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If a fire breaks out in the house, it is important to keep the room door closed. But why is this a protective measure in case of fire?

People sleep better in fresh air

There are many reasons for leaving the bedroom door ajar at night. The indoor air quality does not drop as quickly when the bedroom door is open. If the window is open at the same time, fresh air can flow through the room.

If the door is closed, however, the air in the bedroom is quickly used up overnight, which can result in headaches.

However, if there is a house or apartment fire, a closed door can save lives. Therefore, always sleep with the room door closed. The closed bedroom door provides better protection against smoke, smoke and gases.

Warnings about sleeping with the room door open

If the door to the bedroom is open in the event of a fire, flames and toxic smoke spread particularly quickly. The flames deprive the room of oxygen and the temperature rises within a very short time.
The fire itself spreads within minutes.

Just a few minutes to leave the house

Due to the highly flammable materials that are often used in the construction of houses and their furniture, there is little time to escape the flames in an emergency.

It is all the more important to prepare. Therefore, when buying furniture, pay attention to flame-retardant material. Smoke detectors* wake up the sleeping person, closed doors ensure a slight delay in the danger – every measure can be crucial to saving yourself and your family.

Experts recommend a certain number of steps per day to keep fit and prevent diseases caused by lack of exercise. Are you sticking to this step goal?

Laziness can make you ill – this is why daily exercise is important

Adult diabetes, heart attack, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis – these are all diseases whose risk of contracting increases due to prolonged lack of exercise. Experts, including the North Rhine Medical Association, therefore recommend a step goal of 10,000 steps a day. In order to be able to better understand the steps, mobile phones now have a pedometer function. Other possibilities are fitness trackers, or you can estimate the number of steps.

However, there are also opinions that set the daily step goal a little lower. Often, instead of 10,000 steps, you hear 8,000 or 6,000 to do something good for yourself. Researchers put 6,000 steps as the minimum for walking to have a positive effect on health. Exceeding the guideline is absolutely harmless, since the human body can cover about 20 kilometers a day without any problems.

According to a Stanford study that evaluated data from pedometers worldwide, around 4900 steps a day is the average value. At 5200, Germany is slightly above the average, while Hong Kong citizens are at the top of the world rankings with an average of 6880 steps per day.

A glass of red wine a day is good for the heart – right? Scientists have studied the effects of daily alcohol consumption on heart disease and found: This myth can be dangerous for some people.

Be careful with heart disease: it is better to do without the daily glass of wine

Dora Csengeri from the University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg explains the results as follows: “People with moderate alcohol consumption had a 16 percent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared to abstinent people. Around 6000 of the study participants suffered during this time atrial fibrillation for the first time.” The cardiologist Csengeri confirms the connection between already low alcohol consumption and an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

It has long been known that excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to the heart. The difference to previous research with this study is that even small amounts of alcohol can trigger heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation, reports heart specialist Andreas Götte of the German Heart Foundation. The scientist and doctor Csengeri therefore emphasizes: “With regard to atrial fibrillation, regular consumption of even small amounts must be discouraged”.

Csengeri adds the following in connection with the misconception that regular consumption of small amounts of alcohol, such as a glass of wine, does not harm or even protect the heart: “20 grams of alcohol per day have a certain protective effect”. However, the researcher explicitly points out that this positive effect only relates to cardiac insufficiency and heart attacks – in no way to atrial fibrillation.

Conclusion: Is it safe to drink a glass of wine?

The heart expert Andreas Götte emphasizes that the right balance is relevant when consuming alcohol. According to the German Heart Foundation, his recommendation is as follows:

People who are completely abstaining from alcohol should not start because of possible health benefits.
People with atrial fibrillation should reduce their alcohol consumption significantly or even completely avoid alcohol.
People who only occasionally drink a glass of alcohol should not be afraid of atrial fibrillation and, at best, can benefit from the positive effects on the risk of heart attack and heart failure.
People who consume alcohol regularly should be aware of the risk of developing atrial fibrillation.

Eating in the evening makes you fat? This opinion is widespread. But is that really true? Here you get the answers.

