How Long Working Hours can get you severe Diseases

We often work hard during our working hours to make a good living and make our living standard better. But does our working hours affect our health ? The answer is "Yes". Our working condition and working hours affect our health a lot, and if you are working continuously for longer hours then you are unintentionally putting yourself at risk of several health conditions. In this article we will tell you about potential health hazards of long working hours.

A 35 year old physical therapist worked for 60 to 75 hours per week in a hospital. She started to notice the effect of these long working hours on her body as her periods disappeared, she cracked a tooth while she was grinding her teeth, felt extreme fatigue and abdominal pain. It even lead to over-consumption of alcohol and over-eating. But all that ended five years ago as she came to know that all these negative effects on health were due to long working hours. Now she is fine after reducing her working hours to 40 hours per week and it also helped her in building a loving relationship.

She was lucky, but everybody don't understand the symptoms and get some lifelong lifestyle disorders. Her story tells us that working too long is sometimes an addiction and it harms the body just like any other addiction.

Long working Hours are not a proof of your dedication for work !
Most of the people thing that working long proves their dedication for work. But the truth is just opposite. Long working hours affects your health which reduces your work efficiency and you end up performing worst than an average guy.

Which Diseases can affect you due to long working hours ?

• Stroke : 33% more chances of stroke if yo spend more than 55 hours per week at work.
• Heart disease : 13% more chances of heart diseases. 
• Mental health problems : Anxiety, depression, ADHD and OCD are some diseases that you can get due to long working hours.
• Diabetes : Women are 63% more risk than men if they devote more that 45 hour per week for work.
• Abnormal heart rhythms : 40% more chances of getting this disease if you work more than 55 hours per week.

Being Workaholic

It is a condition when long working hours make you an addict and you can't stay away from work. Even when your are at your home with your spouse and kids, you still think about work. Adrenaline releases in your blood when you work, and withdrawal symptoms appear when you don't. This condition is very critical as it urges your brain to keep engaged with work and leave aside every other important things in your life.

Symptoms of being workaholic

• Enjoying work more than home, family and friends.
• Working for long hours and planning to devote even more time.
• Feeling bored at home and constantly thinking about work.
• Others start telling you that you are ignoring them and not listening to them
• You don't enjoy vacations and feel urge to return to work.

Some facts about health effects of Long Working Hours

• Constantly thinking about your work even when you are not working, affects your health more adversely.
• Long working hours kill people. In Japan they call it "karoshi" which means death from overwork.
• Sometimes relationship problems lead people to spend more time in office, which can lead to workaholic behavior, which ruins the relationships even more.
• One in two workaholic's marriage end up as a divorce.
• 10 Million Americans work for 60 hours or more per week.
• Workaholics prefer cigarette or coffee instead of a break.

Note : All workaholics can't be considered at the same risk. If you are working longer with interest or hobby then it might not hurt you. But in most of the cases people don't like their own job.

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Bathing : The correct way to Stay Fit

Bathing is a daily activity, thus taken casually by most of us. Pouring the water, rubbing the soap, then again pouring the water and that is all. There is a lot more than that in real bathing. We have forgotten some secrets of bathing in our busy lives and it is costing us a lot of money. Here betterhealthfacts.com has collected some tips about bathing, which can help a lot in staying fit.

You are reading this article because you have got enough water to bath. Before you take a bath, you must remember that there are people who don't even have enough drinking water. Bathing daily is something that they can only dream about. So save water and save life.

Why bathing is necessary ?
It is necessary to wipe out the odor caused by dead bacteria (both good and bad) on our skin and the protein secreted through our sweat. Combination of these not biological wastes can not only harm our body by inviting parasites to feed on them, but can also make it unbearable for others to be around us.

Down to top approach 

Usually the temperature of water is not same as our body. So instead of putting water directly on head, you should put is first on your feet, then knees, then belly, then chest and then head. This approach saves your head from a sudden temperature change, which can sometimes cause serious medical conditions. When we use this approach, our body and brain prepares itself for the rising water level and saves itself from a sudden temperature change. This approach should be kept in mind while taking shower.

Don't use antibiotic soaps

Some people use antibiotic soaps on regular basis to kill every germ on their body to stay fit. But in the eagerness to do that, they do exactly opposite. Regularly using an antibiotic soap even kills the good bacteria permanently from your skin. These good bacteria on skin save us from other harmful intruder bacteria. So using antibiotic soap can lead to allergy and other skin diseases.

Don't use soap everyday

Yes, using a soap everyday is not recommended at all. You should avoid using a soap every alternate day, however you may do hand-wash. Apart are making our skin clean, soap also makes our skin penetrable by some harmful bacteria present in air. Even when you use it, don't keep it for too long on your body.

