A new study published in the January 4 issue of PLoS ONE reveals that men and women have significant personality differences. Differences between men and women and the extent of their differences have long been the issue of debate.

Marco Del Giudice of the University of Turin in Italy and his team have now found a new method to measure and analyze personality differences, which according to them is more accurate than previous methods. We are still trying to find out the mysteries between men and women, are we?

A program for women at risk of substance abuse during pregnancy could save nearly $2 billion annually in health care costs if implemented nationwide, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ journal, Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Nearly $2 billion could be saved for every 4 million births each year if the program was implemented nationwide, the study estimated. The Kaiser Permanente researchers presented their cost statistics in 2009 dollars. To those Republicans that hate Obama care, this would be of greater benefit that doing away with health care for all Americans as we could get “two birds with one stone”, isn’t this better for America?

In a study published in the January 4 issue of JAMA, researchers assessed 25 healthy individuals who were randomized to different levels of over-consumption on protein diets whilst living in a controlled setting. They found that those who consumed the low-protein diet gained less weight compared with those eating normal and high protein diets.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

Furthermore, they established that calories alone and not protein seemed to contribute to increases in body fat and that protein did contribute to changes in energy expenditure and lean body mass.  It’s reasonable to expect that the more you consume daily, the more you would gain in weight if you lead a less active lifestyle.  If you exercise vigorously, then the excess calories would be expended and not stored as fat.

A systematic review of published data reported in the January issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine finds there may be a positive link between physical activity and academic performance of children in school: the ones who are more physically active seem to do better in class.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

However, the authors are cautious about the certainty of this finding because too few of the studies they reviewed were of sufficiently high quality. They call for further research using more robust measures of physical activity.  This is cause to implement more physical activities in socially challenge areas to see if we could improve their lot in life.

In the UK more than 2.9 million individuals live with diabetes, making the condition one of the largest health challenges the UK face. Please check out this post for an interesting study on Konjac root.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

In order to continue to increase awareness of early diagnosis for Type 2 diabetes, and to make sure those living with the condition receive the appropriate level of care, leading health charity Diabetes UK will collaborate with the NHS as well as other influential groups this year in 2012.

Barbara Young, Chief Executive at Diabetes UK, explained: “We are all feeling positive about the year ahead at Diabetes UK. This is another disease that could be prevented with more public education and with an emphasis on prevention as opposed to treatment of the disease only.

Heart failure continues to be the most prevalent reason for acute hospital admission, although it is stubbornly resistant to treatment. Mortality and morbidity rates remain high, despite prognosis for the condition slightly improving by the launch of innovative medical treatments in recent years.

A Natural Diet Guide

However, according to large-scale clinical trials, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves symptoms and reduces mortality among heart failure patients. American and European guidelines now recommend CRT for the treatment and prevention of this condition.

While breakthroughs this CRT is welcomed news, we still need to practice more prevention in North American health care.  If we would begin to build-in preventive care in our health care provision, we would reduce costs by at least 50% or more.  Prevent the disease and we wouldn’t have to treat it, is this too much to ask?

Those interested in making money from this industry will continue to make large sums of money – it would just be shifted to another area of health care.

A study published in the January 4 issue of JAMA shows that U.S. patients who experienced a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), a certain pattern on an electrocardiogram after a heart attack, were more likely to be readmitted to the hospital at 30 days after the heart attack compared with patients in other countries.

The findings were discovered during a data analysis from over 15 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, and many European nations. Approximately 29 to 38% of all heart attacks are due to ST-segment elevation.  A large number of European nations have some kind of state paid for and/or run health care and their costs are significantly lower than the health care cost in the USA. Perhaps, this aspect of health care should be further examined by US officials.

Benefits of Magnesium Sulfate

Tip #1.  Stress will drain your body of magnesium: use Epsom salts dissolved in warm water the magnesium sulfate will be absorbed via the skin your largest organ to replenish your level of magnesium.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

Tip #2.  The Epsom salts will also draw out toxins from your body, relax your muscles and calm your nervous system.

Tip #3.  Stress will reduce your serotonin level: magnesium will help to produce serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical that is found in your brain thereby creating a feeling of relaxation.

Tip#4.  Experts believe Epsom salts help you gain energy: It is believed by experts that Epsom salts baths three times per week help you to gain more energy as the magnesium reduces irritability by decreasing the levels and affects of adrenaline.

Tip #5.  Magnesium will help your muscles and nerves to function properly and improve your concentration while helping you to relax.

Tip #6.  Magnesium sulfate improve concentration

Tips and tricks on staying healthy buy a natural diet guide.

Menopause is also called “the change of life”. Biologically, this heralds the end of a woman’s reproductive years but it is important to realize that it’s not a death sentence.

self-help guide - diet tips, recipes

It’s the end of ovulating (the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone) which many think is only important in reproduction. However, these two hormones act on many different organs in the body. There are cells in the vagina, bladder, skin and breasts that all have estrogen receptors which need this hormone to stimulate these receptors for normal cell function. Estrogen is also needed to keep the skin smooth and moist.

Knowing that estrogen is needed not only for a sexual function will allow a woman to understand that this is just a transition to a new phase in her existence on the planet.

Here are some natural tips and tricks, easily available foods that can be added to one’s diet to make this transition smooth and enjoyable:

1. Uncomfortable hot flashes: gotu kola, chasteberry and dong quai relieve hot flashes; make dishes using black beans and tofu and/or soy beans.

2. Vaginal dryness/itching: open a vitamin E capsule and apply the oil. For itching: inserting a tampon with 3-4 drops of tea tree oil for up to 3-hours will give immediate relief.
3. Breast tenderness: use 500-1000 milligrams of evening primrose oil for one month – this is a natural estrogen promoter.

4. Avoid salt: use onions, garlic, celery and lemon juice to flavor food. Make salads from a wide variety of greens (dandelion, mustard, beet, turnip, chicory greens, kale, Swiss chard,) to meet all your mineral needs; especially, the heart-healthy minerals magnesium, potassium and calcium.

5. Dryness and aging of the skin: drink 2-quarts of steamed distilled water daily to help prevent drying of the skin and mucous membranes. In winter, it helps to sleep with a vaporizer in your room, add a few drops of lavender (good to relieve stress).

6. Natural estrogen promoters: brew fennel and raspberry iced tea to replace soda drinks.

Finally, avoid stress or use yoga, relaxation techniques and/or exercise to effectively manage it. Mother nature has given us a powerful weapon – food to use to ease some of the symptoms that plague us. It can be one of the tools used to help give us that quality of life as our life expectancy increases.