Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Clinical Depression Symptoms

Clinical depression, sometimes known as unipolar depression or major depression, can be described as a type of depression where the symptoms are persistent and severe enough to warrant clinical intervention by a health professional. This is not the same as feeling fed up, down in the dumps or being moody. When someone is suffering from clinical depression, the individual's daily life is filled with sadness and despair to the point that it interferes with their ability to get on with their normal daily routines. It differs from normal depression in that although a person who feels they are depressed can have feelings of sadness, lethargy and lack interest in things that used to give them pleasure; the symptoms associated with clinical depression are much more severe.

Diagnostic Criteria

To be diagnosed with clinical depression, at least five of the following symptoms of clinical depression must have existed for longer than two weeks and with a tendency to last for between four and six months, which are also accompanied by a depressed mood or anhedonia. Anhedonia can be described as an inability to find pleasure in events that would normally be considered pleasurable, for example, social interactions, eating and sex. The symptoms must also not be related to any obvious cause such as bereavement.

• Overwhelming feelings of sadness and despair, perhaps accompanied by fear, or feeling empty. Someone who feels empty may feel devoid of emotion, numb, unable to feel anything emotionally.

• Feeling less interested or completely uninterested in nearly all daily activities and unable to find any pleasure in carrying out normal daily routines or activities that were previously enjoyed.

• Changes in appetite resulting in either an increase or decrease in weight. This could take the form of eating too much, comfort eating and cravings for carbohydrates or chocolate, or having little or no appetite and unable to face food.

• Disturbed sleep patterns. This might involve an inability to sleep (insomnia) where the person often lies awake at night, or is sleeping too much (hypersomnia) and can't get out of bed in the morning

• Feeling agitated or experiencing psychomotor retardations almost every day. Agitation can manifest itself in many ways including extreme restlessness, pacing up and down a room, wringing hands, masturbating, indulging in purposeless pursuits, or any similar type of behaviour. Psychomotor retardation is where thoughts and physical movement slow right down so everything is happening at a slower pace

• Mental or physical fatigue and a lack of energy, which could mean difficulty in finding the strength or motivation to do anything, even the simplest of tasks

• Overwhelming feelings of guilt and hopelessness, feeling worthless, lonely and isolated possibly accompanied by feelings of anxiety too

• Finding it difficult to concentrate or focus or make decisions, perhaps less able to take things in and possibly suffering from memory lapses such as forgetting appointments etc.

• Recurrent thoughts of death, but not fear of death, and suicide with or without a plan to carry this out, or an attempted suicide

• Feelings of abandonment or fear of being abandoned by loved ones

A person who is depressed may also suffer from other symptoms including:

• Low self esteem and self loathing
• Neglect of appearance and personal hygiene
• Physical aches and pains with no obvious physical cause
• Fear of going mad or ‘losing it'
• Emotional outbursts
• Feeling aggressive or irritable
• Alcohol or substance abuse

Some people may suffer from a milder form of depression known as Dysthymia before going on to develop more major depressive episodes. Dysthymia is characterised by lack of enjoyment or pleasure in life that has continued for a period of two years. The difference between this type of depression and clinical depression is in the severity of the symptoms. Sometimes, a person can suffer from Dysthymia with episodes of major depressing occurring alongside, which is known as double depression.

Possible triggers of clinical depression

Although depression can strike any one of us at any time and for no apparent reason, there are certain factors that are known to increase the risk of triggering a depressive episode and these include:

• Stressful situations or events
• Relationship problems
• Long term illness
• Having a negative or pessimistic outlook on life
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• A history of depression in the family
• Chemical imbalances in the brain

Selecting The Right Pilates Exercise Machine

There are so many different machines that you may use when it comes to finding the perfect Pilates exercise machine.

But when consider an Winsor Pilates exercise machine it depends on what type of exercise you want to work on what size you are, there are lots of different aspects too.

For instance, the fitness circle pro, it is a ring that is used by people that are slightly shorter than 5’2” in height, this piece of equipment will help the individual move easier during exercise and you can use it when you want to work on specific muscles by placing it on the muscle then squeezing it.

This Pilates exercise machine is so easy to use and it is extremely comfortable due to the fact that it has latex free grips that are molded and firm resistant.

This product is best to be used when doing the group exercises. If you think this is a great product and it might work for you but you are taller than 5’2”, that’s no problem because there is also a 14” circle pro that would work just great for you even if you are taller than the rest!

The Hard Decision With Selecting A Winsor Pilates Exercise Machine

When it comes to the best Pilates exercise machines it has to be a hard decision which one to choose but this stamina Pilates performer will do you just great!

It is really affordable, it is sturdy and stable and it is portable, it folds up so compactly that you can take it just about anywhere you like!

This machine proves to be extremely fun and also easy to use while it exercises your muscles, improving your circulation and increasing your flexibility as well as your muscle strength for the look you have always dreamt about!

When you buy this machine you will also receive a video that will help you to master your exercise routine and also a color chart that will show you your progression throughout the time that you are using this wonderful Winsor Pilates exercise machine.

It will also come with a stand that will make this machine even more convenient for you to use because it will elevate the way you mount and dismount it which will allow you to exercise more thoroughly due to ground clearance.

The mounting and dismounting is also extremely easy and you can manage it on your own, by removing the six pull pins you may set up your machine and get to work!

By using this Pilates exercise machine you will develop a firmer stronger chest, flat hard abdominal muscles, stronger shoulders, tight firm buttocks and triceps, you will shape your thighs and tone your calves and you will have slimmer hips.

A Healthy Life Starts With a Happy Life

A healthy life does start with a happy life. Let’s face it when one is happy there is no stress and better yet no complications to our lives. We live in a society that is going a hundred miles per hour and seems to never stop to refuel.

Having a happy life starts with making your surroundings enjoyable and your abode a pleasant place to live in. When we come home from work we want to kick off our shoes and place ourselves in a relaxing state. If your surroundings are messy then it is hard to relax. A clean quiet room is the place to start to relax.

After you sit back and are relaxing and feeling calmed from the days work or activities it is time to think of a place that makes you happy. Be it a field of daisies or a swimming pool floating on a raft. Making you feel happy and relaxed is a crucial part to a healthy life.

In a healthy life, relaxing and meditation can be a part of you day, even at work. You can sit back in your chair and think of your relaxing place. At times doing this technique several times a day you will find you are able to deal with the work stresses in a better manner. Becoming irate toward others just makes your day bad as well as theirs.

In conclusion it does not cost you anything to relax and think of a calm place to be. Just take a bit of time in your busy schedule to do this and soon your days will be more at an even keel. You will find that you are calmer when you are faced with hectic problems!

Powerful Related Pilate's Exercise Is What You Need

Related Pilate's exercises are one of the best methods to stay fit and toned. These powerful yet low impact exercises make a real difference in your body in a short amount of time. For most people, the image of Pilate's is a women's only exercise that's too easy to do any real good. This could not be further from the truth.

Related Pilate's exercise is a form of isometric exercise designed to simultaneously stretch, strengthen, tone, and align the body. At the same time, they are eliminating excess tension and strain on the joints. Pilate's routines have been used by dancers and athletes for decades.

Whether you're trying to lose weight, build muscle, tone muscles, improve flexibility, or recover form an injury, using the correct related Pilate's exercise can get you results in quick order.

The great part about using these related Pilate's exercises is the fact they get results without stressing or harming the body. Any age group can benefit from doing related Pilate's exercise. From beginner to advanced you can learn and implement Pilate's exercises at your own pace. Its not like attempting to run a mile when you haven't run in years, or trying to do fifty pushups on your first attempt.

Pilate's are designed as low impact. This means your joints, ligaments, and tendons wont risk injury. Your muscles may feel the affects of your Pilate's workout immediately, but as long as you follow a suggested plan, you wont hurt yourself.

There are several ways you can learn Pilate's Tapes, books, and classes are the most popular ways to incorporate Pilate's into your fitness routine.

No matter which method you choose to learn Pilate's you owe it to yourself to give Pilate's a try. You get aerobic and muscle strengthening benefits from Pilate's and anyone on a regular fitness plan will incorporate a variety of related Pilate's exercises in with other forms of exercise. This helps keep from reaching a plateau in your exercise results and offers a variety.

