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20 Tips for a healthier life

I am often asked if it is possible to summarize good health behaviors to a few simple rules that are easy to remember. I have tried to ...

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): A Natural Remedy with Health Benefits

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): A Natural Remedy with Health Benefits

 St. John's Wort, scientifically known as Hypericum perforatum, is a flowering herb that has been used for centuries for its potential medicinal properties. Native to Europe, it's now also found in other parts of the world. The plant derives its name from its traditional flowering and harvesting on St. John's Day, June 24th.

St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum): A Natural Remedy with Health Benefits

Medicinal Uses: St. John's Wort has a long history of use in traditional medicine, particularly in herbal remedies. It contains a variety of compounds, including hypericin and hyperforin, which are believed to contribute to its medicinal effects. Here are some of its notable uses:

  1. Mood Support:
    • One of the most well-known uses of St. John's Wort is for its potential mood-enhancing effects. Some studies suggest that it may be effective in alleviating mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is believed to work by increasing the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the brain.
  2. Antiviral and Antibacterial Properties:
    • St. John's Wort has been studied for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. It may have some efficacy against certain viruses and bacteria, making it a subject of interest in the development of natural remedies.
  3. Anti-Inflammatory Effects:
    • The herb is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. This has led to its use in traditional medicine for conditions associated with inflammation, such as wounds, burns, and inflammatory skin conditions.
  4. Nerve Pain and Neuralgia:
    • St. John's Wort has been used to alleviate nerve pain and neuralgia, possibly due to its impact on the nervous system.
  5. Wound Healing:
    • Applied topically, St. John's Wort oil has been used traditionally for wound healing and to soothe skin irritations.
Considerations and Precautions: While St. John's Wort has been praised for its potential health benefits, it's essential to approach its use with caution:
  1. Interactions with Medications:
    • St. John's Wort can interact with various medications, including antidepressants, birth control pills, and certain blood-thinning medications. It may affect their effectiveness, and consulting with a healthcare professional is crucial before using it alongside prescribed drugs.
  2. Photosensitivity:
    • Some individuals may experience increased sensitivity to sunlight (photosensitivity) when using St. John's Wort. It's advisable to take precautions and use sunscreen.
  3. Quality of Products:
    • The quality and potency of St. John's Wort supplements can vary. Choosing reputable brands and following recommended dosages is important.
As with any herbal remedy, it's crucial to consult with a healthcare provider before incorporating St. John's Wort into your healthcare routine, especially if you are already taking medications or have pre-existing health conditions. While it shows promise in certain areas, its use should be approached responsibly and under professional guidance.
Essential oils: spread them cold!

Essential oils: spread them cold!

Essential oils: spread them cold!
Essential oils must be handled with care to enjoy their benefits safely. Today, UFC Que Choisir reminds us that it must be broadcast cold. Is it good to use essential oils to deodorize your interior ? Under the title " Do not burn at home ", Que Choisir magazine has sown doubt about their possible use. It says that essential oils are very polluting, that they release in particular "dreadfully high" rates of formaldehyde and benzene, two recognized carcinogens. From there to conclude that we must not use essential oils in his home, there is only one step... that must not be crossed. 

The Que Choisir test only applies to heated diffusers while - and we have already had the opportunity to talk about it in our columns - the essential oils must be diffused cold .

Indeed, as soon as they are heated, whether through a candle or electricity, they release toxic components and lose their original properties.

To deodorize, use an ultrasonic diffuser that sprays a fine mist of tiny droplets, or be simple by placing a few drops of your favorite essential oil on the support of your choice (porous stone, potpourri, etc.). ).

These tips do not require you to consult a doctor first to make a diagnosis. You may also be accompanied by a therapist in complementary medicine.
20 Tips for a healthier life

20 Tips for a healthier life

20 Tips for a healthier life

I am often asked if it is possible to summarize good health behaviors to a few simple rules that are easy to remember. I have tried to summarize all that I have learned in this field during the last twenty years of integrative medicine practice. This gives twenty tips. I know they walk for me. I hope they will bring you happiness too!

Neuropsychiatrist, author of Guérir ( Pocket, 2005) and Anticancer (Robert Laff, 2010), David Servan-Schreiber founded and directed a center for integrative medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, USA

1. COOK RETRO
Opt as often as possible for a main dish similar to those before the 1950s: 80% vegetables and legumes, 20% at most animal protein. Exactly the opposite of our national steak-fries, with its lettuce leaf that makes the fig and the slice of anemic tomato that accompanies it on the good days. Meat becomes a condiment to add flavor rather than the central element of our plate.

