How would you like your coronary — with potato pancakes and pastrami or four burger patties and cheese?

Two restaurants are now feuding over whose sandwiches get to be marketed for the harm they cause your heart.

In New York City, the all-kosher 2nd Avenue Deli’s Instant Heart Attack sandwich includes two potato pancakes with a choice of corned beef, pastrami, turkey or salami. Meantime, the Arizona-based Heart Attack Grill’s well-publicized Bypass Burgers are really, really big burgers accompanied by the usual fixings (the single, double, triple or quadruple options refer to the number of patties).

The deli says the grill has warned it to change the name of its sandwich or risk a trademark lawsuit. As the New York Post reports, the 2nd Avenue Deli has filed suit in Manhattan federal court, saying the sandwiches are not only different, but that the Instant Heart Attack has been sold since before the Heart Attack Grill opened its doors.

The owner of the Heart Attack Grill tells our colleagues at the WSJ’s Law Blog that “a simple formula has emerged;  1) copy my intellectual property, 2) wait for me to object, 3) file suit against me, for exercising my right to object, in the hopes of garnering media attention for what is otherwise an unremarkable deli.”

Perhaps this could be settled by figuring out whose sandwich is actually worse for your heart, but that would require nutritional analysis the Health Blog doesn’t have the stomach to have performed.

Court papers say that the grill also took issue with the deli’s plans to introduce an even bigger version of its heart attack sandwich called the Triple Bypass. But there wouldn’t be much confusion between the two bypass-themed sandwiches, the deli argues. “The defendant’s ‘Triple Bypass Burger’ is more precisely a cheeseburger, and as such is decidedly not kosher and unsuitable for the 2nd Ave. Deli’s customer base,” it says in court papers.

If this dispute has a familiar flavor, that’s because the Heart Attack Grill sued the owners of the Heart Stoppers Sports Grill last year.

Image: Heart Attack Grill

Among allergy sufferers, there is a widespread belief that locally produced honey can alleviate symptoms — the idea being that the honey acts like a vaccine. Bees that jump from one flower to the next end up covered in pollen spores, which are then transferred to their honey. Eating that honey — just a spoonful a day — can build up immunity through gradual exposure to the local allergens that can make life so miserable for allergy sufferers.

Or at least that’s the thinking behind it. But when University of Connecticut Health Center researchers did a test, they found that the honey had no such effect.

In the study, published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in 2002, the scientists followed dozens of allergy sufferers through the springtime allergy season. The subjects were randomly split into three groups. One consumed a tablespoonful daily of locally collected, unpasteurized and unfiltered honey; another ate commercial honey; and a third was given a corn syrup placebo with synthetic honey flavoring.

After tracking the subjects’ symptoms for months, the scientists found that neither of the honey groups saw improvements over the placebo group.

Dr. Stanley Fineman, president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said he has seen a growing number of patients ask about local honey. “Seasonal allergies are usually triggered by windborne pollens, not by pollens spread by insects,” he said. So it’s unlikely that honey “collected from plants that do not cause allergy symptoms would provide any therapeutic benefit.”

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

If there is no specific treatment available for an ailment, it is human nature to search for remedy and most patients end p trying alternative medicine in one form or another. Common cold has no specific and definite remedy in mainstream modern medicine (commonly known as allopathic medicine) many people go for alternative medicine (I am not giving my opinion against alternative medicine, but giving my views only as I know sometimes alternative medicine can do wonders and there are users of alternative medicine who are satisfied with results).

For management of common cold also alternative medicine can play an important role (at least many individuals and health care professionals believe so). Most commonly used alternative medicine for common cold is use of herbs and supplements. Many patients claim to benefit from use of herbs and supplements for common cold, but in most cases there is no scientific basis or scientific data available to support such claims.

Common used herbs and supplements for management of common cold are vitamin-C, Zinc, echinacea, honey etc.

Vitamin-C in common cold:

It is seen that consuming large doses of vitamin C, especially at the beginning of cold may shorten symptoms. Use of vitamin-C can not prevent common cold and it is not useful in severe cold.

Zinc in common cold:

There are scientific data available to prove the beneficial effects of zinc for common cold management. But the correct dose, most effective formulation and durations of treatment required are not yet clearly determined. Use of zinc may take away your sense of smell and everyone should be aware of this before taking zinc.

Echinacea in common cold:

Some studies have found that regular taking of echinacea at the beginning of symptoms of common cold can reduce the duration and severity of symptoms of common cold. But many studies have shown no such benefits. Research is still going on for possible role of echinacea in common cold and other health problems. But echinacea can improve immunity is proven.

