Extraordinary Black Ear Mushroom Benefits for Health

Extraordinary Black Ear Mushroom Benefits for Health - Black ear fungus or black fungus may not sound like something interesting to eat, but it is rich in nutrients and has many health benefits.

Black mushroom is a wild mushroom that has a chewy texture. It grows on tree trunks and logs.

This fungus has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years.

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The following benefits of black fungus for health:

1. Improve intestinal health

Black ear fungus is a good source of prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds good bacteria in the intestines. It helps the intestinal bacteria produce nutrients to improve digestive health.

2. Preventing dementia and Alzheimer's

According to a study published in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushroom, eating raw and cooked black mushrooms is beneficial in preventing the development of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

3. Lowering bad cholesterol

Black mushrooms contain potent antioxidants, which are said to reduce LDL cholesterol (bad) significantly. Thus, this can also help you avoid heart disease.

4. Protect the liver

Black fungus is known to protect the liver from certain harmful substances. According to one study, a mixture of black fungus powder with water helps protect the liver from damage caused by an overdose of acetaminophen, a chemical used to treat fevers and saki.

5. Prevents chronic conditions

Research shows that black fungus contains antioxidant compounds that help fight free radicals and protect cells against oxidative damage.

As such, it helps in preventing chronic conditions such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and heart disease.

6. Inhibiting the growth of bacteria

Black fungus contains anti-microbial properties that can help ward off the growth of E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.

Alert Sensitive Skin, Skincare Cause Irritation

Alert Sensitive Skin, Skincare Cause Irritation - Choosing skincare or facial care products is not easy for owners of sensitive skin. Because several ingredients in skincare must be considered that can cause redness to the skin irritation.

Quoted Thursday (27/12/19), here are some of the content on skincare that needs to be taken into account in dosage and its use for sensitive skin owners:

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1. Retinol
Retinol is an active ingredient for increasing collagen production. However, retinol can also trigger the redness of the skin accompanied by flaking.

2. Salicylic acid (Salicylic acid)
Aesthetic surgeon and dermatologist from New York, Dendy Engelman, said this acid is the biggest enemy of acne and blackheads. However, salicylic acid tends to cause the skin to become very dry and trigger irritation.

3. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a natural moisturizer that is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants. But not all skin types turn out to be compatible with this natural ingredient.

Engelman said coconut oil had high levels of blackheads. "He is on a scale of four, from zero to five. Besides that, coconut oil also tends to clog pores, "Engelman said.

4. Hyaluronic acid (Hyaluronic acid)
Hyaluronic acid or HA is one of the most sought after ingredients in 2019. Almost all beauty products ranging from lip moisturizers, hair treatments to facial moisturizers contain this type of acid because it can moisturize and help the process of absorbing other skincare.

This acid does not directly cause skin irritation, but its nature that "paves the way" for other skincare can increase the potential for irritation.

5. Benzoyl Peroxide (Benzoyl peroxide)
This substance is proven effective in killing bacteria that cause acne quickly. Nevertheless, dermatologist Kenneth Howe cautioned that Benzoyl peroxide is not intended for all skin types. Benzoyl peroxide on sensitive hills can cause the surface of the skin to become rough, dry, and sore.

6. Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA)
AHA is an ingredient in skincare that is popular in 2019. Its properties can brighten the skin, disguise black spots, to shrink pores much preferred by skincare lovers. Nevertheless, this acid can cause irritation to sensitive skin because the ingredients can make the skin react to sunlight.

5 Signs of Too Much Salt

Signs of Too Much Salt - In addition to sugar, salt is an enemy for those who crave a healthy lifestyle.

Moreover, Indonesian food does have a taste with a predominance of salt in it, so it is tough for Indonesians to reduce or not add saltiness to their diet.

Overeating salty food can actually cause health problems such as hypertension, but not many people know how much salt we need to consume.

Quoted from the NHS.uk, adults should only consume food with a dose of 6 grams of salt or 1 teaspoon each day. Based on the Times of India, here are the signs that your body is consuming excess salt. 

Credits: Photo by Lorena Martínez from Pexels

1. Always thirsty

Addictive salt can make dry mouth syndrome, so you will often feel hungry. Excess sodium can inhibit the body's fluid balance and, consequently, force you to experience hydration problems. This is a clear signal that the body needs more hydrating nutrients by consuming less salt.

