5 Things You Don't Know About Green Tea

by Marie Claire, on Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:48am PDT
Read More from This Author » Mei Tao

By now, we know that drinking green tea is undoubtedly good for our bodies. The antioxidant and free-radical scavenging properties of green tea have made it a must-have for the health conscious and numerous studies highlight the potential benefits of green tea including cancer prevention and weight loss.

But green tea isn’t just a delicious and healthful drink; it can also be used as an at-home health and beauty remedy. Read on to find out The Things You Don't Know About Green Tea.

1. It’s great for teeth: Green tea has fluoride in it, making it a superstar for keeping gums and teeth healthy. Green tea can even be used as a mouthwash to maintain breath.

2. It’s a room deodorizer: Green tea leaves have traditionally been used to naturally absorb odors in a room. Place tea leaves in a bowl to help absorb unpleasant odors or leave some in the fridge in place of baking soda.

3. It’s good for the bones: Naturally high in minerals, green tea aids in strong bone density, which is important for maintaining good posture.

4. It can soothe skin: Spent a little too much time in the sun? Use the naturally calming properties of green tea to soothe sunburned skin. Place green tea in a spray bottle and mist on sunburned areas for all-natural relief. Because it has anti-bacterial qualities, green tea can also be used as an antiseptic to spray on skin blemishes or irritations.

5. It’s good for the feet: Soaking tired feet in green tea can prevent unpleasant fungal infections.

Pain During Intercourse

This problem is so emotional and sensitive that many woman find it difficult to consult a physician. But it's important to seek treatment, and in many cases the cause is a physical illness that can be treated.

Painful intercourse, which a doctor may call dyspareunia, is a burning, tearing, ripping, or aching sensation associated with penetration. The pain can be at the vaginal opening, deep in the pelvis, or anywhere in between. It also may be felt throughout the entire pelvic area and the sexual organs, and may occur only with deep thrusting.

The most common explanation is irritation of the vagina caused by having intercourse without sufficient arousal and lubrication. This experience can create a vicious circle, leading a woman to fear intercourse which in turn makes it more difficult to become aroused. Women who have had a hysterectomy or mastectomy may have problems with arousal because of feelings of incompleteness. Stress or problems in your relationship with a partner can also block arousal. Counseling can help address these psychological issues, and over-the-counter lubricants (consult your doctor or pharmacist) can increase lubrication and reduce discomfort.

Another frequent explanation for painful intercourse is thinning and drying of the vaginal tissue as menopause begins. This happens because the body is producing less and less of the estrogen that is needed to maintain moist vaginal tissue. As the vagina's ability to make its own mucus declines, it becomes dry, itchy, and painful, leading to discomfort during intercourse. Estrogen creams and lubricating gels can help restore moisture, as can estrogen replacement therapy taken in pills or through a patch on the body.

Unintentional muscle spasms of the thighs, pelvis, and vagina can make penetration impossible. This condition, called vaginismus, can develop along with any of the other causes of painful intercourse described here or can result from psychological factors. A traumatic sexual experience, rape, or an irrational fear of genital injury can lead to vaginismus. Counseling can be helpful.

Other causes of painful intercourse include:

. Infection vaginal, pelvic, herpes, infected cysts or boils

. Scars, tumors, or anything that narrows the vagina

. Endometriosis (uterine tissue growing outside the uterus with bleeding, pain and scarring)

. Intact hymen (in virginal young women)

. Complications of surgery

. Diseases that interfere with the physical process of arousal or orgasm (such as diabetes and multiple sclerosis)

Boost Your Immune System

By Dustin Driver

Drinking tea is one way to keep the flu bugs at bay

The flu bugs have been training hard all summer, just waiting for this winter’s flu season to pounce. What have you been doing? Don’t worry, there’s still time to boost your immune system before the germs attack. Follow this simple immune system workout and you’ll be better equipped to face the flu when it strikes.

Relieve stress
Chronic stress can throw your immune system out of whack. Researchers now believe that a constant stream of stress hormones can desensitize the immune system. Basically, it gets used to high levels of stress and doesn’t respond to an infection (flu or otherwise) effectively. Chronic stressors include work pressures, relationship woes or anything else that has you feeling on edge during the day. Relieving this kind of stress can take some work.

