WHAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SALT

We should all know by now how too much salt in our diet raises our blood pressure but have you stopped to ask how and what are the dangers?

Well our bodies are kept in balance by the Hypothalamus (An area in the brain its job is to maintain homeostasis within the body). It does this in a number of ways and its a bit akin to a laboratory constantly analysing our blood, checking if we have the correct amount of hormones, is the blood the right consistency, does it have the correct balance of salts to maintain body function. Salt, sodium chloride to give it its proper name is necessary along with other salts like Potassium are necessary for a variety of functions and nerve function being one of them. It is through the interaction between Potassium and Sodium that our nerves work and are able to pass signals down through our nerves from our brains to our muscles etc. If this balance is upset then our bodies won't work correctly.

Now if you are eating a high salt diet (Sodium) and you know what happens if you eat something very salty how do you feel? Very thirsty I shouldn't wonder and this is because the hypothalamus has noticed there is too much sodium in the blood, so the first thing it does is to alert the body and make us thirsty and cause us to drink more fluid in an effort to dilute the blood. At the same time the Hypothalamus  causes the  pituitary gland to release Vasopressin (Anti diuretic hormone) this is circulated in the blood stream and targets the kidneys not to filter out so much liquid in the blood as waste (Urine becomes more concentrated so you don't pass as much). These two actions generate more blood volume in an effort to dilute the concentration of Sodium (more liquid part of the blood).

Cue the heart, now your poor heart has more work to do, you've upped its work load putting more strain on it. You've still got the same amount of arteries and veins but have more liquid for your heart to pump through, this means your left Ventricle of your heart is under strain thus the action of forcing all this volume of fluid through the same amount of vessels raises the blood pressure. So first and foremost high blood pressure strains the heart and the heart being a muscle, like any other muscle will enlarge to cope with the work. Now the kidneys, they filter impurities and toxins out of the body through a series of tiny tubules called Nephrons, these tiny vessels are very delicate and only one cell thick and thus very fragile. With the raised pressure of all this excess fluid in the blood being forced harder through the circulation, these tiny vessels are easily damaged.

As we get older our arteries, which are a series of elastic muscular tubes, become less elastic, think of washing a pair of knickers hundreds of times eventually the elastic gets spent doesn't it? well its like this with the arteries. Because they have lost this elasticity they cannot cope so well with an increased blood pressure and if these arteries happen to be in the brain, the result can be a burst blood vessel hence one type of stroke. Now couple this with someone who has had a fatty diet eating lots of saturated fats. That fat circulates in the blood stream and just like a sink drain that gets blocked when you try to pour fat down it regularly, the same thing happens in an artery. Fat sticks to the artery walls forming plaques, blood cells become sticky and before you know it you have a clot forming. If this clot travels to the brain you have the other type of stroke. A stroke is where the brain is starved of oxygen because blood flow is restricted to an area and that area of the brain is damaged. If the clot forms in the leg we have a Deep Vein Thrombosis, if it forms in the lungs we have a Pulmonary Thrombosis and if we have a clot in the circulation of the heart we have a Coronary Thrombosis.  Obviously too furred up arteries will raise blood pressure too as the heart will have to work harder to push all that volume of blood through narrowed blood vessels.

So now you know why too much salt is bad for you and the worst culprits for harbouring salt are processed foods. Start reading labels and become familiar with recommended daily allowances, you may just save your health a whole lot of trouble

In the UK, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Salt is 6 grams for an adult, 1 gram for a baby under 12 months old and between 2-6 grams of salt for a child up until their 11th birthday.


http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/fss/salt/howmuchsalteat/


In the US, the RDA is 2.3 g of sodium, or 5.75 g of salt, since to calculate the amount of salt from sodium you should multiply by 2.5.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/recommendations.htm
http://www.salt.gov.uk/cgi-bin/saltcalc.pl

Maggie Brown (Author)

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AQUIRING A MUFFIN TOP IS A WARNING YOU ARE DAMAGING YOUR HEALTH

Not a new story, the one below as it has been well documented in the past fat carried around the abdomen is unhealthy as fat there is likely to be around the heart. On the whole men are more prone to fat around their abdomen than women and this is because of female hormones. Oestrogen causes fat to be distributed around the hips and thighs and gives women, their curvy shape. This fat placement is designed to sustain pregnancy and breast feeding and indeed women who breast feed regain the figures back easier and quicker than those who don't. Whilst we are on the subject it's not breast feeding that causes breast tissue to droop but pregnancy and not wearing the correctly fitting bras as the "Coopers ligaments" the natural bra, within the breast tissue can become over stretched and once this happens no amount of exercise, breast firming creams will help. Prevention is the best policy here.

When women go through the menopause, the amount of oestrogen is diminished, the fatty tissue and adrenal glands still produce a little but not enough to prevent menopause, however due to the ratio of androgens (male hormones and both sexes produce a little of male and female hormones) becomes higher than female hormones as a result there is a shift in fat distribution. Post menopausal women will notice their waist will become thicker and they will store more weight on their abdomens than their hips. They will also find their bottoms become flatter due to this redistribution as a result they are more prone to heart disease than pre menopause. The effect of oestrogen protects women more from heart disease and this is largely down to the way fat is stored.

Now to compound things a bit further one of the things heavy, binge drinking does, it causes more androgens to be produced in women over time, this will have an effect on the female to male hormone ratio as a result more fat will be distributed in the and around the abdomens in females, obviously it goes without saying this makes them more prone to heart disease as this fat is going to collect around the coronary arteries. Alcohol of any description is high in calories too.

