Why Flat Feet Treatment is Important?

Flat feet is a medical condition when the arch of the foot collapses and the entire sole of the foot touches the ground. It is also called fallen arch or pronated foot. It is a fairly common foot problem about 20-30% of the population never develops a full arch on one foot or on both feet.

It can be hereditary or it can develop at a later age.  Some flatfooted people have flexible flatfoot when an arch appears when the toes are rolled back or the person is standing on his or her heel. People with arthritis and diabetes can develop fallen arch too. Obesity and foot or ankle injury are risk factors too.

An early sign of flat feet is when the shoes wear unevenly. Flat feet can be painful. A flatfooted person can develop pain in the ankle (inner side with some swelling), the arch of the foot, the foot in general, the calf, the knee, the hip and the back.

There are various ways to decrease the pain. For a swollen ankle an anti-inflammatory drug and an ice pack can be temporary relief. People with flat feet often wear over-the-counter or custom-fitted arch supports. Sometime wearing extra wide shoes helps too. Wearing a night splint will also reduce the pain especially for those who also have plantar fasciitis (pain and inflammation in the ligaments in the soles of feet). There are excises for flatfooted people which could strengthen the arches.  You can find plenty of videos on YouTube.

If you don't take care of your foot problem you can make it worse and end up with Achilles tendonitis, arthritis in the foot (feet), arthritis in the ankle(s), plantar fasciitis.

What is Testosterone? – How Can I Increase it Naturally

I often hear on the radio commercials about drugs improving the testosterone level. I decided that I really want to find out what is testosterone, why do I need it and how can I increase it naturally. After age 40 the testosterone level gradually decreases so being close to 50 I really can benefit from boosting my testosterone level.

Testosterone is a male hormone but in a smaller amount it also can be found in women. Testosterone affects sexual features and development and it's also affects the brain, bone and muscle mass, fat distribution, the vascular system, energy levels, genital tissues and sexual functioning.

Most of the testosterone is made by the testicles in males and by the ovaries in females and in small amount by the adrenal glands. The pituitary gland controls the level of testosterone in the body. This hormone tells the body to make more testosterone if needed.

You can increase your testosterone level naturally by watching your diet. Limit your carbohydrate intake. A diet high in simple sugars and starches can create your blood levels of cortisol and insulin to spike. These two hormones harm your body's production of testosterone. Eat more fruits and vegetable. Avoid consuming too many saturated fats and completely avoid trans fats. You can find good fats in fish such as salmon, flaxseed oil, nuts, and avocado.  Foods high in fiber are also good such as oatmeal. Don't eat too much estrogen which is often found in poultry.

Every time you ejaculate, you lose nutrients such as vitamins B6, B12 and E, calcium, magnesium, selenium and zinc. You also want to replenish these vitamins and minerals. Taking vitamin C is also important.

Exercise is also important. Whit exercise you can also control your weight. Excess weight will elevate you estrogen level.

Testosterone gets released in your body when you sleep. You need plenty of sleep preferable between seven to nine hours.

If you are not sure about your testosterone level visit your family doctor, a simple blood test will do it. 

How Much Water Should I Drink?

Water is essential to stay alive, there is no doubt about that. About 60 to 70 % of our body is water. Blood is mostly water and your muscles, lungs, brain and other organs need water to be able to function properly. Water helps to regulate your body temperature and water makes is possible to provide nutrients to your organs and tissues. Water also transports oxygen and removes waste. It also protects you joints and organs.

We lose water thru urination, respiration and by sweating. We lose more water when we are active. Alcohol and certain medication will also increase the amount of water your body loses.

If we lose water from our body and we don't replenish it we can get dehydrated.  The symptom of dehydration is muscle and joint pain, lower back pain, headache and constipation. If your urine have a darker color and a strong odor, that's a sign that you are not drinking enough water.

If you are healthy you know when you have to drink water. Although some doctors say that you have to drink 6-8 glasses of water, there is no sense to "force" yourself to drink a lot of water. Many times water bottling companies want you to buy their product. Their claim that water cures or prevents illnesses and help you to lose weight are not well founded and often simply marketing gimmicks.

