Tips About Health Care and Medical

Providing healthy doses of vitamins C, A, B6 and B1, watermelon is a low-calorie, antioxidant-rich treat. It is particularly healthy for men: it is a good source of the carotenoid lycopene, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of prostate and other cancers. Try spicing it up and add some black or crushed red pepper to sliced watermelon.

Food is a focal point for many holiday gatherings, and not all of it is healthy. To help reduce the symptoms of heartburn, indigestion, nausea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), consider peppermint. The dried leaves of the peppermint plant come in teas (look for 100 percent pure peppermint leaves), oils (both enteric-coated capsules for swallowing, and essential oils for topical use - I recommend essential oil containing at least 44 percent free menthol), as well as creams and rubs.

While peppermint can help many, children should not be given peppermint tea - it can cause a choking sensation. Similarly, adults with gastroesophageal reflux syndrome (GERD) should avoid peppermint as it can worsen symptoms. In addition, be sure to never ingest undiluted peppermint oil, which can be toxic.

High doses of nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, appear to prevent memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's disease. Studies have been so encouraging that researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have launched a human trial. In the mice, nicotinamide lowered levels of a protein that leads to development of a brain lesion characteristic of Alzheimer's. The researchers added nicotinamide to the mice's drinking water and then tested the animals' short and long-term memory over time. The Alzheimer's mice given nicotinamide performed as well as normal mice in the water-maze and object recognition tests. When given to normal mice, the nicotinamide slightly increased their cognitive abilities, a finding that led one of the study leaders to suggest that the vitamin might improve some aspects of normal memory in humans. (While nicotinamide is generally safe, it can be toxic at very high doses.)The study was published online November 5, 2008 in the Journal of Neuroscience. The researchers are recruiting volunteers for Alzheimer's patients 50 years of age or older for their human study. Participation involves taking the vitamin or a placebo twice a day for 24 weeks.

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that as the day goes on, doctors who perform colonoscopies are less likely to spot suspicious polyps. The investigators looked at the results of nearly 1,100 colonoscopies and noted the time of day the procedures were performed. They found that at least one polyp was identified in 42 percent of the colonoscopies but that for each hour later in the day, the number of polyps seen dropped by four percent. The probable reason? Doctors' fatigue. However, the investigators noted that the chief reason for missing polyps is still improper bowel cleansing by patients in preparation for the exam. They also advised prospective patients to query the doctor who will be performing the colonoscopy, make sure that he or she is aware of the study, and ask them what can be done to compensate for factors that may lead to missing polyps. The study was published on March 29, 2011 by the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Peppermint can help relieve the abdominal pain of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but until recently, no one knew exactly how it provided its benefits. Symptoms of IBS, a common digestive tract disorder, can include any combination of constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, abdominal pain or discomfort, fatigue, and headaches. In April 2011, Australian researchers published a study showing that peppermint works to soothe gastrointestinal pain due to inflammation by activating an "anti-pain" channel in the colon called TRPM8. The pain-sensing fibers that are eased by peppermint are the same as those activated by mustard and chili in foods. The researchers also said that while some affected individuals complain that IBS symptoms occur after they eat fatty and spicy foods or drink coffee and alcohol, the nerve pain fibers in these patients seem to be in a continuously heightened state, perhaps due to an earlier bout of gastroenteritis. The findings were published online by the journal Pain.

If you experience headaches, fatigue or mild depression, this pose could help. The wide-legged forward bend, also known as Prasarita Padottanasana I (meaning "stretched out," or "with outstretched limbs"), reputedly has many benefits, including therapeutic use for headache, lack of energy and poor mood. When done with proper form for the recommended amount of time, this pose can:

Strengthen and stretch the legs and the spine

Tone the abdominal organs

Calm the mind

Relieve mild backache

To learn more about this pose - including simple instruction and variations - click here.

Yoga facilitates the joining or uniting of the mind, body and spirit to enrich the quality of one's life, and to enhance one's health. The Extended Side Angle Pose exemplifies this unity, creating a stretch along the top side of the body, from the back heel through the raised arm.

The benefits of this pose include:

Strengthening and stretching of the legs, knees and ankles

Stretching of the groins, spine, waist, chest and lungs, and shoulders

Stimulating abdominal organs

Increased stamina

You should use caution while performing this pose if you have high (or low) blood pressure or insomnia. Learn more about the Extended Side Angle Pose, including a picture of the proper way to complete the pose.