Health

According to a recent study, almost half of Americans gained undesired weight since the beginning of the pandemic. Although stress could be one of the primary triggers, one common over-the-counter medication can also potentially cause weight gain.

Keep reading to learn more about this medication.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines, medicines for treating allergies, can contribute to weight gain. That was confirmed by scientists from the Yale University School of Medicine in 2010. The study involved 268 people (174 female and 94 males) that took antihistamines and 599 people (401 female and 198 male) that didn’t.

The results showed that those who used antihistamines had a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference, and elevated insulin levels. Moreover, men that used antihistamines weighed approximately 22 pounds more than those who didn’t, while women weighed 10 pounds more than the non-users.

While histamines decrease hunger by sending signals to the appetite control center, antihistamines do the opposite. These medications interfere with those signals and make feeling full much harder. That usually causes overeating, which leads to gaining weight.

Plus, a common side effect of antihistamines is feeling drowsy. When we’re tired, we don’t use as much energy and burn fewer calories than usual, which could result in gaining a few extra pounds.

Keep in mind that occasional antihistamine use probably won’t affect your weight. However, if you can’t survive spring or fall without them, the medications will likely lead to unintentional weight gain.

Choose the Brand Wisely

If you experience allergies every year, doctors recommend using one particular brand: Claritin. Unlike other antihistamines, Claritin doesn’t affect the appetite control center and has less of a sedative effect. To reduce antihistamine use, it’s best to limit exposure to allergens as much as possible.

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Dietary recommendations to help manage insulin resistance generally focuses on the types of food to eat and avoid. For example, you should eat more lean proteins and whole grains while limiting white bread and concentrated sweets. However, the time you eat may be just as important as what you eat.

A new study has found that the timing of food consumption may also impact diabetes risk. This article will cover how having an early breakfast can positively impact insulin resistance and diabetes risk.

What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?

Your pancreas creates the insulin hormone to allow blood sugar into your cells for energy. In a person with type 2 diabetes, cells won’t respond normally to insulin; this is insulin resistance. In an attempt to get the cells to respond, the pancreas will create more insulin. Eventually, the pancreas will not be able to keep up with rising blood sugar, which is the precursor for type 2 diabetes.

High blood sugar causes other damaging side effects and serious health problems like kidney disease, vision loss, and heart disease.

An Earlier Breakfast May Reduce Type 2 Diabetes Risk

Researchers at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University in Chicago discovered that people who had breakfast before 08:30 had reduced blood sugar levels and less insulin resistance than people who ate later in the day.

Their findings conclude that timing is more strongly related to metabolic measures than the eating duration and supports earlier eating methods.

Reducing Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be challenging to spot and usually develop unnoticed over several years. Thanks to a recent study, we now know that eating an early breakfast may help to reduce the risk. Other ways to help lessen the risk include maintaining a healthy and balanced diet and regular exercise to maintain a healthy weight.

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Improving hygiene starts with washing your body efficiently, but not excessively.

According to the founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness, Robynne Chutkan, MD, you risk destroying beneficial bacteria that assist your microbiome in differentiating between good and bad germs when scrubbing your whole body with soap. Sandy Skotnicki, MD, also advises that excessive bathing or showering can lead to skin conditions like eczema.

So, what’s the best way to wash? Read on to find out the three most important areas of your body to focus on, the best way to clean them, and the best time of day.

Armpits

Bacteria love armpits. They’re warm, moist, and typically dark. Some types of armpit bacteria produce the smelly compounds we generally refer to as body order (BO).

Keeping your armpits clean with warm water and mild soap helps eliminate this problem. If you’re out of soap, you can use shampoo. Antibacterial soaps can also be used to curb excessive body odor.

Feet

Sonia Batra, MD and co-host of “The Doctors,” says it’s a common belief that our feet get clean from the water and soap sliding down the body during a shower. However, this is not the case. Good foot hygiene is key to preventing odors and athlete’s foot.

It’s essential to wash the bottom, the sides, and in between your toes thoroughly to remove the dirt, grime, sweat, and bacteria that builds up there. Consider using a pumice stone daily for a good scrub.

