آهن

یکی از اصلی ترین مشکلات بسیاری از خانم ها کمبود آهن است که می تواند بسیاری از فعالیت های بدن را تحت تاثیر قرار دهد. فقر آهن در بسیاری موارد باعث به وجود آمدن کم خونی در زنان می شود، این بیماری معمولا با علائمی مانند احساس ضعف، رنگ پریدگی، سردرد، دست و پاهای سرد، ناخن شکننده، ضربان قلب سریع و کمبود توانایی همراه است. کمبود آهن بیشتر از همه در زنان باردار دیده می شود که با تجویز میزان لازم آهن توسط پزشک به راحتی قابل درمان است. در عین حال غذاهایی مانند جگر، گوشت ها، غذاهای دریایی، خشکبار مانند آلو و کشمش و یا غلات دارای میزان قابل توجهی از آهن هستند. البته باید این را در نظر گرفت که آهن موجود در مواد خوراکی گوشتی به سرعت جذب بدن می شود در حالیکه میزان جذب آهن غیرگوشتی در بدن کمتر است.

ویتامین D

بدن زمانی که در مقابل نور خورشید قرار می گیرد خود به خود ویتامین Dمی سازد اما بسیاری از افراد آنگونه که باید این ویتامین را دریافت نمی کنند در حالیکه این ویتامین یکی از اصلی ترین مواردی است که بدن خانم ها به آن نیاز دارد چرا که کمبود آن به راحتی می تواند باعث بروز بیماریهایی مانند ناراحتی قلبی یا شکستگی استخوان شود، در عین حال این ویتامین نقش زیادی در بالابردن سیستم ایمنی بدن دارد. بنا بر توصیه پزشکان مصرف دو هزار واحد از این ویتامین در طول روز مناسب است و از آن جایی که این ویتامین قابل حل است می توان آن را با مواد غذایی مختلف از جمله ماست یا تخم مرغ مصرف کرد. البته نباید این امر را هم نادیده گرفت که مصرف بیش از اندازه این ویتامین به خصوص اگر همراه با مصرف زیاد کلسیم باشد به راحتی می تواند منجر به مسمومیت یا منجر به بسیاری دیگر از بیماری ها شود بنابراین باید در نحوه مصرف این ویتامین دقت زیادی شود.

کلسیم

به گزارش بازتاب زندگی، کلسیم نیز یکی دیگر از مواد ضروری لازم برای سلامتی است که بیشتر در استخوان ها و دندان ها وجود دارد و در صورتی که میزان آن در بدن کم شود به راحتی موجب پوکی استخوان می شود. کلسیم از جمله موادی است که معمولا به میزان کافی در غذاها وجود دارد به طور مثال می توان گفت که لبنیات و سبزی منابعی غنی از کلسیم هستند. اما بسیاری از افراد هستند که از طریق خوردن غذاها به دلایل مختلف مانند حذف برخی مواد غذایی قادر به جذب کلسیم کافی برای بدنشان نیستند بنابراین مجبور به استفاده از مکمل برای تامین کلسیم هستند. خانم ها باید این امر را در نظر بگیرند که کلسیم به غیر از اینکه سلامت استخوان هایشان را تامین می کند تاثیر بسیار زیادی در بهتر کردن خلق و خویشان دارد و در عین حال بسیاری از عوارض قاعدگی را از بین می برد. این را هم باید در نظر گرفت که تنها خوردن شیر نمی تواند به تنهایی تمام کلسیم لازم برای بدن را تامین کند و باید تمام خوردنی هایی که دارای کلسیم هستند را در برنامه غذایی جا داد و در صورتی که بدن تنها با خوردنی ها نتواند کلسیم لازم را تامین کند با تجویز پزشک می توان به سراغ قرص های کلسیم رفت.

امگا 3

 این روزها از فواید امگا 3 زیاد می شنویم، امگا 3 یکی از اسیدهای چرب ضروری برای بدن است که تا حد زیادی برای ادامه حیات لازم است و در عین حال چون توسط بدن انسان قابل تولید نیست حتما باید با مکمل ها تامین شود. امگا 3 علاوه بر اینکه بر روی عملکرد مغز تاثیر زیادی دارد و در پیشگیری از ابتلا به آلزامیر بسیار مفید است می تواند تا حد زیادی عصبانیت را کاهش دهد، از دیگر مزیت های آن هم کمک به پمپاژ بهتر خون توسط قلب است. بهترین منابع تامین اسید چرب امگا 3 برای خانم ها انواع آبزیان، تخم کدو، گردو و یا روغ سویا هستند، البته پژوهشگران معتقدند برخی مواد غذایی غنی شده با امگا3 مانند نان ها، آبمیوه، روغن و یا تخم مرغ هم می توانند این نیاز بدن را تامین کنند. در هر حال اگر ماهی در سبد غذایی خانواده جایگاه محکمی داشته باشد بدون نیاز به مکمل ها امگا 3 لازم برای بدن قطعا تامین می شود.

ویتامین B

به گزارش بازتاب زندگی، انواع ویتامین های گروه Bبرای قوی تر کردن سیستم بدن لازم هستند و نکته جالب اینجاست که این ویتامین ها تا حد زیادی عوارض ناشی از افسردگی را کاهش می دهند، توانایی مغز را زیاد می کنند، به سوءهاضمه کمک می کنند و برای عملکرد صحیح قلب بسیار مفید هستند. این ویتامین به مقدار زیاد در اسفناج، گوشت و لبنیات وجود دارد و فهمیدن کمبود آن در بدن کار سختی نیست، کافی است خانم ها علائمی مانند خستگی، کم اشتهایی، سردرد، کمبود وزن، زودرنجی و تغییر ضربان قلب داشته باشند تا بدانند بدنشان نیاز به این ویتامین دارد.

منیزیم

منیزیم از جمله مواد لازم برای بدن است که به شکل مستقیم بر روی خلق و خوی افراد تاثیر می گذارد بنابراین اگر می خواهید خوش اخلاق باشید باید در طول روز 350 میلی گرم منیزیم به بدنتان برسانید که علاوه بر اینکه به سالم ماندن استخوان ها کمک می کند تا حد زیادی در درمان بی خوابی هم موثر است. برای تامین منزیم کافی است به سراغ سبزی ها رفت بنابراین اگر خانم هایی هستند که کمتر سبزیجات مصرف می کنند حتما باید تحت نظارت پزشک از مکمل استفاده کنند. البته هشدار مهم در رابطه با استفاده از این مکمل دارویی این است که اگر ناراحتی کلیه دارید نباید به هیچ عنوان به سراغ این مکمل بروید.
سلامت نیوز: 6 مکمل دارویی ضروری برای زنان چیست؟

What is it?
Black tea is a product made from the Camellia sinesis plant. The aged leaves and stems are used to make medicine. Green tea, which is made from fresh leaves of the same plant, has some different properties.

