It is important for men to grow taller. After all, it is no small thing to be short. You get looked down up on by half the world, you draw the short straw (no pun intended) while looking for a date, and half the job interviewers pass right over your head. Sports coaches ask for a better height, as do modeling companies, and movie and theater directors and producers relegate you to the status of subordinates and supports (unless the script demands it). Truly, to grow taller seems to be the only way forward. Here are some things which might help -
1. Height Increase Exercises - There are exercises that specifically target your knees, thighs, and spine. These might help you add inches to your body. For the best effects, you need to combine the exercises with good protein rich low carbohydrate diet and adequate restful sleep. You should also add cardio to these routines. These would help the release of HGH (human growth hormone) which along with the height increase exercises might help you grow taller. Some implements such as door gym, inversion boots, inversion table, stationary bicycle, and ankle weights could also help.
2. Other Body Techniques - Some other body and mind techniques which might help you grow taller include pilates, Alexander technique, Tai Chi Chuan, and Rolphing. Pilates is a set of five hundred exercises which are good for the body as well as the mind. These are good for the abdominal muscles and could increase your height as well. Alexander technique is a series of breathing and posture and mind control exercises which would help you improve your posture and control your body's position so as to achieve a better height.
Tai Chai Chuan is a martial arts technique of the east like the yoga. Practicing Tai Chi would help improve your body's control, its health, and its fitness. A couple of inches could also be added. Rolphing is a deep massage technique which would help you control your body movements. It goes beyond chiropractic since it concentrates on body as well as mind.
3. Hypnosis - Hypnosis is another technique which has been seen to help some people grow taller. It does not work on everybody though.
4. Natural Supplements - Taking calcium, multi vitamins, vitamin D, and Chondroitin and Glucosamine could help you grow taller. These are some of the supplements which would have the most effect on your bone strength and height.
You should learn the exercises and techniques from the proper instructors. It must be noted that while all these techniques have helped many grow taller, not all of them have helped everybody. In any case most of these would help you become healthy and energetic. You need to complement these with a healthy diet and sleep.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Stress Fractures - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
A stress fracture is sometimes also known as a hairline fracture or a fatigue fracture. They are basically an incomplete fracture, or a crack in the bone, caused by repetitive forces, rather than one sudden incident. Stress fractures are particularly common in runners due to the repetitive impacts and the forces this passes through the bones. The most common areas for this to happen include:
* Metatarsals (long bones in the foot)
* Tibia (shin bone)
* Femur (thigh bone)
* Calcaneus (heel bone)
* Talus (ankle bone)
The Metatarsals and Tibia are by far the most common stress fracture locations in runners.
Symptoms include a generalised area of pain which develops gradually, is worse with repeated weight-bearing and often eases with rest. There may be mild swelling in the area and it may be possible to feel a tender area directly over the bone.
As already mentioned, stress fractures are common in runners, but there are certain factors which may increase the risk of developing a stress fracture. Increasing mileage too quickly is the most common culprit. Not sticking to the 10% increase per week rule means that the body does not have time to adapt and build the strength required to sustain this level of intensity. Consistently running on hard surfaces, especially concrete pavements is another factor which is easily corrected by adding in grass, track and sand training sessions. Wearing extra cushioned running shoes, or adding in a shock absorbing insole may also be beneficial.
Stress fracture treatment mostly involves rest. For weight-bearing bones this will usually mean avoiding full weight-bearing with the help of crutches or a walking boot. This type of fracture is not usually put in a plaster cast.
The healing time for a weight-bearing stress fracture is between 4 and 8 weeks. During this time the activity which caused the injury should be avoided completely, although after 2 weeks of complete rest, other non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming or cycling may be undertaken, provided they are pain-free.
After the bone is healed, a return to sport can be initiated, although should be very cautious and gradual to prevent a re-injury. Exercises to strengthen the surrounding area may be used, as should stretching exercises to make sure a full range of motion at the joints above and below.
Before returning to sport, it is important that all contributing factors are corrected to reduce the risk of a re-injury. If unsure, get a professional to look at your training programme and your running shoes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
* Metatarsals (long bones in the foot)
* Tibia (shin bone)
* Femur (thigh bone)
* Calcaneus (heel bone)
* Talus (ankle bone)
The Metatarsals and Tibia are by far the most common stress fracture locations in runners.
Symptoms include a generalised area of pain which develops gradually, is worse with repeated weight-bearing and often eases with rest. There may be mild swelling in the area and it may be possible to feel a tender area directly over the bone.