Groin

Like armpits, the creases and folds of your groin are also a warm environment perfect for harboring harmful bacteria. They can lead to all sorts of undesirable problems, including infections, ingrown hairs, and odors.

Due to the skin’s sensitivity around the genital area, always use gentle soap and a washcloth for a thorough clean.

When’s the Best Time to Wash?

According to Dr Rekha Tailor, the best time to shower is in the evening. It removes the sweat, oils, dead skin cells, and other buildup on the skin from throughout the day. Showering just before bedtime cleanses your skin and preps it for proper overnight regeneration, as well as keeping that stuff from getting into your bed with you.

Keeping the Main Areas Clean

Bacteria thrive in warm, moist, and dark places, so be sure to keep your armpits, groin area, and feet clean every day. Once these areas are taken care of, all the rest of your body needs is a simple rinse. Use warm water and mild or antibacterial soap or shampoo for a thorough cleanse. Shower just before bed for valuable overnight skin renewal and more pleasant sleep.

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There are two types of abdominal or belly fat: visceral and subcutaneous. While subcutaneous sits under our skin, visceral fat surrounds our vital organs and can severely jeopardize our health. Burning more calories can help you reduce body fat, but it’s merely a starting point. Many people aren’t aware that many of their habits are culprits in excess belly fat.

Read on to learn more about these unhealthy habits:

Poor Sleep

Studies show that those who sleep less than five hours per night put on 2.5 times more belly fat than those that sleep seven or eight hours. Plus, the lack of sleep increases cortisol production, which keeps the fat stored around your organs.

Diet Soda

The results of a decade-long study indicated that drinking diet soda causes a 70% larger waist circumference compared to those that don’t drink soda at all.

Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners that trick the body into thinking there will be a calorie influx. When this doesn’t happen, your body starts craving them and “pushes” you towards food.

Stress

Stress can cause excess belly fat, even in naturally skinny people. When we’re stressed, our bodies produce cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol contributes to accumulating abdominal fat, which can cause numerous health problems, especially if you’re exposed to stress for an extended period.

Canned Food

It’s vital to pay attention to the food we consume. But it’s also necessary to consider its packaging. Foods packed in aluminum cans often contain bisphenol A, i.e., BPA. A Harvard study proved that people with a high urinary BPA concentration had a larger waist and a greater risk of obesity.

Insufficient Protein Intake

A study published in August 2021 concluded that people who took protein supplements and had a calorie-restricted diet burned more fat than those who took a placebo.

Build Good Habits

Not only will breaking these habits lead to losing more belly fat, but it will also improve your quality of life. Eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and effectively managing your stress has countless benefits for your physical and mental health and should be a priority.

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Our vision deteriorates as we age. We know we can do things to slow down this process, such as having a healthy lifestyle and maintaining eye hygiene. However, many aren’t aware that some habits can have the opposite effect and ruin your eyes’ health.

Read on to learn what these habits are.

Getting Too Much Sun

Spending too much time in the sun can damage our eyes from exposure to UV-A and UV-B rays. That isn’t a rule only in the summer; too much sun harms our eyes regardless of the season.

To prevent jeopardizing your vision, wear hats and protect your eyes with UV-blocking contact lenses and UV-blocking sunglasses.

Ignoring the 20-20-20 Rule

Many people spend most of their days looking at the computer screen. By following the 20-20-20 rule, you can reduce the symptoms of eye strain and protect your vision.

The rule is quite simple: After 20 minutes of looking at the screen, you should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Using Expired Makeup

Makeup such as eyeshadow, mascara, or eyeliner can easily come in contact with our eyes. If you’re using expired products, you increase the risk of developing an infection that could damage your eyes.

Be careful about the expiration dates on your makeup. Plus, don’t forget to remove makeup each day thoroughly, and don’t share it.

Stressing Out

A recent study showed stress could be related to vision loss. Chronic stress causes an increase in cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. This increase can damage our nervous system, which leads to numerous consequences when it malfunctions, including impaired vision.

