heat up when in use so that it will increase the temperature around the male genital organs when stored in a pants pocket.

Another hypothesis states that it is concerned with electromagnetic frequencies emitted by cell phones. Both the cell body or cell phones emit electromagnetic frequency and high frequency radiation will be absorbed by the body to the network thereby increasing the molecular motion in the cell body.

Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

When the body feels tired, we certainly hope straight to bed. Unfortunately, not everyone can just sleep easy. For them, sleeping pills seemed comparable with rest of the night. However, be aware that studies have linked sleep dangers of drug consumption in the long run.

Sleeping pills were not merely making a deep sleep. Dr. Genevieve Belleville research from Canada suggests that those who used sleeping pills drank three or more tablets have an increased risk of death more quickly than people who do not take sleeping pills. Another impact of the use of sleeping pills are the chronic health problems, such as addiction to alcohol or cigarettes, as well as the possible cause of depression.

Side effects of sleeping pills are attracted the attention of researchers because many OTC sleeping pills. In the UK, an estimated 10 million sleeping pills are prescribed every year. Sleeping pills that can be sold freely it usually contain antihistamines are high, as is commonly prescribed by doctors, such as Valium.

The case is considered crucial. Therefore, the researchers did not differentiate between the scale weight sleeping drug users and those who occasionally use them. "These drugs are not candy and can bring them in danger," said Belleville.

Based on research for 12 years and analyzed more than 12,000 data in Canada, Dr. Belleville stated that the death rate and significantly higher for users of sleeping pills and those taking medication to reduce anxiety.

After taking into account levels of alcohol and tobacco on physical health, physical activity, and depression, Dr. Belleville found that sleeping pills are able to increase the 36 percent risk of death. "They are also more susceptible to any kind of disease from parasites to cancer," said Dr. Belleville.

Other findings of the side effects of sleeping pills is also not to be taken lightly. "Sleeping pills and anti-anxiety effect on reaction time and coordination so as to make a person more easily falls and accidents," he said.

For those who have problems with heart, Belleville found that sleeping pills can suppress the respiratory system that will aggravate breathing problems during sleep. "These drugs are also working on the central nervous system that affects the assessment and mood. There is a danger of these drugs increase suicide risk," he said.

He said, cognitive behavioral therapy has shown good results in treating insomnia and anxiety. Therefore, the physician can discuss these therapies with their patients systematically as an option. "Combining pharmacological approaches in the short term psychological treatment is a promising strategy to reduce anxiety and promote sleep," said Dr. Belleville.

Nevertheless, these studies have been criticized. Professor Jim Horne of Loughborough University said the research still needs to be studied further. "It is also questionable reaction to what happens when people do not use sleeping pills," he said.

The study, published in the Journal of Psychiatry, Canada, is sourced from the National Health Survey of Canada. The participants included people aged 18 to 102 years and surveyed every two years between 1994 and 2007.

Benefits of Cold Showers

Hot shower or warm water feels really nice and comfortable. Imagine if you went home after a day of activities, riding public transportation to shoulder with others, with a hot shower feels will make all the dirt and tiredness vanished.

However, not only the comfort obtained after a hot shower, but also a sense of regret. Therefore, the hot water turned out to make dry skin and wrinkles easily. Therefore, the hot water to break down the natural oils found on the skin. On the other hand, although it seems scary to some, a cold shower turned out to provide many benefits. Here are four of them:

1. Better blood circulation
Warmer water will drain blood to the skin, while the cold water drain blood to the organs of the body. Changes between hot and cold this will trigger a better circulation in the blood, by forcing blood to move. You are advised to change the hot and cold water several times, and end bath with cold water to help blood circulation.

We need to ensure good blood circulation as this can prevent a variety of conditions, such as hypertension, hardening of the arteries, and veins protruding legs (varicose veins). Good blood circulation will improve our systems, while making us more attractive appearance.

2. More shiny face
Hot water vapor will tend to open up the pores. With the pores open, the dirt will be easier to clean. However, after washing your face, you should close the pores again open with would throw cold water on her face. Wash face clean with cold water will also prevent clogged pores, dirt and grease, which causes skin problems like acne. In addition, cold water also makes blood vessels constrict, thereby reducing the swelling and the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. The result, skin will look more shiny.

3. Healthier hair
As has been said before, the hot water will open the pores. Imagine if the pores on your scalp open, so the hair would fall out easily. Conversely, cold water will close the cuticle that causes hair to become stronger and prevent the dirt accumulated on the scalp. Stronger hair also will not easily uprooted when you comb it, and naturally slow hair loss. Not only that, the cold water also makes your hair more shiny. Therefore, cold water does not remove the natural oils found on the scalp and hair.

4. Fitter body
Want to start the day with a fresh and fit body? Wash with cold water, because cold water will help to "wake up" the nerves in your body. After a cold shower, you are also more able to cope with the cold air outside the home. This is in contrast with the hot water bath, which will make the body become limp. That is why, a night shower with hot water makes you ready to sleep soundly.

Cold water bath will leave you energized and strengthen the entire essence of your life. You become more alert and energetic.

If you have not used a cold water bath, try this way gradually. For example, by starting to reduce levels of warmth that you use while bathing. Slow down, make them more or less warmth, cold start, and finally cool completely. Start with legs flushed first, slowly flushed the upper body. When you are accustomed, you will conquer the sense of "fear" in cold water. Later, you will not even have time to think about whether the water is cold or not.