As already mentioned, stress fractures are common in runners, but there are certain factors which may increase the risk of developing a stress fracture. Increasing mileage too quickly is the most common culprit. Not sticking to the 10% increase per week rule means that the body does not have time to adapt and build the strength required to sustain this level of intensity. Consistently running on hard surfaces, especially concrete pavements is another factor which is easily corrected by adding in grass, track and sand training sessions. Wearing extra cushioned running shoes, or adding in a shock absorbing insole may also be beneficial.
Stress fracture treatment mostly involves rest. For weight-bearing bones this will usually mean avoiding full weight-bearing with the help of crutches or a walking boot. This type of fracture is not usually put in a plaster cast.
The healing time for a weight-bearing stress fracture is between 4 and 8 weeks. During this time the activity which caused the injury should be avoided completely, although after 2 weeks of complete rest, other non-weight bearing exercises such as swimming or cycling may be undertaken, provided they are pain-free.
After the bone is healed, a return to sport can be initiated, although should be very cautious and gradual to prevent a re-injury. Exercises to strengthen the surrounding area may be used, as should stretching exercises to make sure a full range of motion at the joints above and below.
Before returning to sport, it is important that all contributing factors are corrected to reduce the risk of a re-injury. If unsure, get a professional to look at your training programme and your running shoes.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Turmeric: Key to a Stroke Cure
Turmeric can prevent cell-death and can also encourage new cells to grow - and that too after a stroke! In other words, this oriental curry spice has properties that can repair a significant number of physical damage a body undergoes following a stroke. This has been revealed by medical researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center here recently.
It is worth mentioning that Ayurveda, a traditional Indian medical science, has been using turmeric since centuries as a medicine.
Strokes generally cut off oxygenated blood to the brain cells, and thus kill the brain cells. Strokes further set off a chain reaction that may extend the affected region. In this way, the patients become vulnerable to an increased level of disability.
Curcumin, one of the turmeric components, has beneficial properties on human physique. The American team reported their findings at a stroke conference along with their dovetailed version of the turmeric compound - Curcumin. They had to modify the turmeric component as it could not pass the 'blood brain barrier' that shields the patient's brain from toxic molecules. Christened 'CNB-001', the modified compound of curcumin can have beneficial effects on stroke patients.
The head of this research team, Dr Paul Lapchak, told the conference that the drug had an effect on "several critical mechanisms" that keep brain cells alive for several critical hours following a stroke. CNB-001 appeared to repair the four "signaling pathways" that help fuel the runaway destruction of brain cells, Dr Lapchak said.
These laboratory tests on rabbits indicated that in humans suffering a stroke, their drug could be effective up to three hours - approximately the identical time-period the presently used drugs particularly the "clot-busting" ones take.
Lauding their findings, The Stroke Association has dubbed it as the "first significant research". The Association also hinted that the compound 'CNB-001' could aid stroke patients. Dwelling on the significance of the drug, Dr Sharlin Ahmed of the Association has commented, "This is the first significant research to show that turmeric could be beneficial to stroke patients by encouraging new cells to grow and preventing cell death after a stroke." She further said, "There is a great need for new treatments which can protect brain cells after a stroke and improve recovery... The results look promising, however it is still very early days and human trials need to be undertaken."
Dr Lapchak stated that researches are on to develop a viable medicine for human use. Clinical trials on mankind are being scheduled following the successful clinical tests on rabbits. Their drug not only reached the brain cells but also controlled movement and muscle problems. He, however, pointed out that drugs for human might take some more time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
It is worth mentioning that Ayurveda, a traditional Indian medical science, has been using turmeric since centuries as a medicine.
Strokes generally cut off oxygenated blood to the brain cells, and thus kill the brain cells. Strokes further set off a chain reaction that may extend the affected region. In this way, the patients become vulnerable to an increased level of disability.
Curcumin, one of the turmeric components, has beneficial properties on human physique. The American team reported their findings at a stroke conference along with their dovetailed version of the turmeric compound - Curcumin. They had to modify the turmeric component as it could not pass the 'blood brain barrier' that shields the patient's brain from toxic molecules. Christened 'CNB-001', the modified compound of curcumin can have beneficial effects on stroke patients.
The head of this research team, Dr Paul Lapchak, told the conference that the drug had an effect on "several critical mechanisms" that keep brain cells alive for several critical hours following a stroke. CNB-001 appeared to repair the four "signaling pathways" that help fuel the runaway destruction of brain cells, Dr Lapchak said.
