Immune System: We Can Beat the Virus

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The quest of the several countries around the world to create the COVID-19 vaccine is perhaps one of the most important and closely monitored venture that humans have ever tread. 

 

 

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Just recently, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has announced that they already made the first vaccine against coronavirus. Of course, this news sheds light on many because we've already seen how destructive this pandemic is and our only hope next to God is a vaccine that will make us immune. However, there are many skeptics about this recent announcement questioning what they compel as a too-rushed development that lacks data.

 

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But while we are waiting for an effective vaccine, perhaps many of us may ask, "Is there anything else we can do to make our defense mechanism even stronger". Well, the answer is Yes.

A very interesting article published by the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) in the US, entitled "The powerful immune system against powerful COVID-19: A hypothesis", suggests based on supplementary materials that our immune cells have cellular energy that if depleted would render them to fail in counteracting the virus. The hypothesis also suggests that to improve such cellular energy repletion means eating foods with low specific dynamic action (SDA - the amount of energy used after ingestion of food that shall be used for metabolism - usage and/or storage energy), having regular exercise, and refraining from smoking.

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In the Midst of a New Normal

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It's been more than a couple of months since COVID-19 shrouded the world with shock and fear. Its sting has paralyzed not only the economic face of many countries but also the normal life that people are used to.

A virus that most of us have previously thought to be a simple-flu-like sickness that can be swept away by the traditional medications has now created a page in history for being one of the most fearsome pandemics that has ever hit humanity. Traffic has been cut down, mass gatherings came into a halt, works were suspended, transport stopped, everyone stayed home - things that maybe no one wouldn't even imagine.

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The shift in the way we live our everyday lives seems to come as if a show stopper has turned the lights of the stage of a wonderful melodrama. Then there will be us seeing the spotlight that points to the importance of a strong healthcare system and healthcare workers themselves. 

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Many of us for sure have also made a lot of realizations in life. Some of which include the fact that money can't truly buy everything on earth, wealth cannot secure one's health - in fact, the hardest hit social class is home to those who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. 

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However, despite the struggles and terror that this virus has inflicted on people, some events were seen as beneficial. Due to many lockdowns that were implemented all over the world, carbon emissions dramatically decreased and this is definitely good for our mother Earth - a saying reads, "People are locked home and the world heals". Aside from this, people learned to pray hard. They also had a lot of time with their families enjoying togetherness chained in the strong flame of faith in God and a strong hope that in the next morning, everything is back to normal.

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Awareness on Bone Health

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Health is Wealth and Awareness is next to Wellness. In today's topic, we'll talk about Bone Health. 

The Skeletal System which comprises our bones is the main structure of our body. It does not just serve as support and protection for our organs but also produces blood cells through the bone marrow and as cited in wikipedia, "it acts as the main reservoir for many minerals and compounds essential for maintaining a healthy pH balance (pH balance means that the body is able to lessen the impact of harmful acids)". 

Think about a house, the main components of it to stand are foundations and without which, it would lay flat and can be easily blown by a strong wind. This is the same with our body, without bones, we may not be able to stand for long.

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And just like our skin and other organs like the kidney, we also need to have a close watch to our bone health which also includes the teeth. When it comes to the nutrients needed by our bones to stay healthy, I know that the first thing that comes to your mind is milk which is definitely one of the answers. Calcium is the main nutrient that our bone needs. It is mainly found on milk and other dairy products like cheese, and yogurt. According to webmd, "The Institute of Medicine recommends 1,000 mg of calcium a day for most adults and 1,200 mg/day for women after menopause and men after 70".

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But did you know that there is another important nutrient that our body needs to have to maintain a healthy bone? This is Vitamin D which helps the body absorb more calcium. Vitamin D can be mainly obtained from sunlight - just be careful on the proper time to have your body expose to the sun as there are definitely hours within the day when the scorching sunlight may be harmful to the skin. According to healthline, "Regular sun exposure is the most natural way to get enough vitamin D. To maintain healthy blood levels, aim to get 10–30 minutes of midday sunlight, several times per week. People with darker skin may need a little more than this. Your exposure time should depend on how sensitive your skin is to sunlight. Several Foods also offer quite a dose of vitamin D and these include egg, mackerel, mushrooms, tuna and cereals.

Health Importance of Sleep

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Mobile Gaming until 12:00 o'clock at night, Midnight Snack at 11, Social Media Addiction - these are some of the common habits of people nowadays. I, myself cannot also deny the fact that often, I sleep so late because of such things. These are the fragments that pushed me to make a research and to creatively craft a content about the importance of sleep to our health and wellness hoping that it would raise awareness to people.