If you have read previous articles I have posted on this blog and you can find them on here by going to the stress section, the effects of stress long term on the body due to high levels of cortisone (stress hormones) causes a change in weight distribution also, with more fat being stored around the abdomen also.

Young women because of their lifestyles where they are drinking more than ever and the effects of today's stresses are now finding they are more prone to heart disease than ever before. Many women who have families now go out to work, nothing wrong with that, but due to time constraints rely on convenience foods and these are often high in salt and fat and MSG, (I have a blog on this here too how MSG stimulates the appetite). With a little planning it is possible to balance a full time job and a family and eat healthily. And with the use of a freezer you can prepare in advance your own convenience store of food when you are in a hurry. Don't overlook the humble slow cooker either, nor are seasonal vegetables expensive, so there is no excuse really. Even for those who say time prevents them from preparing vegetables  frozen vegetables are often higher in vitamin content than fresh as frozen vegetables are picked very fresh and frozen immediately and thus the vitamin content is locked in. How can anybody say they dislike fruit, its naturally sweet, which has the right kind of unrefined sugars, seasonal fruit is not expensive, its high in vitamins and roughage so is filling and what preparation is needed little if any.

Frankly it's just too easy to reach for that biscuit, which really is what I term 'empty calories' in other wards there is no nutritional value in them, likewise cakes and sweets. The trouble is when you get into this cycle of sweet quick fixes, it often results in weight gain. Every time you reach for that sweet, yes it will make you feel better momentarily but you are doing your pancreas no favours in the long run. For every time you eat refined sugars your poor pancreas has to produce insulin to counteract this so you end up with a pattern of blood sugar highs and lows and it is in these lows your body craves sugar and thus another biscuit. In time this can affect the pancreas and can instigate type 2 Diabetes in later life and in this generation we have action found type 2 Diabetes in over weight children.

So next time you reach for that bag of salty, fatty crisps (and too much salt raises the blood pressure, there is a blog on that here somewhere) or biscuit, think of the muffin top and all that fat furring up and blocking your arteries. Tip print the pic below and  tape it to your biscuit tin

'Muffin Tops' or a beer belly double heart disease risk

Having a ‘modest’ beer belly or muffin top can double the risk of dying from heart disease or strokes, say scientists.
A U.S. study of nearly 16,000 patients with coronary heart disease found that a layer of flab around the stomach can be as dangerous as smoking a packet of cigarettes a day or having very high cholesterol.
The findings add to the evidence that heart problems and furred arteries are not just linked to how much fat people have - but also to the location of the fat.

Danger: A study of nearly 16,000 patients coronary heart disease found that a layer of flab around the stomach can be as dangerous as smoking a packet of cigarettes a day or having very high cholesterol

Past studies have shown that ‘apple-shaped’ women with fat around their waists are at greater risk than ‘pear-shaped’ women whose fat is on their hips.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, looked at data from 15,923 patients with coronary heart disease. They found that those with fat around their waists were twice as likely to die from the disease.
Dr Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, said that fat around the waist was more metabolically active.

'It produces more chances in cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar,' he said. 'However, people who have fat mostly in other locations in the body, specifically the legs and buttocks, don't show this increased risk.'
Doctors often assess a patient's risk of coronary artery disease by looking at their body mass index - a measure that takes into account someone's weight and height.
However, the study authors say doctors should advise patients with heart disease with normal BMIs to shed weight if they have a large waist or high waist-to-hip ratio.
The findings are published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382805/Muffin-Tops-beer-belly-double-heart-disease-risk.html#ixzz1LNBYhy3e

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DEPRESSION CAN MAKE YOU MORE RESILIENT

Story from the Daily Mail below, I am all for anything that can help reduce the stigma of mental Illness. Having began my nursing career, my first placement was in a Psychiatric Hospital many years ago. Many of the patients had suffered some women had been locked up and sectioned by their families for having had an illegitimate child when a young girl and had been incascerated for so long they had become instituitionalised and were now unable to live in the out side world for they could not cope.

What they are saying basically is this, adversity makes us stronger and it does, it gives us the strength and ability to help others through what you have been through and anything that can help alleviate the suffering mental illness brings is worth while.

Cheer up! Depression could be good for you - sometimes it leaves you more resilient and creative

Eleven years ago, Helen McNallen suffered an episode of depression so severe she attempted to take her own life.
So it may seem extraordinary that the 43-year-old former city trader now devotes most of her time to running a website she has started up called www.depressioncanbefun.com.
Despite the somewhat flippant name — designed to reduce stigma around the subject — it has the serious purpose of trying to help others cope in similar circumstances.

One in four people in the UK suffers with depression at some point in their lives. It costs Britain around £17billion in sick leave and lost productivity

She set it up because she is convinced that her mental health crisis, which was triggered by the pressures of her job, has, in the long-run, transformed her life for the better.
‘I’m glad I had depression,’ says Helen, from Sheffield in South Yorkshire.
‘At one time, I thought I would be working in the City of London for the rest of my days, even though it was incredibly stressful and I was very unhappy.
‘Now, I feel very lucky to be able to spend my time helping other people. It was a turning point in my life.’

