Healthy Living

What Kind Of Headache Do You Have?

2007-05-09T09:58:00.000+03:00

Nearly two-thirds of all Americans suffer from chronic habitual headaches. From migraines, sinus and cluster headaches, to ones induced by stress and hormones.

It can matter which type of headache the patient sufferers with, in order to treat them properly and get fast relief. Some of the most common headache types experienced by sufferers include:

Tension Headaches:

Felt by more than 80% of the adult population, tension-type headaches are the most common headache, and seem to be slightly more common among women, than men.

Believed to be caused by a chemical or neuronal imbalance in the brain, tension headaches have also been linked to a tightening in the back, neck and/or scalp. The pain is a pressing or tightening of both sides of the head, temple and neck, and feels much like a vice. Pain from this type of headache can be very mild, or excruciatingly severe.

Daily recurrences of tension-type headaches have been linked to depression, and other emotional problems. Changes in sleep patterns or insomnia, as well as ongoing fatigue can also cause tension headaches.

Symptoms usually begin early in the morning or late in the day, and last for several hours. Analgesics seem to help the mild sufferer, but chronic and severe tension headaches may require a stronger prescription therapy.

Migraine Headaches:

Migraines, are the most severe of all headaches, and are experienced by 13 percent of the population. Their throbbing head pain, usually located on just one side of the face, neck and head, characterizes them.

The combination of disabling pain and associated symptoms such as nausea, auras (bright lights, blind spots, etc), dizziness, and more, can seriously impede the quality of life for the chronic sufferer.

There are many treatment options now available to migraine sufferers including daily preventative medications, massage therapy, relaxation techniques, as well as a myriad of homeopathic remedies now on the market.

Organically Caused Headaches:

The most serious of all the headache categories, organically caused headaches is not a disease itself, but rather, a symptom of a more serious disorder.

This type of headache can be caused by high blood pressure, diabetes, tumor, blood clots and aneurysms, to name a few. When headaches become progressive with the pain worsening with each attack, a sufferer loses consciousness, is confused, or is taking over the counter medications on a daily basis.

Prompt medical attention is required to rule out an organic cause.

Hormone Headaches:

More than 60% of female migraine sufferers have linked their attacks to their menstrual cycle. Fluctuations in hormone levels during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause can all trigger mild to severe headache symptoms.

As estrogen spikes and dips throughout a woman's monthly, as well as life, cycles, headaches may become more frequent and more severe. Hormone therapy seems to work best for post-menopausal migraine sufferers.

Sinus Headaches:

Caused when one or more of the body's four sinus becomes infected due to blockage from a cold, allergies, the flu or some other physical ailment, sinus headaches generally cause a gnawing pain over the nasal area, and increases in severity throughout the day.

A feeling of pressure and fullness is often accompanied by fever as the infection worsens. Treatment includes antibiotics, analgesics and nasal sprays. Chronic sinusitis may require surgery to remove polyps that continue to block nasal passages, or to repair a deviated septum.

Allergy Headaches:

Most commonly experienced in earl spring and late fall, allergy headaches are typically accompanied by nasal congestion and watery eyes. Antihistamines are most commonly prescribed to help alleviate symptoms.

No matter what type of headache a sufferer experiences, it is always important to seek medical treatment if they persist or worsen, as this may be a sign of an underlying cause that needs further treatment.

New Early Clue to Autism

2007-05-01T18:35:00.000+03:00

Autism Possible in at-Risk 1-Year-Olds That Don't Respond to Their Names.Babies that don't respond to their names by age 1 likely have a developmental abnormality -- perhaps even autism, a MIND Institute study shows.

"Failure to respond to name at the well-child 1-year checkup may be a useful indicator of children who would benefit from a more thorough developmental assessment," suggest Aparna S. Nadig, PhD, of the University of California Davis MIND Institute in Sacramento, and colleagues.

Even so, not all of these children will fail to develop normally. And just because a 1-year-old can respond to his or her name doesn't mean that child won't develop autism.

But the study marks a big step forward as researchers look for ways to identify autism -- in all its many forms -- as early as possible. That goal has become vastly more important in recent years. Researchers have found that autism can be far less severe in kids who get early treatment, says Geraldine Dawson, PhD, director of the Autism Center at the University of Washington in Seattle.

“The really exciting thing is that by beginning early we are able to prevent the full-blown autism syndrome," Dawson tells WebMD. "If we can work with a baby at the time those brain systems are developing, we think they will be much more responsive to treatment."

The Nadig study and Dawson's editorial appear in autism-themed April 2007 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Babies at Risk of Autism

Nadig and colleagues studied 55 6-month-olds and 101 1-year-olds considered "at risk" of autism because they had an older brother or sister already diagnosed with autism. They also studied 43 6-month-olds and 46 1-year-olds not at risk of autism as a control group.

They gave the babies a simple test. The child sat at a table, either in a baby seat or in its mother's lap. As the baby played with a toy, a researcher stood behind the child and called its name in a normal voice. If the child did not stop playing with the toy and turn to make eye contact with the stranger, the researcher called the child's name again. Each child got three chances to respond.

At age 6 months, 82% of the babies in the control group responded to their names on the first or second call. By age 1 year, all of these kids responded to their names on the first or second call.

It was a different story for the at-risk kids. At age 6 months, only 66% of the kids responded to their name on the first or second try. And at age 1 year, only 86% of the at-risk kids responded on the first or second call.

Can this really mean anything? At age 2, developmental problems appeared in three out of four kids who had failed the name test at age 1.

The researchers note that this test can by no means identify all children who will experience developmental problems. And as it cannot rule out such problems, Dawson says it isn't, by itself, a sure sign of trouble.

“There are a lot of reasons why a child might not turn to its name," Dawson says. “The idea is to develop a variety of behavioral indicators, such as failure to imitate, failure to communicate through babbling, failure to make eye contact, and failure to respond to name, that should come online in the last half of the child's first year. If they don't, these are good indicators that a child may have autism."

Behavioral tests are only one possibility. Dawson's team is using an electroencephalograph (EEG) to look at how infants' brains respond to certain stimuli such as speech or social interactions. Other researchers are looking at genetic factors that may predict autism.

Soon, Dawson says, it will be possible to identify very young children at risk of autism. When that happens, she hopes to be ready to treat them.

"We have been developing interventions for 12-month-old infants. And this summer we will initiate a trial of children at 8 months of age," she says. "We are trying to stay ahead of the curve, because down the road these babies are going to be identified, and it is imperative we have something to do for them."

Exercise May Boost Memory Through Brain Blood Flow and New Brain Cells

2007-04-28T13:46:00.000+03:00

Want a sharper memory? Lace up your sneakers. Exercise may boost memory, and a new study shows how.

The researchers found that exercise boosts blood flow to a brain area involved in memory -- even in people who aren't in top shape.

Three months of exercise was all it took for people with low levels of aerobic fitness to increase blood flow to that part of their brain and improve their scores on memory tests, the study shows.

Additional tests on mice show new brain cells growing in the same memory-related brain area after two weeks of exercise.

Add it all up, and you've got a good reason to get moving, says researcher Scott Small, MD, of Columbia University in New York.

"I, like many physicians, already encourage my patients to get active and this adds yet another reason to the long list of reasons why exercise is good for overall health," Small says in a Columbia news release.

Studying Exercise and Memory

The new study appears in the early online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

First, Small's team put running wheels in the cages of 23 mice. For comparison, another 23 mice had no access to running wheels.

As expected, the mice with the running wheels in their cages took full advantage of their exercise gear. They ran on the wheels without any training or encouragement.

Two weeks later, the scientists gave the mice a dye shot to mark new brain cells in the memory-related brain area. After four more weeks, the scientists checked the mice's brains.

The exercising mice had more evidence of new brain cells and more blood flow in the memory-related brain area. The mice with no running wheels in their cages had no new brain cells and no increased blood flow in that brain area.

From the Couch to the Treadmill

Next, the researchers focused on people. They recruited 11 healthy volunteers aged 21-45 (average age: 33) with below-average levels of aerobic fitness.

First, participants completed memory tests and an aerobic fitness test. They also got brain scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Next, participants shed their sedentary ways. The researchers assigned them to work out for an hour, four times weekly for three months, at Columbia University's fitness center.

The workout routine: Warm up for five minutes at a low intensity on a stationary bike or treadmill, stretch for five minutes, do 40 minutes of aerobic training (on a stationary bike, treadmill, stair machine, or elliptical trainer), and cool down and stretch for 10 minutes.

Work Out, Boost Memory

After three months of exercise, participants repeated the memory tests, aerobic fitness tests, and MRI brain scan.

Those follow-up tests showed an increase in blood flow to the memory-related brain area, better scores on the memory tests, and improvements in aerobic fitness.

The researchers didn't use a dye test to check for new brain cells in the exercisers' brains. So the study doesn't prove that exercise boosted human brain cell production, though exercise apparently had that effect on mice.

The next step is to figure out what exercise regimen is most beneficial for memory, Small notes. He suggests that doctors may one day be able to prescribe specific types of exercise to improve memory.

Meanwhile, be sure to check in with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you've been physically inactive for a while.

Dancing Your Way to Better Health

2007-04-27T07:04:00.000+03:00

Ballroom Dancing May Help Mind, Body, and Spirit

Tangos, waltzes, sambas, and foxtrots are gliding across America's TV sets on the hit ballroom dance show, Dancing with the Stars.

Do you tap along with the beat as you watch? Or shimmy during the commercial breaks? This may be one time when health experts won't fret if you follow in the footsteps of prime-time TV. Ballroom dancing could help the mind and body, they say.

Shall We Dance?

You're not likely to practice for hours with a world-class dance partner as on the show. But you also won't face live national TV and the judges' barbs.

Will you get a good workout? What about those two left feet? And how can "twinkle toes" benefit your brain?

WebMD posed those questions to science, dance, and fitness pros. Here's their spin on ballroom dancing's health perks.

Is It Exercise?

The TV show's contestants are often winded after their routines. One dancer from last season said he lost 15 pounds.

How typical is that? It depends on the type of dancing and your skill level, says exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, MS, of Comprehensive Fitness Consulting in Middleton, Wis.

"Once someone gets to the point where they're getting their heart rate up, they're actually getting a terrific workout," says Cram.

Dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones. It's also "wonderful" for your upper body and strength, says Cram.

Would-be dancers should consult their doctors first, especially if they have any health problems, says Cram.

Calorie Check

How many calories will you burn? That depends on your body and how vigorously you dance.

Dance is a "moderate activity," say the USDA's physical activity guidelines. Adults should get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily, according to the guidelines.

It can be easier to stick to that with fun activities, says Cram.

Muscles Worked

New ballroom dancers may feel muscles they didn't know they had. That often happens with a new activity, says Ken Richards, spokesman for USA Dance, the national governing body of DanceSport -- the competitive version of ballroom dancing.

Ballroom dancing often means moving backward, especially for women, says Richards, a professional ballroom dancing veteran.

"If you're dancing the foxtrot, you're taking long, sweeping steps backwards. That's very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking a jog around the neighborhood," he says.

Ballroom dancing works the backs of the thighs and buttock muscles differently from many other types of exercise, says Richards.

Core Experience

The legs and arms often do the flashy dance moves. But they're sunk without a strong body core.

The "core" muscles -- the abs and back -- are also used in Pilates, says Janice Byer. A lifelong dancer, Byer is group exercise director of The Courthouse Athletic Club in Oakland, Calif. Byer and her husband (whom she met through dancing) are avid swing dancers.

Brain Teaser

Dance can challenge your mind as well as your muscles.

At least one observational study has shown sharper minds with ballroom dancing.

The study appeared in The New England Journal of Medicine two years ago. Joe Verghese, MD, and colleagues studied 469 people who were at least 75 years old.

At the study's start, they answered surveys about mental and physical activities, like doing crossword puzzles or dancing. Back then, none had dementia.

Five years later, 124 had dementia. Frequent dancers had a reduced risk of dementia compared with those who rarely or never danced.

Of 11 physical activities considered, only dancing was tied to a lower dementia risk, Verghese tells WebMD.

Most dancers did ballroom dancing, says Verghese. He's an assistant neurology professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

The Dancing Brain

How might ballroom dancing help the brain? Verghese outlines three possibilities:

* Increased blood flow to the brain from the physical exercise
* Less stress, depression, and loneliness from dancing's social aspect
* Mental challenges (memorizing steps, working with your partner)

"Dance, in many ways, is a complex activity. It's not just purely physical," says Verghese.

An 'Exciting' Option

No one is prescribing ballroom dancing, and Verghese's study doesn't claim dancing drove the results.

To get real proof, a study could assign one group of people to ballroom dancing, comparing them to inactive people.

So says Carl Cotman, PhD. He directs the Institute for Brain Aging and Dementia at the University of California, Irvine.

"There aren't any experimental models in animals that would be equivalent to ballroom dancing, that's for sure," says Cotman. His rat studies have shown brain benefits from voluntary running.

If dance is aerobic enough, it could aid the brain, says Cotman. The social and mental aspects could also help.

"You've got togetherness, and … training the brain to do a new motor skill," says Cotman. "I think it's pretty exciting."

No one knows how much or what kind of exercise the brain needs, says Cotman. He'd like to see such studies done.

Meanwhile, "there's no evidence that it's going to hurt anything," says Cotman.

Check Your Ego at the Door

Here's some advice for beginners from New York dance therapist Jane Wilson Cathcart, LMSW, ADTR, CMA:

* Look for a good teacher who emphasizes what you can do, not your limits.
* Don't be a perfectionist about it.
* Don't worry about your size. Dance is for everyone.
* Get into the music, as well as the movement.

"Take in all the good feedback you're getting and give your inner judge a couple of dollars to go to the movies," says Cathcart.

"We are usually our own worst critic," says Cathcart. "Think of how many other times your critical judge has limited you from doing something."

New skills can bring confidence. At parties and social events, dancers may head to the dance floor feeling good about themselves without a martini's encouragement, Richards jokes.

"Lay the pathwork of positivity through it," says Cathcart. "The coolest dance begins with one step. The rest will follow."

Sunburn

2007-04-25T09:54:00.000+03:00

Sunlight can help our mental outlook and help us feel healthier. For people with arthritis, the sun's warmth can help relieve some of their physical pain. Many people also think that a suntan makes a person look young and healthy. However, sunlight can be harmful to the skin, causing immediate problems as well as problems that may develop years later.

A sunburn is skin damage from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Most sunburns cause mild pain and redness but affect only the outer layer of skin (first-degree burns). The red skin might hurt when you touch it. These sunburns are mild and can usually be treated at home.

Skin that is red and painful and that swells up and blisters may mean deep skin layers and nerve endings have been damaged (second-degree burn). This type of sunburn is usually more painful and takes longer to heal.

Other problems that can be present along with sunburn include:

* Heatstroke or other heat-related illnesses from too much sun exposure.
* Allergic reactions to sun exposure or to sunscreen products.
* Vision problems, such as burning pain, decreased vision, or partial or complete vision loss.

Long-term problems include:

* An increased chance of having skin cancer.
* An increase in other health problems, such as lupus or cold sores.
* Cataracts, from direct, intense sun exposure over many years. Cataracts are one of the leading causes of blindness.
* Skin changes, such as premature wrinkling or brown spots.

Your skin type affects how easily you become sunburned. People with fair or freckled skin, blond or red hair, and blue eyes usually sunburn easily. Your age also affects how your skin reacts to the sun. The skin of children younger than 6 and adults older than 60 is more sensitive to sunlight.

You may get a more severe sunburn depending on:

* The time of day. You are more likely to get a sunburn between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, when the sun's rays are the strongest. You might think the chance of getting a sunburn on cloudy days is less, but the sun's damaging UV light can pass through clouds.
* Whether you are near reflective surfaces, such as water, white sand, concrete, snow, and ice. All of these reflect the sun's rays and can cause sunburns.
* The season of the year. The position of the sun on summer days can cause a more severe sunburn.
* Altitude. It is easy to get sunburned at higher altitudes because there is less of the earth's atmosphere to block the sunlight. UV exposure increases about 4% for every 1000 ft gain in elevation.
* How close you are to the equator (latitude). The closer you are to the equator, the more direct sunlight passes through the atmosphere. For example, the southern United States gets 1.5 times more sunlight than the northern United States.
* The UV index of the day, which indicates the risk of getting a sunburn that day.

Preventive measures and home treatment are usually all that is needed to prevent or treat a sunburn.

* Protect your skin from the sun.
* Do not stay in the sun too long.
* Use sunscreens and wear clothing that covers your skin.

If you have any health risks that may increase the seriousness of sun exposure, you should avoid being in the sun from 10 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon.

Fruits and Veggies Cut Cancer Risks

2007-04-24T13:12:00.000+03:00

Sure, you've heard it a thousand times, but three new studies cement mom's advice to eat your fruits and veggies: It may help ward off a host of cancers.

One study of 183,518 men and women suggests that a diet high in flavonol-rich apples, berries, kale, and broccoli may help cut the risk of pancreatic cancer, especially in smokers.

Another study of about 500,000 people aged 50 and older shows eating an additional two servings a day of fruit and vegetables -- no matter how many servings you now eat -- can reduce the risk of developing head and neck cancers.

The third study suggests that chemicals in cruciferous vegetables and soy reduce production of two proteins necessary for the spread of breast and ovarian cancers.

The studies were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Flavonols Lower Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest of all cancers, killing 95% of victims within five years of diagnosis, says Ute Nothlings, DrPH, a researcher at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke in Nuthetal, Germany.

But her study shows that people who eat the largest amounts of flavonols -- antioxidants ubiquitous in plant-based foods -- are 23% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least.

Smokers gained the most benefit. Those who ate the most flavonols reduced their risk of developing pancreatic cancer by 59%, compared with those who ate the least, says Nothlings, who conducted the study as a postdoctoral fellow at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii in Honolulu.

While the findings support recommendations to eat your veggies, a flavonol-rich diet isn't going to protect smokers against developing pancreatic cancers, says Alan Kristal, DrPH, of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Smoking raises your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by twofold, he tells WebMD. And no matter how many trips you make to the salad bar, "you're not going to ameliorate that risk."

For the study, the researchers asked participants about their diet and estimated consumption of three flavonols: quercetin, which is most abundant in onions and apples; kaempferol, found in spinach and some cabbages; and myricetin, found mostly in red onions and berries. Over the next eight years, 529 developed pancreatic cancer.

Kaempferol offered the most protection: Those who consumed the most were 22% less likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least. Risk was reduced 73% among smokers.
Fruit, Vegetables Lower Head and Neck Cancer Risk

While several studies have suggested that fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of head and neck cancer, many suffered from poor design as they asked people who had already developed cancer to recall their dietary habits years before, says Kristal, who moderated a news conference on the findings.

To help settle the issue, National Cancer Institute researchers asked 490,802 AARP members about their typical dietary habits and then followed them for five years. During that time, 787 of them developed head and neck cancer.

Results showed that participants who ate about 12 servings of fruit and vegetables per day were 29% less likely to develop the cancer than those who ate three servings per day. Increasing consumption by just two servings of fruit or vegetables per day was associated with a 6% reduction in head and neck cancer risk, researcher Neal Freedman, PhD, a cancer prevention fellow, tells WebMD.

One serving equals approximately one medium-sized fresh fruit, 1/2 cup of cut fruit, 6 ounces of fruit juice, 1 cup of leafy vegetables, or 1/2 cup of other vegetables.
Broccoli Curbs Breast Cancer Spread

While studies have shown that broccoli and soy offer protection against breast and ovarian cancer, how this occurs has not been well understood, says Erin Hsu, MS, a molecular toxicologist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Her team's laboratory experiments offer one potential clue, showing that diindolylmethane (DIM), a compound resulting from digestion of cruciferous vegetables, and genistein, a major isoflavone in soy, reduce production of two proteins whose attraction to each other is necessary for the spread of both cancers.

In the experiments, the researchers exposed breast and ovarian cancer cells to purified DIM or genistein. Levels of two proteins known as CXCR4 and CXCL12 that promote breast and ovarian cancer spread dropped.

"In other words, DIM and genistein make the cancers more treatable," Hsu tells WebMD.

Both DIM and genistein are being developed for use in the prevention and treatment for breast cancer, although more extensive toxicological studies are necessary, she says.

Whole-Grain Oats Cut Cholesterol

2007-04-23T13:20:00.000+03:00

Eating a diet rich in whole-grain oats may help lower cholesterol in people at risk for heart disease.

It’s not the first time oats have been touted as heart-healthy, but a new review of recent studies on oats and heart disease risk backs up some of those claims.

