MikeLigalig.com

Quote from: Deepwater on March 16, 2011, 03:53:42 PM
you should see what other people are saying. ok raman magpost og rant sa youtube but naa sad limitation oi. ambot na unsa na kaha ni sija.

bitaw, one should have sensibility of understanding other people's feelings. esp. when its racial or ethnic comments.

doc,

kini ay palamuut ng spoof

Asian in the Library - UCLA Asian Guy going wild on Americans (SPOOF)

wala jud ni sija ning think before submitting. "hordes of these asians..." can i say ethnocentric bigotry?

a shame really. this beautiful woman's life is forever ruined. the last i heard, the ucla community is lambasting her , including the administration and professorial staff.

    yalla, yalla, habibi..


Shira - Shik shak shok

Nesreen - Makhtoba / نسرين - Ù...خطوبة

tsk tsk. how unbecoming of a college student.

note: not all white americans are this closed minded...

really? i never knew you were an activist sa una, manay. wow. you have guts to do that.

ikaw, manay, unsay man imong opinion ani?

Awwww doctor of the heart, bro. as in your palangga's heart.

Great Job DBC!

You Belong with Me Cover

hehehe! Bright and Shining Valencianhon Gamaytitoys!





Pandanggo sa ilaw

Beautiful and Handsome Valencianhon Performers...

Padayon Inday ug Ondoy!

We're Proud of You!



Grenade Cover by Crystal & Joshua

West Covina , California
Divas at Sto. Nino Festival - West Covina CA

TresMiguelians DBC

valencia, bohol Sinulog festival 2011

Dancing With The Beat(VALENCIA, BOHOL)

Kuyawa kaayo da! Padayon Valencianhon!

Sinulog 2011 (VALENCIA, BOHOL)

Padayon mga Valencianhons!

Para sa atong pinanggang Yutang Na Tawhan...

hu-o bala, mommycake gid ha. ampo ko para niya, isles..

Gugma

Bisan Ang Kalibutan Magdumili

Hain Na Ang Utlanan

mag unsa na mag unsa na, ning kinabuhi nga wala ka...balik intawn hain ka na?

pangga pangga kaluya na, balik ining bukton ko..gi handom ka gi handom ka

gihidlaw na intawn ako.

na unsa na - na unsa na ning kinabuhi wala ka...

Mitulo Na

isles,

doctora ni si deepwater.

this song , peformed by lolita carbon, is my babycake's favorite.

kalingaw ni sija mo kanta ani...kuyawan ko kai soothing kaayo sang dayalekt ilonggo


DANDANSOY by Lolita Carbon of ASIN

Quote from: buwadsanga on September 06, 2010, 10:29:22 AM


Was able to rock with Pepe, his wife Maela and Maela's bro Fred at Villa Romana in Baguio two months ago. Nice evening with Emperador, SMB and budha stick.....heheheheh!  Rock on to the future....

rock on, buwad! very nice picture. guapoha inyong smile

Quote from: TUBAGBOHOL.com on October 27, 2009, 11:17:23 AM
Where are the band members now?

carbon is ilongga, diba?

a rather interesting article.

by: Laurance Johnston, Ph.D.


Many alternative medicine therapies emphasize healing from a holistic mind, body, and spirit perspective; any discussion of the therapies would be incomplete without this perspective. Mind-body approaches to medicine have gained increasing acceptance in recent years. What about spirituality? Almost everyone prays when faced with a traumatic injury like spinal cord injury (SCI) or a debilitating disease such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Can this prayer actuprayer and spirituality for spinal cord injury (SCI) and physical disabilityally help one’s health?  Substantial scientific evidence indicates yes. This two-part article will discuss the scientific evidence correlating religion, spirituality, and prayer with physical health, as well as several mechanisms by which their healing effects can be mediated.

Prayer: A Medical Taboo?

Preferring drugs, surgery, and high technology, twentieth century medicine has ignored healing’s spiritual components. Physical laws delineated by Sir Isaac Newton in the seventeenth century guide modern medicine. Under these laws, the universe - including the human body - functions by specific cause-and-effect physical principles.

