Physician's Brain


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No Fakin’ … Bacon Is Good For Your Health!

470972489Bacon has had a bad rap for a long time, but the health benefits of this tasty and nutrient packed food are now getting the attention they deserve!

Bacon & Appetite

Everyone has heard that bacon is fattening, but what really makes people fat is not one food or another. The biggest cause of overweight is eating too much, and, surprisingly, bacon can help keep appetite in control.

Fats in the diet are crucial for causing the body to feel satiety. This is the feeling of being full and content and not wanting more to eat. Bacon’s flavorful fats, when eaten in moderate amounts with other foods, can actually make a meal more satisfying and result in less food intake.

High Quality Protein

Pork meat has high quality protein that is easy to digest. Bacon contains these same healthy proteins as other kinds of pork. There are eight kinds of amino acids — the building blocks of all protein — that our bodies have to get from our foods. Bacon provides all of these essential amino acids that help build protein, giving us energy and resistance to disease.

Bacon & The Brain

160859567Bacon provides good amounts of many trace minerals and vitamins, including zinc, thiamin, niacin, and B12. Another nutrient bacon is loaded with is choline. Choline is a nutrient that is especially important for memory and other brain functions. Research also shows that adequate intake of choline is associated with a reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease.

What About Nitrosamines?

Nitrosamines are unhealthy chemicals that can occur if bacon is overcooked. By cooking bacon without charring it, or baking it in the oven, the formation of nitrosamines is prevented. Baking bacon might sound funny, but it is really easy. Just put it in a frying pan or baking dish and bake for 8 to 10 minutes on each side.

Another way of counteracting nitrosamines is to eat dairy and citrus along with your bacon. These foods contain nutrients that stop the formation of nitrosamines during digestion, rendering them harmless and making the bacon healthier.

The satisfying fats, high amounts of nutrients, and unsurpassable flavor in bacon make it a good choice for a health conscious diet. Of course its important to remember moderation is key.

So Go Ahead & Eat Some Bacon!


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Developing A Better Lifestyle: Fitness Tips And Tricks

116356254Most people who have been involved in fitness for any period of time say they wish there were a few things they knew before they started. That is why this article gathered some of the top fitness tips for both beginners and intermediate fitness buffs. These tips can be used by people of any level of skill.

When looking for another way to improve fitness sometimes one needs to look no further than their pet dog. By taking the dog on walks around the neighborhood or specific trails an individual can increase the amount of exercise they and their pet get. Apart from all the extra exercise and the benefits from that one will strengthen the bond between owner and their pet.

A great fitness tip for runners who experience sore calves would be to sleep on your belly and let your feet dangle off the bed. Over the course of the night, your calves will stretch out just from being in this position. Of course, stretching, warming up and cooling down are also going to assist you with this.

Decrease your time in the gym by not taking as long to rest between sets of weightlifting. When you first begin lifting weights your muscles are still strong enough to go right through. Think intuitively and take breaks when you need them, but you can cut down a good 10-20% off your gym time by cutting down on those early breaks, which would allow you to move on to something else that much quicker.

If you want to change your fitness, remember, it is up to you! Tips like the ones given in this article may be able to help you and even motivate you, but the hard work can only be done by you. Try to use these tips, especially on days when you are feeling a bit less active.


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Simple Ways To Manage Cancer

109592671If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer, it can be a very scary time. There are so many questions you want to ask and so many concerns as well. This article is not medical advice, but it will give you some tips on how you can cope and deal with having been diagnosed with cancer.

If you are not feeling well you should not get behind the wheel of a car when you are going through cancer treatment. Many people who are battling cancer feel weaker than they normally would and easily fall asleep. You would not want to risk your life by falling asleep behind the wheel.

There are many stigmas with cancer that still exist today. People will often wonder if cancer is contagious, if those with cancer can perform as well as someone without cancer, of if cancer patients will be offended at the very mention of the disease. Try to eliminate these stigmas among your friends and family if they arise.

When needed, speak up and assert yourself. There might be people who do not understand your sickness and will therefore treat you differently. By thinking about these answers in advance, you will be better prepared when these questions arise. It will benefit you greatly and how other people respond during your treatment.

Think about how you are going to cope with the stress of your cancer diagnosis. Everyone handles things differently, but it is important to have a way to relax after a particularly difficult day. Research relaxation techniques, consider which friends and family members you can talk openly with, and keep a journal.

As we stated at the beginning of this article, this is not medical advice. But if you follow the tips and information that was presented here, it can give you a better hold on a scary situation. There are a lot of things that you can do to help yourself feel better and hopefully get better.