You don't always have to drink water to replace the water you lost from your body. At least 20 % of the water comes from the foods you eat. With soft drinks the problem is too much sugar and extra calories. Juices are good source with the added vitamins and sport drinks help keep your electrolytes in balance. Caffeinated beverages count too but too much caffeine is not necessarily good for you.

You Don't Have to Be Optimistic All the Time

In our society everything seems to make us believe that we have to be optimistic and happy all the time. Pessimistic people often pictured as losers. They expect from us to smile no matter what and to say that everything will be just fine. They make us believe that we are either born optimistic or pessimistic.

The one-size-fits-all optimism doesn't really work and can be harmful sometimes. Optimism and pessimism are feelings about the future. Both optimism and pessimism act like energizers in certain situations. If we were only realistic about our future we wouldn't even try to do things saying "it's just impossible".

Optimism and pessimism can also be a mind-set to adopt certain situations. In some situations it's better to be optimistic in others better to be pessimistic. Optimism can help us not to give up and cope with difficulties. Pessimism can help us to prepare ourselves if we won't succeed. Pessimism can help to better protect ourselves. This is also called defensive pessimism.

Of course in many situations it's much better to be optimistic. Some examples are when you are looking for a job, start to date, want to lose weight or start a business. Optimism can work against you when you gamble, when you are an investor, when you think that you can always get what you want.

Pessimism can be of course a negative feeling too. When you think that you will never get a job, never find a boy or girlfriend or never will be able to lose weight. Pessimism is bad when it makes you sort of give up.

Pessimism is good when it protects you, when it prepares you to the "what if" situation. Whit a pessimistic mind-set you will able to handle stress better. Pessimism is good when you don't over-expand because you are not 100% sure about your job and/or income or as an investor you diversify. Pessimism is also somewhat good when you or someone close to you have an illness. It helps you to prepare yourself to the worse scenario.

Why Did I Join the Gym?

I have been regularly exercising a few years now. I bought a couple of equipment years ago and I set up an area for exercise in the basement. I enjoyed it for some time especially when I saw the benefits of it. It was convenient because all I had to do is to go down in the basement and everything was right there. I think the reason I started to exercise is to boost my energy. Later on I realized that an hour or so "pain" translates into measurable benefits. My cardiologist and family doctor noticed the changes and my blood test results came out better too.

I have been trying to exercise twice a week. Trying means that most of the time I only do it once a week. Usually they recommend exercising almost every day but from my experience I can tell that even one day makes a big difference.

Over the years exercising in my basement became boring. The same equipment all the time, by myself. It wasn't really as pleasurable as it used to be. Sometimes I even stopped doing it for weeks.

Then My boys wanted to lift weights and they didn't want to settle with some cheap weight bench, they wanted to join the gym. Then we realized that the whole family should join so we did the beginning of this year.

It's amazing how much equipment they have to work for any muscle. Usually I go late Sunday morning when it's not that busy anymore but there are still some good looking young women and that definitely helps to go thru my exercise routine.

Usually I start my exercise walking around an indoor track a couple of times then I spend about 30 minutes on an elliptical keeping my heart rate in the upper cardiovascular range.Then I spend about 20 minutes on the weight lifting machines. I use about 20 different machines every time I go. I couldn't afford all that having at home. And the young ladies, I can tell you that really helps. My boys of course go 3-4 times a week and I know it's a very good place for young men like them.

Going thru the exercise routine is somewhat a pain but well worth it. And when I'm done it feels good to say, yes, I did it again.

What are Stem Cells – How Can We Benefit from Them?

I have to admit I didn’t know much about this subject until recently when I came across an article and I had problem understanding it. Biology has never been my favorite subject.

As I was reading more about stem cells I realized that this is something could be important in my lifetime too.  Cell-based therapies can prevent and cure many presently incurable illnesses hopefully in my lifetime. There won’t be any need for transplantable tissues and organs.

