General Article

Fundamentals of Maintaining Good Cat Health

The enjoyment, pleasure and happiness of having a feline pal cannot be compared with anything. Having a feline friend is such a pleasurable experience but everything comes with a price. Even having a feline friend also has a price attached to it which is in the form of responsibilities and obligations. The experience of joy and happiness largely depends on how well you know and understand your pet and fulfill their needs.

Unhealthy cats are inactive so keeping a good care of their health becomes very important if you want the experience of a pet cat enjoyable and memorable. Learning how to take proper care of your cat’s health is important for all cat owners. Every pet cat owner should know that taking proper care, fulfilling basic needs, giving love and attention not only promises a good health for your cat but also ensures it lives a long and happy life.

General Needs

Every cat has certain basic general needs which you should pay attention to and fulfill. Proper nourishment, grooming and right medical attentions are some of such needs. Special care should be taken in case of illness and pregnancy for female cats. You as a pet owner should keep a certain amount of money every month for fulfilling your cats needs as proper health care may demand both time and money.

Feeding

One of the most important things which determine the health of cats is food. Right food is the key to good health. By giving your pet a well nourished cat food and a good diet not only protect your cat from getting any common illness but also help your monetary, by saving on your veterinary bills. Always try and give your pet cat food manufactured by suppliers approved by American Association of Feed Control Officers (AAFCO).

Grooming

A new born kitten has an natural ability to groom itself. You may have noticed mother cats licking their kittens as soon as they are born to help them breathe. Grooming amazingly comes naturally in cats. Cats are well versed to handle almost all their grooming needs. However, it’s advised to use that you should use some of the grooming techniques for your pet cat. Cats with long hair need extra help and care to prevent getting matted fur.…

What Is the Cause of High Cholesterol?

There is some good news and some bad news to the question, what is the cause of high cholesterol? The bad news is that there isn’t one cause of it. Sorry. The good news is that if you do have high levels of it, there are many ways for you to get your high cholesterol levels lower.

In order to understand what causes high cholesterol you need to understand what it actually is. Many people think that cholesterol is a yucky plaque-like substance that blocks arteries, but this is only partially true.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is from the lipid family. Lipids cannot be fully broken down by the body. They are made up of a combination of cholesterol and proteins. The ratio of protein to cholesterol is what determines what type of cholesterol it is.

There are two types of cholesterol. One is considered to be a health risk. This is often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol. It has a higher cholesterol percentage than protein percentage. Medically, this combination is called LDL, or low density lipoprotein.

The other kind is actually healthy or “good” cholesterol. This is made up of a higher percentage of protein. Medically this combination is called HDL, or high density lipoprotein.

Your body makes cholesterol because it needs it in order to function properly. So on a whole cholesterol isn’t “bad”, but necessary. It helps your system to create bile, stomach acid, and repair cells. The problem is that when you eat too much cholesterol in your diet your body gets overrun with it. Since it can’t ever fully break it down, the LDL get stuck in your arteries. This type of cholesterol will sit there and grab on to other slow moving LDLs as they float by. This can lead to blocked arteries, stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.

What is the cause of high cholesterol?

So as you can see, if you are eating foods that are higher in cholesterol, your body will soon be overrun by the bad one. You will be setting yourself up for serious health problems. On the other hand if you eat a diet that is high in foods that have good cholesterol you will be helping your body and will most likely have fewer problems as you age.

But eating the wrong foods isn’t the only thing what is the cause of high cholesterol. Your family health history also has a big part in what your cholesterol future will be. If your parents or grand-parents had problems with high cholesterol levels, there is a higher chance that you will too. Hereditary plays a huge role in your health. Having the information on your family’s cholesterol history can help you to make better choices when it comes to food and supplements when you are younger.

There are many natural things that you can do to keep your these levels in a healthy range. And if you are armed with your family history …

Type 2 Diabetes – Fruit for Lowering the Risk of Heart and Blood Vessel Disease

Fruit is recommended for satisfying the sweet tooth of diabetics and non-diabetics alike. Although higher in sugar than vegetables, fruit lacks the refined sugar of, say, a piece of cake, with fewer calories. Most fruit contain a good amount of fiber and vitamins, making them part of a well-balanced diet for all of us, and according to a recent study they could be an especially good idea for lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel disease in Type 2 diabetics.

