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Ways to Lower Cholesterol Levels
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How to lower your cholesterol levels? Probably many of you tried many diets to lower bad cholesterol level. Read about ways that can help you forget about that problem.

First of all, you should remember that you usually deserve your high cholesterol level. It’s the effect of poor diet and unhealthy lifestyle, it’s a call from your body for help. High cholesterol levels can pose risk to your health that is why it is advisable to change the diet. If you want to stay in good condition for a long time try to eat:

- skimmed milk and other dairy products such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk
- poultry and fish
- whole-grain bread
- raw or steamed vegetables and fruit
- olive oil
- rice, oatmeal, groats

Below, there are three recipes chosen among those designed by grandmas and grandpas.

1. HONEY-LEMON-GARLIC

Scald 10 large lemons and leave them in the water for 15 minutes. Then, squeeze lemons and add 1 kg of honey and 10 cloves of garlic, smashed. Put the mixture to the jar and leave for 10 days in some cold place. Drink a teaspoon of this medicine four times a day for several months.

2. HERBS WITH HONEY

Put the glass of fennel seed into the grinder and grind it into powder. Mix it with 2 tablespoons of common valerian, ground, and add 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 liter of boiling water. Leave the mixture for several days and strain after some time. Drink one tablespoon three times a day before meals.

3. GINGER

Add fresh grated ginger to your meals and drinks. Ginger is famous for its property to thin down blood and lower cholesterol levels.

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Sun
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Advantages and disadvantages of the Sun is the article which tries to describe mostly pros of the sun which seem to have been forgotten. Of course, the dark side of the sun should also be remembered.

Is the sun our best friend or the most vicious enemy?
Although media alarm that the sun brings harmful effect on our health one should know that small doses of sun’s rays may be better than any medicine. It’s the overdose which destroys beauty and takes its toll.

Advantages of the sun:

Better mood – exposure to sun’s rays increases the level of endorphins in the organism. They are called hormones of happiness because they improve mood, have positive effect on concentration and increase stress resistance.

Stronger bones – sun’s rays are essential for vitamin D production which is crucial for building bones and teeth.

Faster metabolism – the sun fastens metabolism what has enormous impact on our body weigh. Faster metabolism results in quicker removal of toxins from the organism.

Increased immunity – sun’s rays have an influence on blood circulation, in other words, blood circulates faster and as a result of that more oxygen is transported to body’s cells. That means that organism is less susceptible to various diseases.

Deeper sleep – pineal gland reacts to the sun exposure by producing more melanin, a hormone responsible for biological rhythm and our sleep patterns. As a result, the effects of stress can be reduced.

Increased fertility – under the influence of the sun people of both sexes feel more desire and lust to each other. Their organisms react in the same way, men have stronger sperm whereas women have regular ovulations.

Faster healing – delicate sun’s rays have soothing effect on various skin infections and diseases. The sun enhances healing of wounds.

Of course, one should remember that there are plenty of disadvantages of exposure to the sun. Prolonged sunbathing, especially around noon, causes wrinkles and discoloration marks on the skin. It may worsen our sight and evoke sun burns but the worst side effect of sunbathing is malignant melanoma also known as skin cancer. Even though we wear suntan with pride we should remember that it is an effect of the defensive reaction of skin to the attack of sun’s rays.

Causes of Diabetes
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What causes diabetes 1 and 2? Juvenile and gestational diabetes are influenced by primary and secondary causes that result in the outbreak of this disease. What are the main causes of diabetes?





First of all, one needs to know that diabetes is not a contagious disease so it cannot be passed from person to person. Diabetes is a disease in which glucose levels in the blood become too high due to the defect of pancreas unable to produce enough insulin. Insulin is essential to store and use the sugar from the food consumed. When there's any kind of problem with insulin production or management in the organism glucose is unable to get to the body's cells, it is stored and builds up in the blood. It is insulin which regulates the glucose levels in the organism and makes sure that they don't get too low. If pancreas doesn't function properly and body isn't able to recognize insulin leads to high blood sugar levels.

In type 1 of diabetes pancreas cells are totally destroyed because body attacks its own cells during the autoimmune disease. Researchers believe diabetes 1 may be triggered by:

Type 1 causes

1. Genetic factors - some genes are responsible for passing the disease from generation to generation.

2. Poor diet - inappropriate nutrition which involves taking too low small of protein or fiber and an excess consumption of refined products.

3. Bacterial or viral infection - bacteria from a group called strephylococci are said to be responsible for developing diabetes.

4. Exposure to toxins.

5. Cow's milk with an unidentified element that evokes the autoimmune reaction

In type 2 diabetes insulin is produced excessively because cell receptors fail to be stimulated by insulin, in other words they are insulin resistant. An other cause of diabetes may be an insufficient amount of insulin produced or it is abnormal. It is said to have strong genetic influence which tends to run in families. Type 2 diabetes is caused by:

Type 2 causes

1. Obesity - it's easy to observe that around 90% of people who suffer from diabetes are obese or overweight. Obesity is responsible for almost 95% of diabetes in the United States.

