Tuesday 16 July 2013

Five Good Habits For A Healthy Life – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Five Good Habits For A Healthy Life – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Experiencing a healthy and long life requires several things, including a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, adequate sleep each night, exercise, plenty of water, and eliminating any bad habits that can cause disease, such as smoking and overeating.

Foods

The truth is that many foods that are very rich in vitamins that your body needs everyday are available for your consumption on the go. And with some minor changes, even your fast foods can be healthy choices when you're considering vitamins. With all that is available today, there is no excuse not to eat healthy.

Make or keep a wide variety of healthy foods ready at home to be eaten as snacks. Try to eat as many whole foods as you can as opposed to processed foods.

The reason processed foods are enriched in the first place is because their process has stripped them of virtually all their vital nutrients. By eating natural foods instead of processed you allow your body to have the nutrients it needs to fight disease and allow you to live a longer, healthier life.

If you are the parent of a baby, keep in mind that the first year of solid foods is a very important time for establishing your child's eating habits. Your child is constantly enticed towards foods that are appealing and not necessarily nutritious. By forming good eating habits from the beginning, they are more likely to accept a healthier diet throughout their growing years and beyond.

Exercise

Starting a family fitness routine is a great way to set up your kids with a lifetime love of fitness and exercise, not to mention that it's good for your health and waistline as well.

Although most of us know the importance of exercise and physical fitness, life often gets in the way and exercise is often the last thing on your mind. How many times have you tried to adopt an exercise program, tried to quit smoking or lose weight, or give up junk food.

You don't have to be a professional athlete - just make time for 15-20 minutes of exercise daily. That's the key.

Sleep

Besides exercise you need to have good sleep and rest in order to be healthy. The trick is to receive 7-9 hours of sleep each night as opposed to a few nights out of the week. Getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night can extend your life.

Water

Drinking enough water every day is extremely important. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Research has shown you can speed up your metabolism by 1/3 by drinking several glasses of ice water each day. There are at least a dozen ways water aids different parts of your body, including your heart, skin and digestive system.

Get Rid of Bad Habits

Do you have any bad habits that keep you from achieving better health? Overeating, smoking, or watching TV for hours each day can lead to many health disorders such as high blood pressure, obesity, and cancer.

Ask your doctor, healthcare provider, friends and family members how you can overcome your existing bad habits and replace them with new ones.

Conclusion

These are basic areas that need to be followed to achieve good health. Exercise, diet, adequate water, enough sleep, and ridding yourself of bad habits such as smoking and overeating will greatly increase your chances of fighting off disease and living a long and full life.




Fish Oil Tied to Prostate Risk but Some Experts Are Skeptical – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Fish Oil Tied to Prostate Risk but Some Experts Are Skeptical – FreeHealthCommunity.com

The fish oil supplements that millions of American men take each day to cut their risk of heart disease might have a dark side, at least according to a study released today that is sure to generate controversy.
Can fish oil really prevent heart disease?
The new study, published today in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggests that men who have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their system face a 43 percent increased risk of developing prostate cancer and a 71 percent increased risk of the high-grade form of the disease.
To determine this, the researchers relied on data from a past study that examined the blood concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in 834 men with prostate cancer and 1,393 men without prostate cancer. When they did this, these researchers found an association between high omega-3 levels and the occurrence of prostate cancer.
Read about the effects of fish oil on breast cancer risk.
Whether the increased level of omega-3 in the men with prostate cancer was from supplements or from oily fish in their diet was unclear. But lead study author Dr. Theodore Brasky of Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center said that no matter the source, the findings suggest that men should be wary of getting too much of the nutrient.
“Men will probably want to talk to their doctors, especially those patients who have been recommended increased fish oil intake,” Brasky said. “They should probably moderate their intake of fatty fish and they should avoid fish oil supplements at this time, especially considering that when men are taking fish oil supplementation they are taking [higher doses than they need].”
But some experts say more evidence is needed before men make drastic changes. ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser said that the original study from which this data was drawn was not specifically designed to look at the exact relationship between omega-3 fatty acid intake and prostate cancer, so men should think twice before discontinuing them entirely.
“This is not proof that omega 3′s cause prostate cancer,” he said.
If anything, Besser added, the finding should reinforce the notion that better dietary health does not necessarily come in a pill form.
“If you want omega 3′s, get them from food,” he said. “The more we look at supplements, the more untoward consequences we find.”

So where does this leave men who, based on this study, are worried that they will have to choose between a healthy heart and a healthy prostate?
The first thing that these men should do is speak to their doctors prior to making any changes to their diets and discontinuing current supplementation. In particular, men with active heart conditions or elevated cholesterol levels should approach their cardiologists and discuss the risk versus the benefits of consuming fatty fish and fish oil supplementation.


How to increase your sperm count – FreeHealthCommunity.comHow to increase your sperm count – FreeHealthCommunity.com The drop in the mean sperm count in normal men in the last half century is between 40-50 say experts. Here are some points you need to keep in mind if you want to increase you sperm count: Quit smoking and alcohol. Smoking impairs sperm count and motility, reduces sperm lifespan and may also cause genetic changes that affect the offspring. Similarly, alcohol lowers the production of sperm and of the male hormone testosterone. Exercise regularly but the intensity and duration should be moderate and under supervision, if possible. Excessive physical exercise has a negative influence on fertility. Lose excess weight, as it tends to cause testosterone/estrogen imbalances. Eat nutritious food, which is low in fat and high in protein, vegetables and whole grains. Reduce caffeine intake. Avoid excessive usage of lubricants and vaginal tablets, they can also cause sperm death. Do not store your cellphone in the trouser pocket, or place your laptop on your lap. Protect testicles from too much heat. Avoid high temperature conditions. Once in a while it is fine to take steam baths, spas. Wear loose undergarments. Reduce stress levels by learning relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation. Take a conscious effort to balance the physical and mental health. Physical fitness and mental relaxation improve male fertility. Anabolic steroids should be taken under the guidance of a proper doctor as it can lead to Azoospermia, the term used when there is a complete absence of sperms. Intake of vitamins like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Zinc should be regular. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are present in the semen. When the ROS are present at a high level it can result in significant damage to the semen. Vitamins can decrease the level of ROS. Vitamins help in synthesis and development and maintenance of the normal sperms and they help in avoiding the clumping of sperms. It is important to maintain good sexual health. Regular intercourse in a stable relationship reduces the chances of infections and improves the fertility. Website: http://www.FreeHealthCommunity.com