Take Care of Your Eyes

In addition to developing healthy habits and consuming the right foods, regular eye exams are essential for maintaining good vision. As a rule of thumb, you should get your eyes checked every two to three years. If you’re wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses, do it more frequently.

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Heart disease is more common than you might think. According to the CDC, heart disease is the most common cause of death in the United States and around the world. It claims the life of one person every 36 seconds, on average.

A 2019 study issued in Circulation concluded that around 48% of American citizens had some type of cardiovascular disease, and the possibility of heart disease increased with age.

By managing heart disease, you can live longer and be healthier throughout your life. A combination of exercise, standard medical care, and a proper diet will help you keep it under control. They may also cut your risk of developing other health problems later on in life.

Keep reading for examples of food experts and researchers recommend for successful heart disease management.

Fatty Fish

There is no need to remove all animal-based products from your diet. Integrating fatty fish into your meals can improve your cardiovascular well-being. Tuna and salmon are examples of fatty fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids, and eating them twice a week helps lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and cholesterol.

Berries

Dietitian and Nutritionist Colleen Christensen recommends making your deserts healthier with berries. She advises that they are an excellent source of protective phytochemicals and antioxidants connected with improved cardiovascular health.

Nuts

Experts advise that nuts are perfectly healthy to include in your diet, despite their high-fat content.

Walnuts are an excellent source of fiber and micronutrients like copper, manganese, and magnesium. According to one study, eating walnuts can reduce “bad” cholesterol (LDL) by up to 16%, decrease diastolic blood pressure by 2–3 mm Hg, and cut inflammation and oxidative stress.

However, nuts are high in calories due to their fat content. Tina Marinaccio, MS, RD, CPT, recommends including them with your salads or yogurt and using measured portions.

Foods for Effective Heart Disease Management

You’ll find plenty of tasty substitutes that you can include in your diet to replace unhealthy foods. Others include avocado to replace bad fats or unprocessed soy for a source of meat-free protein. Along with exercise and regular medical care, you can live a long and healthy life with heart disease.

If you’re considering changing your diet, be sure to get the okay from your doctor first.

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Having palpitations is a pretty scary experience, but it’s also one that many of us have had at some point in our lives.

If you‘ve ever felt your heart beating abnormally fast, fluttering, flip-flopping, or pounding in your chest, you probably know what heart palpitations feel like.

Palpitations are not usually a sign of something serious. They can be a result of just working too hard or not getting enough sleep. Other causes include stimulants such as energy drinks, alcohol, coffee, and tobacco products.

But make no mistake. According to experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine, palpitations can also indicate a life-threatening condition that could get worse if you don‘t seek treatment immediately.

Here‘s what you need to know about heart palpitations:

What Are They?

Heart palpitations are the feelings of your heart beating too fast, “fluttering,” or “pounding” in your chest.

They occur when extra voltage is present during the contraction and relaxation phase of the heartbeat cycle. This causes abnormal, uncontrolled contractions that can be felt as a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

But is everything always obvious? Sadly not. Sometimes palpitations can feel like normal heartbeats.

According to Dr. Shephal Doshi, M.D., director of cardiac electrophysiology at Providence Saint John‘s Health Center in Santa Monica, palpitations can‘t be defined in terms of the number of heartbeats per minute.

Sanjiv Patel, M.D., a cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, adds that with palpitations, your heart may still beat at normal speeds of up to 100 beats per minute.

How Do Heart Palpitations Feel?

According to Dr. Holly S. Andersen, M.D., cardiologist, and director of education and outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, palpitations can feel a bit different for everyone.

Some people describe it as fluttering, while others say their heart feels like it‘s pounding or racing out of control. The intensity might be mild and only last a few moments, but you could also experience severe discomfort that lasts much longer.

