8 Common Causes Of Chest Pain

Chest pain. The first thing you may think of is heart attack. Certainly chest pain is not something to ignore. But you should know that it has many possible causes.

In fact, as much as a quarter of the U.S. population experiences chest pain that is not related to the heart. Chest pain may also be caused by problems in your lungs, esophagus, muscles, ribs, or nerves, for example. Some of these conditions are serious and life threatening. Others are not. If you have unexplained chest pain, the only way to confirm its cause is to have a doctor evaluate you.

Heart Disease

One of the main causes of chest pain is due to a cardiac origin which is medically known as ‘angina’. Research states that any person can suffer from angina for a short or long period of time, depending on the type of heart disease. In cases like this, chest pain is felt in the shoulder region and travels to the limbs too.

• Angina or a heart attack: The most common symptom is chest pain that may feel like tightness, heavy pressure, squeezing, or crushing pain. The pain may spread to the arm, shoulder, jaw, or back.
• A tear in the wall of the aorta, the large blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to the rest of the body (aortic dissection) causes sudden, severe pain in the chest and upper back.
• Swelling (inflammation) in the sac that surrounds the heart (pericarditis) causes pain in the center part of the chest.

Angina or a heart attack

Due To Tension

Not many are aware but, tension is another main reason for chest pains. When there is an increase in the level of blood pressure in the arteries which carry the blood to the lungs it gives out a pain in the chest.

Tension can  also cause stomach pain

Acidity

Gastroesophageal reflux disease also known as GERD is another cause for chest pain. Acidity or heart burn are some of the common reasons. It is accompanied with constant burping, heaviness on the chest and at times pain in the shoulder region too. Other possible causes:

• Spasms or narrowing of the esophagus (the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach)
• Gallstones cause pain that gets worse after a meal (most often a fatty meal).
• Stomach ulcer or gastritis: Burning pain occurs if your stomach is empty and feels better when you eat food

GERD syndrome

Lung Problems

It may have never crossed our mind to relate lung disorders with chest pain, but strangely abnormality of the lung function can be one of the causes of chest pain. Below is a few of lung problems that causing chest pain.

• A blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
• Collapse of the lung (pneumothorax)
• Pneumonia causes a sharp chest pain that often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.
• Swelling of the lining around the lung (pleurisy) can cause chest pain that usually feels sharp, and often gets worse when you take a deep breath or cough.

Pneumonia can cause a sharp chest pain

Stress and Depression

• Stress is the underlying problem and another reason for chest pain. When the body is under stress, the heart rate increases, and blood pressure also rises rapidly which affects the circulatory system of blood flow to the heart resulting in a chest pain.
• Depression plays havoc in one’s life, especially with the heart. When you are feeling depressed there is an increase in the heart rate and faster blood flow to the heart causing a sudden chest pain.

Stress and Depression

Due To Injury

An injury to the rib cage, muscles or the chest wall will result to chest pain. This type of chest pain usually remains constant and can be treated with medication.

Lung Trauma

Body Exertion

When the body does not get sufficient oxygen to carry out metabolic processes it results to exertion and strain on the muscles and organs. This strain effects the chest region leading to chest pain. Exertion is one of the many causes of chest pain and should be treated by taking proper rest.

Exercises is good but overdoing it cause problems

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!

Top 10 Cholesterol-Fighting Foods

Snack on nuts. Drizzle a little olive oil on your salad. Dine on salmon. Have a little chocolate—guilt-free! These eating strategies (and more) can help reduce your cravings for high cholesterol foods and lower "bad-guy" LDLs, maintain "good-guy" HDLs, and help you reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you're already eating plenty of them, keep up the good work. If not, begin adding them into your diet today.

Soy: The Smart, Delicious Alternative

Reducing saturated fat is the single most important dietary change you can make to cut blood cholesterol. Used as a replacement for meat and cheese, soy foods help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat.

Why is saturated fat so bad for your heart? The liver uses saturated fat to make cholesterol, so eating foods with too much saturated fat can increase cholesterol levels, especially low-density lipoproteins (LDL)—the bad cholesterol. Saturated fats are usually found in animal products such as whole milk, cream, butter, and cheese, and meats, such as beef, lamb and pork. There are some plant-based saturated fats you should avoid too, notably palm kernel oil, coconut oil, and vegetable shortening.