As such, the body can be understood by breaking down and studying each component. Because consciousness plays no role in such a system, spirituality has been considered irrelevant to health.

In addition, many people are leery of scientists attempting to study prayer. They believe attitudes reflected by scientists have contributed to many of the world’s problems and do not want prayer debased by scientific scrutiny. Society has a tendency to compartmentalize prayer and spirituality. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH, in Bethesda, Md,) was criticized for sponsoring a study examining the effect of prayer in alcohol and drug rehabilitation because it violated the constitutional separation of church and state.

Because of such controversies and biases, many scientists prefer to use phrases like “subtle energy fields” when describing their research on prayer-like consciousness. Where prayer is thought of as possessing emotional, subjective connotations, subtle energy research is carried out by objective, “hard” scientists.  Nevertheless, many scientists have thought that science and spirituality enhance each other and do not represent incompatible views of the world. One of them is Albert Einstein, who stated “Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”

The Comeback of Prayer:

Prayer is making a medical comeback. Given that 94% of Americans believe in God or a higher power (1994 Gallup Poll), it is not surprising that 75% of patients think that their physician should address spiritual issues as part of their medical care.  Furthermore, 40% want their physicians to actively discuss religious issues with them, and nearly 50% percent want their physicians to pray not just for them but with them. In a growing trend, 43 percent of American physicians privately pray for their patients. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA, May 1995) entitled “Should Physicians Prescribe Prayer for Health, discusses these trends. The mere presence of this article in this highly respected bastion of the medical profession suggests that the barrier between spirituality and health care is crumbling.

Organized Religion: Good For Your Health?

Scientific studies demonstrate that individuals who participate in organized religion are physically healthier and living longer (see Is Religion Good for Your Health, Harold Koenig, 1997). For example, they have lower blood pressure and incidence of stroke and heart disease. Regarding mental health, they have lower rates of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Organized religion can promote health through a variety of social mechanisms, e.g., discouraging unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol and drug use, smoking, and high-risk sex; and providing social support and a sense of belonging.

The Science Behind Prayer:

In addition to the effects of organized religion, prayer-like consciousness also has been shown to exert an influence in numerous scientific studies. Although the effects of organized religion can be explained through readily understandable mechanisms, the effects of prayer cannot. After reviewing the literature, Dr. Daniel Benor (Complementary Medical Research 4:1, 1990) found 131 controlled studies involving prayer or spiritual healing. Of these, 77 showed statistically significant results. A sample of some of these studies follows:

Lower-Life Forms: Through conscious intent, test subjects (i.e., normal volunteers with no special abilities) were able to influence the growth of fungus, molds, yeast and bacteria, often at great distances. These studies imply that prayer has the potential to fight infections.

With potentially profound implications, subjects were also able to alter the genetic mutation rate of bacteria.  If prayer can alter the genetics of bacteria, it is conceivable that it could do so also in man. If this is indeed the case, man may not be limited to what was previously thought to be his born-with, genetic destiny. In fact, Gregg Braden in Walking Between the Worlds: the Science of Compassion (1997) presents a case that human emotion affects the actual patterning of DNA (the genetic material) within the body.

Humans: Prayer-like consciousness has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, protect red blood cells, alter blood chemistry, and increase blood oxygenation. In one study, skin wounds healed at a much greater rate when treated with a spirituality-related treatment (perhaps a therapy option for pressure sores).

In a controversial study carried out by cardiologist Randolph Byrd (Southern Medical Journal, July 1988), nearly 400 heart patients were randomly assigned to either a group that was prayed for by a home prayer group or a control group. This was a methodologically rigorous double-blind study designed to eliminate the psychological placebo effect. In such a study, neither the patient nor doctor knows who is receiving the intervention (i.e., prayer). Patients who received prayer had better health outcomes, including a reduced need for antibiotics and a lower incidence of pulmonary edema.