Essentially, you’ll need to adjust your response to perceived stressful situations. Relaxation techniques can help a great deal, and so can cognitive therapy. Hold on, we’re not talking about spilling the beans to a stranger with funny glasses. We’re talking about learning how to manage your own thoughts to reduce stress. Think of it as thought or brain mechanics.

Author and therapist David M. Burns has refined “thought mechanics” for decades. His book, Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, is a quick and easy read, and it will help you deal with stress. Other authors, like Jon Kabat-Zinn, can teach you how to ride the ups and downs of a stressful life like a surfer on a big wave. Either way, stress relief is probably the single most effective action you can take to boost overall health and immune response.

Eat well
Hamburgers, donuts and French fries taste great, but they’re not exactly great for the immune system. To fight off the common cold or flu, your body needs a wide variety of nutritious foods, mainly lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

The message is drilled into our heads on a daily basis, but we still don’t get it: Fruits and veggies are really good for us. Fruits like oranges and chilies (yes, they’re technically fruit) contain tons of vitamin C. Blueberries are packed with vitamin B. Both vitamins play a key role in the immune system. Spinach gave Popeye his powers, and it can also boost your defenses. The leafy green vegetable is packed with antioxidants and other nutrients that can give your immune system a helping hand. In general, look for foods that contain zinc, vitamins A, C, E, and B-6, and folic acid. All have important influences on immune responses.

A reduced-fat diet may also improve immune system response. Some scientists believe that high-fat diets depress the immune system, increasing infection rates. But it’s not that simple. Certain fats -- from fish or nuts, for example -- can boost immune response. So eat right. It might just keep the sniffles away this flu season.

Exercise
Studies have shown that moderate exercise can boost the immune system over time. But don’t overdo it. Intense exercise can actually harm the immune system. A daily walk or a gradual workout routine can increase overall health and immune response. When you punish your body -- in a 10 km race, for example -- it might shut down immune systems to repair damage or simply recover. Take a walk every day or spend some time on an exercise bike. A few days a week at the gym wouldn’t hurt, either.

Drink water
It’s all too easy to chug soda pop all day. Try to resist and replace that sweet treat with a cool glass of water. Water is the key to the body’s ability to transport nutrients throughout the body. It also plays a huge role in respiration, the main way you generate energy to live. Eight glasses a day is a good general guideline, but you’d do better to pay attention to your own thirst. If you get really thirsty, chances are you’re getting dehydrated. If you’re only a little thirsty, drink a little water. Remember, overdoing it can have consequences. Too much water can flush those nutrients out of your body.

Drink tea
Your doctor might do well by prescribing daily teatime. A new study has found that tea contains certain nutrients that boost the immune system and even help with skin cell regeneration. Researchers at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, found that the alkylamines are similar to chemicals found in bacteria. A small dose of these compounds triggers an immune alertness, priming the immune system for a response to infection. In short, tea acts like a sort of vaccine against infection. So the next time someone offers you tea, take it. It might just help you fend off the next infection.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is the old staple for immune health, but most of us only take it when we’re feeling sick. In fact, the vitamin is most effective when taken as a preventive measure. A recent study by University of Texas Health Sciences Center graduate students found that people who took a gram of vitamin C every day for two weeks showed improved immune response when compared to those who didn’t. Specifically, the subjects had increased numbers of virus-fighting compounds called cytokines in their blood. When they stopped taking the vitamin, those levels dropped. The lesson? Taking vitamin C during the flu season could prevent a nasty cold.

Rest
We’re all short on sleep, which is probably the best immune system booster around. A good night’s sleep gives your body a chance to repair. Scientists are not exactly sure how this repair process works, but they are sure that well-rested people get sick less often than the sleep-deprived. And it turns out that many animals are also adversely affected by sleep deprivation. Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine tested the effects of sleep on fly immune systems and found that the bugs sleep less when sick and get sick more often when they sleep less. It may seem like a stretch to compare flies and humans, but like it or not, we share some genes with the tiny insects. Specifically, the genes related to circadian rhythm, or sleep cycles. So get plenty of rest this flu season. A little extra time in the sack could keep you away from the sick bed.

