Simple Knee Exercises to Protect our Knees

NFL running backs aren't the only ones who sprint, fall down and hurt their knees. In fact, recent study suggests that women athletes are more prone than men to injuring their ACL, the small ligament that tethers the thighbone to the shinbone. But that doesn't mean we have to take a seat on the bench or strap on preemptive knee braces. Help protect yourself by doing these simple exercises for our hips, glutes, and hamstrings this are the muscles that stabilize our knees:

• Mini Squat = With a stability ball at the small of your back, lean against the wall. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and two feet from the wall. Roll the ball up your backand squat down 60 to 90 degrees. Don't let your knees pass your toes or you'll put too much stress on your knee caps. Do these three sets of 12 to work your hip abductors, glutes, and hamstrings.

• Forward Lunge = Step your right leg forward into a lunge, your knee aligned over your heel. When your left leg grazes the floor. Repeat, leading with your left leg grazes the floor, push back up with your right. Repeat, leading with your left leg. Travel across the floor, keeping your abs tight and standing tall. Do three sets of 7 to 10 to work your hip abductors and glutes.

• Backward Lunge = Step backward with your left leg. Lower yourself by bending your right knee almost touches the floor. Then push yourself back up. Do three sets of 7 to 10.
  

Eat your way to a Healthy Heart

Here are some foods for the heart and simple tips to maximize their use. This amazing foods will help us to have an healthy heart:

Fatty fish = The omega 3's they supply have been shown to lower triglyceride levels.
Try to do this = Put cold-water fish on the menu twice a week. Best choices are white tuna, salmon, sardines, and Spanish mackerel.

Legumes = They lower LDL
Try to do this = Eat hummus with raw vegetables as an afternoon snack. Or work 1/2 cup back beans, kidney beans, or soybeans into your menu daily.

Apples = Research suggests that eating apples or drinking apple juice may slow the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and help prevent plaque buildup.
Try to do this = The perfect snack. Just make sure you eat the skin too get plenty of antioxidants and fiber.

Grapefruit = It's loaded with antioxidants and soluble fiber, which help reduce heart disease.
Try to do this = Have half a grapefruit with breakfast three or for days a week.

Oat Bran = The soluble fiber in oat bran binds with acids in your small intestine to block the re absorption of cholesterol.
Try to do this = for breakfast, mix 1/2 cup old fashioned oatmeal with one cup fat-free milk.

Tea = All varieties of antioxidant rich tea can help lower LDL. Oolong tea, the kind typically served in Chinese restaurants, has been found to increase LDL particle size. That's beneficial because larger particles are less likely to enter blood vessels walls and form plaque.
Try to do this = Aim for two cups a day. No need to take up residence at your favorite Chinese place oolong is available in most grocery stores.

Red Wine = Its phytochemicals can raise HDL cholesterol, or its polyphenols, or antioxidants, protect the lining of the coronary arteries from free radical damage.
Try to do this = Drink a glass or two a day but not more. Grapes are also a good source of polyphenols.

Nuts and Seeds = Almonds, Flax seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are particularly high in plant sterols, which can help reduce bad LDL cholesterol. Walnuts can lower triglycerides.
Try to do this = Grab 1 ounce of nuts about a handful for a simple mid morning or sprinkle some almonds or sliced walnuts on top of fat free yogurt dessert.

Cinnamon an emerging Health food

Cinnamon is a good food that got mixed up with bad food, examples of fatty food results are: cinnamon buns, cinnamon sugars, cinnamon swirl raisin bread. But without the sugar content of this foods cinnamon is actually has a good benefits for our health. Its a amazing, Its a emerging true wonder food in terms of health. Research has linked the copper-colored stuff can reduced blood sugar, cholesterol level, and triglyceride levels in people with type 2 diabetes. And a recent study that adding a little more than a teaspoon to rice pudding even helped tame blood sugar in people without diabetes.