Black tea is used for improving mental alertness as well as learning, memory and information processing skills. It is also used for treating headache and low blood pressure; preventing heart disease, including “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis) and heart attack; preventing Parkinson's disease; and reducing the risk of stomach and colon cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and breast cancer. It is also used for type 2 diabetes, stomach disorders, vomiting, diarrhea, and as a diuretic to increase urine flow. Some people use black tea for preventing tooth decay and kidney stones. In combination with various other products, black tea is used for weight loss.

In foods, black tea is consumed as a hot or cold beverage.

How effective is it?

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

The effectiveness ratings for BLACK TEA are as follows:
Likely effective for...

    Mental alertness. Drinking black tea and other caffeinated beverages throughout the day helps to keep people alert, even after extended periods without sleep.

Possibly effective for...

    Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Early research shows that people who drink black tea seem to have a reduced risk of having their arteries become hardened. This link is stronger in women than men.
    Low blood pressure after eating (postprandial hypotension). Drinking beverages containing caffeine, such as black tea, helps increase blood pressure in older people who have low blood pressure after eating.
    Kidney stones. Women who drink black tea seem to have an 8% lower risk of developing kidney stones.
    Heart attacks. Some research shows that people who drink black tea have a lower risk of having a heart attack. Also, people who have been drinking black tea for at least a year before having a heart attack seem to be less likely to die after having a heart attack.
    Brittle bones (osteoporosis). Early research shows that older women who drink more black tea seem to have stronger bones. Drinking more black tea also seems to be linked with a lower risk of hip fracture in older men and women.
    Ovarian cancer. Women who regularly drink tea, including black tea or green tea, appear to have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer compared to women who never or rarely drink tea.
    Parkinson's disease. Some research shows that people who drink caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and cola have a lower risk of Parkinson's disease. The lower risk seems to be directly related to the dose of caffeine in men but not women. Drinking black tea also appears to be linked with a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease among people who smoke cigarettes.

Possibly ineffective for...

    Breast cancer. People who drink black tea do not seem to have a lower risk of breast cancer.
    Colon and rectal cancer. Some early research suggests that drinking black or green tea might be linked with a lower risk of colon and rectal cancer. However, most research shows that drinking tea is not linked with a lower risk of colon and rectal cancer. In fact, some early research suggests that drinking higher amounts of black tea might be linked with an increased risk of colon and rectal cancer.
    Diabetes. Early research suggests that taking an extract of black and green tea does not improve HbA1C levels in people with diabetes. HbA1C is a measure of blood sugar control. Other early research suggests that drinking at least one cup of black tea per day is not linked with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes in Japanese adults.
    Stomach cancer. Some early research suggests that drinking black or green tea might be linked with a lower risk of stomach cancer. However, most research shows that people who drink black or green tea do not have a lower risk. In fact, some early research suggests that drinking higher amounts of black tea might be linked with an increased risk of stomach cancer.
    High cholesterol. Some research shows that black tea might reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad”) cholesterol in people with normal or high cholesterol levels. However, most research shows that drinking black tea does not have these effects.
    High blood pressure. Some early research suggests that people who regularly drink green or black tea have a lower risk of having high systolic blood pressure, which is the top number of a blood pressure reading. However, most research shows that drinking black tea does not reduce blood pressure in people with normal or high blood pressure.

Insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for...

    Bladder cancer. Some early research suggests that people who drink black or green tea might have a lower risk of urinary tract cancers. However, other research shows that drinking black tea is not linked with a reduced risk of bladder cancer.
    Heart disease. Some early research suggests that people who regularly drink black tea have a lower risk of developing heart disease. However, other research suggests that drinking black tea is linked with an increased risk of heart disease becoming worse or causing death.
    Cavities. Early research suggests that rinsing with a black tea extract might prevent cavities.
    Kidney cancer. Early research suggests that people who drink more black or green tea have a higher risk of developing kidney cancer.
    Lung cancer. Green tea and black tea contain chemicals called phytoestrogens. Some research shows that men who get more phytoestrogens in their diet have a lower risk of developing lung cancer than men who do not get these chemicals. However other early research suggests that drinking black tea is not linked with a reduced risk of lung cancer and may even be linked with an increased risk.
    Mouth cancer. Early research shows that black tea might help prevent mouth cancer in patients with lesions in the mouth that may turn into cancer.
    Pancreatic cancer. Some early research suggests that drinking black tea is linked with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer risk. However, other research shows conflicting results.
    Prostate cancer. Early evidence suggests that drinking black tea is linked with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
    Stress. Early research suggests that drinking black tea for 6 weeks does not improve blood pressure, heart rate, or feelings of stress ratings while performing stressful tasks.
    Stroke. Black tea contains chemicals called flavonoids. Early research suggests that eating a diet that contains flavonoids is linked with a lower risk of stroke.
    Weight loss. Early research suggests that taking a combination product containing black tea extract plus green tea extract, asparagus, guarana, kidney bean, and mate along with a combination of kidney bean pods, garcinia, and chromium yeast for 12 weeks does not reduce body weight in overweight adults.
    Stomach disorders.
    Vomiting.
    Diarrhea.
    Headache.
    Other conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of black tea for these uses.

How does it work?
Black tea contains 2% to 4% caffeine, which affects thinking and alertness, increases urine output, and may reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. It also contains antioxidants and other substances that might help protect the heart and blood vessels.

Are there safety concerns?
Drinking moderate amounts of black tea is LIKELY SAFE for most adults.

Drinking too much black tea, such as more than five cups per day, is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. High amounts of black tea can cause side effects due to the caffeine in black tea. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeat, tremor, heartburn, dizziness, ringing in the ears, convulsions, and confusion. Also, people who drink black tea or other caffeinated beverages all the time, especially in large amounts, can develop psychological dependence.

Drinking very high amounts of black tea containing more than 10 grams of caffeine is LIKELY UNSAFE. Doses of black tea this high might cause death or other severe side effects.

Caffeine is PROBABLY SAFE in children in amounts commonly found in foods.

Special precautions & warnings:
Children: Black tea is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth by children in amounts commonly found in foods.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, drinking black tea in small amounts is POSSIBLY SAFE. Do not drink more than 3 cups a day of black tea. This amount of tea provides about 200 mg of caffeine. Consuming more than this amount during pregnancy is POSSIBLY UNSAFE and has been linked to an increased risk of miscarriage, increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and other negative effects, including symptoms of caffeine withdrawal in newborns and lower birth weight.

If you are breast-feeding, drinking more than 3 cups a day of black tea is POSSIBLY UNSAFE and might cause your baby to become more irritable and have more bowel movements.