Pilate's was created by Joseph Pilate's (1880-1967). He was a sickly and somewhat scrawny child. In his youth, he dedicated himself to becoming stronger and healthier. The now world famous Pilate's exercises are the result of that dedication. Flexibility, strength, tone, circulation, and energy levels are all improved by related Pilate's exercise routines.

Swara Yoga For Health Wealth And Happiness

Swara Yoga is an ancient science of nasal breathing that correlates the breath with sun, moon and five elements. The practice of allows us to synchronize our breath with the universal rhythm. This alignment removes undue efforts, stress and strain from our daily activities. Swara Yoga practice helps us to change unwanted physical, mental or emotional states at will, create favourable conditions for one’s life by changing the internal environment thus improving one’s attitude towards life through increased awareness.

Before we get focused on Health, Wealth & Happiness, let us have some basic understanding of three Swaras or Nadies through Swara Yoga. If you observe your breath, you will notice that at a given time, any one nostril is more dominant and the other one relatively congested. This keeps changing every one to two hours and during the transition period, both nostrils may be equally dominant for few seconds. The right nostril dominance is associated with pingala nadi or surya nadi. The pingala, which is the masculine or solar principle, is associated with the left hemisphere of the brain that controls the right side of the body. The left nostril dominance is associated with the Ida nadi or chandra nadi, the feminine or lunar principle, associated with the right hemisphere of the brain and controlling the left side of the body. Just by observing the direct effect of solar and lunar currents of breath on human behavior, swara yogis were able to ascertain the activities best suited during the left nostril dominance and activities best suited during the right nostril dominance. The nose can be seen as the main switch of cerebral hemispheres. It can stimulate electromagnetic activity on one side of the body and it can switch the hemispheric activity on and off at will. The third nadi is “shushumna”, where the left and the right are perfectly balanced. It represents “Shiva” (pure consciousness) in the state of “so-hum”. Whenever the nostrils switch, both are open for seven to eight breaths. That is the time when the shushumna breath flows. No worldly activities are recommended in Shiva swara. One must meditate. Intuitive knowledge is received best during this state. In the original manuscript of Shiva Swarodaya there are 395 sutras, many of them deal with Health, Wealth & Happiness.

Health: One can easily maintain good health with the knowledge of Swara Yoga. Here are few tips to help you.

*If you want to alter an unwanted physical, emotional or mental state, just breathe through the more congested nostril. This prevents worsening of the symptoms and promotes rapid recovery. Swara yoga advises changing of the active nostril at the first sign of any physical, emotional or mental disturbance.

* To cure the common cold, breathe through the right nostril 21 times by blocking the left nostril. Also sleeping on the left side gives considerable relief; as it activates the right nostril.

* In case of acidity and fever, activating the left nostril helps. You can block the right nostril and breathe through the left nostril 21 times. Also sleeping on the right side helps to reduce fever.

* Swara medicines can be prepared with the knowledge of swara yoga. Swara medicines work at the vibrational level and can help the patients without any side effects. Sutra no. 391 of Shiva Swarodaya says about the health and medicines that, he who has first hand knowledge and awareness of three nadies and five elements, to him even the million times more powerful rasayana itself would not be able to equate.

Wealth: Normally it is understood that one can earn good amount of wealth based on one’s Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Strategy. But Swara knowledge goes much deeper than these normal understanding. According to Swara Yoga, to assure success in world, one must enter the cosmic rhythm and stay tuned to it… and you get success with effortless ease! But how does one align with the cosmic rhythm? Here is the simple way to do it. Get up each day at least half an hour before the sunrise. Find out the dominating nostril. Kiss the corresponding hand. With the same hand, touch or rub face, neck, chest, thighs and feet. Then while stepping out of the bed, the foot that corresponds to the operating nostril should be placed onto the ground first. Then one can proceed for the morning activities. This simple practice helps you align the subtle flow of energy that ensures success in everything that happens for that day. Swara yoga also helps to influence people… Whenever it is desirable to influence the other person, if one’s right nostril is operating, the person to be influenced should be positioned onto the right, below or behind. In case of left operating nostril, onto left, above or in the front. Sutra no. 214 of Shiva Swarodaya says that the knowledge of swara is a secret wealth. There is no other wealth higher than that as because of the knowledge of swara, one can approach anything and indeed could get the fruit, without an effort! Sutra no. 53 of Shiva Swarodaya is about giving Dana (Charity). It says, if a wise man performs an act of charity at the time of inhalation through left nostril, it bestows upon him a crore ( ten millions) fold auspicious fruits in this very lifetime! Sutra no. 389 of Shiva Swarodaya is about health & wealth. It says that the person who is well versed with the knowledge and awareness of Swara Yoga, the Goddess Lakshami is at his feet and to him there would be happiness all over the body!

Happiness: Normally it is understood that happiness is a state of mind… but Swara Yoga delves much deeper. It says… happiness is the natural by product of the enlightened consciousness! In fact, ultimately the very aim of Swara Yoga is to get enlightened. Sutra no. 27 of Shiva Swarodaya says that the knowledge of Swarodaya is the best among all the things, the best science and is like the flame of lamp, and is ultimately for the enlightenment of the receptacle in the form of the body. The phrase used is Atma-ghata-prakasarthe… indicating self-illumination, self-realization or the knowledge of the self in Indian sense. Swara yoga is a practical science that can help us to get attuned to cosmic rhythms to get Health, Wealth & Happiness. Make the best use of it!

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

How Effective Are Annual Mammograms?

Many doctors believe an annual mammogram is mandatory for women over thirty-five. However, an increasing number of doctors are refuting the claim that annual mammograms decrease women's risk of dying from breast cancer.

Dr. Peter Gotzsche, a Danish research, was the first to make this claim in a study published in "The Lancet" in October 2006. Gotzsche re-analyzed the original studies done on the benefits of mammograms and found them unconvincing.

Subsequently, other doctors have asserted that in addition to failing to offer protection, mammograms, which involve exposing women to radiation, may, in fact, increase a risk of cancer.

Dr. Michael Baum of University College in London, stated, "The latest evidence shifts the balance towards harm and away from benefits." Canadian columnist Dr. W. Gifford -Jones, wrote that women between the ages of 40 and 49 who have regular mammograms are twice as likely to die from breast cancer as women who are not screened. "Experts say you have to screen 2,000 women for 10 years for one benefit," he stated.

Gifford-Jones points to other risks, from the physical to the psychological. Many authorities believe that, squeezing women's breasts during mammograms may rupture blood vessels, causing cancer to spread to other parts of the body and thus increasing a woman’s risk of death.

Gifford-Jones pointed to the emotional trauma suffered by women who receive false positives from a mammogram, and to the dangerous sense of security engendered by those who receive false negatives.

Studies reveal that mammograms fail to detect cancer 30 percent of the time in women aged 40 to 49. Furthermore, it can take as long as eight years before a breast tumor is large enough to detect, by which time the cancer could have spread to other parts of the body.

"Mammograms actually harm far more women than they help," Mike Adams, author, "The Healing Power of Sunlight and Vitamin D," a free report that teaches prevention strategies for breast and prostate cancer. Adams believes, "They are used more as a recruiting tool to ensnare women into a system of medical control based on false diagnosis and fear tactics. Most women then give in to chemotherapy, surgery or radiation treatments that may ultimately harm them or even kill them."

So what is one to do, since, mammograms are only 70% accurate and seldom detect cancer in an early stage?

There are other tools for cancer detection—albeit the medical and pharmaceutical industry does not want you to know.

A medical intuitive can see the emotional patterns and beliefs that affect your body. How does a medical intuitive work? Some form a mental picture of an illness by visualizing organs in the person’s body, even if this person is thousands of miles away. Many need only the name and age of a person to do a reading and recommend remedies.

Iridology also offers a highly effective detection system. Iridology is the science of analyzing the delicate structures of the iris of the eye. It reveals inflammation, where located, and in what stage it is manifesting. The iris reveals body constitution, inherent weaknesses, levels of health, and the transitions that take place in a person’s body according to the way he/she lives. The eyes have been proclaimed throughout the ages as the windows of the soul. We now acknowledge them as the mirrors of the body.

In knowing nutritional, vitamin and mineral imbalances the person can readily remedy these imbalances before an illness or disease takes root.

Electric Wheelchair or Powerchair - Which Should You Choose?