Cinnamon also contains polyphenols, antioxidants that create healthier arteries and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The spice's energizing scent has also been found to help increase alertness. Cinnamon is easy to add to food that we eat and makes it taste more even better. Both ground and stick forms are equally healthy, but sticks cinnamon have a longer shelf life at least one year longer compared with six months for ground cinnamon. No need to grind your own, pre ground store bought is a good as fresh ground and saves the hassle. Aim for 1/2 teaspoons or 1 to 2 sticks of cinnamon a day.

Here are samples on how to ad cinnamon in to your food:

• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon straight into your coffee, latte, or cappuccino

• Add 1/2 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoon to hot oatmeal or cold cereal, or a table spoon to pancake batter.

• Shake three dashes into your favorite fruit smoothie.

• Mix 1/2 teaspoon into 2 tablespoons peanut butter and spread onto celery sticks.

• Coat 2 cups of raw nuts with a mix of 1/4 cup of honey and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and roast at 350F for 15 minutes.

• Microwave 1 cup soy milk and 1 teaspoon honey for 1:30, then add 1/2 teaspoon. Or simmer a stick and honey in soy milk for 5 minutes on stove.

• Add 2 teaspoon to store-bought rub for grilled chicken or pork.

• Stir 1/2 teaspoon into plain yogurt.

• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon over sweet potatoes or carrots.

• Toss a teaspoon over broiled grapefruit or bananas.

Facts About ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral health condition facing many families. One out of every 20 children is affected by it. Many children who have ADHD have above average intelligence levels. However symptoms of ADHD can make their schoolwork, family and friendships very difficult. Symptoms often appear by the age of 7 but can be difficult to recognize because there are three types of ADHD.

Children with=
Hyperactive ADHD, display noisy behavior
Inattentive ADHD, display quite behavior
and
Combination ADHD, display both noisy and quite behavior

All three types of ADHD can be managed if diagnosed and treated early.

Here are some facts about ADHD

• Untreated children who have ADHD often develop more serious adult problems such as depression, substance abuse and work and relationship conflicts.

• Up to five percent of school age children may have ADHD

• Childern who ahve ADHD can be sucessfully treated if they diagnosed early.

• Three times as many boys as girls are identified as having ADHD in their childhood years. However, girls are identified more in their late teens and young adult years.

• Punishment is not the answer for controlling ADHD behaviors.

• Children who have ADHD may have other problems, such as poor conduct, anxiety, deprssion and learning problems.

• ADHD can cause poor study habits, testing skills and school performance.

• Often, children who have ADHD may have above average intelligence, which make diagnosis of ADHD more difficult.

ADHD is a complicated disorder. It usually takes more than one expert to make the diagnosis. Your child's pediatrician or primary care doctor plays a key role. Other specialist often assists the doctor becasue many factors must be considered.

It's important to remember that a child with ADHD is no less intelligent than his peers. The disorder makes him disorganized but doesn't affect his ability to learn. Patience is important for the parents of a child with ADHD because his behavior can often be disruptive for the family. A regular daily schedule can help, as well as hugs and kind words for positive behavior.

Moringa ( Malunggay ) is is not your ordinary green leafy vegetables.

Moringa or Malungggay is not your ordinary green leafy vegetables. According to Dr. Lydia M. Marero of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Philippines:
Called “Malunggay” in the Philippines, “Sajina” in the Indian Subcontinent, and “Moringa” in English, is a popular tree. Malunggay, known scientifically as Moringa oleifera Lamk, is one of the world's most useful plants. It is used as food, effective flocculant or water treatment, antibiotic, source of oil, and coagulant for turbid waters.
It is also called mother's best friend, and miracle vegetable by many who know malunggay's beneficial uses. It is cultivated in all countries of the tropics. It is easy to plant and is available year-round.

Malunggay's (Moringa) image was even used as the official logo of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology here in the Philippines

One hundred grams or 1 cup of cooked malunggay leaves contain:

• 3.1 g. protein
  
• 0.6 g. fiber
  
• 96 mg calcium
  
• 29 mg phosphorus
  
• 1.7 mg iron
  
• 2,820 mg ß-carotene
  
• 0.07 mg thiamine
  
• 0.14 mg riboflavin
• 1.1 mg niacin
  
• 53 mg ascorbic acid or vitamin C.
  