Anemia: Drinking black tea may make anemia worse in people with iron deficiency.

Anxiety disorders: The caffeine in black tea might make these conditions worse.

Bleeding disorders: There is some reason to believe that the caffeine in black tea might slow blood clotting, though this hasn’t been shown in people. Use caffeine cautiously if you have a bleeding disorder.

Heart problems: Caffeine in black tea can cause irregular heartbeat in certain people. If you have a heart condition, use caffeine with caution.

Diabetes: The caffeine in black tea might affect blood sugar. Use black tea with caution if you have diabetes.

Diarrhea: Black tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in black tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea.

Seizures: Black tea contains caffeine. There is a concern that high doses of caffeine might cause seizures or decrease the effects of drugs used to prevent seizures. If you have ever had a seizure, don’t use high doses of caffeine or caffeine-containing supplements such as black tea.

Glaucoma: Drinking caffeinated black tea increases the pressure inside the eye. The increase occurs within 30 minutes and lasts for at least 90 minutes.

Hormone-sensitive condition such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids: Black tea might act like estrogen. If you have any condition that might be made worse by exposure to estrogen, don’t use black tea.

High blood pressure: The caffeine in black tea might increase blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. However, this doesn't seem to occur in people who drink black tea or other caffeinated products regularly.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Black tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in black tea, especially when taken in large amounts, can worsen diarrhea and might worsen symptoms of IBS.

Brittle bones (osteoporosis): Drinking caffeinated black tea can increase the amount of calcium that is flushed out in the urine. This might weaken bones. Don’t drink more than 300 mg of caffeine per day (approximately 2-3 cups of black tea). Taking extra calcium may help to make up for calcium losses. Older women who have a genetic condition that affects the way they use vitamin D, should use caffeine with caution.

Overactive bladder: The caffeine in black tea might increase the risk of developing an overactive bladder. Also, black tea might increase symptoms in people who already have an overactive bladder. Black tea should be used with caution in these people.

Are there interactions with medications?

Moderate
    Be cautious with this combination.
Adenosine (Adenocard)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in black tea might block the effects of adenosine (Adenocard). Adenosine (Adenocard) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop drinking black tea or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Antibiotics (Quinolone antibiotics)
    The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Some antibiotics might decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking these antibiotics along with black tea can increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heart rate, and other side effects.

    Some antibiotics that decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine include ciprofloxacin (Cipro), enoxacin (Penetrex), norfloxacin (Chibroxin, Noroxin), sparfloxacin (Zagam), trovafloxacin (Trovan), and grepafloxacin (Raxar).
Benzodiazepines
    Benzodiazepines are drugs that have calming effects. Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant. Taking black tea along with benzodiazepines might block the calming effects of can benzodiazepines. Some benzodiazepines include alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), and others.
Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
    Carbamazepine is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of carbamazepine. Taking black tea with carbamazepine might decrease the effects of carbamazepine and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Cimetidine (Tagamet) can decrease how quickly your body breaks down caffeine. Taking cimetidine (Tagamet) along with black tea might increase the chance of caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and others.
Clozapine (Clozaril)
    The body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril) to get rid of it. The caffeine in black tea seems to decrease how quickly the body breaks down clozapine (Clozaril). Taking black tea along with clozapine (Clozaril) can increase the effects and side effects of clozapine (Clozaril).
Dipyridamole (Persantine)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The caffeine in black tea might block the affects of dipyridamole (Persantine). Dipyridamole (Persantine) is often used by doctors to do a test on the heart. This test is called a cardiac stress test. Stop drinking black tea or other caffeine-containing products at least 24 hours before a cardiac stress test.
Disulfiram (Antabuse)
    The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Disulfiram (Antabuse) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking black tea (which contains caffeine) along with disulfiram (Antabuse) might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine including jitteriness, hyperactivity, irritability, and others.
Ephedrine
    Stimulant drugs speed up the nervous system. Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine and ephedrine are both stimulant drugs. Taking black tea along with ephedrine might cause too much stimulation and sometimes serious side effects and heart problems. Do not take caffeine containing products and ephedrine at the same time.
Estrogens
    The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Estrogens can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking estrogen pills and drinking black tea can cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects. If you take estrogen pills, limit your caffeine intake.

    Some estrogen pills include conjugated equine estrogens (Premarin), ethinyl estradiol, estradiol, and others.
Ethosuximide
    Ethosuximide is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of ethosuximide. Taking black tea with ethosuximide might decrease the effects of ethosuximide and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Felbamate
    Felbamate is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of felbamate. Taking black tea with felbamate might decrease the effects of felbamate and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Flutamide (Eulexin)
    The body breaks down flutamide (Eulexin) to get rid of it. Caffeine in black tea might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of flutamide. This could cause flutamide to stay in the body too long and increase the risk of side effects.
Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
    The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Fluvoxamine (Luvox) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking caffeine along with fluvoxamine (Luvox) might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.
Lithium
    Your body naturally gets rid of lithium. The caffeine in black tea can increase how quickly your body gets rid of lithium. If you take products that contain caffeine and you take lithium, stop taking caffeine products slowly. Stopping caffeine too quickly can increase the side effects of lithium.
Medications for asthma (Beta-adrenergic agonists)
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine can stimulate the heart. Some medications for asthma can also stimulate the heart. Taking caffeine with some medications for asthma might cause too much stimulation and cause heart problems.

    Some medications for asthma include albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin, Volmax), metaproterenol (Alupent), terbutaline (Bricanyl, Brethine), and isoproterenol (Isuprel).
Medications for depression (MAOIs)
    The caffeine in black tea can stimulate the body. Some medications used for depression can also stimulate the body. Drinking black tea and taking some medications for depression might cause too much stimulation of the body and serious side effects including fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, nervousness, and others.

    Some of these medications used for depression include phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate), and others.
Medications that change the liver (Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) inhibitors)
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine is broken down by the liver. Some medications decrease how well the liver breaks down other medications. These medications that change the liver might decrease how fast caffeine in black tea is broken down in the body. This might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine in black tea. Some medications that change the liver include cimetidine (Tagamet), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), fluvoxamine (Luvox), and others.
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs)
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine might slow blood clotting. Taking black tea along with medications that also slow clotting might increase the chances of bruising and bleeding.

