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[labtechnition-blog]

"To insure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life."

#Sarbjeetjagraon

[labtechnition-blog]

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that's found in all the cells in your body. Your body needs some cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is also found in foods from animal sources, such as egg yolks, meat, and cheese.

If you have too much cholesterol in your blood, it can combine with other substances in the blood to form plaque. Plaque sticks to the walls of your arteries. This buildup of plaque is known as atherosclerosis. It can lead to coronary artery disease, where your coronary arteries become narrow or even blocked.

What are LDL, HDL, and VLDL?

There are different types of cholesterol:

HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein. It is called the "good" cholesterol because it carries cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver. Your liver then removes the cholesterol from your body.

LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. It is called the "bad" cholesterol because a high LDL level leads to the buildup of plaque in your arteries.

VLDL stands for very low-density lipoprotein. It is also a "bad" cholesterol because it too contributes to the buildup of plaque in your arteries. But VLDL and LDL are different; VLDL carries triglycerides and LDL carries cholesterol.

What causes high cholesterol?

The most common cause of high cholesterol is an unhealthy lifestyle. This can include

Unhealthy eating habits, such as eating lots of bad fats. One type, saturated fat, is found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods. Another type, trans fat, is in some fried and processed foods. Eating these fats can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Lack of physical activity, with lots of sitting and little exercise. This lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol.

Smoking, which lowers HDL cholesterol, especially in women. It also raises your LDL cholesterol.

Genetics may also cause people to have high cholesterol. For example, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited form of high cholesterol. Other medical conditions and certain medicines may also cause high cholesterol.

What can raise my risk of high cholesterol?

A variety of things can raise your risk for high cholesterol:

Age. Your cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. Even though it is less common, younger people, including children and teens, can also have high cholesterol.

Heredity. High blood cholesterol can run in families.

Weight. Being overweight or having obesity raises your cholesterol level.

Race. Certain races may have an increased risk of high cholesterol. For example, African Americans typically have higher HDL and LDL cholesterol levels than whites.

Weight. Being overweight or having obesity raises your cholesterol level.

What health problems can high cholesterol cause?

If you have large deposits of plaque in your arteries, an area of plaque can rupture (break open). This can cause a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow in a coronary artery.

If the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle is reduced or blocked, it can cause angina (chest pain) or a heart attack.

Plaque also can build up in other arteries in your body, including the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to your brain and limbs. This can lead to problems such as carotid artery disease, stroke, and peripheral arterial disease.

#sarbjeetjagraon

[psych2go]

5 easy steps to take care of yourself everyday

Take care of yourself. Be the person who has the confidence to take situations into your own hands and trek through life’s struggles. How can you improve your day to day activities to be the best version of yourself? Let it start with you - take matters into your own hands. Here are 5 easy & essential thoughts you could use to take care of yourself.

Drink water

This one is an essential! Strive to drink 8 8-ounce glasses of water a day - stay hydrated to be able to function optimally throughout the day. Many people who complain of headaches in hot weather may not know that they may be dehydrated! 

Aim to get a consistent, sound sleep every night

Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. Any less can make you feel sleepy the next day… and the day after that… It’s best to stop work an hour before you intend to sleep and keep it very calm in the evening!

Devote time during a week to do your hobby

What’s your hobby? Whether it’s hiking, reading, singing, or something unique, spending time to do something you love is both relaxing, productive, and fun. For example, if you’re a music enthusiast in school from 8am-3pm, you could spend an evening listening or recording music. The purpose is to help you strike a balance in your life.

Catch up with your thoughts, your friends and family

It is always a meaningful time to reflect on your goals, your hopes, and to catch up with your friends and family. I challenge you to message someone you care about today and see how they’re doing. They may be pleasantly surprised.

Organize your day based on your goals

What’s better than ending your day knowing that you’ve began to complete your daily/weekly/monthly goals? You can take a piece of paper and write down what you want to achieve, and by when. It’s important to set realistic goals to better maximize your productivity and results! 

Taking care of yourself is a basis to improving your life. You can start today. :)

Feel free to message Psych2Go on Tumblr with your thoughts or if you have anything to add!

Take care,

Monica Taing

[labtechnition-blog]

Immunity Boosting Foods

Want to avoid falling sick? Boost your immunity!

