HOW TO PREVENT CANCERS

On average, diastolic blood pressure -- the bottom number in a blood pressure reading -- dropped by a statistically significant 4.3 percent and systolic blood pressure -- the top number in a blood pressure reading -- dropped by 3.5 percent.

While eating potatoes, most of the subjects -- even those on anti-hypertensive medications -- experienced lower blood pressure, and none of the subjects gained weight.

Boast higher levels of polyphenol antioxidants that protect body cells against free radical damage that can increase disease risk. To preserve these powerful plant chemicals, subjects in Vinson’s study were asked to microwave their potatoes instead of using other cooking methods.

While research from larger sample sizes is needed, Vinson says the findings "provide at least some evidence that eating potatoes might be preventative like drinking coffee to reduce blood pressure." He notes that, like coffee, potatoes are high in a specific polyphenol called chlorogenic acid that has been shown to lower blood pressure in mice.

"The high cooking temperatures used to make French fries and potato chips seem to destroy most of the healthy substances in potatoes and leave mainly starch, fat and minerals," according to Vinson. Although the new study didn't include unfried red- and white-skinned potatoes, Vinson believes they will prove to produce similar body weight and blood pressure effects in future, larger human studies.

To maximize possible nutritional and health benefits and minimize calories, lightly sauté, mash, or microwave potatoes instead of frying them and watch how you dress them. My favorite potatoes are red oven-roasted potatoes, cut in quarters, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar, and a pinch each of garlic and onion powder. Sweet potatoes cut into French fries and baked with a pinch of paprika and sea salt are also smart options.

Some recommendations for preparing potatoes from Jackie Newgent, R.D., author of "Big Green Cookbook:"

Credit : msnbc.msn.com health diet and nutrition

Sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, are an unwelcome intrusion into our sex lives, which can have serious health consequences if they aren't diagnosed and treated appropriately.

If not treated some bacterial infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, can leave you infertile or with chronic pelvic pain. Other viral infections, such as herpes and HIV, are with you for life once you have them. In the case of HIV, a daily regimen of medication is required to keep the infection in check.

STIs are passed from one person to the next during sexual intercourse, and other activities where close physical contact occurs. Bacteria, viruses or parasites can all cause STIs, and in many cases, infection will not lead to any tell-tale symptoms.

Regular STI check-ups can be essential for diagnosing STIs in people who would otherwise be unaware of an infection. So, when should you head to the doctor for an STI check-up? And what does one involve?

Australia's STI landscape is changing. While notifications for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and HIV have been steadily increasing over recent years, the prevalence of other STIs, such as genital warts, is declining thanks to the introduction of a vaccination program targeting the wart-causing human papilloma virus (HPV).

In general, you are at greater risk of contracting an STI the more partners that you have, particularly if those sexual encounters are unprotected.

But some groups are at higher risk of infection, these include young people, men who have sex with other men, travellers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and injecting drug users.

Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial infection in Australia.

Guidelines for Australian general practitioners recommend testing young people, aged 15-29 years for chlamydia once every 12 months.

Heterosexual men and women are no longer routinely tested for gonorrhoea.

Your doctor may also suggest you consider a HPV vaccine if you haven't already been vaccinated through the school vaccination program, which began in 2007 for girls and 2013 for boys.

Women should have Pap smears every two years to detect changes to cervical cells that may result from HPV infection.

Gay and bisexual men are at increased risk of contracting a wide range of STIs, including HIV, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

In 2012, MSM accounted for 88 per cent of newly acquired HIV infections.

Guidelines recommend MSM be tested annually for:

More frequent testing – once every three to six months – is recommended for men who have unprotected anal sex, have had more than 10 partners in the past six months, participate in group sex, or use recreational drugs during sex.

Rates of diagnosis for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis are higher for people who identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander status. Hepatitis B is also more common in Indigenous Australians. Remote Indigenous communities are at higher risk than communities living close to urban or regional hubs.

Young Indigenous Australians may be tested for:

In some communities, tests for syphilis or trichomonas might also be appropriate.

People often take greater risks, such as engaging in unprotected sex or visiting sex workers, when they are on holiday.

This can place them and their partners at risk of contracting STIs. A 2008 study in Western Australia found that over 85 per cent of heterosexual men and 56 per cent of heterosexual women newly diagnosed with HIV acquired the infection overseas.

Returning from overseas travel is a good time to visit your doctor for an STI check-up.

Blood-borne viral infections, such as HIV and hepatitis B and C, can be transmitted from person to person via shared needles.

Injecting drug users are also at increased risk of STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

Just as the risk of contracting an STI varies from person to person, a sexual health check-up will also vary from one person to the next.

If you request an STI check-up, because you have had unprotected sex or you wish to get a clean bill of health before commencing a new sexual relationship, your doctor may request a more thorough STI screen. Under these circumstances your doctor may also request more information on your sexual history than if they were simply offering a routine test.