The studies stopped short of showing a direct effect of eating oatmeal on reducing heart disease risk or heart-related death, but researchers found oatmeal foods did produce an overall cholesterol-lowering effect. People who ate a diet rich in oatmeal and whole-grain oat products experienced a decrease in both total cholesterol and unhealthy low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels.

Elevated overall cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are major risk factors for heart disease.

Although the overall results were positive, researchers say they should be interpreted with caution because the studies included were small, lasted only four to eight weeks or less, and most were funded by companies that sell whole grains.

Oats Lower Cholesterol

In the study, published in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, researchers reviewed 10 studies on the effects of giving whole-grain foods to adults. Eight of the studies involved whole-grain oats and included a total of 914 adults at risk for heart disease.

When researchers pooled the results of the studies, they found people who ate whole-grain oatmeal had lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels compared with those who ate refined grain foods. The average reduction in total cholesterol levels was 7.7 mg/dL and the average reduction in LDL cholesterol levels was 7 mg/dL.

Based on these results, researchers say there is evidence on whole-grain oats to suggest that health care professionals could recommend oats as part of a cholesterol-reduction program. But they say more study is needed.

"Well-designed, adequately powered studies are now needed to evaluate the effects of long-term consumption of oats," says researcher Sarah Kelly of the School of Health and Social Care at the University of Teesside, England, in a news release.

The American Heart Association already recommends whole-grain foods for a heart-healthy diet. According to the group's web site, "The fiber found in unrefined whole-grain foods can help lower your blood cholesterol, which is important in preventing heart disease and stroke."

A Quick Guide to Mesothelioma

2007-04-18T11:21:00.000+03:00

When you talk about the health risks caused by asbestos, mesothelioma is at the top of the list. It is a sad story with a very unhappy ending.

A Quick Guide to Mesothelioma

Beginning in 1926, various studies started revealing that the wide spread use of asbestos for its fire resistant properties might not be such a good thing. The problem? Dust from asbestos materials was easily ingested into the lungs, but was nearly impossible for the body to expel. This resulted in a host of health problems of which Mesothelioma undoubtedly is the worst.

Mesothelioma is a nasty form of cancer. It is almost always caused by exposure to asbestos dust. This primarily occurs when a person has worked directly with or around asbestos materials. For example, a person who works on older buildings with asbestos materials or a person in the ship building industry to mention only a few. The disease can also impact secondary individuals who come in contact with such people, particular said peoples clothes.

On the medical side of things, Mesothelioma is terminal cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust that takes a long time to manifest, but a short time to kill.

Using soy can be of a good help in lowering a high cholesterol level

2007-04-18T08:51:00.000+03:00

Until a few years the foods based on soy protein have been considered the foods for hippies and vegans but lately scientists have declared that the soy protein could be useful in lowering the level of cholesterol in blood.

There were made many studies upon the usefulness of soy protein and the results seemed to point towards the fact that the soy protein would lower the triglycerides and the LDL cholesterol also known as 'bad cholesterol' and would maintain the level of HDL cholesterol also known as 'good cholesterol'.

But all this good news was torn apart in January 2006 when the American Heart Association declared that after 22 studies made on soy protein the conclusion was that soy protein has only minimal effect upon the heart risk factors including the cholesterol.

Until the mystery upon the soy protein is resolved people should continue to eat soy food even though it has no spectacular good effects upon the heart system, it has quality protein in its composition and is low in saturated fat which is good for the organism.

Another study was made in 2005 on 34 adults with high cholesterol level and it showed that after eating daily 50 grams of soy protein, and other lowering cholesterol foods the subjects had an ideal cholesterol level in blood as after taking cholesterol lowering pills.

Another study made in 2005 by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality did not bring spectacular news about the soy protein. The conclusions of the study were that the soy protein eaten daily reduced the 'bad' cholesterol level with only 3%.

After considering these studies valuable, the AHA Nutrition Committee decided not to recommend the soy protein as an aliment which needs to be eaten for lowering the cholesterol level, but they still consider the soy food a good replacement for high fat meats.

There are several products which contain soy protein and which can be combined for a tasty meal. For example tofu is an ideal aliment which can be added to stir-fries, curries or stews and bring an excellent taste to the meal. When you need a snack try the soy nuts which are roasted soy beans and bring you an excellent amount of proteins. Also good for our organism are the soymilk, the soy cheese and the soy burgers.

If you enjoy cooking you can use soy flour for baking, miso for preparing soup and tempeh for combining it with spaghetti.

There are so many food varieties containing soy protein on the market that you will never get bored of eating them and you will also eat a healthy food.

Mental Exercises For Alzheimer's: Boost Your Brain And Maximize Your Memory

2007-04-17T21:58:00.000+03:00

Use it or lose it! Mental exercises for Alzheimer’s are not only a powerful preventative measure, they can tone and build the brain and memory of an Alzheimer’s sufferer the way physical exercise tones and builds the body.
Mental exercises can slow down, halt, or even help to reverse the early signs of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Unfortunately, normal day to day living usually doesn’t give the neuron sharpening exercise you need.

The good news is that you’re never too old to start boosting your brainpower, and it can be fun.

The fact that mental exercises can bolster your brain has even been discovered by the press. The Daily Mail in England reports that volunteers aged 65 and over who did just ten hours of training their memory, problem solving and reaction times had mental abilities similar to people seven to fourteen years younger who hadn’t done such exercises.

Studies show that staying mentally active can slash the chance of getting Alzheimer’s by fifty percent. Even the schoolwork that you did when you were young has an effect. A study carried out in China showed that those with no schooling were five times more likely to get Alzheimer’s disease than those who graduated from high school. A Swedish study showed that those with schooling below grade eight were two and a half times more likely to get AD.

So just what sort of mental exercises tunes up the brain and gets it firing on all cylinders?

Luckily you don’t have to do the mental equivalent of sit-ups and push-ups. Mental exercises for Alzheimer’s can be fun and enjoyable. You can even play games to fire up the neurons. Here are some ideas to get you started.

- Playing cards is good mental exercise, and bridge is often touted as an exceptionally good card game to get you thinking.

- Sudoku is a Japanese number game that takes concentration. The local newspaper will often have a game of Sudoku in it near the crossword puzzle, and books of games are easy to find in shops.

- Scrabble, crossword puzzles and jigsaws are all good for the grey matter.

- The solitaire games of FreeCell and Spider are good too, and you can play them on your computer.

- Keep learning! If you’re still working then continuing education not only helps keep Alzheimer’s at bay, it’s a good way to keep at the top in your job or profession.

- Learning new computer programs can be good mental exercise, and there lots to choose from. Go to your favorite computer store and check out the titles. You could learn a photo editing program and turn your snapshots into masterpieces, or get a genealogy program and research your family tree for example.

- Learn a challenging computer game. Once again there are lots to try out. You can become an entrepreneur running your own virtual reality railway, airline, zoo or much more. You can learn to fly with a flight simulator and fly almost anywhere in the world right in your own lounge room. You can battle anything from the ancient Romans to intergalactic warriors. There are lots of online games too, where you can compete against other players anywhere in the world any time of the night or day.

- Build your own website. Share your hobbies, interests or expertise with the rest of the world. You can even make money with this one. Click on over to my website and I’ll tell you the best place to get started, even for complete website building newbies.

- Do a course. Have you ever wanted to learn something but just haven’t done it yet? It could be photography, cooking or advanced calculus. Academic courses will really get your brain working. You’ll feel as though you’re cleaning all the rust off your brain, bit by bit getting it operating more freely until finally it’s running smoothly again.

- Here’s something to do less of. Don’t watch too much television unless it’s something mentally stimulating. Passively watching sitcoms and soapies dulls the brain you’re trying to sharpen.

Mental exercises can make a big difference to your life, whether you’re trying to prevent Alzheimer’s or already have it. You can gain years of life that could otherwise be lost. Get started now, and keep challenging your brain. It’s worth the effort. And remember that there are a lot more things you can do to fight this terrible disease.

Handy First Aid Tips

2007-04-16T22:39:00.000+03:00

When someone is injured or suddenly becomes ill, there is usually a critical period before you can get medical treatment and it is this period that is of the utmost importance to the victim. What you do, or what you don't do, in that interval can mean the difference between life and death. You owe it to yourself, your family and your neighbors to know and understand procedures that you can apply quickly and intelligently in an emergency. Every household should have some type of first aid kit, and if you do not already have one, assemble your supplies now. Tailor the contents to fit your family's particular needs.

Don't add first aid supplies to the jumble of toothpaste and cosmetics in the medicine cabinet. Instead, assemble them in a suitable, labeled box (such as a fishing tackle box or small tool chest with hinged cover), so that everything will be handy when needed. Label everything in the kit clearly, and indicate what it is used for. Be sure not to lock the box - otherwise you may be hunting for the key when that emergency occurs. Place the box on a shelf beyond the reach of small children, check it periodically and always restock items as soon as they are used up. Keep all medications, including non-prescription drugs such as aspirin, out of reach of children. When discarding drugs, be sure to dispose of them where they cannot be retrieved by children or pets. When an emergency occurs, make sure the injured victim's airway is not blocked by the tongue and that the mouth is free of any secretions and foreign objects. It is extremely important that the person is breathing freely. And if not, you need to administer artificial respiration promptly. See that the victim has a pulse and good blood circulation as you check for signs of bleeding. Act fast if the victim is bleeding severely, if he has swallowed poison or if his heart or breathing has stopped. Remember every second counts. Although most injured persons can be safely moved, it is vitally important not to move a person with serious neck or back injuries unless you have to save him from further danger. Keep the patient lying down and quiet. If he has vomited and there is no danger that his neck is broken, turn him on his side to prevent choking and keep him warm by covering him with blankets or coats. Have someone call for medical assistance while you apply first aid. The person who summons help should explain the nature of the emergency and ask what should be done pending the arrival of the ambulance. Reassure the victim, and try to remain calm yourself. Your calmness can allay the fear and panic of the patient. Don't give fluids to an unconscious or semiconscious person; fluids may enter his windpipe and cause suffocation. Don't try to arouse an unconscious person by slapping or shaking them. Look for an emergency medical identification card or an emblematic device that the victim may be wearing to alert you to any health problems, allergies or diseases that may require special care.

Living a Healthy Life

2007-04-15T21:20:00.000+03:00

In the fast paced world that we live in it can be easy to neglect our health and wellness. We’re so busy racing through our day to day lives – family, friends, work, social engagements – that we don’t take the time to look after ourselves. It’s really no wonder that so many of us are tired and run down. What are some simple things that we can do to improve our quality of life?
Drink Drink Drink…

You’ve heard it a million times and you’ll probably hear it a million more – water! drink more

Think about it: The human body is 72% water. A 5% drop in fluids creates a 25-30% loss in energy. A 15% drop in fluids causes death! At this point in time 66% of us aren’t drinking enough water, so over half the population isn’t running on all six cylinders to begin with – before things like bad air, bad food and stress take their toll.

It’s not really a difficult thing to remedy. Just drink one glass of water every half hour or so – or 10-12 glasses of water per day – and you’ll notice a huge jump in your energy levels.

Living Food – Loving Life!

A little known fact is that heating food above 116°F destroys much of the nutrient content. Considering that we already aren’t eating enough veggies, that’s a fairly substantial problem. Nutritionists recommend five serves of fresh vegetables per day. How many of us are actually taking that advice?

A great way to get the nutrients found in fresh veggies without spending all day at stove or eating raw celery sticks is to juice your veggies. Make sure that you own a good juicer (some juicers expose vegetables to heat created by friction during juicing, which breaks down important enzymes), grab some fresh vegetables and drink your way to good health. It takes a fraction of the time (there’s no cooking involved, for one thing) and it’s convenient. You can take your juice to work and even give some to the littlies for school lunches!

Wheatgrass in particular is an excellent source of nutrition. It’s high in chlorophyll (sometimes described as ‘plant blood’ because it closely resembles human red blood cell molecules) and has over 100 elements that the body needs. Fresh grains are another excellent source for vitamins and minerals.

Energy In – Energy Out

Exercise is another dirty word for most of us. The thing is, exercise doesn’t have to be horribly time consuming or mind-numbingly boring. There are plenty of options.

Years ago gyms usually offered weight rooms, aerobics classes and maybe a tydro-circuit. Now you can add water aerobics, yoga, pilates, dance-ercise, step classes and a whole range of new workout options.

If you don’t really have the time or money for the gym, or prefer to spend your mornings/nights at home, then try an exercise bike or walker. I’d be lost without my exercise bike – I set it up in front of the television and peddle away merrily during my favourite shows.

If, like me, you suffer from illness or injury or your level of fitness is quite low, you might like to consider some invaluable advice that I got from my doctor:

Once you’re physically unfit, and particularly if you’re also unwell, it can be a mammoth battle to just do the most minimal amount of exercise in a day. The danger is that inactivity leads to further loss of energy, which becomes a self-perpetuating cycle until you can barely get off the couch.

An excellent way to get back into a physical routine is to start slowly. Ridiculously slowly, it may seem. For the first couple of weeks, walk/ride for 5 minutes per day – exactly 5 minutes, no more, even if you think you could continue. When the 2 weeks are up, increase to 7 minutes, then 10 minutes, 12 minutes… continue to gradually increase your activity until you’re at a level that you’re comfortable with.

It may sound a little silly, but it works. In effect, you trick your body into producing more energy. You’re building your exercise time up so slowly that your body doesn’t really realise what’s happening. Follow this method and, before you know it, you’ll be comfortably exercising within your limits every day.

So, folks, that’s the basics. If you can rearrange your life a little to allow for better eating habits and a little exercise, and if you remember to just drink a glass of water every half hour or so, you’ll be well on the way to living a healthy life. On a final note, don’t forget to take some quiet time for yourself. Meditating is an excellent way to minimise stress. You don’t have to sit around for hours, just give yourself 5 minutes of quiet time every day – even in the shower, if that’s the only place where you can get time out – and have a little catch up with yourself.

And, last but by no means least, laugh! In fact, laugh like a loon – the louder the better! You’ll be amazed at how much such a simple thing can lift your spirits!

Is Your Memory Loss "Normal" or Is There a Problem?

2007-04-14T22:42:00.000+03:00

Experts say some memory lapses are actually normal. So before you go diagnosing yourself with Alzheimer's disease, take heart. It is said that memory loss is the second thing that occurs as you age. So what's the first? Umm, I forgot! Actually, by the time you reach the end of this story, you may remember only a fraction of it. Don't worry, you're not alone. Mild memory loss is perfectly normal, especially as we age. It has happened to all of us at one time or another; You draw a complete blank when introducing a new acquaintance. You leave the house with food bubbling on the stove. You forget to pick up your child from after-school practice. You forget a doctor's appointment, a birthday, an anniversary. Oh - and let's not forget the all-too-often search for car keys.

If you sometimes forget simple things, you're not necessarily developing Alzheimer's disease. There are many people like yourself walking around who occasionally misplace their keys, who can't recall the name of one new person they met at their last office party, and have that “deer-in-the-headlights” look when searching for their car in the parking lot. There's a reason Disney has character-themed floors coupled with the happy-go-lucky music in their parking garages. Memory, the ability to normally recall the facts and events of our lives, takes place in three stages: Stage 1 – Encoding: When a person takes information in. Stage 2 – Consolidation: When the brain takes the encoded information and processes it, storing it in certain areas of the brain. Stage 3 – Retrieval:. When someone recalls stored information in the brain.

For a layman, differentiating between normal memory loss and Alzheimer's disease can be puzzling because the kind of memory that is affected in everyday situations is also the kind affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Time is memory's worst enemy. Memory loss and brain aging are a natural part of getting older. In their 50s, people will often start to report that they think their memories are going. Because they have to use more reminders or more kinds of strategies for remembering things, older adults seem to be consciously aware of their memory loss. But even before we hit our 50s, memory loss can start to occur. Shortly after receiving information, our memory begins to deteriorate. Some information fades right away, while other things fade less quickly. There are many different forgetting curves with different rates of forgetting that depend on the nature of the material, on how important the information is to you, and how high your stress levels are. Studies show that after some time, people probably don't remember events as they actually happened. You may think you have a vivid memory of an experience, but memory distortion does occur. The longer the period of time that passes between an event and trying to recall it, the greater the chance people are going to have some memory distortions and forgetfulness. Occasionally, time distortion causes us to forget the event completely. Short of Alzheimer's disease, other causes of memory loss can include: stress and anxiety, ADHD, depression, thyroid gland diseases, diabetes, lung, liver, or kidney failure, alcoholism, Vitamin B-12 deficiency, infections, and both prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Depression and stress are the most common reasons for temporary memory problems. The causes of memory loss from many of these conditions are normally reversible. No matter how "normal" memory lapses may be, that doesn't make them any less frustrating. Experts agree that the best way to keep your brain fit is to keep using it. Four things that slow down brain aging include: mental activity, physical fitness, stress reduction, and a healthy diet. Those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and other conditions increase their risk for small strokes in the brain. Also antioxidants help protect brain cells and exercise helps with overall health.

The most important things to help extend and maintain your cognitive abilities for a longer period of time include staying intellectually and socially engaged. Also by challenging yourself by learning new things, reading, and taking up hobbies keep the brain active and strong for the long haul. Some other things you can do to improve memory include: Focusing your attention on the task at hand. Multitasking and not paying attention are two of the biggest causes of forgetfulness. Reduce stress, get plenty of sleep, organize yourself by writing things down or using date books. When should you see a doctor? Research shows that up to half of people over age 50 have mild forgetfulness linked to age-associated memory impairment. But there are signs when more serious memory conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, are happening. While there is no definitive way to pinpoint Alzheimer's, there are some diagnostic ways doctors distinguish normal memory loss from that which should raise concern. Normal forgetfulness can include: forgetting where you parked your car, forgetting a person's name, but can recall it later, or forgetting events from your past. More serious symptoms and possible problems of forgetfulness include: recalling recent events, how to drive a car, forgetting to have ever known a particular person, confusion, and loss of function.

Many doctors feel that if you are worried about your memory, the problem probably isn't that serious. However you should consult a doctor when your relatives or friends express concerns about your memory loss.

How Health Insurance Works ?

2007-04-13T16:27:00.000+03:00

Insurance is a bit like a gamble between you and the insurance company. The company bets that they'll take in more money in premiums than they have to pay out in benefits, whether it's for health insurance, auto insurance, life insurance or homeowners insurance. You're paying a premium every month just in case something happens.

Health insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company that says that the insurance company will pay a portion of your medical expenses if you get sick or hurt and have to visit a doctor's office or hospital. However, the amount of your bill that the insurance company will pay, and under what circumstances (known as coverage) will vary greatly from policy to policy.

The contract (or policy) spells out what the insurance company will pay for and how much of the bill you will have to pay. For example, the policy may cover an office visit but you may have to pay a $20 co-payment. Or, the policy may not cover anything until you've paid at least $250 out of your pocket (known as a deductible). The policy will also state the amount you have to pay each month for the coverage, known as the premium, and the total amount the insurance company will pay out for the life of the policy.

Since a single hospital stay could wipe out your savings (and more) not many people can afford to go without some kind of health insurance -- even if they're healthy. Not only will health insurance protect you from bankruptcy in the event of a major medical event, it also gives you peace of mind.

Do I Have Thyroid Cancer ?

2007-04-13T14:34:00.000+03:00

The problems that you might have with your thyroid all have thyroid symptoms. Some of the thyroid symptoms can be more pronounced others not. Many people start to wonder if indeed they have problems based upon thyroid symptoms of it is just their imagination. You might be face with such a dilemma often, as thyroid symptoms can also be similar to other medical conditions.

The best thing to do in such cases is still visit a doctor, even if you are unsure of the thyroid symptoms that you have

Many of the thyroid symptoms, like tiredness, gain of weight or even depression are often associated with the daily problems that you have and less with a thyroid problem. In these cases, even if thyroid symptoms are there, you might no even see them. Doctors have a difficult task as well diagnosing problems of the thyroid based only on thyroid symptoms.

Let us take hypothyroidism for example. In women, this is quite a common disease after they just had a baby. In this period she might have thyroid symptoms and not even know that. This type of disease has the same thyroid symptoms as the period after giving birth. Fatigue, hair loose, problems loosing those extra pounds are just some of the thyroid symptoms that many women may just associate with the after birth period. In fact, these thyroid symptoms indicate just that, a thyroid problem. So you see, it is very easy to confuse thyroid symptoms with other problems, although you might be more alert. Even if this thyroid symptoms are similar to others, you should still know that something is wrong. Based on these thyroid symptoms alone, you should see a doctor even if it turns out to be something different.

keep in mind that although thyroid symptoms are very similar to other medical conditions, they must be confirmed anyway. The thyroid symptoms can also be mistaken for daily rutine jobs that can cause problems to you. Panic attacks, depression, anxiety are some of the thyroid symptoms that many just blame work and family for. Doctors may sometimes mistake themselves thyroid symptoms with other problems, so you can imagine how easy is this for you.

