Memory Loss

Baby boomer’s number 1 concern now is forgetting things - or memory loss.

I had been experiencing things on forgetfulness, like, I went to the kitchen to get something, then, suddenly, I would stop and think, “why I am here,what am I gonna do here in the kitchen?  And to remember it, I will walk where I came from and suddenly will remember what I will get.  Or simple things as, don’t know where I put my purse, don’t know where I left my keys.

They said it is normal as you grow old.  But wait, my  memory loss falls in one of its types - episodic memory, as the situations I mentioned a while ago. But what I am afrid of is to suffer from semantic memory, not remembering what a particular thing is…..and the worst, suffering from procedural memory, on how to do things, like,how to walk, how to write.
I even bought a brain supplement to at least combat my forgetfulness, but when I stopped taking it, I sensed that the more I had a hard time recalling things.

Why did I discontinue taking that brain supplement? The reason is so simple…..I always forgot to remember taking it….

Headache

One of the causes of headache is caffeine withdrawal.  Say you failed to take your coffee and now suffering from headache, then your caffeine withdrawal is responsible for that.

Caffeine is a widely used stimulant, it is readily available and cheap.  Causes of withdrawal symptoms include headache, weakness, muscle pain, difficulty concentrating, or a feeling like with a fever.

Recently, an article was published saying that researchers are now classifying caffeine withdrawal as a psychiatric disorder.

Eucalyptus Oil

I came across a forum talking about Eucalyptus Oil. The discussion is more of the benefit of it in warding-off insects, particularly mosquitoes. Since, I for one, as much as possible don’t want to use strong spray for the said insects, I decided to buy and try it.

The posters were right, I noticed that no mosquitoes are feasting around the bedroom and living room, where most of the time, the lights are turned off.

I had another experience also with the Eucalyptus Oil. My son got a whooping cough in the middle of the night, he had taken his cough medicine already but still the cough attack. I thought of the eucalyptus oil,I boiled water and poured it in a little basin and added 2 drops of Eucalyptus Oil, covering his head with a towel  and let him inhaled the steam of it.  Likewise, I massage some amount of  the said oil on his chest and back too.

Just how amazing how it helps him a lot, no more whooping cough.

Searching the net for the other wonders of Eucalyptus Oil, it says that:

“ it is good for cough/bronchitis and rheumatism. Eucalyptus as an ingredient in over-the-counter drugs is used for temporary relief of minor aches and pains of muscles and for temporary relief of nasal congestion and coughs associated with a cold.”

Though eucalyptus oil has its health benefits, the same has also its side effects.

“ Eucalyptus supplementation is inadvisable for children, adolescents,older or chronically ill people, pregnant women or women who are breastfeeding,and anyone with low blood pressure, kidney problems, stomach problems, intestinal
or biliary inflammation, or liver disorders. Insulin-dependent diabetics should carefully monitor blood sugar since eucalyptus may affect blood sugar levels.Eucalyptus may affect the metabolism and clearance of drugs like phenobarbital, aminopyrine, and amphetamine by the liver. Anyone taking such medication should avoid the use of eucalyptus.”

Just like any other medicines or food supplements, one must be wary in using the Eucalyptus Oil for any treatment.

Tips to Live Longer

** Monitor your weight.  Eat healthy foods, mainly fruits,
vegetables, lean meat/protein and carbohydrates.

**  Get enough sleep.  It helps maintain our brain function.

**  Stay away from smoking and alcohol intake.

**  Exercise.  Get some stretching and physical body activity
at least 3x a week.

**  Drink lots and lots of water.  It helps improve our skin      texture and helps to function our organs properly.

Herbal Medicines

Nowadays more and more people resort to alternative medicine known as Herbal Medicines.  It refers to the use of a plant’s seeds, roots, leaves, bark and flowers - just all the plants’ parts for medicinal purpose.

The herbs are available in many forms : teas, oils, liquid extracts, tinctures, and dry extracts in pills or capsules.

The belief that herbal medicines can heal serious and acute diseases in the absence of side-effects and less pain, attract million of users.  Not to mention the fact that this is the cheapest alternative medicine and can be bought over the counter without the need of doctor’s prescription.

It might be true that herbal medicines are very effective but only when it comes to a reputable manufacturer using natural ingredients only.

Again, self-medication is a big  no and it is always important to consult a doctor or an expert in herbal medicine for the doses of any herbal products one is eyeing to consider.

All about Depression

The US National institute of Mental Healt (NIMH) issued some definitions of depression.

*  The illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts.  It affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one thinks about oneself, and the way one thinks about things…Being a mood disorder, it is a chronic condition which runs from three to six weeks.  If  not taken cared of, it usually affects a person’s ability to function. This is referred as depressive disorder.

The most common types of depressions are:

*Major Depression - referred to as unipolar depression, it is a combination of symptoms that obstruct with the eating habit, sleep and enjoying activities and it can happen several times in a lifetime.

*Bipolar Disorder - referred to as a manic-depressive ilness, a brain disorder that causes unusual change in a person’s mood, energy and capability to perform.  A person experiencing this has a dramatic mood swings.  These periods of highs and lows are called mania and depression.

*  Dysthymia - a long term kind of depression that although the symptoms do not disable a person, it keeps one from functioning well or feeling good.  A person under this depression may suffer from attack of major depression through their lifetimes.

Shun Away from Stress Related Weight Gain

Stress can cause weight gain.  When our body is in a stress mode, our appetite increases, driving us to eat more and more.  Whenever we experience stress, our reaction is to sit, sulk in one corner and dwell on our frustration and anger without burning up the calories, that automatically leads to weight gain.

To overcome this weight gain due to stress, one must be have the activities that would make us feel relax and calm us down, as well as eating healthy meals or in-between snacks every three to four hours.

Carrot-Apple Salad

5 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 apples, diced
1 pear, diced
2 tbsps lemon juice
100 gms cream cheeze
1/4 cup cream
salt and pepper

Put carrots and apples in a bowl. Mix pear with 1 tablespon lemon juice and add to bowl.  Mix remaining lemon juice with cream cheeze and whip.  Fold cream into cream cheeze mixture.  Dash with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle over carrot mixture and serve cold.

Banana Split Salad

1 to 5 pcs. banana
lettuce
mayonnaise
raisins

Cut bananas in half lengthwise.  Place on a bed of lettuce greens.  Spread with mayonnaise on the center of bananas and put raisins all over the bananas.

Corn Lima Salad

Ingredients:

1 pkg whole kernel corn, frozen, drained
1 pkg lima beans,f rozen
1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup non-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp cider vinegar

Cook lima beans, drain and mix with corn.  Chill .  Add the other ingredients.  Toss and serve with lettuce leaves.

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