Honey in common cold:

Honey is being used for common cold for hundreds of years in some countries such as India. Honey can decrease severity of cough and improve sleeping, especially among children with cold.

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A study published this week by BMJ suggests that taking calcium supplements may slightly raise the odds of a heart attack in postmenopausal women.

That’s likely to give pause to many women taking calcium supplements to shore up their bones. But physicians say there’s still no solid evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship, and that while more research is needed, the study shouldn’t scare women away from supplementing with calcium up to the recommended daily level.

Researchers from the University of Auckland and University of Aberdeen took data from a large Women’s Health Initiative study on calcium and vitamin D consumption and used it to update their analysis of previously published research. That WHI study found no overall ties between calcium supplement use and heart problems, but more than half of the participants had already been taking calcium supplements when it started. So in many women, the study wasn’t actually comparing the difference between no calcium and some, but between some calcium and even more calcium.

The authors of the new study stripped out the results from the women who hadn’t been taking their own personal calcium supplements in the WHI trial and combined them with data from other randomized trials. They concluded that calcium supplements (whether or not they also included vitamin D) raised the odds of a heart attack by about 24%, and of heart attack or stroke by about 15%.

The researchers say that if supplements do increase risk, it may be because large amounts of calcium in the blood may harden arteries or cause clots.

Bess Dawson-Hughes, director of the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, tells the Health Blog this latest research can’t provide any definitive answers about whether calcium supplements are tied to heart disease.

Separating the women in the WHI who took supplements on their own from those who didn’t produces groups of women with very different health profiles, she says. It’s not possible to say whether the increased rate of heart problems in the group that wasn’t using personal supplements is due to the calcium supplementation or other factors. Other research has shown that people who take supplements are healthier in general than those who don’t.

It’s also possible that “if you have a certain degree of advancement in cardiovascular risk, the calcium may have a different effect than if you don’t,” she says. But it’s not possible to determine that from this study; more research is necessary.

So, Dawson-Hughes says, the usual advice about vitamin and mineral consumption, including calcium, holds: get as much as you can from food. And, she says, women should be sure to subtract the calcium they’re getting from food from the 1,200 mg recommended for women aged 51 and over and supplement only up to that recommended level. “You don’t need more,” she says. “There’s no upside, and there are potential adverse outcomes for very high intakes.”

Aurelia Nattiv, director of the UCLA Osteoporosis Center, also says that based on all the available data, women should aim to get as much of their daily calcium from food sources, and no more than 800 mg from supplements.

The Institute of Medicine’s recent report on calcium and vitamin D intake says that many older women are already taking in enough calcium via food to put them “close or just below requirements.” As a result, some “may be at risk for excess intake as a result of the use of high-dose supplements.”

The report says the most well-established risk of excess calcium consumption is kidney stones but adds there is “limited evidence that the long-term use of calcium supplements may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease.” It recommends that adults aged 51 and up cap their calcium consumption at 2,000 mg per day.

“The bottom line is that more is not always better, especially with regard to calcium supplement use,” says Nattiv.

A glowing skin or a flawless complexion is what most of the women desire and as a result visit the various beauty centers to bring that look to the skin. There are also many beauty products that have been introduced in the market for the revival of the damaged skin and for bringing radiance to the skin. People are attracted towards these products by the way they are advertised and get used to using these products. Some of these products turn out to be a fat lot of use.

The cosmetic manufacturers have become so intelligent that they have launched products for different skin troubles; for example, DMAE creams for fighting wrinkles, fairness creams for obtaining a fairer and clearer complexion etc. But the fact of life is that the people fail to realize that the best for the skin can be done only by using natural products and following the right diet. Here are a few foods that can result in healthy and glowing skin.

Green tea

This is one of the greatest gifts that nature has provided us with. There are various health benefits of green tea apart from which it has been proven that there is also a huge benefit that it can provide to the skin. It is one of the best anti oxidants and has the capacity to neutralize the harm that the UV rays of the sun cause and can also minimize the risk of skin cancer.

Water

Water is the main element that can cause a great deal of good to the skin and it is important to drink atleast six to eight glasses of water everyday. This removes the toxins from the body and helps in keeping the skin hydrated.

Berries

Berries like strawberry, blackberry and blueberry are also good anti oxidants which can do enough good for the skin as well as the body. You can add them in your cereal daily and find your skin glowing after a few days.