Prayer researcher Jack Stucki has carried out double-blind studies evaluating the effects of distant prayer on the body’s electromagnetic fields. In these studies, the electrical activity in both the brain and body surface were measured in subjects in his Colorado Springs laboratory. Nearly a 1,000 miles away in California, spiritual groups would either pray or not pray for a subject. The electrical activity measured in the prayed-for subjects was significantly altered compared to controls.

Healing through Secondary Materials: Spiritual healers have been shown to mediate healing through secondary materials, such as water or surgical gauze, which they have held. A spectroscopic analysis of healer-treated water indicated an energy-induced shift in the molecular structure of the water. This healer-treated water maintained these altered properties and its effectiveness for at least two years. These findings suggest that it is, indeed, possible for sacred objects, such as holy water, to possess power.

Distant or Time-Displaced Prayer:

Non-Local Prayer: The preceding examples indicate that prayer and spiritual healing can exert its effect from a distance. As discussed in Larry Dossey’s Healing Words (1993), test subjects (again, normal volunteers with no special “gifts”) can influence the outcome of random physical events even when separated by great distances.  This research, much of which was carried out at Princeton University, uses random event or number generators. These generators produce large sets of data like zeros and ones, which should average out over time as in the case of flipping a coin.  Subjects, however, can influence the outcome of these generators so the data is no longer averages out (i.e., no longer random). Focusing and mental concentration seems to have minimal effect. Instead, the most influential subjects described a bonding or “becoming one” with the machine.

Time-Displaced Prayer: Not only can test subjects influence outcomes over distance but also, amazingly, they can affect past outcomes. Specifically, the subjects influenced the output of random event generators in the past. In these cause-is-after-the-effect experiments, the random events have already been recorded but not consciously observed. This after-the-fact influencing was blocked, however, if another party (even an animal) observed the pre-recorded data before the mental influence is attempted. Hence, conscious observation seems to fix the past.

If we can influence the past outcomes of random event generators, some of which are based on atomic decay, is it possible to influence our medical past, which is also based on atomic events? For example, although annual physical exams can uncover problems at an early stage, there is no statistical evidence that such exams increase longevity in the general population. Although being careful not to encourage individuals to forgo such exams, Dr. Larry Dossey speculates that the physical exam may serve as the act of observation that irrevocably locks the disease in place. This “medical looking” may “erase the malleability of critical physiological events “ that many individuals may have been able to influence at some mind, body, and spirit level if not examined.

http://www.healingtherapies.info/prayer_and_healing.htm

Delirious - I Could Sing Of Your Love Forever

tsk tsk, i had the unfortunate pleasure in assisting a surgeon help a patient with this condition. the surgical team reduced the priapism and related paraphimosis. it was very tedious, to say the least. 

Priapism is a persistent, usually painful, erection that lasts for more than four hours and occurs without sexual stimulation. The condition develops when blood in the penis becomes trapped and unable to drain. If the condition is not treated immediately, it can lead to scarring and permanent erectile dysfunction.

It can occur in all age groups, including newborns. However, it usually affects men between the ages of 5 to 10 years and 20 to 50 years.

etiology: traction or tear of the upper trunk of brachial plexus C5 & C6 roots. follows blow to shoulder or trauma during delivery

finding: limb hangs by side ; due to paralysis of abductors
medialy rotated (paralysis of lateral rotators)
forearm is pronated (loss of biceps)

by: Robert Louis Stevenson




SINCE thou hast given me this good hope, O God,
That while my footsteps tread the flowery sod
And the great woods embower me, and white dawn
And purple even sweetly lead me on
From day to day, and night to night, O God,
My life shall no wise miss the light of love;
But ever climbing, climb above
Man's one poor star, man's supine lands,
Into the azure steadfastness of death,
My life shall no wise lack the light of love,
My hands not lack the loving touch of hands;
But day by day, while yet I draw my breath,
And day by day, unto my last of years,
I shall be one that has a perfect friend.
Her heart shall taste my laughter and my tears,
And her kind eyes shall lead me to the end.