Immunity is your body’s ability to fight diseases. Your immunity can protect you from infections, allergies and many diseases. So, if you want to prevent diseases, you need to improve your immunity power. And nothing works better that natural sources to strengthen your immune system. Here is a list of foods to boost your immune system. These foods not only keep diseases at bay by pushing your immunity levels but also help you maintain a healthy weight and look great.

Immunity Boosting Foods- Eat Right

Green Tea–Green tea has gained great popularity over the last few decades owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. While other drinks like black coffee, white tea are also included in the list of foods to boost the immune system, green tea is an all-time favourite.

Dark Chocolate–This is great news for all chocolate lovers. Dark chocolate has earned repute for being one of the healthiest foods and can be taken to improve your immune system.

Citrus Fruits–Citrus fruits are those fruits that boost the immune system and can keep you healthy in every way. They are a rich source of vitamin C, which is greatly responsible for fighting off infections. Oranges, lemon, grapefruit, kiwi, etc. are the most popular ones. So, make sure you have a daily dose of these fruits.

Honey–The trusted age old honey is a great pick to boost your immune system quickly because of it is loaded with antioxidant and antibacterial qualities. Manuka honey is especially recommended for people who wish to build immunity naturally.

Red Bell Peppers–Red bell peppers have gained much popularity owing to the rich content of vitamin C and beta-carotene in it. It has great ability to boost your immunity and regular consumption can help fight allergies and infections.

Broccoli – Broccoli is one of the superfoods that contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidant, and fiber. It tops the list of foods to boost the immune system and is best taken in soups and salads, with minimal cooking.

Mushrooms – Mushrooms are another power packed foods, which can keep you healthy. They are rich in important minerals, anti-oxidants and can boost your immune system quickly. Regular intake of mushrooms can also protect you from various illnesses ranging from common cold and flu to some types of cancers.

Spinach –Spinach, an important green leafy vegetable, rich in iron and other vital nutrients is a popular choice in the list of immunity boosting foods. It can be used in various food preparations and its nutrients are best preserved when it is only lightly cooked.

Sweet Potato – While sweet potato is loaded with carbs and fiber, it has great properties to enhance your immune system. Rich in vitamins and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are sure to make you healthy and strong.

Yogurt – Yogurt is the best probiotic that gives you a healthy gut and keeps digestive problems at bay. Plain yogurt is the best choice to improve your immune system, however, you can also sweeten it with fruits, if you like.

Nuts and Seeds –Of late, nuts and seeds are treated as superfoods and these foods can boost immune system naturally. Choose from almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and they will help to combat illnesses.

Spices – Spices have a special place in most Indian diets. In other areas too, owing to the anti-inflammatory properties, many spices are being increasingly used. Some of the natural spices known to boost immunity include cloves, black pepper and turmeric. Garlic, ginger and onions too are widely used in Indian cooking and can also be eaten raw. They are rich in anti-oxidants, have great healing properties and can help you fight infections and anti-inflammatory conditions like arthritis.

Whole Grains – Whole grains are rich in fiber and contain all the essential vital nutrients to keep you healthy. You can include whole grains like oats, barley, whole wheat and brown rice in your regular diet to get a daily dose of immunity booster foods.

Poultry– Eggs and chicken are the richest source of proteins, which make them one of the most favourite immunity boosting foods. Eggs can be taken in many ways, can be added to many dishes and egg whites are also loved by many. Chicken soup has great healing properties and proves beneficial to fight away cold and flu.

Foods and fruits that boost the immune system are very important as they help to prevent various illnesses and keep you fit. You can easily incorporate them into your daily diet and enjoy a healthy life.

Remember, you are what you eat! So, choose the best immunity boosting foods.

[labtechnition-blog]

Food Allergies: Good Foods Gone Bad

Do you suffer from any food allergies? Well, you are not alone, food allergies are really common problem. An increase in the cases of food allergies and lactose intolerance has been witnessed, making this problem much more sensitive.

For a lot of people food allergy is the harsh reality that they live with everyday. Food allergies can take really ugly turn several times. Food allergies often make eating out, travelling, going to parties difficult; as avoiding encounter with the food you are allergic to is the way to stay safe. It is best to stay aware of your allergies to avoid any accidents.