Carrots

Being a good source of beta carotene, the carrots have a lot going for your skin. Also an antioxidant, they clear the skin off the free radicals which occur as a result of overexposure to the sun. The vitamin A present in carrots also help in the development of fresh skin cells which are responsible for the glowing look.

Fish

Fish like salmon, mackerel and tuna are one of the best foods good for skin and the compound that makes the skin healthy is the omega 3 fatty acids. The provocative agents that can cause damage to the skin are reduced and there is also no dryness seen in the skin. The compound also helps in maintaining the healthy cell membranes.

Avocadoes

This fruit has healthy mono saturated fat which is good for the body and the skin. The best benefit of eating avocadoes is that the presence of vitamin C and vitamin E prevent dry skin and also prevent premature ageing.

The Japanese are known with a slim body and has the longevity and quality of life better. This turned out to be influenced by diet and life known as Japanese Diet.

Research shows Japanese people eat a variety of foods compared with the west. Recent studies have shown that Japanese people consume more than 100 different types of food each week, while the west is only about 30 types of food.

“Previously people thought it was all because of the influence of genes, but when the Japanese adopted Western-style diet weight will increase quickly,” says Naomi Moriyama, author of Japanese Women Do not Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother’s Tokyo Kitchen, as quoted by WebMD, Monday (03/28/2011).

Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) said that the Japanese have an average age of healthy life and be free from defects up to 75 years, and has the lowest obesity rates.

There are several Japanese-style diet could be done to make the body become lean and long life are:

Eat with your eyes
One of the wonders of Japanese-style meal is a healthy balance of low-calorie foods are delicious, served with a portion of the beautiful and controlled so that encourages people to eat and enjoy food. Also Japanese people eat an average of 25 percent fewer calories than Americans.

Served in small portions
In Japan food is served in small plates and bowls are separated so as not to be in one big plate. This is because people can eat 45 percent more when served in larger portions.

Japanese people prefer rice
Generally, the Japanese rice is cooked and eaten without using butter or oil, and served in a small bowl every meal including breakfast. Rice will help fill in calories and leave less empty space in the abdomen.

Very pleased with vegetables
Moriyana revealed that Japan is one country that crazy vegetables, because almost all types of food in Japan mixing various kinds of vegetables. A total of 4-5 different types of vegetables can be served in one meal. These vegetables are usually boiled in a broth seasoned, lightly pan-fried or steamed.

Prefer fish over meat
Japanese people prefer to eat fish than meat so rarely eat red meat, fish, a favorite is the salmon, fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring, which is the largest source of omega-3 fatty acids that are known good for the heart.

Healthy desserts
Typical Japanese dessert is any fruit peeled, sliced ​​and arranged on a pretty plate or a cup of green tea can also unique to Japan which is rich in antioxidants. This is different from Westerners who tend to prefer sweet ice cream or cake.

Japanese were more likely to walk
Walk or go by bicycle is a part of everyday life in Japan. In addition, regulations in Japan tells us to not need the elevator to the building that only has 4 floors that provide greater opportunity for citizens to burn calories.

Not all fruit should be peeled before eating, because sometimes the highest nutrient content actually contained in the skin so unfortunately that are removed. Some pieces even better eaten with the skin.

This type of fruit should be eaten with the skin directly are as follows, as quoted from Bolohealth.

1. Apple
A study at Cornell University showed that the phytochemical content in apple skin 87 percent more than in the flesh. A variety of phytochemical compounds in apple skin is a potent antioxidant that prevents cancer.

2. Cucumber
Although often referred to as vegetables, including cucumbers are technically fruits. Her skin contain silica that the merit in maintaining healthy skin and nails. At least 5 mg silica humans need every day, all can be obtained from a cucumber.

3. Eggplant
Eggplant is also often called a vegetable, even though technically belonged berries. Purple skin contains 300 mg of compound nasunin, a type of beneficial antioxidants that prevent damage to brain cells. Eggplant skin also contains 200 mg potassium, 13 mg of magnesium and 3 mg fiber.

4. Kiwi
Maybe a little weird to imagine a hairy kiwi skin should be eaten. But according to one study, vitamin C and E, serotonin and potassium in kiwi fruit can be obtained with more leverage if the fruit is eaten with the skin.

5. Orange
Orange peels contain compounds polymethoxylated flavones (PMF), which proved successful lowering cholesterol levels. No need to really eat to get the properties, just brewed with tea or put in soups.

6. Tomatoes
Tomato fruit rich in carotenoids, potassium, vitamins A, C and E. Nutritional content are most numerous in the skin and it was no one to peel tomatoes before taking it.