    Some medications that slow blood clotting include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
Nicotine
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine can stimulate the heart. Nicotine can also stimulate the heart. Taking caffeine with nicotine might cause too much stimulation and cause heart problems, such as increased heart rate or blood pressure.
Pentobarbital (Nembutal)
    The stimulant effects of the caffeine in black tea can block the sleep-producing effects of pentobarbital.
Phenobarbital
    Phenobarbital is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of phenobarbital. Taking black tea with phenobarbital might decrease the effects of phenobarbital and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Phenylpropanolamine
    The caffeine in black tea can stimulate the body. Phenylpropanolamine can also stimulate the body. Taking caffeine and phenylpropanolamine together might cause too much stimulation and increase heartbeat, blood pressure, and cause nervousness.
Phenytoin
    Phenytoin is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of phenytoin. Taking black tea with phenytoin might decrease the effects of phenytoin and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Riluzole (Rilutek)
    The body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) to get rid of it. Drinking black tea can decrease how quickly the body breaks down riluzole (Rilutek) and increase the effects and side effects of riluzole.
Stimulant drugs
    Stimulant drugs speed up the nervous system. By speeding up the nervous system, stimulant medications can make you feel jittery and speed up your heartbeat. The caffeine in black tea can also speed up the nervous system. Drinking black tea along with stimulant drugs might cause serious problems including increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Avoid taking stimulant drugs along with black tea.

    Some stimulant drugs include diethylpropion (Tenuate), epinephrine, phentermine (Ionamin), pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), and many others.
Theophylline
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine works similarly to theophylline. Caffeine can also decrease how quickly the body gets rid of theophylline. This might cause increased effects and side effects of theophylline.
Valproate
    Valproate is a drug used to treat seizures. Caffeine in black tea can decrease the effects of valproate. Taking black tea with valproate might decrease the effects of valproate and increase the risk of seizures in some people.
Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan)
    The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking black tea and taking verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan) can increase the risk of side effects for caffeine including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Warfarin (Coumadin)
    Warfarin (Coumadin) is used to slow blood clotting. Large amounts of black tea might decrease how well warfarin (Coumadin) slows blood clotting. Decreasing how well warfarin (Coumadin) slows blood clotting might increase the risk of clotting. It is unclear why this interaction might occur. Be sure to have your blood checked regularly. The dose of your warfarin (Coumadin) might need to be changed.
Water pills (Diuretic drugs)
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine, especially in excessive amounts, can reduce potassium in the body. "Water pills" can also decrease potassium in the body. Taking caffeine-containing products along with "water pills" might decrease potassium in the body too much.

    Some "water pills" that can decrease potassium include chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDIURIL, Microzide), and others.
Minor
    Be watchful with this combination.
Alcohol
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Alcohol can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking black tea along with alcohol might cause too much caffeine in the bloodstream and caffeine side effects including jitteriness, headache, and fast heartbeat.
Birth control pills (Contraceptive drugs)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Birth control pills can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking black tea along with birth control pills might cause jitteriness, headache, fast heartbeat, and other side effects.

    Some birth control pills include ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel (Triphasil), ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone (Ortho-Novum 1/35, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7), and others.
Fluconazole (Diflucan)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Fluconazole (Diflucan) might decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. This could cause caffeine to stay in the body too long and increase the risk of side effects such as nervousness, anxiety, and insomnia.
Medications for depression (Tricyclic antidepressants)
    Black tea contains chemicals called tannins. Tannins can bind to many medications and decrease how much medicine the body absorbs. To avoid this interaction, avoid black tea 1 hour before and 2 hours after taking medications for depression called tricyclic antidepressants.

    Some medications for depression include amitriptyline (Elavil) or imipramine (Tofranil, Janimine).
Medications for diabetes (Antidiabetes drugs)
    Black tea contains caffeine. Caffeine might increase blood sugar. Diabetes medications are used to lower blood sugar. By increasing blood sugar, black tea might decrease the effectiveness of diabetes medications. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of your diabetes medication might need to be changed.

    Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
METFORMIN (Glucophage)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Metformin (Glucophage) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking black tea along with metformin might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.
Methoxsalen (Oxsoralen)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Methoxsalen (Oxsoralen) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking caffeine along with methoxsalen might cause too much caffeine in the body, and increase the effects and side effects of caffeine.
Mexiletine (Mexitil)
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Mexiletine (Mexitil) can decrease how quickly the body breaks down caffeine. Taking Mexiletine (Mexitil) along with black tea might increase the caffeine effects and side effects of black tea.
Phenothiazines
    Black tea contains chemicals called tannins. Tannins can bind to many medications and decrease how much medicine the body absorbs. To avoid this interaction, avoid black tea one hour before and two hours after taking phenothiazine medications.

    Some phenothiazine medications include fluphenazine (Permitil, Prolixin), chlorpromazine (Thorazine), haloperidol (Haldol), prochlorperazine (Compazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), and trifluoperazine (Stelazine).
Terbinafine (Lamisil)
    The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Terbinafine (Lamisil) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine and increase the risk of side effects including jitteriness, headache, increased heartbeat, and other effects.
Tiagabine
    Black tea contains caffeine. Taking caffeine over a long time period along with tiagabine can increase the amount of tiagabine in the body. This might increase the side effects of tiagabine.
Ticlopidine (Ticlid)
    The body breaks down the caffeine in black tea to get rid of it. Ticlopidine (Ticlid) can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Taking black tea along with ticlopidine might increase the effects and side effects of caffeine, including jitteriness, hyperactivity, irritability, and others.

Are there interactions with herbs and supplements?

Bitter orange
    Using bitter orange along with other products that contain caffeine, such as black tea, can increase blood pressure and heart rate in otherwise healthy adults with normal blood pressure. This could increase the risk of serious heart problems.
Caffeine-containing herbs and supplements
    Black tea contains caffeine. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that contain caffeine might increase the risk of caffeine side effects. Natural products that contain caffeine include coffee, black tea, green tea, oolong tea, guarana, mate, and others.
Calcium
    High caffeine intake from foods and beverages, including black tea, flushes calcium out of the body in the urine.
Cordyceps
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Cordyceps might increase how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. This might decrease the effects of caffeine.
Creatine
    There is some concern that combining caffeine, an ingredient in black tea, with ephedra and creatine might increase the risk of serious harmful effects. There is a report of stroke in an athlete who consumed 6 grams of creatine monohydrate, 400-600 mg of caffeine, 40-60 mg of ephedra, and a variety of other supplements daily for 6 weeks. Caffeine might also decrease whatever benefit creatine might have on athletic performance.
Danshen
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Danshen can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking black tea and taking danshen might increase the risk of side effects for caffeine, including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Echinacea
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Echinacea can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking black tea and taking echinacea might increase the risk of side effects for caffeine, including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Ephedra (Ma huang)
    Ephedra and black tea are both stimulants. They speed up the central nervous system. Using them together might speed it up too much, increasing the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, seizures, and death. Don't take black tea with ephedra or other stimulants.
Folic acid
    Black tea might reduce the amount of folate that the body can absorb and use.
Herbs and supplements that might slow blood clotting
    Black tea might slow blood clotting. Using it along with other herbs and supplements that might also slow blood clotting could increase the risk of bruising and bleeding in some people. Some of these herbs include angelica, clove, danshen, garlic, ginger, ginkgo, Panax ginseng, and others.
Iron
    Black tea might interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron. This probably isn't a problem for most people, unless they are iron-deficient. If this is the case, drink tea between meals rather than with meals to lessen this interaction.
Kudzu
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Kudzu can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking black tea and taking kudzu might increase the risk of side effects for caffeine, including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.
Magnesium
    Drinking large amounts of black tea can increase the amount of magnesium that is flushed out in the urine.
Melatonin
    Black tea contains caffeine. Taking caffeine and melatonin together can increase melatonin levels. Caffeine can also increase natural melatonin levels in healthy individuals.
Red clover
    Black tea contains caffeine. The body breaks down caffeine to get rid of it. Chemicals in red clover can decrease how quickly the body gets rid of caffeine. Drinking black tea and taking red clover might increase the risk of side effects for caffeine, including jitteriness, headache, and an increased heartbeat.