Jellyfish stings

Jellyfish are free floating dome-shaped creatures with long tentacles. The tentacles are two to four feet in length. Most jellyfish stings are accidental, and occur when swimmers and surfers swim into the dangling stinging tentacles, called nematocysts, which are small venom glands that contain small, sharp tubes that release the venom. Typical stings appear in linear lines or lines that swirl along the arms or legs, which makes sense given the fact that the tentacles float in the water.

The local reaction is intense redness to the area and raised bumps which can itch, but usually burn and hurt. In severe allergic reactions, swollen lymph nodes may occur. However, this is somewhat rare. Putting fresh water on affected areas is not advised, as this will increase the burning sensation caused by the venom. The area should be rinsed with salt water or vinegar, which deactivates the toxin. It is true that there is some benefit in urinating on the area, because the difference in pH decreases the burning. Although obviously not practical, in extreme situations where more conventional methods are not available, this may help. Over-the-counter pain medications can be helpful to decrease pain. Two Ibuprofen and two Acetaminophen at the same time can help decrease the pain. This can be taken every 8 hours. Stings rarely result in scarring, and individuals generally recover quite well. Reactions to Portuguese Man-of-War stings are far more severe, and will be discussed in the section on Man-of-War stings.

Jellyfish Sting Treatment
Healthcare Provider - Medical TreatmentJellyfish stings are usually very benign as opposed to the box jellyfish, where close observation and monitoring is important. Topical Benadryl cream, topic hydrocortisone creams can be affective in relieving pain as well as itching. Many individuals do not even seek out treatment.

Genetically Modified Foods

By Dustin Driver

Genetically Modified Organism are taking over the market

When cars had big fins and the Space Race wasn’t just a video game, engineered food was all the rage, and kids dropped all their lunch money on synthetic astronaut drinks and freeze-dried ice cream.

What are GMO foods?

GMO foods are made from genetically modified organisms, usually plants. The plants have altered genes and thus attributes that make them easier to farm. Some can resist pests better than natural varieties. Others don’t mind chemical insecticides and most can out-grow and out-produce their natural cousins.

The first GMO was a tomato plant, grown by the California company Calgene in 1994. It produced rot-resistant tomatoes dubbed Flavr Savrs. These mutated tomatoes were much more expensive than regular tomatoes and were usurped by conventional varieties. Today, many crops have been genetically modified, including soybeans, corn, cotton, and canola. Most GMO crops are grown in North America, specifically the U.S.

Keep in mind, however, that humans have been genetically modifying their crops for a millennium through selective breeding. The main difference is technique. GM crops are modified by direct manipulation of the plants DNA. Old-fashioned crops are modified the old-fashioned way, by breeding.

Why make GMOs?

The down and dirty answer is quite simply: Profits. Farming is tough. A blight or pest invasion can devastate a years’ work in no time and wipe out an entire farm altogether. This uncertainty makes farming a bad investment. Bad investments and poor profits make corporations and consumers unhappy. GMO crops can be more resistant to the slings and arrows of life, bringing much-needed stability to farming. They can also increase output, which leads to lower prices and more satiated vegetarians (or humans, for that matter). Hence, big agribusinesses have dumped a lot of money and time into GMO crops. But that’s just one side of the story. Many scientists say that GMO crops have the potential to solve the world’s hunger problems as well.

Are GMOs safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other governmental agencies say yes. Each has its own thorough and bureaucratic methods for ensuring complete safety in foods. And for the most part, they work. In 1999, however, a Scottish biochemist allegedly found evidence that GMO potatoes were toxic to rats. His findings were later debunked and he was suspended from his research institute for releasing the bogus info. Nonetheless, his announcement sparked turmoil in Europe over GM crops. Many Europeans simply refused to accept foods made from GM crops or animals. Today the modified crops are rare in Europe and many North American consumers (and scientists) believe that the FDA’s safety procedures are too lax. They point to big agribusinesses, who have a big influence on American politics and the FDA. So the real answer to this question is -- probably, but there’s always a risk.