However, in a healthy, normal life, not getting enough sleep, weighting more than you should is not indicated. These too can be thyroid symptoms, so a visit to the doctor should be taken. Another of the thyroid symptoms is the hair getting thicker than it was. A decrease in your libido is another of the thyroid symptoms that you might have.

Top 10 Secrets to a Better Love Life

2007-04-12T17:49:00.000+03:00

Are you in a relationship?

Whether it’s brand new or years old, Here are 10 Secrets to start making it even better.

1. Redecorate the Bedroom

If you're not fabulously wealthy or just plain broke right now, instead of going away from home, make some changes at home. Even if you can make a small change in the bedroom, that can make a noticeable difference." A better love life doesn't require ceiling mirrors or a stripper’s pole in the room. Not that it wouldn’t make things more interesting, but you don't need to do something that will freak out the kids or the housekeeper. Light up some candles. Get a smooth set of sheets and a warm bedspread that will make a difference. Also, remove some of the junk like toys, and piles of laundry out, that can take your attention away from the moment. Think about NO TV in your bedroom too, or at least try life without it for a while.

2. Figure Out What You Really Want

Everyone's got sexual fantasies. But for some people, those fantasies can be buried pretty deep. If your partner were to turn to you tonight and say, “What's your ultimate sexual fantasy?" or "What do you want to change about how we have sex?" do you know what you'd say? If you're not sure, you're not alone. "Some people have to do a little work at figuring out what really works them”. But figuring out what you want is the key to having a better love life. Give it a little effort. There is plenty stuff out there to help you find fun positions and satisfy your every desire, like books, magazines, videos, and of course the all holy Kama Sutra. Once you've come up with some ideas, telling your partner about them could be fun for both of you.

3. Go see a movie

This is considered the most typical date there is. Dating can be a lot more fun than just seeing a movie but this is a start if you aren’t doing anything else. Go see the top comedy, that way you can both come home in a playful and happy mood. And that leads to good love making!

4. Go out for a fancy dinner at a new and atmospheric or even unusual restaurant

This usually goes hand and hand with seeing a movie, but the trick here is to go someplace new. You might like it you might not, it’s the mystery that makes it fun and it gives you a new experience to share for better or worse.

5. Take an entertaining walk together

Ok, Maybe this one sounds boring. So how can we make it fascinating? For starters go someplace that offers “eye candy”. There is nothing that leads to blah like a walk down your street in the dark. Unless you live on Bourbon Street. Get out, go to the Carnival, feel like a kid again, make a little trouble then come home and let your love explode.

6. Have a glass of wine by candlelight

Every week you hear something about wine, it’s good, it’s bad… why don’t the so called experts just make up their minds, it doesn’t really matter anyway. An occasional glass of wine can’t be bad, it just doesn’t feel bad, right? Plus it makes you feel kinda sexy. So, share a glass of “decent wine”, no, Boones Farm doesn’t count anymore. Cough up an extra $5-10 and get something that won’t leave you feeling like a bum the next day!

7. Be romantic with Poems, Music or Words of the Heart (That’s my Favorite)

It really doesn’t matter if you have a single poetic bone in your body, your date is with you because there’s just something about you that makes you attractive, even irresistible. Give them a piece of your mind that makes them feel good. That’s what poetry is all about anyway.

8. What did you do when you got together?

If you went skinny dipping, go find a swimming hole. You went out dancing until 3 in the morning, then go get your dancing shoes. Remember the good times and make it happen again. Make new memories.

9. Make a date to make love.

People make plans for other things they enjoy, like ski trips or dinners out. Most people, especially couples with kids, have to plan ahead because they already have so much jammed into their schedules. Don’t forget to make love. It’s good for the soul. Of course there are times when things spontaneously fall together, let those happy accidents happen often, it keeps the fire alive.. Get out, don’t stay in your house

10. A great suggestion for a better love life is to take regular nights away from home

For couples that have been together for a while, sex can become routine. You're worn out by the end of the day, after a long day of work, laundry, kids schedules, and the errands. It can be hard to give into the moment when you're having sex in your all-too-familiar bedroom. You’re thinking, Did I remember to set the alarm clock for work tomorrow? Work…work…work Making love is fundamental for a healthy relationship, the minute it stops the romance begins to die. Just remember, the best sex comes when you're not thinking about the past or the future, but only NOW. Stop using your mental tricks to hold the moment of truth and just enjoy every second of it.

Go away from home, It doesn't have to be a fabulous spot by the ocean, at least not every time. Get a trusted friend or dear grandma, God bless her soul, to watch the rugrats, if you got ‘em, for a day or maybe even a few hours.

Life’s a nonstop rollercoaster enjoy it!

Symptoms in children with leukemia

2007-04-12T17:13:00.000+03:00

As we all know, leukemia is the form of cancer that affects the bone marrow of people. The bone marrow is the spongy substance that we all have on the insides of our bones, this being responsible for the production of the white and red cells and of course the platelets. When leukemia appears in people the white blood cells start dividing in an abnormal way and out of control. Their numbers get very high and thus start crowding the other normal cells in the blood. Being the fact that they are not yet mature, the white cells that are so many now in the blood stream, can not perform the proper functions that the other normal healthy cells would have. Problems start poring down now on the patient.

Organs stop receiving the right amount of nutrients and oxygen, the body becomes in danger of suffering because of the attacks of the diseases and viruses and of course blood doesn’t clot as it should have done when a cut occurs and the blood enters into contact with the air.

In children, the most common type of leukemia found is acute lymphocytic leukemia. Less common in the cases of children is the appearance of acute myeloid leukemia. Some 5 % of childhood leukemia form a distinct chronic type of the disorder. If the children under 2 develop the disease than it is clear that they have juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. In general children suffer only from acute types of leukemia, the chronic ones affecting grown ups mostly after the age of 40.

We all know that the bone marrow is the one responsible of producing the red, white and platelets cells. But few of us know that in fact the bone marrow produces stem cells that later one, depending on the message received from the brain, develop into the normal cells that we have in our blood. Also we see a minor division in the type of white blood cells. This way we see that there are granulocytes, monocytes, B-lymphocytes and T- lymphocytes. The granulocytes white cells fight bacteria by actually surrounding them and eating them; the case is monocytes is that they fight germs, but it’s not the case as in granulocytes.

The B-lymphocytes attach antibodies on germs and by this they trigger a mass response from other WBC that also attach antibodies to the germs, this way distroying them. The T-lymphocytes act more like a little look out cells telling the WBC when they have found an intruder or a germ and directing them to fight it.

Because the large number of white blood cells crowd out the other cells, the normal functions of the body stop working normally leading to certain signs like anemia and of course fatigue. The bruising also appears more easily in children patients of leukemia, not to mention the fact that if a cut occurs a lot of bleeding is done till the blood actually clots. Infection is a serious problem for patients with any kind of leukemia.

Here Are Your Exercising Tips for Treating Diabetes

2007-04-12T16:42:00.000+03:00

When the pancreas produces too little or no insulin that is called type l diabetes. Someone coupled with diabetes type I will have to inject insulin during the day to retain safe blood sugar levels. Type II diabetes, also known as adult onset diabetes, is characterized by the pancreas not creating adequate amounts of insulin to control glucose levels. Or the cells are not responding to insulin. When a cell does not respond to insulin, it is known as insulin resistance.

If you are diagnosed with type II diabetes, exercise and weight control are given as measures to help with your insulin resistance.

Treating diabetes with exercise is part of the program. Lack of movement has been a strong indicator that diabetes could be at hand. Type l cannot be controlled with exercise. Ninety percent of those that have diabetes have type 2 which can be treated by working out and exercising.

The risk factors for type II diabetes connect: inactivity, important cholesterol, obesity, and hypertension. Inactivity alone is a strong risk factor that has been proven to lead to diabetes type II. Exercise will have a positive affect on diabetes type II while improving insulin sensitivity while type I cannot be controlled using an exercise program.

Part of my weekly program for treating diabetes is exercising. I look forward to going to my health club at least three to four times a week. Riding the idle bike and playing basketball keeps my cardio count up. This is valuable for treating diabetes because it helps with my blood flow.

Working out causes the body to use glucose quicker. The more vigorous the exercise, the quicker the body will make use of glucose. Therefore it is essential to recognize the distinctions in training with type I and type II diabetes. It is important for a man or woman who has diabetes to get together with their physician as you are beginning an athletics program.

General exercise guidelines for type I are as follows: allow adequate rest during exercise sessions to prevent high blood pressure, use low impact exercises and avoid backbreaking weight lifting, and always have a supply of carbohydrates nearby. If blood sugar levels get too low, the individual may feel shaky, disoriented, famished, anxious, become irritable or experience trembling. Consuming a carbohydrate snack or beverage will alleviate these symptoms in a matter of minutes.

Type 2 diabetes will be helped by exercise, because of its effect on insulin sensitivity. Proper athletics and diet are the best forms of avoidance for type II diabetics. Creating and maintaining a work out program that you can devote yourself to on a active basis will aid you when you are treating diabetes. Maybe even prevent it. Instead of gong for the highest levels of workout gradually increase the potency level of your program to prevent hypoglycemia.

There you have it. Obviously exercising is meaningful to you or you would not have come this far. Having a well rounded plan for treating diabetes makes perfect sense. Like what you eat, what exercises to do and what you can do naturally.

Keep reading for additional information about creating a thorough and well rounded diabetes treatment.

A Healthy Breakfast for People on the Go

2007-04-11T14:23:00.000+03:00

Are you the type of person who gets up with no time to spare, and goes straight for the coffee? You've heard it before, "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". This is probably more true then ever before, as we live fast paced lives rushing from the moment we get out of bed. Although one cup of coffee isn't bad for you, if it replaces your breakfast you won't have the needed sustenance for your busy day. Over time this habit will have negative affects on your health and emotional state.

An easy solution is to start your day with a smoothie. If you don't have one already, buy yourself a blender. It will probably be the most important appliance you've ever owned. Next, buy a large carton of milk or soy, some stevia (natural sweetener) and some of your favorite fruits. You may also want to add some supplementary products such as a multivitamin and/or green food products such as chlorophyll or kelp (which are great for their nutritional value and detoxifying ability). If you want to go one step faster, you can buy yourself a big bag of mixed frozen fruit, so you can save the time of cutting up fresh fruit.

With in a matter of minutes you can provide your body and mind with the nutrition it needs to get through the morning and still have time for coffee on your way to work. The great thing is that you can mix up your morning smoothies, so each day you can make a different one. Here are some popular smoothie ideas.

Start your day of right and feel energized and healthy, instead of drained and irritated. We all now the coffee pick me up, is followed shortly by the coffee crash. Smoothies are excellent breakfast solution for the wake up and go lifestyle. Enjoy.

Top 5 Changes in Your Life Style That Will Lower Your Cholesterol

2007-04-11T13:08:00.000+03:00

This is a basic guide to the changes a doctor will ask you to make when your cholesterol level gets out of hand. Basic changes in small parts of your life can amount to big changes in your cholesterol level, and ultimately add years on to your life. Even if you are taking or plan on taking cholesterol medication, you should still follow these lifestyle changes in order to make your medication more effective.

1. Exercise

Regular exercise is key to keeping a healthy heart and maintaining normal cholesterol levels. It is proven that if you exercise regularly, you are 45% less likely of developing coronary artery disease.

2. Diet

Diets that are low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol are essential in lowering your cholesterol level. Saturated fat is found most in foods from animals and some plants like beef fat, butter, cheese, poultry fat, milk coconut oil, and palm oil.

3. Weight Loss

Losing anywhere from 5-10 pounds can drastically reduce your cholesterol and triglycerides level. Changing your diet to only foods with minimal amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol as well as regular exercise and cutting calories will help you loose weight.

4. Change Your Bad Habits

Bad habits like smoking decreases your HDL (good cholesterol) levels and changes your LDL cholesterol to a form that endorses the buildup of cholesterol deposits on the walls of your arteries. Smoking also increases your overall chances of developing heart disease and is the leading cause of preventable death in America.

High stress levels also increase your cholesterol level, so try to limit the amount of high stress at home and at work.

5. Cholesterol Medication

Many new medications have been created that can drastically reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your body while raising the amount of good cholesterol. You should consult your doctor to see if this might be an option for you. Although cholesterol medication can be very affective, it can also become very expensive.

How to Live With Cerebral Palsy

2007-04-11T12:17:00.000+03:00

Cerebral Palsy is an umbrella term used to describe a group of chronic disorders impairing control of movement that appear in the first few years of life and generally do not worsen over time. The term cerebral refers to the brain's two halves, or hemispheres, and palsy describes any disorder that impairs control of body movement. Faulty development or damage to motor areas in the brain disrupts the brain's ability to adequately control movement and posture.

First thing's first. Cerebral palsy isn't a disease or an illness that can be contagious. It is a condition where the muscle movement is affected and will be there throughout a person with cerebral palsy's life.

Cerebral Palsy is caused by a malformation or defect in their brain. And, in most cases, doctors do not know what caused the malformation and will not know how to prevent it if in case they knew what that cause was.

This is a disorder that is acquired at birth where they will have a brain defect while still being in their mother's stomach, during or just right after birth. Once Cerebral Palsy is detected in the child, it will be there for a lifetime. However, this does not mean that your child will have to suffer a lifetime as well.

Today, there are devices that can assist in the learning process of a child with cerebral palsy. There are also special schools where your child with cerebral palsy can attend free of charge.

If you notice that your child is having difficulty in their developmental process, like reaching for toys, walking, sitting and talking, it is very possible that your child has this condition. Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy will be done by observing your child's motor skills. If there is a delay in the development of these skills, your doctor will suspect that your child has Cerebral Palsy.

Living life with Cerebral Palsy can be difficult. But, with proper care and education, you can give your child a more normal life. You have to make extra effort in order for them to cope with living and also be independent in the future.

There are cases where some children with Cerebral Palsy that excels in education. Some have been attending and graduating colleges and some even lives a normal independent life once they become adults.

Treatment

A multidisciplinary team of health care professionals develops an individualized treatment plan based on the patient's needs and problems. It is imperative to involve patients, families, teachers, and caregivers in all phases of planning, decision making, and treatment.

Mesothelioma: 5 Top Tips to Help Cope Easier

2007-04-11T11:56:00.000+03:00

Living with a diagnosis of Mesothelioma can be very emotionally difficult to deal with. Understandably, you may be feeling upset and confused as it is not uncommon for Mesothelioma to be diagnosed at an advanced stage. Here are five tips to help you or anyone else cope with Mesothelioma:

1: Coping with your feelings.

Everyone has a different reaction when they learn that they have Mesothelioma. A wide range of feelings and emotions such as confusion, upset , worried, depression, shock, fear, denial, anger, negativity, etc. And it is not uncommon for people to feel relieved on learning they have Mesothelioma as they feel it is better to know than not know at all.

Just because you are having different feelings to others (or to the ones listed above) does not mean that you are not coping. There is no text book way to cope with Mesothelioma. The feelings you experience are naturally right for you so do not compare your feelings with anyone else

2: Finding others to talk to.

Your family and friends may find it hard to talk with each other about Mesothelioma. This is not unusual as they may be scared of frightening you or make it more difficult to talk about in the future. Most Mesothelioma patients feel that a problem shared is a problem halved. In some cases, patients feel it is best just to be listened to and know that someone is there if a ‘good pair of listening ears’ is needed. Get the subject out in the open.

3: How to tell children.

It is never easy to tell children about Mesothelioma, even more difficult if they are small. Most patients will have small children, young relatives or the children of friends in their lives.
If the child you need to speak with is very small, start off by explaining that the person in question is very poorly. If the child is a little older, it is a good idea to explain Mesothelioma cancer as good cells and bad cells in the body. It is also a good idea if you know a little about Mesothelioma or cancer but overall, try to keep it simple.

You will also need to listen to the questions of the child and answer them the best you can without trying to upset them too much. Starting off with small bits of information and building up to the bigger picture as time goes on is a good way to go.
But don’t keep any secrets. Children are good at telling when something is not right and it may be harder for them to cope with uncertainty that it would be coping with the truth.

As adults, it can be natural to try and protect children from the truth but children can pick up on unusual comings and goings and will feel left out. Keep them informed, even if it is with just little snippets of information..

If possible, try to have a word with the childs school teacher to let them know that someone close to them is ill. Hopefully, the teacher will keep an eye on the child in case of any changes in the childs behaviour.

4. What can you do?

A feeling of helplessness is not unusual when someone is first told that they have Mesothelioma. Try and learn to understand Mesothelioma as this will help you and your family to take action and know what to expect. It is best to talk to a professional such as your doctor if you need more information as they will be able to advise you on your specific case which is always better than getting general information about Mesothelioma from a book or the internet. Be sure to take a list of questions to save time for you and your doctor.

It may be a good idea to see if there are any local support groups you can join. Finding people going through a similar experience as yourself can help you cope. Your doctor or hospital will be able to let you know if there are any support groups near to you.

As you are having treatment, you will find that you may not be able to do as much as you would like on a day to day basis. Once you start to feel a little better, try and do some simple tasks and do a little more each day. This will help with confidence but always remember not to over do things.

A lot of patients try to fight Mesothelioma by planning a healthy diet, learning relaxation techniques and taking regular exercise. You don’t have to do this, only if you would like to try it. The last thing you need are more dramatic changes in your life if you’re not ready for them. But if you do decide to give exercise a go, start slowly and set realistic targets. You will have good days and bad days so always plan your activity on how you feel on the day.

5: Who else can help?

More support can come from your GP if needed and hospitals can give advice and support through cancer nurses and specially trained staff will advise you on any worries you may have.

For financial help, check any insurance policies you have to see if you are covered. It is also advisable to seek financial help from your local welfare office if needed.

Sometimes it is nice to talk with someone who has nothing to do with Mesothelioma. You may want to try counselling or if you’re religious, speaking with a local minister or anyone else involved in your faith.

7 Useful tips to improve your image

2007-04-09T14:49:00.000+03:00

Most of us like to look good and why not this is how we can attract the opposite sex. Very few are born with a natural look but that does not mean that others can’t look good. There are certain things that need to be taken into consideration to improve your image.

7 Useful tips that can help you improve your image

1. You need to take good skin care: Good skin care is easy. Soap or lotion and moisturizing are the two main ways of improving the look of your skin. Our skin runs pat dry due to lack of water especially during the winter season. You need to have at least eight to ten glasses of water everyday to moisturize your skin. It’s very important to protect your skin from the harmful ultra violet ray of the sun. Pick a moisturizer with sun protection because sun damage is the main factor that ages skin

2. Acne: One of the best ways to treat spots and acne treatments would be to use appropriate creams, soaps, cleansers and medications. It would be advisable to change products if you feel they are not working for your skin. If nothing works you can try antibiotics and specialized creams to get rid of them.

3. Body Odor: No one likes bad odor and we are surely you too. One of the best ways to get rid of body odors is by having regular showers and wash. You could also try out Anti precipitants and deodorants spray to regulate your odor and sweat.

4. Hair Cut: Workout on the look of your hair. Discuss with your beautician a haircut which can go with your image. Use a shampoo that is appropriate for your hair type and makes your hair look good.

5. Balanced diet: It’s very important to have a balanced diet to stay healthy. Your balanced diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. A proper balance diet keeps you healthy and improved your skin and hair. Avoid excessive fast food intakes.

6. Exercise: Workout is important. You need to exercise regularly to remain fit throughout the day. Join a gym or sports club can encourage you to exercise.

7. Clothing” You need to wear neat and clean clothes to look smart and trendy. Take care of your teeth’s and have a regular mouth wash. Keep you nails clean and avoid biting them. Also change your socks and underwear’s regularly.

A Step By Step Guide On How To Prevent Bird Flu

2007-04-09T13:57:00.000+03:00

Bird Flu is one of the greatest threats to our modern civilization and if at all a pandemic strikes our planet earth, we are not at all prepared to face it. Bird flu spreads and multiplies in unhygienic conditions. In fact the carriers of this deadly virus are the wild birds, which remain unaffected by the outcome of the virus infiltration.

Bird flu is just an influenza virus. Generally this virus does not infect the humans. But a single strain of this virus, known as H5N1 can show infection symptoms in humans, dogs and pigs. Many of the viruses of this deadly disease has a common route to enter. They are found in our finger nails and enter through the mucous membrane of our nose and eyes.