Don't stay longer in bathtubs

Staying longer than 15 minutes in a bathtub is never considered healthy as it damages your skin and make it more prone to wrinkles. If you rub your impurities out in a tub, then it is also harmful as it makes that dirt access your other body parts. Sitting in a dirty lake is better than that. So never rub yourself in bathtub and never stay in it for more than 15 minutes. It is better to use it only to calm yourself down.

Clean your feet daily

Most people forget it, as they give priority to face, underarms, chest, back, arms and legs. Remember your feet as they carry you for the whole day. Giving a few minutes to clean them will make them healthy and they will serve you even better without causing any medical problems. Your feet and overall health is heavily interconnected.

Keep your bathroom clean

It is last point but not the least. An unclean bathroom is an open invitation for diseases. A throughout cleaning of bathroom is must once in a week. Do a quick wash to floor using a wiper after taking a bath is must everyday. You should keep that place clean which is making you clean everyday.

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Does Positive Attitude affect your Health

Being Optimistic or Pessimistic is a natural human trait that develops either through our upbringing and our genes. It is a well known fact believed by medical practitioners that positive attitude affects your health in a positive way. Usually we care only about our diet, exercise and sleep to live a healthy life, but positive attitude in our lifestyle also plays a major role for betterment of our health. This article will explain how our optimistic approach towards various aspects of life improves our health.

During past century our society has accepted the importance of psychological health. Prior to that people used to believe that psychological treatments are only meant for mentally sick or lunatic people. But now people know that diseases like depression and anxiety are common and every person faces it at least once in their life. Apart from medicines, counselling plays an important role in psychological treatments. Most of these counselings revolve around our thinking and attitude towards life. A counselor always try to make us think positive and being optimistic. The truth is that people with positive attitude are very less prone to any psychological disorder.

According to a study the chances of heart related issues are lesser in optimistic people. Even if there is some heart disease, optimistic people recover easily after hospitalization and require 50% less re-hospitalization. [1]

Optimism improves our immune system response. Even when a person with pessimistic approach is provided some counselling to think positive, the immune system response improves with behavior. [2]

A research done in Finland concluded that optimistic people are three times lesser prone to hypertension, even when risk factors like smoking, obesity, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity and family history are also taken into account. [1]

According to American Journal of Cardiology, apart from food positive behavior can also keep your cholesterol level low, thus improving your cardiovascular health. [3]

An American research concluded that people with most positive attitude are likely to have least blood pressure. [1]

A 2006 study found that optimistic people are least affected with viral infections, even if they are living in an area where the virus has spread. [1]

Several studies done in different parts of world concluded that optimistic people live longer as they have overall better health. [1]

Some researchers believe that a healthy and disease free body is most likely to be optimistic an hence optimistic people face lesser health issues. But once more fact is that so called optimistic people usually follow a healthy lifestyle, which might be responsible for better health. Whatever the matter is, either optimism results in healthy lifestyle or vice-versa, the fact is that positive attitude improves health.

How to tweak your mind to Think Positive

Positive emotions that result from positive attitude last for a long time and help us in developing skills that help us further in life. Positive emotions help us in exploring possibilities. When a kid goes out to play with a happy mood, he/she learns physical skills by playing sports, learns social skills by making new friends and communicating with them and also develops creative approach. These positive skills developed by positive attitude help that child for all of his/her life. So positive approach towards life not only makes us healthy but also makes our life better.

A pessimist might live a long life sometimes, but chances of it being happy and healthy are very less. So be positive and make others too.

References:
[1] http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/optimism-and-your-health
[2] https://www.livescience.com/8158-optimism-boosts-immune-system.html
[3] https://www.ajconline.org/article/S0002-9149%2813%2900388-3/abstract

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Are Refined Vegetable Oils Unhealthy

Half a century ago soy, safflower and linseed oils were used to make paint and varnishes, but then chemists discovered technique to make it from petroleum oil, which was cheaper. At that time due to lack of any merchant to purchase their crops, farmers fed the soy and safflower to their pigs. As a result the pigs got fat. Then scientists developed a technique to purify the vegetable oils and remove their paint-like bad smell, and that process was used to manufacture refined oils. Now these vegetable oil became taste less and odor-less and widely accepted by society, as even doctors of that time preferred it over animal fat (such as butter). Refined vegetable oils were also cheaper than other traditional animal fat derived from cow milk.

The oil once used for making paints and later used to fed pigs is now being used in our kitchen. So the question is if the refined vegetable oil is healthy or not ? 

What is a refined vegetable oil ?

Refined vegetable oil means vegetable oil that has been "purified". Here purification may mean a number of treatments, such as filtered, deodorized, neutralized, treated with acid, purified with alkali or bleached. Natural antioxidants and nutrients are also removed from vegetable oil in the process of purification. Such treatment of any food product can make it unhealthy.

