Health News and Information

The high-risk factors for heart disease include:
A family history of early coronary disease or of ischemic stroke (a father or brother who has had a heart attack or stroke before the age of 55, or a mother or sister who has suffered one before age 65.)
Age. Over 45 if you’re a man. Over 55 if you’re a woman. Also, women in premature menopause, such as those who’ve had a hysterectomy and aren’t taking estrogen.
Menopause in women. Before menopause, the hormone estrogen has a protective effect, keeping women at far lower risk than men. After menopause, however, and the decline in estrogen, their heart disease risk increases ten-fold. The fall in estrogen levels is thought to lower levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, while raising levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
Hypertension (high blood pressure). Uncontrolled hypertension (140/90 or greater) elevates heart disease risk by about 17 per cent.
High blood cholesterol. Apart from the cholesterol you get from animal foods, your liver manufactures its own. When blood levels are too high they can lead to fatty deposits (called “plaque”) which clog arteries and set the stage for heart disease and stroke. The estimated increase in risk is 11 per cent, according to the Centers for Diseases Control in Atlanta.
Cholesterol moves through your blood in protein-fat packages called lipoproteins. There are two kinds: HDL (or high-density lipoproteins), also known as the ‘good’ cholesterol because it appears to attach to excess cholesterol and escort it out of the arteries; and LDL (low-density lipoproteins), also called the ‘bad cholesterol’, which travels in the bloodstream en route from the liver and can settle in artery walls.
“Total cholesterol” is a combination of HDL and LDL, but
when it’s high it’s unfortunately most likely to be due to an excess
of the ‘bad’ cholesterol. The “good guy” HDLs are usually out-
numbered by the “bad guy” LDLs.
The safe limits of “total cholesterol” are Desirable: Under 200 Borderline : 200 to 239 High : 240 and over
Studies show that heart-attack risk begins to rise steadily once the total cholesterol level exceeds 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl). The risk rises by about 2 per cent for every 1 per cent increase in blood cholesterol.
If you already suffer from heart disease, your total cholesterol should be below 160.
High LDL cholesterol or low HDL cholesterol. A total-cholesterol reading does not, in itself, provide enough information to determine whether you are at risk.
Heart attack risk begins to rise if your LDL level is too high (over 160 mg/dl), or if LDL is above 130 mg/ml and you also have any two of these other risk factors: being male or obese, smoking, or having diabetes, high blood pressure, vascular (blood vessel) disease, or a family history of heart disease before age 55.
HDL level has also emerged as an important determinant of heart-disease risk. Several studies have suggested that a very low level of HDL (below 35mg/dl) puts you at increased risk even if your total cholesterol is in the safety zone.
The type of LDL particles. Newer research has found that
it’s not just the load of LDL cholesterol in your system that points to your risk, but also the type of LDL particles — their size and their density.
This can be a matter of genetics — you can be born with a tendency to LDL particles that are teensy and dense. Or your LDL particles can metamorphose into this type with poor lifestyle habits — too little exercise rich and hearty eating, too much stomach fat.
Whatever its origin, this LDL pattern is known as pattern B, and it triples your risk of developing clogged arteries — even if you have good HDL and LDL totals.
A high level of triglycerides. Derived directly from foods, triglycerides are a type of fat produced by the liver for use as energy. Whether elevated levels of triglycerides constitute a risk factor for everyone remains in dispute; however, there is widespread medical consensus that they appear to put at least women and diabetics at higher risk for heart disease. More and more doctors believe they constitute a risk for men, too.
The desirable level for triglycerides is pegged at below 200 mg/dl; lower than that is even better, particularly if your HDL level is low, or if your LDL falls into the dreaded B pattern.
Your level of homocysteine. This is a chemical produced by your body and in recent years it has emerged as one of the prime suspects in heart disease. Homocysteine is an amino-acid that rushes into your bloodstream after you’ve eaten a meal rich in animal protein. Its dirty-tricks specialty appears to be to trigger off damage in the lining of one of the heart’s arteries. As your immune system rushes to repair the injury, plaque is deposited on the arterial wall, setting the first stage for heart disease.
Levels of homocysteine (which can be measured in a blood test) should not exceed 14. Those with low intake of three B vitamins — B6, B12 and folic acid — have been found to be prone to high homocysteine levels.
Diabetes or certain chronic diseases such as vascular disease.
Smoking. Tobacco, once linked primarily to lung cancer, is now known to generate more heart disease than cancer. It raises the risk of heart disease by 25 per cent.
Steady exposure to second-hand smoke. Virtually every health organization in the U.S., from the National Academy of Sciences to the American Medical Association, has concluded that second-hand smoke is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of non-smokers each year, mostly from heart disease.
Severe obesity. Heavier people tend to have higher LDL levels. Excess weight raises heart disease risk by 22 per cent. Every two pounds of excess weight is associated with an increase of 1 mg/dl of total cholesterol.
A sedentary lifestyle. The perils of sitting are still underestimated, though studies have shown that sedentary living ups the risk of heart disease by 65 per cent and is the primary modifiable hazard leading to fatal heart attacks.
Except for those with extremely high cholesterol — above 240 mg/dl — it is sedentary living, not blood cholesterol, that is the greater risk factor for heart disease. Surprised? You’d better believe it.
If a heart attack does occur, sedentary people are about twice as likely to die from it as people who are physically active. By sedentary, researchers mean people who either do no purposeful physical activity or who exercise irregularly — less than three times a week or less than 20 minutes at a time, or both.
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Sex drive i.e. libido differs from person to person. By knowing the sex drive of your love partner you can regulate your sex life. Men are more sexually active at all ages than women.