Link between weight gain and late eating? Experts have been researching the question for a long time

In 1985-86, a study (Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals) was conducted that recorded the dietary habits of 1,802 women. It showed that no connection could be established between a late meal (after 5 p.m.) and weight gain, according to the DGE. Even in a larger study (NHANES-I) from 1982 to 1984, in which the eating habits of 7,000 men and women were observed, even after ten years of follow-up (follow-up study of NHANES-I), no connection could be found between eating in the evening and the body weight development can be determined.

In another study from 2002, researchers compared the eating habits of overweight and non-overweight women. The overweight women ate more meals a day than the normal-weight women. In addition, the overweight women ate more volume in the evening compared to the normal-weight women. However, this study only indicates that overweight women not only ate late, but generally ate more. But not that they are fat because of their late eating habits.

Another 2004 study analyzed 7-day consumption logs from a total of 900 women and men. This study also showed that people who eat more in the evening already had a higher energy intake during the day than subjects who ate most of it in the first half of the day. It also found that subjects who ate a larger, more nutritious breakfast ate less food during the day and evening.

Researchers cannot link obesity to late night eating

These studies show that eating out at night does not automatically make you fat. However, the time at which you eat food still plays a role. Because if you eat a lot and plenty of it early on, you will show less hunger during the day. It has been proven that people who eat a decent breakfast have a lower energy intake during the day and also in the evening. Despite these results, according to the scientists, more research is needed in this area in order to be able to speak of reliable knowledge. However, the daily calorie intake still determines whether you gain or lose weight. If this is too high, you gain weight – no matter when you eat.

The results of a small 1997 study on weight loss support eating late meals to preserve lean body mass, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. For this purpose, researchers observed ten women in a weight loss program. They found that eating a large breakfast leads to slightly greater weight loss than a large evening meal. However, a large dinner resulted in better preservation of lean body mass.

So the secret isn’t skipping dinner: it actually has benefits for the body. This makes the widespread assumption that it makes you fat a myth. On the other hand, it makes much more sense to eat a balanced breakfast. A balanced breakfast fills you up early in the day. Thus, this variant prevents food cravings during the day.

Vegetables called beetroot are grown all year round. However, October is still the main harvest time. The tuber comes in different colors and shapes. Whether round, cone-shaped, dark red, yellow or white, the palette is large. The beet also varies in taste depending on the variety. The classic red tuber is characterized above all by a sweet, slightly earthy aroma.

Why is the red tuber so healthy?

The beetroot is actually very healthy and is rightly part of a balanced and healthy diet. It is full of important vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, iron and vitamin C. It is also rich in folic acid, which makes it a valuable vegetable, especially for pregnant women. Among other things, folic acid is responsible for the formation of new cells and prevents iron deficiency, as it also promotes the formation of red blood cells. In addition, the red root vegetables are very high in nitrates, which can temporarily lower high blood pressure.

Not only does it contain many important nutrients, beetroot can also be used in many ways in the kitchen. It is best to pre-cook them so that the earthy taste wears off. To avoid losing too much of the ingredients, it is advisable not to peel them before cooking. After cooking, it’s easy to remove the skin with a knife. However, you should wear gloves when doing this, as the red dye is difficult to wash off again.
Now there are no limits to your imagination: as a soup.

What’s the truth: Can beetroot prevent cancer?

Although the red root vegetable has so many positive properties and is particularly healthy because of the antioxidant effect, its effectiveness against cancer has not been confirmed. Scientists and doctors also warn against making one-sided “anti-cancer diets”. Rather, the unbalanced nutrition of such diets leads to nutrient deficiencies and weight loss.

If you already have cancer and are undergoing therapy, nutritionists recommend eating a wholesome diet.

Beetroot is actually a real regional superfood that should not be underestimated. Not only pregnant women or people with iron deficiency should therefore put the red tuber on their plates regularly.

Many people like to use sugar alternatives. Sweeteners are particularly popular. But appearances are deceptive: despite their good reputation, sweeteners harbor many health risks.