Beyond replacing saturated fat, research suggests that compounds in soy foods called isoflavones may also work to reduce LDL cholesterol.

Beans: The High Fiber Solution

Except for your morning wheat bran, no food is more fiber-rich than beans. And beans are especially high in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Eating a cup of any type of beans a day—particularly kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans—can lower cholesterol by as much as 10% in 6 weeks.

Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their re-absorption into the body. This may be why soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol levels (and decreases the risk of heart disease). Soluble fiber is also found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, beans, apples, carrots, and most other fruits and vegetables.

Salmon: Amazing Heart-Friendly Fat

Research has shown certain types of fat actually protect against high cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids—found in salmon and other cold-water fish—help lower "bad" LDL cholesterol, raise "good" HDL cholesterol, and lower triglycerides.

Salmon is an excellent source of protein because it is high in omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA that are good for your heart while low in cholesterol and saturated fat.

Avocado: Healthy Fat Superfood

Avocados are a great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. It is a type of fat that may actually help to raise levels of HDL ("good"cholesterol) while lowering levels of LDL ("bad" cholesterol). And these delectable green orbs pack more of the cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol (a beneficial plant-based fat) than any other fruit. Beta-sitosterol reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. So the combination of beta-sitosterol and monounsaturated fat makes the avocado an excellent cholesterol buster.

Garlic: The Ancient Herb for Heart Health

For thousands of years, garlic has been used in nearly every culture in the world, and not just to repel evil. Its nutritional value and flavor have made it a kitchen staple. Ancient Egyptians ate garlic for stamina; in modern times, garlic has been found to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections. Now research has found that it helps stop artery-clogging plaque at its earliest stage (called nanoplaque). How? Garlic keeps individual cholesterol particles from sticking to artery walls.

Spinach: The Heart Healthy Green Giant

Spinach contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a "golden" reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Now research suggests that just a ½ cup of a lutein-rich food daily also guards against heart attacks by helping artery walls "shrug off" cholesterol invaders that cause clogging.

Margarine: Best Spreads for Your Breads

Two margarines are proven to help lower your cholesterol numbers: Take Control and Benecol. They do so by blocking the absorption of the cholesterol contained in your food and bile.

Take Control margarine is made with plant sterols that are proven to lower both total and LDL cholesterol by up to 14%. The plant stanols in Benecol margarine work the same way. Both the National Cholesterol Education Program and the American Heart Association recommend these margarines.

Tea: The Hot and Cool Superdrink

Tea, whether it's iced or hot, delivers a blast of antioxidant compounds. Studies prove that tea helps to keep blood vessels relaxed and prevent blood clots. Flavonoids, the major antioxidants in tea, have been shown to prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol that leads to plaque formation on artery walls. These powerful antioxidants may even reduce cholesterol and even lower blood pressure.

Walnuts, Cashews, and Almonds: Go (Mixed) Nuts!

A moderate-fat diet that's rich in the healthy monounsaturated fats found in nuts may actually be twice as good for your heart as a low-fat diet. Nuts also have vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and phytochemicals that have been linked to heart health. And walnuts are also rich in omega-3s. People who eat nuts regularly have less heart disease and other illnesses than people who don't. The heart-healthy monounsaturated fats they contain are also better for your joints than the polyunsaturated fats found in corn and safflower oils.

Dark Chocolate: The Sweet Heart Bonus

Want to help your heart the next time you indulge in chocolate candy? Choose the dark or bittersweet kind. Compared to milk chocolate, it has more than three times as many antioxidants. These flavonoid antioxidants work to keep blood platelets from sticking together and may even help keep your arteries unclogged. Milk chocolate is good too, having as much antioxidant power as red wine. And what about white chocolate? Sorry, it has no flavonoids at all.

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!

6 Simple Habits That Can Lower Your Heart Disease Risk by 92%

Researchers followed nearly 70,000 people for two decades and concluded that three-quarters of heart attacks in young people could be prevented if they closely followed six healthy lifestyle practices, even if they'd been diagnosed with one or more risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes. In fact, people who adhered to all six healthy lifestyle practices had a 92% lower risk of heart attack and a 66% lower risk of developing a risk factor for heart disease.