The carotid arteries supply blood to your brain, so keeping them open is important for avoiding strokes. Atherosclerosis is a condition in which arteries become blocked with cholesterol and plaque, and is unfortunately too common in Type 2 diabetic patients.

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong and its affiliate hospitals looked at the risk of carotid atherosclerosis in Type 2 diabetes patients and compared that risk with the amount of fruit the volunteers took in. Their study, reported in the journal Diabetes Medicine, August, 2012, included 255 patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Participants with the highest amount of fruit intake were found to have the widest-open carotid arteries, with the smallest amount of plaque.

Those who consumed the highest amount of fruit ate about 92 grams per day. That’s about half the size of an average apple…

one whole apple has 95 calories and supplies 14 per cent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C, 17 per cent of the RDA of fiber, and some B vitamins and minerals.

one orange weighing 180 grams provides over 100 per cent of the RDA for vitamin C, plus 8 per cent of the RDA for vitamin A, 7 per cent of the RDA for calcium, 10 per cent of the RDA for thiamin, and 18 per cent of the RDA for folate, plus other B vitamins and minerals.

a half cup of kiwi fruit (goose berries) weighing about 90 grams has more than 100 per cent of the RDA for vitamin C, 3 per cent of the RDA for calcium, and over 10 per cent of the RDA for fiber.

Make a fruit salad with a half cup of strawberries, a half cup of blueberries, a half cup of grapes, and a half cup of watermelon and you’ll get 300 grams of fruit along with 16 per cent of the RDA for fiber, more than 100 per cent of the RDA for vitamin C, 4 per cent of the RDA for iron, 2 per cent of the RDA for calcium, 3 per cent of the RDA for vitamin E, plus several B vitamins and minerals.

The “bad” thing about fruit is it contains more sugar than vegetables, so you can’t eat all you want and maintain a good blood sugar level. But making fruit part of a well-planned vegetarian diet will provide lots of good nutrients… and slow down absorption of sugar …

Ameda Purely Yours – Hygienic Breast Pumps For Less

Did you know that because breast pumps are a personal hygiene device, they can not be returned to the manufacturer unless they are faulty and under warranty? This means that if you purchase a breast pump, then use it one time and are not satisfied with its performance, you can not return it. This leaves you with an ineffective product that you spent lots of money on. This is not completely unavoidable, however there are ways to reduce the risk of this situation occurring.

Researching other women’s successes and failures with certain brands can shed a little light on how your experience will go. A good way to find people with experience using a particular pump is to visit various forums and blogs online that are geared toward new parents, infants, breastfeeding, etc. These online communities are filled with users that are more than happy to discuss their experiences with you. You can compare your situation to theirs to determine how relevant their experience is to yours (i.e. pumping at work, frequency of pumping, breast and nipple size, etc.). Try to find out as much from these people as you can, as it will go a long way in helping you determine the best pump for your needs. Also, avoid spending a fortune on your first pump, as price is not always an indicator of success with breast pumps. There are popular breast pumps which are very reasonably priced, and also perform well, which backs up this logic.

In terms of breast pump popularity; there are a few brands that stand out above the rest. Ameda, Avent and Medela are 3 of the most commonly purchased pumps on the market, each with its own pros and cons. However, it is this writer’s opinion that one manufacturer stands out above the rest, Ameda. Although other brands can and do perform well, many come with a hefty price tag for no good reason. Ameda has built a reputation for offering high quality, effective breast pumps, at very reasonable prices, and their pumps offer the features that matter most.

You would think a lower price meant reduced amounts of features/functionality for Ameda pumps, but great emphasis has been placed on hygiene and customization, the two most important features moms are looking for. Ameda’s line of personal use breast pumps are called the Ameda Purely Yours series, and they offer breastfeeding moms exactly what they need for a successful pumping experience.