Depression has become something of a modern-day epidemic.
One in four people in the UK suffers with it at some point in their lives and GPs now issue record numbers of prescriptions for anti-depressants — more than 30 million a year. Economists say it costs Britain around £17 billion in sick leave and lost productivity.
Causes range from having a family history of the problem or suffering a major trauma, to chronic stress and money worries.
But now some experts are arguing that these negative effects of Britain’s depression ‘crisis’ hide the fact that, for some people like Helen, it can be a positive life-changing experience that leaves them tougher, more resilient and more creative.
Some even argue that depression may not be an illness at all, but an evolutionary survival mechanism that helps us cope with life’s crises by forcing us to reassess our priorities.
‘Nobody would choose to have depression because it can be a really unpleasant experience,’ says Dr Paul Keedwell, a psychologist and psychiatrist based at Cardiff University.
‘But you have to wonder why it is such a common condition and why it has not been bred out through evolution. Perhaps it’s because we need something that makes us put the brakes on every now and then and reassess our goals and strategies.
‘We need to meet our own needs in order to thrive and be loved and be part of a social group. Sometimes we can learn to do that through the pain of depression.’

Some argue depression helps us cope with life's crises by forcing us to reassess our priorities

This controversial idea, that depression might do some of us good in the long run, is backed up by a recent study carried out in the Netherlands.
It analysed the effects of depression on 165 people by looking at how well they coped with life’s stresses and strains before and after their mental breakdown. The researchers expected to find patients were left chronically disabled by their experience, struggling to cope in their domestic and working lives.
In fact, the majority had more vitality, improved social lives and were performing better  at work.
The evolutionary theory raises another key question — are too many people with mild to moderate depression being encouraged to rely on antidepressants to make them feel better, rather than confront the issues underlying their mental state and become stronger as a result?
Moreover, Professor Peter Kinderman, a member of the British Psychological Society, says mild to moderate depression can have a positive effect and should not be regarded as a medical complaint but a normal reaction to life’s ups and downs.
‘We know that when someone is profoundly depressed it is completely different from their normal state of being,’ he says. ‘But that does not mean it’s abnormal. It’s part of being alive.’
But if suffering mental health problems really can be beneficial, experts agree it’s only likely to apply to those with mild to moderate depression — the majority of cases.
Where the cause is fairly obvious — such as bereavement or relationship break-up — it can act as a catalyst to re-evaluate what is important in life.
‘For example, if you don’t get the grades at university you might get upset and that’s completely normal,’ Professor Kinderman says.
‘Then you reflect on the choices and mistakes you made and you come out of it with a different sense of motivation. We need this evolutionary system to allow us to cope with rejection and disappointment, and the normal ups and downs of life.’
But when there is no apparent reason for a slump in mental wellbeing, it’s much less likely to have any benefit.
This is a state of mind that doctors call anhedonia: the kind of clinical depression where things that used to bring great joy — prized possessions, favourite places and loving relationships — no longer do.
When sufferers fall this low, it can be hard for them to focus on the problems that have caused their decline, or make changes that might get them out of it.
Helen had been struggling with stress at work as a high-flying City trader for several years before she finally broke down and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
‘It had been coming on for a while,’ says Helen, who has no children and is separated from her husband.
‘I was very unhappy in my job, but kept going. I refused to stop work because I’d have been seen as a failure.
‘I became very withdrawn and wanted to be on my own all the time. I stayed in bed for whole weekends and felt I wanted to die. It went on for two years before I suffered a breakdown. I tried to commit suicide by jumping off a building. But I’d also swallowed huge quantities of Valium and passed out on the roof. I woke up in hospital and ended up in a psychiatric unit for three months on suicide watch.’
Helen was treated with a range of anti-depressants, counselling and even electric shock therapy, with mixed results. Over five years or so, she abandoned them all for her own regime of healthy eating, regular exercise and frequent laughter — hence the website.
She works with the NHS on providing support for depression sufferers, is training to be a mental health counsellor and has more than 125,000 registered users on her website.
Helen believes depression made her stronger, by teaching her not to be afraid to seek help when she really needs it and to place more emphasis on quality of life, rather material wealth.
‘Once I realised there was a reason for how I was feeling, I knew I could do something about it.’
But Dr Eva Cyhlarova, head of research at the Mental Health Foundation, cautions against deliberately allowing depressive symptoms to worsen in the hope of it doing some good.
‘People should not wait until they have a diagnosis of mild depression before doing something about it. Instead, they should try to recognise the symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression early on and take steps to address the problem before it deteriorates.
‘These steps might include taking more exercise, eating more healthily, talking to a friend or family member or addressing any concerns with work or personal relationships.’
Marjorie Wallace, founder of the mental health charity SANE, says depression is a form of ‘malignant sadness’ that can be ‘agonising and destructive’.
‘Everybody experiences sadness. But there comes a point where that becomes malignant. That’s when it becomes an illness and can be dangerous.
‘But for some people, depression can be a wake-up call. They peer over the edge and say to themselves “I can’t give in to this — I have got to survive.” That’s the point where they accept they have depression and seek help.’

Maggie Brown (Author)

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EVEN PASSIVE SMOKING IS DETRIMENTAL

An article from the Daily Mail and my take on smoking and its effects below

Passive smoking raises blood pressure in boys, study reveals

In the first study of its kind, researchers have found that boys who inhale second-hand tobacco smoke at home may experience significant levels of raised blood pressure.
In later life the study revealed that this could lead to high blood pressure, or hypertension, and an increased risk of heart disease.
However, in girls, passive smoking appeared to be associated with a lowering of blood pressure.

New study: Researchers found boys are more likely to suffer high blood pressure from passive smoking than girls

The research involved more than 6,400 young people.
The results showed that boys aged eight to 17 who were exposed to second hand tobacco smoke had significantly higher blood pressure than those who did not inhale smoke.
Smoke exposure was linked to systolic blood pressure, which relates to surges of blood each time the heart contracts.
US researcher Dr Jill Baumgartner, from the University of Minnesota, said: 'These findings support several previous studies suggesting that something about female gender may provide protection from harmful vascular changes due to second-hand smoke exposure.
'An important next step is to understand why.'
Blood pressure of children living with a smoker was increased by 1.6 millimetres of mercury in boys, but lowered by 1.8 millimetres in girls.