Causes of Heart Palpitations

Potential causes of abnormal heart rhythms include:

• Stress or severe emotional upset (such as the death of a loved one)
• Injury to the chest or heart
• Drug use, especially drugs containing stimulants
• A cold/flu
• Sleep deprivation or sleep apnea
• Low blood sugar
• Intensive physical activity
• An overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism
• Hormonal changes, including periods, pregnancy, and menopause
• Dehydration
• Blood loss
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
• Fever
• Anemia
• Electrolyte abnormalities

As you can see, most causes are nothing to worry about, but in a few cases, palpitations may be associated with various heart conditions. These include:

• Mitral valve prolapse: A condition of the heart in which one or both of the miter leaflets that cover the openings between the left and right atria no longer fully seal, allowing abnormally large amounts of blood to flow in and out of the heart.
• Congenital heart disease: A general term for any disorder of the heart or blood vessels present at birth.
• Heart failure: A chronic condition in which the heart gradually weakens, making it unable to pump enough blood to meet the body‘s needs.

How Do I Stop Heart Palpitations?

Several lifestyle changes might help relieve symptoms and prevent heart palpitations. They include:

• Getting more sleep at night
• Avoiding stimulants like energy drinks/coffee before bedtime
• Eating healthy meals throughout the day and staying hydrated
• Adding magnesium supplements to your diet
• Daily exercise

When to Get Emergency Help

In most cases, heart palpitations only last a few seconds. If they last for more than a few minutes, there is likely to be an underlying issue, and you should visit a doctor as soon as possible.

If you‘re experiencing palpitations along with other concerning symptoms such as dizziness, chest pain, sweating, fainting, nausea, or fatigue, you should seek medical attention right away.

Palpitations accompanied by shortness of breath, back pain, or feeling faint can indicate more urgent life-threatening problems, such as a heart attack. In this situation, doctors recommend calling 911 immediately.

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A healthy gut helps you fight off diseases and infections and teams up with your brain to maintain the rest of your body’s health. When your gut isn’t in good shape, you may experience discomfort, pain, and cramps, all of which are unpleasant and disrupt our lives.

A proper diet plays a significant role in keeping our gut healthy. Scientists have recently discovered that one common type of fruit, in particular, does wonders for your gut. Keep reading to learn more about it.

Grapes

A 2021 study published in Nutrients investigated how eating grapes can contribute to the gut microbiome. For four weeks, the participants consumed 46 grams of whole grape powder each day (equal to two servings of California table grapes). The results showed grape powder consumption decreases LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 5.9% and total cholesterol by 6.1%. Moreover, the health of the participants’ gut microbiome improved.

What makes grapes so great? They contain catechins, natural antioxidants that reduce inflammation and promote the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. Moreover, grapes are a good source of fiber which supports gut health.

The small round fruit also contains potassium, a mineral that lowers the risk of heart disease. Since most people don’t consume enough potassium, eating grapes is a delicious and convenient way to get it.

The benefits of grapes can be seen from the outside as well. Due to the wide range of vitamins and minerals in this fruit, your skin, hair, and nails will look healthier and smoother.

Take Care of Your Gut

Grapes are packed with nutrients that improve your gut health and fight off free radicals. Due to their convenient size and shape, you can easily incorporate grapes into your snacks, salads, and meals. Don’t forget about other factors that contribute to your gut health, such as getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and reducing stress.

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While there’s still a lot of research to be done on eye exercises, most studies show that they do improve your vision. They do this by stretching and strengthening the tiny muscles in your eyes – the ciliary muscles – which help maintain optical clarity for viewing objects.

However, eye exercises can’t correct underlying conditions such as astigmatism, glaucoma, or diabetic retinopathy.

Your vision is a complex system that’s affected by both physical and environmental factors. Although corrective lenses can help improve things, making room for eye exercises and vision therapy can lead to better eye health.

What Are the Benefits of Eye Exercises?

Eye Exercises have proven to be scientifically effective in the following areas:

• Reduced strain on the eyes after long periods on screens or reading.
• Improved coordination by stretching and strengthening the ciliary and extraocular muscles.
• Increased blinking rate which boosts the circulation of oxygen and nutrients to the eye, thereby reducing the risk of dry, irritated eyes.
• Improved peripheral vision for people who have advanced diminishing visual fields due to aging or macular degeneration.