However, the bird flu virus can be easily prevented. Some of the preventive measures are:

1.Maintaining proper personal hygiene. For that it is advisable that you wash your hands frequently, particularly while taking meals. And if you are looking for more safety use gloves while stepping out of your homes.

2.Apart from personal hygiene, proper sanitation is also very important. Unhygienic sanitation places are the best breeding grounds for the flu virus.

3.As it has been said earlier that the virus spreads through the mucous membranes so it is advisable for you to take some extra precautions. While traveling out in crowded places, make sure that you cover your eyes with a pair of goggles. And also try to cover your mouth and nose with the clinical masks available.

4.This is an advise both for the doctors and the general family members. While addressing a patient suffering from the virus, you should always cover your nose and mouth with a mask or an handkerchief. Because the mucous dropping by the patients carries the bird flu virus that might infect you.

5.There is some special care to take if you are a worker in a poultry farm. You need to protect all your body parts. So for that reason wear clinical masks and gloves for a complete protection. Keep separate clothes for the workplace and for home.

6.And if you find any bird suffering from the symptoms of the flu, you should immediately seclude it from the others. Do not allow the nasal discharge, fecal matter and the blood droplets of the infected chicken to come in contact with the healthy chickens.

7.There are certain vaccines for the bird flu disorder. But these vaccines sometimes fail to show positive results. So it is better to look for prevention than the cure.

8.While disposing the things used, like the gloves and the masks used while monitoring a bird or a human suffering from the virus, you should take some extra care. Dispose them as indicated on their manufacturing boxes.

9.The other natural way to prevent encounter with a flu virus is by improving your immune system. A strong immune system helps you fight this deadly virus. More over if you try to keep your general health fine, there are less chances of you being infected.

Preventing bird flu virus from spreading is not a difficult task. All you need to do is to be a little more careful about your surroundings and your health. An efficient immune and health system can fight any disease. The same is true with the prevention of the bird flu virus.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

2007-04-08T09:23:00.000+03:00

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) is a serious form of pneumonia, resulting in acute respiratory distress and sometimes death. It is a dramatic example of how quickly world travel can spread a disease. It is also an example of how quickly a networked health system can respond to an emerging threat.

This contagious respiratory infection was first described on February 26, 2003. SARS was identified as a new disease by World Health Organization (WHO) physician Dr. Carlo Urbani. He diagnosed it in a 48-year-old businessman who had traveled from the Guangdong province of China, through Hong Kong, to Hanoi, Vietnam. The businessman died from the illness. Dr. Urbani subsequently died from SARS on March 29, 2003 at the age og 46

In the meantime, SARS was spreading, and within 6 weeks of its discovery, it had infected thousands of people around the world, including people in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and North and South America. Schools had closed throughout Hong Kong and Singapore. National economies were affected.

The WHO had identified SARS as a global health threat, and issued an unprecedented travel advisory. Daily WHO updates tracked the spread of SARS seven days a week. It wasn't clear whether SARS would become a global pandemic, or would settle into a less aggressive pattern.

The rapid, global public health response helped to stem the spread of the virus, and by June 2003, the epidemic had subsided to the degree that on June 7 the WHO backed off from its daily reports. Nevertheless, even as the number of new cases dwindled, and travel advisories began to be lifted, the sober truth remained: every new case had the potential to spark another outbreak. SARS appears to be here to stay, and to have changed the way that the world responds to infectious diseases in the era of widespread international travel.

Simple Steps For Controlling High Blood Pressure Effectively

2007-04-07T15:51:00.000+03:00

High blood pressure, or the hypertension, as it is commonly named, is a condition that can affect us without even knowing its specific symptoms, because there are none. The silent killer can be controlled with the proper medicated treatment and by following the doctor advises. The first thing you have to do after you have been diagnosed with hypertension, is to be aware and to learn how to live with it, because the faster you take some measures, the faster you can stop it from threatening your life.

Being a chronic disease, there is nothing yet that can cure it. We can only try to ameliorate it and to control it by making drastic changes in our lives. Begin with changing the way you eat, change the lifestyle you have and make sure you follow the medicated treatment prescribed by your doctor: these are the right steps towards healing hypertension.

Hypertension can lead to major breakdowns of our body's systems if we do not take the right measures and the consequences are very serious: complicated heart attacks, strokes or the failure of your kidneys.

This article will provide you with a simple 3-steps program that can help you reduce and regulate your high blood pressure and prevent it from taking over your life.

Step 1: Eat Healthy!

Eating healthy might seem easy for someone who hasn't tried it yet. It involves changing your whole way of life and you must forget and put away your old eating habits and apply the new rules of healthy eating. You can begin with a small step, like reducing the quantity of salt you used to prepare the meals. A higher quantity of salt can produce edema, the retention of water. Normally, the water from our body must be eliminated through the urine. The salt interferes in the process and a big part of the water that should be eliminated is blocked within our bodies, creating excess. This will cause a pressure on the walls of the blood vessels, the main reason for the occurrence of hypertension.

If you feel you can't live without salt, you can replace it with salt substitutes or tasty combinations of other seasonings. The taste of the food might not be the same as before, but your hypertension will slowly lose its power.

Changing the way you eat and the things you eat, will determine you to begin lose the excess of weight too. It is a common fact that hypertension is caused by obesity, by the fat accumulated in our body which thickens the walls of the blood vessels and increases the blood pressure as a consequence.

To guide the people in finding the right way to control hypertension through healthy eating, in 1997, the Journal of Medicine from New England published a work that was lately approved by the US government as an excellent method to prevent hypertension. This amazing writing was the DASH diet, which means Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension. This is a diet based on healthy food, tasty and beneficial for our body too, including all the proteins, vitamins, fibers and minerals necessary to our body.

Step 2: Quit Smoking And Reduce The Amount Of Alcohol!

If you are a smoker or you are used to have more than a couple of drinks daily, you might take a minute and think about how this affects your health. It is hard to leave behind those nasty habits, and the best way to do it isn't to go through it by yourself. You will not make it. Search for advice and counselling in your personal physician and you will have professional support while you will improve your life.

Step 3: Be Active!

A sedentary way of life will certainly not help you in reducing the risqu of hypertension. Our busy schedules don't leave us much choice when it comes to our free time. We prefer to relax and watch a movie instead of exercising our bodies. Do not worry; you do not have to spend hours at the gym. Ten minutes a day can work wonders on your blood circulation, by reducing the negative effect of hypertension on our bodies.

There is the case though, when we inherit hypertension. At the periodic check-up, tell your doctor if you ever had a history of hypertension in your family; it is possible that you might have it too. The only thing you can do is to protect yourself by avoiding the things that allow the hypertension to become serious in the first place. There are also drugs included in the category of antihypertensive; not every one of them might work for your type of body, and you will have to try a whole list of drugs until you find the one that works on your hypertension. Pay attention, though! If you take the drugs and still go on with your old lifestyle, do not expect any results! The right combination of hypertension inhibitors includes: healthy food, exercises and a healthy way of life (no cigarettes or alcohol).

5 Home Remedies for Sinusitis

2007-04-07T07:58:00.000+03:00

A sinus headache can be downright debilitating. Don't let your sinuses get the better of you. Take note of the following home remedies to help avoid that next attack.

Take good care of yourself. Unless you're a hermit, you stand a chance of catching a case of the sniffles at some point in the year, whether from a loved one, the sneezing passenger next to you on a plane, or a cashier at the supermarket. But maintaining a healthy immune system will bolster your resistance to germs, leaving you less likely to catch a cold or come down with the flu and making the symptoms more manageable if you do get sick. To shore up your body's defenses, you can start by eating right, staying in shape, and getting plenty of rest.

Live the sanitary life. You don't have to move into a sterile, germ-proof bubble, or walk around wearing a surgical mask. Just use common sense: If the guy next to you at the bus stop is coughing his brains out, move away. If someone in your family has a cold or the flu, avoid unnecessary contact with his or her germs. For example, don't share eating utensils or drink from the same glass, and wash your hands often.

Hydrate. Keeping yourself well hydrated helps to ensure your sinuses are well, which can ease sinusitis. So drink plenty of fluids -- eight tall glasses of water a day is a good goal. Fill a tall bottle with cool water and keep it at hand so that you can take small sips throughout the day.

Clear the air. Avoid pollutants in the air, stay indoors if the air quality is poor, and above all, avoid anyone who is smoking a cigarette. Obviously, puffing on a cigarette yourself is like writing a request for a sinusitis attack.

Control allergies. Since allergies can cause sinusitis, know your allergy triggers and do your best to avoid them. If that is not possible, see an allergist to investigate desensitization treatments designed to help the body develop an immunity to the offending substance.

Take the pressure off -- use the home remedies in this article to avoid the next sinusitis attack. If the symptoms come on despite your best efforts, be sure to see your doctor before taking any medication.

An Overview of Skin Cancer

2007-04-06T12:29:00.000+03:00

Cancer is a scary subject and comes in many forms. Skin cancer is one of the more prevalent versions and, unfortunately, one most people do not take seriously enough.

An Overview of Skin Cancer

Imagine sitting in a doctor’s office and being told you have cancer. Although cancer treatment has come a long way, it would still be a devastating moment. Are you going to die? Is it curable? Why you? These are the types of questions that will undoubtedly come to mind immediately. With many forms of cancer, there is a certain luck of the draw element as to why you get them. Skin cancer, however, is one you can take steps to avoid

What is skin cancer? It is a malignant growth on the skin, typically forming on the epidermis or outer layer of the skin. It is often associated with repeated sun burns or extensive exposure to the sun over time. It is also becoming more common due to increased ultraviolet radiation penetration in the atmosphere.

Skin cancer typically can be categorized in three ways. Malignant melanoma is the worst and is fatal if not diagnosed and treated early. It is, however, the least prevalent of the categories. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common, has a hereditary element and is rarely fatal. It tends to be isolated and is often treated with surgery or topical chemotherapy. Squamous cell carcinoma is a form of cancer that occurs on both the skin and internal organs. It can be caused by many things including exposure to the sun and can metastasize or spread through the body.

The nature of skin cancer is such that it often can be avoided if precautionary steps are taken. If you enjoy laying on the beach or working outside, using proper sun block is simple and effective. The key is to use it liberally and frequently. While this seems like common sense, the sheer number of skin cancer cases reported each year indicate that people are not using it. Laziness is most likely the cause. If you fall in this category, do your really want to risk skin cancer, particularly malignant melanoma that can kill you?

If you are going to be out in the sun, whether skiing, sitting on a beach, hiking or working, make sure to protect yourself. Using sun screen is a minor task that can prevent big problems.

Dr. Michel Obeid of Lebanon discovers cancer drug

2007-04-05T12:41:00.000+03:00

He said the medication works on activation of the immune system , so it detects cancerous cells and destroys them. The medication that he discovered was able to destroy about 90 % of the cancerous cells after a couple of weeks of treatment and the remaining 10% was nearly cancer free.

Under the title "We did not lose the war against cancer," Obeid explained his findings to a crowd of doctors and scientists .

He demonstrated how our immunity system plays a significant role in overcoming all diseases and how chemical drugs play a secondary role. Obeid explained that cancer cells have the capability of hiding away from the immunity system and this keeps the disease hidden in our body. So the solution, Obeid continued, does not lie in chemotherapy as practiced today in hospitals across the world, but in enabling our immunity system to play the greater role of detecting the tumor and eliminating it.

The research of his findings proved effective after carrying out tests on some 5000 mice he said.

Obeid said that the new treatment is a combination of a protein called Calreticulin a drug which he did not disclose for the time being. The new drug had no side effects on the tested mice nor did it cause any loss of weight.

Obeid also said he will soon start experimenting with human beings and as soon as he secures the needed funding and the registration of the patents .

It will be several years before the medication will be approved for treating human beings

About Obeid

Michel, 24 was born in Bkerzla in the Akkar region of northern Lebanon. 3 years ago he obtained a scholarship from the National Council for Scientific Research to complete his PhD in France at the Institute Gustave-Roussy (IGR), which is the leading European anticancer centre.

Michel dedicated his finding to all the Lebanese and expressed hope that his discovery would serve humanity. He certainly makes the Lebanese proud.

Meditation Makes You Stress-Free

2007-04-04T08:59:00.000+03:00

In today's world the need for mental peace and a stress-free life is great. Most of us are experiencing a feeling of disconnectedness with our inner self, a feeling of mental restlessness and anxiety that is depriving us of a day's sleep, and peace of mind.

Meditation, an important aspect of Buddhism differs from other kinds of practices like yoga, quest for supernatural or any other form of physical exercise. Buddhist meditation is based on the Eight Fold path enumerated by Buddha himself. It believes that desire is the root cause for suffering and that the source for human suffering rests in their minds alone. It is this psychological aspect that dominates the Buddhist meditation practices rather than mere physical ceremonies.

To meditate in a Buddhist way one need not undergo any initiation or be religious in their beliefs and attitude. In fact, meditation has got nothing to do with religion, community or faith. It is a psychological exercise considered by many as of spiritual nature.

Ability to meditate is not some special skill out of human reach. Every human being looking for peace in his life should practice meditation and see for himself how it will relieve him of the mental stress and suffering.

Wondering what would one achieve by meditating! Meditation is a kind of cognitive journey an individual undertakes to attain the so called goals of Buddhism - gaining the ability to concentrate, liberating one's own mind, attaining 'Nirvana' or salvation and thus terminating the mental suffering.

Nirvana is that state of mind which can be attained only after much self -exploration and rigorous meditation. An individual should rid himself of negative feelings like anger, greed, lust, hatred etc to attain spiritual enlightenment. His mind should rise above the frivolous nitty-gritty of life. This doesn't mean that one should stop leading a normal life and seclude himself from the rest of the world meditating in some quite corner of the world. It's just that one should be able to dedicate some time from his busy schedule to meditate.

An individual should practice non-attachment and liberate himself psychologically from his emotions, passions and addictions. One should realize the ephemerality of human existence and it's mental suffering. Self- exploration of one's mind will create awareness about all those hidden and repressed causes that have been lying dormant in your subconscious. Such awareness will help you in steering your mind towards the right path, the path to Nirvana. Focusing your attention on a single subject or object for long will enhance your power to concentrate; to avoid mental distractions.

Some general tips about how to meditate are as follows:
§ Individuals can meditate either in a Lotus posture; squatting on the ground or in any other posture they are comfortable with.
§ Try to avoid sitting amidst distracting elements like noisy TV or music players.
§ Focus your attention on some distant object or a wall or some geometric shape.
§ Concentrate on your breathing alone. Once your mind achieves proper concentration, slow down your breathing.

The oft-quoted excuse given by people to avoid meditating is that they don't have time. Though this does hold good to our busy lives and mundane routines to a great extent. The best part about meditation is that there are no special rules regarding at what time one should meditate or for how long. Create a plan that suits you the most.

Meditation is all about your quest for peace. It is you who should make a sincere effort to practice meditation and be persistent in learning. So, are you ready to meditate?

11 Sure-Fire Ways to Get a Good Night Sleep

2007-04-03T08:54:00.000+03:00

Having difficulty to get a good night sleep? Spending several hours without sleep?
Lack of sleep can result in stress, lack of concentration, moodiness, memory loss, lower motivation and fatigue. Here are 11 surefire ways to get good night’s sleep for those who experience difficulty in getting sleep.

1. Maintain regular bedtime routine. Try to go to bed at the same time and get up in the morning at the same time. Keeping a regular schedule helps the body expect sleep at the same time every day.

2. Maintain the sleep schedule even on weekends and holidays. Following the sleep schedule even on weekends does not disturb the internal clock of the body and helps to maintain circadian rhythm.

3. Regardless of how much sleep had the before night, get up the same time in the morning. If the amount of sleep is reduced due to some reasons, don’t oversleep to make up for a poor night’s sleep.

4. The bedroom should not be too hot or too cold. High temperatures can lead to disturbances in the quality of sleep. The optimum temperature is 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the room is too cold, use humidifier or warm blankets.

5. Bedroom surroundings should be quiet and calm. There should not be any disturbance from outside noises. Use white noise machine or fan to block outside noise.

6. Take warm bath before going to bed. It is a great way to relax the body. Don’t use too hot water as it may worsen the situation. Use bath salts such as Epsom salt or baking soda which will relax the body and help in removing toxins from the body.

7. Use the mood tracker to identify whether foods, beverages, certain activities or other substances have a negative impact on the ability to sleep. Mood tracker tells about the good things that promote sleep. Using mood trackers, the causes for sleep problems can be identified.

8. Massage is a great way to relax tensed and tired muscles. Take help of bed partner to massage the body before going to bed. It can be a simple massage which involves massaging neck, foot and hands.

9. Don’t nap during daytime if there is trouble sleeping during night. Napping during daytime disturbs the body clock and it makes even more difficult to sleep at night.

10. Stop smoking as it releases adrenaline in the body and is a stimulant. It interrupts with quality of sleep.

11. Exercise regularly for half an hour regularly. Exercise in the late afternoon or in the morning. Exercise increases the body temperatures and has an arousing effect. Therefore body gets exhausted and helps to sleep and increases quality of sleep if it is done three to four hours before bedtime.

Avoiding Colon Cancer

2007-04-02T08:49:00.000+03:00

Colon cancer is known by many other names including bowel cancer and colorectal cancer, but whatever name it is called, the result is the same. A person who has this disease will suffer constipation, diarrheic, abdominal pain and anemia among other symptoms. But there are actually many ways to prevent having colon cancer. A basic lifestyle change that involves your diet and physical activities is one of the most effective ways to avoid having this disease. You should note that eating foods that are low in fiber but are high in fat every day increases your risks of having colon cancer. Likewise, eating a lot of fruits and vegetables can prevent colon cancer because these foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can fight cancer.

Smoking and drinking should also be avoided if you want to prevent colon cancer. Note that stopping these habits will also prevent other kinds of diseases such as cancer of the lungs and heart problems. Lessening your alcohol intake may do wonders for your health and reduce the risks of complications. On the other hand, smoking increases the risk of dying by thirty to forty percent for people who already have colon cancer so quitting this habit can actually save your life.

Aside from being conscious of your daily intake of food and avoiding bad habits that can be detrimental to your heath, having a pro-active lifestyle can also prevent all forms of cancer including colon cancer. It is believed that just doing thirty minute of physical activity everyday can significantly reduce the risks of acquiring colon cancer. The reason for this is because exercise will help keep your weight under control and keep your metabolism at a normal rate to keep your bowel movement regular. Some researchers also observed that around fifteen percent of colon cancer cases could easily have been prevented if those affected had taken the time to exercise everyday.

As in any other cancer cases, colon cancer should also be detected early to prevent it from becoming worse. Because of this, it is essential that you undertake screening tests regularly because colon cancer has no symptoms at its early stages. Note that screening tests are especially important for people who are in middle but younger people are not exempted particularly if they have a family history of having colon cancer. It is also recommended that people who are between the ages of forty to fifty undertake the faecal occult blood test every two years to be on the sage side.

To conduct a faecal occult blood test, you need to collect samples of your faeces so that it can be tested in a laboratory for some traces of blood. The reason why this test is important is because small bowel tumors can turn into cancer if it is left untreated. These tumors actually bleed in your bowel but it does not bleed enough for you to notice so laboratory tests are required.

Another way to detect if you have colon cancer is through colonoscopy. This is also the most effective way to determine whether you have colon cancer or not because it allows your doctors to examine your whole bowel for signs of tumors. This procedure is normally conducted in hospitals and you need to clean out your bowels before you can take this test.

Great Arms and Legs in Ten Minutes A Day

2007-04-01T16:03:00.000+03:00

Have you ever put on that new sleeveless dress, shirt and short skirt, only to wish that your arms and legs looked better? Did you feel frustrated, and wished you had purchased the long sleeve dress and shirt instead? But it was too late!

Lets face it, all women feel this way! It doesn't matter who you are young, old, rich or famous, we all think like this.

Are you ready to learn a quick fix? All you need is ten minutes a day, a set of steps, one dumbbell or a heavy canned good.

Great Arms -Bicep curl-(using a comfortable dumbbell or a can of soup). - Perform 3 sets of 15 Repetitions each day. -Start in a standing position with your arm fully extended in front of your body. Slowly curl your arm to your shoulder and then return to the full extension position. This is one repetition. Repeat. -As you build strength change to a heavier dumbbell.

Shapely Legs -Standing calf rises on the steps. -3 sets of 15 Repetition each day. -Standing on the step while letting both heels drop below the step ledge. -Slowly raising onto the ball of your foot, and return back down (this is one rep). -To shape the middle, inner and outer part of the calf muscle, point your toes in for the first set. Point your toes out for the second set, and keep your toes pointed straight ahead to work the center of the calf muscle. -As you build strength, do your calf rises with dumbbells in your hands. Continue these exercises for 30 days and enjoy the results.