What’s all the fuss about anyway?

If foods from GM crops are relatively safe (compared to anything else the FDA approves), then what’s all the fuss about? Again, it comes down to money. GMOs are often patented, which could lead to sticky situations. In 1998, a large portion of Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser’s crops were found to contain genes from a nearby Monsanto-patented plantation. It’s unclear whether he knowingly took seeds or if his crops were accidentally cross-pollinated. Monsanto Canada sued him for piracy, claiming that he grew their patented plant on purpose. The Canadian Supreme Court ruled five to four in Monsanto’s favor. The verdict ruined Schmeiser’s farming career and set a precedent for GM crops. Monsanto Canada states that it would never sue any farmer who unknowingly grows their patented plants, but the potential remains.

Some skeptics worry that GMO foods could inadvertently alter their own DNA. There is no scientific evidence, however, that GMO foods could alter human DNA under any circumstances.

What are the risks to the environment?

GM crops and organisms have the potential of spreading their genes if they “escape” into the wild. Only time will tell how these genes will affect local plants and animals. Some truly bizarre GMOs do exist, from pets that glow under UV lights to pigs that contain spinach genes and goats that produce spiderwebs. Scientists know very little about how these transplanted genes might act out in the world. The potential for disaster certainly exists, but there isn’t any evidence that GMO genes are wreaking havoc in the wild just yet.

How do I know I’m eating GMO foods?

In the U.S., GM crops and foods made from GMOs don’t have to be labeled. If you live in Europe, you’ll know right away because there are strict labeling laws. Chances are, however, that many foods labeled “organic” or “no GMO” are all natural and contain no GM foods.

Mutated melons

Today’s GM foods are just the beginning. Our bioengineering skills are being honed at an exponential rate. In a decade or so, it seems that scientists will be able to build DNA like you build LEGO toys. Completely new engineered foods will likely hit the market and we’ll have more choices, and dilemmas, on our hands.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org

www.newscientist.com

Tattoos, What You Need to Know

Many individuals choose to undergo tattooing in its various forms. Whatever their reason, consumers should be aware of the risks involved in order to make an informed decision.

What Risks Are Involved in Tattooing?
The following are the primary complications that can result from tattooing:

-Infection: Unsterile tattooing equipment and needles can transmit infectious diseases, such as hepatitis. The risk of infection is the reason the American Association of Blood Banks requires a one-year wait between getting a tattoo and donating blood. It is extremely important to make sure that all tattooing equipment is clean and sterilized before use. Even if the needles are sterilized or never have been used, it is important to understand that in some cases the equipment that holds the needles cannot be sterilized reliably due to its design. In addition, the person who receives a tattoo must be sure to care for the tattooed area properly during the first week or so after the pigments are injected.

-Removal problems: Despite advances in laser technology, removing a tattoo is a painstaking process, usually involving several treatments and considerable expense. Complete removal without scarring may be impossible.

- Allergic reactions: Although allergic reactions to tattoo pigments are rare, when they happen they may be particularly troublesome because the pigments can be hard to remove. Occasionally, people may develop an allergic reaction to tattoos they have had for years.

- Granulomas : These are nodules that may form around material that the body perceives as foreign, such as particles of tattoo pigment.

- Keloid formation: If you are prone to developing keloids -- scars that grow beyond normal boundaries -- you are at risk of keloid formation from a tattoo. Keloids may form any time you injure or traumatize your skin.

-MRI complications: There have been reports of people with tattoos or permanent makeup who experienced swelling or burning in the affected areas when they underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This seems to occur only rarely and apparently without lasting effects.