Are there interactions with foods?

Iron
    Black tea might interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron. This probably isn't a problem for most people, unless they are iron-deficient. If this is the case, drink tea between meals rather than with meals to lessen this interaction.
Milk
    Adding milk to black tea appears to reduce some of the heart health benefits of drinking tea. Milk might bind with the antioxidants in tea and keep them from being absorbed. However, not all research confirms this. More evidence is needed to determine just how important this interaction, if any, might be.

What dose is used?
An 8-ounce serving of black tea provides from 40-120 mg of caffeine, the active ingredient.

According to a recent study from Iran, stinging nettle leaves (Urtica dioica) and walnut leaves (Juglans regia) may have potential in antidiabetic therapy. Diabetes affects over 100 million people worldwide. This disease condition causes blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise, because people with diabetes either do not make enough insulin or are unable to use insulin properly. Normally, Insulin helps glucose from blood enter muscle, brain and liver cells where it is used to generate energy. When glucose levels build up in blood, these cells become starved for energy. Over time, high blood glucose levels also damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. Carbohydrates are a major component of our daily diet. They are broken down in the gut into simple compounds called monosaccharides by the enzyme alpha-amylase before they are absorbed into the blood. Blocking the activity of alpha-amylase prevents carbohydrate digestion and has been shown to reduce blood glucose levels. In fact, ‘alpha-amylase inhibitors’ have been developed to treat diabetes in this way. While currently available alpha-amylase inhibitors do provide short-term diabetes control, they also cause serious side effects. This is why scientists are studying natural extracts from over 400 traditional medicinal plants with alpha-amylase blocking activity for their exciting potential as effective, and likely safer, antidiabetic therapies. In this study from Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences in Bandar Abbas in Iran, researchers examined the effects of leaf extracts from Urtica dioica and Juglans regia on alpha-amylase activity. U. dioica, known as the common nettle or stinging nettle, has a long history as a medicine and as a source of both food and fiber. J. regia – known as the English walnut, common walnut or California walnut – is a common food. Walnut leaves also have a long history of medicinal use. Extracts of both plants strongly blocked alpha-amylase activity. Nettle caused a 60% inhibition of the enzyme with 2 mg/ml of the extract, and walnut leaf extract required only 0.4 mg/ml for the same inhibition. This effect increased with time and dose of extract. In conclusion, the medicinal plants Urtica dioica and Juglans regia may have potential as antidiabetic therapies.   Technical Summary

    Aqueous extracts of U. dioica and J. regia showed time- and concentration- dependent inhibition of alpha-amylase. The extracts consisted of 100 g of powdered dried leaves in 100 ml of water, freeze dried to powder. The extracts demonstrated 60% inhibition of alpha amylase activity with 0.4 mg/ml of nettle leaf extract and 2.0 mg/ml of walnut leaf extract. Inhibition increased for both extracts from 40% at 5 minutes and 60% at 30 minutes. “The results showed that the type of inhibition was competitive in which enzyme-inhibitor complex could form.” This research follows the discovery that walnut leaf reduced blood sugar in diabetic rats and other supportive studies. See the full article [LINK] for all the details.

 Dr. John Swartzberg is an internist and specialist in infectious disease and chairman of the editorial board of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter and berkeleywellness.com. He is also a clinical professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine. He contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

It's been nearly a century since researchers at the University of California, Berkeley discovered vitamin E, and since then, many studies have looked at the potential health benefits of this antioxidant. After all, in lab experiments, antioxidants neutralize potentially harmful free radicals. Shouldn't they confer the same benefits in the body? Over the years, supplement makers and some researchers predicted that vitamin E would help prevent cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease, as well as help maintain eyesight and keep skin glowing. Fueled by hope and hype, vitamin E supplement sales soared.

But what does the research actually show? Early studies that found a benefit, mostly for heart disease, were observational and not always well designed: Researchers asked people if they took vitamin E supplements and then looked at their health.

More recent studies, however — most of them well-designed clinical trials — have found no benefit. In fact, a few studies suggest that high doses of vitamin E might actually be harmful. [Dangers Lurking in Supplements Prove Need for Oversight (Op-Ed)]

Here are some findings from the more important studies on vitamin E supplements:

    Heart Disease and Stroke: In 2008, the Physicians' Health Study II looked at more than 14,000 male doctors taking high doses of vitamin C or vitamin E for eight years. Neither supplement reduced heart attacks, strokes or cardiovascular deaths. In fact, vitamin E slightly increased the risk of hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes. This study was followed by an analysis of many studies in 2010 that found vitamin E supplements increase the risk of hemorrhagic strokes by 22 percent.
    Longevity: According to a review of studies that included almost half a million people, antioxidant supplements (including vitamin E, beta carotene, vitamin C and selenium) did not prolong life or protect against disease. This review was done by the Cochrane Collaboration, an independent group that evaluates health research evidence. Other large reviews also have suggested that vitamin E supplements and other antioxidant pills are associated with increased mortality.
    Vitamin supplements, including vitamin E, have not proved protective, according to a 2007 study funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Smokers who took E supplements actually had a slightly higher risk of lung cancer. Though this is not the final word, the researchers warned smokers that the supplements "may be detrimental."
    Prostate Cancer: A 2011 study funded by the National Cancer Institute examined whether vitamin E might help prevent prostate cancer. Earlier research had found no benefit or harm from vitamin E. This large study of 35,533 men over a period of three years came up with a surprising result. Healthy men taking vitamin E actually had a higher incidence of prostate cancer than other men.