'While the increases in blood pressure observed among boys in our study may not be clinically meaningful for an individual child, they have large implications for populations,' said Dr Baumgartner.

She added: 'The relationship between second-hand smoke exposure and blood pressure observed in our study provides further incentives for governments to support smoking bans and other legislation that protect children from second-hand smoke.'
The findings were presented today at the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Researchers analysed data from four health surveys conducted between 1999 and 2006 by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Tobacco smoke exposure was assessed from children's own reports and levels of the nicotine break down chemical cotinine in their bodies.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382406/Passive-smoking-raises-blood-pressure-boys-study-reveals.html#ixzz1LEEajXFz

SOME OF THE OTHER EFFECTS OF SMOKING

HEALTHY LUNGS

Smoking is one of the worst abuses you can do to your body, firstly because of its direct effect affect on the lungs, it impairs the uptake and absorption of oxygen and of course all cells in the body require oxygen in order to function normally. The nicotine  as well as being addictive is a powerful vasoconstrictor therefore it reduces blood flow to the peripheral circulation so the skin and hair are going to suffer. So as well as impairing oxygen uptake and reducing blood flow to the skin, the body is also having to use its resources dealing with all the toxins also inhaled. Poorly nourished skin means it cannot repair itself adequately. Smoking also leads to more wrinkling, those little purse string lines around the mouth and crows feet caused by the smoke further research has proven that smoking causes the skin to age ten years.

EFFECTS OF ONE PACK PER DAY FOR 20 YEARS

The lungs to the right here are really quite shocking and here you can see the effects of tar from the cigarettes.

We know that smoking can wreak havoc on a woman's appearance, (as explained in previous articles on this blog) causing a sallow complexion and premature ageing, and as well as having effects on sexual health contributing to infertility, early menopause, can contribute to osteoporosis.

Smokers lungs, mouth and skin cancers, circulatory disease leading to gangerine

Smoking causes 50 certain diseases cigarettes are a well-known cause of lung cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, and other disorders such as skin cancer, mouth cancer, stroke and high blood pressure. It is the myriad of toxins in cigarette smoke, rather than the nicotine content, that is responsible for the majority of the harmful effects. In other words, it is the delivery system, not the addictive drug, which is responsible for the vast majority of tobacco-related diseases. And it is not the nicotine in cigarettes, but the tar that causes the unsightly yellow-brown stains on fingers and teeth. There are more than 4,000 other chemicals in cigarette smoke, many of which are known to cause cancer. In particular it is the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines that are the probable causative agents for lung and other cancers.

It is the adverse nicotine effect in tobacco products that leads to addiction and this which sustains tobacco use. Because most smokers are nicotine-dependent, they continue to expose themselves to toxins from cigarettes. It is the other chemicals in cigarettes, not nicotine, which are responsible for most of the adverse health effects related to smoking. Nicotine is an addictive drug. When smoked, it is delivered into the lungs and is rapidly absorbed by the blood, reaching the brain within approximately ten seconds. At this point, smokers experience a nicotine "hit" - causing the brain to produce Dopamines, a neurotransmitter that regulates emotion and feelings of pleasure. The brain soon comes to expect regular doses of nicotine and suffers nicotine withdrawal symptoms when the supply is interrupted. The addictive nature of nicotine is largely due to its dose and rapid delivery to the brain when smoking cigarettes.


Women who carry on smoking in pregnancy endanger not only themselves, but their babies too. Mothers who smoke around their children also put their kids' health at risk. Even before conceiving research shows that cigarette smoking is harmful to a woman's ovaries. It can cause a woman's eggs to be more prone to genetic abnormality and increase the risk of spontaneous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy. Women who smoke take longer to conceive with the chances of conceiving falling by up to 40 per cent per menstrual cycle. The more cigarettes you smoke the longer it takes to become pregnant. Just one cigarette a day can have a significant impact. In men stopping smoking can reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction and may improve sexual potency.

RISKS YOU CAN LESSEN IF YOU QUIT SMOKING

• Harming ovaries
• genetic abnormalities
• miscarriages
• ectopic pregnancy
• IVF attempts improve increasing the success of fertility treatment.

There is a reduction in the likelihood of the embryo implanting compared to non-smokers, and nearly twice as many IVF attempts may be required to conceive in smokers. Breathing in secondary smoke can cause nearly as much harm as a woman smoking herself.
Like every mum-to-be you want to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. The best way to ensure this is not to smoke and avoid all smoking dangers. Smoking during pregnancy harms you and it harms your baby.
THE SMOKING DANGERS YOU CAN AVOID IF YOU QUIT SMOKING 

• Poisonous chemicals in cigarette smoke passing through your body into your baby.
• Cigarette smoke disrupting the flow of blood to your baby.
• Prenatal passive smoking influences placental and fetal development, reduces birth weight, and affects lung and brain development.
• A smaller, weaker baby that will be more prone to infections and illness.An increased risk of breathlessness and wheezing in young babies.
• Increased risk of congenital defects such as cleft lip and/or palate or limb deformities.

