Archive for May, 2011
May 17th, 2011 | 
Author: Vitamin C is a nutritional supplement, antioxidant, cosmetic enhancer, and food preservative, but this vitamin also takes the name as health coordinator. Vitamin C, also known by its chemical name ascorbate or ascorbic acid, has been shown by research studies to be an important substance for the maintenance of human health. The property of vitamin C is that of a small molecule (C6H8O6) with the appearance of white small crystals, similar to that of household sugar (Hickey Saul, 2008). It is also a weak acid (pK1 = 4.17), similar in acidity to that of citrus fruit and cola soft drink. Inside the human body vitamin C has a many functions but the most important functions of this vitamin is its ability to act as redox cofactor and catalyst in many of the biochemical reactions and processes of the human body (Johnston, Steinberg, and Rucker 529).
The capability of ascorbic acid to function as a redox cofactor and catalyst, allows it to counteract free radicals.
Free radicals in the system are the species that lead to cell and tissue damage as well as exacerbate present illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even some forms of cancer (Hickey, and Saul 59). The role as a major immune supporting substance highlights the critical function vitamin C plays in the human system. With this in mind, it is therefore critical for humans to monitor their vitamin C intake to ensure proper dosages are met to counteract these present and future free radicals and thus hinder damage to the system. Unfortunately this is many times not the case, as indicated by the rise of specific disorders such as cardiovascular disease and cancer in the U.S. People today are not monitoring their dietary concerns and are consuming more of the free radical producers than antioxidants. This trend of consumption and ignorance will lead to greater pressures on health care systems as well as financial and emotional strains on family units.
Background
Unlike medicine which gained great momentum in the early 1900′s, vitamin C did not gain significant importance and controversy until the noble Prize winner Linus Pauling presented his vast research findings to the scientific community (Hicky, and Roberts 52). A strong believer on the positive effects of vitamin C, Linus Pauling would later coin the term “orthomolecular” as treating diseases, biochemical imbalances, and disorders, with natural substances that are naturally found in food such as vitamins, fatty acids, and trace elements. The orthomolecular movement believes that many mental as well as physical ailments stem from some sort of deficiency or imbalance of these natural occurring substances in the body. As the movement progressed, vitamin C gained much of the limelight as a panacea for many disorders. It has been demonstrated that certain dosages of vitamin C have led to a reduction of inflammation, allergies, anxiety, prevention of the common cold and lip herpes, as well as a cure for fatty liver and some cancers (Hickey, and Saul 109).
The understanding of the deficiencies and imbalances does not permit a person to just take a number of supplements to counter these situations; rather, dosage depends on that individual’s biochemistry (Pauling 81). Each person has a unique genetic makeup as well as distinct biochemistry; therefore, dosage will need to fit that individual’s system. This occurrence explains why some individuals may need to take higher levels of vitamin C than their counterparts when combating certain ailments and disorders. Also, the pharmacokinetics of vitamin C plays a role in vitamin C dosage as vitamin C does not stay long in the body and is rapidly excreted from the system. This feature of ascorbic acid will also affect dosage levels for the individual.
Special Characteristics
Ascorbic acid’s main function in the body is to act as radical scavenger by finding free radical molecules in the blood and then donate electrons to allow that molecule to become stable and unreactive. A free radical is a molecule with one or two unpaired electrons. Due to its state, the radical will steal electrons from any molecule near the radical, setting off a chemical chain reaction that results in tissue damage in the body. As an antioxidant, vitamin C acts as the electron donor to stop the widespread reactions caused by the presence of the free radical. Ascorbic acid itself is oxidized during the process and forms semidehydroascorbate which is a radical but is unreactive and is neither strongly reducing nor oxidizing (Hickey, and Roberts, 59). This unreactive property of vitamin C is the main reason why vitamin C is often utilized in fighting diseases and illnesses. Two ascorbyl radicals, however, can combine forming one molecule of ascorbate and one of dehydroascorbate. The oxidized form of dehdroascorbate is not stable and further breaks down forming oxalic and 1-threonic acids. A high level of ascorbate and low levels of dehydroascorbate are found in healthy human tissue indicating that proper dosage and intake of vitamin C will ensure that a balance between the two substances are maintained through the electron donation of vitamin C.