2. Age - increased age is a risk factor which gives more probability of getting diabetes. Even though the disease may attack people at any age, it's more likely to attack people over 50. The risk of getting diabetes rises considerably over 65 years.

3. Lack of physical activity - sedentary lifestyle makes people more likely to be attacked by diabetes than those who practice sports three times a week.

4. Medicines - certain medication e.g. Clozapine (Clozaril), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), ziprasidone (Geodon) and risperidone (Risperdal), are said to cause diabetes.

5. Pregnancy (so called gestational diabetes) - females with multiple pregnancy and those who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome develop diabetes more often than other people. Giving birth to a baby who weighs more than 9 pounds increases the risk of getting diabetes too.

6. Illnesses that destroy pancreas such as high cholesterol level and high blood pressure.

7. High alcohol intake and high-fat diet.

If you have family history of diabetes you should ask your doctor to check whether you have this lethal disease or not. It's essential to follow appropriate diabetes diet, take special medications to manage diabetes and live with it quite normally.

There are also plenty of myths which developed through the years that make people believe that diabetes is caused by eating sweets or any kind of wrong food. Stress also isn't the cause of diabetes, however, it makes the symptoms worse.

This inability of body to regulate blood sugar levels can lead to serious or even fatal complications. The latest research show that a substance called osteocalcin, produced by bone, could be a new treatment for type 2 diabetes as it can both improve insulin sensitivity and enlarge its production. Deficiency of osteocalcin can also be the cause of type 2 diabetes, this substance controls fat too, which may explain the link between obesity and diabetes.

Male Factor Infertility
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Male factor infertility may include the following disorders and conditions described in the article below. Different factors, mild and severe, have enormous influence on both male and female infertility.





WHEN SPERM CAN"T GET TO THE EGG CELL

One of the conditions which disable sperm cells from getting to the egg cell is impotence - inability to perform sexual intercourse due to lack of erection until the moment of ejaculation. Impotence is based on physical or psychological problems and most of men suffer from it episodically during their lifetime. Sometimes, it's impossible for spermatozoon to reach the egg cell due to shallow penetration during the sexual penetration. One fourth of the cases of male infertility are caused by genetic disorders that result in production of impaired spermatozoon. As an effect, their mobility is limited which hinders their getting to the egg cell. Another reason for inability of spermatozoon to get to the egg cell is a total or partial blockage of epididymis and deferent tract. These are the canals which are responsible for the flow of spermatozoon outside during the ejaculation. Such disorders can easily be surgically removed. In some cases, men suffer from backward ejaculation when their sperm gets to the urinary bladder. It may be even caused by certain medications prescribed by a doctor - the change of treatment is crucial for combating that problem. Sometimes the problem may be caused by the surgery of the urinary tract, neurological disorders or diabetes. In such cases backward ejaculation is rarely curable.

OTHER FACTORS

In the past, there were less problems with male infertility than these days. Maybe that's because of the age of people who decide to start families, in the past, people used to do it earlier. Even if a man produced small amounts of spermatozoon or their mobility was limited and his partner was around 20 this was enough for the conception to be effective. These days, women postpone their decision for maternity until the late age. When they reach 30 and their chance for getting pregnant is smaller the problem of male reduced fertility becomes a huge difficulty. Probably, it is the stress which has influence on infertility but no one knows what causes that. It has been proved that some animals reproduce better in nature than in captivity when they are exposed to stressful situations. When couples are trying to conceive for a long time they usually feel under constant pressure. Th best proof for a destructive effect of stress are countless cases of couples who finally have their baby after they had adopted a child and unburdened themselves from concentrating on their goal - getting pregntant.

WHAT TO DO?

You should visit the doctor after a year of vain attempts to conceive. Some specialists advise couples over 30 and those suffering from irregular menstruation cycles or other disorders which can be linked to problems with conception to seek advice before they decide to get pregnant. Sometimes, several simple tests help to exclude certain disorders. One of the first tests performed by doctors is the analysis of sperm to check the amount, mobility and structure of spermatozoon. OB-gyn will ask a woman to have blood cell count several times during their menstruational cycle in order to check the hormone levels as well as monitoring ovulation by the USG test. These tests can help doctors diagnose disorders which demand treatment. The tests should be repeated to check if treatment works or if an improvement is visible.

