Community Independent School

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Monthly Archives: October 2011

What Is Lactose Intolerance And How Can I Know If I Am

Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest milk and other dairy products. Lactose or milk sugar is the culprit in this condition. If you find that drinking a cup of milk or eating foods loaded with cheese causes gastric upset, you may be lactose intolerant. This could lead to asking the question, what is lactose intolerance and how can I know if I am?

In order to digest lactose, the body must produce an enzyme called lactase. Persons that do not produce enough lactase have difficulty in digesting milk and dairy products. In babies, this enzyme is necessary to digest mother’s milk.

Lactose intolerance is common in premature babies, but children born full term do not usually show signs until later in life. The problem is also more common in some races than others and in African Americans children may show signs as early as age 2. In Caucasians, children usually do not show problems with lactose until age 5. People with a northern or western European heritage are less likely to be lactose intolerant than are those who trace their ancestry to the Mediterranean, Africa, Asia or Native America.

By age 20, 30 million Americans will display some type of this condition. In adults, the problem is not dangerous, and in addition to heredity may be traced to infections of the small intestine, intestinal disease or bowel surgery.

Since other intestinal problems may cause similar symptoms, a doctor may want to perform some tests to diagnose lactose intolerance. Tests include a lactose tolerance test, lactose-hydrogen breath test, stool pH and Enteroscopy.

People with the problem can improve their symptoms by decreasing the amount of milk and milk products consumed. Even with low lactase levels, it may be possible to drink up to half a cup of milk without problems, but larger servings of a cup or more can cause problems.

Since avoiding dairy products leads to a lack of calcium, it is important to take steps to ensure the diet provides enough of this mineral. Be sure to include calcium enriched foods as well as those naturally rich in the mineral. In addition, it is a good idea to speak with your doctor about the need for a calcium supplement.

Five Reason To Workout With Your Dog

Many persons find it hard to stick to their workout regimes, prompting fitness enthusiasts to put forward reasons to remain faithful, and ways to do so. One recommendation for dog owners is to workout with their pets. This is thought to have several benefits which can help persons see results.

5 reasons you should workout with your dog and 1 for why you should buy a health supplement or two:

1) You are likely to have fun: this works the same as working out in groups for support, except your dog is likely to be more excited than most persons at any time of the day. You can feed off the dog’s enthusiasm especially if you usually enjoy walking your pet.

2) Less focus on your workout: you may focus more on the dog than yourself, since his or her antics are likely to keep you occupied and amused. Paying less attention to your goals or stats can make it easier to achieve or even surpass them.

3) It adds versatility: chances are ,you never walk the same route with your dog because you want to expose him or her to new things. If you combine your exercise with his or her walk, it gets changed up as well. Versatility is key to making any regime work, because it reduces or eliminates boredom.

4) It increases frequency and eliminates excuses: as a responsible pet owner you understand how important exercise is to your pets, so you are less likely to shirk this duty. Frequent walks for your dog means frequent walks for you, and you are less likely to make excuses to not exercise.

5) A healthier dog: this is an indirect contribution to your health. Healthy pets make less visits to the vet, so their owners spend less. Financial strain can result in overwhelming stress that may manifest itself physically. Pet care can be expensive therefore, eliminating vet bills can help your mental well-being.

6) For all your best efforts in trying to lose weight you can still be foiled by genetics and environment. We firmly believe you should incorporate BOTH diet and exercise with reputable and proven health supplements.

Are There Any Health Benefits To Coffee At All?

Coffee is undeniably one of the most popular drinks all over the world. In fact, there are those who ask if are there any health benefits to coffee at all. Well, the fact is that coffee, when consumed in reasonable amount or in moderation, has several health benefits.

Among the benefits found in coffee include the presence of antioxidants. Research studies indicate that caffeine found in coffee contains a high level of antioxidants. This compound is abundantly present in plants like blueberries and pomegranates. Antioxidants are very powerful because they help the body battle against harmful molecules that cause grave damage to the human body cells.

In addition, coffee is also known to prevent certain diseases. For example, regular coffee drinkers are found to have a lesser chance of acquiring or developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers from Harvard University Medical School have also indicated that because of the high levels of potassium and chromium in coffee, type 2 diabetes is less likely to develop. This is due to the fact that these two elements can help the body utilize insulin more efficiently.

So in case you ask if there are any health benefits to coffee, the answer is a resounding yes. Naturally, coffee is a diuretic drink. This means that it can easily remove all the fluids in your body. The certainty of going to the toilet is absolute. You will find yourself urinating too often. So you might want to find the perfect time to drink coffee especially if you are busy at work.

In conclusion, regular intake of coffee can have major health benefits. Now, you can feel more confident when you drink coffee knowing that your body can also benefit from it. Just remember not to drink too much of it every single day of your life.

Just How Can I Eliminate Free Radicals From My Body?

Considering the attention routinely given to discussing the potentially harmful effects of free radicals in both medical and fitness literature, many people are well aware of the need to protect their bodies from the damage that they may cause. While the desire may be present, you may ask yourself how can I eliminate free radicals from my body without a clue as how to proceed. This may lead to trying an extreme approach, only to end up feeling worse than you did initially. A bit of patience and moderation, however, may help eliminate these unneeded elements and substantially improve your health.

If you are unaccustomed to fortifying your body primarily with foods that promote the release of good radicals and block and flush out harmful ones, starting with a complete diet overhaul may be extremely disruptive to your digestive system. Even healthy fruits and vegetables taken in suddenly may leave you feeling sluggish, bloated, and ready to return to your previous diet. A better approach would be to gradually increase your intake until you can comfortably enjoy five or six servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Eating fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants is likely the best way to cleanse your body, as well as reduce your risk for cancer, heart disease, and strokes. Accordingly, eating pure foods that contain substantial amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene will supply your body with powerful antioxidants. If oranges or other traditional citrus fruits are not to your liking, kiwi, leafy vegetables, red or green peppers and potatoes are good choices for getting enough vitamin C, and eating whole grains, spinach, avocados, or legumes are great sources of vitamin E. Eating your favorite dark yellow fruits or dark green vegetables will be good ways to get enough beta-carotene, and help you say farewell to harmful free radicals.