Sleep and Relationships: An Inside Look – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Sleep and Relationships: An Inside Look – FreeHealthCommunity.com

On the good side of things, my family has always been committed to good sleep hygiene because we know how important sleep is for good health. We are so committed, in fact, that we have allowed a very easygoing attitude toward the logistics of our sleeping habits (i.e., who sleeps where).
On the bad side of things, our house was like  a cross between musical beds and “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”
Sleep and Couples, For Better or Worse
This all started when I was an intern.  My daughter was 6 six months old at the time, and not the best sleeper as an infant.  My husband, a fellow physician, was also used to being “on-call” and being awakened during the night.
He was also a realist who knew he needed sleep. And despite an infant and a beeper that often went off at all hours, he was determined to get it. Answer: He brought our daughter into the bed with him when I was working nights, and she would cry at 2 a.m.
The result was that both daddy and baby slept like logs.  My daughter became quite accustomed to sleeping with one or both parents and this habit took years to break.
The next problem in our increasingly dysfunctional sleep situation came when we got two dogs. We are a dog-loving family and so were used to having pets in the bedroom. At first, there were no issues. But as the dogs got bigger, so did their nocturnal noises: dreaming, scratching, licking, breathing and barking. All this woke me up at the drop of a dime.
5 Health Hazards Linked to Lack of Sleep
Finally, the snoring kicked in. My husband began to snore. While his snoring did not stem from something medically serious such as sleep apnea, it certainly had a serious effect on me. I awoke multiple times a night. And, like many women (and men, too), once I was up, I found it very difficult to fall back to sleep. What was happening here?
For most of my life, I have always been a good sleeper. I fall asleep within seconds of closing my eyes, and usually have no trouble waking up at or before my alarm the next morning.
Then, I became a mother.  Suddenly, I felt as if I were sleeping with eyes wide shut, so to speak.  I could swear that I heard a cry or call from my children in milliseconds.  In speaking to other mothers, this is commonly accepted fact.
Next, I became an obstetrician.  For nine years, I woke up at all hours of the night to deliver babies.  I was trained and conditioned to be able to think clearly and perform surgically immediately after awakening.
So when I started having sleep problems at home, I was perplexed.  Rather than really think about what was causing the problem, I, too (like my husband had done a decade prior), took the path of least resistance and just slinked off to a different room to get my precious sleep.
The good news is that I did, indeed, get a good night’s sleep in another room. Incredibly good, actually!
But the bad news is that I missed sharing a sleep-cave with my husband. I felt embarrassed that this dysfunctional sleeping situation had infiltrated our family, and worried about how people would judge our habits. But I was determined to get good sleep no matter what, because I had sacrificed sleep for so many years taking care of my own babies, and delivering the babies of others.
The ABC News sleep experiment we did taught me a completely new way of approaching our sleep problems and habits. We made substantive changes in our bedroom environment based on the recommendations of our sleep expert, Dr. Wendy Troxel of the Sleep Medicine Institute at the University of Pittsburgh.
We got a king-size bed (we had been sleeping in the same queen-size bed since we got married 17 years ago) and put blackout shades on the windows (we never sleep late, so we never had any shades or drapes on our windows because we never needed them for privacy in the suburbs).
We taught our dogs to sleep with our teenage son (who loves having them in his room and isn’t disturbed by their sounds) and, best of all, my husband trained himself to sleep on his side (a position in which he does not snore).
The data from our sleep study showed that my husband slept better with me by his side, and that I slept almost as well next to him, as I did alone.  I had misjudged the entire situation.
For some people, however, insomnia and snoring can indicate serious medical problems like sleep apnea, depression, medication side effects or other physical issues.  If your poor night’s sleep is leaving you moody, distracted or drowsy at work or behind the wheel, seek proper medical evaluation.
Other important tips for good sleep hygiene include: setting a consistent sleep-waking schedule and sticking to it; avoiding caffeine or alcohol; “unplugging” from smartphones, laptops and the TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime; and making sure your mattress is comfortable and the temperature in your room is right for you. I recommend 65-67 degrees).
Sleep is important for your health, and can also affect your relationship, whether you sleep together as a couple, or apart.


Exercises for staying fit Mentally – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Exercises for staying fit Mentally – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Staying fit mentally is as important as maintaining our physical health. It is vital to exercise our brain regularly just like we exercise the rest of our body. According to some studies, physical activity and brain exercise programmes help reduce anxiety and depression in individuals. Moreover, such programmes also play a key role in enhancing the plasticity of the brain, which is its ability to continue to develop and change throughout our life. Due to this unique physical process of brain plasticity, people can grow and develop their mental capacities throughout their lifetime. There are various ways by which you can stimulate your brain to strengthen its functioning and remain fit mentally. Read on…

Solving Puzzles: Did you know that brain growth in humans is a continuous process? Even in old age, studies have shown that the brain can rewire itself and grow new neurons or brain cells. Whatever, age-related memory loss occurs is due to the lack of adequate mental stimulation. Stimulating your brain with crossword puzzles or Sudoku helps to improve brain function and prevent any form of cognitive decline. According to Cognitive Rx, these exercises particularly help to improve our left brain function which uses logic, knows facts and is detail oriented. You can even add complexity to such exercises by choosing puzzles with hidden themes.

