How to calculate your BMI (Body Mass Index)

Hi everyone,

Many of you may have heard of this before, but as it is easy to forget the details, here is how to calculate your BMI and also what exactly it means for each of us.

For the majority of people, the objective of going on a diet is to lessen health risks and to reach and maintain what is considered to be a healthy weight. But how exactly do we know what a healthy weight is? This is where the Body Mass Index chart comes in really useful.

Body Mass Index or BMI as it is commonly known, is a tool used to establish how much you should weigh according to your height and its a much more accurate way of determining where you are placed on the obesity scale than simply referring to your weight alone.

The BMI chart is the starting point for doctors when their patients need advice about overweight and obesity problems. Most of us are aware than being overweight adds to the risk of suffering from diseases like diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. Along with this a diet lacking in nutrition can raise bad (LDL) cholesterol levels. This will, in turn, increase the development of plaque in the arteries and may lead to several other conditions considered to be life-threatening somewhere down the line.

Being aware of how BMI is calculated will assist you in finding where you stand on the Body Mass Index scale.

Firstly, weigh yourself and convert your weight to pounds. Then divide your total pounds by your height in squared inches. Don’t forget to square the height measurements prior to doing the calculation or it will not work. When you have your answer multiply this figure by 703 and this will give you your BMI number.

Now check out the results below.

* A BMI less than 18.5 is considered to be underweight
* A BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 is considered to be within the normal range
* A BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight
* A BMI coming in at over 30.0 is considered obese.

A doctor who becomes aware of a patient within the overweight or obese categories is likely to make a point of discussing the problem with them. The patient will be encouraged to lose at least 10% of their body weight as this alone can reduce the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. Naturally, if the patient loses more weight than this, the risks are cut even further.

Body Mass Index is also relevant to children. A child’s chart is a little different but it works in more or less the same way. When a high BMI is discovered in a child, the condition can be reversed and the state of health improved by consulting the pediatrician for advice.

For children, the doctor is the best person to determine their BMI but BMI calculators are available on line as a starting point for the concerned parent.

The BMI is merely a means of determining where someone should be on the scale as far as weight goes and it does not necessarily mean heart disease will follow as overweight and obesity are only two of the risk factors involved here. However, this is one area that can be changed by the patient and in doing so the chances of leading a long and healthy life for years to come are greatly enhanced.  Besides, it feels great to be in the normal range!

To your health,

Kimberly

5 Natural ways to stop Urinary Tract Infections

If you have ever been unfortunate enough to suffer with a urinary tract infection, then there is no doubt about it, you will be well aware of just how uncomfortable, even painful it can be. However, there are a few natural remedies which can be used to stop urinary tract infections prior to going down the prescribed medication route.

First of all, pay a visit to your doctor and don’t be hesitant to ask him or her about natural remedies to treat the infection. If they are in agreement with you giving natural remedies a try, here are some you may wish to consider.

1. Cranberry juice has been used for many years to treat urinary tract infections.
Proanthocyanins contained within the juice are thought to prevent bacteria getting a foothold and inflaming and infecting the walls of the urinary system. The bacteria are then flushed from the body as the urine passes through. Cranberry tablets or as much as three cups of pure cranberry juice can be taken each day.

2. Containing arbutin, Uva Ursi is known to stop bacteria in its tracks but in order for it to work the urine needs to be alkaline. A good way to increase the alkalinity of your urine is to take sodium bicarbonate and then follow up with Uva Ursi to treat the condition.

What is Uva Ursi?  Well, it is the leaves of a particular berry plant.  You should be able to find these crushed leaves or a powder form in health food or specialty shops.  Please keep to the recommended dosage though, as I’ve heard it can become toxic if overconsumed.

3. Diuretic herbs such dandelion leaves, hydrangea and parsley increase the amount of urine produced and when more urine is passed the bacteria gets flushed out of the body quicker. Horsetail and marshmallow are examples of other useful diuretic herbs.

4. Vitamin C boosts the immune system power which results in a stronger attack against bacteria. For the most part vitamin C is provided by the food we eat, in particular, citrus fruit. Eat as much citrus fruit as you can as urinary tract infections tend to deteriorate in acidic surroundings. It’s best to get vitamin C from foods, but if necessary a supplement may be taken.

5. The body is made up mostly of water and, therefore, more water is needed to internally shower the body. The cells of your body as well as your urinary system need water to flush away any unwanted pollutions so drinking lots of water will help to prevent the reoccurrence of infection. Basically, changing the environment where bacteria flourishes will go a long way to putting an end to urinary tract infections.

As mentioned earlier, it is important to have a chat with your doctor prior to treating yourself or taking herbal remedies. Herbs should be considered as medications and the possibility of any serious interactions with traditional medications need to be considered. If you are pregnant or feeding your baby yourself, there are some herbs, for example, Uva Ursi which are not recommended for use.

A urinalysis will confirm that you have freed your body from the bacteria causing the condition in the first place.

Hi everyone,

I’m always a fan of natural ways of treating things.  So, give these a whirl.  And let me know which urinary tract infection home remedy has worked for you.

To your health,

Kimberly

Have you noticed a ringing in your ears?

There is a condition called tinnitus, which is becoming more common nowadays.  If you have a ringing in your ears, it is possible you have this and you should see your doctor.

With many of us having mobile phones, desk phones, ipods, or other earphones in our ears fairly often, it was probably inevitable that an increase in this “ringing” would occur.

