85% of private sector employees- a laggard in healthcare: ASSOCHAM Survey

Friday, April 05, 2013

Due to demanding schedules, high stress levels and performance linked perquisites in private sectors, nearly 85% of employees in private sectors are afflicted to life-style, chronic diseases and acute ailment than the government employees ranging below 8%, according to a recent survey conducted by ASSOCHAM on the occasion of ‘World Health day’.

ASSOCHAM’S survey reveals that 42% identified themselves are afflicted to lifestyle disease, followed by 38% suffering from chronic disease and remaining 15% have an acute ailment in the private sector.

While releasing the ASSOCHAM survey on “Government vs. Private employee health scenario”, Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM said, there is due compensation for increased inflation by way of dearness allowance (DA) to government employees whereas, the private sector is by and large out of this facility.”

Employees in private sectors are afflicted to life-style, chronic diseases, acute ailment are:

The findings on the government employees reveal very positive features ranging from reasonably good health, family stability, cordial relationship etc, adds the survey. The survey further points out there are many schemes in healthcare for government employees in addition to pension which reflects better health standards in government jobs.

Around 55 %of the survey respondents fall under the age bracket of 20-29 years, followed by 30-39 years (26 per cent), 40-49 years (16 per cent), 50-59 years (2 per cent) and 60-69 years (approximately 1 per cent).

The report included the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabd, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun etc. A little over 200 employee were selected from each city on an average. Mumbai ranks first afflicted to high levels of stress in private sector followed by Delhi (2nd), Ahemdabad (3rd) Chandigarh (4th), Hyderabad (5th ), Kolkata (6th ) and Chennai (7th) etc.

The survey was able to target private employees from 18 broad sectors, with maximum share contributed by employees from IT/ITes sector (17 per cent).

*Others include employees from those sectors that have contributed >= 1 %share in the survey (consumer durable, construction, energy, healthcare, steel, HR and Misc)

Employees working in engineering and telecom sector contributed 9% and 8% respectively in the questionnaire. Nearly 6% of the employees belonged from market research/KPO and media background each. Management, FMCG and Infrastructure sector employees share is 5% each, in the total survey. Respondents from power and real estate sector contributed 4% each. Employees from education and food& beverages sector provided a share of 3% each. Advertising, manufacturing and textiles employees offered a share of 2% each in the survey results.

“Rising cases of marital disputes and aberrated relationship contributing to high level of stress as reflected in increased serious health problems”, adds Dr. B K Rao, Chairman of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and ASSOCHAM Health Committee.

The increasingly demanding schedules and high stress levels are leading to sleep disorders in private sector. Loss of sleep has wide ranging effects including daytime fatigue, physical discomfort, psychological stress, performance deterioration, low pain threshold and increase absenteeism. The survey further points out that nearly 45% of the corporate employees in private sector sleep less than 6 hours on a daily basis due to work related pressure.

Around 58% of corporate employees in private sector are deeply concerned about their future health, 38% are most of the time fearful regarding their future health conditions and rest 4% are not at all fearful about their future health, adds the ASSOCHAM Survey.

Chronic condition that forced them to absenteeism from workplace are:

{April-March 2013}
Health condition	Private Employee (in %)	Government Employee (in %)
High B.P	65%	13%
Stress	45%	7%
Spondolysis	25%	5%
Heart ailment	45%	12%
Asthma	55%	6%
Arthritis	65%	20%
Slip Disk	45%	3%
Diabetes	45%	7%
Others*	12%	11%
* Others include: stroke, minor paralytic attack, skin disease, chronic liver disease, stomach disease

According to the survey, only 10% employees in private sector have medical insurance, and much of it is inadequate. Nearly all private health service providers require families to spend out-of-pocket at the point of service. This leaves people, highly vulnerable. “Without adequate financial support from the private organization, health remains a major cause of financial insecurity”, adds Mr. Rawat.

In terms of the physical fitness, it was found that around 57% of the employees in the private organization said they ‘do not exercise at all’, 23% do physical workout devoting less than 1 hour/week, 12 %of the employees exercise for 1-3 hours/week, 8% of employees exercise for 3-6 hours/week and merely 7% stay fit by exercising for more than 6 hours/week. The majority of the government employee said that they ‘do exercise’ and physical workout to stay fit by exercising for more than 8 hours/week.

Work related stress can be defined as any level of mental or physical strain that is gained due to pressures in the profession. Work stress is given much impetus since it directly affects the private sectors, adds Mr. Rawat.