2. MIXING VEGETABLES
Broccoli is an effective anticancer agent and helps to detoxify the body, but its effectiveness is even more potent when combined with onions or garlic - or even tomato sauce. A good habit to adopt: add onions,

3. EATING BIO WHERE IT IS POSSIBLE
But also remember that it is better to eat broccoli with some pesticide residues on it than to eat broccoli (or other vegetables) at all.

4. GROWING FLATS
Turmeric is the most powerful natural anti-inflammatory agent. You can add (with black pepper) to almost any dish and salad vinaigrette.

5. FORGET THE POTATOES
Their starch raises the blood sugar level. And they are so loaded with pesticides that the farmers I know never eat their own produce (unless it is organic).

6. TRY "FISH" 
The right pace: three times a week - sardines, mackerel, whole anchovies, which contain less mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) than larger fish, such as tuna. Avoid swordfish and dogfish, which are now banned from pregnant women in the United States as they are contaminated (because of their large size).

7. CHOOSE GOOD EGGS
Prefer "omega-3" eggs or labeled "blue-white-heart", or avoid consuming yellow. Since hens eat mostly soy and corn, their eggs contain twenty times more healthy omega-3 omega-6 than healthy omega-3s.

8. USE OIL
Olive and rapeseed oils are excellent for cooking and salad dressings. Those of sunflower, soy or corn are to be avoided because too rich in omega-6.

9. THINK PHYTO
Thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, mint...: Mediterranean herbs are excellent for your health. In addition to pleasure, they provide many antioxidants, and even anti-cancer agents. Add it regularly to your recipes.

10. LIVE "COMPLETE"
Choose preferably whole and mixed flours - whole and multi-grain pasta and bread - and take them "organic" because the pesticides settle on the grain shell. Forget the white flour as much as possible and cook pasta al dente, like the Italians, to avoid the rise in blood sugar.

11. REDUCE SUGAR
Do not take dessert consistently, or soda and sweet fruit juice. Avoid foods that mention, on the package, sugar in any form among the first three ingredients. Make fruit often, especially red berries, plums and peaches. And, for a taste of "dessert", think of dark chocolate more than 70%.

12. DRINK THREE CUPS OF GREEN TEA PER DAY
Rather than meals.

13. DO NOT ACT LIKE AYATOLLAH
What matters are the basic habits, not the occasional pleasures.

14. TAKE THE TIME TO WALK
Dance or run. Aim for thirty minutes of walking or one equivalent per day. It is enough to walk fifteen minutes to go to the office or go shopping, and come back by walking too. A dog is often a better companion than a human partner. And there is more chance to hold an activity when it brings pleasure.

15. BE SUNNING
At least twenty minutes a day at noon, in summer, without sunscreen (but without developing sunburn). Or talk with your doctor about your blood level of vitamin D and the possibility of taking it orally.

16. AVOID CONTAMINANTS
Ventilate clothes for two hours the return of dry cleaning. Use organic cleaning products (or wear gloves). Avoid heating liquids in kettles or plastic containers, and prefer cosmetics without parabens or phthalates. Forget the pesticides in the house, and as much as possible in the garden. Replace old stoves with Teflon scratches. Filter the water if the area is polluted by pesticides from surrounding fields. Keep your mobile phone away from your body during conversations.

17. CONTACT AT LEAST TWO FRIENDS
Ask for their help during difficult times, even if only over the Internet or by telephone. If they are close, do not hesitate to embrace them more often, as for all loved ones.

18. LEARN A SIMPLE METHOD OF RELAXATION
By breathing to relieve pressure when life feels stuck.

19. MAKE SURE TO MAKE A THING THAT YOU LOVE
Really every day, even if it does not last long.

20. FIND SOMETHING TO DO
Meet in neighborhood, visit to village, and do it really.
Breakfast: what do we really know?

Breakfast: what do we really know?

Breakfast: what do we really know?

It is called "breakfast" depending on the region: it is the first meal of the day, after a few ten hours of fasting. Most nutritionists insist on its importance, but what do we really know about breakfast? What should it be composed of? Is it really essential when you want to lose weight? Can we do without it?

