My colleagues and I have our differences but we definitely agree on one thing – we have all gained weight over the past year. Perhaps it is due to the nature of the job – we lead sedentary lives. More probably, it is due to the fact that we all love to eat together and we do so a lot. In any case, I realized that the weight gain has affected some more than others. There is this woman who is a good friend and she really has gained a ...

During my vacation a couple of weeks ago, I met some new friends from various countries. Several of them were from North America while one was from Europe. We had the chance to have dinner together and I realized some things while we ate. We had ordered a big meal – we didn’t know that the servings were going to be that big! As we ate, I noticed that the guys from North America started wolfing down the food while the guy from Europe took his time. ...

We’ve been hearing things about Google’s latest project, Google Health, for quite some time now. It was not till Monday of this week, however, that the service was launched for the use of the general public. So what is Google Health all about? Here is what the Google Bloggers have to say: It's been a busy week for the Google Health team. Last week we announced our partnership and pilot with the Cleveland Clinic. This week, the team has been at the HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) conference in ...

As mentioned in the previous post, back pain is not a disease in itself, it is usually indicative of some other underlying problem. The truth is that many episodes of back pain disappear within a few weeks – that is the good news. The bad news is that back pain can – and has – baffled doctors for a long time. The key, however, to managing back pain is to identify what is causing it. Here are some of the most common causes of back pain. Muscle strain Have you ever ...

Up to 90% of all Americans experience back pain at some point in their lives. If you have ever experienced back pain, you know how inconvenient it can be. Pain in the lower back is even more painful. The thing about low back pain is that it is normally a disease in itself. Instead, it is usually indicative of another condition. This is the start of a short series on back pain. The reason behind this is that I have had lower back pains for a week. ...

If you have been paying attention to the ads on many web sites and blogs today, you probably have noticed that many of them pertain to colon cleansing or colon irrigation. I certainly have seen a lot of them recently. This has prompted me to look this thing up and find out if it really has health benefits. After all, if many people are interested in it, it should count for something, right? What is colon cleansing anyway? It is basically a process wherein your bowels are ...

Party people may be familiar with a nightclub drug called Special K. This drug is actually a horse tranquilizer also known as Ketamine. Researchers have published their findings in the Archives of General Psychiatry and claim that Special K could actually help treat people who suffer from depression. How does the drug work? Reuters reports: Ketamine restores to normal the orbifrontal cortex, an area of the brain located above the eyes that is overactive in depressed people. The area is believed to be responsible for feelings of guilt, dread, apprehension and physical ...

Next on Dr. Mao’s list is the use of unbleached paper products. His rationale behind this tip: Paper products are not naturally white. All white paper products are bleached with chemicals that leave behind a harmful residue of dioxin, a known carcinogen. This residue is found in coffee filters, diapers, lunch bags, napkins, paper towels, tissues and toilet paper. When dioxin enters the landfill as waste, it leaches into the soil, contaminating groundwater. Sounds good to me. Wouldn’t it feel a bit strange having toilet paper that is not white? ...

Is it really? Well, according to Dr. Mao over at Yahoo Health, this is quite true. He also presents some practical things that we could all do to help the environment and be healthier at the same time. Seeing as we have just recently celebrated Earth Day, this topic is quite appropriate, don’t you think? Let’s take a look at some of Dr. Mao’s suggestions. Less Plastic, More Health Lightweight, durable and versatile, plastic is everywhere in our modern world; this is bad news for the environment and our ...

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