In general, there's little clinical research showing that vitamin E supplements benefit your health. Most recent clinical trials have been negative or inconclusive.
expert voices, op-ed


There are, however, people with a couple of conditions who may want to discuss these supplements with their doctor. Research has found that vitamin E supplements there is some evidence that vitamin E may reduce liver damage caused by inflammation from aggressive nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a disease associated with obesity. There's no standard medical treatment for this life-threatening disease. Vitamin E therapy showed an improvement in patients with aggressive symptoms who do not have diabetes or cirrhosis.

People with macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults, should also talk with their doctor about special formulations of antioxidant supplements — including vitamin E — that slow progression of this incurable eye disease. Two large clinical trials sponsored by the National Eye Institute found that formulations of vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin reduced the risk this serious disease progressing by 25 percent.

My advice? For most people, healthy food is the best bet. No studies have found harm from consuming the low levels of vitamin E found naturally in foods such as nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, whole grains and leafy greens.

If you're diagnosed with NAFLD, ask your doctor whether the potential benefit from vitamin E might outweigh risks in your case. If you're at high risk for developing macular degeneration, ask your eye care doctor if you should consider taking the special formulation of antioxidants and zinc.

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates — and become part of the discussion — on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. This version of the article was originally published on Live Science.

 A new study suggests that vitamin D offers no benefits to obese teens in terms of heart health or diabetes risk. Not only that, but the findings of the study suggest that vitamin D could even increase levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.
Vitamin D written in the sand.
Vitamin D supplements are often prescribed to slow or prevent the development of obesity-related medical complications such as insulin resistance.

The study, published in Pediatric Obesity, is part of a series conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic investigating obesity in childhood.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity has more than doubled among children and quadrupled among adolescents over the past 30 years. JAMA states that 1 in 5 American adolescents is currently obese.

A number of observational studies have indicated that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with obesity-related medical complications, such as cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. Many health care providers consequently recommend high-dose supplementation to slow or prevent such complications from developing.

These courses of vitamins can sometimes be more than five to ten times the recommended daily intake.

Dr. Seema Kumar, a pediatric endocrinologist in the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, is yet to discover any significant benefit from vitamin D supplements in adolescents, however, after conducting four clinical trials and publishing six studies on the subject in the past 10 years.

"We're not saying the links between vitamin D deficiency and chronic diseases don't exist for children - we just haven't found any yet," states Dr. Kumar.

The most common and efficient source of vitamin D is sunlight, with the richest food sources being fish oil and fatty fish. If an individual is unable to obtain their recommended amounts of the vitamin from natural sources, they are advised to use vitamin D supplements.
Vitamin D supplementation linked to rises in cholesterol and triglycerides

For her team's most recent study, they examined the effect of vitamin D supplementation in 19 obese adolescents aged 13-18 with vitamin D deficiency, assessing what influence - if any - it had on their overall health.

After 3 months of boosting the teens' vitamin D levels into the normal range with supplements, the researchers observed no changes in body weight, body mass index (BMI), waistline, blood pressure or blood flow, Dr. Kumar explains. She says that she was surprised not to have uncovered any health benefit.



Ingesting too much vitamin D can lead to a condition known as vitamin D toxicity or hypervitaminosis, potentially resulting in nausea, vomiting and kidney complications. However, the new study also found increased cholesterol and triglycerides - a fat found in the blood that can increase heart disease risk - among the participants.

Dr. Kumar suggests that this finding could be due to the relatively small number of children participating in the study and its short timeframe. To address these limitations, she calls for larger, placebo-controlled studies to investigate the long-term effects of vitamin D supplementation.

"We're not saying it's bad to take vitamin D supplements at reasonable doses, and we know most obese teens are vitamin D deficient," Dr. Kumar concludes. "We're just saying the jury is still out on how useful it is for improving overall health in adolescents."

Recently, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that high-dose vitamin D supplements do not improve bone health for postmenopausal women - a group that is particularly susceptible to conditions such as osteoporosis.

Vitamin D insufficiency is estimated to affect around 75% of postmenopausal women in the US. The effect of this deficiency on skeletal health is exacerbated by the falling estrogen levels that are also a factor in osteoporosis development

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in three American adults suffers from high blood pressure. This is a problem of great concern, since this condition puts people at higher risk for even more serious health issues like heart attacks and strokes and is considered the number one risk factor for fatal heart attacks. While there are a number of prescription medications available to help treat high blood pressure, they all come with unwanted side effects ranging from the mild (dizziness when standing) to the severe (permanent kidney damage).

There are however, more natural options that people with high blood pressure have to treat this condition. Extract of certain plants, for instance, have been found to be extremely beneficial to normalize blood pressure levels. Read on to find out more about how these extracts can improve cardiac health.

Olive leaf extract
Olive leaf extract contains compounds called secoiridoid glycosides. These compounds, in the body, react with the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), with the result that angiotensin is not able to cause the blood vessels to constrict and the result is a wider blood vessel and lower blood pressure. In short, these act much like the prescription drug group called ACE inhibitors, but also can lower cholesterol. In one study, participants taking olive leaf extract showed, at the end of eight weeks, a drop of 13mn Hg in systolic blood pressure (the upper number) and 3mm Hg in the diastolic blood pressure (the lower number).

Celery seed extract
Celery seed extract is another natural way to lower the blood pressure; it acts much like the drug group calcium channel blockers. These act different than ACE inhibitors and are able to lower the blood pressure through dilating (widening) the arteries. There appear to be no serious side effects to this extract, and in one clinical trial, patients with mild to moderate high blood pressure took a dosage of 75 mg of this extract every day and on average, at the end of the study, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure dropped around eight points.

Garlic extract
It is not surprising that garlic, long known for its positive effects on the heart, should be able to help treat blood pressure as well. One clinical trial studied patients whose blood pressure was treated but uncontrolled and found that, with use of garlic extract supplements, participants showed as much improvement in their blood pressure at the end of 12 weeks as would have been expected if they had been taking front-line drugs.

In conclusion, then, before considering traditional treatment for blood pressure and risking the unwanted side effects, consult with a naturopath or similar practitioner to discuss these and other natural remedies for normalized blood pressure that will improve cardiac health without unintended consequences like kidney damage or other serious complications.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/049854_cardiac_health_blood_pressure_plant_extracts.html#ixzz3hqOh8kTV

 Avocados have gotten massive amounts of attention in the press in recent years. In the news, on social media sites and health food blogs, people all over the country have been talking about how good avocados are for the body. For one thing, they are loaded with monounsaturated fats (also known as MUFAs) which improve heart health by lowering the blood pressure and by improving cholesterol levels, two major risk factors for cardiac disease. They are a great source of fiber, which can improve the function and overall health of the digestive system. But what many people don't know about avocados is that one of their biggest health benefits is their ability to ward off cancer or to help treat it once it has developed. Read on to find out more about the many ways in which avocados help to reduce cancer risk.