Could Tea Be Better Than Water?

2007-03-29T18:51:00.000+03:00

Researchers are now saying that it is quite possible that drinking tea may be better than drinking water. Tea contains antioxidants, and drinking three to four cups per day reduces the risk of heart attack, protects against cancer, strengthens bones, and protects against tooth plaque and decay. While drinking water replaces fluids, drinking tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants. An added benefit. However, adding sweeteners to the tea can nullify any potential health benefits. If you are going to use sweeteners, always use safe sweetener.

Will People Be Turning To Diet Coke For Their Daily Supplements?

2007-03-29T00:44:00.000+03:00

Coke is now trying to reach health conscious consumers by promoting a new "sparkling beverage" which will be fortified with vitamins and minerals. Coke will be introducing "Diet Coke Plus" which will contain niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, magnesium, and zinc. Pepsi will be following suit by introducing "Tava" which will contain vitamins B3, B6, and E, as well as chromium. They will be called "sparkling drinks" as opposed to "soda drinks" due to the fact that we are becoming more aware of the harm soda can do to our bodies.

Supposedly, the CEO of Coca-Cola asserts their diet drinks as "wellness brands." But come on, folks, is this really healthy? These so-called sparkling drinks will still contain artificial ingredients, will still leach the calcium from our bodies and break down our bones, and will still lead to obesity. I believe the cons will out weigh the pros. The best way to get your vitamins and minerals will still be from eating real food.

Got Milk? Got Calcium?

2007-03-27T21:53:00.000+03:00

When we think of getting calcium in our diet, we usually think of milk. While milk does our body good, it is not the leading source for calcium. Studies have revealed that the amount of calcium absorbed from plant sources is greater than that absorbed from milk. This is good news for people who don’t like milk or are allergic to dairy products. Many high calcium sources are foods that you currently eat and include

Sweet potatoes (one of the most nutritious foods you can eat)
oranges
apricots
pears
raisins/dates
okra

And most dark green leafy vegetables, such as:

dandelion greens
collard greens
alfalfa
cayenne
chamomile
kelp
lemongrass
paprika
parsley
peppermint

High sources of calcium in the nut family include:

brazil nuts
chestnuts
hazelnuts
sesame seeds
and pumpkin seeds

High sources of calcium in the fish/seafood family include:

salmon with bones
sardines
flounder
mackerel
shrimp
clams
oysters

Other sources include:

oats
barley
beans
peas
soy products
sprouts

However, take note, that some foods high in calcium are also high in oxalic acid which interferes with calcium absorption. Foods high in calcium and oxalic acid include: spinach, rhubarb, almonds, cashews, beets, and turnip greens. While these are still healthy foods to eat, they are not actually your best sources for calcium, despite what Popeye says.

There are also things that can rob calcium from your body or block calcium absorption. These should be avoided: caffeine, salt, excessive protein and phosphoric acid (found in soft drinks and processed meats), smoking, high fat intake, and alcohol.

Wellness Products On The Rise

2007-03-26T22:51:00.000+03:00

Did you know that the health care business is really the sickness business? In one of his books, best selling author Paul Zane Pilzer explains how the $1.4 trillion we spend annually on medical care has very little to do with preventing illnesses or being healthier. Rather, it is spent on treating the symptoms of sickness. For instance, 61% of us are overweight these days. People who are overweight suffer from vitamin deficiency, fatigue, arthritis, or other ailments, all of which result from poor nutrition. And money needs to be spent to treat these ailments. Health and wellness has become our primary need. We should focus on wellness before we need treatment. Here's Mr. Pilzer's definition of wellness:

"I define 'wellness' as money spent to make you feel healthier, even when you are not 'sick' by any standard medical terms. To make you stronger, to make you see better, to make you hear better, to fight what we might call the symptoms of aging."

Mr. Pilzer predicts health and wellness to be the next trillion dollar business. When you look at how the remaining 39% of us are increasingly paying for products that will keep us younger, paying for fitness equipment, and even paying for personal trainers, it is easy to agree with his predictions. But the really good news is that ... because people are willing to pay more for the best products on the market that will keep them younger, wellness companies are providing higher quality products. Products that work well! Companies whose sole business is wellness usually have better quality control.

Sign up for my mailing list and find out what wellness products I use and recommend

Coffee ... Is It Good Or Bad For You?

2007-03-26T22:36:00.000+03:00

It's hard to keep up with the good and bad things about coffee. The things we read about the effects it has on our health are contradictory. It seems one day you read it is good for you, and the next you read it is bad. Most recent studies say that "not only is coffee not bad for you, but it may offer some health benefits." Moderation (2-4 cups per day) is supposedly the key. So I thought I would set out in a post all the pros and cons I have read about coffee so you can decide for yourself if it is something you should have on a daily basis.

Pros:

As the major source for caffeine, coffee is a stimulant which could make us more alert and may improve our performance at work and in sports.

Reduces the risk of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's.

May reduce the risk of conditions such as gall bladder disease.

May contain antioxidants which lessen our chances of heart disease and cancer. (Some sources say it contains more antioxidants than Green Tea.)

May relieve headaches.

May lower the risk of type 2 diabetes.

May help manage asthma.

Cons:

May be addictive (some studies say it is, some say it isn't). Withdrawal symptoms can include headaches, fatigue, mood changes, inability to concentrate, and flu-like symptoms.

May be detrimental to sleep, blood pressure, and bone density.

May decrease blood flow to the heart.

May lead to weight gain.

Researchers are saying that currently coffee seems to be more helpful than harmful.
Looking at my list, that appears to be the case. If you can think of any pros or cons that I've missed, please do share.

10 Reasons Why Pets Are Good For Our Health

2007-03-24T21:48:00.000+03:00

Whether they have fur, feathers, or fins ... they are good for us. And here are ten reasons why:

1। Pets cheer us up.

2। They energize, calm, and relax us. (That's three, but I'll count it as one.)

3। They help us adjust to losses in our life.

4। They provide unconditional love which gives us a sense of worth and responsibility.

5। We tend to exercise more when we have pets, especially dog owners.

6। Pets help us heal and even tend to be our therapists.

7। They decrease our chances of having heart attacks, believe it or not.

8। Petting an animal can lower our blood pressure and heart rate.

9। They make us laugh.

10. They alleviate loneliness.

Chocolate For Anti-Aging?

2007-03-23T22:19:00.000+03:00

Fighting aging doesn't get any better than this. Dark chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa is an antioxidant which protects cells from age-related damage. (This is not true with milk chocolate because it contains smaller amounts of cocoa.) So now you have a good excuse to keep dark chocolate at your desk and to be nibbling occasionally. Just be sure to eat small amounts because of the calories.

Sleep Deprivation May Lead To Obesity

2007-03-23T22:08:00.000+03:00

Good sleeping habits just may be the best diet yet.

People these days are sleeping less than ever and, at the same time, getting bigger than ever. Experts say there is a link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Their studies show that getting at least eight hours of sleep can help you lose weight. Supposedly, getting fewer than eight hours of sleep gives a boost to a hormone (ghrelin) that makes us feel hungry, while suppressing another hormone (leptin) that makes us feel full. As a result, we tend to eat more and we make bad food choices.

Weight loss is not the only reason to put a stop to sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep can be hazardous to your health in other ways. People who are sleep deprived are more at risk for making costly mistakes, such as falling asleep while driving or handling dangerous machinery. They will also not be at full capacity while at work and risk losing their job.

Getting a full night's sleep will help you feel more energetic, be thinner, and be healthier.

Great Alternatives To Sugar

2007-03-22T23:11:00.000+03:00

Did you know that too much sugar in our diet accelerates the aging process? And, as we well know, it also leads to obesity. Which is why many people are reaching for diet foods instead. However, research has proven that the artificial sugars in diet foods and drinks come with dangers and are risky. It is safer to reach for more natural sweeteners. Many people already use honey, but honey can elevate blood sugar levels. Two of the best safe, natural sweeteners you should consider are:

Stevia ... an excellent herb which can be found in certain diet drinks. It won't raise your blood sugar levels like honey will, and in some cases may even lower it. Stevia can have an aftertaste, but it is tiny and not very noticeable. Go here for more info about Stevia or here for a Stevia to sugar conversation chart.

Xylitol ... looks and tastes like sugar. This sweetener is considered to be very safe for everyone. It is also great for your teeth. In fact, Tom's of Maine uses Xylitol in some of its toothpaste products. (Tip: Look for sugarfree gums, such as Trident Sugarfree Gum, and breath mints that contain Xylitol as studies have shown that Xylitol can lead to a dramatic reduction in tooth decay. Most effective when used at least three times a day.)

Both Stevia and Xylitol are great for baking, although you may find Xylitol to be better for baking at high temperatures. And Stevia is not recommended for meringues as it does not carmelize like sugar does. While both of these natural sweeteners will cost more than sugar, it is well worth it when you consider the health issues. They can be found at many natural food stores. Buy the packets and carry them with you. Next time you are at a restaurant, push aside the little pink packets and use Stevia or Xylitol instead.

Tips on managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia

2007-03-22T22:40:00.000+03:00

Fibromyalgia is a disease which manifests very much alike with flu। It gives muscular pains and tiredness, and can disturb the sleep. It can also be characterized by tender spots which are felt mostly in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips. The attachments of muscles to bones are also affected by this disease. Joints seem to be left unaffected by it. Besides muscles, pain in tendons and ligaments appear also.

Until now there has not been discovered any laboratory test to help the doctor diagnose the patient with fibromyalgia more easily. The doctor is mostly guided by what the patient describes and by the presence of the tender points. The symptoms the patient tells the doctor about can help the doctor to eliminate any possibility of rheumatic disorders in that patient.

General symptoms of fibromyalgia are: muscle pain that lasts more than three months, tenderness in the 18 points, sleeping problems, fatigue, headaches, memory problems, abdominal pain associated with diarrhea or constipation and bloating. People describe the muscle pain in different ways: some can feel burnings, radiating, others gnawing, sore, stiff, and aching. Patients say that the pain is always present but with different intensities depending on the activity they perform or on the weather, the stress level and the sleep patterns.

The exact causes of fibromyalgia have not been yet discovered and until now scientists found out that in patients who have fibromyalgia, the level of P substance is increased in the spinal fluid. The P substance is responsible for transmitting and amplifying pain signals to and from the brain. Another role in triggering fibromyalgia has the genetics and exposure to physical, emotional or environmental stressors.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease and must be treated with medication and non-medication methods. Some of the used drugs in treating fibromyalgia are: cyclobenzaprine, amitriptyline and dual reuptake inhibitors. In case a patient does not respond well to this kind of treatment, long-acting opioids can be tried but with extreme precaution. Sometimes the pain can be managed with analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases antidepressant drugs and antiepileptic drugs can be used with success.

Patients suffering of fibromyalgia can follow a few sessions of therapeutic massage and myofascial release therapy which will help them manage the pain this illness gives them.

Patients have to make a change in their lifestyle and consider the fact that they need every day a moment for relaxation and they have to learn how to perform deep-breathing exercises and meditation in order to manage the daily stress. They also have to create a schedule for going to bed and waking up. A diet is also recommended, avoiding coffee, alcohol and spicy foods before bedtime. An active lifestyle can help a lot the fibromyalgia patients. Walking, swimming, water aerobics and stretching exercises can do a lot in the process of treating fibromyalgia.

Home Remedy Treatments for Hangovers

2007-03-22T05:35:00.000+03:00

The best way to prevent a hangover is, of course, drinking in moderation or abstaining from alcohol. But keeping yourself well-hydrated and well-nourished when you're drinking can go a long way toward minimizing the morning-after symptoms. Try drinking a glass of water or other noncaffeinated beverage for each alcoholic beverage you drink. And don't drink on an empty stomach. Food helps slow the absorption of alcohol, giving your body time to metabolize it and decreasing the chances of a hangover.

The best cure for a hangover: time. Of course, people ignore the prevention and don't have "time" for the cure. So, here are some remedies to ease the suffering for those who have had one drink too many.

Home Remedies from the Counter

Banana. Bananas are your best friend! While you were drunk and peeing like a racehorse, lots of potassium drained from your body. Eating a banana bursting with potassium will give you some giddy-up and go. All you have to do is peel and eat.

Home Remedies from the Cupboard

Ginger root। Ginger has long been used to treat nausea and seasickness. And, since having a hangover is much like being seasick, this easy remedy works wonders. If you're really green, the best bet is to drink ginger ale (no preparation required). If you can remain vertical for ten minutes, brew some ginger tea. Cut 10 to 12 slices of fresh ginger root and combine with 4 cups water. Boil for ten minutes. Strain and add the juice of 1 orange, the juice of 1/2 lemon, and 1/2 cup honey. Drink to your relief.

Honey and Lemon. The classic hot toddy (nonalcoholic, of course) is honey, lemon, and hot water. Easy to swallow, this beverage replenishes fluids and sugars lost to a hangover. It is vital, however, to use honey instead of white sugar. Honey contains fructose, which competes for the metabolism of alcohol. Some healthy competition is needed, since it prevents the rapid change in alcohol levels that results in headaches. Plain sugar contains sucrose, which isn't absorbed as quickly. To make a toddy, boil 1 cup water and mix in honey and lemon juice to taste. Enjoy a toddy several times a day.

Rice, Soup, or Toast. Food is probably the last thing you want to look at while recovering, but you do need some substance for energy. Stay with clear liquids until you can tolerate something solid. Then start off slowly with mild, easy-to-digest foods such as plain toast, rice, or clear soup.

Sports drinks. These are a good way to replace fluids as well as electrolytes and glucose.

Home Remedies from the Freezer

Ice. Put an ice compress on your aching head. Place crushed iced in a plastic bag, wrap in a dry towel, and apply it to where it hurts. Or just rinse a washcloth under cold water, place it on your forehead, and rest.

Home Remedies from the Refrigerator

Juice. Juice, especially freshly squeezed orange juice, will help raise your blood sugar levels and help ease some of your hangover symptoms. However, if your stomach is upset, skip acidic juices such as orange juice and stick with apple juice instead.

Home Remedies from the Sink

Water. Next to time, drinking water is the best cure for a hangover. Dehydration does a doozy on your body and causes much of the discomfort associated with a hangover. Stick to water, be it tap, bottled, or carbonated. Drink more than 8 glasses a day while recovering.

More Do's and Don'ts

Drink to the night। If you can remember one thing while intoxicated, remember this: Guzzle plenty of water before going to bed. It will help nip dehydration, and you'll feel much better in the morning.

Stick to 1 drink (or less) per hour, and sip it slowly। One hour is about the time it takes for the average adult body to process an alcoholic beverage. One drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer, or 1.5 ounce of hard liquor.

Rest. Pull the shades down, unplug the telephone, and go to sleep.
Never drink and drive।
Try Pepto-Bismol or an antacid to relieve queasiness and settle your stomach।
Take a multivitamin with B vitamins to replace those lost during your night of carousing।
These natural home remedies should get you back on your feet after a night of over-indulgence। With a little tender loving care, you should be all better in no time.

Choosing the Best Baby Name

2007-03-20T10:04:00.000+03:00

Wading through the mess of baby names can be both inspiring and exhausting. How do you decide which name is right for the child you have yet to meet? How will you and your spouse ever agree on a single name? And finally, when you get the name picked out, what happens if it is totally wrong for the baby when she arrives?

Fortunately, there are things to consider that will significantly ease the process. Choosing the best name for your baby should be one of the most joyful parts of planning, and these tips will help put you on the right path.

#1 – Meaning

Consider the origin of the baby name and what it might mean to you or others. Will this baby represent something to you or is she a miracle? Look through the meanings of baby girl names to find something that signifies what she represents. Likewise, be careful of the meanings of names. Making a decision only to find out your picked “the fool” from all the baby boy’s names available can put a damper on your fun.

#2 – Impression

Strongly consider the impression of the name on you and others. Is it hard to pronounce or understand? Does it roll of the tongue naturally or does it sound forced? If you have a long last name, you probably want to avoid a very long first name. Consider the way a first name sounds with your last name. Sometimes baby names are beautiful in theory, but awkward in reality.

#3 – Memories

Does a certain memory inspire you? When selecting a name, consider what memories that name conjures up. Did you pick a name that sounds entirely too much like your ex-boyfriend? This might make things a bit uncomfortable for you and your spouse. Some names are simply not an option, but I doubt anyone would complain too loudly about not being able to name their daughter after a husband’s ex-fiancée.

#4 – Religion

Often religion plays a role in making the final decision among baby names. Certain religions have specific expectations regarding the birth of children into the faith. If you are active in your faith, it would be wise to investigate what your religious teachings have to say about naming children.

#5 – Honor

Does your selection of baby girl names include a friend or family member you are thinking about honoring? Naming a baby girl after her grandmother or a special aunt is extremely special to all parties involved and can help the baby develop closeness with her namesake as she grows। Middle names are used often for the purpose of honoring others. Naming a child after a family tradition works the same way. For the child’s sake, however, if you name him after his father or her mother, find the baby a nickname to help ease the confusion of having the same name as someone else in the household.

Six Questions All Women Ask About Pregnancy

2007-03-20T07:19:00.000+03:00

Here are a set of six questions about pregnancy that almost all women have in their mind while pregnant. We give you the answers to save you from unnecessary worry and confusion.

1. Is it too painful to give birth? Well, giving birth IS painful. However, it is more painful for some while for others, it may just be a smooth ride. Moreover, it depends on how you deliver the baby. An epidural birth makes you able to tolerate the pain better while in natural birth, it depends on how you breathe through pain to make it bearable. Other factors are your health and your capacity to withstand pain.

2. Is my baby Healthy Inside? A lot of mothers are anxious about pregnancy in terms of their baby’s health in their womb. Don’t worry. Medical science has reached great heights of advancement and can detect and treat problems effectively. For example, morning sickness, tiredness, and mood oscillations are good signs. It shows that your hormones are doing their work dutifully in helping your baby to develop. Besides this, if you are alert about any spotting or pain and report to your doctor immediately, then rest assured, your baby is going to be perfectly fine and cozy inside you.

3. Will I Gain Too Much Weight? Depending on your weight before pregnancy, you need to add about 25-35 pounds to your body weight during pregnancy to nourish your baby. A great way to avoid gaining too much extra flab is to increase your calorie intake by 300 calories daily. However, do not forget to exercise regularly to prevent anxious moments about pregnancy weight.

4. Is Coffee Harmful During Pregnancy? This is a debatable question. Some doctors are of the view that a cup or two won’t do any harm to your baby while others don’t to recommend it. The best thing you can do is consult your doctor. If your blood pressure is high, then your doctor may ask you to avoid it totally.

5. Will A Seat Belt Hurt My Baby? Before using a seat belt, consult your doctor about how you should place it on your abdomen. A seat belt is harmless, if worn properly, and protects you and your baby. This is one of the major issues about pregnancy safety.

6. What Should Be My Sleeping Posture? As your pregnancy advances, you will find that sleeping on your sides or back feels most comfortable. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it puts pressure on your baby. Moreover, you won’t feel like sleeping on your stomach as your belly grows larger.

So, now that your doubts have vanished, get ready to bring a new life into the world!

The Health Effects of Secondhand Smoke

2007-03-19T04:47:00.000+03:00

Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death. While it can be brought on by many factors, such as diet and lack of exercise, secondhand smoke also can be part of the equation. According to the American Lung Association, passive smoking is responsible for anywhere from 35,000 to 62,000 cardiovascular-related deaths each year. In addition, nonsmokers who are exposed to secondhand smoke are 25 percent more likely to have coronary heart diseases than nonsmokers who are not exposed to secondhand smoke.

Exposure to smoke thickens the blood by increasing the production of red blood cells। This, in turn, increases the likelihood of clotting and strokes. Essentially, any activity that limits the amount of oxygen entering the bloodstream forces the heart to work harder to circulate the oxygen it does have. Furthermore, increased blood platelet activity can damage the walls of the arteries, thereby raising blood pressure and adding even more stress to the heart.

Cancer
Cancer is the second-most common cause of death among people under the age of 85. Secondhand smoke has been linked to several types of cancer, including:

Lung cancer. According the National Cancer Institute, there are approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths a year of nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke. Actually, secondhand smoke is the third-leading cause of lung cancer, behind active smoking and radon gas. Lung cancer kills more women every year than breast cancer, and it is the leading cause of premature death among men.

Nasal sinus cancer. Similar to lung cancer in that it is a respiratory illness, nasal sinus cancer is thought to be caused by the formaldehyde found in secondhand smoke. Though nasal sinus cancer is much less common than lung cancer, it can be a devastating disease because the areas affected, such as the nose, are so visible.