Strategy Games: Games of strategy like card games or board games are regarded as great brain stimulators. This is because they enable a person to think in logical patterns. With the advancement of technology, computer or gaming systems also offer a great opportunity to challenge one’s cognitive functions. However, it is imperative to avoid playing the same games all the time. Strategy games should be subjected to frequent alterations in terms of the nature of the games and complexity.

Cardiovascular fitness: An effective way to boost your mental fitness is by indulging in cardio trainings. Besides improving your mental health, such form of exercises also prevents the fall of brain cells with age. Hence, cardio workouts are regarded as a great way to prevent age-related memory loss like Alzheimer’s disease.

Neurobic Exercises: These exercises involve intentional stimulation of the brain for increased mental fitness and flexibility. Wondering what is so specific about these exercises? For an exercise to be regarded as neurobic, it involves using more than one of your senses at a time for performing an ordinary task. Taking a shower with your eyes closed or using only visual cues while eating are all examples of neurobic training. This also involves breaking routine habits in an unexpected, novel way like taking a new route to work.

Relaxation Techniques: The beneficial effects of relaxation techniques for stree relief have been known for a long time. Merely grabbing a few extra hours of sleep is not sufficient to combat stress. You need to activate the natural relaxation process of your body with the help of specific techniques. This involves practicing deep breathing techniques, meditation, visualisation, rhythmic exercises and yoga postures. All these fitness modules will enable you to overcome stress when it becomes overwhelming at times.



8 Ways to Avoid Beach Bloat – FreeHealthCommunity.com

8 Ways to Avoid Beach Bloat – FreeHealthCommunity.com

I have a friend who can drink a gallon of sparkling water and maintain a perfectly flat stomach. I, on the other hand, am extremely sensitive to any and all potential belly bloaters, including "bubbly" H2O. For this reason, I'm particularly conscientious about a handful of habits, at least 24 hours before I'll be wearing a form-fitting outfit, or sporting a swim suit.

If you're like me, and you have any midriff-bearing activities on the horizon, here are eight tricks that can help prevent uncomfortable, distressing belly bloat!

Avoid Carbonated Drinks
I adore sparkling water and all natural seltzer, but the little bubbles that add pizzaz can cause your belly to swell like a balloon filled with air.

Instead, stick with flat water, sip on hot or chilled ginger tea, or add fresh grated ginger to your green or black tea, water, or meals. Ginger has a calming effect on your GI tract and can help reduce gas, which adds to belly bloat.

Curb Salt and Sodium
Water is attracted to sodium like a magnet, so when you're heavy handed with the salt shaker, or you eat sodium-rich foods like bread, or soy sauce, you'll retain more water, which can leave you looking and feeling puffy and bloated.

To alleviate water retention or prevent this effect, choose high potassium foods, including avocado, papaya, mango, banana and cantaloupe. Potassium is a natural diuretic, so it helps flush out surplus sodium and fluid and de-bloat your body.

Nix Gas-Producers
While they're incredibly healthy, if you want to avoid bloating, steer clear of gas-producing foods, including broccoli, cabbage cauliflower, cucumbers, onions, Brussels sprouts, celery, apples, and beans. Each naturally produces gas, triggering an expansion of your midsection.

Fruits and veggies less likely to create this effect include carrots, zucchini, bell peppers, cantaloupe, grapes and berries
Eschew Alcohol
It may seem counterintuitive to avoid alcohol to prevent bloating, since it's dehydrating, but alcohol's diuretic effect can trigger rebound water retention, leaving you feeling puffy and swollen. Instead, stick with water, but to make it feel special, add fresh sprigs of mint, slices of lemon, lime, or a few mashed berries.

Sidestep Surplus Carbs and Sugar
Your body has the ability to store roughly 500-700 grams of carbohydrate as glycogen, energy "piggy banks" your body stockpiles for fuel. Some glycogen is stored in your liver, but most is stowed in muscle, and for every gram you stock away, you also amass about three grams of water. When you eat more carbs and sugar than usual, you retain more glycogen and fluid, which leads to a spike on the scale and a bloated feeling.

While I don't recommend avoiding carbs altogether, there are healthy ways to keep them in check. For example, make veggies the main attraction in each meal, along with lean protein, a little healthy fat, and a small portion of a healthy whole grain. Instead of ordering Chinese take-out (which typically includes mondo portions of rice and sauces laden with starch and sugar), whip up a simple stir fry made with a few handfuls of veggies, shrimp or tofu, in a sauce made with brown rice vinegar, coconut oil, fresh squeezed citrus juice, garlic, and fresh grated ginger, over a small scoop of brown or wild rice.

Dodge "Bulky" Foods
Foods that take up a lot of space in your stomach, like big salads and popcorn, are healthy choices most of the time. But if you want your stomach to look flat, your best bet is to keep your portions small, and reach for fruits and veggies that take up less space in your stomach, like cooked carrots and unsweetened, preservative free dried fruit (a half cup of cooked veggies is the equivalent of one cup raw, and a cup of fresh fruit shrinks down to a quarter cup when dried). You'll get a healthy dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, without a lot less belly distention.

Thwart Air-Expanders
Skipping meals, eating too fast, chewing gum, sucking on hard candy or mints, and drinking through a straw all cause you to swallow more air, which can get trapped in your belly, creating a poochy look. To avoid it, don't let more than five hours go by without eating, slow down, chew your food well, take your time with meals and snacks, and nix the other habits.
Steer Clear of Spicy Foods
I've fallen in love with hot peppers and fiery spices, from jalapenos to harissa, but they can irritate the GI tract and increase gas production. Prior to baring your belly, keep your meals simple, and reach for GI-soothing herbs and spices for seasoning, including mint, rosemary and cinnamon.

Cynthia Sass is a registered dietitian with master's degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she's Health's contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches.



20 ways to gain weight fast – FreeHealthCommunity.com

20 ways to gain weight fast – FreeHealthCommunity.com


How to gain weight is as difficult as losing weight. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration; but we all know someone who is skinny as a stick and does not shy away from food. Most of us are envious that they never put on weight, but they too wish to have a lean well toned, even curvy or muscular look.