by: John Clare




Is there another world for this frail dust
To warm with life and be itself again?
Something about me daily speaks there must,
And why should instinct nourish hopes in vain?
'Tis nature's prophesy that such will be,
And everything seems struggling to explain
The close sealed volume of its mystery.
Time wandering onward keeps its usual pace
As seeming anxious of eternity,
To meet that calm and find a resting place.
E'en the small violet feels a future power
And waits each year renewing blooms to bring,
And surely man is no inferior flower
To die unworthy of a second spring?

by: Emily Dickinson




The Service without Hope --
Is tenderest, I think --
Because 'tis unsustained
By stint -- Rewarded Work --

Has impetus of Gain --
And impetus of Goal --
There is no Diligence like that
That knows not an Until --

  Here I am to Worship -Visayan Translation  


Here I am to Worship -Visayan Translation

Ikaw ang DIOS nga nag buhat sa kalibotan, ikaw ang DIOS nga nag buhat sa tanang may Kinabuhi

Arong nga magdayig sa imong ngalan....

POWERFUL!


Paga Simbahon Ka

BISAYA WORSHIP SONG


Kagawasn(KAGAWASAN SA SALA) lyrics

Pagkamaayo Mo (A Christian Music Video By D' Heirs Band)

1Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.

2Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.

3From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.

4The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

5Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

6Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!

7He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;

8That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

9He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.


-PSALM 113

 8Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

9For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

12Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

13Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

15Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!


-PSALM 107

We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He

And together we sing

[Chorus]
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory

We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He

And together we sing
Everyone sing

[Chorus]
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory

It's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown
Repeat

And together we sing,
Everyone sing

[Chorus]

Holy, Holy, is the Lord Almighty
Holy, Holy
[Repeat 2x]

HOLY IS THE LORD

powerful worship song!

Amen! Sing for the Lord...


Holy is the Lord (worship video w/ lyrics)

5So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

26There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.

27These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

28That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.

29Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.

30Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

31The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.

32He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

33I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

-PSALM 104

16The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;

17Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.

18The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.

19He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

20Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

22The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

24O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.


-PSALM 104

20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.


    -Psalm 103: 20-22

 1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies..


   -Psalm 103: 1-4

I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 34:1

Blessed Be Your Name (worship video w/ lyrics)


Blessed be the Name of God!

Light of the world
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore You
Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

King of all days
oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost




Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me


Here I am to worship,
Here I am to bow down,
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
All together worthy,
All together wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
to see my sins upon that cross--

Here I am to Worship (worship video w/ lyrics)

Lord I Lift Your Name On High (worship video w/ lyrics)

♫ "Here I Am, Lord" (very solemn hymn)

so beautifully performed...keep on singing for God's Glory,..

City of God by Dan Schutte

1. Awake from your slumber! Arise from your sleep!
A new day is dawning for all those who weep.
The people in darkness have seen a great light.
The Lord of our longing has conquered the night.

Refrain: Let us build the city of God.
May our tears be turned into dancing.
For the Lord our light and our love has turned the night into day.

2. We are sons of the morning; we are daughters of day.
The One who has loved us has brightened our way.
The Lord of all kindness has called us to be
a light for all people to set their hearts free.

3. God is light; in God there is no darkness.
Let us walk in the light. God's children one and all.
O comfort my people make gentle your words,
proclaim to my city the day of her birth.

4. O city of gladness now lift up your voice,
proclaim the good tidings that all may rejoice

City of God by Dan Schutte (Cover)

Table of Plenty by Dan Schutte

Table of Plenty

Shepherd Me O God - Psalm 23

I went on a pilgrimage with other international students. the monastery in question was built before the split between orthodox and catholic churches. the monastery that we visited was literally built during the time when CHRISTIANITY was ONE.

May God allow the unification of both Catholic and Orthodox Churches.

