Saturday, April 27, 2013

Newly Married Couples Are Likely To Gain Weight If...

Just the other day I was looking at my old wedding photos and thought to myself, "how I wish I was still as slim". I'm pretty sure if we looked at old wedding pictures of friends and family, we will be amazed at the difference in weight. The once handsome bridegroom that was slim now have a bulging belly. The then size 6 dazzling bride is now a size 14. What's with marriage and putting on weight?
Well, researchers from the Southern Methodist University took a closer look. They studied if there was a relation between marital satisfaction and weight gain. The study involved 169 newlywed couples. Data on marriage satisfaction and body measurements were collected over a 4-year period. What did they find? Andrea S. Meltzer, a psychologist and the lead researcher stated that spouses gained more weight over time when they were satisfied with their marriage. Those that were less satisfied, didn't gain as much weight. You'll find this study published in the journal Health Psychology. 

So I guess we can safely assume that chubby couples are the happiest couples? In my humble opinion, it kind of makes sense. If you are happy in your relationship, there's less stress. That could mean you're eating better and sleeping better too. What are your thoughts on this? Have you gained weight since you got married?

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Coffee And Green Tea May Prevent Stroke


Are you a coffee drinker? Or would you rather green tea? When it comes to reducing the risk of a stroke, it doesn't matter which one you choose. They are both helpful in that respect. This is according to a 13-year Japanese study involving 82 369 people of both genders. You can read about it in a journal called "Stroke" by the American Heart Association.


Apparently, if you want to greatly lower your chance of a stroke, you just need to drink more green tea. If you prefer coffee, one cup a day can make a difference. Daily coffee drinkers are less likely by 20% to suffer a stroke than those who drink occasionally.

So, what is it about green tea and coffee that contributes to the health of the heart?

Let's talk about green tea first. Dr. Yoshihiro Kokubo who is the lead researcher and from the Department of Preventive Cardiology, National Cerebra and Cardiovascular Center in Osaka, Japan explains that catechins found in green tea effectively control your blood pressure and improve your blood circulation. If you suffer from hypertension, your large arteries may harden. In the end, the small blood vessels in your brain might get blocked. Hypertension could also weaken your brain's blood vessels, increasing the chances of it bursting. So yeah, you want to regulate your blood pressure because your blood pressure level and chances of stroke are directly related.

Now lets turn our attention to coffee. The helpful ingredients in coffee are quinides and chlorogenic acid. They help in 2 areas: body weight and blood glucose tolerance. As you know, being overweight and having an impaired glucose tolerance raises your chances of getting a stroke. So shedding your extra weight and keeping your glucose tolerance level normal are important if you want to avoid a stroke. 

Of course we know that most people drink coffee not so much for the benefit of their heart but more for their brain. Some people need it to wake up in the morning and get their brain working. You might find it interesting to know that coffee can chase away the blues too. A study recently published "Archives of Internal Medicine", took a look at more than 50000 American women. They found a less likelihood of depression among those who had a minimum of 2 cups of coffee daily.

Of course, when it comes to nurturing a healthy heart, it would take more than just drinking coffee and green tea. Eating a healthy diet and exercising must not be ignored.

Image from Flickr

Friday, April 12, 2013

Why You Should Avoid Petroleum Jelly During Sex


There are times when women get a little dry in the vaginal area and they decide to use petroleum jelly as a sexual lubricant. If you have the same idea, I suggest you find another solution to your problem. Using petroleum jelly vaginally can increase your chances of getting bacterial vaginosis. This is the finding of a study headed by Dr. Joelle Brown of the University of California, San Francisco. From their 141 female test subjects, they learned that incidences of bacterial vaginosis were 2x more than non-users.

Of course, having bacterial vaginosis does not threaten your life. However, it can be very uncomfortable and I'm sure every woman will want to avoid it as much as they can. Nobody wants to deal with the vaginal itching, fish smelling discharge, and burning sensation during urination. Let's not forget the embarrassment too if your sexual partner finds out that you have it.

So one way to avoid such discomfort is to use vaginal lubricants that are water based. Stay away from petroleum jelly and douching.