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As defined by wikipedia, "Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body, characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, reduced muscle activity and inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and reduced interactions with surroundings". In our own simple understanding, Sleep is our time to rest and regain our energy from a hard day of work. I am sure that most of the people globally are accustomed to the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per day, but the early 2015 research of the United States National Sleep Foundation has tabulated the recommended number of sleep hours depending on age bracket.

(Health, Wellness and Awareness 113: Data from the Sleep Health)

With this being said, let us delve into the main course which is the health importance of sleep to our well-being. 

Sleep is a very important thing that every person must be taken in compliance with what health experts advised. Based on several articles that I have read online, it is the time of our body to restore energy, damaged cells, tissues and other parts of the body. Sleep is also said to sustain the normal function of the immune system.

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If proper sleep hours are not achieved on a regular basis, then it can be really compromising to one's health and wellness. Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain, according to Sleep Doctor, "A fascinating study from researchers at the University of Colorado found that one week of sleeping about 5 hours a night led participants to gain an average of 2 pounds". Lack of sleep can make a person feel weak and sleepy off-course which can deteriorate productivity. It is also linked to several diseases, according to Explore Health, "Inflammation is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and premature aging. Research indicates that people who get less sleep—six or fewer hours a night—have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins than those who get more". Sleep-deprived people also looked stressed with noticeable eye bags and unfair skin that surely no one wants to have.

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Proper sleep is very important to our health and wellness. Though many of us were forced to still stay awake late at night due to hectic schedules and works-to-meet-deadlines, we still have to draw a line between our health and personal commitments. Thus as I always reiterate, Awareness plays a critical role in the quality of our Health and Wellness.

Lemon Water: "Hydrating with a Kick"

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In hydrating our body, oftentimes we ought to consume the ones that have the most refreshing flavors such as sodas or other sugary drinks which are not that good to our health. Hydration is an important factor in our body's normal function. In our today's topic, "What if the fluid that you'll drink won't only hydrate you but will also do things that you never expected?"...

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Well, let me introduce to you one of the most wonderful refreshing drink packed with an enormous amount of health benefits - lemon water (one of the best fluids for detox). Drinking this healthy concoction is like hitting two birds with one stone. It's not just hydration that you will get with this drink, it will also aid your body in detoxification which sustains our health and wellness. With the richness of lemon in vitamin C and other antioxidants, you will have a daily dose of body immunity, if you consume it regularly.

Note: Lemon water is not advisable for those suffering from hyperacidity and acid reflux.

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Other benefits of lemon water include its property to combat a high level of uric acid that causes gouty arthritis. It also aids in digestion and is believed to contribute to weight loss, in fact, according to medicalnewstoday, "Lemons contain a type of fiber called pectin, which helps reduce your appetite and calorie intake".

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With some of the most important benefits of lemon water being said however, there are also things that you have to remember. Of course, everything too much is bad and one of the risks of drinking too much lemon water which I, myself have experienced in the past is the effect on tooth health. This is because lemon contains acid that damages tooth enamel which can lead to dental problems. According to several articles that I have read, after drinking lemon water, it would be better if you would rinse your mouth to remove the acid that may harm your teeth, and it is also advised not to brush your teeth for 30 minutes after drinking lemon water.

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But don't you worry because that only happens if you drink too much, so the key is moderation and awareness. 

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Keeping an Eye on Salt Intake

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"Krack, Krack, Krack", This is the sound that chips lovers always compose. But, before you open the packaging of the next salty chips that you have, maybe you should read this first. You might never know that your salt intake is already crossing the threshold and is compromising your health and wellness.

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In today's modern world, salt is present in almost every processed food that we consume daily. From chips, instant cup noodles, stuffs in fast-food restaurants, salt is there. But why should we be concerned about salt in foods that we eat? Well, simply because for one reason - everything too much is bad. 

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Before I discuss the impact of salt in our overall health, let us tackle what salt really is. Basically, salt is made up of sodium and chlorine that when combined becomes "Sodium Chloride". Salt has many forms and uses, but I will just focus my discussion on edible salt. It usually comes in a granular form used as preservative and seasoning. Without salt, our dishes from appetizers up to the main course would be unenjoyable. However, in our daily consumption of salt or sodium, it seems that most of us are unaware of the amount that should be consumed on a daily basis. 

According to the SFGATE, "The United States FDA recommends that individuals consume no more than 2,300 milligrams {about 1 teaspoon o salt} of sodium per day, and that certain groups limit intake to 1,500 milligrams per day". Too much intake of salt can lead to cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, and also kidney disease. But, our body needs salt as it is considered as a factor involved in fluid balance (the amount of water lost from the body must equal the amount of water taken in) and as an electrolyte to help the nerves and muscles function properly. 

