Gerd (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) is an ugly sounding word which has become the popular standard for describing acid reflux disease. A simple definition for Gerd would be the reflux or splashing up of digestive fluids from the stomach into the esophagus.

The term Gerd has only been used for about twenty years. The symptoms are heartburn, chest pain, regurgitation of gastric juices and difficulty swallowing. Other problems can be a lack of sleep, nausea, labored breathing and abdominal pain.

Gerd can become a very serious life threatening matter. When left unchecked this condition can develop into Barrett’s Esophagus, which is a precursor to esophageal cancer.

The human body was designed to keep gastric acid in the stomach where it belongs. Its function is to sterilize and digest what we eat and drink. Stomach acid is mainly composed of hydrochloric acid which is a very powerful corrosive agent.

The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a muscular valve at the bottom of the esophagus which allows ingested material to move down into the stomach. It is designed to close and keep this material from coming back up. Most people who experience Gerd do so because the LES becomes relaxed and malfunctions, allowing acid to reflux. Where the stomach has an acid proof lining the esophagus does not and is easily damaged by stomach acid.

Why the world is being plagued by this phenomenon is quite a mystery, but it is estimated that over 300 million people worldwide suffer from the symptoms of this disorder. The medical community relies mainly on pharmaceutical drugs to treat these symptoms. Unfortunately, most doctors have no knowledge of nutrition or alternative natural therapy. In most cases, their job is to treat the symptoms of acid reflux, not to cure the disease.

Common sense would dictate that Gerd has everything to do with what we eat and drink. It is, however, more complicated than that. It has a lot to do with how we eat and drink, as well. Most of us know that there are certain foods that we find difficult, as individuals, to digest. Everyone is different. We can all react differently to the same food or beverage. Some people cannot easily digest tomato sauce while others have no problem with it. Avoiding so called “trigger” foods is an important first step in overcoming Gerd.

Eating on the run usually means eating unhealthy food too quickly. Not chewing properly is a major contributor to acid indigestion. We live in a culture where most people eat lunch in a rushed environment at the office or in a fast food facility. Most of these meals are loaded with hard to digest fats and sugars and have very little food value. Carbonated beverages relax the LES causing heartburn, as well. Eating fruits like bananas and apples would be a far more healthy choice.

Drinking alcohol and smoking may also relax the LES and even chocolate makes it lazy. One should limit daily alcohol consumption to one or two glasses of red wine. Besides the evident danger of smoking tobacco, it also causes the body to be acidic in nature. An acidic body is not a good place for proper digestion. Coffee stimulates the hypersecretion of gastric acids. Having a cup of Kukicha Twig Tea, which is very alkaline, would be a better option.

You won't believe it but it is true. Prostate cancer is one of the top leading causes of death among men and many of the industrialized countries of the world. This information is based on continued monitoring of data that suggests men and ignore prostate health until cancer situations become critical.

Here's some more information:

The statistics now have it that one in every ten men will eventually develop significant prostate cancer at one stage in their lifetime! The reason for this has more to do with our living longer than the rate of cancer growing out of control.

The fact is that the risk of contracting prostate cancer increases as we age, and the baby boomer bubble is reaching the age where prostate cancer becomes a significant risk factor.

So, do we keep running away from this reality? Or brave up and do something about it! We could change our diet, exercise more and try to prevent it from happening to us. The biggest thing we can do to take control of our lives is to get a regular yearly prostate exam.

Prostate cancer is a slow growing carcinoma that when diagnosed early can be treated and even cured. The key to prostate cancer survival, his early detection and treatment

The good news is that the sooner a prostate cancer is detected, the better and easier it would be to treat. So, with prostate cancer, the sooner you discover and treat it the better your chances of survival.

So, instead of hiding your head and ignoring the fact that your aging, learn all you can about good prostate health and the symptoms of prostate cancer. while the rest of your body is exposed it is wise to learn all you can about prostate cancer so that you can be better protected about it.

This knowledge will allow you to quickly identify the symptoms and go for full treatment. Better still, the knowledge you will get will help you to always go for check ups once or twice every year, to know immediately prostate cancer develops, so that you can fight it before it spreads.