Kills off cancer stem cells
The fats in avocado contain a compound known as avocatin B. This compound has been studied for its anti-cancer benefits and researchers later published a paper in the journal Cancer Research which reported that, during their study, it was found that avocatin B was able to kill off leukemia stem cells that are the main cause of AML, a form of leukemia which traditionally has a very poor prognosis. It was also found that this compound did not harm the healthy tissues around the cancer cells themselves.

Provides carotenoids
Many of the avocado's anti-cancer benefits stem from the fact that this fruit is loaded with carotenoids. Carotenoids are bio-active compounds that have powerful anti-oxidant properties. In many studies, high levels of carotenoids have been shown not only to help prevent age-related illnesses like macular degeneration (a condition of the eyes which can lead to blindness) but also many forms of cancer.

Decreases inflammation
Increasingly, studies are revealing that chronic, low-level inflammation throughout the body is a major risk factor for cancer development. Regular consumption of avocados appears to help prevent this situation, however. In one study, those who consumed avocados on a regular basis had lower levels of interleukin 6, an indicator of inflammation.

Helps the body shed excess fat
Avocados are also a great food for those who are wanting to achieve a healthy body weight. The high fiber helps to curb the appetite naturally and increase the efficiency of the digestive system, while the healthy fats lead to a feeling of fullness, help the body absorb certain nutrients and boost the metabolism so that the body can burn fat more efficiently. Studies have shown that weight loss is a great way to reduce the risk of developing some forms of cancer.

So when choosing a shrimp-and-avocado salad or a side dish of guacamole, eat up without feeling guilty about it! Regular consumption of this amazing fruit can not only benefit the heart, it can also significantly reduce the risk of cancer development.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/050529_avocados_cancer_superfood.html#ixzz3gzpGK76T

Babies love it, the elderly love it – and you know? You do too. But for those of you who find it hard to fall asleep, it can be a nightmare. Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life, your physical health and your productivity throughout the day.

According to a conducted survey (2004), no less than 40 million Americans suffer from over 70 different sleep disorders and 60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a couple of nights a week or more.

Here are 7 tips to help you improve your sleep so that you may say bye-bye to the depressing sleepless nights you spend tossing and turning and cursing your fate:

Set a schedule

Bedtime doesn’t always have to be for children. Hit the sack at the same time every night and get out of it at the same time every morning. For bedtime, pick a time when you are usually deliriously exhausted, so that you may fall asleep as soon as you get in bed. Try not to break this routine, even on weekends when it is most tempting to stay up late.

Say no to naps

Power napping is known to be helping you get through your eventful day, but if you find it hard to fall asleep at your bedtime, rejecting even short catnaps may prove helpful. However, napping wisely can actually prove beneficial.

Slow down on the alcohol

While you may want to argue that the nightcap really makes it feel easier to fall asleep, a little later in the night, when your buzz wears off, your sleep is more likely to be disturbed.

Make your bed super comfortable

Make sure you have enough room to stretch and turn comfortably. Also, many people love sleeping in a bed full of pillows-keep them. Purchase a new, perhaps medicated mattress so that you don’t have to experience sore back or aching shoulders/neck. Test with different levels of mattress firmness, foam or egg crate toppers, and pillows that provide more or less support.

Keep your room cool

The temperature of your bedroom also affects how well or for how long you sleep. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room (Aim for somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit) with adequate ventilation.A room that’s too hot and a room that’s too cold can both interfere with quality sleep.

Turn off your television and computer early

A lot of people watch the television to relax at the end of the day. However, this does not only suppress melatonin production (a hormone that anticipates the daily onset of darkness), but watching the telly can actually excite the mind, rather than relaxing it! Instead, try listening to music, to audio books or practicing relaxation exercises.

Avoid a heavy dinner

When you’re asleep, your body pauses all the processes (except for respiration, for obvious reasons). Forcing your body to be digesting while you sleep will surely keep you up at night.

Dr. Jerry Mulder, who is a sleep apnea specialist in Grand Rapids says “Sleep makes you feel better. Nevertheless, its significance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles. Adequate sleep is extremely essential in order to have a healthy heart, weight, mind, and so much more. “

Springtime and the warm season are finally here. It’s time to bring out the barbeque, dust off the patio furniture and start enjoying the great outdoors again! And it’s also time to shake off the cold-weather “blahs” and re-energize now that the days are longer and weather more inviting.

The recipes below can help shake off the wintertime blues. They are all based on fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices that can naturally boost energy levels (and immune systems!) and have anyone back on their feet in no time! The fact that they are absolutely delicious makes it all the easier to shake off the fatigue!

The Green Machine

Ingredients:

• 1 handful of kale
• 2 green apples
• 2 green pears
• 1 cucumber

Directions

Add to juicing machine and juice together. Can be refrigerated or drunk at room temperature.

There are many things that make this juice so healthy – and good for energy levels. Kale is chock-full of iron, vitamins and minerals and antioxidants that can bolster immunity and put a little spring back in the step. The pears and apples also have pectin, a special kind of fiber that aids digestion, cleanses the bloodstream of toxins and gets the body ready for the spring!

The Magenta Bliss

Ingredients:

• 6 carrots, peeled
• 4 fresh beets, peeled
• 2 red apples
• A small piece of ginger root
• A pinch of turmeric (optional)

Directions:

Peel the vegetables as directed, then add to juicing machine and juice together. This is best drunk chilled.

This drink will have energy levels boosted in no time. Beets have a natural sugar which will get the body pepped up, while its high fiber content keeps that energy levels from crashing. Beets are also packed with compounds called anthocyanins which give them their dark color and are powerful antioxidants. Ginger and turmeric also have antioxidant properties, as well as being able to reduce inflammation throughout the body and make it easier to fight off infections.

Lavender Tea

Ingredients:

• I cup crushed lavender
• 1-2 leaves of mint
• Honey to taste
• Lemon to taste
• A pinch of ginger powder

Directions

Boil a small amount of water in a saucepan. Add honey to taste once water is boiling. Add lavender, stir, and boil for a minute then add mint leaves and boil several minutes longer until pungent. Add a pinch of ginger powder, then strain out leaves and pour into a glass pitcher. Chill in refrigerator then serve over ice with lemon juice or lemon wedges to taste.

Many people do not think of lavender as a culinary herb and associate it instead with aromatherapy. Actually, it is good for both. The same potent compounds in the lavender essential oils make it an excellent pick-me-up because of their strong antioxidant properties. Honey is a great form of sugar, because although it breaks down fairly quickly in the body, it does bring with it a wealth of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

So give these drinks a try today. They are easy to make and great for the health. And they will make it easier to get energy levels back to normal after the winter and to get the most out of the spring and summertime.

