The Baby Domain has recently launched a baby glossary to serve as a resource for parents who want to learn more about children’s health issues, diseases, and more.
The 20 Worst Foods in America
Your favorite restaurant could be serving you a meal that’s 2,900 calories, 182 g fat, and 240 g carbs. Find out which meals made the list and at what restaurants.
Does birth order matter?
A new research study has announced that firstborn’s IQs tend to be higher than those of their younger siblings. But is this study universal? Let us know what you think!
Weight Watchers
Weight watcher’s approach to a healthy lifestyle is based on “Four Pillars”, which are behavior, support, exercise and food. They believe you have to work on all four of these areas to be successful.
Weight Watchers Points
There are two different Weight Watchers plans you can follow. There is the flex plan that uses the points system and the core plan that does not use points. The flex plan assigns food a points value based on the food’s calories, fat, and fiber. You are given a “target” number of points you are allowed to consume each day, which is determined by your weight and height and a few other factors. If you stay within your points you should lose weight.
The core plan does not use points at all. It based solely on you eating healthy foods. You can eat as much as it takes for you to feel full because all of the foods are healthy for you. Foods on the core plan include, avocados, potatoes, salsa, brown rice and lean meats. Both plans, however, include “weekly allowances” so you may indulge for a special occasion.
Weight Watchers Points Calculator
So how exactly do you figure out each foods point value? Here is a simple calculation you can use.
Total # of calories / 50
+ Total # of fat grams/ 12
-Total # of dietary fiber grams / 5
= Points Value
For example, if you were going to consume a food that had 100 calories, 24 grams of fat and 10 grams of dietary fiber that foods points value would be 2. Not all foods will come out to even number, in that case just round up.
Cranberries Health Benefits
So what are the health benefits of cranberries?
Cranberries contain proanthocyanidins, which may be helpful for preventing the following:
- E. coli, which is associated with urinary tract infections.
- Gum disease
- Stomach ulcers
Research studies indicate that cranberries and cranberry products also contain a significant amount of antioxidants and other phytonutrients, which may help protect against heart disease, cancer, and other diseases.
Resources
Cranberry Institute
http://www.cranberryinstitute.org
Health research, news, and information about cranberries.
Five Commonly Misdiagnosed Diseases
The following diseases are commonly misdiagnosed:
1. Aortic Dissection
2. Cancer
3. Clogged arteries
4. Heart attack
5. Infection
In order to avoid misdagnosis, you should do the following:
1. Ask your doctor, “What else could my illness be?”
2. Don’t assume no news is not good news.
3. Ask for additional tests.
4. Assume that the doctors don’t talk to one another.
5. Be wary if your doctors are working in shifts.
Read more about misdiagnosed diseases.
Insurance Additions/Alternatives
Health insurance is a large part of keeping your body healthy. If you ask any Presidential candidate, they feel that not enough Americans are insured. The obvious reason why so many Americans are uninsured is cost.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. is projected to spend over $2.2 trillion on health care in 2007, or just under $7,500 per U.S. resident. Health spending in 2007 is projected to accountfor 16.2% of GDP
• In 1970, U.S. health care spending was about $75 billion on health care, or $356 per resident, and accounted for 7.2% of GDP.
• Health care spending has risen about 2.4 percentage points faster than GDP since 1970.
• CMS projects that by 2016 (nine years from now) health care spending will be over $4.1 trillion or $12,782 per resident, and account for 19.6% of GDP.
The primary reasons for the increase include longevity increase, inflation, and population growths.One insurance alternative is healthcare discount plans. These plans cost a low monthly fee and provide discounts with medical providers in your area. One such plan is AmeriPlan®
AmeriPlan® is not a health insurance plan, but a discount program. The company has a network of thousands of doctors and providers that have agreed to offer their services at discounted prices to members of the program. AmeriPlan® offers a variety of plans starting from $20 each, and plans can be purchased ala carte to customize your needs.
Plans like this are also very nice for additions to your health insurance. For instance, if your plan offers medical but not dental and vision, you can purchases a discount vision and medical plan.
These plans also work well for college aged students who no longer have coverage by their parents, but are in great health and have few health care needs.
Easy fitness with your Wii?!
I’m all over new ways to get a work out without going to the gym. Not to mention if it incorporates video game consoles. For reason it just makes it that much more enjoyable because I’m playing a game. Now Nintendo comes along now with the Wii in many family households and introduces Wii Fit, formerly known as Wii Health Pack.
Wii Fit looks like a basic white step on the floor. It actually is the next generation of ‘core’ workouts from home. This little board includes a disk with all sorts of fun games, workouts, and even measure your BMI and center of gravity. The game will keep track of your daily exercises and as well as give you an out of Wii Fitness Age just like the popular Brain Age game.
