Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 5-27-16 Online Edition

Health
Watermelon: The New Sex Drug For Men
Summer Health Tips
Here are a few things to help you stay healthy during the summer.
Protect Your Heart With Olive Oil
Pollution spikes due to sum- mer’s rising temperatures and humidity and can inflame your arteries, upping the risk of heart trouble. The oleic acid from a daily dose (1 table- spoon) of olive oil helps block arterial inflammation.
Nix Foot Pain By Skipping Flip-Flops
Foot pain peaks in the sum- mer and a major culprit is flip- flops. Walking in them shortens your stride and changes the angle of your ankle, which causes pain. So, choose supportive sandals or sneakers for all-day wear and save the flip-flops for the beach.
KO Cataracts With Shades
Wearing sunglasses with UVA and UVB protection daily cuts the risk of clouding of the eye lenses. How? By stopping UV rays from harming proteins in the eye lenses, so they stay healthy and clear.
Boost Happy Hormones With A 5-10 Daily Break
Taking a brisk
10 minute walk
and stretching for
5 minutes through-
out the day can rev the release of the so-called “happy” hor- mones that keep you upbeat and calm - even on hectic days.
Suspicious Lumps And Bumps
Women are 3 times more likley to find odd lumps and bumps on our bodies - the result of hormonal changes. Luckily, here are a few things to help:
• Prevent breast lumps with fish
- Eating 24 oz. of fish weekly helps nourish - because of the iodine - and protect breast cells. Also, take 3,000 IU of Vitamin D daily to cut risks by 50%.
• Prevent ear bumps with a cellphone switch - Pressing the cellphone against your ear can trigger the growth of tiny, crusty-looking bumps. Simply alternating sides when talking on the phone will cut the risk by 55%.
• Prevent wrist bumps with short breaks - Ganglions (balloon-like, fluid-filled cysts) can pop up on your hands and wrists overnight - and swell to the size of golf balls. Why? Inflam- mation caused by repetitive tasks, such as typing. Taking short, but frequent breaks, cuts your risk by 75%.
• Prevent genital lumps with warm compresses - A lump on your genitals is usually simply a blockage of a gland or a hair follicle. To prevent one from forming if you’re prone to them: Rise well after washing, then hold a warm, wet cloth to the area for 2 minutes daily to help the glands stay open and drained. If you have one, take a warm sitz bath - twice daily - to shrink the lump.
5 Ways To Ease Digital Eye Strain
Men hoping to add a lil spice in their love life may want to skip the add some water- melon to their menu.
It turns out, wa-
termelon may be a
natural Viagra,
says a researcher.
That’s because the popular summer fruit is richer than experts believed in an amino acid called citrulline, which relaxes and dilates blood ves- sels much like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
Until recently, many scien- tists thought most of the cit- rulline was in the watermelon rind. But now, experts have discovered that there is more citrulline in the edible part than previously believed.
Why Does This Work?
The amino acid citrulline is converted into the amino acid arginine. This is a precursor for nitric oxide, and the nitric oxide, a blood vessel relaxer that enhances circulation to all your vital parts.
How Much Should You Eat?
A typical 4-ounce serving
of watermelon (about 10 wa- termelon balls) has about 150 milligrams of citrulline.
Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally oc- curring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions.
In watermelons, these in- clude lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.
As an added bonus, these studies have also shown that deep red varieties of water- melon have... displaced the tomato as the lycopene king. Almost 92% of watermelon is water, but the remaining 8% is loaded with lycopene, an anti-oxidant that protects the human heart, prostate and skin health.
Digital eye strain affects more than the eyes. It can cause headaches, general discomfort as well as and other serious is- sues including sleep disorders and age-related vision problems.
Here are a few suggestions:
1. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Take a 20-second break, every 20 minutes and view something 20 feet away.
2. Keep a distance. The American Optometric Associa- tion recommends sitting a com- fortable distance from the computer monitor where you can easily read all text with your head and torso in an upright posture and your back sup- ported by your chair. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20-28” from the eye to the front surface of the screen.
3. View from a different angle. Ideally, the computer screen should be 15-20 degrees, or about 4-5” inches, below eye level as measured from the cen- ter of the screen.
4. Decrease glare. While there is no way to completely minimize glare from light sources, consider using a glare filter. These filters decrease the amount of light reflected from the screen.
5. Blink often. Minimize your chances of developing dry eyes when using a computer by making an effort to blink fre- quently.
Dr. Leroy Vaughn, a board certified ophthalmologist lends some helpful advice for people over the age of 50 as it concerns their eye health. “If you’re over the age of 50 you need to get computer glasses. They’re half the strength of regular bi-focals. You must wear them when you’re at the computer.”
Dr. Vaughn also recom- mends using lubricating eye drops, increasing the font size and decreasing the brightness of the screen for people with cataracts. Diabetes sufferers should take special note to keep their sugar levels in check be- cause the disease can make you near-sighted according to Dr. Vaughn.
PAGE 10-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, MAY 27, 2016