Breakfast: this meal is losing momentum
All surveys show that breakfast is increasingly neglected, especially among young people. In France, the proportion of teenagers eating breakfast per day rose from 79% in 2003 to 59% in 2010. Among adults, the decline is slower but very regular since the beginning of the century. How to explain this erosion in the face of the meal often described as "most important of the day"? According to Pascale Hebel, a consumer specialist, breakfast is a meal that suffers from "lacks":

- The lack of time. Waking up is more and more late, which makes it difficult to skip breakfast or to spend only a short time. This is mainly due to a late falling asleep: young people delay more and more the time to sleep. Information and Communication Technologies (LED screens, tablets, laptops) are the main offenders.

- The lack of conviviality. Unlike lunch or dinner, breakfast is often an individual meal: everyone chooses the products he prefers and eats alone. This is the same phenomenon as for the purposes of meals that are more and more individualized.

- The lack of appetite. Many do not feel the need to eat in the morning, despite fasting for several hours. This phenomenon is often related to excesses performed in the evening, meals too late or lack of sleep.

- The lack of varieties. Unlike other meals, breakfast may seem monotonous. However, it is possible to vary its composition by providing in advance several alternatives to the classic lunch.

What to do in case of lack of appetite?

- Swallow a large glass of water at sunrise. 
- Have breakfast after getting ready. 
- Continue the habit on the weekends and during the holidays.

If, despite this, you are still not hungry, it is useless to force yourself to eat!
Drink 1.5 liters of water a day, a myth?

Drink 1.5 liters of water a day, a myth?

Drink 1.5 liters of water a day, a myth?
Various of studies show that you should drink about 1.5 liters of water a day, or 8 glasses a day. However, the figures differ according to the research, and the different types of morphologies observed. Water is an essential need for the body, so its consumption is essential. But is it really limited to 1.5 liters a day?

The body's water requirements are specific to a person's morphology, lifestyle and climate. Water represents about 60% of the body weight. But every day, a significant amount escapes from the body. Studies show that the body of a person of average size would spend more than 2 liters of water a day. The excesses are mainly eliminated by the urine, which serve to evacuate the waste produced by the body, but also through breathing, sweating and tears. These losses are offset by the diet, which represents around a liter, and liquids that are drunk.

It is therefore necessary to hydrate throughout the day, even when the thirst is not felt. Indeed, with aging, people feel less the need to drink and the risk of dehydration is possible. As well as in case of high temperatures (heat causes additional water loss), physical effort, breastfeeding and illness, it is advisable to ensure proper hydration of the body. The risk of dehydration is defined by body weight, and may be due to insufficient and prolonged water consumption. The first signs of chronic dehydration may be dark urine, dryness in the mouth and throat, headaches and dizziness, and very dry skin and intolerance to dryness. heat.

Drinking too much would be bad for your health
Too much and too fast fluid intake in the body, called hyponatremia, could be harmful. The latter would not be supported by the kidneys, which can regulate only one and a half liters of water per hour. In fact, drinking too much water would cause the cells to swell in the blood, which could lead to a disorder of brain function. The concentration of the intra-plasma sodium ion is greatly reduced due to the presence of water in the plasma. However, hyponatremia most often results from pathologies such as potomania or an excess of infusions: cases of this disorder are rare and affect only a tiny number of people.

Variable recommendations
Studies have been conducted to define what would be the real water requirement of the body. The figures vary between 1 and 3 liters per day, it is advisable to drink about two liters daily. But as we saw earlier, it depends on the morphology, the environment and the way of life of the person. This statement must be nuanced and placed in the contexts to which it belongs. These two liters do not include water in the true sense of the term, but all liquids that go through food and water-based drinks (tea, coffee, juice). The theory of 8 glasses therefore refers to the totality of liquids consumed during a day. This recommendation is based on a study by the Institute of Medicine, who had suggested that each calorie of food intake was equal to one milliliter of water. For example, 1,900 calories a day is equivalent to 1,900 mL of water (1.9 L). The confusion occurred when people forgot that the food already contained water, so it would not be necessary to drink 2 liters of extra water. However, other studies say the opposite: they should, according to them, consume between 2.5 and 3 liters in addition to food.