Some refined vegetables oils also undergo hydrogenation, which turns oil into solid state and increases its shelf life. Such hydrogenated oil contains a large percentage of trans-fat, which is considered very unhealthy. According to an estimate by FDA more than 90% of prepared cookies, crackers and frozen breakfast contain trans fats. Such readily available food items and food served in restaurants usually contain hydrogenated vegetable oil, which increases the profit but degrades the health. Next time when you purchase any packed food, check its ingredients if it contain trans fat.

Do you known that New York became the largest city in US, where restaurants are asked to go trans-fat free. 

Refined Vegetable Oil may cause Cancer

Some recent researches have found that animal fats don't contribute to heart diseases while vegetable oils do. According to a research consumption of butter has decreased from 18 lbs per person per year to just 4 during past century. Refined Vegetable oil has taken place of butter, and researchers fear that it might be a reason behind increased heart diseases and cancer cases. [1]

N‐Nitrosodi-n-butylamine is a carcinogen found in Soybean oil, one of the mostly used refined vegetable oil. Concentration of this carcinogen in Soybean oil is 290 μg/kg. Same carcinogen is also found in cheese at 20 to 30 μg/kg , in smoked meat at 3.9 μg/kg and at 0.003 μg  per cigarette. [2]

Health Facts about Refined Vegetable Oil

• Soybean oil (used in 75% of American Kitchens) increases obesity, which is directly linked to heart diseases and diabetes.
• Since introduction or refined vegetable oils in 1960s , the reported cases of heart diseases and cancer has increased tremendously.
• Soybean oil creates imbalance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 in body. Each table spoon of soybean oil contain 6807mg Omega-6 and 917mg Omega-3, while it should be in our body in equal amounts.
• Omega-6 creates inflammation, which is sometime necessary to heal cuts and wounds. But overdose of omega-6 creates unnecessary inflammation, which can cause a number of health issues.[3]  

Note: Before starting to use any new vegetable oil, make sure that you know how it is made and what are its effect on health. Your awareness can save your health and also your medical expenses.

Reference:
[1] http://www.happilyunprocessed.com/the-basics/refined-oils-and-why-you-should-never-eat-them/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean_oil
[3] https://www.nutritionadvance.com/harmful-effects-of-soybean-oil/

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Creative Gardening : Exploring Yourself for Something Beautiful

Creative Gardening is something that i came across a few days ago, and i can't stop myself from saying it "Beautiful". When we see something beautiful, it makes our mind happy and uplifts our mood and well being. But when we create such thing which make the viewers happy, then it has a more powerful impact on our well being. Here the motive behind this article is to inspire some people to create their own garden and show some unique creativity in it to make it beautiful. The pics that we have shown below will definitely give you some idea about what creativity we are talking about.

Vertical Garden: Best for those who have shortage of space, but still want a garden or kitchen garden. Hanging vases and unused hard boxes or tin cans can be utilized in such garden. Here an image shows how drainage pipes used in houses can be utilized to a vertical garden.

    

Recycled Garden : By using some old and unused things in your home and putting some creativity in it, can make a good looking garden for you.
               

Something for Kids : Such things inspire kids to build a garden. You may use the help of kids and their creative ideas. Such creative garden items are liked by both kids and adults. Making them brings the kid out of an adult.
               

Creative Ideas : Coping the ideas of others is not easy every time. Somethings that look easier are sometimes harder to implement. Try to create something new that is your original idea. You may take help from the following creative gardens to develop your own.
                 
So what are you waiting for. Just get the tools and start exploring yourself to create something beautiful.

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Benefits of Kitchen Garden for your Health

A kitchen garden is one of the healthiest things one can have at his/her home. It won't be wrong to say that it is better for your health compared to a regular workout at gym. If you are money-minded then you should know that kitchen garden can save you a lot of money in your monthly bill. If you are nature lover then you might already have the knowledge that kitchen garden connects you to earth in a number of ways.