There also have been reports of tattoo pigments interfering with the quality of the image. This seems to occur mainly when a person with permanent eyeliner undergoes MRI of the eyes. Mascara may produce a similar effect. The difference is that mascara is easily removable.The cause of these complications is uncertain. Some have theorized that they result from an interaction with the metallic components of some pigments.However, the risks of avoiding an MRI when your doctor has recommended one are likely to be much greater than the risks of complications from an interaction between the MRI and tattoo or permanent makeup. Instead of avoiding an MRI, individuals who have tattoos or permanent makeup should inform the radiologist or technician of this fact in order to take appropriate precautions, avoid complications, and assure the best results.

The Most Common Problem: Dissatisfaction:
The most common problem that develops with tattoos is the desire to remove them. Removing tattoos and permanent makeup can be very difficult.

Skill levels vary widely among people who perform tattooing. You may want to ask the person performing the procedure for references and ask yourself how willing you are to risk permanently wearing someone else's mistake.
Although tattoos may be satisfactory at first, they sometimes fade. Also, if the tattooist injects the pigments too deeply into the skin, the pigments may migrate beyond the original sites, resulting in a blurred appearance.

Another cause of dissatisfaction is that the human body changes over time, and styles change with the season. The permanent makeup that may have looked flattering when first injected may later clash with changing skin tones and facial or body contours. People who plan to have facial cosmetic surgery are advised that the appearance of their permanent makeup may become distorted. The tattoo that seemed stylish at first may become dated and embarrassing. And changing tattoos or permanent makeup is not as easy as changing your mind.

Removal Techniques:
Methods for removing tattoos include laser treatments, abrasion, scarification, and surgery. Some people attempt to camouflage an objectionable tattoo with a new one. Each approach has drawbacks:

Laser treatments can lighten many tattoos, some more easily and effectively than others. Generally, several visits are necessary over a span or weeks or months, and the treatments can be expensive. Some individuals experience hypopigmentation -- a lightening of the natural skin coloring -- in the affected area. Laser treatments also can cause some tattoo pigments to change to a less desirable shade.

Unfortunately, knowing what pigments are in your tattoo or permanent makeup has always been difficult and has become more so as the variety of tattoo inks has multiplied. Inks are often sold by brand name only, not by chemical composition. Because the pigments are sold to tattoo parlors and salons, not on a retail basis to consumers, manufacturers are not required by law to list the ingredients on the labels.
Furthermore, because manufacturers may consider the identity and grade of their pigments "proprietary," neither the tattooist nor the customer may be able to obtain this information.There also have been reports of individuals suffering allergic reactions after laser treatments to remove tattoos, apparently because the laser caused allergenic substances in the tattoo ink to be released into the body.

Dermabrasion involves abrading layers of skin with a wire brush or diamond fraise (a type of sanding disc). This process itself may leave a scar.

Salabrasion, in which a salt solution is used to remove the pigment, is sometimes used in conjunction with dermabrasion, but has become less common.

Scarification involves removing the tattoo with an acid solution and creating a scar in its place.

Surgical removal sometimes involves the use of tissue expanders (balloons inserted under the skin, so that when the tattoo is cut away, there is less scarring). Larger tattoos may require repeated surgery for complete removal.

Camouflaging a tattoo entails the injection of new pigments either to form a new pattern or cover a tattoo with skin-toned pigments. Injected pigments tend not to look natural because they lack the skin's natural translucence.

7 Easy steps to weight loss

By Simon McNeil

It has become ridiculous: Every time I crash in front of my TV late at night after a long, hard day's work, I'm bombarded by countless infomercials revealing the newest line of fat-burning, abdominal crunching, body-sculpting, miracle-working machines. Even those Suzanne Somers or Richard Simmons diet plans make me want to shoot myself in the foot for snacking on popcorn.

Well, I have news for all of you out there: Don't diet, and don't rush off to buy the next gimmick. Here's the real secret to losing weight: Just eat less.

It's about sensibility

That's right; sensibility is the new word of the decade. After all, doing everything sensibly in your life is the key to living well. You don't need to feel trapped behind the prison of your own body anymore. All you need to do is control your portion sizes by eating less and eating sensibly.

Easier said than done? Well, like all things in life, eating less is a learned experience and takes some practice and patience. Our problem nowadays is that we're too lazy to turn this practice into a perfectly balanced meal plan.