People must take good care of their contact lenses. Cleaning the contact lenses and storing them in solution must be a daily ritual to keep them clean and soft and not let them get dry. Also, this would ensure that the lenses are dust free and would not cause any irritation or itchiness in the eyes.

An alternative to this is to use disposable ones. Even though there are contact lenses that can be disposed after a day’s use, they might be very expensive and many people can’t afford them. Contact lens that can be disposed once a week, or a month, or six months or a year are the most popular and affordable types of disposable contact lenses.

Disposable contacts must not be used after the expiration date since this might result in complications in the vision or the eyes. They are also convenient to use and so most physicians tend to prescribe these to the patients. Most popular among the disposable variety are the ones that can be replaced once in every week or two weeks. Also available are the disposable contact lenses that can be disposed once in a month or a quarter, they are known as the frequent replacement lenses. Contact lenses that can be used for at least six months to a year are the reusable lenses. These are the traditional lenses and are not exactly considered to disposable contact lenses.

Disposable lenses are available for daily wear as well as for specialized uses such as for cornea correction during the night. The disposable variety for this particular purpose is also available in the present market.

It is a good practice to dispose of the used lenses at regular intervals or as prescribed by the doctor. This is because the deposits formed in the eye can attach themselves to the contact lenses gradually making them less safe as time passes. Naturally, this would also result in the lenses infecting the eye, causing irritation, itching, and abrasion, as well as affecting the vision adversely.

Our teeth are important in maintaining good self-image. Have you lost your self confidence because of a swollen gum or a wobbly tooth that seems to come off as you speak? These are also important in proper speech delivery, proper digestion and food appreciation. Dental hygiene plays a vital role in keeping the vitality of your teeth and the surrounding tissues. The most prevalent of these diseases are dental decay and periodontal disease. Dental decay or dental caries is probably the most common human disorder. Dental caries and periodontal disease can be prevented by a successful dental hygiene program. A good dental hygiene program should include the following:

1. Proper eating habits and good diet. Dental decay is caused by the breakdown of sugar into acid by bacteria that are naturally present in the human oral environment. These bacteria feed on starches and sugars. Acid is formed when bacteria act on starch or sugar. The acid formed causes enamel degradation, which is the starting point of any dental caries. Artificially sweetened foods, drinks and chewing gum are better options

2. Proper regular tooth brushing techniques. It is advised to brush the teeth two or three times a day, it is always better to brush after every meal and after taking any food in between. Using dental floss to remove food particles trapped in between the teeth is also a very important part of a good dental hygiene program. Dental floss can remove food particles lodged in between the teeth that sometimes even a good tooth brushing technique cannot accomplish.

3. A regular visit to the dentist is necessary in order to maintain and preserve your oral health. A visit to the dentist after every six months is recommended. Your dentist will have all the knowledge on how you can maintain good oral hygiene. Always take care of your teeth and maintain that beautiful smile till you grow old.

Adequate knowledge about the importance of oral hygiene and how to keep the oral cavity clean and healthy through proper brushing and flossing techniques is necessary in order to maintain a good and healthy oral environment. These, together with a regular visit to the dentist, will ensure you a good functioning set of teeth with healthy and well kept mouth tissues.

Water--we are made up of it, we are surrounded by it, but we never usually consume enough of it.

In the body, water is the fluid in which all essential life processes occur. Every cell of our wonderful body, every tissue and organ needs water to function.

About 50-55% of women's bodies are made up of water. Ladies, the figures are 55-60% for men (because of the difference in lean body mass in the two sexes), just so you know. So, tell your man to down that aqua as you do.

Compared to most other sports, playing golf is considered a light exercise. Even so, as a golfer, you can lose a considerable amount of water through your skin's surface (perspiration) and as a by-product of your kidneys doing their job. During light exercise in a comfortable, moderate environment, an athlete can lose 500 to 1000 ml of water per hour, which amounts to one to two pounds of your daily fluid needs. During exercise, the goal is to fully replace this fluid loss.

Now, too much or too little water can have a profound effect on our health. So, what's recommended is that for each pound of water lost, you should consume about 16 ounces of fluid to maintain proper fluid balance. If you drink only enough to quench thirst, it will replace only half to two-thirds of the fluid lost. So, adjust your consumption accordingly and sip on the elixir of life as you wait around for the next putt.