Check out these 6 habits that can save your heart.

Try Not Smoking

Science has proven time and time again that smoking increases the risk for cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. And the sooner you quit, the sooner you reap health benefits. Research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that people who quit smoking lowered their risk of disease by 40% in 5 years.

Smoking increases the risk, you know that.

A Normal Body Mass Index (BMI)

Obesity was deemed a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013 because carrying extra weight may lead to factors that contribute to conditions such as heart disease. This is just one of the reasons why a healthy body mass index makes the list, but as Chomistek points out, people can be overweight and still be cardiovascularly fit. So while you might be fighting the battle of the bulge, if you are eating well and exercising—two of the lifestyle factors on this list—you're still helping to ward off heart disease.

Stay slim, stay healthy

Exercising At Least 2.5 Hours A Week

Incorporating daily activity into your routine can help diminish your heart disease risk by 46%, suggests a 2014 study published in the journal Circulation. Just make sure you're reaping the benefits by getting in a few sessions that make you really huff and puff.

It is advisable to exercise whenever you can

Watching 7 or Fewer Hours of TV a Week

We're sure you've seen the studies that show sitting for long periods diminishes your mortality rate, eating in front of the TV contributes to overeating, and using electronics prior to bed disrupts sleep. By reducing the time that you're planted in front of the television, you can increase the amount of time that you're exercising, socializing, and relaxing—all things that can also help slash your heart disease risk.

It's time to leave the couch and get moving

Drinking an Average of One Alcoholic Drink per Day

According to Chomistek, this is one of the least influential lifestyle habits on your heart health. "If you drink alcohol, limit it to one drink a day; but if you don't drink, I'm not going to recommend you to start."

One glass of wine improves blood circulation

Eating a High-Quality Diet

Chomistek explains that the participants in the study who experienced the least heart disease risk ate a diet that was high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and fish, and low in red and processed meats, and trans fats.

Do a Regular Cholesterol Screening

It is advisable to do a cholesterol screening every 3-6 month to monitor your cholesterol level. You will know when you need to do something when you look at your results.

Cholesterol Screening every 3 months keep you updated

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!

6 Sneaky Signs You Drink Too Much

You rarely turn down wine with dinner, not to mention that second (or third) cocktail at happy hour—but that doesn't make you a binge drinker, does it? 

Wine are good for Health, don't they?

More than 38 million adults binge drink an average of four times a month, according to a the report, and while 18 to 34 year olds are more likely to go overboard than any other age group, it’s actually the over-65 set that does it most often. Tying one on now and then may seem harmless, but overindulging in alcohol is responsible for more than 80,000 deaths in this country per year, and is the third leading cause of preventable deaths. 

So how much alcohol means you’re overdoing it? 

For women, binge drinking means having four or more drinks in a short period of time, compared to five or more for men. 

One Cup every night makes you a drinker

Most people who binge drink don’t fit the definition of an alcoholic, but there aren't just two camps of drinkers, say experts: Many of us are somewhere in between. To find out where you fall on the problem-drinking spectrum, read on for these surprising signs you may be drinking too much.

You become a Daredevil.

Anyone who’s seen their normally shy co-worker dancing on the bar at the company party knows drinking can lower inhibitions. Getting drunk can come with repercussions far worse than feeling embarrassed—it can lead to risky decisions. “Drinking too much on just one occasion can change your life for the worse,” says Gregory A. Smith, MD, an addiction specialist at the Comprehensive Pain Relief Group in Los Angeles. Alcohol is also a factor in approximately 60% of fatal burn injuries and drownings, 40% of fatal falls and car accidents, and half of all sexual assaults, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

When you are drunk, anything can happen!

You’re a Weekend Warrior.

If you don’t drink daily but are drinking regularly, such as every Friday night, that’s a red flag,” says Dr. Smith. While research shows that having about seven alcoholic beverages per week lowers your risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, abstaining all week only to guzzle five or six glasses in a single sitting negates any of alcohol’s potential health benefits. Moreover, binge drinking can raise blood pressure and interfere with certain medications. “Plus, it’s easier for women to suffer acute alcohol poisoning that could lead to death because it could take only six or seven drinks for someone who is 5’3” and 115 pounds, while it may take twice that amount or more for a larger man,” says Dr. Smith.