The antioxidant activity of malunggay is about 71%, with µ-tocopherol (vitamin E) equivalent of 45.

Malunggay leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A and B, and minerals such as calcium and iron. It is even an excellent source of protein, being higher than the amino acid pattern of Food and Agriculture Organization-reference protein, yet contains very low fat and carbohydrates. The leaves are incomparable as a source of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cystine, often the natural minerals humans lack.

Due to its high vitamins A, C, and E, which are very potent antioxidants, malunggay is a very good quencher of unstable free radicals that can react with and damage molecules that cause aging. Antioxidants reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. They also prevent the onset of various chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer, and heart and kidney diseases.

Malunggay contains the phytochemical niaziminin, which is found to have molecular components that can prevent the development of cancer cells (Faizi et al., 1992) and correlated with inhibitory ability against superoxide generation. The first naturally-occuring thiocarbamates, novel hypotensive agents niazinin A, niazinin B, niazimicin and niaziminin A and B were isolated from malunggay.

Malunggay(Moringa) is called miracle vegetable because it is not just a food, it is also a medicine. It may therefore be a functional food. Malunggay promotes:

• good eyesight
  
• digestion
  
• facilitates bowel movement
  
• cure for stomach ache.

It is also used to cleanse wounds and ulcers. It helps alleviate scurvy, asthma, earache, and headaches. For its high calcium content, lactating mothers are advised to eat malunggay leaves to produce more milk.

Malunggay (Moringa) is usually cooked with chicken as tinola, or with fish and other vegetables, mongo soup dishes, and blanched as salads.

For daily herbal medicinal use, just prepare malunggay tea which is about 1 cup leaves boiled in 1 and 1/2 glass of water. Drink this daily. You can improve the taste by adding lemon grass (tanglad) or pandan leaves. A single preparation can be stored up to 2 days in a thermos bottle, however, a fresh preparation is always recommended.

Search Amazon.com Health/PersonalCare for moringa products

How to maintain your Ideal Weight

For those of you who want to maintain the balance of the body and also lose weight, here are some tips to follow:

• To reduce body fat 10 pounds in a year, you must reduce the Feed 100 calories per day.

• Do not ever forget to eat breakfast. Eat at least two hours after you wake up the morning. In fact, you should eat more at breakfast. Exchange of part or divert your calorie quota for dinner with Feed accumulate more calories at breakfast or lunch.

• Do not leave yourself feel hungry. Eat at least every four hours. So that the quota for a day full of calories still awake, try to divide the portion of food. Ration for the food to make sure you really get fuel before and after doing activity. For example, eat some breakfast before your quota walk in the morning and then spent the rest nautical

• Eat at least three of the four types / categories on the food every time you eat. Four types of food are: 1. Bread, cereals, wheat, 2. fruit and vegetables, 3. low-fat milk and soy, 4. low-fat meat, fish and nuts. Carbohydrates such as bread, cereals and grain is the foundation of each of your food, while the protein as enhancements.

• Define the target decrease body fat regularly. That way, you will be more likely to achieve ideal weight if your body weight down too quickly.

• Calories in liquid form and can improve with the addition of weight quickly. Reduce habits drinking high calorie drinks such as soda , sports drinks, coffee or alcohol.

• Start to eat natural food like fruits, vegetables, whole wheat (whole grain). Less processed food habits are usually lower because the amount of fiber and does not satiate.

• If you can not refuse food specially (fast food), ask for nutrition information on the contents before you make a selection or check through the information on website restaurant. Avoid the menus with the word "fried", "crispy" or special sauce that will be guaranteed a high-calorie.

• Remember. Calories in sports drinks, energy bars or gel that is consumed during exercise will increase the calorie.
  