2. Mild headache

If you have experienced slight trouble for a relatively long period, that may be a sign that you need to pay attention to salt intake. Generally, problems can be caused by dehydration, which can occur when the body does not have hydration fluid, which helps.

3. Food tastes bland without salt
This is one of the most common signs that is often ignored. Salt does add a little taste to your diet. However, if your body has begun to adjust to excessive amounts of salt, this taste can no longer return to the value it should. The thing to remember, you can reduce salt without ruining the flavor. If you can't minimize salt, chances are you are addicted to salt.

4. Swelling

Salt intake can affect blood circulation so that in the end, this can encourage the body to hold air and cause conditions such as edema and one part of your body to swell. Some examples of swelling occur in the face and legs.

5. Pain and cramps in the bones

You may not realize it, but consuming excessive salt can also damage bone health. Too much salt can cause the body to lose significant calcium. This is a trigger for chronic problems such as weak bones, cramps, and pain.

Want to Avoid Holiday Blues? Avoid sweets

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Want to Avoid Holiday Blues? Avoid sweets - A new study from a team of clinical psychologists at the University of Kansas shows that eating extra sugar can trigger post-crucifixion depression holiday alias vacation blues.

Sugary foods can trigger metabolic, inflammatory, and neurobiological processes associated with depression. This research was published in the journal Medical Hypotheses.

Especially in the 4 seasons that are experiencing winter, reduced sunlight, and changes in sleep patterns, high sugar consumption can affect mental health. While in other parts of the world experiencing winter, in Indonesia, there is also currently a rainy season.

"For many people, reduced exposure to sunlight during the winter will throw away circadian rhythms, disrupt healthy sleep and push five to 10 percent of the population into episodes of full clinical depression," said Stephen Ilardi, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Kansas, reported by Science Daily.

Ilardi, who wrote research with the University of Kansas graduate student Daniel Reis (lead author), Michael Namekata, Erik Wing, and Carina Fowler (Duke University), said symptoms of depression that arise this winter can encourage people to consume more sweets.

"One of the common characteristics of depression that occurs in winter is sugar cravings. So, we have up to 30 percent of the population who suffer from at least some of the symptoms of depression due to winter, causing them to want carbohydrates - and now they are always faced with holiday sweets. , "he said.

Ilardi said, avoiding added food sugars might be very challenging because sugar improves mood to be good, making some people suffering from depression seek temporary emotional recovery.

"When we consume sweets, they act like drugs," said University of Kansas researchers, who are also the authors of "The Depression Cure" (First De Capo Press, 2009).

"Sugar has an immediate mood-enhancing effect, but in high doses, it can also have paradoxical long-term consequences, damage it, make the mood worse, reduce well-being, increase inflammation and cause weight gain," he said.

The researchers reached their conclusions by analyzing various studies on the physiological and psychological effects of consuming additional sugars, including the Observation Study of Women's Health Initiatives, the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, studies of Spanish university graduates, and studies of Australian and Chinese soda drinkers.

Ilardi cautioned that it might be more appropriate to look at added sugar, at quite high levels, because it is physically and psychologically dangerous, like drinking a little alcohol.

"We have pretty good evidence that one alcoholic drink a day is safe and may have beneficial effects for some people," he said.

"Alcohol is basically pure calories, pure energy, not nutritious, and super toxic at high doses. Sugar is very similar. We learn that when depressed, people who optimize their diets must provide all the nutrients the brain needs and mostly avoid potential poisons. This, "Ilardi said.

The researchers found inflammation was the most important physiological effect of sugar, food-related to mental health, and depression disorders.

"A large number of people with depression have high levels of systemic inflammation. When we think of inflammatory diseases, we think of things like diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis - diseases with high levels of systemic inflammation," they said.

Also, inflammatory hormones can directly push the brain into a state of severe depression. So, an inflamed brain is usually a depressed brain. Added sugar has a pro-inflammatory effect on the body and mind.

Ilardi and his colleagues also identified the impact of sugar on the microbiome as a potential contributor to depression.

"Our bodies hold more than 10 trillion microbes, and many of them know how to hack the brain. Symbiotic microbial species, beneficial microbes, basically hack the brain to increase our happiness. They want us to develop so they can develop," Ilardi explained.

However, several microbial species can be considered parasites. Many of the parasitic microbes that grow well in added sugar, and can produce chemicals that drive the brain in a state of anxiety, stress, and depression.

Ilardi recommends a minimal diet that is rich in plant foods and Omega-3 fatty acids for optimal psychological benefits. As for sugar, KU researchers recommend caution - not only during holidays but throughout the year.