Stopping smoking at any stage of pregnancy is very beneficial. The moment you quit you start increasing your chances of a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby. You will have more energy, be able to cope better with pregnancy, and know you are doing the best for your unborn baby. Passive smoking is equally dangerous for your unborn baby. If your family or friends smoke near you, you will breathe in harmful gases and chemicals and pass them onto your baby. Passive smoking becomes more harmful for mothers who exceeds the age of 30. There is more of a risk of sudden death symptoms for new born babies if their parents were smokers. Passive smoking also increases the possibility of having respiratory diseases for children before the school age; it also increases the possibility of having heart diseases that reaches the rate of 50%, hence, increase the risk of Angina due to the increase damage of the cells in the heart muscle because of carbon monoxide and nicotine. Studies have shown that certain parts of the chromosomes were more affected by the tobacco, which lead to blood cancer (leukaemia). This may explains the relationship between smoking during pregnancy and leukaemia in children. Children growing up in a smoke free home are less likely to catch colds, coughs and bugs. And you will reduce the risk of serious problems like cot death, asthma, chest infections, and glue ear and you and your partner will feel healthier, should have fewer coughs and colds, and have more energy to run around and play with your children. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU QUIT?

20 minutes: Your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal
8 hours: Oxygen levels in your blood return to normal.
24 hours: Carbon monoxide has been eliminated from your body. Your lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris.
48 hours: There is no nicotine left in your body. Your ability to taste and smell is greatly improved.
72 hours: Breathing becomes easier. Your bronchial tubes begin to relax and your energy levels increase.
2-12 weeks: Circulation improves throughout the body, making walking and running a whole lot easier.
3-9 months: Coughs, wheezing and breathing problems get better as your lung function is increased by up to 10%.
5 years: Heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
10 years: Risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker. Risk of heart attack falls to same as someone who has never smoked.

Maggie Brown (Author)

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LEGGINGS MAKE YOU FAT

The following is from the Daily Mail. It is true its not just leggings any foundation garment has this effect, it makes the muscles lazy. The other thing that leggings do is, they stretch with you so when your waistline expands, because they are stretchy, you don't notice and its only when you try and fit into your jeans or other clothes you realise you've gained weight. Leggings are fine for occasional use or for the gym, but don't wear them all the time

Why leggings make you fat: Wearing them 'causes lazy muscles and leaves legs and stomach flabby'

Famous fan: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow is one of a number of celebrities who has helped make leggings fashionable

Whether it’s forgetting  to wax or having a ‘fat’  day, leggings hide all manner of sins.
But the army of women who rely on them could be in for a nasty shock now that it’s time to peel them off for summer.
Experts have warned that leggings can make the muscles ‘lazy’ and  can result in flabby stomachs and wobbly legs.
The claim will alarm thousands for whom leggings have become a  wardrobe staple.
Physiotherapist Sammy Margo said: ‘Leggings feel good and look great and I am as addicted to them as anyone, but there is a downside.
‘They hold in and support the quadriceps (thigh muscles), buttocks and core muscles in your tummy,  and do the job the muscles are supposed to do.
‘As a result, the muscles are allowed to relax and switch off, so when we reveal our bodies for the first time as summer approaches, they are not as svelte or firm as they otherwise would be.’
The problem is further exacerbated because wearers’ bare legs and  midriffs are ‘out of sight, out of  mind’, so women are less inclined  to take steps to tone up during the winter months.
Mrs Margo said: ‘Leggings hide the bits of our bodies we don’t like, such as the cellulite on our legs or our “muffin top”, so we are able to ignore the problem and we are less motivated to exercise these parts.’
Celebrity advocates of leggings include Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham, who even launched her own designer range.
Lycra leggings made a fashion comeback in 2006 and have remained popular ever since.
They are now available in virtually every style and colour, including wet-look, denim, animal print and neon.
But perhaps today’s news marks the beginning of the end for this particular fashion fad.
The good news is that women can apparently regain the strength in the muscles that have been made lethargic by their leggings through a few simple, daily exercises.
They include walking with ankle weights, clenching and releasing the stomach and buttocks throughout the day – and even using a piece of string to aid core exercises.


Mrs Margo, a chartered physiotherapist based in north-west London, explained: ‘Suck your stomach in as far as it will go then breathe out about halfway. Tie a piece of string around your stomach at that point and keep it there all day.’
The idea is that by holding in  the stomach – using the string  as a guide to tell you when you are not holding it in enough, you work the muscles.
Mrs Margo said it takes about  six weeks for the muscles on the  legs and stomach to noticeably  tone up from the day you start to exercise them.
She added: ‘So people should already be weaning themselves off their leggings if they want to look their best in time for summer. The sunny weather should have helped them to ditch them a bit earlier this year and get a head start.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1382579/Why-leggings-make-fat-Wearing-causes-lazy-muscles-leaves-legs-stomach-flabby.html#ixzz1LDxlK1St

Maggie Brown (Author)

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A new book separates beauty fact from fiction

If you have read my take on beauty on various pages on my blog here you will already know, you pay a lot for packaging and cosmetics can only affect the epidermis, if they could do any more other than this they would have to be registered as medications. This article from the Daily Mail and extract from the book will prove this.

If you don't mind paying for fancy packaging and hype so be it, but you do not have to spend a lot on cosmetics to look good, many own brand supermarket brands work just as well and some even better than top brands. I am becoming a great fan of Aldi beauty products and their basics like cotton buds at 35 pence for 200 in a choice of colours you cannot beat.

Is lip balm addictive? Does expensive conditioner work? A new book separates beauty fact from fiction

Can you become addicted to lip balm? Does nail varnish really turn your nails yellow? Will an expensive conditioner work wonders on your hair?
In this extract from a new book, the top cosmetic scientists contributing to a popular website called beautybrains.com answer key questions about the everyday beauty products we use.
CAN YOU BECOME ADDICTED TO LIP BALM?
Yes. Skin is a complicated organ, with multiple layers. The top layer, the stratum corneum, consists mainly of dead, dried-up cells, and as those cells flake off they send a signal to a deeper layer of skin - the basal layer - to produce fresh skin cells.