Studies have shown that consumption of water every 10 to 15 minutes during exercise improves performance. And, it's important to drink about 8 to 10 ounces of water within the first 15 minutes following your golf session.

You will know if you are dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include unusual fatigue, light-headedness, nausea, headache, irritability, and dark urine or urinating infrequently (less than 4 times a day) besides thirst.

Dehydration is the major cause of poor performance, increased risk of heat exhaustion, illness, slow recovery, and increased risk of infections such as cold and flu. If you do not hydrate your body in time, chronic dehydration could lead to much more serious complications over the course of time--problems with your heart or kidneys or high blood pressure.

Besides, there are many other benefits of drinking water that are too important to ignore:

Your body will function at its best Food cannot be digested without water. It is required to break down and assimilate food. It carries essential nutrients into the blood stream.

Water helps digested food pass through the body quicker, preventing constipation. With adequate consumption of water, toxins and waste material are not given the chance to stay within the body for too long, when they can accumulate to dangerous levels.

Flushing our intestines with plenty of water allows us to maintain stable and safe quantities of yeast and bacteria, which play an important role in digestion and keep all our systems functioning optimally.

A lot of weight control diet experts start out their books with the following statement:

"The people who are successful at losing weight are the ones with the right attitude - they believe they will be successful."

I don't know about you, but I find this just a little confusing. If you've already tried 10 diets, and all of them worked (for a while) but you now weigh more than you ever have in your life, how are you going to force yourself into believing that you’ll be successful this time?

And if you don't believe it, should you even bother trying to another weight loss plan?

Some experts believe you’ll get the “right attitude” if they remind you about all the chronic diseases caused by obesity. Being scared is a great motivator, for sure - and total honesty can really help. But will fear alone help you become one of the tiny fraction of dieters who are able to lose weight and then keep it off for a year or more? Or will it just cause more stress?

Other weight loss experts try to act like cheerleaders, doing a printed version of "rah, rah, rah!" This is supposed to infuse you with their enthusiasm. It actually works, for a while. But the excitement wears off as you’re faced with the real-world challenges of losing weight.

And some diet book authors suggest that you chant affirmations on a regular basis. This can help reduce your stress level if you use it as a meditation technique. However, affirmations by themselves won’t make you lose weight. If you don’t combine the positive thoughts with positive action, you’re just engaging in some wishful thinking.

I think we need to take a good look at the idea that you need the right attitude in order to succeed. It implies that you will be successful only if you can change the way you feel. If you think of the people you admire most and who have become successful in any field, one of the things you'll notice is that successful people do what is needed at any given time - regardless of whether or not they "feel like it".

There are days in every person's life when he or she doesn't want to get up in the morning. It even happens to successful people. But successful people get up anyway, and do what needs to get done. In fact, it may be the action itself that creates the enthusiasm that is so evident in the people we most admire.

In other words, you don't need to feel motivated. You need to be willing to take positive action. If you’ve recently purchased a diet book and you’re taking your precious time to read it, that in itself is proof that you’re willing to take action.

Even if you have 40 diet books on your shelf, and you are still overweight, that doesn’t prove that you aren't willing to take action. Your previous failed attempts just mean that you have not yet discovered the techniques needed to overcome your natural drive to overeat or to eat the wrong food. Successful business people often start many failing businesses before they find the right combination that puts them at the top of their field.

Malignant mesotheliomas are highly aggressive cancers, usually linked to asbestos exposure. Most patients survive approximately one year after diagnosis, and only seven percent of patients make it past five years. If not diagnosed early, these cancers are extremely difficult to treat. However, early diagnosis is a challenge because patients may be unaware of previous asbestos exposure or present with non-specific symptoms.Research is currently underway to better understand how these cancers develop, and how to improve survival. The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institute are good resources for information on ongoing clinical trials and enrollment criteria. Treatment options being researched can broadly be classified into radiotherapy, light or photodynamic therapy, drug or chemotherapy, biotherapy and immunotherapy. While radiotherapy is palliative in chest pain and chest wall spread, it has no effect on survival. Photodynamic therapy is being evaluated for earlier stages of malignant pleural mesothelioma; it combines the injection of a drug that makes cancer cells sensitive to light with the use of light of a certain wavelength to kill these cells.A promising clinical trial showed patients with advanced malignant mesothelioma lived for nearly three months longer than a comparison group when treated with a drug combination of Alimtaä and cisplatin. The University of Chicago’s Cancer Research Center is leading a trial that combines the anti-cancer drugs gemcitabine and cisplatin, which kill cancer cells, with the biological agent bevacizumab, which slows the growth of cancerous tissue and blood vessels in this tissue. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute have identified a protein called mesothelin that is present in higher levels in mesothelioma cancer cells than in surrounding normal tissue. This knowledge is being used in ongoing clinical trials of vaccines that could kill cancer cells by triggering an anti-mesothelin immune response, and is also being used to develop diagnostic tests to detect rising mesothelin levels in people with malignant mesothelioma.