7. Pears
Because the skin contains a very high fiber, pears almost never peeled and eaten straight away. Pear skin is also rich in minerals, especially copper, and vitamins C and K, which function as antioxidants.

8. Plum
Plum skin with colors ranging from red, purple or blue-black contains more fiber than the flesh. Her skin also contains a phytonutrient, a compound that helps absorption of iron in the body.

As a fruit, eggplant less flashy than the imported fruit such as blueberries and black currants. And besides equally purple, there are many similarities eggplant with 2 kinds of berries that if viewed nutritional content.

Judging from its form alone, eggplant including berries. In the world of herbs, berries definition is broad enough that the fruit that produces many seeds from 1 ovaries. That is, seedy fruits including watermelon, tomato, pumpkin and even bananas can be called berries.

Meanwhile, if viewed from the color, the most easily recognizable eggplant purple from him that although there is also a variant of eggplant in the colors yellow and white. Other berries are also a lot of purple or blue-black, call it black currants, blueberries and grapes.

Purple and blue-black color is caused by the pigment anthocyanin, or specifically in eggplant called resusin that are structurally similar to anthocyanin. For humans, this pigment is an antioxidant that may ward off cancer-causing free radicals and various heart problems and blood vessels.

Fruits are purple or blue are also rich in content phycocyanian, a protein-producing blue color that is useful to stimulate the spinal cord. The condition of the immune system in warding off invasive infections depends on the work of the spinal cord.

Another advantage possessed purple fruits and fruit with the color blue than the other is a high mineral content.

Quoted from Whfoods, minerals that include selenium, calcium and magnesium which serves to maintain healthy teeth, bones and muscles.

Even if there are less than the eggplant, the deficiency lies in the vitamin C content that is not too high compared to other berries. A serving of eggplant contains only 1.8 mg of vitamin C, while other berries contain an average of 100 mg of vitamin C in equal portions.

But the shortage is offset other advantages, namely the content of vitamins B1, B3 and B6 are higher. These vitamins are essential for the body, because it has a calming effect and relieve stress while maintaining the health of the nervous system.

Mediterranean food is one of the most popular recipes we have in this world. The Mediterranean diet is not only mouth watering in its taste, but also has several health benefits; one of the most notable benefits is the benefits for the heart. The heart health benefits of the Mediterranean recipes are particularly important at present context, due to increasing health hazards (especially cardiovascular health hazards) of many Western diets (high calorie fast foods and many more).

Important features of the Mediterranean Diet, if you understand, the health benefits of the Mediterranean food can be easily understood. A traditional Mediterranean Diet is rich in vegetables, fresh fruits, olive oil (which is most consumed raw or uncooked), nuts, pasta, rice etc. and most of these are rich in antioxidants.Mediterranean diet is also beneficial for patients with hypertension (high blood pressure), obesity (especially abdominal obesity individuals are at high risk of heart problems), high cholesterol and diabetic patients.

In many studies it was confirmed that metabolic syndrome is less common among people eating Mediterranean diet. Metabolic syndrome is the condition which increases the risk of high blood pressure (stroke, heart ischemia and other cardiovascular problems as a result), diabetes, atherosclerosis etc. EatingMediterranean diet can help in management of metabolic syndrome even without weight loss or doing regular aerobic exercise as advised by most doctors to reduce cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, angina, ischemia, heart attacks etc.

Nuts are commonly used in the Mediterranean recipes and nuts contain healthy fats (unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fats which are important for healthy heart), minerals (potassium, calcium, magnesium etc.) and fibers. All the ingredients present in nuts can help in reducing cholesterol level, reduce blood pressure, and improve insulin sensitivity in diabetes patients (patients of type-2 diabetes have reduced sensitivity to insulin and as a result need more insulin for same work than normal individuals).

Among the many, many awful things that smoking can do to you and your body, one is the damage it can do to your skin – Smoker’s Face is a medically recognized term that is used by doctors to describe the typical changes that happen to the faces of many people who smoke.

However the good news is that the damage that smoking does to your skin is not irreparable – by quitting smoking, you can help your skin repair itself.

With smoking a simple logic applies – the longer you leave off quitting, the more damage you do to your skin and the more irreversible is that damage!

The toxic chemicals contained in the cigarette smoke – carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, cyanide, tar and so on prevent nutrients from reaching the skin, which are then diverted to other parts of the body as the entire system is put under stress.

Blood supply to the skin and hence oxygen supply is also compromised causing dry, flaky skin, which is prone to problems. Collagen production is also negatively impacted, leading to premature wrinkles.

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