Breaking bad habits

"The problem for most people is that they maintain certain habits that make eating less quite difficult," says Pat Booth, assistant director of the Nutrition Services Department at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center.

Old habits are hard to break, however, tomorrow you'll be looking back at the "old" you and feeling good about the "new" you that's yet to come. Get my point? It also has a lot to do with your self-image perceptions. You must first change mentally in order to then change physically.

Getting started

Anyone who has ever tried dieting knows the immediate feeling of deprivation that accompanies most weight-loss plans. The result for most of us is that we can't stick to it.

Instead of drastically cutting your diet, try gradually accustoming yourself to eating less. Take smaller portions. Leave a little on the plate. In time, you'll find you need less food to feel satiated.

As you practice putting less on your plate, consider these 7 steps to eating less (the following list is taken from Mr. Paul Wolf, Health Correspondent, and I highly recommend it):

1. Mini-meal is the operative word

Ideally, every time you eat, your plate should have some protein, a little fat and a little fibrous bulk to ensure that you feel full and satisfied. This takes some planning. It ultimately means losing the "mindlessly munching on pretzels" habit."Even if you eat fruit as a snack, healthy as it is, you won't feel completely satisfied because it doesn't have any protein and fat," Booth says.An apple followed by, say, some plain yogurt, will do more for satiety than two apples. A baked potato, which has 100 calories, contributes more to satisfaction than 20 potato chips, which, at 114 calories, adds up quickly. Top that spud with a quarter-cup of low-fat cottage cheese (100 calories), and you have a filling, healthy snack for 200 calories.

2. Don't deprive yourself

You don't want to feel deprived or hungry because drastically cutting calories will only slow down your metabolism by driving your system into famine mode.Don't count calories; just eyeball your portions. Let's say you hope to reduce your daily caloric intake from about 2,500 to 2,000. Focus on reducing your portion sizes by about 20 percent.Within a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be adjusted to the new serving sizes and they will seem normal.

3. Eat delicious and well

Every diet regimen should permit the occasional treat and nice meal out. Eat delicious food, but eat it in smaller portions.Obviously, cream sauces and fudge brownies at every meal will thwart your weight-loss goals. Learn to enjoy ordinary food as well as extraordinary delicacies.

4. Eat your calories, don't drink them

A can of Dr. Pepper soda contains 150 calories. Three of these a day is an extra 450 calories. If you add commercial beverages, juices and sugary lattes to your diet, you practically need a calculator to tally the calories that don't do a thing when it comes to fulfilling your appetite.Stick to water and tea and get your calories from more filling and satisfying foods.

5. Exercise is the perfect partner

Your diet will be all the more successful if you combine it with regular exercise.Approach your exercise and diet plan with a focus on how you look and feel, not how much you weigh. In other words, think in inches lost, not pounds. Remember; muscle weighs more than fat.

6. Make meals last

Yes, two Balance protein bars have only 360 calories and also contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But you can down these suckers in a matter of seconds. Where's the chewing satisfaction? A couple of nutrition bars are not a meal or even a mini-meal for that matter.The satiety centers of the brain may not get the message right away that you've had enough. Eat slowly, chew carefully and don't put more food in your mouth when you haven't dealt completely with the last bite.

7. Discover your food triggers

What makes you succumb to temptation? Do you turn to the pantry the instant you turn on the TV? For some, if it's in the house, that's all the temptation they need. For others, stress is a trigger. The stress hormone cortisol fuels cravings, according to Pamela Peeke, M.D., author of Fight Fat After Forty.Everyone knows that bigger portions won't fill the empty spaces of our lives or give us lasting relief from unpleasant moments. Discovering your triggers is a step toward self-control, which is the basis for eating less.So next time you see one of those annoying infomercials, follow this 3-step exercise: pick up the remote, change the channel, then put the remote back down.

It's easy to be slim

Diets don't work. Not only do they make you miserable and feeling hungry, they actually make you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism. Instead, watch your portion sizes, don't consume sugary beverages, eat slowly, do a little exercise, and you'll be shedding those unwanted pounds in no time.