For details:
http://www.assocham.org/prels/shownews.php?id=3957

Acidity & Ayurveda

Due to depressed mental condition, there is continuous secretion of digestive juices (which contains a greater quantity of Hydrochloric Acid). The capacity to digest food gets weaker. Therefore undigested food in the stomach starts to get toxicant. This is the reason why the parson suffering from this problem feels heaviness in the stomach immediately after taking meal.

Sometimes, he also feels pain in the stomach. Burning sensation is felt in the stomach and throat. It may cause vomiting which is a way to release the toxicant stuffs out of the body otherwise it would lead to ulcer in the stomach which can be very dangerous. In case of ulcer, there happens unbearable pain in the middle part of the stomach but after vomiting, the patient feels relaxed. But some patients feel pain after taking meal. If dark brown clots of blood is released in vomiting, the patient should such ice which will give cooling experience to him. Perform Kunjar Kriya in case of hyper acidity which will give relaxation to the patient. Give evening and morning clay on
the stomach, also give anima. Then according to the condition of the patient, let the patient bath till his or her waist. Regularly massage backbone for 15-20 days. In case of hyper acidity, don’t give acidic chemicals like soda as it is harmful. Anima of baking powder gives relaxation to the patient. Also perform steam wash for the patient twice a week. The patient should perform light asanas in airy space.

May laboratory tests and experiments in different countries of the world, following fruits juices and vegetables have been found very useful in ulcer:
1. Cabbage juice added with water
2. Cucumber juice
3. Carrot juice
4. Bottle gourd
5. Coconut water
6. Milk
7. Very ripe banana
8. Bael (stone apple or wood apple) juice added with water.

When the patient shows the signs of recuperating, then he or she can be given fresh curd, orange, vegetable juices, Papaya, watermelon, raisin, Munakka (Blackcurrant), boiled fruits and vegetables. If acid formation is low, then give lemon and honey. If it is required to lower the level of acid, give one spoon pure olive oil after 15 minutes of meal. Never take heavy meal and maintain a gap of three hours in taking meal.

Popular Healthcare Buzzwords

ACO

An acronym for "Accountable Care Organization", an ACO is a model of healthcare delivery in which a group of healthcare providers agree to accept payment for their services based on the aggregated health outcomes of the patients they see, as opposed to the total number of services performed. ACOs reward providers in a "fee for health" model, as opposed to a traditional "fee for service" model. Although the term ACO can apply to a variety of types of organizations, regulations for establishing ACOs to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program specifically were included in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

Big Data

"Big Data" is a blanket term used to describe the tremendous amount of raw data that we create as part of our everyday lives. As we become more proficient in capturing, storing, and analyzing these massive data sets - and the increasingly complex tools needed to do so - there is tremendous hope in the ability for industries to glean insights from the mountain of data they already have. Healthcare, with the tremendous amount of data that is already collected and stored in the form of medical records, is considered one of the areas with the most to gain from advances in "Big Data" tools.

CCHIT

An acronym for "Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology", CCHIT is one organization authorized by the Office of the National Coordinator of the Department of Health and Human Services to certify Electronic Health Record products for quality, security and interoperability. This certification is necessary for providers to receive "stimulus" funds from Medicare or Medicaid as reimbursement for achieving "Meaningful Use" of the EHR. Other organizations providing certifications include Drummond Group, ICSA Laboratories, Inc. and InfoGuard Laboratories, Inc.

Cloud vs. Closet

The "Cloud" versus the "Closet" is a way of defining the two most common ways of managing and sharing software products in a medical practice. The "Closet" is the traditional model where a server is installed, often into an extra closet where the phone system is also kept that runs the Practice Management and/or Electronic Medical Record software on the desktops in the practice. Generally, the practice owns their own software and hardware, and pays for it upfront as a capital expense. In the "Cloud" model, which is rapidly gaining favor, a constant Internet connection allows the server hardware to be kept offsite in the vendor's data center. The software is paid for on a monthly, operational expense basis, and security, upgrades and maintenance are all outsourced to the vendor.

EMR/EHR

Acronyms for "Electronic Medical Record" and "Electronic Health Record." The two terms are generally used interchangeably to describe any software that that documents medical services delivered between providers and patients. There is however a general distinction between the two, highlighted in this blog post from the ONC. An Electronic Medical Record generally refers to the digitized version of a paper record that is kept in an office as a record of the patient's services from that provider. In other words, only the patient's interactions with the providers of that office. An Electronic Health Record on the other hand generally refers to the complete history of a patient's life and conditions as they visit different providers in different health settings. With the EHR's focus on health as opposed to medicine, and portability with the patient as opposed to static and office-based, EHR tends to be the "official" term used by the ONC.

eRx

"eRx" is an abbreviation for "e-prescribe", or the ability to transmit information from a provider to a pharmacy and back to facilitate filling prescriptions with a completely electronic process. By eliminating the paper scripts and the patients having to take them to their pharmacy, eRx facilitates more accurate, timely information between prescriber and pharmacy, and ensures that the information is accurately logged into the patient's EHR. The ability to e-prescribe is a component of achieving Meaningful Use for providers to receive stimulus funds.