Stem cells are very unique cells. They have the potential to develop into many different cell types during early life and growth and later on they can repair damaged cells. When a stem cell divides it can remain stem cell or become a more specialized cell such as muscle cell, red blood, or brain cell.

There are basically two types of stem cells, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are developed from embryos from eggs that have been fertilized in vitro, they don’t come from eggs fertilized in a woman’s body. Embryonic stem cells are grown in laboratory. A large number of cells can be grown this way and stay healthy for a relatively long period of time. These stem cells can divide in to any type of specialized cells. Adult stem cells are also undifferentiated cells found among regular cells. Their primary function is to maintain and repair the tissue in which they are found. Adult stem cells can be found in many organs and tissues such as the brain, bone marrow, blood vessel, muscle, heart, teeth, liver and more. There are only a small number of stem cells in each tissue. It’s difficult to grow a large number of adult stem cells. 

Stem cells offer the possibility of a renewable source of replacement cells and tissues. With stem cells there is a possibility to cure Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and many more.

Why Do We Need a Good Sleep – Every Night?

Sleep Stages

When people need extra time to keep up with the demands of everyday life the only answer seems to be cutting back on sleep. When you understand sleep you’ll find out that this answer could be very damaging to your health. You need a healthy sleep-wake cycle.

How much sleep do we need and how many hours we actually sleep? A lot of people sleep only about 6 hours a night. An adult needs about 7.5-9 hours to completely restore physical and mental energy.

There are two types of sleep, REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep has 4 different stages going from transition sleep to deep sleep. Non-REM sleep restores your physical energy, REM sleep restores your mental energy. During the night your sleep goes back and forth between REM and non-REM sleep. One cycle last about 90 minutes. If you don’t get enough sleep you have to pay the price with REM sleep since the body wants to restore physical energy first.

What happens if we don’t get enough sleep? We don’t have enough energy throughout the day and we probably forget how it does feel to feel good. But there are other more serious effects too:

• Fatigue, lack of motivation
• Moodiness
• Inability to cope with stress
• Concentration, memory problems
• Weight gain
• Increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems

With sleeping in on the weekends unfortunately you can’t solve your sleeping problem. You need at least eight hours quality sleep every night.

Cancer-Fighting Benefits of Broccoli and Other Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage belongs to this group of vegetables. They are not only healthy because they contain vitamins, minerals and fiber but they also contain phytochemicals such as sulforaphane. Sulforaphane helps the body to activate detoxification enzymes and to prevent cell damage.

Cruciferous vegetables also help to protect against cancer by reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is caused by harmful molecules called oxygen-free radicals.

These vegetables can reduce the risk of colon, lung, prostate, breast and other cancers.

An important thing you should know is that the way you prepare these vegetables matters. An enzyme called myrosinase has to be present to form the anti-inflammatory component sulforaphane. Many people destroy myrosinase by overcooking these vegetables. Steaming it for two to four minutes is the best way to protect the enzyme and the vegetable’s nutrients. Brussels sprouts contain a large amount of this essential enzyme.

The compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables is one the strongest anti-cancer fighters.

You Need to Escape from Multitasking to Relax Your Brain

It’s hard to imagine our lives without computers, cell phones, television, computer games. The use of technology is part of our daily life. We constantly check our emails surf the web, check the news, and watch our favorite shows or movies often in the same time. It’s only possible if we teach our brain how to multitask.

There are benefits of multitasking. We are more productive. Multitasking also gives a chance to escape from the present while doing something else. Sometimes multitasking can be dangerous for example driving and using your cell phone in the same time. On the other hand multitasking doesn’t teach us to focus. When you multitask you try to pay attention several things in the same time. But is it good if you really have to focus only on one thing?

With new technologies we are addicted to multitasking. We think that without those gadgets our life would be very boring. There was a time when none of these gadgets existed and people were not bored at all and they could accomplish great things in history.

We need to escape sometimes from multitasking and just do one thing to relax our eyes and brain. Even if it lasts only 10-15 minutes a day it could make a big difference. Take a walk, listen to soft music without doing anything else, read a book or just sit back in a quiet room closing your eyes for a few minutes.