Osteoarthritis progresses with age and affects the area around the joints. One experiences pain, stiffness or swellings due to complete loss of cartilage cushion, extended periods of inactivity, or trauma. The pain differs in intensity from low to high, increasing in humid weather, followed by muscle spasm and contraction. The time to worry is when this pain in the hip, knee, spine or feet persists for more than two weeks. Osteoarthritis symptoms vary from patient to patient. What is interesting about Osteoarthritis is that symptoms do not always progress with time. Patients can have days of no pain or unpleasant days of acute pain due to weather changes. In progressive osteoarthritis, symptoms get magnified and other joints of the body are affected. These joints include the neck, knees, hips, hands, or feet. Crepitus, a creaking sound when a bone rubs against another bone, is prominent in the neck. The pain worsens in mornings and evenings and subsides during day time. If a patient feels pinching or tingling, or there is numbness in a nerve or the spinal cord, it means that bone spurs are forming at edge of the joints of the spine and irritating the nerves. Different body parts may experience differing symptoms. For example, with osteoarthritis of hip, the major weight-bearing joint is stiff and difficult to move. Osteoarthritis symptoms need to be verified before any medication is prescribed, as the symptoms are often confused with spondylosis. Spondylosis is responsible for gradual deterioration of the discs between vertebrae of the spine. Spondylosis and osteoarthritis are generally found together, and one needs to be sure before start of treatment. Another common mix-up is with symptoms of Osteoporosis, or low calcium content of the bones. The pain from an Osteoporotic spinal fracture is similar to one felt by Osteoarthritis patients. Verification of symptoms in initial stages helps reduce unnecessary tension and trauma.

Meningitis is an infection of the membrane which covers the brain and the spinal cord, and can be caused by infection with bacteria and viruses. There are several types of meningitis of which Hib meningitis is one, and I will discuss each of them in successive articles, published at approximately two weekly intervals.Hib meningitis the form of meningitis caused by the haemophilus influenzae type B bacterium. This form of meningitis is particularly dangerous to children, and was the form which caused most deaths to under fives from meningitis, particularly those between the ages of 3 to 36 months. Due to the Hib vaccine it is now very rare in developed countries, though has not yet been eradicated. The vaccine is very effective and Hib meningitis is no longer a significant risk in those countries that have included the vaccination as part of its childhood vaccination program.

Hib Has No RashUnlike other forms of meningitis, the Hib bacterium does not cause a rash, but it does display the other symptoms associated with meningitis such as high temperature, sore throat and headache, sensitivity to light and several other symptoms, some of which are evident only to the mother. These, and other symptoms, are discussed in more detail on my website and blog. Due to modern medicine, 95% of cases with Hib meningitis recover, though up to 12% of these are left with long term problems such as deafness, brain damage and epilepsy.The bacteria live for a short while in the throat and the back of the nose, and are transmitted by contact with aerosol emissions from the throat, such as coughing or sneezing, and other contact with throat fluids. They cannot live outside the body and are not associated with animals other than humans. Hib carriers do not necessarily become ill; in fact the majority do not, so it is not sufficient to stay away from known infections as with most other childhood diseases. It was quite common for the bacteria to be carried by healthy children, though this is now rare due to the almost universal adoption of the Hib vaccine in the developed world.

