Are your Blood Pressure Readings Accurate?

When measuring blood pressure, it's important to make sure your reading is as accurate as possible. One way to ensure you get a proper reading is to keep your arm bent.

According to investigators from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, blood pressure reading can be 10% higher if a person's arm is held parallel to the body.

So bend that arm! Make sure your elbow is at the right angle to your body with the elbow flexed at heart level. This should give the most precise reading. And for the record, it doesn't matter if you're sitting, standing or laying down for the test- as long as you're in the same position every time you're tested.

The Sunshine-Skin Cancer Myth

Contrary to popular belief, exposing skin to the sun may stop certain cancers from growing, including skin cancer.

Two recent studies propose reduced cancer risk may result from an increased production of vitamin D made by sun-exposed skin.

The two studies found:

• Sunshine helped beat the deadly skin cancer malignant melanoma. Melanoma patients with increased levels of sun exposure were less likely to die than other melanoma patients. Also patients who already had melanoma and a lot of sun exposure were prone to a less aggressive tumor type.

• The sun helped with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: The risks of developing cancer was reduced 30 to 40 percent when exposed to UV rays from the sun or sun lamps. Findings were based on interviews with more than 3,000 lymphoma patients and 3,000 healthy members of the public.

Despite findings, experts do not promote extremely high levels of sun exposure, as too much sun could be harmful. Therefore, it is important to remember to cover up during peak sunshine hours, seek shade and wear headwear.

----BBC News February 1, 2005

Editors Comment: One of the most persistent health myths promoted by the media is their continued preaching of the dangers of sun exposure to your health. Unfortunately, this long-standing recommendation of avoiding sun exposure has increased cancer deaths, not just non-fatal skin cancers, by more than 50,000 per year in the United States due to lowered Vitamin D levels.

Obtaining Vitamin D
The safest way to obtain Vitamin D is, of course, through appropriate sun exposure. When Exposing Your Skin, Do So With Caution. While exposure to sunlight can reduce your risk of cancer, please understand that sunlight (sunburn) has the potential to cause skin cancer if you consistently overexpose yourself.

Therefore, at the beginning of the season, go out gradually and limit your exposure to perhaps as little as 10-25 minutes a day. Progressively increase your time in the sun so that in a few weeks, you will be able to have normal sun exposure with little risk of skin cancer. Remember: Never get burned,-that's the key.

Note: Using sunscreen is not a good way to limit your sun exposure either. In fact, sunscreen is generally one of the last things you want to put on your body. That is because it is a toxic chemical that can cause problems in your system and increase your risk of disease. If you use a sunscreen choose a chemical-free natural sunscreen.

Complete avoidance of the sun is nearly a guarantee that you will suffer health complications. If you are fair skinned and burn easily, I highly recommend Tanamins™. This all-atural supplement helps your body produce more melanin so you tan easier and much faster with much less exposure time. Remember your best defense against sunburn is the natural protection of a suntan. Just do it wisely. For more information on the subject and our special offer go to www.allabouttanning.com

Breaking, Splitting, Weal Nails a Problem?

The following treatment will strengthen fingernails and can solve problem nails if it’s used in addition to a well-balanced diet or the above supplements and extra water.

Soak your fingers for 10 minutes in any one of these oils:

• Warm olive oil
• Warm sesame-seed oil
• Warm wheat germ oil

Before you wipe off the oil, give your nails a mini-massage from top to bottom. Continue daily for 3-4 days. Repeat this again two weeks later. You will soon notice visible improvement and stronger nails less likely to split or break.

An Exercise for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Prevention

A team of doctors from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons in Rosemont, Illinois, has developed special exercises that can help prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The exercises, which decrease the median nerve pressure responsible for CTS, should be done at the start of each work shift, as a warm-up exercise and again after each break.

Here is the Exercise
Stand up straight, feet a foot apart, arms outstretched in front of you, palms down. Then bring your hands and fingers up, pointing toward the sky. Hold for a count of five. Straighten both wrists and relax the fingers. Make a tight fist with both hands. Then bend both wrists down while keeping the fist. Hold for a count of five. The exercise should be repeated 10 times. Then let your arms hang loosely at your sides and shake them for a couple of seconds. Don't rush through the exercise. Let the ten cycles take about five minutes.

Drug Free Pain Relief in 5 Minutes

Try self acupressure to relieve life's pressures, minor headaches and pains. For at least 5 minutes a day, massage the webbed area between your thumb and index finger of your left hand. Really get in there and knead it. It may hurt a bit which is a good sign you are doing it properly. That's all the more reason to keep at it for the full 5 minutes.
Gradually, the pain will decrease, and so should the tightness in your chest and shoulders. Headaches usually subside in minutes, eventually, you should have no pain at all, and you may notice a marked difference in your stress level and a general relaxed state of well being.

Ask Your Doctor About [You fill in the blank]

Reuters recently reported that the pharmaceutical industry spends more money than any other business sector to influence (lobby) U.S. lawmakers - $128 million last year. And that's a pittance compared to the 10 billion a year they spend to "educate" doctors and the nearly $4 billion a year on consumer advertising.

Not too many years ago, direct-to-consumer drug advertising was not allowed (hence, the extensive lobbying efforts that are still going on in Washington). But now we have people requesting prescription drugs by name because they saw a commercial featuring happy actors running through a field of flowers. Does it work? You bet. A recent study showed  that these ads have a "profound effect" and that doctors are five times more likely to write a prescription when a patient asks for a drug by name.

• The Sunshine-Skin Cancer Myth

• Breaking, Splitting, Weal Nails a Problem?

• An Exercise for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Prevention

• Drug Free Pain Relief in 5 Minutes

• Ask Your Doctor About [You fill in the blank]