Electric wheelchairs are either rear or front wheel driven. Some of them are center driven or four wheel driven. These powerchairs come in many varieties like small portable models, foldable models, and models that can be dis-assembled. Large, full-featured electric wheelchairs that are called rehab chairs are also available. Powerchairs are designed for persons who have arm and leg disablement. Such people would find the operations of hand propelled wheelchairs quite difficult.

Electric wheelchairs are fitted with electric motors that are powered by 4 to 5 ampere rechargeable batteries. These motors are outboard boat engine types. The batteries come in dry or wet types. Dry type batteries are the most preferred ones due to ease of operation and maintenance. Electric wheelchairs are also fitted with battery chargers so that plugging into standard wall outlets is easy.

Operating either a joystick or a controller usually controls electric wheelchairs. Hand controllers, chin controllers, puff/sack controllers are specifically designed for persons with varying degrees of operational difficulty. The controller is the most expensive part of powerchairs and is quite delicate. Electric wheelchairs come with several optional functions like tilting, reclining seat and leg elevators, etc. to facilitate healthy and functional operations.

Electric wheelchairs for kids are generally those used by mentally disabled children or children affected by polio. These wheelchairs are custom made to suit the age of the child as well as the usage like indoors or outdoors or both. Polio affected kids and paraplegics were using hand supports till a few decades ago. Such hand supports normally resulted in severe body strain to the kids. The advent of electric wheelchair for kids has greatly relieved such kids of their suffering.

Travel had been on the rise and persons using wheelchairs are no exception. Traveling on vacation, travel for education, employment or participation in sports meets and general commuting for shopping, etc. have become indispensable for persons using electric wheelchairs. Portable and foldable models of wheelchairs require storage space, when not being used. As such, public transports like buses, trains and airplanes specifically provide electric wheelchair carriers. Buses with low boarding platforms that can literally lift wheelchairs into the buses have also been designed to serve such people. Such platforms are electrically or hydraulically operated.

Nowadays, in the United States, sales and service facilities for electric wheelchairs are quite widespread. You do not have to go too far to buy an electric wheelchair of your choice. As these powerchairs are made-to-order types, deliveries take some time but are normally very reliable. Electric wheelchair parts repair has also become quite easy, reliable and economical due to the healthy competition between the various electric wheelchair manufacturers.

Operation of an electric wheelchair by patients or disabled persons carries a certain amount of risk. Accidents could not be avoided at one time or another. Such accidents could be minor or major. Hence, insurance companies provide both accident/life insurance policies, as well as medicare policies to cover such risks. It is always advisable to take suitable insurance policies for physical and financial protection. Electric wheelchairs and Medicare go hand-in-hand for persons confined to wheelchairs.

Electric power scooters, or mobility scooters as they are called, are normally fitted with two rear wheels, a seat with a flat area to place the feet and a handlebar in the front to operate one or two steerable front wheels. Swiveling seats are also available. Electric power scooters are invariably electric powered by rechargeable batteries that could be charged from standard electric outlets. Certain models of mobile scooters are gasoline-powered. Such electric power scooters have been most welcome for persons confined to wheelchairs. They find such scooters handy for commuting to schools and colleges as well as to workplaces and shopping. Electric power scooters are normally cheaper than powerchairs. Insurance companies and healthcare agencies like Medicare prefer to insure or extend Medicare facilities for people using such scooters.

Building A Winning Team

Training and preparation are fundamental to the individuals who make up a winning team whether it's a family or a business. For an athlete, you have to be at your best. You build your body up and get it strong to take the pounding. So, when it's time to play the games on Sunday, you know, as an athlete, you can give it your all. Do what you have to do to get the best out of yourself.

You prepare yourself mentally as well as physically. If you don't have the mental side of having a game plan, as for what you are trying to accomplish, it's not going to come together. If I didn't visualize what I wanted to do for the coming season, then the training and preparing was not going to help me. You've got to have direction. You've got to have a focus.

I was able to have that focus for 11 years. I always tried to have something different to motivate me each year, and it kept me excited about playing the game of professional sports. Now you bring that focused attitude to the team. For myself, when I worked out with the 49ers, I was always sprinting my plays eighty yards. Every time I touched the ball, even if it was only a five-yard pass. Jerry Rice started doing the same thing after he saw me doing it. Now it's a way of life with the 49ers.

I still run six miles and work on cardiovascular. I lift just enough weights to keep toned. The only thing that I worry about now is to be well conditioned. I've been retired for ten years. I don't think that I've lost my endurance and I feel great. I escaped the game injury free. A lot of the reason that I came out of the game healthy is because I took care of the maintenance side of my body. You know: getting chiropractic care, getting massages, eating right, not drinking, taking the right supplements, and doing the right things. That's the reason why I'm healthy today.

Keeping your body in shape is a key part of having a great life. The better you feel the better you will live. IF you take care of your body your body will take care of you for many many wonderful years.

How To Locate A Good Personal Trainer In New York?

Of late, have you ever felt the need to remain fit and keep your body healthy? With the increasing number of people realizing the need to stay in shape, it is good that you also joined this ever increasing club. Personal trainer is health and fitness professional that helps out people whoever needs to undergo physical training to stay fit. Personal trainers in New York are abundance in number and if you have decided that you want to hire the services of a trainer, there are certain things that you will have to take care of. The idea is to help you in finding a personal trainer in New York who is the best in helping you get the perfect health and fitness.

There are certain personal trainers who have a deep sense of sharing and caring for customers. It is this sense of duty and loyalty that drives them to provide you with the best professional services. Do proper research on the personal trainer in New York that you are hiring and find out all that you can about his capabilities of doing his work. Personal trainer is the best person who will help you out in taking wise and sensible decisions about your health. Health is an important factor and one cannot afford to take risks with that.

You can start looking for a good physical trainer in New York by asking about them in many gyms that are operating in the city. People who are regular visitor to those places will surely be able to tell you exactly who will be best for you to hire as a personal trainer. The best way for you to check out the work of a physical trainer is to take some free exercise sessions with him and see how well he/she understands your body and its requirements. Well, that should be the most important criteria for selecting a personal trainer for you in New York. Most fitness trainers give out free consult or training session to people who are interested in hiring their services.

Another thing that you need to ensure about hiring a personal trainer in New York is to find out if the trainer has undergone any certified courses provided to physical trainers. Well you will be spending your money and probably huge amounts of it, so you are entitled to hire the services of the best professionally qualified personal trainer in New York. However, there are also exceptions and you can also find certain excellent trainers who do not have any professional qualification. If possible, check out references provided by people who have previously hired the services of the personal trainer in New York.

Once you start training under your physical trainer, make sure that you listen to what he tells you to do. If you follow all the stringent workouts that he tells you to do, be assured that you will get good results. Your health and fitness is at stake, so you better make the most of this chance and do what you can to remain fit.

Using Coal Tar Shampoos For Head Lice

Coal tar is a liquid by-product of the distillation process that turns coal into coke. It has long been used in products used in the treatment of skin complaints such as dandruff and psoriasis. It is also known to kill head lice when used as a shampoo.

Not all coal tar shampoos are equal when it comes to head lice. To effectively kill head lice you need to use an extra strength coal tar shampoo. Most "normal" strength brands have a 0.5% coal tar content. You'll need something stronger so read the labels. The strongest types are often referred to as being "therapeutic".

To kill head lice simply use the coal tar shampoo as normal but the lather on for 15 to 30 minutes. Then rinse through thoroughly. Use a nit comb afterwards to comb through the wet hair. Do this for three consecutive days. Then use twice a week after that with daily combing until the head lice have completely gone.

Some parents claim that by using the shampoo once a week their children seem less prone to being reinfected by head lice. Others use the shampoo as a precaution whenever they receive a head lice letter from school even if their children don't already have an infestation.

Is coal tar safe to use as a head lice remover? In high concentrations (over 5%) coal tar is a known carcinogen. Therapeutic strength shampoos can contain concentrations of 2.5% and some now carry a warning about the carcinogenic properties of coal tar on the label.

But the risk is very small risk. The National Psoriasis Foundation claims coal tar is a "valuable, safe and inexpensive treatment option" and coal tar products have been used for a very long time. There is feeling that the benefits far outweigh the small risks involved. All over the counter head lice shampoos come with a health risk attached. Coal tar is no different but coal tar is an effective way to kill head lice, it has been used safely for many years and should have negligible risk when used only occasionally.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Balance is the key Tips for a healthy balanced diet

Food has undergone many changes as science and technology have progressed and many new aspects of food were revealed. Nutrition took on a mantle of its own and today forms a very important part in dictating our daily food intake. No longer do most people just eat to live.