The Hib Vaccine Was Difficult To DevelopSo, how about the vaccine? The Hib vaccine is what is known as a conjugate vaccine, which means that it is made by combining a small part of the bacteria with a protein. Initial attempts to produce a vaccine were foiled by the physiology of the bacterium. The part which was required to stimulate the human immune system to produce antibodies is a sugar on the surface which is not easily taken up in the body, and after much experimentation with mice a way was found to couple this sugar with a protein which enabled it to be easily absorbed by the human body.The vaccine is very effective and very safe, and since its initial testing in the mid 1990s and introduction into national vaccination programs, the incidence of Hib meningitis has decreased dramatically by around 90% saving the lives of countless young children. It is now part of the vaccination schedule of most developed countries, though there is a significant difference between those of the USA and the UK which is worthy of investigation.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a well respected medical resource, and the American Family Physician, a newsletter from the American Academy of Family Physicians, childhood asthma has risen significantly in over the past few decades. The American Lung Association states that in 2004, an estimated 4 million children under 18 years old have had an asthma attack in the past 12 months, and many others have "hidden" or undiagnosed asthma.Asthma is the most common cause of school absenteeism due to chronic disease and accounted for an estimated 14 million lost school days. They claim that childhood asthma has become more widespread and is now the most common chronic illness in children.If you have children, it's important that you can recognize the symptoms and signs of an asthmatic condition. Understand that the symptoms below "may" indicate asthma, but could be symptomatic of a wide range of bronchial or pulmonary illnesses.The most common signs and symptoms of childhood asthma are very similar to bronchitis and other respiratory infections. The symptoms include:1. Coughing. The need to cough is created by mucus, which builds up and needs to be cleared. The mucus is usually caused by some type of infection or irritation. Coughing is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Notice that although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in understanding the cause. Simply put, a rattling or lose type cough is very different than a tight or hacking cough and both types can indicate certain illnesses2. Wheezing. Wheezing is most commonly associated with asthma, however, all children with asthma do not necessarily wheeze. You can identify wheezing as a whistling type sound when your child breathes.3. Chest congestion and tightness. 4. Shortness of breathWhile these signs and symptoms may indicate childhood asthma, they may also point to various illnesses common to kids. As a parent, you cannot be expected to understand how various symptoms may interact or be able to accurately diagnose an illness such as asthma. Another factor to consider is frequency. The child who frequently coughs or suffers ongoing or recurrent bouts of respiratory infection illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis may have childhood asthma.As you can see, the diagnosis of this disease can only accurately be done by a medical doctor. Childhood asthma is a disease that has been strongly associated with genetic factors and usually involves some aspect of allergies. In the American Family Physician newsletter of April 2001 it was suggested that almost 80% of children with asthma can be expected to have allergies. This suggests that one strategy to control childhood asthma attacks is to control the environmental factors that may trigger an event. Those triggers may include dust, dirt, pollen and other factors. Visit the link below and get a free report on how to control on how to control and eliminate common allergy and asthma triggers in your home

According to the Mayo Clinic, a well respected medical resource, and the American Family Physician, a newsletter from the American Academy of Family Physicians, childhood asthma has risen significantly in over the past few decades. The American Lung Association states that in 2004, an estimated 4 million children under 18 years old have had an asthma attack in the past 12 months, and many others have "hidden" or undiagnosed asthma.Asthma is the most common cause of school absenteeism due to chronic disease and accounted for an estimated 14 million lost school days. They claim that childhood asthma has become more widespread and is now the most common chronic illness in children.If you have children, it's important that you can recognize the symptoms and signs of an asthmatic condition. Understand that the symptoms below "may" indicate asthma, but could be symptomatic of a wide range of bronchial or pulmonary illnesses.The most common signs and symptoms of childhood asthma are very similar to bronchitis and other respiratory infections. The symptoms include:1. Coughing. The need to cough is created by mucus, which builds up and needs to be cleared. The mucus is usually caused by some type of infection or irritation. Coughing is symptomatic of many childhood and adult illnesses. Notice that although coughing is a symptom, the type of cough plays a role in understanding the cause. Simply put, a rattling or lose type cough is very different than a tight or hacking cough and both types can indicate certain illnesses2. Wheezing. Wheezing is most commonly associated with asthma, however, all children with asthma do not necessarily wheeze. You can identify wheezing as a whistling type sound when your child breathes.3. Chest congestion and tightness. 4. Shortness of breathWhile these signs and symptoms may indicate childhood asthma, they may also point to various illnesses common to kids. As a parent, you cannot be expected to understand how various symptoms may interact or be able to accurately diagnose an illness such as asthma. Another factor to consider is frequency. The child who frequently coughs or suffers ongoing or recurrent bouts of respiratory infection illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis may have childhood asthma.As you can see, the diagnosis of this disease can only accurately be done by a medical doctor. Childhood asthma is a disease that has been strongly associated with genetic factors and usually involves some aspect of allergies. In the American Family Physician newsletter of April 2001 it was suggested that almost 80% of children with asthma can be expected to have allergies. This suggests that one strategy to control childhood asthma attacks is to control the environmental factors that may trigger an event. Those triggers may include dust, dirt, pollen and other factors. Visit the link below and get a free report on how to control on how to control and eliminate common allergy and asthma triggers in your home

