That Health Rules

Getting tired has a lot of reasons.  But it may signal an illness especially diabetes or an underactive thyroid gland.  Most often however, patients start to consult us when the feeling of tiredness last more than 6 months which obviously may mean something else.  It is imprtant to remember however that tiredness can also happen during the normal changes in our lives…like stress from work or family, during menopausal state or just due to aging.

Eat for energy : a Health Tip From the Harvard Medical School

The tried-and-true advice for healthful eating also applies to keeping your energy level high:

• Eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats with an emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, and healthy oils. Taking a daily multivitamin will ensure that you get the vitamins and minerals you need, but taking extra amounts of individual nutrients won’t give you more energy.

• Eating certain types of foods in particular amounts can help prevent fatigue. Because different kinds of foods are converted to energy at different rates, some — such as candy and other simple sugars — can give you a quick lift, while others — such as whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats — supply the reserves you’ll need to draw on throughout the day.

• Eat small, frequent meals. Where energy is the issue, it’s better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than three large meals a day. This approach can reduce your perception of fatigue because your brain, which has very few energy reserves of its own, needs a steady supply.

Reduce stress

The most common cause of persistent fatigue is stress and the emotional response to it. People who feel fatigued most of the time don’t necessarily have more stress in their lives than other people, but they may be more sensitive to its effects. Stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy. Relaxation therapy can be an effective tool for reducing stress and naturally boosting your energy, particularly when used in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy. Meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and tai chi are all relaxation techniques. One of the easiest techniques to use is progressive muscle relaxation, which involves systematically tightening and releasing sets of muscles, beginning with your toes and progressing up your legs, torso, hands, and arms. You might also consider other relaxation therapies, including aromatherapy and massage.

My Advise? 

Be Bappy, Relax So You Can be “Tired-Free”

Read My Other Related Posts:

• Why It’s Healthy To Be COOL
• If You’re At Risk For Diabetes: Lessesn Your Stress!
• Stress Can Shrink Your Brain
• The Medical Benefits of Massage
• Are You Under Stress?

It’s the time of the year that flu vaccination is again recommended. For the year 2007 … it is now recommended earlier this March due to three new strains of viruses expected to affect the region for the year.  So how can we protect from this infection and who should get the vaccination?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  recommends annual influenza vaccination for the following:

• anybody age 50 and older;
• children ages 6 months to 59 months;
• women who will be pregnant during flu season; and
• adults and children with other chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure

Patients with cardiovascular disease are of special concern since according to a recent American Heart Association guideline and advisory …. they are more likely to die from influenza than patients with any other chronic condition.  It is for this reason that one particular group of patients at risk are the diabetics who by the time of diagnosis most likely have cardiovascular disease already!

The advisory further noted: 

“Overall, influenza is responsible for 36,000 deaths and 225,000 hospitalizations in the United States each year.  People with cardiovascular disease are particularly vulnerable, because the flu can exacerbate heart disease symptoms directly, and can also lead to conditions like viral or bacterial pneumonia that cause flare-ups of cardiovascular disease”. Influenza vaccination is now recommended with the same enthusiasm as cholesterol and blood pressure control and other modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease” 

Remember though that those who got last year’s shot should have a repeat vaccination this year because last year’s shot won’t offer protection this year.  Every year, the dominant strains of influenza virus change and therefore new vaccine is made for the particular year.  

So if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma or any diseases that requires life long medications….

Keep Yourself Protected: Get The Vaccine!