Each STI requires a specific sample to be taken for laboratory analysis. In many cases, a single sample will be tested for multiple infections at once. The following is a list of samples that your doctor might require:

Test results are usually available a few days after samples are collected; however, rapid HIV tests that can provide on-the-spot results are being adopted by some services as a preliminary screening tool for people at high risk of infection.

Having an STI check-up when you don't have symptoms is a responsible way of stopping the spread of STIs and protecting yourself against complications from undetected infections.

But the most important time to have your sexual health checked is if you have any of the following symptoms:

Additional information and factsheets on STIs can be found at the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre website: http://mshc.org.au/STIsInformation/tabid/219/Default.aspx.

If you have been diagnosed with an STI, it is important that you not only get properly treated, but that you also inform your current and previous sexual partners so that they too can be tested and treated.

Different STIs have different notification periods, according to the Australasian Contact Tracing Manual.

Guidelines for some of the most common STIs in Australia are:

The following sites provide resources to assist you with informing your sexual partners that you have had an STI diagnosis, including methods for anonymous partner notification:

As the smoke can travel considerable distances, people living hundreds of kilometres away from a bushfire can be affected – especially if they have a pre-existing heart or lung condition.

Dr Martine Dennekamp from the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash University in Victoria says bushfire smoke can cover large areas, including major cities, and has the potential to affect millions of people.

Research has shown extreme air pollution events – such as bushfires – lead to an increase in the number of deaths and hospital admissions for people with lung disease.

"Our recent 2011 review found that there is an association between Emergency Department presentations for respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD and bushfire smoke events," Dennekamp says.

In addition, Dennekamp says other data suggests there was an increase in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests during the 2006-2007 bushfire season. These cardiac arrests occurred in Melbourne where air quality was affected by bushfires burning several hundred kilometres away in the Victorian Alps.

Bushfire smoke is a mixture of water vapour, small particles and gases, which may include carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

These gases travel and are known to irritate your respiratory system, but evidence suggests it's the particles that damage people's health, says Dr Fay Johnston from Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania.

Dennekamp says it's the very small particles – those with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 micrometres – that are likely to cause the most significant concern.

"And in particular the very small particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs," she says.

Symptoms caused by these particles can continue for days after they are inhaled.

Those most likely to be affected by bushfire smoke include:

Johnston says it's important for all of these people, especially those with heart and lung conditions, to monitor their symptoms when exposed to smoke and for some days after.

Those in the high risk groups are going to feel any effects of bushfire smoke more than the general population.

"If you can see it or smell it then that means there is a significant amount in the air and people in high risk groups would be advised to try and minimise their exposure," Johnson says.

For instance, people with asthma may experience wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing while the smoke is around and for some days after.

She says healthy people tend to tolerate being exposed to this type of pollution, although it can cause itchy or burning eyes, throat irritation, runny nose and some coughing. But these symptoms usually pass when once the person is no longer exposed to the smoke.

Johnston does say it's a good idea to avoid exercising outside if you can see smoke in the air.

"If you run or do physical activity you breathe in a lot more because you need to get a lot more oxygen in, so your ventilation increases ten-fold and that means you are increasing your pollution exposure ten-fold."

For those in areas affected by bushfire smoke, but not under direct threat from the fires, experts recommended the following precautions to reduce the smoke's health effects.

Stay indoors – The best way to avoid breathing in bushfire smoke is stay inside with the windows and doors closed, preferably in an air-conditioned building. Professor Wayne Smith, director Environmental Health Branch, NSW Health, says "particle levels are likely to be higher outdoors than indoors, so people sensitive to fine particles should limit the time they spend outside".

Set air conditioning on recycle – Avoid bringing smoky air into your house. If you have the option of adding a filter to your air conditioner, do so.

Avoid physical activity outside – "Fine particles can also irritate the lungs of healthy adults, so it is best to avoid any prolonged outdoor exercise," Smith says.

Keep medication on hand and follow a treatment plan – People with asthma – and other health conditions – need to make sure they have any medication they need on hand at all times. Victorian Health Department recommends having five days of medication. Those an Asthma Action Plan – or other treatment plan – should continue to follow it and if their symptoms get worse, they should seek medical advice.

Wear a mask – NSW Health Department says wearing a P1 or P2 mask(these are available from hardware stores) properly fitted over your mouth and nose will filter fine particles and minimise the effects of bushfire smoke. But Johnson says there's no good evidence to show masks work in the community, "for general public precautions, I wouldn't recommend it".

Leave the area – If the smoke continues for some weeks, or if a person's health puts them at risk of smoke, then it might be necessary to stay friends or relatives who are living outside the smoke-affected area.

• eggs

• avocado

• salmon

• oatmeal