Hooked: You can become addicted to lip balm as you can train your lips to rely on it to become moisturised

This is the process of cellular turnover. When you apply lip balm regularly, you create a barrier that prevents the evaporation of moisture from the inner layers of skin. Since the top layer isn't drying as much as it would normally, the basal layer stops getting the signal to produce new cells and slows down production.
When you stop using lip balm, your lips dry out and your basal layer must start producing new cells again. But since your lips already feel dry, you apply more lip balm.

Once that application of lip balm has worn off and there are no new, plump, moist skin cells to replace the ones drying out, your lips feel dry again and you have to apply more lip balm. And so on, and so on. Use balm too often and you'll train your lips to rely on it.
WHY DOES NAIL VARNISH TURN NAILS YELLOW?

TIPS TO AVOID YELLOW NAILS

• Wear a clear base coat under coloured polish to protect your nails from staining.
• Choose a formaldehyde-free varnish.
  
• Use a nail varnish remover with a whitening formula - most brands do them - or soak your fingertips in ½ cup of water and the juice of one lemon for up to 15 minutes, once a week, to remove stains.
• Never try to scrape or file away stains: you'll damage and weaken the nail

Some of the darker-coloured polishes can stain nails because of a chemical reaction between the colorant and the nail plate.
This reaction is hard to predict because it doesn't happen to everyone or for every dark colour. It can also take a few days to a few weeks to occur.
Formaldehyde is one of the hardening ingredients used in some nail polishes. It can react with the keratin protein in nails to make them brittle and yellow.
DO LIP PLUMPERS WORK?
Yes - by irritating your lips and causing them to swell.
That tingly feeling when you apply them is not in your imagination; your lips are reacting to a menthol-type chemical called menthoxypropanediol used to stimulate the skin.
The plumping effect is only ever slight, and temporary. It's not a good idea to use them often because they might damage your lips.
IS IT WORTH BUYING EXPENSIVE CONDITIONER?
Will designer conditioners such as Philip B's White Truffle Conditioning Crème - which retails at an astonishing £65 (spacenk.co.uk) - make a difference?
Cheap conditioners, priced at less than £2, don't usually contain silicones, which are among the most effective smoothing agents. Once you get over that £2 barrier, the differences are less significant.

Buy what you like and can afford: Many expensive conditioners have the same ingredients as cheaper ones

Pantene and TRES emme are among the best conditioners we tested and they're not expensive.
Even the high-end brands use the same basic ingredients as products costing £5 or less. As we always say, you should buy what you like and what you can afford.
DOES FACIAL CLEANSER NEED TO BE APPLIED WITH AN 'UPWARD MOTION'?

PAST-IT POTIONS
An estimated 50 million unused skincare products are gathering dust in UK bathrooms

We've all read the instruction on the packaging - 'apply cleanser in an upward motion' - but we aren't aware of any scientific need for this.
Our guess is that this is just marketing-speak.
Maybe the manufacturers think that since gravity drags your skin down, pushing your skin up will help get rid of wrinkles. It won't.

Extracted from Can You Get Hooked On Lip Balm? by Perry Romanowski, published by Harlequin Books S.A. © 2011 Perry Romanowski. You can order a copy via millsandboon.co.uk and other ebook retailers.

Maggie Brown (Author)

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CARD READINGS

Many people think you can only use Tarot cards for readings, not so you can use ordinary playing cards however you will need to have meanings for the different cards and indeed regular playing cards are descended from Tarot. Most people who use playing cards for readings tend to give them the same meanings as the Tarot. There are many decks you can use from Irish Fairy cards to Dolphin and Unicorn cards. Many come with a guide as to how to use them but my advice is to put the book to one side and look at the illustrations on the cards taking in the colours you see and the images are you drawn to some part of the image, does something stand out and to always go with the first words and symbols that come into your head. I have used these Irish Fairy cards myself in my classes with students and they have certainly brought some love and laughter into the readings and classes

Maggie Brown (Author)

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DO FRIENDS INFLUENCE OUR WEIGHT?

Well coming across this article what do you think? Having a great cross section of friends I cant say this has effected me in any way. Is it because if you socalise with heavier people who tend to eat more you tend to copy them. Research in the past has shown that children inherit their parent's eating patterns, just because the parents are obese it doesn't follow genetically that the children will be. If the parents nibble constantly it generally follows the children will copy. So could this possibly be the reason, we copy and mirror those around us. It also says here that this works in reverse. So should those who are overweight socialise with thin people. For myself I have always been an independent thinker, who is not easily influenced, so this wont make any difference to me. Readers can come to your own opinion

Do our friends make us fatter? Thin people who socialise with the obese 'will get heavier'

It may seem like bad news for the thin among us, but socialising with people heavier than yourself could make you put on weight.
However, it could be good news for the larger among us, because the process can theoretically work in reverse too, according to research in the U.S.
Scientists Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler examined 32 years of data collected during a study of people's hearts in the town of Framingham in Massachusetts.

See the video below...

Fat friends: Socialising with people larger than yourself could you you gain up to 57 per cent more eight over time

The pair discovered that where two people who are friends for a long time, and where one is heavier than the other, the thinner friend tended to increase in weight by up to 57 per cent over time.
The figure was made more even more stark when compared to the likelihood of the same happening between genetic relations - 40 per cent - and spouses, where the weight increase is an average of 37 per cent.
As an example of how it affects people who aren't friends, the pair studied the weights of neighbours and found no link in weight increase.