HDHP

An acronym for "High Deductible Health Plan", an HDHP is a type of insurance coverage where more of the initial cost of care is shifted to the responsibility of the patient. Using higher deductibles, as well as co-pays or co-insurance, high-deductible health plans are often combined with Health Savings Accounts to provide heath coverage at lower premiums for patients and/or employers. As health insurance costs continue to rise, HDHPs are becoming more popular as a coverage model.

HIE #1 (Health Information Exchange)

A Health Information Exchange is a central hub where different health providers and locations can "exchange" electronic medical information so that a patient's medical history is available to any provider or care setting in which the patient receives treatment. The exchange allows for the health data to be shared across different types of software in different places, so access to the exchange insures access to the most accurate patient data available. Health Information Exchanges are being set up in regional, state and national settings, and were a key part of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ACA) of 2010.

HIE #2 (Health Insurance Exchange)

A Health Insurance Exchange is a controlled marketplace where consumers can compare and purchase health insurance, as well as find out about any subsidies or tax benefits they can take advantage of to offset the cost of coverage. Each state has the option of setting up their own state-level exchange, or participating in the federally-run exchange. The exchange also sets minimum coverage levels for each state, and mandates that insurance companies disclose actuarial percentages and coverage levels of similar plans so that consumers can make informed decisions about coverage.

HIM

Health Information Management is the field of study that deals with overseeing and maintaining health care information for a patient population. Although HIM refers to the management of both paper-based and electronic health records, the field increasingly focuses on the storing, securing, and disclosing of electronic data. Issues like ethics, health informatics, and health information policy are changing the way Health Information Management is viewed in the larger context of the healthcare system.

HIPAA

An acronym for the "Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996", HIPAA is a federal statute that was designed to regulate health insurance to make it easier to "carry" coverage with you after leaving a job, as well as to set standards for the protection and transmission of protected health information. HIPAA was appended by the HITECH Act of 2009 to set disclosure reporting requirements in the case of a breach as well as define business associates as entities covered under HIPAA. Generally, when people refer to "HIPAA Requirements" they are talking about the privacy restrictions of the two bills.

HSA

An acronym for "Health Savings Account", an HSA is a specialized bank account that allows its holder to defer federal tax liability in order to save for future medical expenses. Money deposited in an HSA is not subject to Federal Income Tax. HSAs, like a flexible spending account, or a health reimbursement account are combined with a high deductible health plan to replace traditional health insurance with money from the HSA covering short term costs and helping with patient responsibilities while the HDHP covers catastrophic injuries or illness.

ICD-10

ICD-10 is an abbreviation for "International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, 10th revision". The ICD system is the set of alphanumeric codes that are used to classify diseases and bill medical payers for services. The United States currently uses the ICD-9 system, but is set to switch to the new standard on October 14, 2014. ICD-10 is much more complex than ICD-9, with almost five times as many available codes, and a much more specific hierarchy. ICD-10 is also referred to as "I-10."

Interoperability

Interoperability is the concept that information stored in EHR software should be able to be usable by any other software package. Interoperability is key to coordinating and improving care, because the health information is worthless without the software compatibility to share it between providers. This "breaking down of barriers" between different EHR software packages is crucial not only to sharing health information, but to creating a thriving and innovative healthcare information technology marketplace. Examples are a hospital system EMR's interoperability with a private practice EMR, and both system's EMR interoperability with a reference laboratory's Information System.

IPA

An acronym for "Independent Practice Association", an IPA is a group of independent physicians, or groups representing independent physicians to contract their services to managed care organizations and payers. IPAs can be formed to collaborate on care in a region, promote the political effectiveness of the independent physician, as well as to negotiate professional fees for their members, although it is important to note that the IPA does not negotiate on behalf of its members for services delivered outside managed care agreements because of federal trade laws.

Coca Cola, Pepsi have Reached to Rural India but Healthcare has not

What is the current status of Indian healthcare?

