Improve your CONCENTRATION...

We all have ability to concentrate on some of the time. But at other times our thoughts are scattered, and our minds race from one thing to another. HEALTH2DY tells you how to concentrate effectively.

Have you ever felt that you had been watching a movie for long and end up clueless what the story was about?

How many times have you ended up reading the same line in a book over and over again?
This can be frustrating,right?

It's time you got working on improving your concentration. Concentration is the ability to focus on one's thoughts in a particular direction without getting distracted. Here are some tips to improve your concentration skills.

GOOD SLEEP


A good Night's sleep will do wonders for your body and mind. Make sure you have an undisturbed sleep of eight hours. It is the best way of recharging your tired cells.

EAT BALANCED MEALS

Always have a balanced diet. An empty stomach will distract you more than a full stomach. Take good care of your body and mind and you ll be able to concentrate better.

REMOVE SURROUNDING DISTRACTIONS

Don.t let your surroundings disturb your attention. Clean up all the mess on your table. Keep things in order. Turn off your mobile phone and if you feel tempted to surf the net, shut down the computer.

BLOCK EXTERNAL DISTRACTIONS

Redirect your thoughts. When you find that you are staying from your thoughts, REDIRECT IT.Do not let yourself be distracted with petty worries and problems.

MEDITATION
Wake up early in the morning and try to meditate in a calm and peaceful surrounding. Meditation is sure to help you improve your concentration.

REWARD YOURSELF

Every time you increase your concentration time, reward yourself. This will motivate you to work better.

Improving your concentration will help you accomplish more in shorter period of time.

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BIOTIN for FAST HAIR GROWTH ????

Biotin plays a significant part in the prevention of hair loss. Most nutritionists agree that biotin is one of the important vitamins for supporting hair growth. It is also commonly advised to take biotin to supplement medical treatments such Minoxidil or Propecia.

A deficiency of biotin may cause hair to become frail and unhealthy, and hair breakage, which may result in hair loss. Biotin also keeps your skin and nails healthy as well as being an important element of new hair growth.
Supplements are sometimes needed to return biotin levels to normal, but it is recommended to include biotin regularly in your diet. Two foods containing good quantities of biotin are liver and egg yolks. You would have to eat thousands of calories worth daily to get enough for your hair needs, which is why I would also suggest biotin supplements.

Foods full of biotin include brewer's yeast, green peas, oats, soybeans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, green peas, bulgur and brown rice. In terms of the egg yolks, your body's ability to digest and assimilate biotin decreases with high intake levels of protein. Biotin binds easily to proteins, making it unavailable to your body, which in turn causes biotin deficiency and hair loss. Try to steer clear of raw eggs in your diet, and cut down on protein powders and bars. Use one of the many shampoos that contain biotin and silica.

Additionally, those with type A blood don't have the ability to fully absorb B vitamins. Biotin is classified as a Vitamin B, so if you have Type A blood, adding higher doses of 5-8 grams twice daily will be needed to help prevent hair loss. At this time, there are no known side effects at this dosage level.

People suffering from heartburn, acid reflux, or GERD and who are taking antacids may absorb biotin less and hair loss may occur as a result. Therefore watch your use of over-the-counter antacids if you are worried about hair loss.

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Interesting FAQs about Thyroid..

What is thyroid?

Thyroid is a butterfly shaped organ (or gland) located in the front of the neck, just below the voice box. Like the liver, heart, kidney and brain, thyroid has a specific function and role to play. In a normal adult the thyroid weighs 15 to 25 grams. It is known that it starts functioning even before birth! Thyroid secretes two metabolically very important hormones, called T3 and T4 that are vital for physical and mental growth.


What are thyroid hormones?

The word hormone is derived from a Greek term meaning "To excite" or "To spur on". Hormones are chemical messengers that alter the activities of cells and tissues. Hormones regulate many important body processes and functions, including growth, reproduction, and metabolism. Various glands produce specific hormones, which controls specific events in the body. Thyroid gland secretes 2 hormones called T3 and T4 and these two hormones are required by every organ, every tissue and every cell in the body at every minute. They control various important metabolic activities including energy productions and growth and development.

What is the role of Iodine in Thyroid functioning?

Iodine, a trace mineral, is required by the body for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones. T4 contains 4 iodine atoms. When one of the iodine atoms is stripped off of T4, it becomes T3, with 3 iodine atoms remaining. In case of Iodine deficiency, the human body is unable to synthesize these hormones. Goiter, or enlargement of the thyroid gland, is usually the earliest symptom of iodine deficiency. The enlargement of the thyroid results from over stimulation of the thyroid gland by thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), as the body attempts to produce thyroid hormones despite the lack of available iodine.

What is the relation between weight and thyroid?

