Oversleeping: More Harmful than Helpful

March 25, 2010

Filed under: Uncategorized, causes of heart disease, depression, diabetes, headaches, hypersomnia, obesity — Amanda @ 4:05 pm

Oversleeping is another one of those situations that really does you more harm than good. Although it seems as though sleeping longer could benefit you, it has actually been linked to a number of medical problems, the most harmful being diabetes, and heart disease.

Many of us don’t know how much sleep we need as individuals to function our best. The average amount of sleep varies over your lifetime due to a number of factors such as age, activity level, general health, and lifestyle routines. If you are experiencing a period of stress, for example, your energy levels will decrease much faster than if you are not stressed therefore you will require more sleep. The average adult functions best after 7 or 8 hours of sleep, however there are many adults who find they only need 5 or 6 and others who need 9 or 10 hours of sleep to feel their best.

In order to determine the number of hours that your body requires for optimal function, keep a sleep diary. Record how many hours you sleep each night, the times you went to sleep and got up, how you felt in the morning, afternoon, and evening, if you had any bad dreams, and your general mood. The patterns you see will start to give you an idea of the number of hours you need.

Several recent studies have found that too much or too little sleep can be linked to many medical problems including obesity, diabetes, and even death.

Diabetes - In a recent study at the Boston University School of Medicine found that participants that had reported sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 9 hours a day had an 50% greater risk of diabetes than those who slept for 7 or 8 hours.

Obesity - In addition, another study found that people who slept for 9 or 10 hours every night were 21% more likely to become obese over a six year period than the people who slept for 7 or 8 hours. The relationship between sleep and obesity remained the same even after food intake and exercise were taken into account.

Heart Disease – A study involving nearly 72,000 women found that women who slept 9 to 11 hours each night were 38% more likely to have coronary heart disease than women who slept for 8 hours.

Death - Frighteningly enough, several studies have found that people who sleep 9 hours or more a night have significantly higher death rates than people who sleep between 7 and 8 hours a night.

Headaches - Sleeping longer than usual on a weekend can cause headaches. Researchers believe that oversleeping has an effect on neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin. People who sleep during the day and disrupt their nighttime sleep might also find that they are suffering from headaches in the morning.

Other studies have found that depression and back pain are also associated with oversleeping.

Pharmapassport.com, a Canadian Internet-based pharmacy intermediary (license #BC X23), provides customers with low prices and long-term prescriptions drugs. All Canadian prescriptions are filled by a professionally registered pharmacist. For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-293-3904 or visit http://www.pharmapassport.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy that has filled over 1 million prescriptions.

Comments (0)

March 18, 2010

7 Oral health signs you can’t ignore

Filed under: HIV, Uncategorized, anemia, diabetes, gum disease, infection, osteoporosis, pregnancy, sensitive teeth — Amanda @ 10:04 am

Gum Disease – Premature Birth

You may be more likely to have a premature baby if you are pregnant and have gum disease. The link between the two conditions is not entirely explained, but underlying inflammation or infection could be to blame. Pregnancy and its connected hormonal changes can worsen gum disease. Talk to your dentist about how to protect yourself and your baby.

Eroded Tooth Enamel – Eating Disorders

Eating disorders such as bulimia can take a significant toll on the health of your teeth. The stomach acid from continuous vomiting can erode tooth enamel, and the gums between teeth, especially on the tongue side of the upper front teeth. This increases the risk for decay in these places and can increase tooth sensitivity. Extreme erosion can cause changes in bite, and back teeth can become smaller. Some teeth can even be lost due to eating disorders. Tooth erosion can take about 3 years to become noticeable, but not all bulimics have it. constant vomiting can also cause the salivary glands to swell and the tissues in the mouth to become dry.

Swollen Gums – Pericoronitis

Pericoronitis may occur when wisdom teeth only partially break through the gum. This creates an opening for bacteria to enter around the tooth and cause infections. In pericoronitis, food and plaque can get caught underneath a flap of gum around the tooth and can irritate the gum. If the infection is severe, it can swell and extend beyond the jaw to the cheeks and neck. Pericoronitis causes pain, infection, and swollen gums around the molar teeth.

Thrush – HIV, Diabetes

Thrush is an infection in the mouth that is caused by candida fungus (yeast). Thrush can affect anyone, but it occurs mostly in people with weakened immune systems (HIV) and in people who use the drug prednisone. Antibiotics can also disturb the natural balance of organisms in the body and cause thrush. Oral thrush causes lesions on the tongue or cheeks. These can be painful and may bleed when scraped. This is due to the body’s weakened immune system and its inability to defend itself against infections. People with HIV/AIDS can also have symptoms of dry mouth. Other medical situations that make candida infections more likely to occur include uncontrolled diabetes, cancer, dry mouth, or pregnancy. People who smoke or wear dentures that don’t fit properly are also at an increased risk.

Tooth Loss – Osteoporosis

The bone disease called osteoporosis can affect any bone in your body., such as your jaw bone. If you develop osteoporosis in your jaw, you may experience tooth loss due to erosion of the jawbone. This will cause minor facial deformities and pain in and around the temporomandibular joint, which is what connects the upper and lower jaws. The bones around the roots of the teeth are also susceptible to osteoporosis.