Benefits of Kitchen Garden for your Health

• Fresh and Nutritious Diet : It is the basic necessity for a good health. Freshness is the first quality that makes a food good. The fruits and vegetable that you purchase from market are usually stale but looks fresh as they are kept in cold storage. The freshness of market vegetables can't be compared to that vegetable that you grow in a kitchen garden.
• No Pesticides and Natural Fertilizer: Chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers have contaminated our diet to a great extent and they are reason behind a number of health problems. When we grow something in kitchen garden, we use natural fertilizers like compost and stay away from using pesticides. It keeps the nutrition intact and no side effects of harmful chemicals.   
• Kids like home grown vegetables: It is a well known fact for parents that kids don't like vegetables. But one better fact is that kids like home grown vegetables. There is a psychological reason behind that. Usually kids try to help in kitchen garden, like watering the plants or weeding or hoeing or planting some new plants. These acts make them interested in tasting the vegetables or fruits that they helped growing.
• Improves Immunity: You must be thinking that these pesticide free and nutritious vegetables increases your immunity, but truth is something more and better. Being near soil automatically increases your immunity. This is the same process that develops immunity in kids when they play on ground or show their creativity in sand or soil. When we come in contact with soil during gardening our body is contaminated by microbes, and our body develops immunity against them within a few days. This process continues and our immune system become stronger than others. 
• Reduce Healthcare Cost: Better nutrition and immunity results in lesser health issues and saving the healthcare cost.
• Natural Workout: Gardening is a natural and productive workout. It is equivalent to doing workout in a gym. Only difference in that gym requires a monthly fees while garden gives you fruits and vegetables as a result of your workout. 
• Better Sleep: Spending some time is garden also gives a good sleep in night. You don't need to engage yourself in reading something or checking your smartphone before the sleep take over you.
• Self Appreciation : Gardening brings you more closed to earth and mother nature. It gives you a sense of self appreciation, which itself saves you from any psychological complications.
• Whole Family Activity: Sometimes gardening provides an opportunity to engage whole family including kids. Even talking during gardening can reduce stress. It is a great activity and learning tool for kids. It is an entertainment activity as well that relaxes you. Sometimes it can give you life long memories that will make you happy whenever you remember them.  
• Its beautiful : Gardening has the ability to turn wasteland into beautiful landscapes. Even an unused balcony corner can be made beautiful through gardening. Butterflies and birds coming in your garden makes it even more beautiful. Its pleasing look uplifts your mood and make you happy.
• Make you creative: A kitchen garden not just grows vegetables but some creative ideas as well. Those creative ideas can give a better look to your garden and may also help you in other fields of your life. Get some creative gardening ideas by looking at some samples.
• Improves Knowledge: Gardening improves your knowledge about horticulture and makes you love the plants, thus connecting you to earth. Even kids learn a lot about plants through gardening, which can't be taught in a school.
• Cleans the air : Usually we think that its impact will be small, but the truth is than just four plants are sufficient to clean enough air for a single person. A kitchen garden usually have much more plants than that.
• The Aura : Plant have an aura which helps the person coming in contact with them. You might have noticed that sitting under a big tree makes a positive impact on your mood and overall well being. It is the impact of Aura of that tree. Similarly a kitchen garden have its own aura and it improves you from inside. 

We at betterhealthfacts.com hope that the above information will inspire a few people to make their own kitchen garden. If you have the wish but don't have space then a creative garden in balcony or terrace can be best. It not only improves you but also contributes in making a greener society with better air.

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Lifestyle Factors that weakens our Immune System

Usually we think that we can live a disease free life if we keep ourselves away from sick people, especially those who are sneezing or coughing. But this is just a holistic approach to stay healthy. A healthy immune system is necessary for everybody to save ourselves from diseases and infections. Immune system is the power of our body to resist against infections and diseases. A person with better immune system is always at lower risk of catching infection.

Most common belief is that being fully vaccinated, washing your hands, getting enough sleep and eating a healthy diet makes your immune system better than others. But it is just a misconception.

Immune system develops with age, but some lifestyle factors weakens our immune system and we don't even notice them. Here we will discuss those factors and help you in modifying your lifestyle in a better way to improve your immunity.

Lifestyle Factors that weakens our Immune System

Sugar : High level of blood sugar decrease the ability of White Blood Cells to defend against bacteria. Bad bacteria, yeast and fungi survive on sugar. 70% of our immune system resides in our Gut. If too much sugar is present there then it weakens that immune system. Avoiding processed food and refined sugar are necessary to keep your immune system fit.

Do you know that WHO recommends not more than 6 teaspoons of sugar per day, while average intake of sugar in US is 22 teaspoons per day.

Stress : Prolonged Stress episodes can reduce efficiency of immune system. Stress makes our brain produce cortisol, which is a hormone that impairs the function of T cells. T cells are important part of immune system. Yoga or Meditation are best to fight against regular stress.

Do u know that just talking to family and friends reduces stress to a great extent, which indirectly boosts our immunity.Even hugging someone reduces the stress.

Do you know that Washing Dishes can lower the stress level

Grief and Loneliness : You must have heard that loneliness kills, which is now accepted by medical science. Anxiety caused by loneliness suppresses our immune system and make us sick more often. Grief, such a loosing a loved one, weakens our immune system and makes us prone to infections like flu.

Usage of Antibiotics: Usually we think that we are treating ourselves by using antibiotic medicines. But the truth is that antibiotic medicines also kill the those good bacteria who are undisclosed friends of our immune system. Killing those good bacteria reduces efficiency of our immune system.

Learn more about Antibiotics and Bacteria

Vitamin C and D : These vitamins are responsible for improving immune system. Those who stay away from sunlight (from where you get Vitamin D) and don't eat fruits and vegetable (source of Vitamin C) should change their lifestyle to get these vitamins. A few minutes of sunlight and some citrus fruits can put these nutrients back in your body to empower your immunity.