How Stress Can Affect Your Health and Weight

Stress has become a too familiar part of our daily life. Stress is real and a serious threat to your overall health as well as your efforts to lose weight.

Your body is constantly trying to maintain a state of internal stability, called homeostasis. You sweat to cool yourself on a hot day and shiver to stay warm when it's very cold. When your body feels stressed, it struggles to compensate for the real perceived threat that's created the stress.

This response can trigger a complex series of biochemical changes that struggle to bring you back to your pre-stressed state. For example, when you're stressed your body releases various hormones and chemicals including adrenaline, cortisol, and others that shift your body into a flight-or-fight response. These hormones increase your metabolism, your heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

If these bodily changes are channeled into a physical activity the stress can be resolved. If, however, the stress is chronic and unresolved part of your life, like a difficult boss or an unhappy relationship, the effects on your body are ongoing and dangerous.

Long-term unresolved stress of the kind that many of us endure daily makes us vulnerable to hypertension, coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and other disorders. Unresolved stress also has been linked to developing insulin resistance as well as developing the "belly fat" associated with inflammation. Too much cortisol may also contribute to leptin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that is recognized as a "turn off signal" to hunger. Elevated cortisol in conjunction with adrenaline can also encourage your body to hold on to fat especially around the abdomen.

So how do you deal with stress? If you teach yourself to adopt some simple stress-reducing strategies, you really can reduce the physical effects of stress. You need to become stress resistant.

Regular exercise can help you to dissipate unfavorable chemical responses created by stress. Stress reducing techniques practiced daily can be pleasurable in your daily routine.

Proper diet can reduce the inflammation and internal stress of your body.

Foods That Slow Aging and Keep You Healthy

Aging is something you have to accept. There is nothing wrong to be over 40 in fact you could have the best time of your life if you keep your body healthy. Certain foods can make you look and feel young and help you to stay healthy. Of course you need some regular exercise too. Here is a list of foods that you should include in your diet every day.

• Certain vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips and Brussels sprouts help the body in fighting toxins and cancer. They contain antioxidants and sulfur, which provide energy and keep your skin healthy. Eat them raw or lightly cooked.
• Nuts are high in calories but you don’t have to eat a whole lot to benefit from them. Nuts are rich in protein, fiber and important minerals such as potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. They are good for your digestive and immune system and helpful in fight against cancer. Their high Omega-3 fatty acid content keeps your brain and body healthy. They are also good for a healthy skin. There are plenty of nuts to choose from such as almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios, Brazil nuts and more.
• Whole Grains such as whole wheat, oats, brown rice, faro, barley and wheat berries are rich in fiber which keeps your digestive system healthy. They also make you feel full a good way to control your appetite. Including whole grains in your diet is a smart way to combat all types of illnesses, such heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke.
• The Omega-3 fatty acid from certain fish improves mood and mental capacities. These oils have antioxidants which can attack cells that cause the body to decay. Omega-3s can also fight inflammation in the body. Inflammation can cause many different health complications. Fish oil is also good for the skin preventing dryness and eczema. Salmon and tuna are the most popular with elevated level of Omega-3.
• Avocado is full of monounsaturated fat, which can reduce the bad cholesterol level in the body. It also has a lot of potassium, which fights fluid retention and high blood pressure and the risk of stroke. Avocado also has a high level of vitamin E, which prevents skin aging. Avocado is rich in folate, which can decrease the risk of heart attacks. Avocado with its antioxidants can help your body protect itself from free radicals.
• All black and blue berries, such as blackberries, black currants and black grapes contain antioxidants which protect the body against damage caused by free radicals and aging. Dark berries are also helpful in maintaining good balance, coordination and short term memory. In the pigment of these berries there are phytochemicals which are called flavonoids. Flavonoids have antioxidant, anti-allergic, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities. Red wine contains high levels of flavonoids.

Is Fat Good or Bad?