How to gain weight: People may be underweight due to various reasons

Inadequate feeding habits, prolonged meal time gaps, poor selection of foods, increased physical activity without increasing the food intake can lead to energy deficit, are a few of the major reasons for being underweight. Other reasons can be malabsorption due to prolonged illness, diseases such as tuberculosis, cancer, hormonal imbalances (hyperthyroidism) and eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia.

How to gain weight: Healthy weight gain

Gradual weight gain is always advisable. An increase in 500 kcal per day can result in increasing the body weight by 0.5 kgs per week. Objective should be to restore a desirable weight/ ideal body weight according to one's age, gender and height. To rebuild body tissues, to maintain a good nutritional status and to maintain ideal body weight are a few reasons why healthy weight gain is important.

How to gain weight: Exercise

If you're indulging where food's concerned, beware of the inevitable skinny person's paunch. No matter what your skinny status, as you grow older, you will develop an unsightly paunch. To avoid this, you must endeavour to maintain a toned body. For this, exercise is essential. Participate in a balanced mix of cardio, weight training, and flexibility exercises every day.

How to gain weight: Lift weights for lean mass

If you haven't figured it out already, you're going to be doing some heavy lifting in order to put on lean mass. The foundation of your routine should be the big compound lifts: Squats, deadlifts, presses (bench and overhead), pull-ups, rows, dips, snatches, power cleans, clean and jerks. These engage multiple muscles while triggering your hormonal response systems.

How to gain weight: Exercises for beginners

A

Squat 5x5

Pull-ups 5xFailure (add weight if "Failure" is becoming more than 12 reps)

Overhead Press 5x5

B

Squat 5x5

Deadlift 1/2/3x5 (your choice; deadlifts can be incredibly taxing, and with exhaustion comes poor form, so be careful; sometimes it's better to do a really heavy load for a single set)

Bench Press 5x5

C

Squat 5x5

Pull-ups 5xFailure

Overhead Press 5x5

Do this sequence every week (maybe Monday, Wednesday, Friday) and steadily increase the weight each session. Once you're making progress, feel free to add in other exercises like dips or more Olympic lifts.

How to gain weight: Healthy diet

You may take dietary supplement, but you need a balanced diet more. You need the right amount of protein, carbs and fats. Help yourself to nuts and dairy products. Protein is the key for muscle building; this will help you gain weight.

How to gain weight: Healthy heart and weight gain diet

Add pistachios or roasted channa to your diet. Make them your evening munchies, as they help you lower risk of heart disease. Other snack ideas include whole wheat or multi grain bread/ soy sticks with hummus or peanut butter. Opt for salsa dips and chutneys as they are high on fibre and very healthy. How to Gain Weight: Increase liquid intake

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If you want to gain weight, you need to build an appetite; and while this might be a tad non-traditional, you can rely on wine as a hunger stimulant. A small glass of wine before your evening meal will help you appreciate your food a whole lot more. Also, avoid drinking water before meals and in between meals, you don't want to ruin your appetite.

How to gain weight: Eat less

If you eat in between meals, cut it out. They say you should eat three large meals or five to six small meals in a day. Eating less is more. Choose food with nutritional calories and increase intake of starchy foods like potatoes. Remember, the more junk food you eat, the more you deprive your body of healthy nutrients. A thin person who gorges on junk food will suffer the same unhealthy consequences as an obese person with poor eating habits.

How to gain weight: Indulge the right way

Often times, well meaning folks will tell you to eat cakes and other sugar-heavy desserts in order to help you gain weight. While normally this strategy works perfectly for some, for others it could just lead to visceral fat - a state of being skinny fat. Skinny fat essentially means that a person appears skinny on the outside, but has fat accumulated in the wrong places (around vital organs) on the inside. Besides, sugar-heavy foods deplete your body of whatever little nutrients it might be getting from other foods.

How to gain weight: Eat lots and lots of healthy vegetables and meat
You are going to have to eat far more than before if you want to gain weight. Since body composition is 80% diet, you are going to have to stuff yourself. You need to provide lots and lots of proteins for those hormones to synthesize.

How to gain weight: Eat healthy fats

Eat plenty of healthy fats. Eat your egg yolks, meat with animal fat, coconut oil, and other healthy fats. Increase caloric intake - of the healthy kind ofcourse. So those bananas count well here.
How to gain weight: Increase protein intake

Never let your protein intake go lower than 1g/lb of body weight when you are aiming to add long-term muscle. It's the building block of muscle, and your body is going to be starving for it.

How to gain weight: Foods that help you gain weight

Whole eggs: It is economical and loaded with protein, vitamins A,D, E and good cholesterol.

Butter: Butter is linked with long term weight gain. Intake of butter should be in moderation, as regular consumption of butter is bad for your heart.

Tuna: The vital fatty acids in tuna contain a host of healthy fats, which not only aid in weight gain but also help in maintaining physical well-being.

Natural fruit juice: A healthy and nutritious way to gain some pounds, sip 100-per cent fruit juice that's full of sugar and added nutrients.

Whole wheat bread: You can eat healthy and pack on pounds at the same time by eating whole wheat bread which accounts for approximately 69 calories per slice.

How to gain weight: Food rich in good calories

Peanut butter - Spread - soft, salty peanut butter on bread. It gives you approximately 192 calories plus it is extra high in protein.

Energy bars - It is loaded with good-for-you nuts and oats. One bowl packs around 500 calories, which is healthy as well as yummy for breakfast.

Cheese - One serving of cheddar cheese packs a good 69 calories. Cheese is concentrated milk, so it is high in protein and calcium, fat, cholesterol and cheese calories.

Oil - Adding extra fat to your food is an easy way to add calories, choose olive oil, canola oil, etc. which is good for your health and will add those much needed calories too.