  
  

Francis Magalona. died at 44 becasue of Leukemia

Many Filipinos are surprise on the untimely death of The Master Rapper Francis Magalona, 44, passed away Friday. I was watching Eat Bulaga last Friday March 6, 2009 when Vic Sotto confirmed the news and asked for a minute of prayer for the eternal repose of the singer-composer's soul. He passed away at 12 noon

Francis M. was diagnosed with Leukemia (Cancer in the Blood)Magalona had been undergoing several chemotherapy sessions since he was diagnosed with leukemia in August last year but was too weak to fight the infection,

A doctor at the hospital who requested anonymity told reporters that Magalona succumbed to multiple organ failure "secondary to severe sepsis and secondary to pneumonia."

Magalona is survived by his wife Pia Maria Arroyo-Magalona and his eight children, including celebrity Maxine Magalona.

Magalona's battle with the illness was made public last year.

The 44-year-old singer-composer told the Philippine Entertainment Portal in December 2008 that he survived a delicate medical condition days before he was dispatched from a hospital.

"Akala ko kasi magki-Christmas ako sa ospital, e, [I thought I would spend Christmas in the hospital] because I had a very, very, very close brush with death last December 4. I went into septic shock and it was a very scary moment," he said in an earlier interview.

It was announced last year that Magalona was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant.

"My doctor said I'm in remission right now after my third chemo cycle. So, my next move would be to do the bone marrow transplant and I'm very happy to announce that I was able to find a match. One of my sisters from the States we have the same tissue typing so she would be my donor," he added.

Family, friends pour in

In a GMA "Flash Report" Friday, reporter Sandra Aguinaldo said among the first personalities to rush to the Medical City Hospital in Mandaluyong City to condole with the family of Magalona were long-time friends Michael V, singer Ogie Alcasid, and Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista.

Also rushing to the hospital was veteran actress Rosa Rosal, who chairs the Philippine National Red Cross Blood Donation program.

Magalona – a father of eight – was bald but smiling in the last three photos in his last Web log (blog) entry.

The "Mga Kababayan Ko" singer was then very optimistic he would win his bout with cancer.

“Good evening people. I am getting prepared for my 4th Chemotherapy cycle, and I will be admitted tonight at The Medical City. I will be doing some tests tomorrow, wish me luck," Magalona wrote in his blog on Jan. 14.

The “Master Rapper" was wearing his signature “3 stars and a Sun" T-shirt in the picture.

Magalona started his career as a break dancer in the early 1980s before appearing in several movies, including a lead role in Viva Films “Bagets 2.” He then worked as a disc jockey for the defunct radio station DMZ he was called The Mouth in the late 80s and then ventured into TV hosting, as a regular of the noontime show “Eat…Bulaga!” and a VJ for MTV Asia. He was also a judge in “Philippine Idol” the original local franchise of the international Fremantle reality singing talent search.

At the same time, he took the musical route as the well-known rapper-songwriter, with his ground breaking hit “Mga Kababayan Ko” in his debut 1990 album “’Yo” that also spawned the hit ballad “Cold Summer Nights.” Several albums followed, “Rap is FrancisM,” “Meron Akong Ano?,” and “Freeman” that further proved his mastery of the genre.

here is a music video of one of my favorite Francis Magalona Songs



Leukemias Risk factor and Prevention

Incidence, Mortality and Survival
Leukemias rank 7th overall (3.9%), 6th in males (4.3%) and 8th among females (3.6%). In 2005, there will be an estimated 4,202 new cases, 2,243 in males and 1,959 in females. There will be 3,498 deaths, 1,863 in men and 1,635 among women. In the Philippines, median survival is 29 months, 5-year survival rate is 25%, and 10-year survival is 8.33%.

Risk Factors and Prevention
Exposure to high doses of radiation and continuous and prolonged exposure to certain chemicals have been blamed for increasing the risk of leukemia.

Warning Signals
Easy fatigability, pallor, weight loss, easy bruising, frequent nosebleed, or repeated infections, especially among children. Symptoms of acute leukemia appear suddenly. Chronic leukemia may progress slowly with few symptoms.

Early detection
There is no practical screening method for leukemia. Early detection of symptomatic patients, particularly children, should be aimed for. Peripheral blood smears and bone marrow examination confirm the diagnosis in suspicious cases.