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As we consume salty processed foods, it would be better if we check the nutritional value in the packaging, particularly the sodium content and based on what has been discussed, you just have to remember the numbers when it comes to daily sodium intake (no more than 2300 mg). Most importantly, drinking an adequate amount of water is very significant because it will be the job of our kidney to filter out excess salt from the blood and expel through urine as part of our body's detoxification process.

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Let us all spread awareness to always achieving a high quality of health and wellness. Sharing is where it will always start.

Understanding Gout

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Have you ever had a throbbing pain in your big toe? to the point when you'll nearly scream? Well if you don't, I do. If you do not have an injury from slipping or tripping yet your feet is aching, then maybe you have a condition called "GOUT". This is one of the most painful feelings that I had apart from toothache. And also, this is one of the triggering factors why I had to be aware of my health and wellness. This is why I really want to share with you the topic of understanding gout - which I have experienced myself. The ideas that I'm gonna share with you are the results of my research since the time I had this foot problem.

 

Gouty Arthritis or Gout is an accumulation of "Uric Acid" crystals (metabolized from purine found on certain foods like liver) in the joint areas of our bones usually in the big toe. As a result of such accumulation, our body presents an immune response that will inflame the affected area and would cause throbbing pain. During my research about this condition, I saw a photo in Wikipedia which shows how these uric acid crystals looked like in polarized light and this will probably explain why the sensation of the pain is like needles pricking continuously. The pain often attacks at night time and it is really terrible.

(Health, Wellness and Awareness 109: Image from Wikipedia)

As a standard threshold, the blood uric acid level for men should not be higher than 7 mg/dL and 6 mg/dL for women. To know this, your blood must undergo laboratory examination for Blood Uric Acid or BUA which means you will have to perform fasting for 8-10 hours (no food and drinks). The medications that you can use when having gout include pain reliever and the one that lowers the Uric Acid Level (Allopurinol). For those conditions that are met with non-severe aching of the joints, definitely, I would just recommend the pain reliever when the pain is so unbearable. This is because I found some articles on the web that talk about the side effects of allopurinol which include muscle weakness, sore throat, etc. 

What I will focus my recommendations about overcoming this condition is more on lifestyle particularly in eating habits. Since Uric Acid Crystals are formed from purine, then you have to be moderate in consuming purine-rich foods. These are red meat (especially beef), anchovies, salty foods, other animal organs like the liver, sugary drinks (drinks high in fructose) and alcohol. 

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Instead, the great foods to consume are those fruits high in citric acid like lemon, lime, calamansi and orange. It is believed that citric acid can dissolve uric acid in the blood and therefore there is no chance for it to form crystals. Especially when you have confirmed that you have gout already, the diet that you must comply with should be fruity and veggie type. 

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Since uric acid can also be considered as a waste product that has to be eliminated from the body, drinking plenty of water is very important. It is through the process of detoxification that the body can get rid of the excess uric acid. 

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Foods and Fluids for Detoxification

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As we all know that detoxification is the body's natural process of expelling toxins from the body, there are ways that such a system can be boosted which include consuming the right foods and fluids. This is another thing that is so important if we want to achieve a high quality of health and wellness. So what I want to share with you right now are ideas that I've obtained from several types of research about foods that are good in aiding the body's detoxification process. I myself consume these foods and fluids which keep me from feeling bloated.

Note: The list that I'm gonna share is only based on the top selection from several blog posts and web-based knowledge that I've read

1. Watermelon - Since watermelon is about 92% water, it is good in aiding in detoxification because water is an important component in cleansing the body's toxins such as excess salts. According to HealthyWomen, "It's not an official diet, rather almost like a cleanse, since watermelon has such a high water content".

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2. Lemon Water - In addition to being a refreshing way to hydrate the body, lemon water is good at detox due to its richness in vitamin C which does not only help in flushing out the toxins in the body but protecting the body from chemical toxins. 

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3. Vegetables - To expel the undigested foods from the large intestine, our body needs fiber. The best way to attain the high amount of fiber that our body needs is to eat vegetables especially the leafy ones. 

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4. Pineapple - Another wonder in detox is pineapple, besides providing a good source of vitamin C, it also contains a significant amount of fiber to cleanse the body and helps to prevent the feeling of being bloated.

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5. Water - I would strongly recommend water over and over again. This wonderful God created a liquid that serves as one of our basic life support is good at not just cleaning toilets and sinks but literally, it also cleanses the body.

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Now that you have read, you can immediately implement this to your own lifestyle to achieve a higher quality of health and wellness which you can also share with everyone. Together, let us spread awareness towards a better life.