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Sleep Longer And Better With These Tips On Sleep Apnea

175759220Millions of people around the world wake up tired each morning despite eight hours sleep, and they simply chalk it up to growing older. The mistake in believing it’s simply age related can mean many more years of being unnecessarily tired, when the answer is sleep apnea. Read this article to see if you fit the sleep apnea profile.

Consider doing a few very specific exercises before going to bed each night, to alleviate some of your sleep apnea symptoms. Exercising throat and tongue muscles has been proven in scientific studies to reduce snoring, improve breathing and lessen the more profound effects of sleep apnea when done according to doctor’s orders.

You really need to do your best to lose weight if you have sleep apnea. Those who have sleep apnea typically have a neck circumference of 17 inches or more. This excess weight around the throat causes the airway to collapse more easily during sleep. Reducing your weight by even ten pounds can have a beneficial impact on your sleep apnea.

Eating right can keep you healthy and well rested. You’d be surprised at how much a healthy diet can help you with sleep apnea. People who do not eat well, or are overweight, may suffer from sleep apnea.

Even children can suffer from sleep apnea. If your kid is acting out at school and cranky all the time, he might have sleep apnea. A lot of sleep apnea symptoms are associated with ADHD, so work with your doctor to investigate all possibilities.

Try to sleep on your sides to keep sleep apnea from ruining your sleep. Sleeping on your back can block your airway. Try sleeping on your side at night and determine if that helps you breathe a bit easier.

For people who smoke, the best way to correct a sleep apnea condition is to quit smoking. Smoking is one of the biggest causes of sleep apnea. When people stop smoking their risk of sleep apnea is reduced and they can get a full night sleep within days of quitting.

If you have to use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, you may find it hard to get used to at first. It is important that you do not quit using the machine, though. Focus on the benefits of the machine rather than the inconvenience. It will make life safer for yourself and others. Daytime sleepiness caused by sleep apnea is a major risk factor for car accidents, for instance.

If any of the information shared here sounds like it fits your troubles, it is time to do something about it. There is no need to suffer month after month. There is a solution for you and it’s as close as speaking up and getting a diagnosis. You deserve a good night’s rest!


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Tips That Can Help You Cope With Diabetes

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Diabetes is an important topic for everyone to be aware of. Although diabetes is often linked to family history, it is also linked to diet and other traits that make it important for everyone, regardless of history, to be aware of. This article is meant to provide you with advice on how to help reduce your chances of developing the disease and how to deal with it should you be diagnosed.

If you’re working to lose weight and keep your Diabetes in check but can’t find any healthy breakfast options with protein that you enjoy, try a smoothie. You can buy protein powder at a health food store (make sure to ask if it has any sugar or artificial sweeteners) and you can put a scoop in to up the nutritional punch!

Feel free to ask your doctor any question about Diabetes you might have, from how it affects your bowel movements to if it can cause sexual dysfunction (yes, it can!) No question should be too embarrassing or uneducated for you to feel comfortable finding the answer to as your doctor is there to help!

There are so many resources online for diabetics, including the American Diabetes Association, so make use of all they have to offer! Many have support groups, articles, research and even links to local educators, who can help you learn even more. Take the time to know what’s going on in your body and you’ll live a long, healthy life.

Diabetes is a serious health problem that affects thousands of people today. Although there is no cure, there are ways to avoid diabetes and methods of minimizing its affect on your every day life. By applying the advice from this article, you should be able to handle your disease in a manner that provides you with a great quality of life.


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Follow These Tips For A Healthier Happier You

142581703Good nutrition is something that everyone in all walks of life. When you know what you are doing, you can plan meals rich in nutrients for all three meals of the day. Use the information in this article to help yourself eat a much better diet. Divide the food on your plate at every meal into separate portions. This method will help you figure out the food groups. Split half of it for salad or veggies, starches, and a quarter for lean protein. This balance of foods can help you reach your dietary goals.

Keep a record of each facet of the progress you make. If you are overweight, keep accurate records of the amount of weight or inches you have dropped. Riboflavin is an essential component in a healthy diet. It also has a part in metabolism and iron transportation. This can be any individual that has already gone through what you are going through or even someone who is in a position similar to your own. The main thing is that you support and concerns with.

Get rid of white foods, except for cauliflower. This will really make a difference in your nutrition goals. It will cut out sugars and starches in your overall diet. You will feel better than ever and be without as many calories as before. Many folks don’t know that carbohydrates can be good for them. The body converts carbohydrates into energy and feel full. Avoid choosing soda whenever you’re thirsty. Sugar in soda acts as food for bacteria to grow on teeth.

If you want to be healthy in mind and body, you need to know about nutrition. Education will be a great help in finding the foods you need to keep your body functioning properly. Utilize the tips provided above, and you can drastically improve your health and your life.