Banana - One banana contains approximately 100 calories. Not only are bananas rich in carbs and nutritious, they're also great for workout fuel.

How to gain weight: Daily tips to gain weight

Include three- four servings of fruits and vegetables to your daily diet. It is best to consume fruits in their natural form to get all the nutrients.

Make sure you get enough rest.

Instead of stocking up on chocolate as glucose boosters, try high-fibre, low sugar oat bars. These take care of your cravings.

Oats: A bowl of oatmeal is the perfect nutritious breakfast. It is high in fiber, and it also provides the body with vital nutrients.

Yogurt: The healthy fruit-flavored, fatless yogurt can give you as much as 118 calories. Include it in your daily diet for quick weight gain.

How to gain weight: Dietary supplements for gaining weight

Supplements should be taken only in consultation with a doctor/ dietician, only if required in case of nutrient deficiencies. How your body processes these supplements depends on what your body's needs are. The supplements that are usually associated with weight gain needs are usually carb-enriched supplements.

The same thumb-rule of focusing on your body's needs before buying supplements, applies to vitamin and mineral supplements as well. Excess of multivitamins can cause hypervitaminosis leading to various problems as diarrhoea, vomiting etc.

How to gain weight: Food habits that help you gain weight

Chew the food properly to improve digestion. Avoid excessive intake of beverages such as coffee and tea immediately after meals, as this hinders the absorption of minerals like iron. Keep a track of your weight gain as this is essential; it is healthy to increase approximately 5 to 6 kgs weight per month.

Cook smartly, using a wide variety of food choices that are beneficial for health. Use a variety of fruits and vegetables to make salads, and rely on healthy appetisers (ex: Amla pudina chutney).

How to gain weight: Unhealthy habits for gaining unhealthy weight

- Lack of sleep may be making you fat

- Eating in the car

- Eating in front of the TV

- Food rut - eating the same thing day in and day out

- Finishing everything on your plate and peer pressure

- "Coffee shopping" or for some of us it is the "meet up for a drink"

How to gain weight: After gaining the right weight

The right combination of healthy food, exercise, right breathing, rest and sleep go a long way in a happier and healthier you. Once you've gained the right amount of weight that you desire to gain, you'll realise that your naturally thin body will look far more toned and curved at the right places, than you ever thought possible!


Sex can boost your health incredibly – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Sex can boost your health incredibly – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Forget - creams, sex can make you seven years younger. But that's not the only benefit

Partner not in the mood again? It might be worth sharing the following to change their mind. According to the latest studies, regular sex, that's one to two lovemaking sessions per week can provide some incredible boosts to your health.

Disease-proof your body
Having high levels of the natural steroid DHEA, known as "the anti-ageing hormone", is believed to be key to keeping your body fitter for longer. During sex, DHEA is secreted throughout the body, and after an orgasm, the level in the bloodstream soars to five times its normal amount.

Smooth out your wrinkles
The hormone oestrogen is pumped out during sex, which can in turn have a plumping effect on the skin, helping smooth out those fine lines.

This is especially useful following the menopause, when a woman's skin can become drier and more wrinkled, as oestrogen levels naturally come down.

An American study found that menopausal women who had sex every week had oestrogen levels twice as high as their counterparts who abstained.

Cure that headache
'Having a headache' might be an age-old excuse not to have sex, but the scientific evidence says that, to the contrary, sex can help shift pain.

This is because making love causes a surge in the 'love' hormone oxytocin, plus other feel good endorphins, which can ease pain.

Women have reported that their pain from both headaches and arthritis improved postcoitus.

Strengthen your bones
As regular sex can boost oestrogen levels in postmenopausal women, it can offer some protection against the bone-thinning condition osteoporosis that is triggered by a lack of oestrogen.

And men can benefit too, as testosterone levels have been found to increase during and after sex, which can provide some protection against male osteoporosis.

Cut risk of incontinence
Good sex is a great workout for a woman's pelvic floor muscles , the muscles that control orgasms and also stem the flow of urine, reducing leakage and incontinence.

Pregnancy and the menopause can weaken these muscles significantly, but the stronger they are, the lower your risk of developing stress incontinence and prolapse later.



Home remedies to cure dark circles – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Home remedies to cure dark circles – FreeHealthCommunity.com

The skin around the eyes is very delicate and thinner than most other areas of the face. It has no oil glands and has a fine texture. This area requires special care and reflects neglect, abuse, aging, stress, internal health and lifestyle very easily. In fact, dark circles around the eyes can also develop due to hereditary factors, lack of sleep, illness, stress and nutritional deficiencies. Therefore, along with external treatment, it is advisable to take these aspects into consideration in order to establish the cause and bring about the necessary changes.

Dark circles can develop at an early age, like adolescence and early 20s, although it is more common in older people. This is due to the causes discussed above. The way to prevent dark circles is to have a nutritious and balanced diet, including fresh fruits, salads, yogurt and sprouts in your daily diet, along with unprocessed cereals, skimmed milk, cottage cheese (paneer), lentils and beans.

Daily exercise, along with deep breathing, helps blood circulation, oxygenation and control of stress. Adequate sleep and relaxation are very important.

Gentle movements and a light touch are essential while handling the area, to remove make up or apply creams. It is better not to massage the area, so that the skin does not get pulled or stretched in any way.

Any massage of the area should be done during a professional facial, so that correct techniques are employed. A cleansing gel or cream should be used to remove make-up, using moist cotton wool. Gels and creams help to dissolve make up and grime and thus facilitate their removal.

A cream which has been specially formulated for the area around the eyes should be applied. Heavy creams are not suitable. It should be a cream with a light texture and consistency. The cream should be removed with a moist cotton wool after 10 minutes. Cream should never be left on the area around the eyes during the night. Normal facial masks should not be applied around the eyes. An under-eye cream, containing almond, is good, as it not only nourishes the skin, but has a lightening effect on the colour tone, if used over a period of time. Facial masks are usually not applied around the eyes.