As of what we know as of right now the game includes specific games such as: Hoola hooping, Ball rolling game with your feet, Step exercises, Hitting soccer balls with head motions, Ski Jumping simulations with bending knees and popping up for jump, Push up exercises, and finally Yoga stances.
This is a new age of gaming why not add games that add fitness to the equation? This is just what Nintendo was thinking about when they came up with the Wii Health Pack.
Foods With High Protein
The following foods contain high protein:
Beef
Hamburger patty, 4 oz – 28 grams protein
Steak, 6 oz – 42 grams
Most cuts of beef – 7 grams of protein per ounce
Chicken
Chicken breast, 3.5 oz – 30 grams protein
Chicken thigh – 10 grams (for average size)
Drumstick – 11 grams
Wing – 6 grams
Chicken meat, cooked, 4 oz – 35 grams
Fish
Most fish fillets or steaks are about 22 grams of protein for 3 ½ oz (100 grams) of cooked fish, or 6 grams per ounce
Tuna, 6 oz can – 40 grams of protein
Pork
Pork chop, average – 22 grams protein
Pork loin or tenderloin, 4 oz – 29 grams
Ham, 3 oz serving – 19 grams
Ground pork, 1 oz raw – 5 grams; 3 oz cooked – 22 grams
Bacon, 1 slice – 3 grams
Canadian-style bacon (back bacon), slice – 5 – 6 grams
Eggs and Dairy
Egg, large – 6 grams protein
Milk, 1 cup – 8 grams
Cottage cheese, ½ cup – 15 grams
Yogurt, 1 cup – usually 8-12 grams, check label
Soft cheeses (Mozzarella, Brie, Camembert) – 6 grams per oz
Medium cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss) – 7 or 8 grams per oz
Hard cheeses (Parmesan) – 10 grams per oz
Beans (including soy)
Tofu, ½ cup 20 grams protein
Tofu, 1 oz, 2.3 grams
Soy milk, 1 cup – 6 -10 grams
Most beans (black, pinto, lentils, etc) about 7-10 grams protein per half cup of cooked beans
Soy beans, ½ cup cooked – 14 grams protein
Split peas, ½ cup cooked – 8 grams
Nuts and Seeds
Peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons – 8 grams protein
Almonds, ¼ cup – 8 grams
Peanuts, ¼ cup – 9 grams
Cashews, ¼ cup – 5 grams
Pecans, ¼ cup – 2.5 grams
Sunflower seeds, ¼ cup – 6 grams
Pumpkin seeds, ¼ cup – 19 grams
Flax seeds – ¼ cup – 8 grams
Natural Mood-Enhancers
Life has a tendency to ruffle your feathers, to really get under your skin. Anxiety, depression, insomnia- they act like pesky telephone solicitors at times, paying no mind to when or where or how they get a hold of you, just as long as they do. Some people bite the bullet; others become overwhelmed and feel as though they have nowhere to turn for help.
But before you venture to a therapist for prescription anti-depressants, which can have dangerous and inconvenient side-effects, as well as cost you a fortune, perhaps you should take a look at a few remedies nature offers and see if one works for you.
One of the best ways to naturally improve your mood is through exercise and a healthy, nourishing diet. Vitamins B6, B12, D, Biotin (also good for hair, skin, and nails), and Folic acid also promote good mood.
Now let us a take a brief look at a few of nature’s other remedies for the blues:
SAM-e
S-adenoslymethionine ( or SAM-e) is a naturally occurring compound found in human cells, a derivative of the amino acid, methionine. SAM-e works by regulating various hormones and neurotransmitters in the body such as melatonin, serotonin, and dopamine. It has also been shown to be useful in supporting the health and functioning of the liver and joints. Research suggests that it has the power of prescription drugs used to treat depression without all the side-effects like weight gain and sexual dysfunction. (However, those with bipolar disorder should avoid using SAM-e, as it’s been shown to induce mania.)
5 HTP
5 HTP is a precursor to serotonin production, and its use has been shown to be effective in conditions such as depression, binge eating associated with obesity, chronic headaches, and insomnia 6. It also tones down anxiety by producing L-tryptophan, which results in feelings of calmness and cheerfulness. An upside to taking 5 HTP is that the effects of it are felt almost immediately (within 30 minutes to an hour); the downside: it can cause you to become drowsy.
There are several other natural mood enhancers you might want to check out as well, such as St. John’s wort, which is shown to improve well-being, or Valerian Root, which is used mostly for its sedative purposes.
Above Average Health 