What we eat should be converted into energy for a normal and healthy life. In hypothyroidism, due to paucity of the hormones, the energy conversion is reduced. Hence, fat accumulation and weight increase are very common in hypothyroid patients. In hyperthyroidism, the hormones are in excess. So they burnout the energy more than what is required, resulting in heavy loss of weight. Thus weight and stamina are two criteria in thyroid evaluation.

What Importance does thyroid function have during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, the requirement of thyroid hormones is increased (for the child also) and hence a thyroid patient should be monitored closely in the first and second tri semester. Both the mother and foetus require optimum hormone levels. It is known that the deficiency of thyroid hormones can cause irreversible damages to both the physical and mental growth of the child. Hence it is recommended that a good endocrinologist is consulted.

What are the types of Thyroid Disorders?


There are basically two types of thyroid disorders:
-Goiter , which is an abnormal size and structure of the thyroid gland. The goiter may not have any symptoms and an associated disorder.
- Thyroid Dysfunction, which is the under functioning
( hypothyroidism ) or over functioning ( hyperthyroidism ) of the thyroid gland. this may happen without a goiter.

What are the symptoms of thyroid disorders?

Hyperthyroidism - Signs and Symptoms
Heat intolerance
Nervousness
Insomnia
Breathlessness
Increased Bowel movements
Light or absence of menstrual periods
Palpitations
Fatigue
Fast heartbeat rate
Trembling hands
Weight loss
Weakness
Staring gaze

What other diseases are associated with thyroid dysfunction?

Patients having autoimmune disorders may have more than one organ affected. With chronic thyroiditis, there is a higher incidence of other autoimmune diseases such as:

* Vitiligo
* Rheumatoid Arthritis
* Addison's Disease
* Diabetese Mellitus
* Pernicious anaemia

What is Grave's disease?

Grave's disease, an autoimmune disorder is the most common cause of hyperthyroidism. Instead of TSH, antibodies against the TSH receptors bind to and stimulate the thyroid gland , leading to continuous and uncontrolled production of thyroid hormones. These patients are likely to have a diffuse goiter, "Protrusion of eyes" (exophthalamos). Some patients have enlarged spleen and neck nodes

How can a laboratory help in diagnosis of thyroid function?

The most effective and efficient way to diagnose the thyroid dysfunctions is by measuring FT3, FT4 and TSH blood levels These tests are done with either the Nobel prize Winning Technology called RIA or with a fully automated technology called CLIA These tests cannot be conducted in any laboratory because it required huge infrastructure and investments.

Are these tests very costly?

More than 100 good laboratories in India are doing these tests with good quality, but majority of them charge rates ranging from Rs.500 to Rs.1,200 for the three investigations namely FT3, FT4 and TSH. However under the new concept of specialization, networking and blending the breakthrough in laboratory technologies and with the advent of information technology, the most reliable Thyroid diagnosis service is available for Rs.200 to Rs.300* in any part of the country. The major contribution in such a breakthrough is from Thyrocare, the world's largest thyroid testing laboratory.

What is thyroid scanning?

There are many tests available to understand various diseases of thyroid. However, majority of the functional thyroid disorders are identified using a simple blood test called "T3 T4 TSH". This test estimates the levels of three hormones in blood namely T3 & T4, both thyroid hormones and TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) stimulates or controls the activity of Thyroid gland.

Once the levels of these hormones are known from the laboratory tests, doctors can easily classify if there is a functional disorder into hypo or hypothyroidism. Usually, in hypothyroidism the levels of T3 and T4 are below normal and that of TSH is above normal. In case of hyperthyroidism, the levels of T3 and T4 are above normal and that of TSH will be very low.

How thyroid testing is done?

Like any other organ, Thyroid gland also is known to harbour cancer. However once diagnosed the gland is removed and radio iodine treatment is given it will ensure that the patient is completely safe and free of cancer. It is known that Thyroid Cancer is one of the safest cancer.

Where can I find more info on Thyroid?

There are lot of Information on thyroid over this website. You can use the internal search to find out more. Some useful weblinks for thyroid:

thyroid.about.com
thyroid.miningco.com
thyroid-info.com
btf-thyroid.org
nap.edu 

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WORRIED or SICK???

Is Worrying about your health making you SICK?

ARE you one of those who fix an appointment with the doctor for every bout nausea or get a CT scan done at the hint of a head ache?

If the answer is YES, then you are actually suffering from something serious. It's called ORTHOREXIS, or health perfectionism in common parlance.

A health perfectionist is a person obsessed with his/her own health. There are various issues pertaining to such an obsession which might cause numerous side-effects,one such extreme being panthological in nature.

"Sadness which does'nt get a vent in tears makes the organs cry. This sums up the underlying panthology of health perfectionism. It's seems in people who find it difficult to express emotions or talk things out, They fall to recognize conflicts or interpersonal problems in their lives. As general emotional distress is not dealth with,it expresses itself physically, some times even after many years,"says Dr Jyoti Sangle, Phychiatrist, Dr L.H Hiranandani Hospital, Mumbai.