The answer then remains vague and impossible to define, because many research contradict each other and give each different results. The recommendation to drink 1.5 liters of water a day can be considered a myth, but it remains necessary to ensure its proper hydration throughout the day for the good of the body.

sources
British Nutrition Foundation (Ed.). Nutrition Basics - Liquids for life,  nutrition.org.uk . www.nutrition.org.uk
European Council of Food Information (EUFIC). Hydration - essential to your well-being,  EUFIC . www.eufic.org
Noakes, T. Nutrition Issues in Gastroenteroly (August 2014), Sharon Bergquist, Chris McStay, MD, FACEP, FAWM, Director of Clinical Operations, Department of Medical Emergencies, Colorado School of Medicine.
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (Ed). Food and Nutrition Center - Water: How much should you drink every day? ,   MayoClinic.com http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256?pg=2
Dominique Armand, researcher at the CNRS. Scientific file: water . (2013). http://www.cnrs.fr/cw/dossiers/doseau/decouv/usages/eauOrga.html
Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona predicts a particularly difficult spring for those allergic to pollen. The Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy Climate change could lead to a rise in allergies (GYI). The Allergies may have more problems over the next few weeks if it does not rain anymore and temperatures remain mild. This is the forecast of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), according to what they observed in the spring pollination data. The risk of pollination always depends on weather. "If the rain stops and the temperatures are tempered, the allergy can be found poorly, although if the heat comes due to a climatic anomaly they will be lucky because the plants will finish pollination before", says Jordina Belmonte, director of ICTA.

If the weather continues as in the last week, spring may be especially hard for people suffering from pollen allergy. Some remedies that are used are chemical drugs but in nature there are equally or more effective remedies to help alleviate allergic symptoms.

Nettle blocks the effects of histamine on people allergic to pollen, helps to curb and evacuate the production of mucus and attacks of cough mainly produced by allergy to pollen. Nettle can be infused, one a day would be the most appropriate dose to relieve and control the symptoms of this allergy.

Nettle has to be cooked to consume it
Honey contains pollen in small amounts, so when consumed habitually, the body is exposed to reduced doses of the allergen getting used to it, which reduces the allergic reaction in the seasons of pollen in the environment.

Taking an infusion of mint or inhaling your essential oil is helpful in relieving symptoms of allergy to pollen. Mint contains a substance that would block the production of histamine by relieving sneezing and nasal discharge.

Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

Green tea contains a compound that prevents the production of histamine, which helps to decrease and relieve the reaction and allergy symptoms.

Probiotics block the production of immunoglobulin E, a substance released by the immune system that produces sneezing, and mucus, so it would help decrease the allergic reaction and relieve symptoms. Yogurt, kefir, dark chocolate or miso are foods with large amounts of probiotics.

Yellow and orange fruits
Vitamin C is a very powerful antihistamine that is present in fruits, mainly in citrus fruits and helps prevent allergies.

Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

Irrigating the nose with a saline solution helps to soften the mucosa and cleanse the pollen or dust causing the allergic reaction, so it is a relief from sneezing and nasal discharge. To prepare a home-made nasal solution, you have to mix half a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of baking soda in half a cup of warm water.

Turmeric is one of the most powerful anti-cancer foods
Turmeric originating in India favors blocking of immunoglobulin E, preventing or reducing the symptoms of allergies.

Natural Remedies Against Spring Allergy

Licorice is rich in glycyrrhizin, which would help stop the production of IgE, thus reducing the severity of various allergic reactions, both cutaneous and respiratory.
Folic Acid - Is Everything In Green?

Folic Acid - Is Everything In Green?

Folic Acid - Is Everything In Green?
Folic acid belongs to vital vitamins. It is involved in growth processes as well as blood formation in the body. Our body can not make it by ourselves and must therefore absorb it through the food. Our nutrition expert Vadim Vl. In the following, Popov will provide you with natural sources of folic acid and answer important questions concerning the supply of folic acid.

Why does your body need folic acid?
Folic acid is water soluble and belongs to the group of B vitamins. The human body can not make it by itself and must therefore absorb it through the food. Strictly speaking, there is a distinction between so-called folates, which are found in nature, and industrially produced folic acid.

In our body, folic acid plays a role in growth processes and cell division. Since the blood-forming cells in the bone marrow are very common, adequate supply with this vitamin is important for the blood formation.

What foods contain folic acid?
A natural source of folic acid is mainly green leafy vegetables such as spinach or chard . Therefore the name is derived - "folium" is the Latin word for "leaf".