We have over 15 lakhs of deficient doctors, nurses and paramedical staffs in the country. 80 percent of the country’s healthcare is being taken care of by the private sector and 20 percent of the people are living in urban areas who are getting healthcare. Fact is that Coca Cola, Pepsi have reached to rural India but healthcare has not yet. Government says, doctors are not willing to go and work in rural areas. But there are young interns going to Saudi Arabia for two years to work in primary healthcare. If these young interns are ready to go to Saudi Arabia for two years, he should be ready to go to rural areas provided you give them the same facility. In Saudi Arabia they get tax free salaries, so if they get similar kind of offerings like free accommodation with free food and tax free salaries income then the entire scenario would have changed.

 

How to improve the scenario?

One is compulsory insurance for everybody. Today if you can’t drive your car without insurance, then how can you take your body out without any insurance. Government should help people who can’t afford a health insurance. Instead of opening new hospitals, Government should pay for the health insurance for people who can’t afford. In buying insurance, Government should encourage a system where the insurance buyer for example a farmer can offer potatoes to buy health insurance. Government can take this potato and sell it and pay back the insurance seller on behalf of the farmer. For people under below poverty line, Government should be able to pay the insurance money.

India needs five lakh more doctors, 10 lakh more nurses, 64 lakh more paramedics and 7.5 lakh more beds. It is only possible by building more private and Government medical educational institutions

 

What steps IMA is taking to safeguard the standard and quality of medical education in India?

Medical education in India is controlled by Health Ministry through Medical Council of India (MCI). Ever since the MCI has been dissolved, it is controlled by Health Ministry through a Board of Governors. IMA is fighting for reconstitution of autonomous MCI. The present MCI is trying to make a BSc Community Service course which is in long run not in the interest of the medical profession. If the Government wants to fill the gap of the dearth of medical professionals in the country, they should increase MBBS seats and also nursing seats.

 

How do you think shortage of medical and paramedical staff can be addressed in India?

India needs 5 lakh more doctors, 10 lakh more nurses, 64 lakh more paramedics and 7.5 lakh more beds. It is only possible by building more private and Government medical educational institutions. The role of MCI should be to help recognising a medical college and not focusing on its derecognising.

 

What is your suggestion to deal with low doctor patient ratio in India?

Minimum infrastructure requirement is one hospital bed for 150 people, one dentist for 30 people, one doctor for 1500 people, one nurse for 500 people, one Personnel Service Company (PSC) for 10000 people, one pharmacist for three doctors, one midwife for 50 births and one health visitor for 3000 persons.

The only way to control is to open more medical colleges both undergraduate and postgraduate. Attractions should be provided so that Indian doctors do not go abroad. Most of the doctors in India try to go to Arabian countries for a couple of years to earn tax free

income so that they can start their clinic in India. Indian Government should think of providing the same facilities in rural areas. That means if a doctor wants to serve in a rural area for two years, he should be given free boarding and lodging and income tax free salary. Similarly, nurses should be encouraged to stay in India on similar terms.

 

Lately a lot of news have come up that showed the poor standard of patient safety in India. What do you think where are we lacking and how this can be rectified?

Patient safety today is a matter of concern. Over 1,00,000 people die in US alone every year because of human error. Sometimes back, there was a medical strike in California during that period number of deaths reduced but at the cost of increased morbidity. Improving morbidity will always beat the cost of increase in some mortality.

We should understand difference between magnitude and standard of care. Magnitude of care may differ but the standard of care should be the same. A person should be able to get uniform medical care irrespective of medical establishment he or she attends. Every medical institution in the country should be certified by NABHs. Job of NABH should be in assisting recognition and not derecognition. The Government and the MCI’s job should be to create awareness about patient’s safety. The only way Government can do it is to involve IMA with a membership of over 2.2 lakh, over 1680 branches and 29 state branches.

 

Dr K K Aggarwal, MD, Padmashri & Dr B C Roy National Awardee, National Vice President, Indian Medical Association (IMA) goes candid in identifying the lethal elements of Indian healthcare. In conversation with Sharmila Das, ENN.