Medicine is an important component of the treatment of Osteoarthritis. A healthy alternative is to combine over the counter pain relievers with alternate treatment and medicines prescribed by physician. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting nearly 20 million Americans. Each affected person has his individual medical and personal history. Medication has to be taken in conjunction with diet, alcohol intake, dosage, and time. For example, if prescribed Acetaminophen, an analgesic, one needs to be careful about fasting and alcohol intake as it could lead to acetaminophen-induced liver damage. Nonsteroidal and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium are prescribed if acetaminophen proves inadequate as pain reliever. A disadvantage with NSAIDs is that they can cause irritation, bleeding in stomach or a decrease in kidney function. It is advisable to follow a doctor’s instructions look out for side effects. The newer and more effective NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors, do not cause gastrointestinal irritation but increase risk of cardiovascular problems. Medication has to follow the course of the disease. The doctor can prescribe Corticosteroids injections for relief and movement caused by increasing inflammation and stiffness in joints. This is a steroid made by the adrenal gland, and if given frequently, quickens joint breakdowns and their eventual failure. A similar injection providing equal relief by cushioning the joints is Hyaluronan or Synervisc. Though effective, they trigger swelling and occasional infection or allergic reactions. Alternate medication, home remedies, liniments, gels, and creams used to help lessen pain require patience and belief. The treatment can take few weeks or months before improvement is noticed. The creams and lotions contain aspirin-like compounds, capsaicin, menthol, and local anesthetics and have similar impact as NSAIDs. The best advice for an Osteoarthritis patient is to follow doctor's recommendations whether going in for prescribed medicines, alternative medicines, or for surgery procedures.

The Different Types of Massage Therapy and BodyworkA good massage therapy session requires massage accessories like massage oil, aromatic candle, hand held massage tool, massage pad and a good massage table. Therapist first massage oil on all over your body. Therapist has therapeutic touch; by just touching all over your body she can diagnose the problematic part of your body. Controlled pressure on several soft tissues of the body, including such things as muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, joints, and lymphatic vessels, improves blood circulation which in affect helps to reduce pain. Massage also rejuvenates skin as dead skin tissues are getting removed due to friction.Shiatsu massage, Deep muscle therapy massage, Deep tissue massage, Effleurage massage, Erotic massage, Esalen massage, Foot or sole massage are few popular massage techniques. You need to first decide on your purpose for massage. If it is just for relaxation, you may go to any spa and your masseur will guide you to choose one for you. If you are looking for sex, you can go any sex massage parlor. If you want to bring more passion in your love life, you can try tantra and other sensual massage techniques. You can try few options and do some study on various massage techniques before you zero in to your preferred massage techniques. What are the Available Types of Massage Therapy and Bodywork I can Choose From? Although there are numerous types of massage therapy and bodywork available that you can choose from ? over 150 in fact ? there are some in particular that are more popular than others, primarily because of the positive results and effects they produce. One of the most popular is that of the Thai massage. This particular massage therapy and bodywork technique originated in India, and how it works is the recipient changes into pajamas and lies onto a firm surface of some sort, such as a massage table, mattress, or mat, and the massager then leans on the recipient?s body using their hands and forearms to apply rhythmic pressure to practically every part of their body. There is also that of trigger point therapy, which uses manual pressure or C02 injections to certain points on a person?s body. When the proper pressure there can be an immediate noticeable improvement in terms of the muscular functioning of the person, and this type of therapy has even been known to diminish that of migraine pain, mock sciatica, mock carpel tunnel syndrome, as well as other pain symptoms. Then there is also that of the Swedish massage, which uses long and flowing strokes and is designed specifically to increase that of circulation and blood flow. Oil or cream is usually applied to the skin in this form of massage, as it not only helps to relax the recipient but also helps the massager to make longer and smoother strokes on the body. There are six basic strokes involved in this form of massage, which are: effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, compression, and vibration.