There has been no conclusive evidence to link secondhand smoke to other types of cancer, such as breast or bladder cancer. However, many of the substances believed to cause these types of cancer are found in secondhand smoke. As more studies arise citing sidestream smoke as a factor in other forms of cancer, it seems likely that conclusive evidence will arrive.

Asthma and Other Respiratory Illnesses

Let's face it: If you are a nonsmoker with asthma who lives with a smoker, you are courting frequent asthma attacks. Any attempts to asthma-proof your home are virtually worthless if you are constantly exposed to secondhand smoke. Cigarette smoke is a known asthma trigger.
In a broader sense, secondhand smoke is linked to just about any condition that involves breathing. From pneumonia and sinusitis to coughs and post-nasal drip, exposure to secondhand smoke can irritate and aggravate your throat and lungs. Even the ears are not safe because of their close ties to the sinuses. The Eustachian tube that connects the nose to the middle ear can easily become infected from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Pregnant mothers exposed to secondhand smoke run a higher risk of having a baby with a low birth weight, but the dangers don't end there. Involuntary smoking has also been shown to cause SIDS. According to the American Cancer Society, as many as 35 percent of all SIDS deaths could be due to secondhand smoke.

The effects of secondhand smoke are causes for grave concern. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect yourself. In the next section, we will tell you how much secondhand smoke is too much and how to minimize the risks.

Bell's Palsy

2007-03-17T21:03:00.000+03:00

Bell's palsy (facial palsy) is characterised by facial drooping on the affected half, due to malfunction of the facial nerve (VII cranial nerve), which controls the muscles of the face.

Named after Scottish anatomist Charles Bell, who first described it, Bell's palsy is the most common acute mononeuropathy (disease involving only one nerve), and is the most common cause of acute facial nerve paralysis. The paralysis is of the infranuclear/lower motor neuron type. Bell’s palsy affects about 40,000 people in the United States every year. It affects approximately 1 person in 65 during a lifetime. Until recently, its cause was unknown in most cases, but it has now been related to both Lyme disease and Herpes simplex.

Clinicians should determine whether all branches of the facial nerve are involved, or whether the forehead muscles are spared. Since these receive innervation from both sides of the brain, the forehead can still be wrinkled by a patient whose facial palsy is caused by a problem in the brain rather than in the facial nerve itself.

Bell's palsy is a diagnosis of exclusion; in many cases, no specific cause can be ascertained.

It is supposed to be the result of inflammation of the facial nerve, which produces pressure on the nerve as it exits the skull within its bony canal. Patients with facial palsy for which an underlying cause can be readily found are not generally considered to have Bell's palsy per se.

These underlying problems include tumor, meningitis, stroke, diabetes mellitus, head trauma and inflammatory diseases of the cranial nerves (sarcoidosis, brucellosis, etc.) In these conditions, the neurologic findings are rarely restricted to the facial nerve. Babies can be born with facial palsy, and they exhibit many of the same symptoms as people with Bell's palsy; this is often due to a traumatic birth which causes irrepairable damage to the facial nerve, i.e. acute facial nerve paralysis.

Aloe Vera

2007-03-16T21:32:00.000+03:00

Aloe Vera is a plant of many surprises and wonders. Whether you use it as vital ingredient in beauty products or it is consumed as dietary supplement. Aloe Vera is a hot fertile region plant, but now it is cultivated in most part of the world. Aloe is a member of the lily family although it looks more of a cactus. It has been used for its medicinal purposes since the ancient times, but only recently has it enjoyed a rediscovery and subsequent popularity explosion.

There are over 200 varieties of aloes, but it is the Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) plant, which has been of most use to mankind because of the medicinal properties it displays. Aloe Vera contains over 75 known active ingredients including a wide range Vitamins, antioxidant, minerals, calcium, essential Amino Acids, Sugars, Digestive Enzymes, Anti-inflammatory Enzymes, Plant Sterols, Lignin, Saponins, Anthraquinones and more. Aloe Vera contains many components, including vitamins A, B, C, and E. Aloe has a massive amount of minerals and enzymes, however not its entire component has been identified yet.

Nowadays, although medicines and drugs can be very effective in treating ailments, long term use often involves side effects for patients. Consequently more consumers and scientists are turning back to look at more traditional, and often natural therapies which have been neglected for so long. As a result, Aloe Vera is once again attracting attention as it can provide many benefits to our health and lifestyle without any side effects.

BENEFITS OF ALOE VERA Ancient records show that the benefits of Aloe Vera have been known to mankind for centuries. Its therapeutic advantages and healing properties have survived more than 5000 years.

By using the aloe vera juice a person can get the benefits of aloe vera’s ability to aid in digestion, improve circulation, detoxify and heal from the inside. Aloe Vera juice can be a part of a person’s daily healthy regimen because it is safe to take everyday. If Aloe is taken internally, it increases the actual amount of our bile. It affects the small intestines and stimulates the muscular coat of the large intestine thus causing purging in about fifteen hours. Aloes also help increase the menstrual flow, since it belongs to the group of emmenagogues. Aloes have Aloin present used for therapeutic purposes. This causes less pain. It is a preferable drug for many forms of constipation. Continuous use of it does not lead to enlarging the dose to take.

Aloe’s benefits to our health include, helping to lower the blood sugar levels in diabetes patients. Aloe Vera is a strong laxative that may have some anti-cancer effects to humans. It is now being studied as a treatment for asthma.

USES OF ALOE VERA Aloe Vera is commonly used externally to treat various skin conditions such as cuts, burns and echzema. It is alleged that sap from Aloe vera eases pain and reduces inflammation. Scientific evidence on the effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing is contradictory. A study showed that the healing of a moderate to severe burn was sped up by six days when covering the wound on a regular basis with aloe vera gel, compared to the healing of the wound covered in a gauze bandage. In contrast, another study suggested wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal.

Many cosmetic companies add sap or products derived from Aloe Vera to products such as makeup, shampoos, soaps, moisturisers, sunscreens and lotions. Aloe gel is alleged to be useful for dry skin conditions, especially eczema around the eyes and sensitive facial skin and for treating fungal infections.Aloe vera has very good results in skin diseases and it is often taken as health drink. Aloe Vera is also found effective in treating wrinkles, stretch marks and pigmentations. Where as auravedic practitioners are in the favor of use of Aloe Vera. According to them Aloe vera has very good role in diabetic. Aloe vera is found to have smaller molecular structure and cutting properties. This help breaking down fat globules, therefore reducing obesity. Medical properties of Aloe vera are still on debate, but the beauty properties are highly accepted by the world.

Aloe Vera is also known to have certain medical properties. Aloe vera drink is used as a tonic for patient suffering from arthritis, diabetes and high cholesterol. This is because of the dietary supplement properties, which help in healing like anti fungal, anti oxidant, anti bacterial and some other properties. It is found to boost the immune system. The transparent gel that is found inside its leaf is used as a domestic emergency treatment in burns, injuries and solar erithema, also it is applied externally on hemorrhoids and foe a good cicatrisation. Aloe Vera contains at least two active compounds that decrease the levels of sugar in the blood and its extract is also used in patients with hypoglycemia. Its juice is consumed as prevention and treatment of many gastric disorders. The efficiency of Aloe Vera in the treatment of burns is due because it has a similar structure as aspirin, that in combination with magnesium have an anesthetic effect and because of its antimicrobian composition it helps for the hygiene of the burns, avoiding a possible infection.

6 Suggestions for the Treatment of Gout

2007-03-14T05:33:00.000+03:00

The most common symptom of gout, which afflicts about three-quarters of gout sufferers, is excruciating pain in the joint at the base of the big toe. However, joints in other parts of the body including the feet, hands, wrists, knees, shoulders, and elbows are fair game for gout attacks. Joints can become so swollen and inflamed that the patient develops a fever and chills.

Gout comes on very suddenly, produces severe pain, and usually lasts three to five days if untreated. However, flare-ups frequently recur and last even longer.

There are several conditions that can result in gout, but the primary cause is an abnormally high level of uric acid in the blood, either from the body's producing too much or from the body's not excreting it properly. Gout is more common in men than in women, possibly because the female body eliminates uric acid more efficiently. The disease often strikes middle-aged males, especially men who are overweight and drink too much alcohol. But healthy people can develop gout, too. For instance, allowing yourself to become severely dehydrated may trigger an attack.

Although gout produces brutal pain, it is rarely life-threatening. However, the condition requires proper diagnosis and treatment by a doctor, who can rule out other causes of joint pain and prescribe effective medications. Once you've seen your physician, however, there are a few things you should do on your own.

1. Don't put any weight on the joint. This usually means staying off your feet as much as possible until the episode subsides. Any pressure you put on the joint will increase the pain and possibly damage the area further.

2. Keep the joint elevated. Let gravity help reduce inflammation by slowing the rush of blood to the gout inflicted joint.

3. Immobilize the joint. The less you move the joint, the better it will feel. Simply lying still will help, though you may want to build a splint for the injured joint. Ask your doctor how, or consult a first-aid guide.

4. Take a nonprescription anti-inflammatory. Inflammation causes swelling, which worsens pain. Both ibuprofen and aspirin are anti-inflammatories, but when taken at low levels, aspirin may actually make the pain worse, so reach for the ibuprofen when treating gout.

5. Avoid icing or heating the area. Unlike other types of pain, gout doesn't respond well to heat or ice therapy.

6. Wear comfortable shoes. For gout sufferers, styles that offer a lot of room for the toes are the best choice.

7 Ways to Get Rid of Cold Sores

2007-03-13T05:22:00.000+03:00

Cold sores are caused by the herpes simplex virus, which is believed to lie dormant in certain nerve cells of the body until it is activated by stress, anxiety, a cold, or excessive exposure to the sun। The sores last anywhere from 7 to 14 days.

Although some use the terms "cold sore" and "canker sore" interchangeably, they are different. Unlike cold sores, canker sores are bacterial infections inside the mouth that are characterized by small, round, white areas surrounded by a sharp halo of red. And, while cold sores are highly contagious, canker sores are not.

Unfortunately, attempting to camouflage a cold sore with makeup often aggravates the problem. Still, while you can't do much about the way a cold sore looks, you can do a few things to help decrease discomfort, speed healing, and keep it from coming back. You can even take steps to prevent passing on your cold sore to others. Here's how:

1. Cover cold sores with a protective petroleum-based product. This will speed healing and help protect it from secondary infection with bacteria.

2. Reach for aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. Cold sores can be quite painful. Over-the- counter painkillers can help.

3. Avoid salty or acidic foods. Foods such as potato chips or citrus fruits can further irritate cold sores and add to the pain.

4. Apply an over-the-counter anesthetic. A local anesthetic ointment containing benzocaine can help numb the pain temporarily.

5. Consult your health-care provider. If you have frequent or severe cold sores, see your doctor. In some cases, an antiviral medication called acyclovir can be prescribed.

6. Protect your lips from the sun. Applying sunscreen to your lips may help prevent sun-induced recurrences of cold sores. Look for a sunscreen designed especially for the lips that has an SPF of 15 or higher. Or, choose a lipstick that contains sunscreen.

7. Keep it to yourself. Cold sores are extremely contagious. Avoid kissing and sharing cups, towels, or other such items. Wash your hands frequently, especially after touching cold sores. And take care not to touch your eyes or genitals immediately after touching cold sores.

Green Tea or Black Tea for Preventing Breast Cancer?

2007-03-12T05:02:00.000+03:00

In recent years there has been an abundance of research investigating the benefits of green and black tea on preventing disease. And, the results have been divided. Depending on the health condition being evaluated, some studies have shown green tea to be more effective, while others have shown green and black tea to be equally effective.

Green tea differs from black in its processing. Both come from the Camellia sinensis plant, but black tea is fermented when processed. This fermentation changes some of the tea plant’s compounds, and effectively reduces some of the most important anti-oxidants, namely EGCG, one of the most important anti-oxidants you can consume. However, black tea does still contain many other important anti-oxidants.

When it comes to preventing many forms of disease, EGCG seems to be an important component, making green tea the drink of choice. In addition, the reason tea came into focus in the first place was the noticeably lower rates of disease in Asian countries, where tea is consumed in large quantities - most of it green tea.

One of the diseases that tea is reported to prevent is breast cancer. Several studies have shown that tea, green in particular, seems to significantly lower your chances of developing breast cancer. Some studies have even suggested that green tea could even be an effective treatment for breast cancer.

One study conducted on breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy noted that those participants who regularly consumed green tea during their chemotherapy treatments showed higher concentrations of the chemotherapy drugs in their cancer cells than those who did not consume green tea.

Other studies have indicated that green tea can inhibit the growth of cancer cells, possibly preventing the spread of the disease. And, additional studies have shown that green tea may prevent the recurrence of breast cancer in patients diagnosed at Stage I or II of the disease.

But, what about black tea? Why have similar results not been shown with the consumption of green tea? The theory is that it has to do with hormones.

Green tea is thought to reduce certain circulating sex-steroid hormones, such as estone and estradiol, and that black tea may increase the levels of these hormones. If the reduction in breast cancer risk is due to the lower level of these sex-steroid hormones, then it’s easy to see why green tea is more effective at preventing breast cancer than black tea.

One study in Singapore evaluated a cross section of 130 healthy post-menopausal Chinese women. Their tea consumption broke down like this:

• 84 were non or irregular tea drinkers – meaning they drank tea less than once a week.
• 27 were regular green tea drinkers – meaning they drank green tea weekly or daily
• 19 were regular black tea drinkers

The study concluded that, relative to the estrone levels in the non tea drinkers, the green tea drinkers showed a lower estrone level, and the black tea drinkers showed a higher estrone level. In fact, the green tea drinkers showed a 13% lower estrone level, and the black tea drinkers showed a 19% higher level of estrone than those who did not drink tea. A similar relationship was found between tea drinking habits and estradiol levels.

While this study alone cannot be considered conclusive, it does suggest that, if high levels of circulating sex steroids increase the risk of breast cancer, green tea is a much better preventative than black tea.

Most researchers agree that having high levels of circulating hormones like estrogen (which is made up of estradiol and estrone) after menopause does increase your risk of breast cancer. This is why women who take hormone supplements to help ease the symptoms of menopause have an increased risk of developing cancer over women who do not treat their menopausal symptoms with hormones like estrogen therapy.

So, if you’ve experienced menopause and you’re at an increased risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about tea drinking. Particularly if you drink large quantities of black tea, it might be wise to reduce this amount, and replace it with green tea.

It’s clear that we don’t fully understand the relationship between tea and breast cancer, and that much more research should be performed. However, we do have a pretty clear picture that green tea prevents many forms of cancer, breast cancer among them.

So, it’s probably a good idea to keep drinking your green tea. While it’s true that we don’t have all the answers, it does seem clear that green tea offers many health benefits and that drinking it is a healthy habit that all of us should get into.

Green tea is delicious, refreshing and widely available. All of these attributes make green tea a simple way to improve our health and reduce the risk of certain diseases. So, make a cup of green tea, and drink to your health!

Fighting Cellulite

2007-03-11T04:06:00.000+03:00

Cellulite is one of those things that affect both the slender and larger women. It can settle on the hips, stomach, upper arms, ankles and then we have the more common areas which are the upper thighs and bottom.

We can safely say that it is the enemy of all women and most women at one time or another are plagued with it. So Lets see what the contributing factors are before we look at some possible solutions in combating cellulite.

First determine whether or not it is genetic. Just as in the case as being over weight may be genetic so it may be in the case of women who suffer with cellulite, even if they are thin. Some women are just more prone to cellulite. Then of course fat storage, how and where it lies is also predetermined by your genetics. Even though you may not have control over these factors you do have control over cellulites biggest enemy and that unfortunately is still lifestyle.

We all familiar with it, cellulite is also labeled orange peel skin and/or cottage cheese skin. If you squeeze the fat and it is smooth you know it is not cellulite but if you have those bumps and lumps then you know you have cellulite. This is because some of the vessels have leaked fluid into the tissues and have caused congestion. Toxins can’t be eliminated from these areas and oxygen battles to go in.

Toxicity is a major contributing factor to cellulite build up. Constipation is one of those things that are primarily responsible for toxins building up. When you suffer from toxic build up those toxins need to go some where and thus we end up with cellulite. Those toxins that are not able to pass through the colon get re released into the body and get trapped between the connective tissues.

Not drinking enough water is also a problem as water is what helps flush out the waste products that we no longer need. Alcohol, tea and coffee, smoking, little or no exercise and fatty foods all aid in cellulite formation.

So to fight cellulite you need to loosen the toxic wastes from the tissues and eliminate the toxins out of your body once and for all. So how do you do that? Simply control those factors that caused the cellulite in the first place. Change your diet, exercise more, increase your water intake and get rid of that constipation problem.

Eat a well balanced diet and if you suffer from constipation eat foods high in fiber. Drink lots of water. Water helps carry those toxins out of your body and the more water you drink the less likely your stool will be dry, hard and immovable. Avoid processed and refined foods as the body has a harder time digesting and breaking down these foods.

Don’t drink tea, coffee or colas that contain caffeine. Caffeine just seems to make cellulite worse and the thought is that it does this by impairing the lymphatic flow and blood circulation. The vessels constrict and so when this occurs the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues become inhibited. When this happens there is an increase in the build up of waste products.

Alcohol poisons your system slowly so if you want to be rid of that cellulite then stay away from alcohol too. Alcohol just adds to toxins, dehydrates your body, slows down your circulation and hampers the removal of toxins.

Then we have smoking and we all know that smoking is bad for ones health but it is also bad for your skin. Smoking weakens and ultimately damages the connective tissues and thus you end up with the dimpling affect. Because of this smoking has been labeled the cause of cellulite by some. It is agreed by all that it is a definite contributing factor. It just adds to the toxicity in your body that your system battles to get rid of.

Exercise is great in eliminating cellulite because it helps to boost circulation helping your skin to regain its natural smooth appearance. Exercise won’t take it away over night; you will have to dedicate yourself to an exercise and prepare yourself for some work.

There are great topical products out there that do help but they should always be used in conjunction with a change in lifestyle. There is no point in using a product that helps get rid of your cellulite while you carry on perpetuating the problem by not going to the root of why you have cellulite in the first place. You will see little and perhaps temporary improvement and will be left feeling frustrated and drained.

The Natural Way to Heal Cancer

2007-03-10T04:46:00.000+03:00

Is it possible to control and influence rate at which injuries, wounds and even cancer heal? That’s the question a group of researchers from the Ohio State University asked when they decided to observe wound healing rates in a group of exercising older adults in comparison to that of a non-exercising control group.

This three-month study looked at the effects of exercise on wound healing among healthy older adults। All participants had not exercised regularly for six months, so the 28 participants who were encouraged to exercise were given one month to acclimatize to a new exercise program that included 30 minutes of pedaling on a stationary bike, 15 minutes jogging or brisk walking on a treadmill, and 15 minutes of strength training। Fifteen participants acted as controls by not changing their level of physical activity। All then underwent a small puncture wound about half a centimeter across and deep on the back of the upper arm। Individual wounds were measured three times a week until fully healed

Regular exercisers took only 29 days to heal, while non-exercisers took up to 10 days longer to recover। From these results, researchers have speculated that exercise may speed wound healing by enhancing neuron-endocrine function, meaning that stronger individuals have a higher body funct!

ion that helps the body heal wounds and cancer faster.

The point of this study is not that exercise is important. It is now acknowledged as an important factor in maintaining health. The main point is that even moderate exercise can improve the time to recover in wound and cancer healing.

In the case of a cancer diagnostic, the body and its recovery system: the immune system, are stressed by the attack of the disease on the body. Even a moderate level of exercise can improve your condition. Your breathing rate increases, bringing more oxygen to your cells. Your heart rate increases as well, pumping and circulating that oxygen to all parts of the body.

The immune system contains some of the fastest replicating cells in the human body. You must remember that self healing does occur for people with cancer. It doesn’t yet happen as often or as fast as it does with the cold or with the flu, but it can. The main strategy to improving the self-healing capacity of the body is obvious: increase the strength of the immune system. Strengthening the immune system is probably the most significant thing you can do for yourself to heal cancer and wounds quicker, and as a happy side-effect, many other life improvements come along with an improved immune system.

One very simple improvement is a modification in breathing. Far too often, we take quick and shallow breaths. This can lead to a higher blood pressure, as it constricts the blood vessels. That constriction slows our circulation, which also reduce the speed with which our immune system can respond to a problem.

Everything going on in your body is dependant upon a steady and regular circulation of blood. Anything that interferes with that circulation is unhealthy and needs to be resolved immediately. It can slow down healing and promote cancer.