 

'I think our findings reinforced the idea that because people are interconnected, their health is interconnected,' said Dr.Christakis on NPR.com.
But here is the good news. The process could be reversible too, helping  obese people to lose weight.
Dr.Christakis said: 'The same kind of phenomenon that contributes to an obesity epidemic could potentially — potentially — be harnessed to contribute to a reversal of the epidemic, because it's equally the case that one person losing weight contributes to the other people around them losing weight.'

Social eaters? Taken from the video diagram below; the yellow dots are obese people and the green dots are thin people, the lines between them represent family ties or friendships

At a basic level the results also seem to show that fatter people stick together, as do skinny people.
The research comes with a moving diagram which shows obese people - measured by a BMI greater than 30 - as yellow circles and thinner people as green circles.
The yellow circles gravitate towards each other, as do the green circles, particularly when they are linked by friendships and family ties.
In the diagram people are linked by purple lines - genetic family ties - and grey lines - friends and spouses.
The network of circles gets more dense as more ties appear between the circles, and the entire network gets heavier over time.
There are more obese people at the centre of the diagram, where there are more ties, while the people with fewer ties, towards the outside of the circle, are mostly thinner people.
NPR science blogger Jonah Lehrer said that the data shows that 'obesity spreads from person to person, much like a contagious virus'.

LINK TO VIDEO 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382038/Do-friends-make-fatter-Thin-people-socialise-overweight-people-weight.html#ixzz1L89N7lwP

Maggie Brown (Author)

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Why we crave sugary snacks... and not fruit and veg

Finding this article in the Daily Mail reminded me how we can influence our cravings particularly if trying to avoid sweet and starchy foods whilst trying to loose weight. We can do so by the use of essential oils and how they can influence the Hypothalamus. See below the Daily Mail article.

Are urges to eat unhealthy food purely down to greed? We ask experts...

It is the question that has foxed dieters and scientists alike: Why do we crave sugary snacks or fat-laden junk foods and not more healthy options such as, say, an apple?
Some claim to have 'a sweet tooth', or 'a salt tooth'. And many believe cravings are the body's way of telling them what they need. But how true is that really?

Cravings are an overwhelming sensation of desire for a certain food. There are a number of chemicals in the brain that are associated with this

THE EVOLUTION OF CRAVING

Experts believe that cravings occur for a variety of reasons. They attribute them to evolution, psychological factors such as stress and unhappiness, and  -  sometimes  -  a genuine need for certain foods.
'It's crucial to remember that a food craving is not simply hunger,' says Professor Andrew Hill, Head of the Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at Leeds University.
Hunger is the body's way of making sure it is provided with energy, in the form of nutrients from food. When the stomach is empty, it releases the hormone ghrelin, which communicates with the brain's command centre, the hypothalamus. This creates the feeling of hunger and is how we know when to eat.
Satiation is signalled by the release of the hormones leptin by fat cells, and insulin by the pancreas, in response to increased blood sugar.
Cravings, however, are much more complex.
'Those who are starving will eat literally anything  -  even foods they do not enjoy  -  to stay alive,' says psychologist Dr Leigh Gibson, Reader in Biopsychology at Roehampton University.
'Cravings, on the other hand, are an overwhelming sensation of desire for a certain food. There are a number of chemicals in the brain that are associated with this.
'First, there is dopamine, a brain chemical that is involved in learning and concentration. When we see or experience something new, dopamine is released in the brain.
'This works in tandem with other brain chemicals called opioids, which give us feelings of enjoyment and pleasure. The combination of these two factors mean that the brain associates certain activities with pleasure, and it teaches us to do them again and again.
'From an evolutionary point of view, junk food cravings are linked to prehistoric times when the brain's opioids and dopamine reacted to the benefit of high-calorie food as a survival mechanism.
'We are programmed to enjoy eating fatty and sugary substances, and our brains tell us to seek them out.
'Today, we still have the same chemical reactions to these so-called hyper-palatable foods, causing an unignorable desire  -  despite there being less of a nutritional need for them.'

Experts attribute cravings to evolution, psychological factors such as stress and unhappiness, and - sometimes - a genuine need for certain foods

HOW MOOD PLAYS A ROLE

Another factor in desire for sugary or fatty foods is stress.
'The body produces a hormone called cortisol in response to stress,' explains Dr Gibson.
'Its primary functions are to increase sugar in the blood to be used up as energy by the body's cells, suppress the immune system and aid in fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism. It also blocks the release of leptin and insulin, increasing hunger.
'This is why studies have shown that when we're stressed, we're more likely drawn towards high-energy foods, such as cakes and sweets. Stress in response to danger used to mean energy was burned up. Stress down to today's lifestyle may have the same effect, though these days we are less likely to actually burn off the calories.'
Then there are the psychological components to cravings.
'Mood is unquestionably a potent context  -  especially negative mood,' says Prof Hill.
'We crave reward foods. The pattern for this is partially set in childhood when parents give us sweet food to show love or reward.'
Anna Raymond, of the British Dietetic Association, agrees.
'Cravings are a psychological need for high-fat and high-sugar foods which taste pleasant  -  but which should, of course, form only a small part of our daily intake.'
Dr Gibson points out that sweet food can actively alleviate pain by releasing opioids, thus excusing us for giving sweets to a hurt child. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that chocolate causes the brain to release these euphoria-inducing chemicals.
Unsurprisingly, more than 50 per cent of reported cravings are for chocolate and most others are for highly palatable foods such as sweets or biscuits.
'Chocolate melts at body temperature which gives a pleasant sensation, and fat and sugar further increase the sensory appeal,' says Prof Hill.
Gender can influence the nature of cravings. According to Prof Hill, studies show that women predominantly crave sweet, fatty and energy-dense food and men have more savoury cravings, although it is not yet understood why.