 ریزش مو علل مختلفی دارد، کمبود مواد غذائی و نخوردن غذای کافی یکی از عوامل مهم ریزش مو است. بعضی از افراد به خاطر رژیم‌های غلط غذائی که برای لاغری می‌گیرند، دچار ریزش مو می‌شوند. آیا می‌دانید تغذیه سالم یعنی موهای زیبا؟ بله شما می‌توانید با رعایت رژیم غذایی درست و سالم نه تنها از ریزش مو جلوگیری کنید بلکه باعث پرپشتی و زیبایی موهای خود شوید.

معمولاً کسانی که دچار بیماری می‌شوند، پس از بهبود، ریزش مو می‌گیرند که این هم به علت کمبود مواد غذایی است. برای درمان ریزش مو باید هم مواد غذائی مفید و مناسب مصرف نمود و هم به مو‌ها و ریشه‌های آن غذا داد.
درمان های گیاهی برای ریزش مو

برای غذا دادن به مو‌ها می‌توان از آب میوه‌های گوناگون مانند آب خیار، آب هلو، آب انگور و غیره استفاده نمود. کسانی که موهای خشکی دارند و دچار ریزش مو می‌شوند، می‌توانند از مخلوط کتیرا و زردهٔ تخم مرغ استفاده کنند. کسانی که موهای چرب دارند به هیچ وجه نباید از زردهٔ تخم مرغ برای تقویت موهای خود استفاده کنند. این دسته از افراد می‌توانند از مورد سبز و آب نخود استفاده نمایند. تقویت مو با روغن های گیاهی را فراموش نکنید.

یکی دیگر از داروهای طبیعی برای تقویت موی سر، استفاده از ماده لزج اطراف تخمه‌های خربزه، طالبی و گرمک است. برای این کار، تخمه‌ها را در دستان خود مالش دهید تا دستان‌تان چرب شود، سپس چربی به دست آمده را به سر خود بمالید و بگذارید یک ساعت بماند و خشک شود. سپس سر خود را با آب ولرم بشویید.

یکی دیگر از مواد غذایی مفید برای موهای سر، آب انگور است. به کسانی که از بستر بیماری برخاسته و دچار ریزش موی شدید هستند، توصیه می‌شود در شبانه روز، سه لیوان آب انگور میل کنند.

کلسترول، باعث کمبود ویتامین «ب» سر می‌شود که این کمبود، ریزش مو را به همراه خواهد داشت. چربی خون در اطراف پیاز مو جمع شده و مانع تنفس و تغذیه آن می‌گردد. بنابراین خوردن و مالیدن این ویتامین و مواد حاوی آن از جمله سبوس گندم و جو، پوست چلتوک برنج، نان‌های پخته شده با آرد سیاه و همچنین ماء‌الشعیر، به جلوگیری از ریزش مو بسیار کمک می‌کند.

عشایر ایران یک روش بسیار جالب برای تقویت موی سر دارند که به این صورت است: یک خیار درشت و آبدار را که کامل رسیده و پوست آن زرد شده است را بردارید و آن را به طور عمودی به دو قسمت برش بزنید. سپس مقداری جوی پوست‌نکنده را در وسط خیار فرو برید، به طوری که جو‌ها از آب خیار استفاده کرده و روئیده و جوانه بزنند. سپس خیار را با جو و جوانهٔ آن خشک کرده و بکوبید. مقداری از آن را خورده و با بقیهٔ آن، سر خود را بشوئید. این جو‌ها سرشار از ویتامین ب و دیگر املاح بوده و برای تقویت موهای سر بسیار مفید است.

علت دیگر ریزش موی سر، کندی جریان خون در پوست کف سر است. برای جلوگیری از این نوع ریزش مو، باید از موادی استفاده نمود که تحریک کننده بوده و موجب افزایش گردش خون می‌گردد. برای استفاده از این گیاهان، باید از متخصص و پزشک کمک گرفت و تست انجام گیرد تا حساسیت داشتن و یا نداشتن به آن گیاه یا دارو مشخص گردد. در صورت عدم حساسیت، شستشوی سر با جوشاندهٔ برگ انجیر و استفاده از شیرهٔ آن بسیار مفید می‌باشد. این جوشانده به این روش تهیه می‌گردد که، یکی دو برگ انجیر را جوشانده و در شیشه‌ای می‌ریزیم. سپس کمی از آن را برداشته و فقط موی سر را با آن خیس می‌کنیم. دقت کنید که از این جوشانده روی پوست صورت و بدن شما نریزد. برس کشیدن و مالش پوست سر نیز مفید است، به شرط آنکه پوست سر ملتهب نبوده، غدد زیر پوست کمبود مواد معدنی نداشته و خراب نشده باشند.

شستشو و تمیز نگه داشتن موی سر نیز در بهبود جریان خون سر و تنفس مو، بسیار سودمند است.

یاقوت رویان محصولی را وارد بازار نموده که در درمان، رشد و تغذیه پوست و مو بسیار مفید است. این مکمل که Rigendiet Retard نام دارد حاوی روی(zinc) به عنوان یک ماده معدنی و عامل اساسی در سلامت و بازسازی بافت های آسیب دیده بشمار میرود و همچنین حاوی مس برای تولید ملانین ، سلنیم جهت خنثی کردن رادیکال های آزاد  که موجب پیری پوست می شوند، ویتامین E ، ویتامین B۱۲، پانتوتنیک اسید، فولیک اسید ، و متیونین و سیستین می باشد. این مکمل  که محصول ESI ایتالیا است در تمام داروخانه های سراسر کشور در دسترس شما قرار دارد.

A new study reveals that high intake of fruits and vegetables packed with vitamin C will substantially cut the heart attack and early death risk. The researchers examined 100,000 Danish people's intake of fruit and vegetables as well as their DNA.
High Intake of Diet Filled With Vitamin C Reduces Heart Attack, Early Death Risk

"We can see that those with the highest intake of fruit and vegetables have a 15% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and a 20% lower risk of early death," said Camilla Kobylecki, medical doctor at the department of clinical biochemistry at Herlev and Gentofte Hospital in Denmark.

Vitamin C helps build connective tissue which supports and connects different types of tissues and organs in the body.

It is also a potent antioxidant which protects cells and biological molecules from the damage which causes many diseases, including cardiovascular disease.

The human body is not able to produce vitamin C, which means that we must get the vitamin from our diet, said the study that appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is a natural way of increasing vitamin C blood levels. You can get vitamin C supplements but it is a good idea to get your vitamin C by eating a healthy diet," added Boerge Nordestgaard from University of Copenhagen.

Read more: High Intake of Diet Filled With Vitamin C Reduces Heart Attack, Early Death Risk http://www.medindia.net/news/high-intake-of-diet-filled-with-vitamin-c-reduces-heart-attack-early-death-risk-150841-1.htm#ixzz3fai9amI2