Nutrition has been classified into six major nutrition groups namely carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Each one has a role to play in providing a balanced diet to the body. Another way of classifying food is the food pyramid, which covers Fat, Dairy, Meats, Fruits and Vegetables, and Grains.

Each food group has its own part to play in the overall diet of an individual. To avoid stomach disorders and other food related problems, such as indigestion and ulcers, one has to try and eat a balanced meal which contains as many food groups as possible. This is turn will lead to a balanced diet wherein all food ingested is nutritious and can be utilized by the body without any wastage.

Avoid starchy food, fatty foods, foods heavy in spices, and foods with additives wherever possible as these do not aid digestion. Similarly, an excess of salt and sugar would be harmful and the benefits that these foods normally provide would be lost. Every food item plays a small part in our overall nutrition and health. Anything that is too little or too much would upset the balance of the body and its system.

As with all other fields, food too has seen a lot of innovation and variety. Unfortunately along with the good food there are also a whole range of foods which has a feel good factor to it but does nothing for the health of the person. These are called empty calorie foods in the form of soft drinks, various types of snacks, processed food, etc. Temptation is very difficult to resist so one must strike a balance wherein all desires for food are covered without compromising on the nutrition required by the body.

A good, balanced diet would ideally consist of a controlled intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sugar and salt, and meats, whilst eating enough fruits, vegetables, wholegrain products, low fat or normal fat dairy products, good fats such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils, fat-free meats, poultry, and lentils. Last but not least, check the calorie count of the food on your plate. There is a lot of nutritional information available regarding the content of food and its calorific value. Investing in a guide and eating your way to good health without being obsessive could pay rich dividends by way of health. Along with all this, a sustained and energetic exercise regime will go a long way to a healthy you.

Acidity - Herbs and Ayurvedic Remedies, Acidity Symptom and Other Treatments

What is Acidity?

The human stomach contains gastric glands which are responsible for the proper digestion of food in it. Gastric glands achieve the digestion by secreting various acids, the chief of which is the hydrochloric acid. These acids are aided by various enzymes of the stomach in bringing about digestion. The level of acids in the human stomach is generally controlled; but for some reason if the level of acids increases beyond the normal levels, then the condition is known as acidity.

Hence, acidity is the condition in which there is an excess secretion of acid within the stomach. Other names for acidity are hyperacidity or acid dyspepsia.

Why is Acidity caused?

The stomach is equipped with these acids in order to be able to digest the food. The acids are released when foods enter the stomach. However some foods are difficult to digest than the others. For such foods, the stomach needs to secrete more acids. Continuous secretions of such acids could lead to acidity in the stomach.

This excessive production of acids could be made higher due to various factors. Ulcers in the stomach are one of the commonest causes in increasing acid production.

People with stomach cancers will also have acidity problems as one of the symptoms. For this reason, acidity should not be ignored if it lasts for a long period of time, or if the person is older.

There is a condition known as the acid-reflux complex, due to which the stomach acids are refluxed back to the food pipe. When this happens, a prominent sour taste is felt in the mouth, and a belch might occur.

What are the Symptoms of Acidity?

When a person has acidity in the stomach, there can be a vast difference in the kinds of symptoms observed. For some people it may be a simple bellyache, but for others, it could lead to days of restlessness with continuous cramps in the stomach.

In fact restlessness is the most common symptom of acidity, followed by nausea and vomiting. There is a sour taste felt in the mouth, which is due to the excess deposition of the acids. Sometimes there are sour belches and passing off wind. Other digestive problems like constipation and indigestion will also occur. In some cases, stiffness is felt in the stomach.

How can Acidity be avoided?

A proper dietary pattern is the best thing in order to avoid acidity. The following tips must be followed:-

# Avoid foods that are rich in oils and fats. These foods are difficult to digest, so they may make the stomach release more acids.

# The diet should contain a proper blend of all the tastes. Spicy foods must be just one dish rather than the whole meal.

# Fibers are necessary in the diet as they help in the digestion.

# Red meats must be eaten only occasionally, if at all.

# After a meal, the body must be given some sort of exercise. This could be as simple as going for a stroll.

The therapy of ulcer

Gastric and duodenal ulcers are generally treated with several types of medicines by doctors. They advice people to reduce stress and to modify their lifestyle.When treating H.pylori the following types of medicines are used H2-blockers, proton-pump inhibitors and mucosal protective agents.So these medications are used in combination with antibiotics.When complications arise and when the medication is ineffective, surgery may be required.

The amount of acid that the stomach makes is reduced by H2-blockers. These medicines include cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid) and nizatidine (Axid).The stomach production of acid is modified by proton-pump inhibitors and these ones stopping the stomach acid pump, which is the final step of acid secretion.Omeprazole (Prilosec) was recently aproved and now is recognized an available drug and is ten times more powerful in suppressing stomach acid production than the H2-blockers.A stomach acid production can be suppressed by a potent acid inhibitor.It is more common for treating people whose ulcer fail to respond to H2-receptor blockers or other medications and those with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.The lining of the stomach is protected by the mucosal protective agents.The prescribed medications are sucralfate (Sulcrate or Carafate) and misoprostol (Cytotec).The antacids such as Tums and Rolaids and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) are not prescription medications.

Ulcers can be treated by a short course of combined high dose antibiotic therapy rather than acid-suppression alone.So are used two types of combined therapy: triple therapy and dual therapy.The triple therapy includes: metronidazole (Flagyl),tetracycline (Achromycin or Sumycin) and Pepto-Bismol, all taken four times a day.This therapy lasts two weeks.The treatment in destroying the H. pylori bacteria and in reducing the risk of reoccurrence is 90 percent effective.Dual therapyincludes:amoxicillin taken two to four times a day or Biaxin three times a day and Prilosec taken two times a day.It lasts two weeks and the treatment is 80 percent effective.

Vagotomy, antrectomy and pyloroplasty are the most common types of surgery for ulcers. For example vagotomy involves cutting the vagus nerve which gives messages from the brain to the stomach. The acid secretion is reduces by this interruption. Antrectomy removes the lower part of the stomach,the one which stimulates the secretion of digestive juices.So the duodenum and the small intestine is enlarged, so the contents pass more freely from the stomach.

Diagnose of streptococcus infections

The most common approach of physicians when a child patient accuses a sore throat is to examine the throat, tonsils and neck lymph nodes to check for ant signs of streptococcus infection. If the present signs indicate the strep bacteria, doctors usually give up further testing and prescribe antibiotic medications for streptococcus. Children with no actual symptoms of a bacterial condition are considered to suffer from a virus and no other tests are indicated.

The most available and easy method to detect streptococcus in a sore throat is the swap test when a cotton swab is rubbed against tonsils and back of the throat, then sent back to analysis. The first swab test method is the common one, ready in 5 minutes and performed in the doctor’s office. If it comes out positive there are 95% chances that your child has a streptococcus infection; if the result is negative a chance of 5% persists that the probe is wrong. In such cases you might want to appeal to a bacterial culture that will last longer to be confirmed but will give you 99% certainty. It is made by incubating a harvested probe in an incubator to verify a possible bacteria multiplication.

Test swabs and bacterial cultures are very much indicated in suspect diagnosis as they can protect the patient from an unnecessary ant biotherapy or from becoming antibiotic resistant. In severe cases, doctors prescribe antibiotics while waiting for the test results and then stop the medication if the test is negative; milder cases however should wait for the culture results. Parents that want to start an antibiotic right away to prevent their child’s status from getting worse must be advised to wait for the test results as a wrong therapy may increase the patient’s bad symptoms.

Waiting a few days before starting the treatment will allow the immune system to activate and fight back the infection. Delaying the therapy will only prolong the sore throat symptoms but will not make the condition worse and will not increase the risk of further complications. Doctors advise however that the strep test is performed right away and an ant biotherapy is started immediately if the result is positive. An early treatment in case of streptococcus detection is very much useful to stop the patient from being contagious for others and will also prevent worse complications as the bacteria can spread to the main organs such as heart, kidneys or may provoke a rheumatic fever.