Eye fatigue can also be relived with washing. Wash your eyes with warm water and follow this with cold water. This improves blood circulation to the eyes and soothes them. It also cleanses the eyes and relieves congestion.

Some home remedies can be used to minimise dark circles, brighten the eyes and reduce fatigue:

- Cucumber juice is a common remedy. It should be applied daily around eyes and washed off with plain water after 15 minutes.

- Mixing potato juice with cucumber juice in equal quantities helps if there is puffiness along with dark circles. Follow the same procedure.

- Dark circles can also be treated by mixing cucumber juice with lemon juice in equal quantities. Apply daily and wash off with water after 15 minutes.

- Tomato juice is also said to lighten skin colour.

- Consult your doctor about daily exercises. Include deep breathing exercises in your exercise schedule. This helps to deal with stress and also oxygenates the body.
- Along with external care and a healthy lifestyle, take time off for relaxation, using eye pads. Take cotton wool and make two thick square pads. They can be soaked in cucumber juice or rose water. Lie down, close your eyes and put the soaked pads on them. Keep them on for about 15 minutes. Used tea bags can also be used as eye pads.

- Applying a compress of iced water or cold milk directly over closed lids for 15 to 20 minutes also helps.


Frozen Fruit Blend Linked To Hepatitis A Outbreak – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Frozen Fruit Blend Linked To Hepatitis A Outbreak – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Virginia health officials have just announced that the "Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Berry Blend" sold under the Harris Teeter brand, could be the cause of the outbreak of hepatitis A infections.

The Virginia Department of Health, along with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, issued a warning to all consumers to avoid eating the product.

Hepatitis A is a disease that usually occurs and spreads as a result of an infected food handler preparing food products without adequate hand hygiene. Following the implementation of an expanded program of hepatitis A vaccination of children, the overall hepatitis A rate in the U.S. has declined by 76 percent..

However, the disease can still pose a serious threat to those who haven't been vaccinated.

The berry mix has already been removed from store shelves but people who have previously bought the product could be at risk.

Health officials have said that anyone who has eaten the product in the last two weeks and hasn't been vaccinated against hepatitis A, should immediately contact their doctor to seek possible treatment.

Harris Teeter posted the following message on their website regarding the recall of the product:

"Townsend Farms Inc. issued a voluntary recall of a frozen organic berry blend containing organic pomegranate arils. Townsend Farms Inc. issued this voluntary recall because the Food and Drug Administration is investigating an outbreak of Hepatitis A linked to the frozen organic berry blend sold by that company.

Townsend Farms Inc. is the supplier of Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend; out of an abundance of caution, Harris Teeter removed its Harris Teeter Organics Antioxidant Berry Blend from its frozen cases. The Company asks that customers do not eat the product but rather discard it or return it to Harris Teeter for a full refund.


FrozenOrganicAntioxidantBlend
Townsend Farms, Inc. recalled certain lots of its frozen Organic Antioxidant Blend on June 4, 2013

Symptoms of hepatitis A infection include:
Fatigue
Fever
Vomiting
Nausea
Dark urine
Jaundice
Joint pain
Abdominal pain
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 79 people, in eight states (Arizona, California Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington), with acute hepatitis A infections have been linked to the consumption of the berry product.

40 out of 55 ill people interviewed, reported eating "Townsend Farms Organic Antioxidant Blend" frozen berry and pomegranate mix and 40 reported buying the product from Costco.

Certain lots of the product from April 20 until June 1, are thought to be considered dangerous: T041613E or T041613C and a "BEST BY" code of 101614.

The U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention urged that "even if some of the product has been eaten without anyone in your home becoming ill, the rest of the product should be discarded."



Sitting Less Reduces Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Sitting Less Reduces Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes – FreeHealthCommunity.com

People at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes can reduce the risk by sitting less and moving around more frequently, rather than exercising regularly.

The finding came from a study at the University of Leicester which indicates that decreasing sitting time by 90 minutes in total each day may result in critical health advantages.

Patients at risk for type 2 diabetes are currently told to do moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) every week for at least 150 minutes.

However, the new research, published in Diabetologia demonstrates that individuals should actually be told to decrease their sedentary time. This means that they need to reduce the time they spend moving very little or not all, such as when they are lying down or sitting.

The investigation was led by Joseph Henson and a team from the Diabetes Research Unit, University of Leicester and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Loughborough Diet, Lifestyle and Physical Activity Biomedical Research Unit (BRU), UK.

The researchers examined patients from 2 reports:
153 from project STAND (Sedentary Time and Diabetes study, 29% men, 33 years old on average)
the Walking Away from Diabetes study (65% men, 64 years old on average)
The degree to which MVPA, total physical activity, sedentary time, and breaks in sedentary time were independently linked to cardiometabolic risk factors were observed in people with recognized risk factors for diabetes type 2.

In order to evaluate MVPA, total physical activity and sedentary time, the experts used accelerometers. Breaks in sedentary time were considered a change from a sedentary to an active state.

According to the results, patients with known risk factors for type 2 diabetes recruited from primary care, sedentary time was harmfully linked to 2 h glucose, HDL-cholesterol, and triacylglycerol, independent of confounders that were evaluated.

After controlling for MVPA and adiposity, the results were still significant.

The results were constant across different age groups, demonstrating that the adverse outcomes of surplus sedentary time prevail among young and old adults.

Henson explained:

"These studies provide preliminary evidence that sedentary behavior may be a more effective way to target the prevention of type 2 diabetes, rather than just solely focusing on MVPA. Moreover, sedentary time occupies large portions of the day, unlike MVPA."


The authors added that sedentary time had a more powerful link to many critical cardiometabolic markers, such as HDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and 2 h glucose, as opposed to total physical activity and MVPA, after controlling for each other and other crucial hidden variables.

The novel findings raise concerns about the potential prescription of optimal daily movement for well-being.