Drinking just “creeps up on you.”

Have you ever told yourself you were going to have only a drink or two at happy hour, and before you knew it you’d downed four? One of the clues that you may be a binge drinker is not knowing your limits—or feeling surprised when you've "suddenly" passed them. Like diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems, drinking problems develop gradually. That’s why it’s smart to re-evaluate your drinking habits regularly by writing down how much you drink and when. That will make it easier to rein yourself in if you’re starting to get a little out of control.

This is just great, I think I will have 2 more bottle

Your memory has temporarily gone missing.

Alcohol affects everyone differently, depending on your genes, what, if any, medications you’re taking, as well as whether you just ate a big meal (food slows the absorption of alcohol in your bloodstream). Still, researchers speculate that heavy drinking interferes with how you remember by disrupting a key brain messenger called glutamate, which is linked to memory. That means if you have ever “forgotten” parts of the night until your drinking buddies reminded you, or have woken up foggy as to how you got home and into bed, you've definitely had one (or three) too many.

What happen last night? I cant remember anything

You let some responsibilities slide.

“Drinking is a problem when you notice that you’ve started to neglect things that are important to you for the sake of alcohol,” says Keith Humphreys, PhD, of the VA/Stanford University Center for Health Care Evaluation in Palo Alto, California. Maybe you’re normally a dedicated parent, but a Saturday night buzz means you have trouble putting the kids to bed. Or you skip your Monday morning spin class because you feel hung-over from the weekend. When drinking is prioritized over your normal day-to-day life, you’re probably in the danger zone.

My head hurts after the party last night

People close to you seem concerned.

If your family, friends, or co-workers have hinted (or flat-out vocalized) that they’re worried about you, it’s time to cut back. “The first step is to recognize that you’re drinking more than you should, and then to set some goals for yourself,” says Deidra Roach, MD, of the NIAAA. Tell your partner or friend what your drinking limit is going to be before you go to an event where alcohol is free flowing. This makes it easier to say no to the next drink, because you’re being held accountable by someone else. “And if you’re afraid to ask people if you drink too much, that’s probably a sign that you’re overdoing it, too” says Dr. Humphreys.

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!

The Amazing Health Benefits of Chickpeas

The chickpea or chick pea is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is also known as gram, or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, and sometimes known as Egyptian pea. Like other legumes such as beans, peas and lentils, chickpeas are prized for their high protein and fiber content, and also contain several key vitamins and minerals known to benefit human health.

1. Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Having elevated cholesterol levels significantly increases your risk of suffering from a stroke or heart attack. Eating soluble-rich foods like chickpeas and oatmeal can reduce your cholesterol levels naturally.

2. Diabetes Prevention

Preliminary evidence suggests that the consumption of chickpeas may be beneficial for correcting dyslipidemia (when the concentration of cholesterol or lipids in the blood exceeds normal limits), and preventing diabetes.

3. Help in Weight Loss

Including fiber-rich foods in your diet plan can make weight loss more effective. Fiber distends your stomach, making you feel satiated for longer periods. If you eat regularly vegetables like chickpeas, you can expect more robust weight loss than you’d get from simply cutting calories.

4. High in Protein

Chickpeas are a good source of protein. Combined with a whole grain such as whole-wheat protein, they provide amount of protein comparable to that of meat or dairy foods without the high calories or saturated fats.

5. Energy Booster

Chickpeas can boost your energy because of their high iron content. This is particularly important for menstruating women, pregnant or lactating women and growing children. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism.

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!

The Health Benefits of Honey

Honey is a sweet food made mostly by honey bees using nectar from flowers as it is the type of honey collected by most beekeepers and consumed by people. Honey has had a long history in human consumption, and is used in various foods and beverages as a sweetener and flavoring. It has also been used in various medicinal traditions to treat ailments.

Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbohydrates, honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5%) and glucose (about 31.0%), making it similar to the synthetically produced inverted sugar syrup, which is approximately 48% fructose, 47% glucose, and 5% sucrose. Honey's remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates. As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and contains only trace amounts of vitamins or minerals. Honey also contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, Vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin. The specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey.

So how actually the honey help to boost your health?