Each Ameda Purely Yours pump features fully customizable speed and suction strength settings, allowing users to tailor their pump to their personal preferences, which results in higher levels of success with milk expression. An additional feature offered by Ameda Purely Yours pumps is the presence of a closed milk collection system. Ameda’s HygieniKit performs this task, which prevents outside contaminants from entering the expressed milk, as well as the tubing and pump mechanism. Ameda breast pumps are the only personal use pumps that offer …

How Food Plays Such an Important Role in a Diabetic’s Life

Food plays an important role in a diabetic’s life. Once you have been diagnosed as a diabetic you COULD be on medication for the rest of your life. Just because you are on medication doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you like. You must change your lifestyle or suffer the consequences.

Your lifestyle must change to manage your diabetes. If you manage your diabetes well enough you could do away with all your medication. It is possible if you follow a few rules and adopt a different life style.

Most diabetics are overweight or obese, and this is what usually triggers diabetes. Problems with diabetes include High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol.

It is important to reduce your intake of sugar and anything that has sugar by name or similar. It is important to identify products containing sugar. It is also important to reduce the intake of meat; fish in high quantities is fine. You should be able to delete meats completely, but in the meantime start reducing meat down to 10% of your food intake.

Some experts say “sugar causes diabetes” is a myth. (Remember, it was once called sugar diabetes)They, the experts, also say avoiding sugar, is not that important if you are managing your diabetes? Some experts talk nonsense and then talk about managing your diabetes. These so called experts must work for the big pharmaceutical companies

I did say at the start, food plays an important part of your life if you are a diabetic. Remember it was your excesses of sugar as in refined Carbohydrates and fatty products that got you where you are today. I say these experts are talking rubbish. Sugar is a refined carbohydrate with a very high G.I. It is one of the major causes of your overweight or obesity.

Some experts say there are no special diabetic meals. That too, is rubbish. If you want to rid yourself of the complications of diabetes you should adopt special diabetic meals. Fruit and vegetables are in and you should eat everything that is grown in the ground.

Now, that means no cola drinks, no fruit drinks and no meat unless, of course, it they been grown in the ground.

You can drink as much water as you want and eat as much fish as you want.

So what are you going to do, carry on regardless, or are you going to change your lifestyle, reducing your weight and possibly reducing your medication and plan for your new wardrobe.

YOU CAN DO IT…

The Great Cholesterol Lie Review – Is Dr Lundell’s Book Really Worth the Investment?

Any “review” that you read on “The Great Cholesterol Lie” says that Dr. Lundell has put together a very comprehensive book on the causes of heart attack and prevention, one that can change and most likely will save your life.

The great thing about this book is its ability to open your eyes and change your mind-set regarding some very ingrained and set beliefs about heart problems and heart attacks.

In his book Dr. Lundell explodes the myth that cholesterol is the prime factor that contributes to fatalities and diseases of the heart. He stresses that inflammation, not cholesterol, is the most dangerous factor, and that unless inflammation is brought under control, there could be no hope of recovery from heart problems. According to “The Great Cholesterol Lie” a heart attack is primarily caused by inflammation, which if not controlled can lead to fatalities.

“The Great Cholesterol Lie” reflects the voice of millions of people across many countries who say that this book has saved their lives and that of their dear ones. Knowing the truth has empowered them to fight effectively against heart disease and prevent first and second heart attacks effectively. In such cases, Dr. Lundell’s book is definitely worth the investment.

The first priceless thing that this book offers is a change of mind-set. You stop thinking that cholesterol is your number one enemy and start focusing on what causes inflammation in your body. This is not easy, but according to most reviews of “The Great Cholesterol Lie” Dr. Lundell does a great job in bringing the truth into view so you can see for yourself.

There are enough studies that agree with Dr. Lundell’s perception, but the fact has not been disseminated or popularized enough as yet. This is unfortunate, because awareness about this hideous hidden enemy could save millions of lives every year. A review site of “The Great Cholesterol Lie” points out that the book is written in a simple engaging style, one that any layperson could understand and internalize without any effort.

Dr. Lundell does not stop at exposing the main culprit that causes heart attacks, he goes on and advises on the best steps you could take to prevent and abolish inflammation in your body. The simple steps he offers are easy enough for anyone to follow successfully and thereby eliminate the threat of heart disease and heart attack permanently. This is just one of the priceless things this book offers, which definitely justifies the investment.