Eczema Treatment with Antihistamines May Cause Other Problems

Antihistamines are commonly used to treat eczema - the rationale being that eczema is sometimes the result of the body's overproduction or release of histamine as a natural response to allergens. However, antihistamines interfere with the vital role of histamine in the body and also cause side effects that may be worse than the skin condition you're trying to treat. Your best bet is to try an effective, topical eczema treatment that will not alter natural function and will not exacerbate the condition, and to find out the consequences of antihistamines before you choose them as an option.

Histamine is present in almost every cell of the body. Its highest concentrations are in the lungs, skin and gastrointestinal tract. It performs a number of basic functions including the secretion of stomach acids during digestion and regulation of sexual response. It is also a neurotransmitter - a chemical that enables messages to travel from one nerve cell to another.

Histamine's function in the immune system is to increase the blood supply to an area of injury or invasion by a foreign substance so that the body may heal or combat damage with the nutrients and other healing elements in the blood. This action often causes redness, swelling, itchiness, rashes and hives-like skin reactions - which is why antihistamines are often prescribed as eczema treatment.

However, antihistamines are not always safe. Doctors advise that you check with them before taking antihistamines if you have asthma or chronic bronchitis, high blood pressure, glaucoma, problems with your liver, kidney, prostrate or stomach, if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, if you have any other chronic illness or are on any medications including herbal supplements - not exactly an eczema treatment you can just whip out of the medicine cabinet at a moment's notice.

Additionally, taking antihistamines can cause histamine deficiency, the symptoms of which include mouth ulcers, headaches, excessive growth of body hair, ringing in the ears and visual and aural abnormalities. Histamine deficiency is also associated with a number of mental and emotional conditions: studies have found that about half the people diagnosed with schizophrenia have low blood histamine levels. In fact, their condition improved when histamine levels were increased.

If your eczema is accompanied by life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, you should check with your doctor regarding taking antihistamines. However, if you are simply trying to handle itchy, dry skin, or eczema, use a topical eczema treatment that will not cause further problems.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Health Diet Fitness Tips

Healthy diet fitness is essential if you are trying to get into shape. Before you start doing any type of exercise program, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor. Discuss your health diet fitness goals, and ask for guidance in coming up with an effective exercise routine. It is important that you start slow and work your way into longer and harder work out sessions. You can hurt your body if you push yourself too hard in the beginning. You are also less likely to stick with the exercise routine if you push too hard in the beginning.

The best health diet fitness tip I can give you is to get yourself moving. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you get as long as you get some. In fact, the more you like the activity, the more likely you are to stick with the exercise routine. Choose several types of exercise you enjoy doing so you can alternate between them. This will keep you from getting bored with the some routine every day. Make exercising fun rather than something you dread and avoid.

You are going to have to make time for health diet fitness to work for you. We all have busy lifestyles, but if you have time to watch TV then you have time to exercise. Try to do it right after work if you are going to be exercising outside of your home. This is because most people aren’t motivated to venture back out once they have come home in the evening. Schedule your health diet fitness routine into your daily schedule and do not use that block of time for anything less than an emergency.

If you are planning to work out at the gym or at home, make sure you understand the correct way to do the exercises. For health diet fitness, you need to do each one properly. Failure to do so can result in the exercises not working for you to get into shape or lose weight. This can also result in your causing injuries to your body. Know your physical limits. If an exercise calls for touching the floor and you can only reach your ankles then do the best you can. Make it a goal to be able to reach the floor in the future and continue to do the very best you can.

Make sure you take time to warm up and cool down regardless of the health diet fitness program you are involved in. You need to give your muscles a chance to stretch before and after you exercise. Never skip warming up or cooling down or you can cause severe injury to your body. You will also find your muscles ache more the next day because they have tightened up.

Health diet fitness involves making sure the exercise routines you participate in are approved by your doctor as well as fit with your physical capabilities. You didn’t get out of shape overnight so don’t anticipate getting back into shape that quickly. Make sure you make time to participate in your health diet fitness routine that you have chosen. Challenge yourself to stay committed to the time you have set aside for exercise. You will start to feel better after just a few weeks of doing so.

Your Health Solutions Are Just A Click Away

A healthy body initiates better mental conditions. Following the same one should always try and inculcate better health practices into him/her self. Since any health disorder starts from the scratch and magnifies its scope of effects in a particular duration of time it is always advisable to have a proper treatment of the particular disease at the right time to live a healthier life.

The best and easy to approach source of knowledge about the different diseases, their treatment and medicines is through online pharmacies. In an online pharmacy one can get the prescription from the experienced physicians about different physical disorders such as Allergies, Obesity, Sexual problems etc. These pharmacies allow you to have a better overview about your disease and its treatment. The online physicians who are available on these online pharmacies can help you 24 hours a day in order to let you have the best prescription about your type of disease.

A number of online drugs can be availed through these online pharmacies on discounted rates and a number of additional offers. In fact a number of online pharmacies give you the money back facility in case the treatment or the medicine does not give you good results.

One can get the best deal in terms of pricing of medicines through these online pharmacies whereby one can get up to 70% of discounts on generic medicines and 30% discount on branded medicines.

Online pharmacies are not only very famous because of them being so cost effective but also because them being so concerned about the quality of medicines they sell. Most of the medicines displayed in online pharmacies are FDA approved and hence provide the full security and easy to use instructions to their users. In fact the wide range of medicines allows the user to choose the most appropriate medication according to his requirements and his budget.

Online pharmacies are the ready to use source of information about health, medication and prescription. One can get more knowledge about a wide range of diseases, their treatment and the best medication to suit according to his/her health conditions. A number of case studies are displayed on these online pharmacies whereby one can correlate his/her kind of a health condition with other patients as well. A lot of online support and users experiences can be read through these online pharmacies which actually act as an open forum of all those who want to remain fit and healthy always.

Lipid Screening in Women

Facts prove the benefits of lowering cholesterol in various populations continues to grow, but questions still remain about screening and treatment of lipid disorders in women, even though data from primary prevention trials in women remain thin, recent trials demonstrating benefits of cholesterol reduction across a broad range of cholesterol levels and cardiac risk in men and women encourage the conclusion that benefits may extend to asymptomatic women who are otherwise at high risk for coronary disease.

Periodic lipid screening beginning in middle age will identify most women who are at high enough risk to merit drug therapy or more detailed consideration of age, diabetes, blood pressure, and other risk factors can more accurately estimate individual risk of coronary heart disease. Advice about healthy diet, weight control, and physical activity can benefit all women.

Advanced Lipoprotein Fingerprinting is a more precise cholesterol test that allows doctors to identify health risks that traditional screens miss. Doctors now have a precise reading not only of a patient's cholesterol levels but other independent risk factors known to be associated with heart disease.

The process separates lipids in the blood to create a detailed cholesterol profile that helps doctors identify patients at risk for heart disease. The detailed graph allows a doctor to precisely analyze a patient's overall risk profile and monitor the effectiveness of a diet or treatment regimen.

This advanced analytical techniques that can help doctors diagnose early warning signs for coronary heart disease, which kills more than 2,600 Americans a day, according to the American Heart Association. High LDL cholesterol is a major cause of coronary heart disease, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program.

Aiming to identify early risk factors, the National Cholesterol Education Program issued guidelines calling for more comprehensive cholesterol screens as well as other risk factors not included in the cholesterol screen.

Early detection, particularly in youth, is the key to slowing down the development of heart disease in later life. Advanced cholesterol screening is a valuable tool that is gaining acceptance among medical insurers.

Texas A&M University researchers created Advanced Lipoprotein Fingerprinting as a more precise cholesterol test that allows doctors to identify health risks that traditional screens miss. LipidLabs further refined the Advanced Lipoprotein Fingerprinting Process and made Advanced Lipoprotein Fingerprinting available for commercialization. LipidLabs' results translate to more accurate and specific data on which to make clinical judgments and guide patient therapy and prevention at reasonable costs.

The Benefits of Whole Body Vibration

Want to find something new to add to your current workout, increasing muscle and bone strength in the process? Then whole body vibration is the thing for you! The fact of the matter is that body vibration has been around for quite a few years, as the initial experiments were performed throughout the 1960’s in Eastern Europe. Russian scientists took these studies to the next level, developing the technology to help regain the loss of muscle strength and bone density in cosmonauts while on space missions. This technology is directly responsible for the Russian Cosmonauts ability to spend 420 days in space.