Vitamin C is also important in the human body as a catalyst for the production of collagen. Collagen is the connective tissue similar to that of fine fiber and it is found between bones, organs, and blood vessels throughout the body. This fine fiber holds the vast systems together and conducts proper blood flow to and from the heart. The vitamin is active both inside and outside the human cell where it hydroxylates two amino acids proline and lysine. This helps form the precursor molecule called procollagen that is later modified into collagen outside the cell.
Another important aspect of vitamin C that should be stated is how cost effective the supplement is when compared with prescribed medication and over-the-counter drugs. Vitamin C can be easily obtained in the fruits, vegetables and some meats that are found in a general supermarket. Also, many stores now carry a wide assortment of vitamins that can be easily obtained without a prescription. The financial advantage of obtaining a simple supplement that can improve and ensure lasting health is far too great to be denied.
What makes people join a gym class? What makes them start a fitness program? Answers would vary. Maybe they just want to have more energy. Perhaps they’re looking forward to the day when they can look in the mirror and actually like the image looking back at them. Or it can be as simple as just shedding a few pounds. Unfortunately, fitness is not a one time deal. It’s not like you can just pull out your motivation to work out just this one time and then you will be rewarded with your desired results right there and then. One thing is certain, though, it’s hard to sustain motivation. When starting a fitness program, you should have a game plan to combat demotivation later on.
It is hard to stay motivated if you get frustrated. So try to be realistic when setting fitness goals. So, if you exercise for an hour six times a week, it would be fair to expect a one pound weight loss per week if you follow a low fat diet too.
But if you put in just 30 minutes twice a week, maybe one pound is a bit too much to ask. Also, don’t compare your progress with your friends or your body with the perfect specimens they call models. That’s a surefire way to feel unsure about your progress and will make you feel like what you are aiming for is unreachable.
Also, you can prevent boredom with your routine by varying exercise moves every 8-12 weeks. This will also ensure that your muscles will not get used to your old, stale moves. Make it fun and fresh enough to challenge yourself. And don’t give yourself a chance to skip the gym because you don’t have anything to wear either.
Make working out convenient as a way to increase your motivation. If necessary, vary your workout activities from day to day. You need not be confined to a regular gym to reap the benefits of exercise. If the four walls of the gym make you feel confined, you can stay at home and groove to your favorite dance music, or run in the park. The point is, enjoy your exercise time, all the time.
And don’t be too hard on yourself. If for some reason you missed a day or two of exercise, then by all means, just get back to it as soon as you can. During the course of your quest for fitness, you’re bound to get sick, have to get a tooth pulled, have car trouble and dozens of other real-life reasons. You might even get injured while exercising. All these will require rest. The important thing is to allow yourself to take time off and just get back to the program when you are ready and able to do so. Congratulate yourself that you got back on track. Reward yourself for small victories. Keep a log of your achievements and keep a list of what makes you stick with your fitness plan along with the reasons why you exercise. All these will help you stay on track at times when you feel demotivated.
For more health and fitness tips and insider advice on selecting home gym fitness equipment, visit FitnessArmory.com where we review all the latest products, like the Bowflex Treadclimber TC5000 and the Total Gym 1100. We invite you to stop by and drop us a line if you have any questions.