Let us read and try to understand food allergies and how to deal with them.

What Is Food Allergy?

Food allergies are basically a condition where a particular food or component of that food triggers wrong response from the immune system resulting in allergic reaction. In such cases the immune system gives abnormal reactions or autoimmune response towards that particular food.

Food allergies are very common in children and little less common in grown up adults. The abnormal response or allergic reaction can be identified with:

Swelling of the face, lips or tongue

Difficulty in breathing

Vomiting

Runny nose

Itchy rash

Watery eyes

Diarrhea

Hives

[labtechnition-blog]

10 Common Signs And Symptoms Of Cancer You Should Know

Cancer is a word that scares most of us. Prolonged illness, sky-high expenses, emotional drain, failing health and even death; this and lot more is what cancer victims face. Have you not ever wished if you could do something to control cancer? If you did; then the answer to all is awareness. This article is aimed to spread awareness about the various signs and symptoms of cancer. With timely medical opinion and appropriate diagnostic tests; early detection and treatment of cancer is possible.

Here Are The 10 Common Signs And Symptoms Of Cancer You Should Know

Skin changes are one of the important signs and symptoms of cancer. Changes in the skin, a wart or a mole is an early sign of many types of cancers including skin cancer. These changes can be reddened skin, darkened skin patches, or yellowish discolouration of the skin or the eyes, as in jaundice. Changes in the skin can also include excessive itching, excessive hair growth or bleeding in an area, wart or a mole, appearance of new moles or sudden increase in the size of an existing mole. If you notice any such skin changes, it is time to see a doctor for further investigations.

Unexpected bleeding or passing of discharge from any opening in the body can be a serious symptom of cancer. Unusual bleeding from the anus can be a sign of cancer of the stomach, colon or rectum. Vaginal bleeding is often a common symptom of cancer of the vagina, uterus or cervix. In breast cancer, bleeding or unusual discharge from the breasts is common. Blood may be present in urine or stool, can be coughed up or may be passed out from the nose. If unusual bleeding is noticed, you should seek medical advice so that appropriate diagnostic tests can be done.

Pain presents itself in many ways and can be a symptom of cancer. Headaches that stays for long, bone pain that appears from nowhere and any other unexplained pain in the body can be seen in cancer. Pain in cancer can also mean that cancer has spread to other parts of the body, which can be alarming. If a person complaints of unexplained pain in a particular area or in different parts of the body, it is better to get it checked.

Fever that is present for long can be a sign of cancer, particularly in cancers affecting the immune system. Prolonged fatigue too is an important indicator of cancer. When fever and fatigue remain persistent for a long time, in the absence of any other illness, make sure that the condition is evaluated properly.

Lumps or bumps are another important sign of cancer. Lumps, which feel like a bulge can be present in the testicles, breasts, under the skin or soft tissues and as enlarged lymph nodes. The lumps can sometimes be seen but most often felt when you touch and during self-examination.

Most sores or ulcers in the mouth or on the skin heal with time. Non-healing sores, which take a very long time to heal or keep repeating even after being healed may be a sign of cancer. If you notice any non-healing sores, get them checked right away.

Repeated episodes of indigestion, persistent abdominal discomfort and stomach pain, difficulty in swallowing and burning pain in the throat need attention. These can be the signs of cancer. As these symptoms are noticed in other ailments too, the possibility of cancer may be ignored, but before passing it off as another episode of indigestion, make sure you get it evaluated.

Changes in regular bowel and bladder habits are often an indication of cancer. If there is a need to pass urine or stool too often or too less, there is something wrong. One of the symptoms of cancer can include difficulty or pain while passing urine or stool, constipation, feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen and bloody discharge in urine or stools.

Another common symptom of cancer one should know is the presence of a long-standing cough. Although, cough is often ignored as a minor complaint, persistent cough and hoarseness of voice can be dangerous.

Remember to watch out for the signs and symptoms of cancer. See a doctor and take medical opinion at the earliest. Medical examination and relevant investigations play an important role in detecting cancers. With appropriate diagnostic tests the exact cause can be found and if it is cancer, early treatment can be started. This will help to detect cancer early, prevent its spread and preserve health.

#sarbjeetjagraon