The Churches In Ukraine 4

The Churches In The Ukraine 3

2006


The Churches In Ukraine 1

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 10:11:36 AM
jawa-jawa an?  bikog ba... mahinumdom man sad ta ani nga mad hatter ka to my alice in wonderland.

dako jyud kang imaginasyon an? ning tanaw ka'g alice in wonderland sa starz la?

Bedo,

do take pictures of all you guys. i wish i could join. pohon.

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 10:41:47 AM
opkors nut, indi gid ako kamukha ni johnny depp, ikaw gid kun may bungot pa lang siya untah...

hahaha sigi, pero ikaw ang red queen?

si manong hubag sang kaliko kat haw?

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 10:11:36 AM
jawa-jawa an?  bikog ba... mahinumdom man sad ta ani nga mad hatter ka to my alice in wonderland.

bwahahaha ikaw ang mad hatter sa tubag bohol, isles.

our beautiful and witty, and much loved hatter.

my lola nating. i remember the one time when lolo would drive to tagbilaran to pick me and my sister up during fin de semanas and take us back to his house in valencia. the drives used to be so long, and dust-filled. (the days before the cemented high way). lola nating would be waiting in her wheelchair by the driveway for our return. i can remember her smile and her red dastirs. lola was chinese. i would always remember her kissing my cheeks and pinching my face and then whispering some chinese words to my ears.

she used to make the best chinese noodle soups for us. i miss her.

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 09:54:30 AM
you patented the madness for him?

murag, innate kondisyon naman na para nija. mo gawas ra ang symptom ug naay dibati.

joke ra ni ha, nong hubs.

besides, madness is found in everyone. tan-awa si isles, mad poster ni sija.

Hahaha aww, naay gud bolinaw kai naa gud mga tinderador bwaahaha.

Murag ug mo away away si daddy ug si mommy, si daddy may mo give in. isug'a lagi si mommy. aww, valencianhon gud.

Post some great, romantic, familial, friendly, nostalgic memories you have of Valencia.

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 09:48:42 AM
the method is patented by you.

koreksyon, isles. dli by, murag for.

joke.

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 09:47:49 AM
naghagit gyod kag makakita ug hulagway ug ginamos nga hinimo gikan sa corn nga bunga sa trees.  payr awey, junjun! 

ug naay pikchyur sa bolinaw , okey pood. bwahaha.

hahaha! that mask hides a grin

Say you and your spouse get into a fight. Who usually gives in? Husband or Wife?

Quote from: junjun on March 15, 2011, 06:48:33 PM
arang taasa najud ang giabtan aning MAIS NGA KAHOY ba kay ming-apil nagud si ginamos.hahahahahahaha...baliksa original topic....tanang tawo naay moral responsibilities sa uban labi na ug elected officials ka di ba!

jun, you still have yet to address my query. where are the pictures? you mean to tell me that you saw the festivities and didn't take pictures? palihug, bai.

indeed, the projection is quite obvious...

how befitting...

Magellan Remix (Yoyoy Villame & Max Surban)

Osteogenesis Imperfecta, resulting in blue sclera due to deformation of collagen type 1.

to the guys:

would you date this alien?

Quote from: hubag bohol on March 14, 2011, 10:07:22 PM
Picture ni Hubag the Alien nga nadakpan...

hehehe murag ning click si hubag alien with one of his human captors.

Quote from: islander on March 16, 2011, 07:32:30 AM
does the opposite hold true, like, say, big men have very small balls?

murag dili. hehe

presented by: A. Lorenzo

Pharmacology: Treating Glaucoma

presented by: A. Lorenzo


Male Reproductive System: Hormone Pathways

presented by: A. Lorenzo


Pharmacology: Fish Oil and Depression

presented by: A. Lorenzo


Pharmacology: Hypertension 1

presented by: A. Lorenzo


Pathology: Hemostasis Lecture

presentation by: A. Lorenzo

Processing And Presentation of Antigen

Control Your Pressure

The average adult has about five liters of blood flowing through the body via an intricate network of blood vessels called arteries, veins and capillaries. Blood is essential to life for it delivers oxygen from our lungs to our body tissues, and carries harmful waste to the kidneys to be removed. Blood also transports hormones from our glands to various parts of our bodies, as well as vitamins and nutrients from our digestive tracts.