The solution to this problem is really rather simple: commit five minutes, three times a day, to breathe deeply. You can do this while working, reading, driving, etc. You’ll probably find it most beneficial if you start your day and end your day with one of these five minute breathing exercises. To learn more ways to remain cancer-free, read Cancer Free For Life. Dr Magne has written in it the results of extensive studies and research that demonstrate the cancer can be healed without chemotherapy or surgery.

In close conjunction with the concept of deeper and more thorough breathing is the practice of relaxation with breathing exercises. This focuses solely on the action of breathing while you do it. Obviously, then, this requires that you not be driving or reading a book. Instead you simply find a comfortable place to sit, put yourself into the most comfortable sitting posture, and focus on your breathing.

To really focus on breathing during this time, you should focus your attention on your belly, as if you have a balloon in your stomach. Inhale, slowly, to fill the balloon and focus on the expansion happening in your stomach area. Hold the breath for a comfortable amount of time and exhale slowly, depleting the balloon in your stomach.

You’ll probably find out almost immediately that you feel a lot better…even if you didn’t realize you could! In the process, you are also strengthening your immune system, providing it with the necessary support to speed healing of cancer and wounds.

Cancer treatments can cause serious damage to the immune system. This damage opens you up to a wide-range of infections and diseases. If you are diagnosed with cancer, it’s important that you listen to what your physician tells you with an open mind. Don’t operate under the assumption that your doctor will know everything there is to know. Research all your other options, learn everything you can and take control of your own recovery. Your doctor doesn’t have the time to get to know you. Often the prognostic you receive is only the result of statistics and probabilities, but doesn’t take into account your own ability to recover and your will to live.

Even moderate exercise and deep breathing can save your life from cancer by speeding up your healing.

Treating Insomnia during Pregnancy

2007-03-09T05:08:00.000+03:00

Pregnancy is one of the most important, magic, and exciting periods in a woman’s life. It is not surprising, then, that a lot of women may experience sensations that they have never experienced in any other period of their lives. While most of these sensations are pleasant, there can also be some problems, and one of these problems may be insomnia.

In fact, it has been estimated that as many as 75% of all pregnant women suffer some kind of insomnia. The main cause of this is hormonal imbalance, although this is not the only cause.

Other reasons for insomnia in pregnant women might be the anxiety, or even panic, of realizing that they are moving into a different world in which they are about to take on the responsibilities of parenthood. Or it might simply be that sleep takes longer to come because they feel uncomfortable in bed due to their new body shape.

In all cases, if insomnia is a consequence of the pregnancy, it is always a good idea to visit your doctor and explain your problem. Most doctors are very reluctant to prescribe medications for insomnia during pregnancy, for obvious reasons. Moreover, it is not a good idea to begin taking strong medications – some of them with serious side effects, and others which may be habit inducing, like sleeping pills – for a disorder that will disappear as soon your baby is born.

So your doctor will almost certainly recommend simple changes in your lifestyle, or other, natural, remedies. However, beware of thinking that you can seek out natural remedies yourself, on the understanding that natural remedies are always mild and harmless. What may be mild and harmless for women under normal circumstances, may not be so harmless for your baby! Always consult your doctor before beginning any treatment – natural or otherwise.

If you’re having trouble falling asleep when you go to bed, some of the following tricks might work just before you go to bed: you can try having a warm (not hot) shower; you could light some scented candles; get your husband to give you a relaxing foot massage; or you could try listening to some soothing music that reminds you of pleasant memories or beautiful places you know and have visited.

The changes in your lifestyle that a doctor might suggest will be related above all to your eating and exercise habits. Obviously, you’ll be recommended not to eat much at night – it’s not a good idea to go to bed feeling hungry, but you should definitely have finished your digestion. And your doctor will probably recommend you to continue exercising: a good walk each day may be just what you – and your baby – need to get that good night’s sleep that you both deserve!

While insomnia during pregnancy is not so serious in itself, and in almost all cases will go away when your pregnancy is over, it should, however, be controlled. Insomnia – in everyone, not just in pregnant women – can lead to irritability and lack of concentration, which can be dangerous. Thus, any disorder that leads to drowsiness and lack of concentration should be treated, in order to avoid unwanted accidents, and this is especially important in the case of pregnant women.

Understanding Infertility Problems for Couples

2007-03-08T04:23:00.000+03:00

You and your spouse are happily married for 15 years now. Both of you have stable jobs, a dream house, several brand-new sedans, and a hard-earned fortune that you can be proud of to other people.

But there is one thing that bothers you both.

You do not have children to share all of these blessings and happiness with.

Although you love and understand each others very much, you are still bothered by the fact that you cannot have even a single child for over 15 years of your marriage with your spouse. If you didn’t bother for having a child on the early years of your marriage, now you are searching for a definite answer. You do not want to live the next 25 years without a child running to your arms and feeling your warm parental embrace.

At this point, you need not to ask who among the two of you (your spouse) has the incapacity, but rather what is the real condition of your respective reproductive systems. However, it is clear that both of you are victims of infertility.

Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system where any one or even both of you have the inability to conceive a child naturally. In the aforementioned case, you can say that they are plagued by infertility over the years because the diagnosis of such disease states that if a couple failed to conceive a child after a year of well-timed (the fertile period) and unprotected (without the usage of anti-pregnancy medications) sexual intercourse, then they are diagnosed with infertility.

In contrast to the popular belief that infertility is a "women’s problem", medical studies show that 40 percent of recorded infertility cases are due to male factor, another 40 percent due to female factor, and the remaining percentage of cases can be either a combined factor (that is, the couple has infertility problems) or the cause of infertility is unexplained. The latter condition is rare, though there are instances when both your reproductive systems functions normally yet you are having difficulty in conceiving a child.

Who is at risk on getting infertility problems? The following age groups are said to be falling under the infertility diagnosis:

Couples under 35 years of age and have tried to conceive a child but failed to do so after one year of well-timed and unprotected sexual intercourse.

Couples over 35 years of age and still trying to conceive a child but failed after 6 months of well-timed and unprotected sexual intercourse.

Couples over 30 years of age and have previous medical history of PID or pelvic inflammatory disease, repeated pregnancy loss, painful menstruation cycle, or the male partner suffers from low sperm count.

There are varieties of medications that you can take to combat infertility. This may include artificial insemination, ovulation inducers, and surgery, if necessary. However, it is recommended that you consult with your attending physicians first before taking any treatment plan that would address your infertility problem.

Infertility problem should be addressed by the couple themselves. This is not the time to pinpoint who is infertile. What matters most is that both of you agree to consult a physician and support whoever found out to be having infertility problems. It is both your concern, and should be resolved without hurting each other’s feeling. A child may just be a few years away from now, if you will act immediately

7 Reasons to Drink Green Tea

2007-03-07T03:46:00.000+03:00

The steady stream of good news about green tea is getting so hard to ignore that even java junkies are beginning to sip mugs of the deceptively delicate brew. You'd think the daily dose of disease-fighting, inflammation-squelching antioxidants - long linked with heart protection - would be enough incentive, but wait, there's more! Lots more.

CUT YOUR CANCER RISK
Several polyphenols - the potent antioxidants green tea's famous for - seem to help keep cancer cells from gaining a foothold in the body, by discouraging their growth and then squelching the creation of new blood vessels that tumors need to thrive. Study after study has found that people who regularly drink green tea reduce their risk of breast, stomach, esophagus, colon, and/or prostate cancer.

SOOTHE YOUR SKIN
Got a cut, scrape, or bite, and a little leftover green tea? Soak a cotton pad in it. The tea is a natural antiseptic that relieves itching and swelling. Try it on inflamed breakouts and blemishes, sunburns, even puffy eyelids. And that's not all. In the lab, green tea helps block sun-triggered skin cancer, whether you drink it or apply it directly to the skin - which is why you're seeing green tea in more and more sunscreens and moisturizers.

STEADY YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE
Having healthy blood pressure - meaning below 120/80 - is one thing. Keeping it that way is quite another. But people who sip just half a cup a day are almost 50 percent less likely to wind up with hypertension than non-drinkers. Credit goes to the polyphenols again (especially one known as ECGC). They help keep blood vessels from contracting and raising blood pressure.

PROTECT YOUR MEMORY, OR YOUR MOM'S
Green tea may also keep the brain from turning fuzzy. Getting-up-there adults who drink at least two cups a day are half as likely to develop cognitive problems as those who drink less. Why? It appears that the tea's big dose of antioxidants fights the free-radical damage to brain nerves seen in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

STAY YOUNG
The younger and healthier your arteries are, the younger and healthier you are. So fight plaque build-up in your blood vessels, which ups the risk of heart disease and stroke, adds years to your biological age (or RealAge), and saps your energy too. How much green tea does this vital job take? About 10 ounces a day, which also deters your body from absorbing artery-clogging fat and cholesterol.

LOSE WEIGHT
Oh yeah, one more thing. Turns out that green tea speeds up your body's calorie-burning process. In the every-little-bit-counts department, this is good news!

source : www.yahoo.com/health

THE CAUSES OF EPILEPSY

2007-03-06T04:01:00.000+03:00

Commonly known as a seizure disorder, epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition which causes seizures to arise often, and unprovoked. The word "Epilepsy" is named by the Greek. It means to "take hold of" or "to seize". Surgical methods are sometimes used to treat this condition, but medication is the general and more common method.

Not every cause of epilepsy is known to humans, but many probable factors have been identified. These factors include brian damage, head trauma, high fever, bacterial encephalitis, intoxication, acute disturbances of metabolism, brain tumor, and other penetrating wounds to the head. The largest cause of epilepsy, however, is hereditary or genetic.

Any person can endure an epileptic seizure under certian circumstances. The seizures can be provoked by drug overdoses, or in some cases even acute illness. The condition epilepsy, however, does not apply to these people. Epilepsy is defined by recurring, unprovoked seizures, although there is controversy over symptoms required to be diagnosed with the disease.

Only 1 percent of the worlds population suffers from epilepsy according to its criteria, however, it is estimated that there is a slightly higher percentage of actual conditions. Most of this percentage is found in persons under the age of 19, or over the age of 65. The diagnosis criteria for epileptics is widely controversial in the field of medicine. Partial - complex seizures can arguably be considered epileptic, which is why the controversy continues.

Source : http://www.epilepsyspot.com

VEGETABLE NUTRITION FOR A HEALTHY LIFE

2007-03-05T01:50:00.000+03:00

Fruit and vegetables are brimming with fibre, plus a whole range of vitamins and minerals, and because they're low in calories, they make an important and healthy addition to any diet. Here is some information for you about vegetable nutrition. "Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet, and for good reason.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss."5 A Day" is a national health programme in the USA and also in the UK to explain why you need vegetable nutrition as well as fruit and to encourage you to eat more servings of fruit and vegetables every day. People all over the world are becoming more and more aware of how important fruit nutrition and vegetable nutrition is to stay healthy.

In general, yellow and dark green vegetables are excellent sources of vitamin A. Green leafy vegetables are rich in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin C and many of the B vitamins. The greener the leaf, the richer the nutrients will be.

Here are some suggestions to think about color to pack nutritional power in your diet:

.White: Eat cauliflower more often than potatoes, onions and mushrooms.

· Green: Add more dark lettuces, such as romaine and red leaf lettuce, spinach, broccoli and Brussels sprouts to replace iceberg lettuce and green beans.

· Yellow-orange: Substitute more carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, oranges and grapefruit for corn or bananas.

· Red: Select tomatoes, red peppers and strawberries in favor of apples.

If you are trying to watch your weight, an idea is to make sure you are not eating too many calories if you are adding these foods to your diet. increasing the amounts of fruits and vegetables you eat can promote weight control, but only if they replace higher fat foods like ice cream, meat and chips to help you consume fewer calories. But if fruits and vegetables are simply added to what you already eat, total calories won't significantly drop and weight loss should not be expected.

The most important thing to do is to vary the fruit and vegetables that you eat from day to day. This is to give your body a variety but to also keep you interested in your food. There are always great new recipes, ideas and ways to make your food look and taste great!

THE AMAZING BENEFITS OF GARLIC !

2007-03-03T15:29:00.000+03:00

In this article I’ll be exploring the use of garlic for health. Nicknamed the ‘stinking rose’, this auspicious herb has been revered throughout history as a cure and natural treatment for all manor of conditions.

These include mosquito bites, wounds, heart disease, measles, tumors, snake bites, acne, colds, flu and even vampires!

Garlic’s health benefits are substantiated by a wealth of modern day research that confirms its anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. It is also a powerful antioxidant and immune booster with anti-inflammatroy properties.

Scientific studies reveal benefits for diabetes, cancer and heart disease. It's heart health traits include lowering bad cholesterol and blood pressure, aiding circulation and preventing against stroke.

Garlic’s might is largely due to the sulfur compounds it contains, such as allicin. Garlic also houses vitamin C, B6, selenium, magnesium, potassium, calcium and manganese and flavonoids.

The sulphur compound allicin provides not only many of the notable benefits of garlic, but also its notorious odour. Allicin is formed during the chemistry of chopping, crushing and chewing garlic, the more thorough the milling, the more allicin is created. Allicin has antibiotic, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties, and the reason why garlic has been used for skin infections such as Athletes’s foot, herpes and warts, digestive and lung infections such as diarrhea, coughs and colds, and Candida yeast and other microbes.

Allicin begins to degrade once produced and on cooking, so eating garlic raw and soon after chopping ensures the assimilation of optimum levels of this compound.

Garlic also contains diallyl sulphides, which, whilst not anti-fungal like allicin, are reportedly good for the blood and circulation, lowering bad cholesterol and boosting the immune system.

Rats that were put on a diet featuring both allicin and diallyl sulphides had a substantial increase in their levels of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione-S-transferase. This mighty enzyme produced within the body is incredibly important in helping to rid the body of toxins, drugs and carcinogens. Increasing levels of this and other phase II enzymes may be one way garlic helps to prevent against cancer, enhancing the elimination of potential carcinogens from the body. This also makes garlic great for a natural body detox.

Garlic as Anti-Inflammatory

The sulfur compounds in garlic have been found to have anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the activity of inflammatory enzymes. Along with vitamin C this can make garlic a protection against the pain associated with arthritis and asthma attacks.

Garlic for the Heart

garlic is renowned for its abilities to lower cholesterol and blood pressure naturally and protect against heart disease and stroke. Garlic has also been found to stimulate the production of nitric oxide in blood vessels aiding their dilation, and assist the body’s ability to dissolve blood clots (fibrinolyisis).

The antioxidant properties of garlic can also protect against cardiovascular disease by inhibiting the oxidation of bad cholesterol which would otherwise build up in artery walls. Further, folate in garlic is known to protect the cardiovascular system.

Garlic for Cancer Prevention

Population studies have revealed that eating garlic regularly, along with other alliums such as onions chives and scallions, reduces the risk of oesophageal, colon and stomach cancer. This may be due to garlic’s ability to reduce the formation of carcinogenic compounds. Garlic’s sulfur compounds such as allicin and ajeone have been found to stop the growth of various cancers in animal laboratory studies, including skin, stomach, colon, breast and oral cancer. Garlic also contains the powerful antioxidant mineral selenium, known for its anti-cancer properties.

Garlic for Diabetes

Some of the damage that can result from the degenerative effects of diabetes such as diseases of the kidney, retina and nervous system, may be deterred by garlic. Rats that were given a drug that would induce similar diabetic-effects in the body, namely an increase in blood sugar, cholesterol and damaged fats and a reduction in the body’s antioxidants, experienced fewer negative effects from the drug and an increase in antioxidant levels when given a daily dose of garlic oil.

Research then, has indicated garlic health benefits against bacteria, fungi and viruses, inflammation (as with arthritis), cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol levels.

Garlic - Natural Cure for Common Ailments

Garlic is an all round disease-preventive, and can be used as a natural treatment cure for common ailments such as acne, colds and flu, herpes and wrinkles due to its natural antioxidant and anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. Crush a clove or two of garlic into warm water and drink twice a day though be careful on an empty stomach if you are sensitive to garlic. This also serves as a natural body detox. If your skin is not over sensitive to garlic it can also be applied directly to acne spots or herpes. I find it very effective as a cure for oral herpes (cold-sores). If you have high cholesterol level, use garlic regularly in you’re your food as this will lower your cholesterol level naturally.(obviously along with avoiding a high cholesterol diet).

To summarise…

Garlic Benefits

• Garlic boosts your immune system.

• Garlic is anti-aging, its antioxidant power neutralizing free radicals that procure aging and disease.

• Garlic helps reduce plaque build up (atherosclerotic heart disease).

• Garlic thins the blood and helps to prevent blood clots (fibrinolyisis) hence reducing the risk of strokes.

• Garlic helps to prevent cancer, particularly of the digestive system, and reduces the size and arrests the growth of certain tumors.

• Garlic lowers and regulates blood sugar levels.

• Garlic helps to remove heavy metals such as lead and mercury from the body - natural body detoxification.

• Garlic is anti-inflammatory.

• Garlic (raw, containing allicin) is a natural antibiotic and can kill even drug resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA as well as Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium known to cause stomach ulcers and implicated in stomach cancer.

• Garlic is anti-fungal and reduces yeast infections in body parts

WHAT CAUSES WRINKLES

2007-03-02T11:53:00.000+03:00

None of us wants to get wrinkles. But most of us get wrinkles. a face full of wrinkles looks old and tired. After all is lost we think of surgery and use exotic preparations to remove the wrinkles. Quiz if you will get them. If the answer is found yes, correct the habits now and stop wrinkles.

Ageing brings its share of wrinkles. But sun exposure is the biggest culprit. If you protect yourself totally from sun you will not develop noticeable wrinkles. Getting tanned in the sun is the worst culprit. Many of us get sun burnt. But since we do not find any immediate threat we repeat these habits. We will not only get wrinkles but may also develop skin cancer. Do you move out in the sun in the afternoons without sunscreens? Do you wear sunglasses regularly? Do you think that a cloudy day is safe? Do you cover yourself with clothes when you move out? Clouds allow most of UV radiation. What about beach? Do you love going to beach and getting tanned? Water reflects sunlight and UV intensity near water is much more. Protect yourself from the sun.

Smoking is another culprit. Those who smoke are prone to get more wrinkles. How about skin type? If you have dry skin you will get more wrinkles. Quiz all your habits and find out if you will grow into a person full of wrinkles?

HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE

2007-03-01T10:24:00.000+03:00

Coffee provides more than just a morning jolt; that steaming cup of java is also the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet, according to a new
study by researchers at the University of Scranton ( Pa. ). Their study was described today at the 230th national meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society.

"Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close," says study leader Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at the university. Although fruits in addition, vegetables are generally promoted as good sources of antioxidants, the new finding is surprising because it represents the first time that coffee has been
shown to be the primary source from which most Americans get their antioxidants, Vinson says. Both caffeinated and decaf versions appear to provide similar antioxidant levels, he adds.

He cautions that high antioxidant levels in foods and beverages do not necessarily translate into levels found in the body. The potential health benefits of these antioxidants ultimately depends on how they are absorbed and utilized in the body, a process that is still poorly understood, says Vinson, whose study was primarily funded by the American Cocoa Research Institute.

The news follows a growing number of reports touting the potential health benefits of drinking coffee. It also comes at an appropriate time: Coffee consumption is on the rise in the United States and over half of Americans drink it everyday, according to the National Coffee Association.

Antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. For the current
study, Vinson and his associates analyzed the antioxidant content of more than 100 different foods items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices,
oils and common beverages. The data was compared to an existing U.S. Department of Agriculture database on the contribution of each type of food item to the average estimated U.S. per capita consumption.

Coffee came out on top, on the combined basis of both antioxidants per serving size and frequency of consumption, Vinson says. Java easily outranked such
popular antioxidant sources as tea, milk, chocolate in addition, cranberries, he says. Of all the foods and beverages studied, dates actually have the most
antioxidants of all based solely on serving size, according to Vinson. But since dates are not consumed at anywhere near the level of coffee, the blue ribbon
goes to our favorite morning pick-me-up as the number one source of antioxidants, he says.

Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson's disease, according to some recently published studies. But there is also a downside: Java can make you jittery and cause stomach pains, while some studies have tied it to elevated blood pressure and heart rates. More research is needed, particularly human studies, to firmly establish its health benefits, Vinson say. While the findings would seem to encourage people to go out and drink more coffee, Vinson emphasizes moderation. "One to two cups a day appear to be beneficial," he says. If you don't like coffee, consider drinking black tea, which is the second most consumed antioxidant source in the U.S. diet, Vinson says. Bananas, dry beans and corn placed third, fourth fifth, respectively.