Tinnitus is a symptom of several conditions.  It is often described as being similar to the sounds you hear when you hold a seashell up to your ear.  You hear the ocean as if it were a swishing sound.  Some people who report ringing in the ears hear a similar sound.

Ringing can arise from any area of the ear.  After a loud rock concert you may hear ringing in your ears.  Ear infections can cause ringing or swishing sounds in the ear as the middle ear fills up with fluid.  Even something as simple as having too much ear wax in your ears can cause ringing sounds.

Start with common explanations for the sound.  It could be that your iPod volume is too loud and over time, tinnitus had become an issue.  In quiet places, you hear sounds in your head that you couldn’t hear before because of other noises.  This is normal.

If the tinnitus is accompanied by other symptoms, it could be something that a doctor needs to diagnose and treat.  People who suffer from Meniere’s disease suffer dizziness and ringing in the ears.  Ears that are red and painful along with the ringing may signal a problem with the middle ear.  Ringing is also heard by people at the beginning stages of a hearing loss due to aging or exposure to loud noises on a constant basis.  In rare cases, the ringing in your ears could be caused by a tumor somewhere in your ear.

Your doctor can evaluate your situation if you give him or her a good description of what you’ve been experiencing.  Is it just ringing?  Are there other symptoms?  You should be able to have a hearing test to assess the seriousness of your condition.

In the most extreme cases, you could also be tested using an MRI, a CT scan or an ABR.  An ABR (auditory brain stem response) looks at the hearing pathway in your head to see if there are any problems there.

For many people with tinnitus, there may be no viable treatment.  The condition is annoying, but when it is not a symptom of anything serious, you may have to learn to deal with it.  Since tinnitus is a symptom, when the underlying problem (such as Meniere’s disease or ear infection) is treated, the tinnitus simply goes away in time.

To your health,

Kimberly

Love oatmeal? Put some flare in it!

Here is a recipe for some oatmeal bars that is just delicious.  I know you can buy oatmeal bars off the shelf, but by making your own you can avoid unnecessary additives, sugar, or other nasties.   This particular recipe even has flax seed added to it, so you get some great Omega 3 fatty acids! Flax seed can be found at all health food shops or possibly at your larger grocery stores.

Oatmeal & Flax seed Bars
Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups oats
1/3 cup flax seed meal
2 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins? cranberries?)
2/3 cup chopped nuts (pecans? walnuts?)
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1-2 tbsp liquid honey
1 egg, beaten

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

Grease cookie sheet.

In large mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix. Add bananas, beaten egg, oil and honey and blend well. Mixture should be sticky (very sticky!).

Now comes the messy bit: Make the bars by shaping the sticky dough into 1/3″ thick bars as quickly as you can and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes.

These are great for a quick snack, breakfast, or even a little dessert.  And the kids will love them!   If you have a gluten intolerance, try buckwheat flakes instead.

To your health,

Kimberly

Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Natural Remedies

As you may already know, Irritable Bowel Syndrome is not only an unpleasant condition, but it can also be an extremely painful one which causes constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Even though various drugs can provide sufferers with a great deal of relief, many people are now turning towards some of the natural remedies instead. These can range from changing your diet to managing stress levels, and it’s important to realize just how much relief can be found by changing certain eating habits.

Diets and Eating Habits

It is certainly no secret that certain foods can make the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome noticeably worse. Ideally, if you suffer from this condition then you should make every effort to avoid foods which are excessively spicy or greasy. Likewise, depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may need to reduce your intake of high fiber foods as these are known to cause stomach cramps, bloating, and excessive gas. Interestingly enough however, some people have found that increasing fiber intake has been beneficial in terms of reducing the severity of their symptoms. If you choose to increase the amount of fiber in your diet, you can do so either by taking supplements or by increasing the amount of certain foods you eat, such as broccoli and beans. However, if you start including more of these food types to your meals it should be done gradually. Remember, one shouldn’t only focus on what you eat, but also on how you eat, in that you should never overindulge. You should also aim to eat at the same time every day in order to regulate your bowl movements.

Keeping a Food Journal

Because certain foods can irritate the condition worse than others, it’s advisable to keep a food journal in order to establish which foods tend to make your condition worse. In other words, whenever you sit down to a meal you should keep track of what foods are included in the meal so that you can see which foods trigger your condition so that you can then avoid them in future.

The Importance of Water and Physical Exercise

Whenever a person is suffering from diarrhea, it’s imperative that you consume at least 64oz. of water per day in order to prevent yourself from becoming dehydrated. Additionally, if you’re suffering from constipation, then you should also make sure you drink an adequate amount of water as this can help to soften stools.

While regular exercise is something which everyone should do, it’s of particular importance to those suffering from IBS, in that it helps to keep your body functioning as it should be. Furthermore, research has shown that physical exercise causes the brain to produce endorphins, and this has a direct impact on stress levels, bearing in mind that stress is known to make the condition worse.

Medication

Far too many people who suffer from IBS tend to use over-the-counter medications without consulting with a doctor first, and this is something that you should avoid at all costs. Admittedly, if you suffer from constipation then it can be extremely tempting to take the first laxatives you get your hands on, but you need to bear in mind that many such medications have the potential for making your condition worse. If you feel that you need medication then you should always go and discuss your circumstances with a doctor. Alternatively, you need to bear in mind that there are many natural remedies available which can also offer you a great deal of relief.