The photo gallery of insects made of human hair by artist Adrienne Antonson has been released impressing sculpture art enthusiasts around the world. Adrienne Antonson, born in 1982 in Gainesville, Florida, United States was inspired by the insect world with weird behaviors and exotic evolutionary processes; accordingly, she is keen on working on human hair for stunning insect masterpieces. Human hair is chosen as the perfect material for making tiny bugs and seen as non-traditional material for such impressive state-of-the-arts. Besides, the idea of making insect sculpture from human hair came from her mother collecting hair. Her mother\’s little velvet boxes of hair inspired Adrienne Antonson to attend the College of Charleston, where she was specialized in Studio Art, and sculpturing later. Let\’s take a look at the most breathtaking photos of insects made of human hair by Adrienne Antonson insect sculptor.
Adrienne Antonson\’s idea of making such impressive insect artworks of human hair came from her mother and Studio Art courses at the College of Charleston
During the apprenticeship time at the College of Charleston, Adrienne Antonson was also influenced by ingenious fiber artists
Spinster is the name of her design company founded by Adrienne Antonson since her graduation from the College of Charleston in 2005
The talented insect sculptor\’s little bugs look so lively and creepy
Just by simple materials including human hair and glue, Adrienne Antonson has stirred up the insect world
The meticulous processes of producing hair insect artworks make Antonson become closer to the nature world
Little bugs sometimes look as if they are about to jump over or fly off
Human hair is the most perfect material indicating non-traditional beauty, and self-sufficient capability
Creating impressive insect masterpieces encourages Adrienne Antonson\’s patience
Related links:
Insect Allergies: What Insects To Avoid
Insect Classification Chart
Insects And Your Garden
Posted in Allergy Issue | 
Tags: Adrienne, Antonson, from, Hair, human, Impressive, Masterpieces | 
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It is best to avoid these myths, so that you would not acquire information that will just lead you farther away in achieving your goals of losing weight.
Avoiding false information when you are surfing the web is actually a bit easier now, since there are tell-tale signs that would warn you about them.
Keep in mind that some people distribute false information for a number of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons though is to sell a product that they have. Most of the time, when you see a phrase that would tell you about losing weight in a very short period of time, then there would be a product behind it, which is supposed to provide you the step by step instructions to give you the results you want. However, if the claim is too good to be true, such as “losing 10 lbs in a day”, then that should serve as a warning for you, because either the program is not going to give you that result, or it is, but through an unhealthy process.
Always bear in mind that it is always easier to gain weight than to lose it, for most people, especially those who are already overweight to start with. Therefore, it is not natural to lose so much weight in just so little amount of time. Losing weight will require you do to a lot of hard work, patience, discipline, and determination to achieve. Thus, it would be something that would really take some time, depending on how much you need to lose, and how well you are responding to the program that you have chosen.
There are indeed a number of weight loss programs you can find these days that are effective. Of course, they can also be found through the web. However, you need to take necessary steps in choosing your program so that you will be able to filter out the ones that are not in good quality.
You can always check out reviews of the program. The review should be something that is submitted by someone who has already made use of it, so that you are assured that it would work.
Aside from that, the program should cover more about weight loss tips that would help your raise your level of metabolism, through certain exercise routines, and changing the eating habits. Take note of these things, so that you will be able to find the program that would suit you best.
Medical analysis is discovering that selected nutritional supplements will be helpful for a few women who have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). PCOS is a complex glandular and metabolic disorder that affects six%-10% of women of reproductive age.
Symptoms of PCOS include infertility, weight gain, acne, excess hair, hair loss, and depression. There’s an increased risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease and presumably some cancers.
Standard therapy for polycystic ovary syndrome includes birth control pills, medications and surgery. However, these strategies do not offer a conclusive cure for PCOS.
Fortunately, there are natural therapies accessible that any lady can use such as a healthy diet, plentiful exercise, stress management and nutritional supplementation. One amongst the nutritional supplements price considering is NAC (n-acetyl-cysteine).
NAC is a derivative of cysteine, an amino acid found in high protein and other foods.
NAC isn’t found within the diet but is out there as a nutritional supplement. It is also obtainable as a FDA-approved prescription drug.
