gethealthy

This is great news for coffee lovers!  A recent trial held in South Korea has determined that just the act of smelling coffee in the morning can assist in easing any stress you may be feeling.  When inhaling the aroma of coffee a number of genes are activated.  These genes include some that help to produce proteins with antioxidant activity.

The trial is not definitive yet, but it does illustrate that merely inhaling the aroma of fresh coffee can work to change the brain to some degree.   The experiment was performed using lab rats, some of which were stress induced by sleep deprivation.  The research shows that the activity of 11 genes increased and the activity of 2 genes decreased when the rats smelled the aroma.  It caused the rats that were experiencing stress via sleep deprivation to feel eased by inhaling the coffee aroma.

    A recent study from Boston University found that people diagnosed with IBS, Irritable Bowel syndrome were 40% more likely to have depression issues than those without IBS.  This is a common disorder, affecting mostly women.

IBS does not cause depression and depression does not cause IBS, however the two conditions often are seen together. Scientist think that stress hormones may play a role in causing and aggrevating IBS.

Your best bets to beat IBS are to keep a mood and symptom diary and talking to your doctor.   Keeping track of your moods and symptoms for about a week or two.  Be sure to note any relationship between stressful event, mood swings, and your symptoms.

If you think you may be depressed, talk to your doctor.  Be sure to tell them of any other symptoms you may be experiencing like headaches, pain, and fatigue.  Boston University also found that IBS seems to be linked to migraines and fibromyalgia, a syndrome causing people to feel extremely achy and tired.

Your doctor may suggest starting an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety medication.  These seem to relieve symptoms of IBS, especially stomach pain.  Which is a relief to many IBS sufferers.  Often this condition goes undiagnosed because people pass it off as something they can’t get rid of.  This doesn’t have to be the case.

    Since April, 167 people in 17 states have been infected with Salmonella saintpaul, which is a rare and virulent type of salmonella.  23 out of the 167 have been hospitalized for the illness and one man has died due to complications.

According to the USFDA the outbreak is linked to particular types of raw red tomatoes and product containing these tomatoes.  Raw red plum, raw red Roma, and raw Round red tomatoes should all be avoided until further notice.  However, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and those that are home-grown appear to be safe.  All tomatoes should be washed carefully before consuming.

So if you can’t live without these delectable red wonders, opt for locally or home-grown tomatoes instead of store bought.  However, the key to avoid illness is to wash the tomatoes well, all of the tomatoes should be washed before removing the hull or the stem.

Several food establishements have taken steps to avoid further salmonella outbreaks by removing them from the menu.  McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Krogers, Outback Steakhouse, and Subway have all voluntarily removed red plum, red Roma, and round tomatoes grown from particular states and countries from their shelves and menus.

Salmonella is a food borne illness in the form of bacteria.  It often causes severe gastro-intestinal illnesses, including bloody diarrhea. About 40,000 cases of salmonellosis are reported in the US each year.  Many mild cases go undiagnoses, so the actual number of cases could be up to 30 times greater.  About 600 people die each year due to salmonella infections.  Infection risk is greater in the summer due to the warmth and the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Children and elderly people are most at risk for serious complications due to weakened immune systems.

    You may use honey every day without ever knowing that it is nature’s little wonder medicine.  This sweet treat, which is commonly added to foods and beverages can also help cure some common ailments.   Honey can be used for hangovers, to heal cuts, to sooth sore throats, and to make you skin smooth.

If you drank a bit too much last night at the party, spoon a few tablespoons of honey onto a piece of toast for a fast recovery.  Honey is filled with fructose, a fruit sugar.  This sugar helps to speed up the metabolism of alcohol, helping you to rid your body of the alcohol faster.

Next time you get a minor scrape, cut, or burn grab some honey.  Honey has natural antibacterial properties that have been proven to speed up healing.  Apply honey twice a day to the affected area, for a speedy recovery.

The next time you catch a cold with a nasty cough, leave the cough drops on the shelf and grab some honey instead.  Swallowing 2 teaspoons of honey helps to coat the throat and thin the mucus, making your throat feel better.  Please remember that honey is not appropriate for children under 1 year of age.

So you want soft, smooth skin?  Honey can be used to make a natural ex foliating scrub.  Just mix 1/4 cup of honey with 3/4 cup  raw sugar and 1/4 cup olive oil.  Rub the mixture onto wet skin in circular patterns then rinse off.  You can even keep this mix in a container in your refrigerator.