Inactivity: Too much sitting and escaping from simple workout also makes your immune system sit idle. It increases chances of infection, inflammation and premature death.

How much exercise is Enough ? 

Too much exercise : Yes you heard it right even too much exercise can harm your immune system. "Overtraining Syndrome" is correct word to describe it. Mostly professional athletes suffer from this condition which is harmful for immune system. When you workout too hard reaching above the limits of body to recover from the physical stress, then you do a self harm.

Do you think Bodybuilding makes you stronger ?

Too much cleanliness : It may sound a bit odd but the truth is that too much cleanliness makes your immune system weak. Researchers have found that those kids who live in completely germ free environment are more susceptible to allergies. It is because their immune system does not get opportunity to develop immunity against those microbes which are easily available everywhere else. So let your kids play outdoor and let them make houses of sand and soil.

Alcohol, smoking, sleeping less and eating too much salt are some other well known factors which weaken your immune system. So keep the above points in mind and don't let your lifestyle weaken your immune system.

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Washing Dishes is linked to Lower Stress and Well Being

Do you know that Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos wash their dishes themselves. Why don't they use services of a dishwasher or a servant to do so. They can afford every luxury possible on this planet, but they wash their dishes themselves. Why !

Researchers at Florida State University recently found that washing dishes increases mindfulness. According to Psychology Today, Mindfulness is a state of mind when you pay attention to the present activity, instead of thinking about past and future. 

• Mindfulness during dish washing reduces stress level.
• Washing dishes also boosts your immune system. According to an article published in Pediatrics during 2015, our immune system gets benefit when we indulge ourselves in some little dirty activities. Washing dishes is one such little dirty thing that can boost your immune system.

According to Time Magazine, those children are less likely to have allergies where the family hand washes the dishes, instead of using a machine or servant to do so.

• If you are a little sensitive about saving water, then you will use lesser water to clean dishes compared to a dishwasher or a maid.
• If your kitchen sink is full of unwashed dishes, then it is an open invitation to cockroaches and other rodents. Washing dishes just after having a meal saves you from such unhygienic things.

When your hands are exposed to microbes in your early life, you develop a better immune system which is resistant to most microbes. 

• When you rely on your hands to wash dishes, you will never let your kitchen sink full of unwashed dishes. It increases hygiene level of your kitchen, which is must to live a healthy life.
• Washing your dishes after the lunch / dinner is over gives a feeling of completeness of all tasks in kitchen. This feeling is itself related to well being.

According to a report published in Daily Mail, scented dishwashers induces a relaxed mood, and completion of task initiates a feeling of well being.

• When your kids watch you washing dishes, they will learn a healthy and hygienic habit. Don't hesitate in letting them help you as it is a basic skill for good life just like eating habits.
• Delicate dishes are more safe in your hands compared to dishwasher or a maid. Apart from it, you yourself can give them a better wash gently.

The richest people in the world might be doing this household chore without learning the above facts, but such things work for their betterment in the background. Once i heard a great saying that we should do our household chores ourselves, and the above facts have confirmed it scientifically.

Just like you are advised to exercise daily to remain fit, washing your dishes yourself can also help you in improving your well being, stress level and immunity. So don't make excuses to yourself and wash your dishes yourself.

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Drinking Cold Water : Good or Bad ?

Drinking cold water is favorite task of most of the people after returning home on a hot day. But have you ever tried to find if it is a healthy habit or not. Normally we feel that cold water reduces the body temperature and helps in relaxing, which is true up to some extent. If you are doing a workout and drinking cold water during intervals then it keeps your core body temperature low and also keeps you hydrated. But the truth is that drinking cold water have an overall negative effect on your health.

Negative effects of Drinking Cold Water

• Temperature of stomach plays an important role during digestion. Drinking cold water just after a meal hinders the digestion as it reduces the temperature below the optimum temperature required for digestion.
• Cold water makes stomach muscles unable to work properly unless body raises their temperature. Proper functioning of stomach muscles is necessary to break the food before passing it into the intestine. If you have got a little knowledge of workout science, then you must have known the fact that warming-up of muscles is necessary before a workout (especially during winters), as cold muscles can't contract and relax easily and may result in muscle damage.
• Drinking cold water can decrease the sterilization capacity of gastric acid. It can make some germs in your stomach food to be passed to your gut which may result is typhoid, dysentery, infectious diarrhea or enteritis.
• When we drink the cold water, it disturbs the organs which come in direct contact with that water. So it affects respiratory system and the gastrointestinal system the most. Thus long term drinking of cold water makes our oral cavity and respiratory system mucous membrane more fragile. It may also result in inflammation, cough, pneumonia and bronchitis.
• Cold water shrinks the blood vessels and reduces blood flow. It can increase the blood pressure temporarily. If you have got a bad habit of drinking cold water then are at increased risk of hypertension and cardio-vascular diseases. If you are already a patient of hypertension then drinking cold water increases your chances of cardio-vascular diseases.
• If you drink cold water just after a meal then it results in excess mucus build-up, which may result in other side effects. An old study done during 1978 which involved 15 human subjects, found that drinking cold water made nasal mucous thicker.
• A 2001 study found that drinking cold water can trigger migraine pain in those people who are already a patient of this disease.
• According to Ayurveda and ancient Chinese medicine system, cold water with hot food creates imbalance in body. Drinking luke-warm water is recommended by these old traditional systems to get best results and better health.