For all their benefits, eye exercises do not remedy many of the issues that require corrective lenses. These include:

• Macular degeneration: A progressive eye disease that gradually damages the macula – the small, central region on the retina that provides sharp, straight-ahead vision.
• Farsightedness: As a result of your eyeball being too long, light rays converge behind the retina rather than directly on it, blurring objects that are up close.
• Nearsightedness: As a result of your eyeball being too short, light rays do not reach your retina but rather converge in front of it, making it difficult to focus on objects that are far away.
• Astigmatism: When your cornea isn’t evenly rounded, light rays hitting your eyes refract in two different directions, resulting in optical distortion.
• Glaucoma: Agroup of eye diseases that result from damage to the optic nerve, which transmits information from the retina to the brain.
• Presbyopia: The lenses in your eyes can’t adjust enough to bring things that are up close into sharp, clear focus.

How to Exercise Your Eyes

The 20-20-20 Rule

One of the most common complaints patients have regarding their eye health is eye strain, caused by prolonged periods of focusing on objects up close.

This kind of eyestrain can make it very uncomfortable or impossible to type, drive, read books or watch TV. The 20-20-20 rule is a popular correction technique that can remedy the problem.

This rule suggests that every 20 minutes, you should take a break and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

The theory behind the rule is that the focusing muscles in your eyes work harder when glued to a single close-up object. Therefore, occasionally focusing on an object that’s far away can ease eye strain.

Figure 8

The Figure 8 eye exercise is a great way to improve the flexibility of your eyes. Here’s how it works:

1. Pick a spot on a blank wall or floor around 10 feet away.
2. Imagine a large figure 8 at that spot. Now, trace this path with your eyes without moving your head for one minute, then switch directions for another minute.

Palming

Palming is a great eye relaxation technique recommended by optometrists around the world.

Follow these instructions:

1. Sit in a chair with your back straight and close your eyes.
2. Place your hands over your eyes, making sure that your palms cover the eye area, and your fingers rest on your forehead. Do this for at least one minute.

While palming, avoid putting too much pressure on the eyeballs as they need to be able to blink freely without obstruction or discomfort.

Vision Therapy

Visual therapy is a type of optometric rehabilitation therapy in which a trained therapist strives to improve binocular vision and ocular coordination using specific eye exercises and/or glasses.

Vision therapy helps with common problems caused by eye muscle and muscle tissue problems, such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, double vision, strabismus, lazy eye, and crossed eyes.

Therapy includes exercising the eye muscles under controlled conditions until they are strengthened enough to function properly on their own.

It’s Never Too Late!

Eye exercises can improve your vision, but they aren’t a cure for all eye conditions.

If you’re having trouble seeing, make an appointment with an eye care professional first. They can determine whether corrective lenses or other treatments could help before you start performing eye exercises on your own.

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Many people struggle with hair loss. Whether you’re noticing your hair becoming sparser or you have bald patches, finding a way to slow down hair loss is essential. Many treatments promise hair growth, but they are often expensive or unreliable. Fortunately, there’s a way to reduce hair loss without spending any money, and it’s connected to your diet.

Read on to learn more about what you should consume more or less of to reduce hair loss.

Foods Rich in Fat

A recent study published in the journal Nature investigated how our diet can be related to hair loss. The scientists conducted the experiment on mice. One group of mice had a high-fat diet, while the other one had a standard diet. The results showed that a high-fat diet accelerates hair loss by damaging the hair follicle stem cells responsible for hair growth.

According to the study, the effects of the high-fat diet were noticeable shortly after the mice were introduced to it. Namely, after only four days, the authors were able to identify changes in the mice’s hair. The mice also had increased oxidative stress, which is related to tissue damage and a higher risk of developing cancer.

Another study emphasized that being obese can significantly increase the risk of hair loss. To slow down losing hair, it’s best to consume less fat and cholesterol and watch your weight.

Choose Hair-Friendly Foods

Hair loss can represent a significant change in our appearance and affect our self-esteem. It’s advisable to consume protein-rich foods to battle losing hair. Healthy options include eggs, nuts, fish, chicken, turkey, beans, etc. Moreover, it’s crucial to reduce stress since that’s one of the triggers for hair loss.

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