1993 saw whole body vibration head more into the private circuit when Novotec Medical in Germany continued research in whole body vibration and a system that’s been referred to as the “Galileo” system (“VibraFlex” in the US/Canada). Novotec Medical is credited for creating the world’s first commercial side alternating vibration machine in 1999.

There are basically 2 types of platforms for which whole body vibration is done on the patented Galileo/VibraFlex System, which is the tilting/side-alternating one (ensures vibration is not transferred to the head), and the regular, vertical platform. The results between the two will vary significantly, so be sure to recognize the difference when needed. The outcome for this particular page is in reference to the Galileo/VibraFlex.

Novotec did plenty of its own research in continental Europe and the United Kingdom for the Galileo/VibraFlex System, including the affect of “Vibrostimulation” on an athlete’s performance. The study showed that in 96% of the cases (including men and women, predominantly swimmers and cyclists), a positive effect was present. All studies regarding the long-term effects of the Galileo/VibraFlex System of whole body vibration only improved performance after the 6-month mark.

From a medical point of view, whole body vibration in combination with regular exercise can help prevent bone loss in early post-menopausal women, can help slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease and even help to regain some movements. Whole body vibration alone has been quoted as “successfully inducing reflex standing” in patients with spinal cord injuries.

Rehabilitation has seen its fair share of improvements with the use of whole body vibration. It’s been used in the treatment of lower back pain comparing it to lumbar extensions. Testing revealed the two different treatments had similar results, but whole body vibration has less of a stress effect on the subjects.

When it comes to working with the elderly, whole body vibration has improved the balance and decreased the fall risk of those falling within the group. It’s even been known to improve the quality of life of the elderly who have been lucky enough to participate in whole body vibration therapy.

Swimmer's Ear: It's Not Just From Swimming

Swimmer’s Ear (also known as otitis externa) is an infection of the ear and/or outer ear canal. It can cause what is commonly referred to as an ear ache (or earache). It can also cause the ear to itch or become red and inflamed. Moving your head or even touching the infected area can be very painful. Someone with Swimmer's Ear may also experience an unpleasant drainage of pus from the infected area.

Swimmer’s Ear is often caused by infection with a germ called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This germ is common in soil and water. It's microscopic so that it can’t be seen with the naked eye. Anyone, at any age, can be afflicted by swimmer’s ear, but it occurs far more often in children and young adults.

Most people get swimmer's ear through contact with contaminated water. But even those who haven't been swimming can get it through contact with a contaminated object. Symptoms of swimmer’s ear usually begin to occur within a few days. Symptoms of Swimmer's Ear might include

Decreased hearing

Drainage

Fever

Pain that may radiate to the neck, face, or side of the head

Sensation that the ear is blocked or full

Swollen lymph nodes

The outer ear may appear to be pushed forward or away from the skull

There's a significant difference between a common childhood middle ear infection (otitis media) and Swimmer’s Ear. If you can press or wiggle the outer ear without pain or discomfort, then it's probably not Swimmer’s Ear.

Swimmer's Ear can be easily prevented by following four simple rules.

1) You should take care to dry your ears thoroughly after swimming. If you experience difficulty getting water out of your ears, apply several drops of an alcohol-based ear product into the ears. You can generally get these ear products at any pharmacy or drug store. But--and this is important--before using any drops in the ear, make sure you do not have a perforated eardrum. Using a hair dryer can also be an effective way to dry the insides of your ears.

2) Be knowledgeable about the chlorine and pH testing program at your pool. This is especially important with home pools and hot tubs. Proper chlorine and pH control are important in preventing the spread of germs that cause Swimmer’s Ear.

3) Do not swim in polluted streams, rivers, ponds or lakes. Avoid locations that have been closed due to pollution.

4) Listen to your mother's advice and never put objects into your ear. Dirty fingers can be especially dangerous. Even "clean" cotton swabs may bruise or scratch the ear canal and provide a site for an infection to start growing. If you already have an ear infection and you try to clean your ear with a cotton swab, you'll just push the germs farther back into the ear canal--and you might even damage the ear drum.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Underground Strength Training

Being an underground group is a euphemism for a subculture with unifying beliefs. The subculture could be related to politics or music or religion. But it is usually a tight group of people that believe in their cause with a passion.

If you believe in exercising and developing strength, there is no reason to go underground. Strength training is a subject that is not whispered about behind closed doors or in dark tunnels. It is a current health issue topic that has value for everyone.

Underground Strength Training – Radical Change

Often a subculture has radical views, which is one reason why they go underground. Strength training is viewed as radical exercise by some, but the truth is it is just good physical conditioning sense. You can always become a radical and workout with weights for hours every day.

But the average person does not have the time or desire for such an intensive program. What they want is strength training that conditions and tone and provides basic good health.

- Maximum muscle strength related to good physical condition

- Strength endurance

- Muscle Flexibility

- Balance and coordination

Most people who go to the gym aren't looking for a radical underground. Strength training is more a program to create well being and improve general conditioning.

Many want good muscle tone, but not bulging muscles. But there are men and women who need high intensity strength training. If there were an underground group of exercise radicals, they might sign up!

- Athletes in all sports who compete to win

- Bodybuilders who emphasize large muscles

- Weight lifters who need maximum strength to lift the greatest number of pounds

- Exercisers who are advanced and always looking for a challenge for self-improvement

If you joined this group in their underground, strength training would be your passion! You can find more about intensive strength training programs at http://www.strength-training-woman.com/underground-strength-training.html

Underground Strength Training – Guerrilla Warfare

Political groups often go underground. Strength training is part of their regimen for preparedness. You are not a guerrilla, and you aren't preparing for war. But what you are doing is preparing to become fit. Most of us need to start with the basics.

- Tighten glutes with squats and leg presses

- Strengthen calves with bent knee calf raises

- Target abdomen core muscles with crunches and curls

- Strengthen quadriceps with leg extensions

- Improve posture with back muscle strengthening planks

- Improve hip flexibility with leg lifts

- Strengthen chest muscles with push-ups or bench presses

- Develop arm strength with curls and kickbacks

The rule of thumb is to begin with the larger muscle groups. This way you are doing the toughest exercises before you begin to deplete your body's energy.

If you were one of the radical exercisers underground, strength training would involve an assortment of conventional and unconventional routines that push your muscles to the limit.

But for a daily exercise regimen for the average person, strength training does not require a lot of fancy equipment. It does require an understanding of the muscles in the body.

Strength training is for everyone. There is traditional training done in the gym, or there are the more intense programs that push bodies to the limit. Whichever program you choose, above or underground, strength training equates to being fit for life.

Rosacea Ltd III - an effective treatment for treating rosacea

People who suffer from rosacea often have a very sensitive skin which doesn't tolerate certain treatments that include chemicals and other substances which may cause severe damages for the skin. In addition to this, patients should avoid products which may contain certain ingredients, such as retinol, different kinds of acids, alcohol and many other substances which are toxic. In order to treat rosacea and to ameliorate its symptoms, the specialists have managed to produce a special treatment known as Rosacea Ltd III.

Rosacea Ltd III includes more than 99% snoothing and calming ingredients and has been designed especially for acne ,pimples, seborrheic dermatitis and also for the sensitive skin. It is important to say that Rosacea Ltd III is composed of different ingredients like zinc oxide, magnesium stearate, sodium chloride, copper oxide, substances which don't affect the skin texture such as other sources for cleaning:soap, astringents and lotions which contain alcohol. Much more, Rosacea Ltd is very well tolarated by the body system, does not interact with other drugs, doesn' t produce side effects such as nausea, constipation, watery eyes, burning sensations and not in the last place it is safe for pregnant and nursing women.

First of all, Rosacea Ltd III as a vascular constrictor brings great results in calming the skin and reducing the redness caused by the broken blood vessels. Moreover due his neutral pH, Rosacea Ltd III doesn' t damage the skin but it has a great effect in killing bacteria, fungal cells and viruses.

Secondly, Rosacea Ltd III is usually used in treating acne, pimples and seborreheic dermatitis, infections which usually come along with rosacea. Furthermore, this treatment offers significants results and the time for treating is shorter in comparision to other medicines. Rosacea Ltd has a fast effect, healing the broken capillaries which produce redness on the skin and flushing in less than 2 months. Much more, it clears the rosacea papules and pustules in about 10 days and also has an important role in preventing the recurrence of other pimples and infections caused by rosacea. Thirdly, treatments with Rosacea Ltd III are used in treating the symptoms of ocular rosacea such as blurred vision, red eyes, swelled, dry eyelids and others. Another way to treat rosacea is the well known Sobye's Massage, a mechanism of action which accelerates lymphatic drainage and in this way the facial redness tends to vanish. In addition, facial massages together with cleansing of the face with a washcloth and soap are two efficient methods which help the skin to regain its normal and healthy aspect.