DIAGNOSIS

The special clinics which specialize in treating infertility the examinations and tests are performed on both partners. These include:
- sperm analysis - to check number, structure or mobility of spermatozoon and inoculation which checks whether sperm isn't infected with bacteria
- several ultrasound tests in order to observe ovaries and uterus during the menstruational cycle
- checking levels of hormones FSH and LH which confirm appropriate ovulation
- if doctors suspect obstruction of uterine tubes they perform HSG test (hysterosalpingogram). This test involves insertion of contrast through the cervix and observing its spreading in the uterus and uterine tubes
- laparoscopy can also be performed, a small cut in the stomach is done and the a camera inserted to the abdomen enables observing the uterus and ovaries
- hysteroscopy enables doctors to see the inside of the uterus and removal of all polyps and adhesions

Pain Assessment
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Pain self-assessment is equally possible as pain assessment in hospital. How to reduce various pains, headaches and migraines? There are several things you can do to reduce the amount of pain you are suffering from. This is a list of things that should be done to help yourself in finding the relief. Follow them and you'll forget about joint, shoulder, knee, low back pains or a simple headache.






1. Don't hide them
Hiding pains for yourself is not a thing that will make you suffer less. Pretending that a problem doesn't exist is not the perfect way to heal it. Instead of that, seek for a good treatment, talk to your friends and relatives, maybe they have solutions that had worked for them before, they will happy to share them with you. Don't talk too much though as they may get tired of you.

2. Relax
Relaxation techniques are underestimated these days while it's enough to find 15 minutes a day for meditation to feel better till the evening. Remember that our organism isn't a machine that can be repaired within several seconds. We deserve all the pains and aches because we don't relax enough, the urge for money overwhelms us.

3. Drink water
Even if you drink too much alcohol to celebrate a victory of your favorite basketball team water can save you from hangover headaches. Drink a glass or two before going to bed and take a painkiller. A better idea is to drink water between each drink or beer you consume, even the smallest amounts of alcohol can cause headaches.

4. Exercise
Exercising is said to be the best way to reduce pains as it weakens persistent pain and force you to spend time outside or at the gym. When muscles, lungs and heart work you feel better afterwards because physical exercising takes worries from you and help you sleep better at night.

5. Seat well
Adjust all your seats and chairs so as they ensured appropriate posture. This means that all body bends created while sitting should form the right angle, this includes knees, hips and elbows. Keep your back as straight as possible, a good posture will make you look good all the time, even at the senile age.

6. Trace the symptoms
If some pain repeats often, observe your body carefully and try to notice what may have caused it. Note down the situation and conditions that proceeded that pain you have and simply avoid them afterwards.

7. Ice it!
If you suffer from muscle pains you can simply put a pack of ice cubes on it, you'll soon find relief.

8. Have some sex
Kissing and sexual intercourse helps to release endorphins - hormones of happiness by your organs. This will make you fight with pains more effectively.

9. Reduce perfume amount
They don't only have the ability to make you feel better but they can also cause headaches. And even though you find it essential to smell like a perfume shop and you love scents surrounding you keep it in mind that your brain may react negatively to them.

10. Swimming
Gentle and mild exercises are said to be the best in terms of relieving pains and forgetting about day-to-day problems and difficulties. So instead of sitting on a coach in front of your tv you'd better get involved in Thai-chi classes or go swimming.

11. Write
Maybe it sounds a little bit weird but what's expressed no longer worries us so much. Write a diary or talk to the best friend of yours, expressing feelings helps to ease pain. Unstress yourself since stress makes pain worse.

12. Don't overeat
If you eat too much you may suffer the next day or during the night, you can try to curb the portions you eat on the following day. Several fruit will do and your stomach will come back to the prior state.

13. Invest in massage
Appropriate massage provided by a skilled massage therapist will help you in removing muscle tightness and relieving from pain. Apart from that, you will relax and lie down for around and hour, the time spent on relaxation is definitely more valuable than time spent on working.

14. Feel the music
Listen to music and relax while lying on a coach. Music can relieve the pain too, it should be smooth jazz, classical music or soul, too much sounds may cause even bigger headache than before. You can also dance if you wish, your heart beat will fasten and oxygen will get to all body cells.

15. Avoid certain foods
Some products contain chemicals which trigger migraines e.g. dark chocolate, diet soda, cheddar sandwich or all fast food meals. So if you don't want to suffer afterwards try to avoid them and replace sodas with fruit juice or mineral water, fast foods with a salad.

16. Stay positive
Being an optimist works better for your organism as the positive attitude to life makes you definitely more immune to certain diseases and helps to overcome pains fast and effectively.

17. Avoid exposure to sun
Sunlight is dangerous to skin, it may cause burns, rashes or other skin problems. Women should forget about sunbathing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. if they want to prevent their skin from aging. Bright sunlight often causes headaches so don't overuse sun exposure, use hats and caps to prevent the head from overheating.

18. Vitamin C
Vitamin C that can be found in fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of arthritis and helps you look better and younger for a long time.