Some people believe that drinking cold water make our body use some calories to rise its temperature to body temperature and thus helps in reducing weight. But in reality that type of calorie consumption is very less. The benefits of drinking cold water are lesser than disadvantages, so we don't recommend to drink cold water to reduce weight.

So if you ever have an urge to drink cold water then don't gulp it fast, instead sip it slowly and keep it for sometime in your mouth and then drink it. It will help in better relaxation from hot with least side effects on your body. You may drink cold water if you feel necessity but don't make it a habit. 

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Do Masks save you from PM2.5 and PM10

Air Masks are becoming a necessity for people of capital cities like Beijing and New Delhi. Air Pollution level in these cities have reached the dangerous level and making it impossible for residents to inhale quality air. Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) are among the top pollutants apart from gases likes sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons etc. However people are wearing masks to save themselves from the toxic air, but very few know the truth of these masks. Financially capable people are going for expensive masks while other people are trying to save themselves using a piece of cloth wrapped around their nose and mouth. Feeling safe and actually being safe are two different things, and very few know that difference.

Types of Masks people are using in Metro Cities

• Surgical masks : There masks are useless and a cheap hands-free alternative of covering you nose with a handkerchief.
• Industrial Air Masks: They are effective but they make you look like a character from a science fiction movie.
• N95 Masks: These are mostly recommended to save yourself from particulate matter and they do an effective job, while being less expensive. But these masks can't filter the harmful gases.
• Vogmask: These masks are getting popularity in China and India due to its better looks, size and shape.Manufacturers claim it to be better than N95 but it costs a lot more than that.
• Dettol Air Mask: It claims to protect you from haze, dust and pollen but being less expensive than Vogmask.
• Cambridge Masks: These are similar to Vogmask in price range and have three layers of protection, one to block dust, second to block PM2.5 and third to fight bacteria. 

Do Masks save you from PM2.5 and PM10 ?

When we tried to find an answer to this question, we found some disturbing results. Studies done by Peltier Aerosol Lab confirmed that inexpensive cloth masks filters a minimum 15% particulate matter. It can be easily assumed that the filtered content must be PM10 (which is larger in size), while PM2.5 must have passed through.
N95, N99 and N100 Masks claims to filter 95%, 99% and 100% Particulate Matter respectively. But these better variants are expensive and some brands are utilizing the opportunity. But some experts believe that the claims of these expensive masks might not be true, as in real life the size of mask, the way you wear it and the technique used to make it air tight from sides makes them less effective.
Another truth is that none of the above masks is effective at filtering a mixture of air and diesel exhaust, which is most common pollution on busy roads of metro cities.

Check PM2.5 and PM10 level in your city

Shall i wear a mask to protect myself ?

Yes, you should wear if the air pollution in your city is above the recommended levels. However most of the masks don't provide a complete protection, but still they are better than nothing. The choice of mask and the proper way to wear it matters most in this battle to save yourself. Some people don't wear a mask as it negatively affects their earning, for example some taxi drivers don't wear a mask as it gives a negative impression to customers that the drive is sick. Our advice to such people is that nothing is as precious as your health and life, so wear and mask and educate people to do the same.

Note: Take steps to reduce the air pollution yourself. Plant trees and use public transport instead of your own four-wheeler. Carpooling is another better option if  public transport don't suits you. Small steps by a large number of people can create a big impact on our environment.

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Do Air Purifiers really work ! or just Placebo !

Horace Mann said "A house without books is like a room without windows". But this man would not have imagined a future where people will use Air Conditioners and Air Purifiers in a room with no windows. Once people use to open windows to let fresh air in, but now we are closing them to let the air pollution stay away. Air Purifiers are the latest gadgets attracting people of metro cities to make their home-air clean. PM10 and PM2.5 have created a mass phobia and people have started to think that an air purifier will save them from diseases and will make them live longer. But the actual truth will be revealed as you read further.

Air has got No Boundaries

Usually people consider Air Purifiers just like water purifier, but it is not same. Just imagine a fish living in a large ocean using a water purifier to keep its habitat free from water pollution. It is nearly impossible. Similarly we are living in a ocean of air, and we are trying to keep our habitats free from air pollution by using air purifiers. No matter how good is your air purifier, you will need to open the gates and windows at least few times a day to let the air in. An air tight chamber with air purifier and few humans can soon turn into a death chamber with a lot of "carbon-dioxide rich pure air". Reality is that air has got no boundaries. You may breath pure air for a few hours in a day using air purifier but it can't save you from ill effects of air pollution.