To sum up, Rosacea Ltd III is a blessing for the people who suffer from rosacea being gentle and effective at a low cost and moreover due its neutral pH which has created a special diet known as "rosacea ph balance diet".

Research finds those who buy Viagra online get lower pricing from U.S. pharmacies over Canadian

It has long been rumored that Canadian pharmacies offer lower prices for prescription medications than their U.S. competitors. In recent years, cross-border pharmaceuticals runs have become increasingly popular and the trend has especially grown since the introduction of erectile dysfunction medications like sildenafil citrate (Viagra). More than 50 percent of men over 40 experience some degree of sexual dysfunction and as they attempt to stretch their dollars, buying cheap Viagra online from Canadian pharmacies is becoming more and more popular.

Although border-crossing to buy Viagra or any other prescription drugs for resale is illegal, buying cheap Viagra from Canada for personal (90 day supply) use is not. Often, Canadian pharmacies sell Viagra online in up to 90-day supplies.

Despite all the attention given Canadian pharmacies and the many people who buy Viagra online from Canada, a recent study compared the actual money savings of these online Canadian pharmacies versus popular American online pharmacies and came up with some interesting results. The pharmacies in question were chosen from PharmacyChecker.com, an unbiased source that rates pharmacies on their trustworthiness and cost-effectiveness.

The test chose 14 of these Canadian pharmacies listed on PharmacyChecker.com, and only those with perfect ratings. The U.S. pharmacies were brick and mortar retail locations that also offered online ordering. The three U.S. pharmacies chosen were CVS, Walgreens, and Rite-Aid because they fulfilled all these qualifications. In order to control the experiment, the prices were all taken on the same day. Moreover, they were taken as the unit cost for the same number of units. It’s not fair to compare cost per unit of 1000 units of one drug to cost per unit of 100 units of another, because of quantity discounts. The prices were taken based on the top fifty highest-grossing drugs for the previous year in the U.S. These included four generic drugs and forty-six brand name drugs. The prices were taken as a mean for all the pharmacies, and then multiplied to find the annual cost to a daily user.

The results for all fifty drugs were interesting. As a whole, Canadian pharmacies are cheaper – much cheaper. However, for those who looking for cheap Viagra or sildenafil citrate, U.S. pharmacies fared much better than their Canadian counterparts. In fact, the average erectile dysfunction sufferer can buy Viagra online at a savings of $3.40 per unit by purchasing from an online U.S. pharmacy. The reason for this phenomenon is simple supply and demand. In the U.S., Viagra and sildenafil are household names for erectile dysfunction treatment. Think about it. It’s difficult to watch an hour of television without seeing a commercial for Cialis, Levitra, or Viagra. The supply of these prescription medications is much greater in America; as such, it is generally easier to find cheap Viagra online from U.S. pharmacies.

Decisions upon Leukemia treatment

Very often persons without any disease symptoms whatsoever are diagnosed with chronic myeloid Leukemia during a routine blood testing. Unlike the acute forms of Leukemia, the chronic form develops an increased number of white blood cells which can still work normally in spite of their high rate of division. This aspect is responsible of the mild onset of the disease but the negative impact is due to the impossible stopping of the white cell production.

The most effective treatment in these cases is a bone marrow transplant that still implicates risks that make it inaccessible to many of the Leukemia patients. A series of other different therapy methods are available that mostly implicate high challenges in deciding upon the right one.

The increased production of immunity white blood cells is caused by an abnormal chromosome called Philadelphia that allows the bone marrow to produce irregular cells with a very rapid multiplication rate inside the bloodstream. Most of the chronic myeloid patients are taken by surprise by diagnose as they have no clinical manifestations.

The actual development of the disease is mostly unknown but physicians usually use the number of white blood cells to predict the further course of the Leukemia; a further identification of abnormal cells inside the bone marrow has a negative prognosis. Another important clinical sign is the increase of some organ’s size (especially spleen) due to an accumulation of white cells inside their tissues.

The most efficient treatment is the injection of healthy cells from a compatible donor inside the bone marrow. It has the highest chances of curing the patients but also the most many side-effects. The second therapy method is the targeted therapy with Gleevec but its curative potential is not yet well established as it has been available only since 2001. A treatment way with benefic results until this time is the immune sustaining Interferon. Other possible cures are in course of development but are not yet approved.

Patients requesting a treatment for Leukemia always expect to be cured after the therapy. The most efficient treatment is the bone marrow transplant with also the most high risks and side-effects. Other possible cures are still in process of experimentation and their capacity to provide a definitive cure is unknown. A series of years are required to determine their exact benefit.

A patient choosing to undergo a bone marrow transplant must be matched with an available donor and take a cure with immuno depressives who may cause a series of infections due to the decreased capacity of defense of the organism. A patient must be well informed about the risk and the cure statistics before choosing to suffer a transplant. This therapy is the most appropriate for young patients but is not recommended for elder persons with other pathological conditions.

Treatment of femoral hernias

In spite of empiric treatment methods of using a truss to support the abdominal wall, femoral hernias are only curable by surgical means. The hernia will only get worse and must be operated to prevent strangulation.

Usually, the surgical intervention for repairing femoral hernias is an easy one; but patients must give their consent before surgery and must be aware of all possible risks, side-effects and complications. The patient will not be forced to stay overnight after operation. He will choose together with the surgeon the type of anesthesia required. Reducing a femoral hernia can occur under total or local anesthesia.

There are two available surgical methods today. The traditional incision is about 10 cm long and requires opening of the femoral channel to push the content back into the abdomen. The weakened area of the canal must be sewed to prevent reoccurrence and an additional nylon mesh could be useful to strengthen the femoral canal. The second option is the mini invasive laparoscopic surgery.

In case of a strangled hernia, the patient must longer stay in the hospital as the dead intestinal fragment must be removed and a connection established between two bowel endings. Persons can go home after they recover from anesthesia and those with general anesthesia must be supervised by family or friends in the next period of time. A program for stitching and bathing will be explained by a nurse and the patient must return in 6 weeks for control.

In the next days patients must take some painkillers and avoid physical effort. Some area discomfort may persist a few weeks after surgery. Patients might also feel sick while recovering from a general anesthesia or because of the administered painkillers.

Very few complications have been registered after hernia surgery, most of them due to unexpected reactions to the anesthetics. Such side-effects can be bleedings, forming of blood cloths, infections. Venous thrombosis usually occurs in the legs and can be treated by patients wearing compression stockings during surgery.

Very rare specific complications of femoral hernias interventions are different accidental damages to the internal organs nearby. This will need a larger incision to repair all damages caused. Abdominal bruising can also appear but it usually settles without intervention. Patients must talk to their doctors and be aware of how this procedure will influence their own health and lifestyle. The surgical conclusion depends on the state of the hernia and on the patient’s general health.

You can try to avoid femoral hernias by taking frequent physical exercise, following a healthy diet to avoid constipation, not smoking, keeping a normal body weight and using lifting equipment to save yourself from heavy objects.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Mom tricked my dad into losing weight

My mother is gifted with extraordinary culinary talents. We love her cooking as much as we love they way she takes good care of all of us.

This might have been the reason why my father has grown huge over the years, especially around the tummy.

Recently, I have observed that although my daid still earts voraciously, he is gradually losing that extra bulge. I asked my mom about it and she just smiled. Over a cup of coffee, she shared with me her secrets. I would like to share it with you , too.

Mom said that dad needs to lose weight as he is into his mid-life age wherein diseases like diabetes, arthritis, stroke, and cancer are lurking around the corner and ready to strike upon a person who is not diet conscious. So she made changes on his diet without him knowing it. She also encouraged my dad to join her in some physical activities on weekends.

Mom began using wholegrain in her baking instead of white bread. According to her, wholegrain bread contains more fiber which makes him full for a longer time. He cuts back on his calories.

Whenever my father takes her to dine at restaurants, mother said she eats all the pre-dinner rolls without my father noticing it. If she can’t help it, she would request the waiter to exchange the butter with vinegar and olive oil.