 

For details visit following:

http://ehealth.eletsonline.com/2013/02/coca-cola-pepsi-have-reached-to-rural-india-but-healthcare-has-not/?goback=%2Egde_2505177_member_212495189

Constipation: Natural Treatment

If your stomach is ill, you would be ill and if your stomach is healthy, you would be healthy. The mother of all illness is stomach and health is stomach. Healthy stomach, better personality, ill stomach, deformed personality. These are some of slogans, which express the feelings of many of the famous experienced medical practitioners about the mother of all diseases.
In case of any disease, have natural treatment of stomach with patience and sure you would get better health. Thus, naturopathy is widely based on treatment of stomach. It includes awakening of dormant umbilicus and active it as the main source of health. Stomach related ailments do not allow umbilicus to be active. The different stomach related
diseases, which have relationship with almost all the physical and mental problems are five in nature. They have been named as enemy diseases as they are the originating point of most of the diseases. They are 1) Constipation 2) indigestion 3) gastric trouble 4) old dysentery and 5) acidity.
Constipation:
The top most among the enemy diseases is constipation. Modern science does not consider it as a disease but different researches of scientists have proved that it is not a common but a very complex disease. It appears to be very common but there is no disease, where it does not play active role. Therefore, constipation is said to be the root cause of all diseases.
The treatment of constipation:
Most of the medicines meant to cure constipation are dangerous. They cause immense damage to diaphragm of intestines and other refinery system. Intestines get weaker adversely affecting their peristaltic movement. Even the medicines like paraffin and caster oil are troublesome. It ultimately affects liver, rendering it ineffective. Over-consumption of the medicines causes jaundice and malnutrition of the body. It also causes respiratory related diseases, lungs and neck related diseases. The nature has granted power to every living being so that collected stool passes out normally. But the power continues only when our food habits are in accordance with the nature. We normally take
green vegetables and fruits and still are victims of constipation. We eat lot of vegetables but after peeling off. We prepare vegetables in the manner that all its nutritious elements and water gets burnt.  One kg vegetable remains barely quarter kgs, with all nutritious elements washed away. How a person could remain healthy and even a healthier person
would get ill. Fruits or even vegetables eaten raw like cucumber, pear, sapota and others are eaten after peeling off. Even when we prepare `roti`, nutritious elements
are washed out. We prepare pulses after peeling off. And we eat all this disregarding the fact that it is akin to garbage disposing in our body. The peels of  edibles have the strength to remove constipation. All essential vitamins, dextrin, minerals and salts are present in these peels in adequate quantity. They clean-up toxic organism from the intestines.
The following food and treatment keeps a human being away from constipation and make him healthy:
Food for treatment:
Drinking limited quantity of water is also one of the reasons of constipation, after waking-up in morning drink two glass of water, kept in brass pot before going to toilet. In case of dysentery, drink two glass of warm water with lemon juice and two spoons honey along with 15 grams ginger juice. Then take a stroll after 15-20 minutes while cleaning your teeth and if urge of going toilet develops, go immediately. For first two days, eat boiled vegetables, 2 days on fruits and 2 days on juices, with lemon+water+honey combination, taking after every three hours. Drink water in adequate quantity. After restricting yourself to juice, fruits and boiled vegetables, start with one `roti and subzi` along with `salad`. In daily routine take given items in breakfast according to the financial condition of individuals. Take `belgiri`, grapes, guava, mangoes, pear, sapota, tomato, dates and wet raisins and milk. Also take germinated corn, cucumber, gourd and luffa for the treatment of constipation.
Mid-day meal:
Prepare 'roti' of little grinded flour (half of hunger) with boiled vegetable, around 350 grams in quantity along with salad, germinated corns and curd. In afternoon, take butter milk or soup or juice of vegetable or fruit. In dinner, around 7 pm take roti, vegetable and salad. Those suffering with obesity and constipation should take only fruits or raw vegetables, germinated corn and cup full milk. Take milk one hour before going to bed. For treatment, keep wet soil for half-an-hour on stomach in the morning, without eating anything. Take hot and cold fomentation on spinal chord, stomach and liver. Then take enema and take hipbath for 15 minutes. Continue the process for five days. Then ignore enema but continue rest of the process. Enema could be against used, if need arises. In afternoon, after three hours of lunch keep stripe of wet soil daily and use wrapping of wet bed sheet, hot-cold hip bath, hot vapors on stomach and cold hip-bath, alternatively. Maintain all precautions during treatment. In asans Janushirasan, Pashimottanasan, Yogmudra, Pakshi Asan, Uttanpadasan, Dhanurasan, Chakrasan, Pavanmuktasan, Shalabhasan, Bhujangasan, Sarwangasan, Halasan, and Matyasan. Proper food habit and yoga could give relief from constipation. In case of an old constipation, take cup-full juice of bitter gourd and amla. The above mentioned natural treatments, proper diet and yoga increase intestines tone, which normalizes pace of peristaitic movement. It also gives permanent treatment to the problem of constipation. In old constipation complaints, veins and
nerves of intestines and stomach grow weak and here is the sure-shot to strengthen them. Daily take morning walk for 3-4 kms. Go for toilet, soon after the urge develops. Fix a time for it and essentially go once at the time fixed. Take maximum 15-20 minutes as sitting for more time or undue pressure could cause other problems.
This article is by one the best doctor & person I have come across, Dr Nagendra Kumar 'Neeraj' from Yoggram, Haridwar.