Risks of sweeteners: Experts advocate complete avoidance

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), less than ten percent of the daily energy intake should consist of sugar. Many people often consume far more sugar than they should and switch to artificial sweeteners, which, at first glance, appear to be a good alternative. But the chemical sugar substitute can cause unpredictable physical problems. Experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, doctor and best-selling author of the New York Times, even advocates a complete avoidance of any sweeteners.

Sweeteners are synthetically produced or natural substitutes, for example from sweetener plants for sugar, which are a lot sweeter. Sweeteners do not provide any food for caries-causing bacteria because they are not metabolized by the oral flora. Aspartame, stevioglycosides and sodium cyclamate are examples of sweeteners found in foods. Sweeteners have no or few calories, but taste about 10 to 13,000 times sweeter than sugar. Sounds very tempting, but is not really healthy.

However, sweeteners are very often confused with sugar substitutes. Sugar substitutes are – in contrast to sweeteners – suppliers of energy. They contain 2.4 calories per gram, making them about half as “heavy” as sugar. The substitutes and also sweeteners are well suited for diabetics because, unlike sugar, they do not affect insulin and blood sugar levels.

That’s why sweeteners are so bad for you

Researchers looked at the consumption of low-calorie sweetened beverages in a study that found it was associated with higher total energy and sugar intake in children. Using 7,026 children who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey over five years, the researchers were able to evaluate nutrient intake from sweetened beverages compared to water consumers.

According to this study, sweetener consumption was associated with more total calories and added sugars. Based on this finding, researchers question the benefits of low-calorie sweetened beverages for weight management in children and adolescents. Large amounts of sweetener can thus change the entire metabolism and promote unfavorable weight gain, even if the sweetener itself contains almost no calories.

Since the composition of the intestinal bacteria changes as a result of the artificial sweeteners, weight gain can occur. Regular consumption of sweeteners also increases the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. Sweeteners are also laxative, addictive, and can trigger migraines and skin rashes. And they are also suspected of being carcinogenic. So it seems the healthier option is to stick with “real” sugar and reduce sugar intake to a healthy amount.

Omit sweetener: These delicious sugar alternatives are available

While most properties of sweeteners are certainly compelling, over-consumption can lead to serious side effects. Therefore, you should not overdo it with the low-calorie sweetness and rather use natural sweeteners such as agave syrup or honey.

For many foods that contain sweeteners instead of sugar, you might choose the sugar variant, such as herbal candies or soft drinks. If you generally feel like eating something sweet and also want to do something good for your health, then simply grab an apple or a banana instead of unhealthy snacks or use agave syrup, maple syrup or coconut blossom sugar instead of sweeteners.

Other foods that do not contain any harmful sweeteners and still taste sweet:
dates
raisins
honey
dried fruit
bananas

Bananas are healthy and delicious, which is why many eat them for breakfast. Nutrition researchers explain why it’s not such a good idea.

Breakfast tip: Do not eat bananas in the morning – nutrition experts warn

Bananas in particular are considered very healthy because they provide the body with a lot of potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. Athletes in particular often use bananas before and during exercise as a quick, tasty and healthy source of energy. But an expert is now warning against eating bananas for breakfast.

British nutritionist Dr. Daryl Gioffre warns of the yellow “superfruit” in his internet blog “Byrdie”. He writes, “Bananas are about the worst thing you can eat for breakfast.” His reasoning sounds plausible.

Bananas for breakfast: the combination has to be right

Bananas have a very high natural fructose content (about 25 percent) and are therefore a quick source of energy. According to Gioffre, however, the disadvantage is even greater: the insulin level skyrockets due to the fructose, but then drops again just as quickly. The consequences are cravings, tiredness and loss of concentration.

Another disadvantage of the high sugar content is that it ferments during digestion and is converted into alcohol. This creates acids that put a strain on the body. Hyperacidity can be proven inflammatory processes

But there is also good news for banana fans. According to Gioffre, the negative effects of the banana can be compensated. The solution lies in the right combination: If you always combine the bananas with healthy fat or with herbs and spices, you can neutralize the acid during metabolism.