"There is no one-size-fits-all approach that can predict exactly how a person's body will react to any food with a certain dose," Ilardi said.

"As a conservative guideline, based on our current knowledge, there may be some risks associated with high-dose sugar intake - may be anything above the American Heart Association guidelines, which is 25 grams of added sugar per day," he said.

Ways of Hypertension Cause Heart Disease

Untreated hypertension can trigger the development of other diseases, one of which is heart disease. Nearly half of people with untreated hypertension die from heart disease related to reduced blood flow (ischemic heart disease) and deaths from stroke.

Treatment and lifestyle changes can help control high blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of life-threatening complications. Want to know more about how hypertension can cause heart disease, the answer is here!

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Hypertension Cause Heart Disease

The heart pumps blood throughout the body. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage the heart in several ways, such as:

• Coronary heart disease

Coronary artery blood vessels are blood vessels that carry blood to the heart muscle. Chronic high blood pressure can cause blood vessels to become narrow, thereby reducing the intake of blood flow to the heart. This condition is known as coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease.

• Left Heart enlarged

High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder than needed to pump blood throughout the body. This causes the left ventricle to thicken or stiff (left ventricular hypertrophy).

This change limits the ability of the ventricles to pump blood to the body. This condition increases the risk of heart attack, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death.

• Heart failure

Over time, the pressure on the heart caused by high blood pressure can cause the heart muscle to weaken and work less efficiently. As a result, the heart becomes overwhelmed, starting to wear out and fail.

Pain or pressure in the chest is the most common symptom of a heart attack. However, pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, or jaw can also be a sign. Likewise, shortness of breath, nausea, or dizziness. If you experience one or more of these warning signs, go to the hospital immediately.

Hypertension can also affect other areas of the body, which cause problems, such as:

• Bone Loss

High blood pressure can increase the amount of calcium present in urine. Excessive calcium can cause loss of bone density (osteoporosis), which in turn can cause fractures. This risk is especially increased in older women.

• Hard to sleep

Estimated high blood pressure apnea. The problem is when blood pressure rises abnormally, it can interfere with breathing. One consequence is snoring.

If you have high blood pressure, you need to reduce salt intake. According to research from the Journal of the American Heart Association, adding calcium and magnesium to drinking water can potentially help lower blood pressure levels in the entire population.

Changing your diet can significantly reduce high blood pressure. Research has shown that certain foods can lower blood pressure, both immediately and in the long run. Several food choices can reduce high blood pressure, namely avocados, cantaloupe, berries, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, tuna, and peas.

Toothbrush Routine Can Reduce Risk of Heart Failure, So How Many Times a Day?

Toothbrush Routine Can Reduce Risk of Heart Failure, So How Many Times a Day? - Many Indonesians have eating habits and unhealthy lifestyles that have the potential to cause heart failure. Most of them do not pay attention to the contents of the food eaten every day.

Such as salt consumption should not be more than 2 grams per day, while Indonesians consume 15 grams per day. Likewise, with the use of sugar and fat, which should be limited to 50 grams and 67 grams. Indonesians consume more than that every day, which increases the risk of disease, including heart failure.

Of course, the excessive content causes oral hygiene is not maintained so that oral health will be disrupted. Poor oral hygiene can increase bacteria in the blood and cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and heart failure.

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According to research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, brushing your teeth can reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Brushing your teeth three times a day can clean the bacteria in subgingival biofilms (bacteria that live between the teeth and gums) that block blood flow, thereby reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation by 10 percent and reducing the risk of heart failure by 12 percent.

The study was based on factors of age, gender, socioeconomic status, diet, body mass index, and comorbidities such as hypertension. A retrospective cohort study examined the relationship between oral hygiene and the occurrence of these two conditions.

Reporting from The Health Site, Thursday (05/12/2019), as many as 161,286 participants of the Korean National Health Insurance System, aged 40-79 years, there was no history of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. They underwent routine medical examinations in 2003 and 2004, in the form of checking height, weight, laboratory tests, illness, lifestyle, oral health, and oral hygiene.

"We studied large groups for a long time to strengthen our findings," said one of the researchers, Dr. Tae-Jin Song from Ehwa Woman's University, Seoul, South Korea.

The Oral Health Foundation recommends brushing, especially at night and at least once during the day. Besides, toothbrushes must also be replaced every two to three months.