Improve Resistance Power by Natural Remedies

Children, young, adults and old people are becoming internally weak due to increasing pollution.
Let us know how to improve the resistance power by following certain natural remedies.
1. Eat two to three good quality figs in the morning and drink 250 gm milk having sugar candy to improve the disease fighting capacity. It is a very nutritious breakfast for elderly people. Take it regularly for two to three weeks. It overcomes constipation and blood impurities. It also removes lethargy and laziness.
2. Soak two walnuts and four almonds and seven dry raisins (seedless) in water at night. Chew them nicely and eat in the morning. Drink 250 gm milk mixed with sugar candy. It gives physical and mental strength to the elderly people. Take this remedy regularly for three months to regain strength and vigor. It improves resistance power to a great extent.
3. Take one part of seedless dry dates, two parts of dry coconut pieces, and three parts of sugar candy. Cut the dates and coconut into small pieces and mix in sugar candy. This is a tasty and healthy breakfast for children.
4. Soak one almond in water at night and rub it on stone and make a thick paste. Mix one gram glucose or honey in this paste. Give this is to the infant in the morning on empty stomach from the fourth month for proper mental and physical growth.
5. Eat two to three ripe bananas after meals regularly to strengthen the body. It increases fat and muscles and makes the body attractive. Take it regularly for two months.
6. Spinach is known as the treasure of iron and copper. It is a good source of vitamin B complex. It increases red blood cells and overcomes mental stress, worries, low or high blood pressure, joint pain, and swelling.
7. Take half cup of beetroot juice three to four times daily to increase disease fighting capacity. It is also beneficial in case of blood cancer.
8. Grind aniseeds and coriander seeds in equal quantity and sieve it. Add sugar candy or sugar and take six gram with water after meals to reduce burning sensation in hands and legs.

Reducing your cholesterol

To reduce cholesterol:
· First cut down on saturated fats.
To do this:
· Eat lean meat. Select lean cuts and ask your butcher to cut off
  the fat.
· Drink skim milk instead of whole milk.
Do the same for all dairy products. Note that vegetarians have a
much lower cholesterol level (almost twice as low as average) which is perfectly understandable, since cholesterol is only found in products derived from animals.
· Alcohol - in moderation. Not more than two glasses a day.
However, it does appear that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol raises the number of HDL lipids (the good ones!), which break down cholesterol. (Moderation = two 4 oz. glasses of wine or two 12 oz. beers.)
· Do regular exercise, for example walking.
· Take Vitamin E. It reduces the risk of coronary disease.
· Calcium brewer’s yeast, Vitamin C and Vitamin B-6 also
combat the accumulation of cholesterol. And don’t forget lecithin,
which helps fight excess cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, hypertension
and angina (as well as psoriasis, anxiety and diabetes - and reduces
the likelihood of contracting cancer). Losing weight is a good way to raise your HDL level.
· Use poly-unsaturated, non-hydrogenated, cold pressed oil: corn
oil, sunflower seed oil, soy, flax etc. A mono-unsaturated oil like
olive oil can even raise your HDL level.
· Daily consumption of fish would be ideal for preventing
cardio-vascular problems, as demonstrated conclusively in a number of studies on fish-eating populations (Eskimos for example). Ideally, you would eat fish twice a day. And as strange as this sounds, you should select the fattest kinds: mackerel, sardines, herring, salmon etc.
As for the oil in the fish, it is used to treat arterial disorders. Its
effects can be felt in about six weeks. Fish oil contains two
poly-unsaturated fatty acids which are very beneficial for the arteries.

Brain Damaging Habits

1. No Breakfast

People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.

This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2 . Overeating

It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking

It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption

Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing

malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution

The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our 20 body. Inhaling polluted air

decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain

efficiency.

6 . Sleep Deprivation

Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate

the death of brain cells..

7. Head covered while sleeping

Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide

and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness

Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness

of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts

Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts

may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely

Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

A Miracle Remedy: Fiber

If we offered you a miracle remedy that prevents cardiac disease,
certain types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and varicose
veins, would you buy it? Certainly you would.

There is such a product. But it is not a recent discovery and you
won’t find it in a pharmacy but at the grocery store. We are talking
about fiber.

A study conducted in Holland on 871 men, over a period of ten
years, showed that subjects who had a low fiber diet were three
times more susceptible to mortal disease - causes notwithstanding -
than those who ate a lot of fiber (Future Youth).