Treating Osteoarthritis is a joint venture between the patient and their physician that takes into account the patient’s personal needs and medical condition. The conditions that could affect treatment are cardiac disease, hypertension, peptic ulcers, or renal disease. Standard treatment involves pain killers, physiotherapy, exercises, and diet control. A physician initially advices physiotherapy sessions along with diet control. To help movement, a physiotherapist may suggest certain aids and appliances for use at home and workplace. These can be walking canes, rails near bath areas, additions to taps and electrical plugs, and walking crutches.

Another important area of treatment is weight control. Obesity increases the risk of osteoarthritis by impacting knee and hip joints. Obese women are susceptible to hip osteoarthritis due to housework, and posture and weight control has to be worked on from young age. The reason for this is that once fat accumulates it is difficult to reduce. Instead of waiting for disease to take root, it is advisable to seek medical treatment early. Specific exercises such as swimming, walking, aerobics, and aquatic exercises slow down osteoarthritis by maintaining motion and movement of joints.

There are days when self medication helps relieve pain and swelling. Hot water bottles, electric heating pads, rubbing ointments, and creams have the desired effect. Folk remedies such as mud baths, wearing copper bracelets, and herbal medicines are short term treatments, but if pain and swelling persist, an injection is probably a safer option. In acute cases, a surgical procedure for joint replacement is the best treatment. Before going in for either hip or knee replacement, it is advisable to discuss the implications with physician and the specialist recommended. The reason is that replacements wear out fast, limiting further surgery. Whatever line of treatment is followed, the objective should be an improvement in condition of the joints and the ability to carry on with everyday life activities.

Go into your kitchen or a grocery store and pick up a 5 pound bag of sugar or flour. Carry it around. How's that feel? You probably want to put it down, don't you? Wouldn't it be nice to let go of just five pounds of weight yourself? If you put your mind to it, you can achieve a five or more pound loss in a couple weeks (even quicker in the beginning of a weight loss plan).

We set such lofty goals: >> I want to be in the best shape of my life. >> I want to look like I'm a teenager (except I'm over 40). >> I want to have washboard abs (I don't exercise).

Yet when all is said and done our actions show we want to stay the same. We say we want change, yet we don't want anything to be different while we pursue change. It's no wonder people buy products promising things they can't possibly deliver like instant success, or effortless change. We live in a "take a pill and everything will be better" world, yet history demonstrates it is by diligent effort that real change happens.

Start now by making a realistic plan for tomorrow, next week or even the first of January. Not a resolution list, but a realistic plan. Something you can and will achieve. Small mini-goals that will lead you toward the bigger goals as each day goes by. Follow this outline and you'll achieve whatever goals you set.

Step 1 - Decide you want a change, and what that change will be (you want to lose 10 pounds in three months is a realistic goal).

Step 2 - Use EFT on the immediate feelings and fears that come up. That will help you deal with the inevitable "I don't know what to do" and "this isn't fun" feelings.

Step 3 -- Ask yourself the following questions and answer honestly:

Can I do this? Will it hurt me or others? Can I do this, really? Do I want to do this? Will I be able to do this? Am I competent enough to do this? Is there anything I must have before I begin or can I just get started right now?

You'll notice as you write your questions down, and perhaps repeat them softly to yourself, the answers come forth on their own. You'll hear yourself say, "Of course I can do this. It's just a matter of making better choices. I'm not talking about starving myself or deprivation any more. I'm not going to be concerned with calories but quality. This will be fun. I can't wait to get started."

What a difference five pounds can make. Work on those pounds one at a time, one day at a time and the bigger goals will also be met, in time.