Blood fats linked to rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis is a debilitating condition that can render a person much discomfort at the very least and excrutiating pain and movement restriction in severe cases.

According to a Dutch study, an unfavorable ratio of blood fats may predict the development of the inflammatory joint disease rheumatoid arthritis 10 years later.

They found that the samples of people who subsequently developed rheumatoid arthritis had a more unfavorable balance of circulating blood fats than the samples of those who did not develop the disease. More..

Yoga For Fitness

There are many forms of Oriental exercises to keep one fit and supple. Yoga is one of them. Yoga has been around for many years. There are a number of Yoga schools and no matter what school of Yoga is being practised, the aim is one and the same, i.e., to keep fit. More and more people have picked up Yoga for one or all of the reasons below:

1. Yoga relaxes the body and the mind.

2. Yoga can help normalize body weight.

3. Yoga improves your resistance to disease.

4. Yoga increases your energy level and productivity.

5. Yoga leads to genuine inner contentment and self-actualization.

Read article..

What's Perimenopause?

Here's a health tip from Yahoo.com.

Perimenopause is the term used to describe the time just before your body begins menopause and your menstrual cycle ends. This is the time when your ovaries begin to run out of ova (eggs), and hormones begin to fluctuate due to oncoming menopause.

Here is a description of what happens during perimenopause, courtesy of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada:

o Estrogen and progesterone levels fluctuate during perimenopause, but begin to regulate near the end of this transitional period. Hormone decreases begin to occur more frequently and for longer periods of time.

o Lower levels of hormone production eventually becomes permanent.

o The menstrual cycle stops, and menopause begins.

Coffee is good for health

If you are a coffee-drinker, drink on, as research gathered over the past 30 years reveal that coffee is good for health. Among the benefits are that it improves glucose regulation and lowers the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and it has cancer-protective properties. Read article..

Diseases One Can Get from Floods

The floods in certain parts of Malaysia have caused much devastation and loss. Health is also a serious concern among those affected. What are the diseases one can get from floods? The Star has given an idea of what to expect and some pointers to avoid falling victim. Read the article.

Healthfinder

Nowadays, getting information is no longer a problem. Those days, if one needs information, one has to go to the Library to consult the encyclopedias. With information available at the click of the mouse, we really have come a long way. If you are looking for health information, here's a great website, Healthfinder

Healthfinder® is an award-winning US Federal Website for consumers, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with other Federal agencies. Since 1997, healthfinder® has been recognized as a key resource for finding the best government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. It links to selected information and Websites from over 1,500 health-related organizations.

Psoriasis

Many people suffer from Psoriasis. What is Psoriasis? Get a better understanding of this condition from this informative article from NIAMS (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases).

What Is Psoriasis?

Psoriasis is a chronic (long-lasting) skin disease of scaling and inflammation that affects 2 to 2.6 percent of the United States population, or between 5.8 and 7.5 million people. Although the disease occurs in all age groups, it primarily affects adults. It appears about equally in males and females. Psoriasis occurs when skin cells quickly rise from their origin below the surface of the skin and pile up on the surface before they have a chance to mature. Usually this movement (also called turnover) takes about a month, but in psoriasis it may occur in only a few days. In its typical form, psoriasis results in patches of thick, red (inflamed) skin covered with silvery scales. These patches, which are sometimes referred to as plaques, usually itch or feel sore. They most often occur on the elbows, knees, other parts of the legs, scalp, lower back, face, palms, and soles of the feet, but they can occur on skin anywhere on the body.

The disease may also affect the fingernails, the toenails, and the soft tissues of the genitals and inside the mouth. While it is not unusual for the skin around affected joints to crack, approximately 1 million people with psoriasis experience joint inflammation that produces symptoms of arthritis. This condition is called psoriatic arthritis.

More information can be found here on the NIAMS site.

Should People With Arthritis Exercise?

Should People With Arthritis Exercise? The answer to this question is "Yes." Studies have shown that exercise helps people with arthritis in many ways. Exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility, muscle strength, cardiac fitness, and endurance. It also helps with weight reduction and contributes to an improved sense of well-being.

What Is Arthritis? Many people use the word “arthritis” to refer to all rheumatic diseases. However, the word literally means joint inflammation - swelling, redness, heat, and pain caused by tissue injury or disease in the joint. There are over 100 forms of arthritis and other rheumatic diseases. These diseases may cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints and other supporting structures of the body such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. Some forms can also affect other parts of the body, including various internal organs. Here is more information on arthritis.

Source: NIAMS

Not getting enough sleep?

Sleep is very important and not getting enough sleep will take its toll on one's health in the long run. Insomnia is an inability to sleep well. A person with insomnia may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or may wake up earlier than desired, resulting in symptoms such as daytime fatigue, irritability, and poor memory.

Insomnia is often a symptom of another condition rather than a condition of its own. If insomnia is caused by medical or psychological conditions, treatment will focus on those underlying conditions. When poor sleep quality itself is the major problem, medications can be prescribed short-term to relieve symptoms. Insomnia can be treated.

Source: Yahoo! Health