This said, it cannot be confirmed at present that fiber prevents
the above mentioned diseases in all cases. But there is conclusive
proof that they occur more frequently in populations with low fiber
diets which is precisely the case in the west.

According to The Lancet (the British Medical Journal) a diet
which contains at least 37 grams of fiber per day (the equivalent of
one cup of bran, one apple, one potato and a half cup of cooked
spinach) can effectively protect the organism against chronic illnesses
common to western society.

So fiber is useful in combatting many disorders
besides constipation.

LOW FIBER FOODS:
Notably white bread (since fiber is removed in white flour),
beef, pork, chicken, milk, butter, cheese, sugar, processed meats,
desserts, fish, seafood and noodles.

GOOD SOURCES OF FIBER:
· Fruits: especially apples and prunes.
· Vegetables: potatoes with their peel, spinach, artichokes,
cabbage, peas.
· Whole grains: barley, whole wheat (you should eat whole
wheat bread because of the bran it contains), oats, corn.
· Nuts: peanuts and almonds.
· Dried fruit: apricots, plums, figs, dates.
· Legumes: soy beans, lima beans, lentils, chick peas.

Note that there are numerous types of fiber, and that you should
alternate between them. For example, the fiber contained in apples
and the fiber in cereals are both essential, since they don’t have the
same digestive function.

Losing weight

Pakistani women have an amazing trick they use to stay slim: they

keep a string permanently tied around their forearms. According to
Dr. Drupas, a gentle but constant pressure on the nerves in the
forearm stimulates certain glands, particularly those involved in
weight control (thyroid, suprarenals).

Why don’t you try it? Find two ordinary rubber bands and place

them around your right forearm, one third of the way up between your wrist and elbow.

The rubber bands should exert noticeable pressure without cutting

off blood circulation and should not slip or slide when you move
your arm. This is not a tourniquet!

For best results, you have to wear the rubber bands constantly,

even at night when you sleep. It is also recommended not to wear any other jewelry on the right arm.

Avoid eye problems caused by T.V. and monitors

The eye was not made to be constantly focused on close objects.

If your work requires that you stare at a computer screen all day long  or if you watch a lot of television, stop from time to time to do a few eye exercises.

For example, roll your eyes in large circles in both directions;

look over to each side as far as possible and then go from up to
down; or scan an imaginary text on the wall from left to right; or look out the window as far as you can following the horizon then return to a point right in front of you and begin again.

In this way, you will avoid long term eye problems, you will enlarge your inner space, and relax both your eyes and your mind.

Care for your heart while you sleep

In which position do you sleep?

If you sleep on your stomach or on your left side, you are putting

pressure on your heart with the extra body weight, while the heart has to continue pumping blood as usual.

This additional burden wears the heart out more quickly. Think

about it - you spend more than one third of your life sleeping!

To reduce the strain on your heart, sleep on your right side, or on

your back. This simple technique will add years to your life.

How to fight aging

Did you know that just walking for 30 minutes, 3 or 4 times a
week is enough to combat aging?

According to researchers at the University of California, one of
the principle causes of deterioration of the human organism’s physical
faculties is its diminished ability to metabolize glucose. And they
showed that even leisurely exercise, like taking a walk, plays an
important role in keeping glucose metabolism functioning smoothly.

Do you spend the whole day sitting at your desk or in front of a
computer screen? Why not get up occasionally and do a few minutes
of physical exercise? Don’t worry about what other people think.

In some Japanese companies, it is even become a collective
habit. Every twenty minutes a bell sounds, and everybody gets up to
do some stretching exercises, after which they sit down again as if
nothing had happened. Japanese managers are convinced that their
employees are more productive when they are relaxed.

Why a brisk walk is a really great workout

This activity will melt away the pounds, tone your flabby bits and leave you on an emotional high. Yet the form of exercise destined to become the fitness trend of 2007 does not require gym membership or a personal trainer. All you need to do is walk.

"Walking is a refreshing alternative to complicated aerobic routines and overpriced gym memberships," says personal trainer Lucy Knight, author of a new book on the exercise.

"It is free, enjoyable and already a part of everyday life. All you need to do is correct your technique, walk faster and for longer and you will lose weight."

There is much evidence of the benefits of walking. Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh recently revealed that overweight people who walked briskly for 30 to 60 minutes a day lost weight even if they didn't change any other lifestyle habits.