Here are 6 delicious ways that honey improves your health:

1. It Boosts your Immune System.

Immune Booster

Raw, organic honey is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes which protect the body from bacteria and boost the immune system. Cold and flu symptoms, such as coughs, sore throats, and congestion are also kept at bay when treated with honey.

• To improve your immune system, add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to warm water daily. For an extra boost, add fresh lemon juice and a dash of cinnamon.

2. It Helps you Lose Weight.

Healthy Diet

Drinking warm water with lemon and honey on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, is the main component of every detox program I offer my clients. Doing this on a daily basis is one of the best ways to cleanse the liver, remove toxins, and flush fat from the body.

• Add 1 tablespoon of honey plus the juice of one lemon to warm water every morning before breakfast. This is a very soothing and satisfying drink to end the day with, as well.

3. It reduces the risk of heart disease.

Risk of Heart Disease

Honey mixed with cinnamon has been shown to revitalize the arteries and veins of the heart and reduce cholesterol in the blood by up to 10%. When taken on a regular basis, this honey-cinnamon mixture may reduce the risk of heart attacks and stop another from occurring in people who have already suffered one.

• Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey with 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon to warm water, then drink daily.

4. It Soothes Indigestion. 

Indigestion

For those who suffer from indigestion, the antiseptic properties of honey relieve acidity in the stomach and alleviate digestion. Honey also neutralizes gas, becoming the ultimate stomach soother when it comes to overeating.

• One or two tablespoons of honey before heavy meals is the best way to thwart indigestion, and if you've already overindulged, add honey and lemon to warm water to help move food through the digestive track.

5. It Bolsters your Energy Levels.

Energy Booster

The natural sugars in honey provide a healthy source of calories and energy for the body. Plus, using honey for an energy boost also answers the human body’s innate craving for something sweet.

• Fight fatigue with nature’s answer to low energy. Instead of reaching for coffee, cakes, or chocolate to get you through an energy slump, try reaching for a tablespoon of raw, organic honey instead.

6. It clears up your skin.

Skin Cleaning

Due to its anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, honey is the ultimate organic skincare brand. Apply a dab of raw, organic honey directly to blemishes, and let the skin absorb its medicinal properties overnight. Wash it off in the morning, and after regular use, you’ll wake up to clear skin!

Other Benefits of Honey

Honey is also an effective treatment for other skin conditions, such as eczema, ring worm, and psoriasis. Though honey does not CURE these conditions, it does soothe inflammation and relieve dryness.

Sore throats and coughs

One of the best-known health benefits of honey is its ability to soothe sore throats and kill the bacteria that causes the infection. Honey has strong antibacterial properties and provides temporary pain relief. 

• Combine a spoonful of honey with some freshly-squeezed lemon juice and drink at regular intervals. You can also mix the honey with lemon juice and a pinch of salt and gargle. 

It Hurts

Honey also relieves mild coughing (especially night-time coughing in young children) and is a great immune-system booster - it can help ward off colds.

Honey and Weight Loss

First thing in the morning, it is recommended that you drink a glass of lemon juice with a little honey as an anti-cellulite treatment and to increase your metabolism. It should also be included in a healthy weight-loss program.

You could also combine honey with cinnamon and water: one cup of boiling water mixed with a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. After the ingredients are properly mixed, you should cover it and leave it for about half an hour. Filter the mixture. Afterwards, add a teaspoon of honey and you are done. It is important to drink it 30 minutes before eating breakfast, on an empty stomach.

A glass of Honey with water

Many people think that if they stop eating, they will lose weight faster. However, nutrition is important because your body needs fiber, vitamins, calories and minerals for proper functioning. By doing this, the only thing that you will succeed in is to weaken your immune system. A healthy weight-loss program should reduce the daily calorie intake and focus on how to burn additional calories through physical exercise.

Preparation of Honey

How to prepare:

• Just put a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm water and stir.

How to drink it:

• Drink every morning on an empty stomach, and you can also have it before bedtime. Start having this routine each morning and do wonders for your health!

(Please note that honey should not be given to babies under the age of 12 months.)

For more health info and promotions, please follow us on Facebook- Wellness Lab

Download Wellness Lab Mobile App now for more promotions 

If you like this article, you can share this to your friends and families , together we share the health information and the taste of a healthy life!