When our blood vessels become clogged due to a plaque buildup of cholesterol and fat, our hearts must work twice as hard to pump enough blood to our vital organs. This is what causes our blood pressure to surge.

As the pressure increases inside of our arteries, veins and capillaries, our hearts become even more overworked. Over time, our hearts grow larger in an effort to compensate for the extra workload and eventually they become weaker.

When you add obesity, smoking, or diabetes to the mix, the risk of heart attack, stroke or kidney disease for those with high blood pressure increases dramatically. This is why it is important to know what your blood pressure is.

Experts recommend that you maintain a blood pressure lower than 140/90 mm Hg at rest. The higher number represents the maximum pressure exerted when the heart contracts (systole). It reflects the stiffness of the large arteries near the heart, and the volume of blood pumped into them. The lower number represents the pressure exerted when the heart begins to relax between beats (diastole), just before the next contraction. It measures the amount of constriction of the body's smaller arteries or arterioles.


Good Reasons to Exercise

A great way to lower your blood pressure and combat the corrosive effects of plaque buildup is to exercise. Studies have shown that sedentary lifestyles tend to elevate blood pressure, while regular exercise can reduce it.

According to Saunders, exercise is so effective at controlling blood pressure because it stimulates a substance within our bodies called nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is produced by our endothelial cells, which live on the inside layer of our blood vessels.

"Nitric oxide is a substance that helps to keep our blood vessels open," said Saunders. "During the early stages of plaque buildup or arteriosclerosis, one of the first things we see is a reduction in the amount of nitric oxide in the blood vessels. When we exercise, the accelerated pumping of our hearts forces more blood to flow through our vessels. As this blood pushes its way along the lining of our vessels, the endothelial cells release more nitric oxide."

You don't have to spend hours in the gym to reap the healthy benefits of exercise. Walking the dog, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, even vacuuming briskly can increase the blood flow from your heart and through blood vessels.

In addition to regular exercise, a heart-friendly diet is also important, said Saunders. Broiling foods instead of frying them and trimming the skin and fat off of meat all add up to less artery-clogging plaque in your blood vessels.


Shake That Salt Habit

So, you avoid foods high in fat and cholesterol and are exercising on a regular basis, what else can you do to stay healthy? Saunders suggests staying away from foods that contain a lot of sodium.

Sodium plays an essential role in regulating fluids in the body. Studies of diverse populations have shown that a high sodium intake is associated with higher blood pressures.

Although the human body requires only about 500 mg of sodium a day, the average American ingests between 6,900 mg and 9,000 mg of sodium a day. For people sensitive to sodium, such as those with a family history of hypertension, African Americans, diabetics and the elderly, the accumulation of too much salt in the body can be particularly risky.

Saunders recommends doing away with your salt shakers. Adding extra salt to most foods is unnecessary since many of the prepackaged, prepared foods that you buy in the grocery store already contain a lot of sodium.

"A good rule of thumb is that if you can taste the salt in your food, then there is too much of it," said Saunders. "Canned foods, snack foods, fast foods and other prepared foods are loaded with sodium. It is much better to prepare your own low-sodium meals. You may also consider using some salt substitutes (with approval by your doctor) or various condiments and seasonings that may add to the taste without excess salt. When eating out, insist that the food be prepared without sodium and you can then control the amount consumed."

If you don't have time to cook your meals from scratch, Saunders advises that you pay close attention to the amount of sodium listed on food labels. Since 1986, the Food and Drug Administration has required manufacturers to list sodium content on their products.


Say No to Smoking, Excessive Drinking

Another way to improve your overall cardiovascular health is to quit smoking and drinking a lot of alcohol.