Henson concluded:

"Diabetes and cardiovascular prevention programs concentrating solely on MVPA may overlook an area that is of fundamental importance to cardiometabolic health. Along with messages related to accumulating at least 150 min/week of MVPA, which form the cornerstone of diabetes prevention programs, such interventions may be more effective still if individuals are further encouraged to simply sit less and move more, regardless of the intensity level.

This approach requires a paradigm shift, so that individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes think about the balance of sedentary behavior and physical activity throughout the day."


The results coincide with a different study also published this week which showed that sitting for long hours is linked to an elevated risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.


10 tips for a healthy lifestyle – FreeHealthCommunity.com

10 tips for a healthy lifestyle – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Sometimes it can feel as though eating a healthy diet, getting enough exercise and finding the time to find yourself is impossible. But learning to live a healthier lifestyle is easy when you change one small thing at a time. Follow Rosalind Ryan's advice and you'll soon be full of beans

1. Let it beet
It sounds bizarre, but beetroot could be a secret weapon against high blood pressure. The condition is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, but many people aren't aware they have it as it has no symptoms. Now, researchers from Barts and the London School of Medicine say drinking 500ml of beetroot juice could dramatically reduce blood pressure after just one hour. So drink up the pink stuff.



2. Think outside the box
Us lazy Brits will spend 17 years of our lives on the sofa, with seven years of that devoted to watching TV. Next time you hear yourself say, "I haven't got time to go to the gym" or you opt for ready meals because you're too busy to cook fresh food, think about switching off the box and doing something healthy instead.
3. don't take the biscuit
It may be a good idea to steer clear of the biscuit tin before you go shopping. A team from the University of Singapore recently discovered that the smell of chocolate chip cookies could make women splurge on unnecessary clothes when they hit the shops. The smell activates the part of your brain that wants instant gratification, although that's no excuse for maxing out your credit cards.



. Embracing good health
Giving your partner a hug doesn't just warm the heart, it can protect it too. A study by the University of North Carolina in 2005 found that hugging your other half for 20 seconds could lower blood pressure and reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked to heart disease and other conditions such as diabetes.



5. Pouring salt on the wound
We eat around 9.5g of salt a day, but the Government wants us to cut this to no more than 6g, as high levels of salt can push up your blood pressure, raising your risk of cardiovascular conditions. Many food labels only list salt as sodium however, but you can do a simple sum to work out their real salt content; just multiply by 2.5. So 0.8g of sodium becomes 2g of salt.



6. Sunny side up
Get outside in the sunshine for a natural boost. The sun's rays on the skin help your body produce vitamin D, which has been shown to fight heart disease, depression, osteoporosis and even some types of cancer. There's not a lot of sun around at this time of year, so make the most of it when it does appear!
7. One is the magic number
One of the largest studies into diet and cancer – the Europe-wide EPIC study – found that eating just one extra portion of fruit and vegetables a day could cut your risk of dying early from any cause by 20 per cent.



8. Holding back the years
Add 14 years to your life by following four very easy principles; don't smoke, take regular exercise, drink sensibly and eat five portions of fruit and veg a day. These simple steps can have a huge impact on your life expectancy, say scientists from Cambridge University. If you only manage one thing, give up smoking as the study found this had the biggest impact on your health.



9. A step in the right direction
Previously, experts thought taking 10,000 steps a day was enough to control your weight, but a world-wide study has just established that women up to the age of 40 and men up to 50 need 12,000 steps a day to help shift that middle jiggle. Invest in a pedometer to make sure you're hitting your target.
10. Laughter is the best medicine
Become a glass-half-full person! Studies have found that those with a positive attitude suffer less from conditions such as heart disease. Find something to laugh at every day to give your feel-good hormones a boost.



Can Oral Sex Cause Throat Cancer? – FreeHealthCommunity.com

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Father's Mental Health Linked To Child's Behavior – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Father's Mental Health Linked To Child's Behavior – FreeHealthCommunity.com

An expectant father's psychological distress may be linked to his toddler's emotional and behavioral development.

The finding came from new research published in the journal Pediatrics which analyzed over 31,000 Norwegian kids and their parents.

Several previous studies have shown that the mental health of a mother, during and after her pregnancy, may have an effect on the health of the child. One study showed that children's early experiences with a mother suffering from a severe mental illness can influence their long-term health and development.

Anne Lise Kvalevaag, leading researcher and a doctoral candidate in psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway, said:

"The results of this study point to the fact that the father's mental health represents a risk factor for child development, whereas the traditional view has been that this risk in large is represented by the mother. The father's mental health should therefore be addressed both in research and clinical practice."


The team of experts interrogated the dads when the moms were 4 to 5 months pregnant. They were asked about their mental health, for instance, whether they felt depressed or afraid.

The mental health of the moms was provided by the mothers themselves, as well as the behavioral, social, and emotional development of their children when they were 3 years old.

Rather than looking at particular diagnoses in kids, the scientists collected information on whether they had experienced frequent mood shifts, got into fights, or had feelings of anxiety, explained Kvalevaag.

High levels of psychological distress were reported by 3% of the dads. The team discovered a link between the mental health of the father and the development of a child.

The children who had the most emotional issues at age 3 were the ones whose dads were the most distressed. The researchers pointed out that this study did not demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect association.

The authors explained that there are various possible means that may account for the relationship. For example, Kvalevaag explained, the fathers may be passing on a genetic risk to the child. The mental health of the soon-to-be mom could also be influenced by the dad's depression, therefore, causing an effect on the unborn baby, suggested another scientist.

"If a father is highly distressed, that could affect the mom's secretion of hormones during pregnancy, it could affect her sleep, her own mental status," said Daniel Armstrong, professor of pediatrics and director of the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

"The prenatal mental state of the father is likely to predict the postnatal mental health of the father and this may also account for some of the associations found," Kvalevaag revealed.

The experts noted that the study had a few limitations, for example, the mental health data was taken from self-reports, which are not always reliable.