Some medical studies suggest that NAC could have the subsequent health edges for PCOS women.
It is also accessible as a FDA-approved prescription drug. Some medical studies suggest that NAC might have the subsequent health edges for PCOS women.
one) NAC reduces undesirable insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the inability to efficiently utilize the hormone insulin and is now regarded as a primary reason behind PCOS. Therefore anything you’ll do to cut back insulin resistance helps to relieve PCOS symptoms, improve fertility odds, and cut back future risk of diabetes and heart disease.
two) NAC lowers homocysteine. Homocysteine may be a blood protein. A normal amount is OK. But ladies with polycystic ovary syndrome tend to possess higher levels. An excessive level of homocysteine is toxic and is related to heart disease and alternative health problems.
three) NAC improves the effectiveness of Clomid, a fertility drug. Clomid is typically the first thing your doctor will provide you if you’re making an attempt to conceive.
four) Acting as an antioxidant, NAC could offer reproductive support and improve egg quality.
NAC is taken into account safe. Consult along with your doctor before taking NAC, especially if you are taking the drug metformin. If you’re taking a considerable dose of NAC, you will want to scale back the dosage of metformin. Although NAC has not been shown to possess any adverse result on the fetus, you should check with your doctor before taking NAC if you are pregnant. Do not take NAC whereas conjointly taking nitroglycerin.
How much NAC should you are taking? The solution to that query depends on your unique health profile and needs. It’s best to refer to a qualified health skilled for the dose most appropriate for you.
Most doctors and spinal specialist highly recommend sciatica exercises as the course of treatment as well as a preventive measure. Bed rest and restriction of daily activities can help relieve sciatica but it normally results to weakening of the back muscle which instead of relieving the pain, the condition is aggravated. Deterioration of the back muscle often leads to severe back injury due to the lack of support and constant back strains.
Doing sciatica exercises not only relieves tension and pain on the lower back but can dramatically improve blood circulation. Increased blood circulation provides the sufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients to the discs of the lumbar spine which is needed to keep it healthy and pliable.
Sciatica exercises aims to target back and abdominal muscles. These are the muscles responsible for maintaining good back support.
It focuses on strengthening the back and abdominal muscles for better back support. The preliminary phase involves the most basic exercises for sciatica which includes pelvic tilt, hugging one or both knees and lying prone position. Doctors carefully instruct the patients not to overstretch the back muscles as this may cause further injury and delay the healing process. Patients are not required to strain themselves to the point of exhaustion. They just have to perform each exercise with careful precision and stretch the muscle only to the point where they still feel comfortable.
An accurate diagnosis of the cause of sciatica is needed to appropriately target the specific affected area. The goal of sciatica exercises is to target the root cause of the pain. Specific exercises is designed and formulated depending on the spinal condition that may have caused sciatic pain.
A patient cannot start with the exercises unless diagnostic tests have confirmed the cause of sciatic nerve pain. It is a must to consult a doctor or spinal specialist before engaging in any forms of exercise treatments.
Exercise can significantly improve the back muscle and helps to decrease inflammation on the affected nerve root. There are different other forms of exercises that can prevent future episodes of back problems. Stability ball exercises are good for core strengthening and back support. Doing simple exercises daily can avoid recurrence of sciatica.
The effectiveness of sciatica exercises relies on its frequency and application. It is highly recommended to regularly do the exercises at least two times daily and make sure that each exercise is done properly and correctly. In order to reap the maximum benefits from these exercises, patient also need to practice proper body mechanics and maintain good posture at all times. The exercise program for sciatica must be continued regardless of the improvement in back pain. This in return will not only keep the pain at bay but prevent future back problems as well.
Exercises for sciatica must be incorporated as a part of your daily routine. Exercise helps to minimize back strains and reduces pressure on the lower back. Consistency is the key to long-term pain relief. So if you want the cure for sciatica then make exercise a daily habit.