No Scientific Studies on Health Effect of Air Purifiers
There are no scientific studies done on air purifier's effect on human health. A report published by Quartz in year 2015 said the same thing. However data suggest that air purifiers remove the air pollutants in a room, but what effect does it make in long term on human health is yet to be concluded. Some people may benefit their health due to placebo effect of air purifiers. Placebos create a feel good effect in our brain and makes a person healthier, due to the thinking that he is taking an actual medicine (while he/she is not taking any actual medicine).

Ionic Air Purifiers emit ozone
Some Ionic Air Purifiers emit ozone as a byproduct and their manufacturers claim that it is beneficial for health. But some health experts believe that ozone is harmful and cause lung-irritation, throat irritation and severe chest discomfort. Philips, one of the largest manufacturers of air purifiers, don't make ionic air purifiers for this very reason.

Is it better to use a mask instead of Air Purifier
Yes, even if you are using Air Purifier, you should use a mask to save yourself from outdoor air pollution. If you are living in a metro city then you may Check PM10 and PM2.5 level in your City. If it above the recommended level then you must use a good quality mask. If you are making your mind for a quality air purifier, the you should do a deep study to know the purification techniques used in it and their effect on your health due to long term exposure.

What are the other ways to purify the air ?
The best way to purify the air is planting more trees, which are natural air purifiers and decreasing the air pollution, that all of us doing in one or other way. But both of these things seems fictional in metropolitan cities. But if you can't do that, then be prepared to face the ill effect of air pollution.

Most of the most polluted countries in world have no rules and guidelines for air-purifiers, which gives manufactures a free hand to use any technology in their product. It is the most horrifying truth of air purifiers. But still if you want to purchase one then make sure that your manufacturer follows the norms and guidelines of some other developed country. 

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Does fast Songs make you drive faster ?

Some of you might have noticed that listening to fast / rock songs while driving a car makes you drive it fast. A number of music websites provide fast music tracks playlist to drive fast. It means that surely music has some impact on our brain and driving skills. But how does fast music make changes in your brain to make you drive faster than normal ? You will get an answer to this question further in this article. This article will inspire you to listen to slow music, so that you don't take risks on road.

Research on Music and Driving habits

A research test to know the impact of music was done at Ben-Gurion University, where 28 students (with average 7 years driving experience) were tested on a driving simulator. They were tested with different types of music with quiet high volume to increase the impact of music on their brain. The results concluded that as the tempo of music was increased from 40 bpm to 140 bpm the occurrence of  breaking the traffic rules and signals increased almost three times. Compared to that those who listened no music during driving had the least number of traffic rule breaking incidents.
The heart rate analysis in the same research found some other interesting facts. Those who don't listen to any music were found to have more fluctuations in heart rate during driving, while those who were listening to music had least fluctuations in their heart rate. It means that music distracts the drivers from outer environment, and the outer circumstances had least impact on their heart. Such distraction results in breaking the traffic signals and accidents.

It is better to choose slower pieces of music and keep the volume low while you are driving. It will make the driving better and it will not only save you but others as well. If you make it a habit for your daily life and also advise others to do so then we will have safer roads for the whole society.

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Stomach Gas Pain Reasons Symptoms and Solutions

Everybody faces the stomach gas problem a number of times in their lives. Sometimes it passes out through mouth and sometimes as farts. But in some cases this stomach gas become more troublesome and causes a lot of uneasiness and pain in stomach. The reasons and symptoms of stomach gas differ according to diet, lifestyle and physic of a person. The pain due to gas can affect a wide range of organs ranging from your intestine, abdomen and chest. Headache is also common is some cases. In some extreme cases of such gas, people misunderstand it as heart problem, appendicitis or kidney/gall bladder stones.

What we normally think as stomach gas is really intestinal gas. Even a normal person expels this gas at least 10 times a day. Most of these instances remain unnoticed due to lack of potential smell. But here we are talking about abnormal condition where this intestinal/stomach gas generates in excess and causes the real problem.

What are the symptoms of Gas ?

• Stretching of Abdominal Region.
• Blotting sensation and knotted feeling in abdomen.
• Voluntary or Involuntary passing of gas.
• Cramps or Pain in abdominal region.

When you should see a doctor ?

Usually the pain due to gas is  relieved either through some home remedies or changing postures to pass the gas. But sometimes the pain or uncomfortable feelings make the condition worst. If you feel the following symptoms then you should see a doctor.

• Bloody Stools
• Frequent Vomiting
• Change in Stool color and frequency
• Chest Pain
• Weight Loss

The above mentioned symptoms sometimes indicate some other problem, instead of simple gas, which needs immediate medical attention. 