When we think about weight loss and fats we are sort of confused. We hear many  times that in order to lose weight we have to cut fat completely out of our diet  or limit it to just a small amount. If we follow this we are going exclude healthy fats from our diet too.

We heard about bad fats, trans fats that we shouldn't eat in order to lose weight and stay healthy. Most of us don't have enough information about healthy fats, the good fats we should eat which are essential to our health. A lot of people believe that all fats are bad.

Yes, we need to eat fats to stay healthy. And we also need fats to lose weight which sounds contradictory. Here are some good reasons why we need fats:

• It's hard to believe but fat can help you to lose weigh. Fat is filling, fat will prevent you from overeating and will help you to feel satisfied.
• Essential fats will help you to reduce the risks of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, fatigue and allergies due to their anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties.
• Omega-3 fats help you to reduce the chances of developing depression. Depression is a frequent trigger of overeating. Omega-3 fats have mood enhancing qualities.
• Believe it or not the brain is made up of 60% fat! Fat forms an essential part of your cell structure. Without them your cells will be unable to replenish and you will not be able to function at your peak capacity.
• Fats can influence your blood sugar balance. Balancing your blood sugar level will reduce your cravings and will also prevent mood swings.

As you can see, as long as you are eating the right fats you can still lose weight. You just need to know which fats are which. Some of the best sources to receive healthy fats are flex seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil and wild salmon.

What are Fat Soluble Vitamins and Why do We Need Them?

Fat soluble vitamins, vitamins A, D, E and K dissolve in fat and absorbed from the small intestines. Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissues. These vitamins stored for a long period of time unlike water soluble vitamins such vitamins B-complex and C.

Taking too much fat soluble vitamins can pose a risk for toxicity. With a well-balanced diet you don’t need these vitamin supplements. Your body only needs a small amount of these vitamins.

Vitamin A

·         Helps to form skin and mucus membranes and keep them healthy, increase the resistance to infections, essential for night vision, promotes bones and tooth development and it may protect against cancer;

·         Good sources are dairy products, fish, liver and fruit and vegetables such as apricot, carrots, pumpkin, dark green leafy vegetables ;

Vitamin D

• Promotes hardening of bones and teeth, increases the absorption of calcium;
• Primary sources are milk and other dairy products, fish such as herring, salmon and sardines, cod liver oil; We also obtain vitamin D through our skin from sunlight;

Vitamin E

• Protects vitamins A and C and fatty acids, prevents damage to cell membranes, antioxidant;
• Good sources are vegetable oil, margarine, butter, green and leafy vegetables, wheat germ, whole grain products, nuts, egg yolk, liver;

Vitamin K

• Helps blood to clot;
• Good sources are dark green leafy vegetables, liver and also made by bacteria in the intestine;

Eating well-balanced diet will not lead to toxicity.

Things Not to Do When Trying to Lose Weight

Starting a diet is not an easy decision. There are so many diets to choose from. Here is a list of things you shouldn't if you want to succeed in losing weight.

Don't choose the toughest diet you can find. Many people suddenly decide that they want to lose weight fast. They choose a very strict diet and they fail. Don't rush into a diet that may be too strict for you.

Don't lose touch with reality. Don't expect that those things will happen overnight. When you set your weight goal, start small and plan for long-term. Don't try to lose weight too fast, be realistic.

Don't go to the gym too often. It's a common mistake lot of people make. They start to go to the gym every day. This won't help you at all. Your body needs time to get used to the workout. Besides, a week of non-stop training could never offset ten or more years of couch potato lifestyle.

Don't get hard on calories. Cutting down on calories is part of all diets, but you have to be careful about it. If you cut down too many calories soon your body will start storing anything it possible can. This won't result in weight loss.

Don't skip meals. Some people think that skipping meals is a good way to lose weight. Dieting is about eating the right food and not starving yourself.

Don't check the bathroom scale everyday. Most of us want to see immediate results, but you shouldn't let this drive you to checking your weight everyday. The daily fluctuation of weight can be depressing and you will quit dieting.

Don't let emotions drive you. I you know you are used to reach out for ice-cream, snacks out of boredom, frustration or anger then you should deal with these issues. Your emotions shouldn't come between you and your diet.