Bad Breath – Gum disease

There are many illnesses that can cause bad breath. Some important ones to familiarize yourself with are respiratory tract infections (pneumonia or bronchitis), chronic sinus infections, postnasal drip, diabetes, chronic acid reflux, and liver or kidney problems. Chronic bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth can more commonly be warning signs of gum disease. Gum disease is caused by a buildup of plaque on your teeth. The bacteria creates toxins that irritate the gums. Another sign of gum disease is bleeding gums. When going untreated, gum disease can damage the gums and jawbone. Prevent gum disease by thoroughly brushing and flossing your teeth on a regular basis. Other dental causes of gum disease include poorly fitted dental appliances, yeast infections in the mouth, and dental caries.

Pale Gums – Anemia

Your gums can become sore and pale, and your tongue can become swollen and smooth if you have anemia. Your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells that contain enough hemoglobin when you have anemia. Your body doesn’t receive enough oxygen and you will experience a number of symptoms.

Comments (1)

March 10, 2010

Skin Care Tips

Filed under: Uncategorized, clear skin, dry skin, oily skin, red skin, skin care, skin problems — Candace @ 9:59 am

Do you have oily skin? Dry skin? Sensitive skin? Are you prone to acne? All different types of skin require different methods and products to cleanse and beautify skin.

Dry skin – If your face is dry everywhere, irritated, or peeling you should keep your focus on moisture. The first thing would be to drink water. If you have dry skin, it is lacking hydration. Water is key. Second, do not use tap water on dry skin, as it is full of minerals which can further dryness. Also avoid the use of a washcloth on your face and neck. Washcloths have a rough texture and are not meant for sensitive skin areas. Do not wash your face with soap and water. Use mineral water to lightly spray your face and add moisture; pat dry. Use a moisturizer to soften your skin. After a bath or shower apply a light layer of baby oil to all your skin.

Oily skin - If you have oily skin, consider yourself lucky. Oily skin ages at a slower rate than any other skin type. Clean your skin with hot water and soap (but a pure soap, with no additives). When using a product to cleanse your skin, choose an oil based product. When choosing a moisturizer, pick an oil-free product to prevent your skin from being shiny. Only wash your face 3 times a day at maximum. Try to use a day cream that has benzyl peroxide in the ingredients.

Combination Skin – Combination skin is defined as skin with both dry and oily patches. The dry areas are usually the cheeks, and the oily area is normally the T-zone. This is the most common skin type amongst women. For the oily areas use the oily skin tips and for the dry areas use the dry skin tips.

Acne-prone Skin – Pimples and breakouts are the result of clogged pores. Do not wash your face more than 3 times per day. Either have cold showers or use a water based toner. Instead of using sunscreen, use sun block. Sunscreens can chemically react with skin and have a negative effect while sun blocks prevent UV rays and ultimately prevent acne of the epidermis. Stress is a extremely common cause of acne. Try to reduce your stress levels and put away time to relax and sleep. Pressed powders are the worst for acne prone skin. Pressed powders are thick and clog the pores; this causes a breakout.

Comments (0)

March 4, 2010

5 Ways to Reduce Cellulite

Filed under: Uncategorized, cellulite, exercise, fish oil, flax, omega 3, uv rays — Amanda @ 4:06 pm

90% of women develop cellulite at some point in their life. The thigh, buttocks, and the stomach are the most common places for cellulite to develop in women. There aren’t perfect methods available that get rid of cellulite, the most effective methods involve surgery, but there are many simple things you can do to minimize the appearance of your cellulite.

1. Exercise - Exercise is the best thing you can do for your body. Not only is exercise a natural energy booster, but it can reduce the appearance of cellulite. Exercise enhances the circulation in your skin, tightens your thighs and butt, burns fat, and reduces the surface area of your body minimizing the appearance of cellulite.

2. Sunscreen – The sun’s ultra-violet rays can be hard on the cells of the skin. UV rays damage the connective tissues in the skin and weaken the blood vessels causing cellulite formation. Try to avoid too much sun exposure and protect your skin from UV damage by using sunscreen which will keep your skin healthy.

3. Caffeine – If you are going to use products on your cellulite, products that contain caffeine are some of the most effective due to the ingredients that stimulate collagen, promote blood circulation, reduce fluid retention, and repair weak tissue.

4. Eat oceanic plants – Seaweed and algae has properties that temporarily firm and tighten the skin while filling in the surface areas with dimpled spaces. Seaweed is not a common ingredient in North American diets, so be bold and go out for sushi or snack on sheets of nori.

5. The right diet - Things that include lecithin and essential fatty acids help repair cell membranes and reduce the fat’s ability to squeeze through connective tissue and create cellulite. A food that contains lecithin are egg yolks, and you can get essential fatty acids from flax seeds, fish and nut oils. Try taking Omega-3 supplements to improve your fatty acid levels and can actually help with acne problems as well.

Comments (0)