@HEALTH KNOWLEDGE

Night shifts may damage our health by not allowing our body to repair its DNA, new research suggests. Night shift work has been associated with a variety of adverse health effects. New research adds to these, suggesting that the body's ability to repair DNA damage may be inhibited by night shifts. Working at night has been  associated with a wide range of negative health effects, including cognitive impairment, metabolic disorders, and  breast cancer . Additionally, some studies have indicated that night shifts may increase a person's risk of developing  lung cancer  and cardiovascular disease. Now, new research examines how night shifts influence the body's ability to repair its DNA. The first author of the study is Dr. Parveen Bhatti, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. The  findings  were published in the journal  Occupational & Environmental Medicine . Building on previous research In a pr...

Fruits and vegetables are a pivotal part of a healthful diet, but their benefits are not limited to physical health. New research finds that increasing fruit and vegetable consumption may improve psychological well-being in as little as 2 weeks. Increasing fruit and vegetable intake may benefit psychological well-being. Study leader Dr. Tamlin Conner, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Otago in New Zealand, and colleagues found that young adults who were given extra fruits and vegetables each day for 14 days ate more of the produce and experienced a boost in motivation and vitality. The researchers recently reported their findings in the journal  PLOS One . According to the United States Department of Agriculture, adults should aim to consume around  two cups of fruits  and around  two to three cups of vegetables  daily. One cup of fruits is the equivalent to half a grapefruit or a large orange, and one cup of vegetables is proporti...

Wearing sunscreen is an important aspect of maintaining healthy skin. The efficacy of sunscreen may be boosted by using topical antioxidant products. Wearing sunglasses helps reduce the development of wrinkles and crow’s feet. Choosing a pair of glasses with 99 percent UVA and UVB protection is ideal. Gentle exfoliation helps clear away dead skin cells, but overdoing it may cause damage. Foods that are healthy for the skin include walnuts, salmon, citrus and spinach. Foods to avoid are ones that contain a lot of sugar. How can you get rid of dark patches on your face? There are multiple options to remove dark patches of skin on the face, including using lemon juice, buttermilk and facial exfoliation. Depending on the reason for the dark pigmentation patches, removing them can take considerable time. Exfoliation is a useful technique for removing dark skin patches. It works by removing layers of dead skin cells, helping to slough away old skin cells, ...

If you are looking for the presidential candidate most likely to ensure marijuana will be legalized across the country, Donald Trump is your man. Trump is on record claiming US ‘drug enforcement is a joke’ and drugs should be legalized to ‘take the profit away from these drug czars.’ According to Trump, tax revenues from the legalized drug trade will be used to educate the public about the dangers of drugs. It seems Trump’s plans to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US also applies to the drug trade. He doesn’t want foreign drug czars getting rich and employing thousands of foreign staff when it should be American drug czars making the profits and providing employment for Americans. Under President Trump, if drug lords are to be created, they better be made in the USA — and how can you blame him? Our drug dealers have been outsourced to other countries for far too long. If America hopes to create the next Walter White, we must locally foster and create drug lords a...

7 Most Nutrient Dense Foods On The Planet In order to maximize the amount of nutrients you take in, it makes sense to spend your “calorie budget” wisely. The best way to do that is to simply eat the foods that carry the greatest amount and variety of nutrients. These are the 7 most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Salmon Not all fish is created equal .Salmon, and other fatty types of fish, contain the greatest amount of Omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are extremely important for the optimal function of your body. They’re linked to improved wellbeing and a lower risk of many serious diseases .Although salmon is mainly prized for its beneficial composition of fatty acids, it also packs a massive amount of other nutrients. A 100 gram piece of wild salmon contains 2.8 grams of Omega-3s, along with lots of high quality animal protein and a ton of vitamins and minerals… including large amounts of Magnesium, Potassium, Selenium and all the B-vitamins. It is a good idea t...

 What is Asthma? Asthma, sometimes called bronchial asthma or reactive airway disorder, is a chronic respiratory disease marked by narrowing of the airways, causing limited air to flow. It results in coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness. People with asthma have inflamed lung airways. These airways become more swollen and emit extra mucus when triggered by certain factors such as allergies, colds, air pollutants, stress, excessive exercise, and more. For some people, asthma is just a minor recurring disorder that can be treated with simple medications and treatments. However, most people do not seem to know that asthma is a life-threatening condition affecting approximately 7.1 million adolescents under 18 years old, according to the American Lung Association (2014), and 3,345 deaths were reported in the year 2011. What Causes Asthma? Researchers have not yet proven what causes the ailment. However, some predictions state that asthma began from ...

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs lying in the lower abdomen. They remove the waste products from the body. Kidney cancer is a disease where the cells of the kidney turn cancerous and grow out of control. It is also called as renal cancer. The exact cause of is unknown, but there are numerous risk factors such as smoking, drinking alcohol, obesity, high blood pressure, etc. Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Cancer There may be no symptoms in the early stages of kidney cancer. However, as the tumor grows, the following symptoms start appearing: Lump on one side of the abdomen Loss of appetite Blood in urine Unexplained weight loss Persistent pain on one side of the abdomen Anemia Extreme fatigue Unexplained fever Swelling in the legs As the cancer spreads to the other parts of the body, other symptoms that set in are: Extreme pain in the bones Coughing up blood Breathlessness Causes and Risk Factors of Kidney Cancer Generally, kidney cancer affects people a...

Facts About Snoring Snoring basically is the noise created by a vibration from a minor blockage in the throat or when the airway is restricted. Anybody can snore, but it has been studied that more than  50%  more men snore than women do. Men naturally have narrower air passages compared to women, and this increases their likelihood to snore. Although it can be annoying to your bedmate,  snoring  is not necessarily a serious issue. But, there is the possibility that it could be a sign of a dangerous medical issue and should be analyzed. It is recommended to seek medical attention if you wake up gasping for air or coughing. These may be signs of a more serious sleep condition, such as sleep apnea. One cause of snoring may be your  sleeping position , avoid sleeping on your back, which can increase the sound of snoring, because your tongue may fall back and block your airways. Other causes of airway blockage may be due to a deviated nasal sept...

Epilepsy is difficult to diagnose and treat, but the estimated 3 million Americans who experience it have difficulty coping with the condition. 1 Pharmacists can help patients take a big step towards managing their epilepsy by identifying epileptic triggers. According to Suzy Cohen, a pharmacist for the last 25 years, “becoming dehydrated or taking a hot shower can trigger a seizure, [and] sleep deprivation, a stressful interaction, or caffeine can all reduce your seizure threshold and trigger a seizure.” 2 Prescription medications can help deter epileptic seizures, but over time, patients may become resistant to the drugs’ effects. In terms of alternatives, here are some natural ways to treat epilepsy: 1.      Grape Seed Extract Grape seed extract has oligomeric proanthocyanidins, which are “highly protective compounds, especially to your hippocampus,” the part of the brain involved in memory that “also houses one of your seizure ‘switches,’” accord...