These laboratory tests on rabbits indicated that in humans suffering a stroke, their drug could be effective up to three hours - approximately the identical time-period the presently used drugs particularly the "clot-busting" ones take.
Lauding their findings, The Stroke Association has dubbed it as the "first significant research". The Association also hinted that the compound 'CNB-001' could aid stroke patients. Dwelling on the significance of the drug, Dr Sharlin Ahmed of the Association has commented, "This is the first significant research to show that turmeric could be beneficial to stroke patients by encouraging new cells to grow and preventing cell death after a stroke." She further said, "There is a great need for new treatments which can protect brain cells after a stroke and improve recovery... The results look promising, however it is still very early days and human trials need to be undertaken."
Dr Lapchak stated that researches are on to develop a viable medicine for human use. Clinical trials on mankind are being scheduled following the successful clinical tests on rabbits. Their drug not only reached the brain cells but also controlled movement and muscle problems. He, however, pointed out that drugs for human might take some more time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Guide to the E Vitamin
The e vitamin is extremely important for a variety of functions in the body. A healthy heart needs plenty of the e vitamin as it has been shown to actually prevent heart disease. The e vitamin can also help contain any existing heart disease and stop it from getting worse.
E vitamin is also vital in protecting the cell membranes from the harmful free radicals that are present in the body. Without e vitamin, amongst others, the cell membranes would be damaged and this could lead to serious health problems, including cancer. The reason that the e vitamin is so effective against free radicals is that it is fat soluble so it can be absorbed into the cell membranes. The e vitamin is therefore essential for the immune system.
The recommended daily amount of the e vitamin that a person requires depends on their body weight. This is connected to the fact that the more fat a diet contains then the more of the e vitamin that is needed. However, the only foods that really contain any reasonable amount of the e vitamin are vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ, and nuts. It is for this reason that most people should take some form of e vitamin supplement.
A deficiency of the e vitamin does not affect a person immediately. In fact, it can take months for the effects of insufficient e vitamin to be detected. After years of e vitamin deficiency there may e some detectable damage to the nerves of the spinal cord or retina of the eye but this is very rare. Most people obtain enough e vitamin from a normal diet but it is essential that the food that a person eats contains a little fat to help with the absorption of the e vitamin.
There are a few medical conditions that may lead to a deficiency of the e vitamin and may require the person to take e vitamin supplements. Cystic fibrosis causes a person to be unable to digest fats well which leads to less of the e vitamin being absorbed. Crohn’s disease causes to lower absorption rates of the e vitamin and a supplement may be necessary. Some forms of liver disease can also lead to problems absorbing the e vitamin, especially through the intestine. Of course, as fat is required to help absorb sufficient amounts of the e vitamin, anyone on an extremely low-fat diet will need to discuss their options for increasing the amount of e vitamin that their body needs.
E vitamin is also vital in protecting the cell membranes from the harmful free radicals that are present in the body. Without e vitamin, amongst others, the cell membranes would be damaged and this could lead to serious health problems, including cancer. The reason that the e vitamin is so effective against free radicals is that it is fat soluble so it can be absorbed into the cell membranes. The e vitamin is therefore essential for the immune system.
The recommended daily amount of the e vitamin that a person requires depends on their body weight. This is connected to the fact that the more fat a diet contains then the more of the e vitamin that is needed. However, the only foods that really contain any reasonable amount of the e vitamin are vegetable oils, seeds, wheat germ, and nuts. It is for this reason that most people should take some form of e vitamin supplement.
A deficiency of the e vitamin does not affect a person immediately. In fact, it can take months for the effects of insufficient e vitamin to be detected. After years of e vitamin deficiency there may e some detectable damage to the nerves of the spinal cord or retina of the eye but this is very rare. Most people obtain enough e vitamin from a normal diet but it is essential that the food that a person eats contains a little fat to help with the absorption of the e vitamin.
There are a few medical conditions that may lead to a deficiency of the e vitamin and may require the person to take e vitamin supplements. Cystic fibrosis causes a person to be unable to digest fats well which leads to less of the e vitamin being absorbed. Crohn’s disease causes to lower absorption rates of the e vitamin and a supplement may be necessary. Some forms of liver disease can also lead to problems absorbing the e vitamin, especially through the intestine. Of course, as fat is required to help absorb sufficient amounts of the e vitamin, anyone on an extremely low-fat diet will need to discuss their options for increasing the amount of e vitamin that their body needs.
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