According to the International Association for Cognitive Psychotherapy, anxieties about health are common and often result in a pattern of health perfectionism, in which every physical discomfort or imperfection is interpreted as a sign of disease. With the media constantly heaping on the perfect bofy and face, the existence of the perfect form becomes believable.

"Being a health perfectionist can cost you a great deal and it is important to be aware of the problems that it can lead to. Perfectionists are likely to experience decreased productivity, impaired health, troubled inter-personal relationships and low self-esteem. They are vulnerable to depression,performance ,anxiety,compulsiveness,suicidal thoughts,loneliness,impatience,frustration and anger", informs Dr Bhavna Burmi, senior clinical psycologist. Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi.

Then there are also hypochrondriasis are worked about getting a disease or are certain they have it, even after medical tests prove otherwise. "Hypochrondriacs often misinterpret minor health problems or normal body functions as smptoms of a disease", says Dr Burmi.

A person who is true that is headaches are caused by brain tumour is a hypocondriac. According to Dr Burmi, symptoms associated with hypocondriasis are not under the person's voluntary control, and can cause great distress and/or can interfere with a person's normal functioning. It can occur at any age, but mostly begins in early adulthood. It affects men and women alike.

HOW TO CRUSH THE DOUBT?

1. Identify the connection between obsessional thoughts and impulses.

2. Engage in anxiety management

3. Engage in relaxation therapies to control your stress levels.

4. Keep a check on suicisal thoughts

5. Tackle the tendency to fall into depression

6. Get engaged in activities to avoid lonliness

7. Don't believe in whatever you read(Cybercondria)

8. Stay in regular contact with a healthcare provider

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Do u blink regularly??? CAUTION : Computer Vision Syndrome.

Tired of looking at the computer screens for hours?
A research says that reduced rate of blinking due to long hours of working on the computer screens can lead to acute eye problems like computer vision syndrome.

According to a study published in the Live Science Journal, reduced rate of blinking due to long working hours on the computer screens can lead severe eye problems. The condition, known as " Computer Vision Syndrome", CVS is affecting employees worldwide at an alarming rate.
Due to excessive and prolonged exposure to computer screens, the workforce of most professions is falling prey to this condition, which, in turn, is adversely affecting their efficiency.

A common ailment which most employees suffer from is the " Dry Eye Syndrome".

The medical fraternity recommends blinking after every few seconds to relax the eye and maintain its natural moisture. But since most professions involve long hours of computer usage, it is becoming increasingly difficult for people to blink at the optimum frequency. According to studies , computer users blink around three times less than they normally should.
The Eye normally blinks about 10-12 times in a minute , but computer usage reduces this by nearly 30% .

Says Sanjeev Gupta, senior eye specialist, " Computer Vision Syndrome is a complex set of eye problems linked to prolonged exposure to the computer screen. One of these problems is dryness of the eyes, which is attributes to the fact that blinking reduces considerably when the eye is focussed on something for long durations. Another problem is the light emanating from the screen. When the monitor is switched on, many dust particles stick to it due to electrostatic force. And this causes scattering of light which is harmful to the eye."

So how is CVS caused??

"Long hours of continuous computer usage is the main cause of this condition. Also, factors like poor lightening in the office, positioning of the monitor and improper posture can also cause CVS.
Ideally the monitor should be at an arm's length from the eyes, but this is not in practice in many office environments",says Gupta.

Another interesting facet of CVS is that even the letters we type and view on screen are harmful for the eyes. According to the experts, reading texts from computer screen should be done with caution. The brightness of the text is highest at the centre of the screen and lowest at the periphery. The unequal composition of colors is harmful for the eye.

Says Gupta,"Headaches and fatigue are the primary symptoms of CVS in a person. Many develop a reddish hue in the eye due to excessive dryness. But it is advisable to consult an ophthalmologist if one feels a burning sensation in the eye."

But CVS is not proven to permanently damage the eyes . Still , those suffering from it find it hard to concentrate at work, which affects their professional lives. Though there is no cure for CVS since most professions involve serious usage of computers, one can take preventive meaures.
Says Gupta. " I suggest people apply an anti-reflective coating on the screens. The monitor should be kept dust free and the brightness and contrast levels should be set to ensure minimal reflection of light. Also one should try to prevent dryness. Application of eye drops is also known to be beneficial in some cases."

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Want to make your hair always lengthy and glossy??

If you want your hair to be always lengthy and glossy, if your hair is becoming grey, here is a tip for you to follow. Take half a coconut shell and remove the coconut out of it. Add a cup of hot water to it. You get a thick milky liquid thereby. Filter it into a glass.

Cut a lime into two pieces. Add the lime juice into the coconut milk liquid and stir it. Wash your hair with soapnut powder or shampoo. Apply this thick liquid and massage it. Leave some time and have a head bath. Dry the hair and apply coconut oil. Do like this, off and on....

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