SOME CRAVINGS REALLY SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED

Sometimes cravings may point to a deficiency in the body. Dr Gibson conducted an experiment in 1995 to test this theory.
His team gave a group of volunteers a low-protein breakfast followed by a high-protein lunch. The following day they were given a low-protein breakfast and a low protein lunch. Each meal was given in a variety of flavours.
On the third day they were given a choice. Regardless of flavour, all participants chose the high-protein option. This proves that if we need a nutrient  -  such as protein  -  we'll automatically choose it.
'We know that animals seek out food when they have nutritional needs  -  such as iron, vitamins or sodium.
Why should we be any different?' says Dr Gibson. ' Cravings for healthy food are more likely to be down to bodily needs.'

(One of my daughters used to love boiled eggs and would eat the egg shells as well I guess she must have had a need for calcium)

WHAT YOUR CRAVINGS ARE TRYING TO TELL YOU...

CHOCOLATE AND SWEETS' Cravings for these are usually down to a psychological desire for a food that makes you feel better and gives a short-term ''fix''. Dark chocolate contains magnesium, antioxidants and iron  -  so there is unquestionably some nutritional benefit,' says nutritionist Zoe Harcombe.

PIZZA, PASTA, CRIPS' It may be an example of wheat intolerance in the case of pizza and pasta  -  ironically if we're intolerant of things we crave them,' suggests Harcombe.
'One theory is that if we don't digest or absorb foods properly, we desire them more as the body isn't getting what it needs from the food. For instance, diabetics can't regulate their blood sugar, leading to low energy levels. But if the condition is uncontrolled they crave sugary foods, as the body believes it isn't getting enough.'

FISH Should you crave salmon, it could be a need for Omega3 fats.
'Some new evidence suggests that taste receptors respond to certain fatty acids,' says Dr Gibson.
'Maybe our system is aware of their presence. Tuna could be a need for salt  -  especially in a low-fat dieter who eats lots of fruit and vegetables but little meat or fish and is getting little sodium,' says Harcombe.
'Dieters are eating more potassium by consuming large amounts of fruit and vegetables, so they need to balance it out with more sodium.'

DAIRY 'Milk contains key nutrients, and if you crave cheese, you may need the fatsoluble Vitamins A and D, especially if you have a lowfat diet,' says Harcombe.

MEAT It seems obvious  -  but some experts believe a meat craving means the body needs protein. Dr Gibson says: 'A desire to eat red meat could be attributed to iron deficiency  -  especially in pregnant women.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1382217/Why-crave-junk-food-fruit-veg.html#ixzz1L63VRtIr

THE LIMBIC SYSTEM AND HOW WE CAN INFLUENCE THE HYPOTHALAMUS

In order to understand how this works, it helps to understand the structure of the Olfactory Tract. 

Most of the nose is concerned with breathing: inhaling air into the body and exhaling it out, however it is the organ of smell and thus very important in a therapy based on the power of aromas! At the top of the nose there are two areas of pigmented tissue known as Olfactory Membranes. They contain the olfactory, or smell-sensing cells, which have fine hair-like protrusions called cilia. The olfactory cells connect to nerves in an area known as the Olfactory Plexus. Once triggered, these nerves send messages along the olfactory Nerves to the Brain, particularly the Limbic System. This is the area of the brain that deals with Memory, Emotions, Our Basic Instincts and Mechanical Functions. When essential oil molecules pass over the olfactory cells, it is thought that these cells trigger receptor areas, which send an impulse via the olfactory plexus and nerves to the brain. Here the information is processed and interpretated (with either positive or negative associations). Depending on the interpretation, the brain sends messages to other parts of the body to elicit a response e.g. Grimace! The brain may also react to different chemicals in an essential oil and produce particular effects e.g. a relaxing or sedative substance may cause the brain to send out a message of relaxation either to the whole body or a particular part. 

The Role of the Hypothalamus

The Hypothalamus is the part of the brain that controls the endocrine system.

The Pituitary gland lies beneath the Hypothalamus  and it is this that controls the other endocrine glands.

The Hypothalamus receives information about the Homeostasis (balance) of the body, this is achieved by two means:

• The blood circulation i.e. temperature, blood glucose levels and hormone levels
• The nervous system i.e. The Autonomic Nervous system i.e. the part of the nervous system that regulates automatic functions e.g. breathing, heart rate etc. and mental and emotional states, our feelings: these influence ‘automatic responses’ e.g. ‘The fear, flight response’

The Hypothalamus responds to these changes by:

• Secreting Hormones (chemical messengers) that regulate hormones to be released by the anterior lobe of the pituitary
• The hypothalamus also directly releases hormones via the Posterior Lobe of the Pituitary , Vasopressin (ADH) and Oxytocin
• And by stimulating a nerve response to the ‘Central Nervous System’ (Brain & spinal Cord)

We can use essential oils to influence the hypothalamus, certain essential oils like Lime in particular stimulate the appetite and are a good choice to choice when recovering from illness when the appetite is poor. Lime is also uplifting and energising and stimulates the digestive system. On the other hand Patchouli essential oil has the opposite effect it decreases the appetite so next time you are having difficulties when beginning a weight reducing diet to alleviate cravings for sweet things sniff some Patchouli essential oil. Remember though if you are epileptic or pregnant do not do so.

Maggie Brown (Author)

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