What causes gas pain in Stomach ?

As we have told you earlier that their are various reasons behind gas pain, depending on your eating habits, lifestyle, other medical conditions and medications. Here we have listed some common things that causes gas pain in stomach or abdominal region.

• Gas usually arises from undigested food/carbohydrate that reaches our colon (large intestine). It can occur from the well known healthy foods which are rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Sometimes dairy products can also cause gas. So over-consumption of healthy food can be painful sometimes, if it remains undigested in small intestine.
• Constipation can cause gas pain even after eating normal diet. It happens because constipated large intestine don't let the gas pass through, which is necessary for a normal person. This blocked gas rises upwards and cause pain in abdominal/stomach region.
• Usually we swallow small amount of air while chewing or drinking something. But if we swallow excess amount of air then it can be painful sometimes. Usually it happens when we are nervous, or when we are chewing gum, eating very fast, drinking through straw, or sucking candies.
• Lactose Intolerance can also cause gas pain, especially when you are not aware of it and eat or drink some dairy product.
• Artificial additives in food products, such as sweeteners can also be harmful for some healthy people. However such sweeteners are claimed to be healthy as they are sugar-free but sometimes they produce much more gas in our digestive system and cause gas pain.
• Other health conditions (such as Diabetes,  Crohn's disease, inflammatory bowel disease) can be sometimes the reason behind gas pain.

What are the solutions of stomach gas ?

• You should avoid eating excess food, which is most common reason behind gas pain.
• You should avoid eating such food products, which you feel that produce more gas in your digestive system. For example a lactose intolerant person should be aware of his condition and avoid dairy products. Even if he/she need to then proper amount of lactase (enzyme) supplement should be consumed with it.
• Some lifestyle remedies can also save you from gas pain. These are chew your food properly, don't eat fast, don't eat too much, and don't smoke.
• If you have some other medical condition responsible for gas, then get it treated properly.
• Sometime over-the-counter medications can also help in getting relief from gas. But if you are having serious symptoms then you should must visit a doctor / medical practitioner. 

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Do Deodorants cause Breast Cancer

A very interesting fact about most of the breast cancer cases is that most of the cancerous tumors are found in left upper / outer breast region (in both men and women). Most of the right handed people (which are majority), spray deodorants and antiperspirants on that region primarily and then other parts of body. It is enough to explain the seriousness of this issue.

People often due deodorants to get rid of body odor. Newer deodorants guarantee that they will keep your body odor null for a complete day. They do it by using certain chemicals that either make you sweat less or by killing the good bacteria on your skin which makes your sweat smell more. Such products are usually released in market after doing some short term researches which show that these products are safe for normal usage. Researches are going on to know the actual effect of these deodorants / chemical after long term usage. Some recent researches have shown some interesting results which can make the whole world think twice before using any deodorant in market.

 Before we go further, you must know about the type of products which are used to get rid of body odor.

• Perfumes were just to put on clothes to override your body odor.
• Deodorants mask the smell with a fragrance
• Probiotic deodorant promote certain bacterial colonies which can make you smell better.
• Antiperspirants reduce the amount of sweat.

When we searched about this issue on internet we found a website named cancer.gov which contain some authoritative information about it. According to cancer.gov Antiperspirants contain some aluminium based compounds which temporarily plugs the sweat duct and hence the sweat flow from the skin is reduced. Some experts believe that these aluminium compounds when applied for longer duration, may cause estrogen-like hormonal imbalance in body. As current researches suggest that estrogen can promote breast cancer cell growth, so some researchers believe that aluminium compounds in antiperspirants may promote breast cancer.

But does that mean that men are on safer side ?  Read further.

Parabens are a kind a preservatives used it deodorants and antiperspirants, which can also mimic the activity like estrogen and may cause cancer. However parabens are currently not used it most of the deodorants and antiperspirants in US, but still it is being used in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical products.

Some studies were done by examining breast cancer patients and examining their history of usage of antiperspirants and underarm deodorants and underarm shaving habit. However most of these studies don't conclude a solid result, but still more researches are going on.
Manufacturers of such products always advertise on the basis of some major researches which found them safe for use, but still consumers use their own brain sometimes.

A fact published in dailymail.co.uk made a number of consumers feel something serious about usage of deodorants and antiperspirants. Britain is one of the leading consumers of such products and number of breast cancer cases in UK has doubled from 1970. Every year 13000 women in UK die due to breast cancer, which is something serious. The cases of breast cancer has not only affected women but also men, where the cases have also doubled in past 30 years.

 It doesn't matter if researches have found something or not, but if people get fearful of something then its consumption starts decreasing gradually. Some safety guidelines like frequency of usage and amount of usage should be printed on these products to save the consumers from any possible side effects. Hormonal imbalance is one of the primary reasons behind cancerous tumors in breast, so think twice before using any such product which may or may not harm you.

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