Since my father is fond of bringing a sandwich to work, she prepares it without the bread. Dad loves lettuce so she makes this the sandwich base rather than bread. She fills it up with slices of tomato, cucumber (with the skin on), celery and mix it with slices of either apple, mango, or avocado or whatever is in season. When he requests for meat, my mom uses chicken meat without the skin. If dad insists on having bread, and sometimes he gets away with it, mother used wholegrain bread.

On weekends, mom would request dad to help her in the garden. She would pretend to be in pain in the arm, or back, so she could ask him to weed grass or dig soil or just plain relocations of flower pots, and even mowing. These sort of let him burn lots of calories and are good for emotional and physical health.

Oftentimes, my mom encourages my dad to play basketball with my youngest brother or badminton with my younger sister, or play tennis with me. All that and more, dad burns a lot of calories by playing the sports.

Engaing in physical sports or taking regular exercises and taking proper diets have enormously helped my dad to lose weight. He was able to manage the pressure and stress at work. According to mom, stress causes production of hormone cortisol which forms fats and round the belly and risk of heart disease. Exercise regulates the hormones that’s why dad lose weight eventually, mom added.

Why go to the tanning salon when you can get the same tan at home?

There are 3 big differences between a domestic tanning bed and a commercial bed - pricing, durability and speed. But, the main reason that so many people are choosing to buy their own tanning bed is that they can achieve a golden glow in their own time, and in the comfort of their own homes.

For millions of people around the world, visiting a tanning solarium is a repetitive and costly exercise. Furthermore, the entire time that it takes to travel to and from a tanning solarium, then getting undressed and then redressed, can easily eat into your day. This makes a trip to a tanning solarium an exercise that really needs to be planned way ahead of time. And in a lot of cases, a tanning solarium will never have any timeslot when you want it, because most people will want to visit at the more popular times of the day, like lunch time on work days.

This is precisely why alternatives to tanning salons are being sought. People just want convenience - they don't want to be scheduling their whole week around a few trips to the tanning salon. Those that want a consistent tan are now starting to realize that if there was a tanning alternate choice that could be performed at home, they would have lots more spare time in their schedules.

But time isn't the only factor in the minds of those who are seeking an alternative to the tanning, cost is also very important. Typically, each visit to a tanning salon can cost anywhere from $15 to $30. If you start to tally up the cost of each tanning salon visit, and then factor in the preparation time to get there, to undress, endure your tanning session, then redress and get back home or to work, there is definitely a lot of unproductive time and effort. And as the old saying goes, 'time is money'.

The privacy factor of home tanning beds is just one more major reason that many people are opting to buy their own. To get the best tanning results, you will need to be almost naked, although some people opt to be completely naked. Most people will avoid undressing at a tanning salon because of our genetic tendency for personal privacy. So with a home tanning solution, you get the best of both worlds... a full-body golden tan, and the freedom to do it on your time, and with as little or as much clothing as you require.

But we do need to consider the cost of the at-home option, and we also need to keep in mind the quality of the machinery. It is easy to assume that having your own tanning bed at home is going to be the perfect solution now that we have determined that it will be so a lot more convenient, and that we won't be wasting so much time and money traveling to and from our local tanning salon. It is a simple and widely understood fact that tanning beds aren't cheap. Only you will be able to decide if buying a tanning bed is right for your long term needs.

The home tanning bed is a lot lower in price than the commercial tanning bed because it is constructed in a more economical manner. The average at-home tanning bed would be used once daily, maybe twice daily, whereas in a salon the average bed may be used over and above 20 times daily. It's like comparing a budget iron with a professional steam iron. One is cheaper and is intended for a lot less usage, and the other more expensive one is far more durable.

Friday, January 26, 2007

How to Find the Best Mesothelioma Lawyer

Mesothelioma is a rare form of lung cancer. Most people with mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they breathed in asbestos over a period of time. Being exposed over a period of a few months can result in getting mesothelioma 30 or 40 years later. There are many people who were exposed to asbestos back in the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s who are just now being diagnosed with mesothelioma today because of the long latency period associated with this asbestos cancer causing disease.

Since as early as the 1930s, the asbestos industry has known full well that exposure to asbestos was extremely dangerous to peoples health. Regardless of this knowledge, the industry intentionally concealed this information (much like the tobacco industry did concealing the information about the relationship between smoking and lung cancer) from people who worked around asbestos and from the general public. Many thousands of American workers have died from mesothelioma asbestos lung cancer and many lawsuits have been filed and continue to be filed today.

Since most mesothelioma forms of cancer are completely preventable, many people find themselves needing lawyers who specialize in mesothelioma cases. It's very important you find the best mesothelioma attorney for your case and your part of the country. Laws vary somewhat between states, so you need to know all you can before consulting a mesothelioma lawyer in your state.

Your specific mesothelioma lawsuit will depend upon a range of a factors such as where you lived when you were exposed to asbestos, the location of the companies and the liability that can be proved by you. When getting legal representation of a mesothelioma attorney, lawyer or law firm in your area, be prepared to provide as much information as possible. This will help your mesothelioma lawyer and assist in the discovery process.

Most attorney fees in these cases are based on contingency fees. That means the lawyers receive a percentage of the amount the victim recovers if the suit is successful. If the suit is not successful, then the attorneys earn no fees. You need to ask your mesothelioma lawyer up front how they charge for their services. These cases can run a very long time and if you're paying an attorney by the hour who has no interest in the outcome of your case, you could be in for a very long, expensive process.

Thanks to the internet, there are many websites available today to help folks locate the best mesothelioma attorney in their local area to handle their case. I suggest you look for the top mesothelioma attorneys in your local area and contact them directly. Remember to ask questions so you know how much your mesothelioma case could potentially cost, how long your specific case could take to research and for the trial itself, etc.

Three Little Words For Lifelong Health, Wealth, And Happiness

Wow! Everywhere you go these days, there is a guru of one kind or another offering to teach you the secrets of making money, having great sex, living longer, and, the old stand-by of Dr. Phil and so many others...weight loss!

If you are online, you can find even more of these people than there were back in the day...you know, when you had to go to a bookstore or a library and actually read a book? Yeah, there's all kinds of answers to questions you never even thought of asking. Gurus and pitchmen on every virtual street corner, and it's sometimes very hard to tell them apart. On top of it all, here I AM, telling you that I know THE secret about, and I quote (myself), "Three Little Words For Lifelong Health, Wealth, And Happiness".

How brazen is that?

Well, I don't have all the answers to every mystery of the universe, but over the years, I have been somewhere near the lowest lows a man can reach, and I have soldiered my way back up to a point where I am happily married, have a great family (including grandkids), make an excellent income, and, even at age 62, feel like I am in the best health and at the best fitness level of my life.

I read a lot of those gurus and listened to tapes and CD's, watched videos and DVD's, and kept my eyes open as I wandered down life's pathways. A lot of what I learned didn't manifest itself until long after I had been exposed to the original concept. Sometimes I put two and two together like the manual said, and came up with seven, twelve, or minus five. Eventually, however, I figured out what I was doing wrong and began coming up with a string of fours.

I learned that there are a lot of helpers to success and happiness in this world, but that's what most of them are...helpers. Underlying every collection of bricks that built the establishment of success in any endeavor, there was a mortar that held everything together so that it did not collapse into a pile of useless rubble. Sometimes the mortar was too thin, or applied too late and the structure fell anyway, but, once the technique was learned, a new edifice could be erected.

As I was casting about for a way to state this principle, I discovered that it was embedded in three little words I heard long ago. I just had spent several years reaching the realization that this little phrase was the ultimate truth that solved the mystery of health, wealth, and happiness.

Now, when I say, "three little words", most people's minds immediately leap to the phrase, "I love you!"

That IS a good one. Saying it to many people, many times, with a genuine, heartfelt belief in the words and what they imply to and about the other person is one good solid brick on which to build a structure of success in many areas...but, it's not what I was looking for.

Ever hear of Carnegie Hall? It's in New York city, and opened in the 1890's. Over the years, while there surely have been events that were bombs, it has hosted some of the finest performers in the world. To be invited to appear at Carnegie hall could often be considered the highlight of any performer's career.

Whether we view Carnegie Hall as a real place that we are striving to reach, or as a symbol of any goal we have set for ourselves, the truth of achieving that goal...to achieve our dreams and desires at that moment and place in history...is symbolized by the following old joke.