After you read the book, you would be a changed person as you would understand why, in spite of all your efforts to keep your cholesterol low, you still have aches and heart problems. You would also understand that inflammation is your number one enemy not only for your heart, but for your overall health – your arthritis, your backache, your lack of sleep at night, even infertility are by-products of inflammation.…

The Two Ways To Lower Cholesterol

When people find themselves facing the challenge of lowering there cholesterol, they go looking for answers on how to change it. After just spending a few minuets on the internet they will get bombarded with hundreds of how to guides. Each of which give a different exact formulas, and the perfect solution. But after talking to many of these people on what ended up working for them they all said “by eating right.”

However, before you can fully change your cholesterol levels it is important to know what cholesterol is and what it does in your body. Most people think that any cholesterol is bad cholesterol, but this is not true at all. Your body needs certain levels of cholesterol to function. It is just when you get to much in your system that your body will start to store. Cholesterol is a wax-like fat and when there is to much in your body it causes major problems in your blood stream. If your body ends up storing to much it tends to store it in your arteries which can then lead to heart disease. These extra deposits will build up a lining in your artery walls and cause them to close in tighter so less blood is flowing freely and creating a high blood pressure.

When you are fighting against high cholesterol levels you are basically fighting against low-density lipoprotein also called the bad cholesterol. As well as your overall goal is to rise up your high-density lipoprotein which will fight off the effects of the bad cholesterol. So this then brings up the question how do I do this?

Today there are two main methods to lower cholesterol. There is the natural way, (which I stress is the best way) as well as the medical approach. Each of these have there pros and cons, but I would argue that opting for the natural approach you will gain more health benefits.

The natural approach is really nothing more than changing your diet and living a healthier lifestyle. I found this to be easier said than done in my life but it you are determined to change your cholesterol and live a better longer life you can do it. By changing your food portions around or opting for different leaner meats you can drastically alter your health.

Now it does not just end there, you need to get active. By being active you are working your body more than it is use to. In doing this your body will start to use up stored fat cells, which in turn will start fighting your LDL levels. By taking the natural approach to fighting high cholesterol, you are taking charge of your health and by doing so you will have the mindset to make a permeate change.

On the other hand, there is the medical approach to lowering cholesterol. I stress that this method should only be taken in extreme cases. By this I mean when …

Benefits of High HDL Cholesterol Levels

In the human body HDL cholesterol or good cholesterol is very important. It required to scrub the walls of blood vessels; it cleanses out the excess cholesterol. The excess cholesterol might have been used to make the plaque that causes coronary artery disease. HDL cholesterol carries that useless cholesterol back to the liver for processing. Whenever physician measure a person’s HDL cholesterol level, through this they examine how vigorously blood vessels are being ‘scrubbed’ free of cholesterol. The pattern of measurement is like if HDL cholesterol level is below 40mg/dl result in an increased risk of coronary artery disease, also in people whose total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal. People who are HDL level between 40 and 60 mg/dl are considered ‘normal’. More the 60mg/dl may actually protect people from heart disease. High HDL level is always better for body.

There are some factors which caused people to have lower HDL cholesterol levels which include cigarettes smoking; oily food such as snacks, chips, and processed meats, deep fried foods etc. food which made in cheap oil such as palm oil, coconut oil and result of this entire thing is being overweight and inactive. Even if two factors of below list are there their in your day to day life then they are high chances of heart disease.

Age over 45 for men and 55 for women:

Smoking of cigarettes

Low HDL cholesterol

Being overweight

Because of HDL cholesterol there is lower risk of heart disease. People who do exercise regularly, there HDL level is always keeps higher. Usually women have higher HDL level than men because of estrogen their HDL level increases.

To increase HDL cholesterol level following things are important:

Physical activity

Healthy food

Maintenance of healthy body

There is a recommendation of the National Heart Foundation that above 45 years adults should do regular blood cholesterol check up every 2 years. After 12 hours fast the cholesterol check up is taken place. This check up shows the total level of cholesterol also HDL and LDL cholesterol and other fats. How you can increase your HDL levels? Following functions helps you to increase your cholesterol.

Regular aerobic exercises such as jogging, walking or bike riding are the most effective ways of increase in HDL levels. In exercise more than duration the intensity is more important.

Plumpness is not only increasing your LDL cholesterol but it also decreases your HDL. If you decrease your overweight, it definitely exceeds your HDL level.

