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When a new year finally rolls in people take the time to reflect on the past and prepare for a new year.  Sometimes people make decisions and goals for the upcoming year too.  I did just that this year.  I have decided to run my first half marathon.  Yes, I want to run 13.1 miles and hopefully live to tell about it.  Of course, I am only joking, as surely I will live through it.  Whether or not I will finish it is another question entirely.  I have started my training and I have found that it will not be as easy as I had anticipated.  After a month I am experiencing some knee pain and it is quite unpleasant.  I found out that your health and body are what really determines whether or not you can actually run a half marathon or full one, not your mind or intentions. Continue reading

The infographic you’re about to see shows the different kinds of diseases men and women are most prone to having.  The top ten diseases for both men and women are represented, along with some additional facts that illuminate certain risk factors that might be avoidable in both sexes.  Certain causes of death that are not diseases are also in the graphic, such as suicide or unintentional injuries.  To two leading causes of death for women and men are the same, while variances are noted further down the list. Continue reading

Boy, are there are lot of different diets out there!  In the United States, there are more people in the overweight or obese category than ever before in history, and more people are on some kind of modified eating plan, or diet, because of it.  The ironic thing is that all of these dieters seem to spend a lot of time and money on their diets, but either remain the same weight over and average period of 5-7 years, or instead gain more weight.  Could Americans be the victims of an obsession with food and nutrition, or is the opposite actually a truer explanation for why so many of us are obese, and what can be done about it? Continue reading

The dangers of legal herbs that are advertised as being synthetic cannabis, synthetic marijuana, and fake weed have a direct impact on the minds and health of young people who in recent months have flocked to these substances as alternatives to difficult-to-get (and illegal) real marijuana.  The legal substances are the same kinds found online in places like legalherbsdirect.com, and keep re-inventing themselves to evade legal guidelines for the manufacture and sale of such things in various states.  The substances are, for the most part, very dangerous. Continue reading

Many Americans will suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, or other mood disorders at some time in their lives.  Currently, antidepressant drugs and related medications are among the most popularly prescribed medicines in the United States.  This infographic takes us back to a snapshot of the State of the Mental Union as of 2009.

It would be interesting to see how 2011 stacks up against the figures from two years ago.  Still, this should be pretty close.  You will notice that the antidepressants most frequently prescribed are typically newer ones, such as Lexapro — an SSRI (selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor) that is newer than Zoloft and Prozac, but in the same class.  Most commonly prescribed antidepressants are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. Continue reading

Through the Years

In our day-to-day lives, we do not often like to think about things like financial stress, the need to clean, or even medical and health risks, but unfortunately, we should.  As we grow and age we become at risk for different types of medical issues, and it is imperative that we be ahead of the game.  The best way to help lower your risk of becoming seriously ill from a medical illness or disease is to be proactive and regularly make appointments for check ups at your doctor’s office.  Yearly or twice a year visits to the doctor for a check up are so important to stay ahead of the game and make certain that you are not at higher risk for certain illnesses or diseases. Continue reading

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a lurking, silent killer for the most part.  In fact it is recorded that about every one out of three people have hypertension.  Sadly only one out of three of those who have the problem even know that it exists.  Symptoms can sometimes lay low for many years, and sometimes will not be known util it is too late.  It is easy enough to find out if you have hypertension, as you will need to schedule a check up at the doctor and they will check your blood pressure readings there.  A normal blood pressure reading would be under 120/80 mmHg.  If some does have hypertension it is usually above 140/90 mmHg.  Some of the symptoms can possibly include dizzy spells, headaches, and even nosebleeds.  There are many factors that can contribute to one’s hypertension even genetics, but with some changes in your lifestyle and the introduction of healthy habits, you can help to combat your hypertension.  Before trying any of the below recommendations, do make sure to talk with your health care professional. Continue reading

The tanning bed is a place where millions of Americans go every week to shell out a few bucks for 12 minutes under the bright lights and the self-confidence of sun kissed skin.  It’s a commonly known fact that the ultraviolet radiation can do serious damage to the skin, but this doesn’t stop the droves of frequent users from taking the risk.  Most tanning usuals say that say that they keep coming back because they simply like the way they look with darker skin and aren’t willing to spend the winter months with pale skin.  However, some recent research has dug into the brains of those tanning bed users and discovered that the exposure can potentially become addictive. Continue reading