How sex drive is related to fantasies?
Higher is your sex drive varied are your erotic fantasies. Low drive is satisfied with one partner while high drive person is more likely to fantasize about having sex with more than one partner. Such people love diversion or perversion in love making.

On what factors your intensity of drive depends?
30% at your drive in sex depends on your upbringing and environment but 2/3 is inherited. Sexy parents have sexy children.

Will deprivation of sex improves the sex drive?
No, going without sex for a long time is likely to decrease your sex drive. People who stop making love for one reason or other have gradually less urge to seek sexual satisfaction.
Why males are more potent regarding their sex drive?

For men orgasm and intercourse are both linked up. It is very rare that man may fail to get orgasm through intercourse, so sexual act is sure to provide him a pleasure while in case of women only about 25% get orgasm even in best circumstances.
Socially it is acceptable for man to enjoy sex while for woman it is a stigma. Sex is also associated with dominance and power of man. Upbringing also plays its part in teaching males to be interested in sex.
Why females have weaker sex drive?
One important reason is that she does not have orgasm very frequently. Achieving orgasm does not come through intercourse alone but is achieved by skill lovemaking and stimulation of the clitoris. Unless and until man is well versed with this fact woman generally does not get orgasm resulting in lower level of sex drive.
Teaching of many mothers to their daughters remains that sex for her is a duty something that man needs and woman has to tolerate. She has never been given a equal status nor even in sex matter.
What is the effect of alcohol on sex drive?
Alcohol taken regularly and in large quantities affects the sex capabilities. Alcohol gives the desire but takes away the performance. In very small quantity it may act as stimulant. Men who are very shy and tense alcohol may remove this barrier.
-Can contraceptive pill reduce the sex drive?
Yes in some cases it may decrease libido. Actually speaking it is more of psychological than physical. Certain tranquillizers may also cause temporary loss of libido.
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One of the best studies of glucosamine was a double-blind placebo-controlled study that involved 252 participants with osteoarthritis of the knee. A total of 241 participants completed this 4-week trial. Of the 120 participants who received the glucosamine, 55% experienced a reduction in pain and stiffness. This was significantly better than the 38% rate of improvement among those who received the placebo.
Not only was glucosamine effective, it did not cause any significant side effects. To be precise, minor side effects, mostly upset stomach and allergy symptoms, were seen in about eight people taking glucosamine. However, similar side effects were seen in 13 people receiving   placebo!   When   a treatment causes fewer side effects than placebo, it is reasonable to call it side-effect free for all practical purposes.
The major weakness of this trial was that it lasted only 4 weeks. For a chronic disease like osteoarthritis, you’d really like to have a study of at least 3 to 6 months’ duration. But it still provides impressive evidence that glucosamine can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis.
Similar results were seen in two other double-blind placebo-controlled studies, involving a total of 120 participants.
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