Stop the smoking habit, it really gives a bad affect on cholesterol.

The American heart association suggested that one or two drinks can significantly increase HDL levels.…

Nursing Bras Make Your Life Easier

Any woman who is planning to breastfeed their infant should be making certain that they include nursing bras on their shopping list of important items to get. A nursing bra is a customized bra that is carefully designed to allow for one to have access to feeding their baby and doing it discreetly. Because they are available in several different styles, it is not difficult to locate the best one for the mother and child, along with being very compatible to the user’s wardrobe issues.

One should probably not begin shopping for the bra until they enter the pregnancy’s last trimester as there will likely be some growth as the milk is coming into the bosom. It would be best to try to get a bra that fits comfortably using the middle hooks allowing some additional room in the cup. Ideally, the bra will then continue to be a fit.

It is important that the nursing bra be a comfortable fit for the wearer. The style of underwire type bras are normally discouraged primarily because of the danger of their cutting the rib cage and possibly being the cause of clogged ducts. It is also very important the bra doesn’t fit too tight as this might possibly be the cause of breast infections as well as clogged ducts.

In the search for the right nursing bar, it is important to examine the access panel carefully. This can be done rather simply unsnapping at the top, side or bottom of the breast panel a fastener, and then pulling a side of the bra down. It is important to locate one that is simple and easy to use, but certainly secure and safe so that there is no danger of a breast suddenly slipping out in a fleeting moment.

These items will be available at many retail stores, maternity shops, and certainly at many online sources. Most retailers will only carry a limited selection and possibly very few of the larger sizes. Maternity stores will certainly offer a greater number of choices, but online the selections available will be all inclusive.

There are some legitimate concerns women have in regard to buying a bra without being able to try it on. There are a couple of ways to deal with this. One can go to a maternity store, locate a perfect fit, buy one and then purchase additional ones online. If possible, a woman should try to have three or four of these on hand. The other option is to consult the online store’s size chart and then make their selection. These online suppliers realize there might be issues and will usually have an efficient return policy set up and in place to handle all matters.…

Obesity Problems in Teenagers

Lots of people ponder how we reached this point from being the nation with one of the most physically fit people to a country that’s experiencing overweight population. Plus the number of overweight people appears to be increasing.

It has been more than 30 years that the food industry and the nutritionists have embraced the idea of decreasing the quantity of fat consumption. This was as a result of formally publicized information on foods that are high in cholesterol such as eggs. After this discovery people started having the assumption that all kinds of fat in foods ought to be avoided and that they were solely accountable for high cholesterol problems. Having such false assumption, this generation had grown up with the fat-free encouraged environment, where people understood fat blocked blood veins and caused serious health problems and that all fat-free foods are foods for lower cholesterol.

After that people started to consume extra carbohydrate to compensate for the flavor taken out by the absence of fat as being the ingredients in foods. The outcome was that increased level of processed carbohydrate also leads to weight problems and other serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, and not to mention high cholesterol problems.

The fact has been later found is that we need fat in the form of essential component for our body to work appropriately and carry out the metabolic processes. As we knew that specific vitamins and minerals are fat-soluble, e.g. vitamins A,D,E,K, by avoiding fat totally, our body fails to process these vital nutrients which as a result bring about several health conditions caused by nutritional deficiency.

The updated information and health campaign at the moment are encouraging the new generation to simply avoid unhealthy fats for instance trans fatty acids or those found in red meat, and heated chemical processed vegetable oils, and try to eat healthy fats in avocados, coconuts, olives, and flax seeds. It is upsetting to know there exists many people who still fail to teach themselves on how to reduce unwanted fat and keep good body weight in a healthy way. Young adults have been bombarded by this media’s false idea of so-called “nice” body, they’d rather starve hoping that will get them the thin bodies, as opposed to having healthy, nutritious diets,and eating habits.

It is our responsibility as parents and responsible adults to correctly notify the young ones of the advantages and disadvantages of improper diets and how they may threaten their health and well-being down the road. Health assessment carried out by specialist and health authorities should be done on regular basis to provide assistance to students at school as every individual has their own dietary requirements based on lifestyles, gender, and age. Reinforcement of good diet regime not only helps minimize obesity problems of our country, but also decrease the national medical conditions in future.…