Treatment
Some forms of leukemia, particularly acute lymphocytic leukemia in children, are highly curable by chemotherapy. The public sector ought to allocate more resources for the management of curable leukemias in indigent children.

Sources: 2005 Philippine Cancer Facts and Estimates, Philippine Cancer Society http://www.gmanews.tv/

Protect your Eyes to Save your Sight

The human eye is very important and essential to our life.We can not imagine our lives without an eye sight. We have to take care of our eyes very well. They are very sensitive organs. Taking care means avoiding anything that causes any harm to our eyes. Tears clear and clean the eyes naturally. Time affects our eyes. The flexible, crystalline lens of the eye, which changes shape to allow you to focus on nearby or distant objects, become less elastic and accommodating as we get older.

Here are some steps to protect our eyes and save our sight:

• Eat vegetables and fruits= Up your antioxidant intake by eating dark green, leafy vegetables, which contain pigments important to the eye called lutein and zeaxanthin; carrots, which are a good source of the Vitamin A precursor beta carotene, and fresh fruits, which supply vitamin C. Take a daily multivitamin for insurance.
  

• Not too long to work in front of a computer screen= Too much exposure to the monitor can affect our eyes and cause eye strain.

• Avoid smoking or stop smoking= It raises your risk of cataracts and age related macular degeneration (AMD), not to mention cancer and other health problems.

• When going outside always wear broad-brimmed hats and sunglasses that provide UV protection= Unless your eye doctor recommend otherwise, choose sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. UVB light is thought to cause cataracts and some evidence suggest blue light from the sun precipitates age related macular degeneration (AMD), too. Lenses with red, orange or amber tint may protect aginst blue light. Using the right glasses. Sunglasses for outdoor activities, swimming glasses for swimming activities, use some eye protection on whatever things you do that require some protection for the eyes.

• Report any vision changes or eye problems to your doctor and have a regular, comprehensive exams=Check the eyes regularly. disease such as Glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes can be known early, and can be overcome soon. We should have our eyes examined every two to four years between ages 40 to 64 and every one to two years starting at age of 65. Once you reach 65, an ophthalmologist should perform the exam.
  

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Don't overused your hand and wrists

Are you always online? always in front of your computer, spending a lot of time chatting with friends, writing blogs,etc. All of this requires the use of our precious hand specially our wrist, maybe sometimes we experience the sudden tingling or numbness of our hands and wrists, others experience it like a sharp pain seems to shoot from the wrists to the arms, specially when the wrists are moved. The problem is if we overused our hands, chances are we may get a condition call CTS or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, if you experience this kind of signs and symptoms, you may need to visit a specialist.

To test if you have this kind of condition (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome)
do this test:

Tinel Test - Involves tapping or pressing on the median nerve of the patients wrists. Where a tingling feeling in the fingers or an electric shock like sensation is felt. The test means its positive.



Phalen Test - also known as the wrist-flexing test. This test involves hold his/her forearms uptight by pointing the fingers down then pressing the backs of the hands together. CTS is suspected if symptoms such as pain, tingling or numbness is felt in the fingers within one minute.



Here are the common Carpal Tunnel Syndrome symptoms:

• Weakness of grip leading to a tendency to drop things.
• Tingling sensation and numbness of fingers specially the thumb.
• Hand pain specially at night.

Unlike other conditions preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is better and less costly option than cure. Here are some simple ways to prevent CTS.

• Massage your hands and wrists every now and then while doing things that require the use of hands and wrists.
• Position the computer monitor directly in front of your seat to avoid twisting of your body.
• Ensure that the keyboard is as the same height as the elbows.
• The body should be align properly with the keyboard. You can do this by bending your elbow to a 90 degree angle.
• Observe proper posture while sitting.
• Wear splints to keep the wrists straight. This is because flexing the hand can significantly decrease the space inside the carpal tunnel.
• Observe the proper wrists position while working. Studies have shown that the improper use of the mouse is more of a cause than typing in the keyboard.
• Perform stretching and strengthening exercise.
• The most effective way is to rest between prolonged use of hands and wrists. Computer program which reminds computer users to rest and stretch their limbs are being use in US to help.