Exercise Our Brain

Learning is an important exercise for your brain like the rest of your body, your mind needs exercise to function at its best. Research suggests that learning is an important exercise for your brain that helps new cells grow. This can prevent memory loss and improve brain function.
Author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Achieving Optimal Memory, Dr Aaron Nelson says "When you're learning things you are creating new synaptic networks — new networks of connections among brain cells."
And you shouldn't wait until you're older to start working your mind. Researchers have found that people who were mentally active in their 40s and 50s were less likely to develop Alzheimer's than those who weren't.
Others have found that people with higher levels of education had a reduced risk of Alzheimer's. Dr Nelson says it's not the act of going to college that protects the brain. Rather, it's the process of learning.

Fruits & Veggies Fight Asthma

Nutrients in plant foods may help prevent asthma

There is no cure to asthma, but there are very good medications available that help to control asthma. But do asthmatics have to be at the mercy of medications their whole lives? Or can diet also help to prevent asthma? A number of studies have suggested that antioxidants or certain other nutrients in plant foods may help prevent or ameliorate asthma and other allergic conditions. This is because carrots, tomato juice and spinach contain nutrients called carotenoids, some of which are converted into vitamin A in the body. And among other jobs, vitamin A helps regulate the immune system and maintain the lining of the respiratory tract.

In studies on this, researchers found in particular that women who eat plenty of tomatoes, carrots and leafy greens appear less likely to have asthma.
Though it's uncertain whether the foods are the reason, the findings suggest that some vegetables may protect against adulthood asthma.

In general, experts recommend that people eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day for overall health. However, while eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is beneficial for health, certain fruits and vegetables are more likely to prevent specific diseases.
The study found that carrots, tomatoes and leafy vegetables mainly spinach and lettuce were less to protect against the lung disease.
However, the researchers point out, they cannot rule out the possibility that higher intakes of carrots, tomatoes and leafy greens are simply a sign of a generally healthier diet - and not a special effect of these foods specifically.
Further studies, they conclude, are needed to confirm these results and to explore the possible effect of fruits and vegetables on asthma severity.

Warning Signs of Heart and Brain Atack

Warning signs of heart and brain attack

Heart attack and stroke are life-and-death emergencies where immediate medical attention is crucial.
Heart attack and stroke are life-and-death emergencies -- every second counts, because with each second, more irreversible damage occurs. So if you have symptoms get help immediately. The advice is not to wait longer than a five minutes to seek medical attention.
Many people think a heart attack is sudden and intense, like a "movie" heart attack, where a person clutches his or her chest and falls over.
The truth is that many heart attacks start slowly, as a mild pain or discomfort. Sometimes the symptoms go away and return. But as long as you experience some symptoms, and are unsure of what's happening, get help immediately to be safe.
Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

· Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

· Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

· Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

· Other signs. These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
While men and women experience the same symptoms, bear in mind, that women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Just as you can get a heart attack, you can also get a brain attack or stroke. In a stroke, the need to see a doctor immediately is more critical.Here are warning signs of a stroke.

Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don't delay! Check the time so you'll know when the first symptoms appeared. It's very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.