Another American study found that people who walked for at least four hours a week gained less weight (an average nine pounds less) than couch potatoes as they got older. Last year, researchers at the University of Colorado found that regular walking helped to prevent peripheral artery disease (which impairs blood flow in the legs and causes leg pain in one-fifth of elderly people).

Walking can even prevent colds and more

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts medical school found that people who walked every day had 25 percent fewer colds than those who were sedentary.

Because walking is a weight-bearing exercise, it can also help prevent the bone disease osteoporosis.

"Bones are like muscles in the way that they get stronger and denser the more demands you place on them," Knight says. "The pull of a muscle against a bone, together with the force of gravity when you walk, will stress the bone -- which responds by stimulating tissue growth and renewal."

Best of all, walking makes you feel good about yourself. "For people suffering from depression, walking three to four times a week for 30 minutes has been shown to enhance their mood," says Knight.

Even if a 20 minute power walk at lunchtime is all you manage, after six weeks it could be comparable to a course of psychotherapy, psychologists at the University of Illinois found. Here's how to walk your way to weight loss and wellness:

How much, how often?

Health experts recommend that we should walk 10,000 steps a day (about five miles) to stay healthy, yet most Britons walk only 4,500 steps. You would probably need to tot up at least 16,000 steps a day to lose weight.

Knight suggests the following workout plans, depending on your level of fitness. With each, you should aim to progress by increasing the duration of your walk by five minutes every two weeks, and the intensity by walking faster. "In just three months, the results should speak for themselves," says Knight.

Beginners

Monday to Saturday: Walk ten minutes at a moderate pace.

Sunday: Walk slowly for 20 minutes.

Intermediates

Monday: Rest

Tuesday to Friday: Walk for 25 minutes at a moderate pace one day, 30 minutes the next.

Saturday: Walk 20 minutes fast.

Sunday: Walk 45 minutes at a moderate pace.

Advanced

Monday: Rest.

Tuesday to Friday: Walk 45 minutes at a moderate pace one day and 50 minutes the next day.

Saturday: Walk 50 minutes at a fast pace.

Sunday: Walk 60 minutes at a moderate pace.

Perfect your technique

To burn fat quickly and effectively, you should master power-walking. "Without it you will struggle to increase your pace and your weight loss will plateau," says Knight. Stand tall with your arms by your sides and pull your navel towards your spine so that your core muscles are working.

Focus your eyes five to six meters ahead and keep your shoulders relaxed. Bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle and cup your hands lightly, rather than clenching your fists.

Leading with the heel, take a step forward with your right foot and move your arms in opposition (i.e. as your left arm moves forward, your right moves back). Transfer your weight through the heel of your right foot.

"It is very easy, once you start concentrating on the movement, to forget about breathing," says Knight. "Try to get into a pattern, counting the number of steps to each in-and-out breath, making it the same each time."

Vary the terrain

Adding hills to your route will speed up calorie burning. "On really steep inclines, it's not unusual for even a fit person's heart rate to increase by about 20 percent," says Knight. Going downhill, you have to contract your leg muscles to work against gravity and slow your descent.

Walking on softer surfaces such as mud, sand or grass also uses more energy than walking on concrete. Every time your foot hits the ground, it creates a small depression so that the leg muscles must work harder to push upwards and forwards for the next step. Walking on cobblestones or rocky ground may have even more benefits.

Physiologists at the Oregon Research Institute have found cobblestone walking lowers blood pressure and improves balance. The uneven surfaces may stimulate acupressure points on the soles of the feet, regulating blood pressure. Because it is challenging, it will also burn more calories.

Walking styles

Think walking is boring? Then try these alternatives:

Nordic walking -- Nordic walking, which uses ski-like poles, has proven benefits. Professor John Pocari, an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin, who has studied its effects, says using walking poles forces people to pick up their pace and work harder without realizing it.

"Just the fact that you are using your arms through a greater range of motion than normal means you burn more calories," says Pocari. On average, people use 20 percent more calories when they use poles. Participants in his studies increased their upper body strength by 40 percent and reduced impact on vulnerable hips, ankles and knees by 26 percent compared with running.

Mall walking -- Called 'mallercise' in the U.S., this was originally devised by doctors, who encouraged cardiac patients to incorporate indoor walking in shopping malls to hasten their rehab.

"It is a fantastic way to walk as you don't breathe in toxic car fumes, shopping centers are usually open seven days a week and good weather is guaranteed," says Knight.

Treadmills -- Because they are sprung, treadmills offer softer and easier terrain than a hard road, placing less strain on your joints, says Knight. This makes them a good option for people with joint or back problems. The downside is that, on a flat setting, they don't require the same level of exertion, so set them on a slight incline.