Other folic acid suppliers are:
  • Green asparagus
  • Cabbage
  • Soybeans
  • Tomatoes
  • Peas and sugar snacks
  • Bran
  • Whole grain bread
  • Egg yolk
  • Liver


Daily requirement of folic acid
The German Society of Nutrition (DGE) recommends the following daily intake of folic acid (calculated in so-called folate equivalents):

  • Adults and children 13 years and older: 300 micrograms
  • Pregnant : 550 micrograms
  • Breastfeeding: 450 micrograms
  • Infants under 4 months: 60 micrograms
  • Babies from 4 to under 12 months: 85 micrograms
  • Small children under 4 years: 120 micrograms
  • 4 to 7 year olds: 140 micrograms
  • Under 10-year-olds: 180 micrograms
  • 10- to under 13-year-olds: 240 micrograms


How can you cover your daily needs?
The daily requirement of 300 micrograms of folic acid can be covered by, for example, regular green leafy vegetables such as spinach, chard and salads, mainly field salad, tomatoes, whole grain products, eggs and liver to the diet. The colorful mixture is a good basis for your assured folic acid supply.

What should you look for when processing folic acid-containing foods?
When processing foods containing folic acid, you should pay particular attention to the fact that especially the vegetables are prepared as gently as possible. For example, by boiling briefly under low heat and low water. Because folic acid is soluble in water and is largely lost by heat during cooking.

What happens if the folic acid is deficient?
Folic acid deficiency occurs with a one-sided diet with finished products, alcohol abuse or the use of certain drugs for the therapy of cancer or epilepsy. A supply of folic acid can lead to a loss of blood and a negative effect on the mucous membranes. In the case of the unborn child, too low a folic acid intake can promote malformations.

What happens when folic acid is overdosed?
A folic acid overdose is not possible over the food alone. No hazards have so far been known which are directly attributable to a too large uptake of natural folic acid. For synthetic folic acid, a complete systematic investigation is still pending.
Prostate Cancer: These 7 symptoms you should know

Prostate Cancer: These 7 symptoms you should know

Prostate Cancer: These 7 symptoms you should know

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. The early detection of changes to the prostate is the most important and a regular screening can save lives. Finally, the symptoms of prostate cancer are often only noticeable when the tumor has already reached a certain size. About 26% of all men are affected by prostate cancer during their lifetime, this type of cancer is the most common in men. In the case of every second man over 50, changes occur in the prostate over time, these can be harmless or not. The most common causes of prostate cancer include a poor diet, an advanced age, and a genetic predisposition.

Thus benign and malignant changes of the prostate differ from each other. Not every change to the prostate is automatically malignant and thus classified as cancer. It can also be a benign alteration of the prostate gland. This may be problematic by gradually narrowing the urethra, but the cells do not grow uncontrolled and attack neither the lymph and other organs.

Benign changes usually manifest themselves through specific symptoms such as a weaker urine stream and a more frequent urge to urinate. Malignant changes occur mostly in the outer zone of the prostate, far from the urethra, which may take until the tumor is discovered.

Early discovery is the key
Prostate tumors tend to spread over the nerve fibers into the lymphatics and lymph nodes and into the bones. Metastases can then arise in the bones, which can cause pain and bone fractures. Basically, as with all types of cancer and other diseases: the sooner they are discovered, the better they can be treated and the better the complete healing chances.

Typical for prostate cancer are these 7 symptoms:

  • Pain during urination or problems with bowel movements
  • Pain in the prostate
  • Pain in the erection, erectile dysfunction and decreased ejaculation
  • Decreased urine volume and interrupted or attenuated urine stream
  • Frequent but difficult urination (multiple urination in the night)
  • Rare: blood in the sperm or urine
  • If the cancer is already metastasized, bone pain in the pelvis or lower pelvic area is typical


It is important to know, however, that these symptoms are often only noticeable when the prostate carcinoma has already reached a certain size. Only then does it press on the urethra or causes other ailments.

Even in larger carcinomas the healing chances are good
As long as the cancer is still in the prostate capsule, it can be cured by surgery. Even if it grows, there are still healing chances. With metastasis, life expectancy can still be ten years or more.

However, since 10% of all cancer deaths are attributable to prostate cancer in men, early detection is incredibly important and even in the case of the slightest discomfort, men should go to the doctor. From the age of 40 onwards regular care is also important, with which diseases can be recognized at an early stage.

Although the number of diagnosed prostate cancer cases has increased for decades, the mortality rate has not increased. The 5-year survival rate a frequently used indicator for the survival probability of cancer patients - is 87% for prostate cancer.