Prior studies have indicated that infants are seen as being more troublesome by depressed moms as opposed to more impartial onlookers, explained Michael Rice, associate clinical director of the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

The answer to this problem may be fairly simple, Armstrong said. "When mom comes in for appointments, we should at least be raising the question of how dad's doing. That's probably a question that's never asked."

Rice concluded:

"This study gives a more complete picture. When we talk about preventative mental health and preventing these things in the kids, we really need resources there at the prenatal stage for both the mother and the father."


Cure For Gray Hair And Vitiligo Found – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Cure For Gray Hair And Vitiligo Found – FreeHealthCommunity.com

A modified pseudocatalase, a new compound that reverses oxidative stress may provide a cure for loss of skin or hair color, i.e. gray hair or vitiligo, researchers from the United Kingdom and Germany reported in The FASEB Journal.

The need to use hair dyes to cover up a classic sign of aging - gray hair - may soon be a thing of the past.

Scientists from the Institute for Pigmentary Disorders in association with E.M. Arndt University of Greifswald, Germany and the Centre for Skin Sciences, School of Life Sciences at the University of Bradford, United Kingdom, explained that people's hair goes gray because of massive oxidative stress caused by a build up of hydrogen peroxide in hair follicles. This causes hair to bleach itself from the inside out.

The researchers found that this massive build up of hydrogen peroxide can be reversed with a UVB-activated compound called PC-KUS, a modified pseudocatalase. The research team developed this new proprietary treatment.

Vitiligo2
PC-KUS restores skin color in patients with vitiligo The authors added that PC-KUS treatment is also effective for patients with vitiligo. Vitiligo is a long-term skin problem that produces white depigmentation patches that develop and grow in certain sections of skin.

Study author, Karin U. Schallreuter, M.D., said:

"To date, it is beyond any doubt that the sudden loss of the inherited skin and localized hair color can affect those individuals in many fundamental ways. The improvement of quality of life after total and even partial successful repigmentation has been documented."


Schallreuter and team analyzed 2,411 patients from several countries with vitiligo. Fifty-seven (2.4%) of them were diagnosed with SSV (strictly segmental vitiligo) and 76 (3.2%) were diagnosed with mixed vitiligo, which is SSV plus NSV (non-segmental vitiligo).

They discovered that those with SSV with a specific nerval distribution involving eyelashes and skin showed the same oxidative stress found in the much more common general NSV. General NSV is associated with decreased antioxidant capacities, including thioredoxin reductase, catalase, and the repair mechanisms methionine sulfoxide reductases.

They found that PC-KUS treatment led to successful patient outcomes - patients' pigmentation in their skin and eyelashes was restored - i.e. they recovered their original skin and hair color.

Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, said:

"For generations, numerous remedies have been concocted to hide gray hair. but now, for the first time, an actual treatment that gets to the root of the problem has been developed.

While this is exciting news, what's even more exciting is that this also works for vitiligo. This condition, while technically cosmetic, can have serious socio-emotional effects of people. Developing an effective treatment for this condition has the potential to radically improve many people's lives."


Woman with gray hair
Gray hair is caused by a massive accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicles. This report is a follow-up on a 2009 study that explained why our hair turns gray. Scientists from the Universities of Bradford, England, and Mainz and Luebeck, Germany, explained in The FASEB Journal (March 2009 issue) that graying hair has absolutely nothing to do with wisdom. They wrote that "Going gray is caused by a massive build up of hydrogen peroxide due to wear and tear of our hair follicles."

Hydrogen peroxide eventually blocks the normal production of melanin, the natural pigment responsible for hair color, as well as skin and eye color.

Written by Christian Nordqvist


Freshness Is The Key Of Good And Healthy Life – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Freshness Is The Key Of Good And Healthy Life – FreeHealthCommunity.com


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Emergency Visits Due To Ambien Skyrocket – FreeHealthCommunity.com

Emergency Visits Due To Ambien Skyrocket – FreeHealthCommunity.com

The number of people taking Ambien (zolpidem) and ending up in hospital emergency departments increased by nearly 220% between 2005 and 2010, from 6,111 to 19,487 visits, says a news report issued by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, USA).

SAMHSA added that 74% of all emergency department visits involving adverse reactions to Ambien were made by people aged at least 45 years.

According to public records, 4,916,328 Americans made drug-related visits to emergency departments in 2010.
Ambien-related emergency visits rose more among women

Sixty-eight percent of all emergency department visits consisted of female patients in 2010, the report showed.
Women - a 274% increase in Ambien-related emergency department visits, from 3,537 in 2005 to 13,130 in 2010.
Men - a 144% rise in Ambien-related emergency department visits, from 2,484 in 2005 to 6,306 in 2010.
What is Zolpidem?

Zolpidem is a prescription drug for the short-term treatment of insomnia. Zolpidem is the active ingredient in medications such as Ambien, Ambien CR, Zolpimist and Edluar.

Zolpidem was first approved by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on December 19th, 2008.

According to SAMHSA, Ambien, Ambien CR, Zolpimist and Edluar have been used safely and effectively by millions of people in the USA. However, the FDA had to respond to a growing number of adverse reaction reports, and in January 2013, told pharmaceutical companies that made medications containing zolpidem to reduce the recommended dose for females by 50%. The Agency also suggested that the dosage should be reduced for men.

Even as far back as 2006, a growing number of people were getting up in the middle of the night, doing things and not remembering what they did, after taking Ambien.
Adverse reactions linked to Zolpidem (Ambien) use

The following most common adverse reactions linked to Ambien have been reported to the FDA:
agitation
daytime drowsiness
dizziness
drowsiness while driving
hallucinations
sleep-walking
Zolpidem's sedative effects can increase to dangerous levels when combined with other substances, especially with anti-anxiety drugs and narcotic pain relievers.

Half of all emergency department visits in 2010 involved zolpidem usage in combination with other medications. In thirty-seven percent of cases, zopidem was taken in combination with medications that depress the CNS (central nervous system).