While drinking in moderation doesn't seem to have much of an impact on your heart, having more than three drinks a day may contribute to high blood pressure. Alcohol has been shown to raise blood pressure by interfering with the flow of blood to and from the heart. When alcohol courses through your bloodstream, it pushes blood rich in nutrients away from your heart.

Studies have shown that it is much more difficult to control blood pressure if you drink heavily. Conversely, a reduction in alcohol consumption can help lower blood pressure.

Smoking also takes a heavy toll on the heart. According to the American Lung Association, over 400,000 Americans die of smoking-related illnesses each year. This figure includes those affected by secondhand smoke and babies born prematurely due to prenatal, maternal smoking.

Nicotine, one of thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes, causes the blood vessels to constrict. This narrowing of the vessels increases blood pressure.

Nicotine is an extremely addictive chemical. Studies show that nicotine activates the circuits in the brain that regulate pleasurable feelings. It does this by increasing the levels of a chemical found in our brains called dopamine. The U.S. Surgeon General warns that nicotine addiction is similar to heroine and morphine addiction. In fact, when smokers inhale, the nicotine reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously.

Kicking a smoking habit may not be easy, but it is worthwhile. About 1.3 million people quit smoking each year. The benefits of quitting are numerous. They include improved tolerance for exercise, and a reduction in the risk of developing lung cancer, bladder cancer and heart disease.

Three years after giving up nicotine, Saunders said that ex-smokers have a 65 percent reduction in deaths from heart disease relative to those who continue to smoke.


reference: http://www.umm.edu/features/blood_pressure.htm

Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no "diabetes diet," per se -- and that's good news! The foods recommended for a diabetes diet to control blood glucose (or blood sugar) are good for those with diabetes -- and everyone else. This means that you and your family can eat the same healthy foods at mealtime. However, for people with diabetes, the total amounts of carbohydrates consumed each day must be monitored carefully. Of the different components of nutrition -- carbohydrates, fats, and proteins -- carbohydrates have the greatest influence on blood sugar levels. Most people with diabetes also have to monitor total fat consumption and protein intake, too.

To keep your blood sugar levels in check, you need to make healthy food choices, exercise regularly, and take the medicines your health care provider prescribes. A dietitian can provide in-depth nutrition education to help you develop a personalized meal plan that fits your lifestyle and activity level, and meets your medical needs.
Learn the ABCs of a Diabetes Diet

The goal of nutrition for people with diabetes is to attain the ABCs of diabetes. The A stands for the A1c or hemoglobin A1c test, which measures average blood sugar overthe previous three months. B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol. People with diabetes should attain as near as normal blood sugar control (HbA1c), blood pressure, and healthy cholesterol levels.
Alcohol and Diabetes

Use discretion when drinking alcohol if you have diabetes. Alcohol is processed in the body very similarly to the way fat is processed, and alcohol provides almost as many calories as fat. If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it occasionally and when your blood sugar level is well-controlled. It's a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure drinking alcohol is acceptable.


When eating sugar, keep these tips in mind:

    * Read food labels. Learn how to determine how much sugar or carbohydrates are in the foods that you eat.
    * Substitute, don't add. When you eat a sugary food, such as cookies, cakes, or candies, substitute them for another carbohydrate or starch (for example, potatoes) that you would have eaten that day. Make sure that you account for this in your carbohydrate budget for the day. If it is added to your meal for the day, then remember to adjust your insulin dose for the added carbohydrates so you can continue to maintain glucose control as much as possible. In other words, readjust your medications if you do add sugars to you meals.
    * Sugary foods can be fattening. Many foods that have a lot of table sugar are very high in calories and fat. If you are watching your weight (and many people with diabetes must), you need to eat these foods in moderation!
    * Check your blood sugar after eating sugary foods and talk to your health care provider about how to adjust your insulin if needed when eating sugars.
    * Ultimately, the total grams of carbohydrates -- rather than what the source of the sugar is -- is what needs to be accounted for in the nutritional management of the person with diabetes.


reference: http://diabetes.webmd.com/diabetes-diet-healthy-diet-basics?page=4