Don't refuse to ask for help. If you need advice or help, don't hesitate to ask someone with more experience. Don't try to solve all problems by yourself. Join a weight loss forum where you can share your weight loss progress.

Don't deny yourself your favorite foods. Treats are great, they can help your willpower and determination. Eat what you really enjoy every once in a while. They will make no difference in the long run if they are not frequent

My Doctor Told Me That I Have Pre Type 2 Diabetes

I am 47 years old now and a few months ago my doctor told me after going through my blood test result that my blood sugar level is higher than normal. He also said if I don’t make changes in my lifestyle I could develop type 2 diabetes.

Until than I didn’t know much about diabetes. I heard about type 1 and type 2 diabetes but I wasn’t sure about the difference. I wasn’t sure what should I do and I didn’t know that diabetes is a lifelong condition which means that there is no cure at this time.

I went on the Internet and I found out that about 10.7% of people of age 20 and older have diabetes and 57 million people have pre-diabetes. It turned out that I belong to the pre-diabetes group.

I found out that diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, nervous system disease and amputation.

What my doctor was trying to tell me is that my Fasting Plasma (blood) Glucose level was over 100 mg/dl, the normal range is 70-100 mg/dl. This is because my body doesn’t make enough insulin (type 1 diabetes when the body doesn’t make any insulin) and my liver makes too much sugar.

My doctor suggested participating in a Diabetes Self-Management Program presented by Achieving Better Control Inc. My Aetna health insurance plan covered this program 100%. This was a three day program in a small group of 10 people. We learnt everything about diabetes. The program also explained why a low-carb diet is so important with regular exercise. Vitamin D may also help managing diabetes.

Three month later my blood sugar level went down and I also lost 9 pounds.

Baby Aspirin May Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk

Colorectal or colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United Sates. It affects both men and women and almost always it starts in a benign growth also called polyp. A polyp may be visible during a popular screening test known as colonoscopy. Early diagnosis often leads to a complete cure.

There is no single cause of colon cancer. There is an increased risk if you are over 60, if you are African American or Eastern European.You may get colon cancer if you have cancer elsewhere in your body or you have family history of colon cancer. Diet high in red processed meat and  low-fiber diet may increase colon cancer too. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are other risk factors for colon cancer.

The symptoms of colon cancer could be abdominal pain, change in bowel habit, unexplained anemia, blood in stool and weight with no known reason.

Recent studies found that  taking low dose aspirin daily may reduce colon cancer risk by 24 percent and the risk of dying from colon cancer by 35 percent. The low dose or baby aspirin has other benefits too.  It prevents heart attacks and strokes. You shouldn't start taking low dose aspirin daily without consulting your doctor.

Do I Accept Aging?

Every morning I have a half an hour commute to work. I live in the Philadelphia suburbs and luckily the traffic is great in my direction. It's a very relaxing half an hour. This is my favorite time to think about different things about myself, my family. These thoughts sometimes are very philosophical. Sometimes I put my life or part of my life under the microscope. Recently I was thinking about getting older.

I am 47 and I realized I am not young anymore even though I often feel very young in my heart. I see a lot of people in denial in my age. They want to stay young forever in our age-biased time. I am not one of them and I think that doing childish things and acting like teenagers doesn't make you younger. Aging is like a bottle of wine. I think I got wiser as I got older. I am making smarter decisions now.

There are certain things you can only have once you are in my age and I am very grateful for those things. I am not talking about material things, I am talking about things you cannot replace. My 20 plus year marriage to my lovely wife Debra is one them. Another one is seeing my boys, Max and Nick growing up. I am grateful that I spent most of my weekends watching their soccer or baseball games from the sideline.

I accept my age but I know that I am responsible to take a good care of myself. I not only do this for myself, but also for my family. I listen to my doctors and try to keep a healthy diet with a moderate exercise. I don't smoke and I only drink with moderation. I enjoy myself now and I want to enjoy life 30 years from now too with my grandchildren.