But don't forget about fresh fruits and veggies, the researcher cautions. "Unfortunately, consumers are still not eating enough fruits and vegetables, which are better for you from an overall nutritional point of view due to their higher content of vitamins, minerals and fiber," Vinson says. Dates, cranberries in addition, red grapes are among the top fruits for antioxidants on the basis of concentration (antioxidants per serving size), he says.

DRINK WATER ON EMPTY STOMACH

2007-03-01T09:36:00.000+03:00

It is popular in Japan today to drink water immediately after waking up every morning. Furthermore, scientific tests have provena its value. We publish below a description of use of water for our readers. For old and serious diseases as well as modern illnesses the water treatment had been found successful by a Japanese medical society as a 100% cure for the following diseases:

Headache, body ache, heart system, arthritis, fast heart beat, epilepsy, excess fatness, bronchitis asthma, TB, meningtitis, kidney and urine disea ses, vomiting, gastritis, diarrhoea, piles, diabetes, constipation, all eye diseases, womb, cancer and menstrual disorders, ear nose and throat diseases.

METHOD OF TREATMENT

1. As you wake up in the morning before brushing teeth, drink 4 x 160ml glasses of water

2. Brush and clean the mouth but do not eat or drink anything for 45 minutes

3. After 45 minutes you may eat and drink as normal.

4. After 15 minutes of breakfast, lunch and dinner do not eat or drink anything for two hours

5. Those who are old or sick and are unable to drink 4 glasses of water at the beginning may commence by taking little water and gradually increase it to 4 glasses per day.

6. The above method of treatment will cure diseases of the sick and others can enjoy a healthy life.

The following list gives the number of days of
treatment required to cure main diseases:

1. High Blood Pressure - 30 days

2. Gastric - 10 days

3. Diabetes - 30 days

4. Constipation - 10 days

5. Cancer - 180 days

6. TB - 90 days

Arthritis patients should follow the above treatment for only 3 days. In the 1st week to be followed by daily treatment. This treatment method has no side effects, however at the commencement of treatment you
may have to urinate a few times.

Is There a Hope For an Arthritis Cure?

2007-02-28T11:07:00.001+03:00

There is no cure for arthritis. It sounds grim, but this is the plain truth. You can do a lot before arthritis sets in. However, once it damages the cartilage, there is no way this process can be reversed; hence there is no arthritis cure. This is why the diagnosis of arthritis can be quite traumatic for most people who immediately conjure pictures in their mind of terribly misshapen fingers and body as a result of this disease and a permanent date with pain.

There is no need for things to be like that. Though the modern medicine has not really found a permanent arthritis cure, there are ways and means by which the effects of the disease can be slowed down, the pain reduced and thus add a good number of qualitative years to your life.

You Can Prevent if Not Cure Arthritis

1. Use water to delay the damage - At the earliest signs of trouble, you make water your best friend ever. Cartilage damage is mostly due to the squeezing out of the synovial fluid which keeps the cartilage moist and lubricated. The liquid gets squeezed out everytime the joint is used, and due to lack of water the synovial fluid cannot get regenerated, thus resulting in friction between the cartilages. Drink at least eight glasses of water daily in order to prevent this from happening.

2. Keep them moving – the saying ‘use it or lose it’ cannot be more apt than in this context. When the joints start feeling pain, it means that the damage is setting in; many people out of fear of the pain stop moving as much as possible. They would stop walking, exercising and even doing household chores. In this way the joints would literally get stiff, and when forced to move, the cartilage would be as brittle as ever. For arthritis relief, there are special exercises in water, called aquatic exercises which are formulated to relieve such pain.

3. Yoga and pain relief in arthritis – yoga has proved again and again that it is the most efficient for controlling the pain and even reversing the capacity to move certain limbs and affected joints. Yoga can be practiced by anyone and everyone. However, in order for this system to work, you should be regular and you should perform the asanas correctly.

It is true that there is indeed no arthritis cure; however, if one is careful, and lives within a given disciplined regime, the effects of this disease can be reduced to a very large extent

6 Questions and Answers To Help Prepare You to Go through Menopause

2007-02-27T06:59:00.000+03:00

Are you or a loved one approaching the time of life many women fear -- menopause? If so, you probably have questions about this sensitive subject.

Here are 6 answers to help you go through menopause as comfortably as possible:

1. Why is menopause a puzzling time of life?

Before reaching the change of life, many women don't know what to expect. That can be scary! There are horror stories floating around that can make women unnecessarily apprehensive, but you need to know that menopause is a normal part of your journey through life.

2. At about what age does menopause begin?

Most women cease having periods between the ages of 45 to 55. However, menopause can be induced earlier by surgery.

3. What are some of the symptoms?

During the early stages of menopause, called perimenopause, a woman's menstrual cycle becomes irregular. When menopause has been completed, a woman no longer has periods at all. One of the most widespread symptoms of menopause is hot flashes and a high percentage of menopausal women have them. Some women experience feelings of depression while they are going through menopause and mood swings can accompany the change of life.

4. What about hair loss during and after menopause?

Hair loss sometimes occurs to some women with the aging process. This is one of the most distressing side effects of menopause. However, there are a lot of women who don't lose their hair during this transitional period in their lives. Some women have higher levels of the hormones that cause hair thinning. If you are experiencing hair loss, you should check with your doctor about treatment options.

5. Are there any special nutrition recommendations for women going through menopause?

You might want to consider adding soy products to your diet to assist your estrogen levels. Be sure to get enough vitamin A to help your skin and hair to be as healthy as possible. Health food stores offer a variety of herbal extracts to help with menopausal symptoms.

6. What medical help is available while you're going through menopause?

Your doctor may prescribe treatment options to help lessen disturbing side effects of the change of life. A combination of estrogen and progestin may be recommended by your doctor -- if you don't have a history of breast cancer in your family. There are treatments to help you if you are suffering from hot flashes that disturb your sleep and other symptoms as well

Although cessation of menstruation can be a puzzling time dreaded by many women, there are a number of advantages to this period of your life's story. It's a new chapter opening before you! You will probably be able to enjoy greater freedom than ever before to pursue interests you could not pursue before because of family responsibilities. Why not investigate new opportunities and challenges in this new chapter of your life!

Complete Lists of DXN Article

2007-02-27T02:42:00.000+03:00

Complete Lists of Pregnancy Article

2007-02-27T02:13:00.000+03:00

Complete Lists of Diseases and Conditions Article

2007-02-27T01:42:00.000+03:00

Complete Lists Weight Loss and Nutritions Articles

2007-02-27T01:29:00.000+03:00

Complete List of Health Care Articles

2007-02-27T00:22:00.001+03:00

Foot Massage Lesson

2007-02-26T10:38:00.001+03:00

Is It Safe To Exercise During Pregnancy?

2007-02-26T09:46:00.000+03:00

Many women are nervous about doing anything that may harm their baby, but exercise is recommended for uncomplicated pregnancy women and it is a good idea to get some exercises everyday.

Moderate exercise is helpful because it improves the mother’s mental status and provide health benefits for the baby that include increasing oxygen flow to the fetus and decreasing risk of trauma for both baby and mother during birth. Some studies have shown that exercise can reduce the length of labour, shorten the recovery time, and even help with postpartum weight management.

The types of exercise that pregnant women should do are

· Aerobic exercises such as swimming and walking. These exercises will increase the heart rate and pump oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

· Kegels exercises (Pelvic floor exercises). These exercises are very important because they decrease risk of tearing of the perineum during birth and help to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which tend to loosen after labour. All the pregnant women need to do is squeeze their pelvic muscles for a few minutes everyday.

· Flexibility exercise such as yoga that is the good way to improve the flexibility and this type of exercise is very popular in pregnant women. However, not all Yoga exercises are safe for pregnant women. Look for a prenatal Yoga class that is tailored to pregnant moms.

There are recognized contraindications for exercising during pregnant such as incompetence cervix, intrauterine growth retardation, pregnancy induced hypertension, preterm labour (during previous pregnancy), early contractions, vaginal bleeding and premature rupture of the membranes.

What should the pregnant women be careful about?
· Avoid exercising at extreme altitude or in hot, humid environments because it is critical that the pregnant women become overheated.

· Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.

· Avoid activities that increase the risk of falls or injury, such as contact sports or vigorous sports.

· Avoid long periods of standing.

· Avoid contact sports and activities that quickly change the center of gravity.

· Wear good exercise shoes to help support the back and ankles.

Before starting any exercise program, the pregnant women should first discuss their plans with their doctor and have regular appointments with their health care provider.

What problems should the pregnant women tell their doctor about?

Shortness of breath
Severe headache
Dizziness
Dim or blurry vision
Sudden or severe abdominal or vaginal pain
Contractions that go on for 30 minutes.
Chest pain and palpitation.
Blood or fluid coming from the vagina
Muscle weakness
Calf pain or swelling
Decreased movement of the baby

News of Ganoderma

2007-02-26T08:40:00.000+03:00

The article is written by 'The Edge' (It is a weekly hot selling newspaper in Malaysia) after having an interview session with DXN CEO Dr.Lim Siow Jin.
Corporate News: DXN prospers on mushrooms By Isa Ismail

When Dr Lim Siow Jin introduced his locally produced Ganoderma extracts and health care products to pharmacies and herb shops in his home state of Kedah, he found that there were few takers.

Ganoderma is a species of mushroom that is more popularly known among the Chinese community as Lingzhi and is believed to have properties that can cure a host of illnesses from coronary diseases to ulcers and depression.
Lim has found a way to mass-produce the mushroom and its end-products locally with local content.

"But consumers just couldn't believe that Ganoderma could be produced in a place like Kedah," exclaims Lim. "When you talk about Ganoderma, people think that it comes from nowhere else but Japan, China and Taiwan."
Numerous rejections from sceptical consumers inevitably led Lim to come up with the idea of multi-level marketing (MLM). This set the direction for Lim and the establishment of his company DXN Holdings Bhd, as it got off the ground in the early 1990s.

"Compared with reading the labels on our products, MLM is more convincing because through word of mouth we can better explain how good our products are," Lim says in an interview with The Edge. "Ganoderma produced in Malaysia is as good as that produced in East Asia."

Evidently, DXN's products have found acceptance in the local market, enabling the company to be listed soon on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.
But still there were challenges.

How was DXN going to compete with the brand image of Ganoderma products from Japan and China? Lim says the answer came in the form of recognition for cleanliness and safety.

"One of the ways was to set up a good manufacturing practice (GMP)-certified factory," Lim explains. "This is a factory with a modern set-up that meets the standards set by authorities like the Drug Control Authority of Malaysia."

After DXN had established its processing facilities, the next step was the marketing strategy. Lim started small, recruiting members from Kedah and elsewhere in the country. But by 1995, he says, business boomed. DXN came up with many different products containing Ganoderma besides offering it in tablet form. Among these products are DXN's 3-in-1 Lingzhi coffee, toothpaste and cosmetics.

"We may not be the only Ganoderma mushroom producer in the country but we are certainly the largest in terms of capacity," Lim claims. "We are a complete company in the sense that we do the cultivation, processing and marketing of Ganoderma. We not only sell our products locally but also sell to the whole world. We already have branches in 11 countries."

Lim began to dabble in cultivating Ganoderma as a hobby in the early 1980s. His father was a herbalist and the two of them had a keen interest in this mushroom. They, too, thought that Ganoderma, like Ginseng, could only be found in China and Japan.

"But in the 1980s, we found Ganoderma in our own jungles," recalls Lim. "It was great news to us as Ganoderma is a better herb than Ginseng. So in 1984, we went into the jungle to get the mushroom. We used tissue culture to acclimatise the mushroom for commercial cultivation. We did a lot of toxicity tests to ascertain that what we had found was really Ganoderma."

By the late 1980s, Lim was already producing Ganoderma on a small scale. His Ganoderma extracts were introduced to friends and family members who found that the mushhroom was very effective.

"[But] it was not easy to cultivate Ganoderma," explains Lim. "First you need to get the seeds, or more accurately called 'spawn', and then we had to work out what materials to use to grow the mushroom.

"Books will tell you that you need cotton wood sawdust, wheat bran. But in Kedah, we only have rubber wood and rice and so we used rubber wood sawdust and rice bran. The only foreign materials that we needed were barley and corn. We only required a small amount but they are easily available in the market."
As almost all of DXN's raw materials were sourced locally, Lim's products were selling at a third of the price of imported Ganoderma. And this helped DXN gain a foothold in the market.

DXN registered net profits in the region of RM15 million for the financial years ending February 2002 and 2003. Turnover during these periods hovered around RM120 million.

Sales in Malaysia only contributed about 20 per cent of the company's total turnover. Its largest foreign market is the Philippines, which contributes about 43 per cent. DXN's most popular product is the 3-in-1 Lingzhi coffee, accounting for 74 per cent of the company's total sales.

"Our coffee was the first product that actually ran out of stock," says Lim. "Our members in the Philippines had sold all their Lingzhi coffee and we had to rush our production to meet the demand."

Today, the company has up to two million members under its MLM scheme.
Its products have won over not only the Chinese community and foreigners but also non-Chinese Malaysians.

"A good-quality product will eventually bring in the customers," Lim says.

Positions to Get Pregnant

2007-02-25T17:02:00.000+03:00

Do you want to maximize your chances by using certain positions to get pregnant? This is a consideration that many couples make when they are planning a pregnancy to start their families. This question is not new. Many cultures around the world advocate special positions that help couples in their quest to get pregnant. The suggestions for these positions vary widely by culture, so they may not be very credible. However, there are some positions that have been shown by the scientific world to slightly improve your chances of conception, so you may want to employ them during your efforts.

If you are trying to get pregnant, these positions might be worth a try, however, it is not one of the most significant factors in determining whether or not you get pregnant. It is the woman’s ovulation combined with successful sexual intercourse that result in pregnancy. Most likely, whatever you are already doing will do the job.

One position that has been shown to slightly improve the chance of conception is intercourse with the man on top, the so-called “missionary position.” This position naturally allows the man to ejaculate into the woman, with the semen flowing toward her uterus. This can be helpful for some couples who are trying to get pregnant.

Another position that can help you to get pregnant is any one of the positions that allow the couple to climax simultaneously. When a woman experiences an orgasm, the muscles of her vagina and uterus contract rapidly, helping the sperm to be drawn into the uterus. If the man ejaculates at the same time that she experiences orgasm, then this muscular action is utilized to increase the chances for conception. This fact is a strong argument to persuade you to continue with whatever positions that you as a couple both enjoy. If you can orgasm at the same time in a particular position, then this may increase your chances of getting pregnant.

One final consideration for positions that can help you to get pregnant is whether or not the semen leaks out immediately. If the semen is immediately flushed from the area after intercourse, this may reduce the chances of conceiving a baby at that time. Loss of the semen definitely does not make it impossible to get pregnant, but it may reduce the chances, and you are trying to maximize your chances.

It should be noted that sperm are capable of swimming, so you do not necessarily need to help them reach the uterus. They are naturally made to be able to accomplish this without any extra help. For the most part, trying some different positions with your partner in order to get pregnant provides more fun than scientific advantage.

Masturbate and Lose Weight

2007-02-25T08:03:00.000+03:00

A lot of unnecessary eating occurs while you are home alone. When you are solo and tempted to snack at home, first try these five Solo Sex tips instead:

All you can try with no portion control. Solo Sex Weight Loss is not about calories counts and food restrictions. It’s about having fun.” These five tips are the easiest and most pleasant way to lose weight and also to reduce stress.

1. Strip naked, pull the bedcovers down, lie down then recall in detail for 5 minutes the best time you had great sex. You concentration on your fantasy (as well as your growing sexual excitement) will distract you from thoughts of food. And raise your metabolism, too.

2. Perhaps, begin to masturbate, perhaps to an orgasm that leaves your body totally unaware of and unconcerned about food. Sip cold water as you calm down.

3. Perhaps, with or without masturbation or orgasm, take a nap. Upon awakening, brush your teeth and tongue well, to provide the taste buds with a non-food treat. Be sure to brush your tongue at length. Follow this with a non-caloric drink if you like.

4. Fully dressed, put on a soft or hard-core video while watching from the couch or bed. Perhaps you’ll strip, get a vibrator, masturbate, reach orgasm, nap perhaps none of that. At least, you are not thinking of snacking. Again, perhaps include a non-caloric drink.

5. Go to the refrigerator, but not for food. Take a pen and paper to write your two affirmations you are going to post with two magnet-held. Take a non-caloric drink, then go lie down on your bed. Contemplate at length and write the two affirmations on what are more important in your life than food: something you want more than food (such as: • I want to be thin and pretty woman to attract men; I care about my relationship with a good man than food • I want to feel good about myself by losing weight more than food

Foot Pain Relief

2007-02-24T02:41:00.001+03:00

Top 3 Reasons Why You Suffer From Pain In The Back Of The Knee

2007-02-23T11:08:00.000+03:00

Pain behind the knee is something many of us have or might experience if we play sports that involve bending at the knees, running, tennis, or any activity that puts strain on the area.

Here are some things you need to keep in mind if you ever experience such pain behind the knee:

1. Possible Arthritis

This is one of the most common causes of pain in the knee. In fact, if you are over the age of 65 one in two of you have arthritis with the knee been one of the most common joints involved.

The pain of arthritis is usually a dull tooth ache pain that is occasionally sharp with sudden movements. The pain is usually located over your joint line (where the tibia meets the femur) and in the front of the knee. Mild and sometimes severe swelling is associated with this pain. The pain is worse when you exit a chair or car. It is also worse with any prolonged walking or standing. The pain is usually better with rest, heat (sometimes ice), wrapping the knee and pain medication.

Occasionally the knee may catch on the rough uneven surfaces of your cartilage. Patients often complain of grinding in the knee, and occassional popping.

2. Minor Tear of the Cartilage Surface

Rather then a cyst or fluid build-up, the causes of the pain behind the knee might simply be slight micro tears in the cartilage. This can be treated with the same solutions at the end of this article. Tears, if minor, require no surgery and will heal on their own depending on the time allowed for healing and if the activity that aggravates it is avoided.

3. Baker's Cyst The cyst usually occurs due to some other problem in your knee such as arthritis or even a tear of your meniscus. The swelling from this problem causes fluid to build up in your knee. This fluid pushes out the weakest point of your joint capsule surrounding your knee. This is usually to the back portion of your knee capsule, and a cyst forms. The cyst has a valve made out of your joint capsule tissue. This valve can sometimes become clogged and the fluid becomes trapped in the cyst. Thus, even when the injury has resolved, you still have the swelling in the back of your knee. This is associated with pain usually described as dull and aching. The pain is worse with prolonged walking or standing. It is sometimes improved with rest, elevation and taking pain medication.

Many people agree that when it comes to pain behind the knee, the best plan of action is Control, Avoid, and Rehabilitate.

The Health Benefits Of Ginger

2007-02-22T12:08:00.000+03:00

Ginger is a culinary spice known to add its pungent taste and aroma to whatever dish it is added to. It has a long history as a culinary spice and medicinal herb for thousands of years in Asia, and has been exported to the West thanks to Eastern traders. Since then it has become a staple in most kitchens around the world.

I. History Of Ginger

Ginger or Zangiber officinale in Latin, is an aromatic underground stem or rhizome. This plant has a long history in Asian cuisine for thousands of years. Indigenous to China, it was used as a culinary spice for more than 4,400 years. Its medicinal value was sought after; for more than 2,000 years it has been recognized as a cure against diarrhea, nausea and stomach upset. Its use became widespread in India, under the

Muslim rule, when it was used in preparing meat dishes, and even buttermilk and curd products.

During the time of Roman Empire, ginger was brought by Eastern traders to Rome for its medicinal properties. Even when the Roman Empire fell, and when Arab merchants controlled the trade of spices and herbs, it was constantly exported to Europe. By the 16th century the Arabs brought the rhizome to East Africa to plant it there, and introduced it to the Carribean.

II. Culinary Uses Of Ginger

You may be wondering about the taste and smell of ginger. It has phenylpropanoids (gingerol and zingerone) and diarylheptanoids (gingeroles and shoagoles) - compounds that are responsible for its distinct taste. When cooked, gingerol transforms into zingerone, which has a less pungent, spicy-sweet aroma.

Ginger is a common ingredient when meat dishes are cooked, as it acts as a tenderizer to soften the meat. In the West, ginger acts as a flavoring in baked goodies like ginger cake, ginger biscuits, and in drinks like ginger ale.

II. Health Benefits Of Ginger

Modern medical science has proven its efficacy in treating nausea and motion sickness. In one study, for example, 80 novice sailors prone to motion sickness were made to take powdered ginger. The subjects showed significant reduction in cold sweating and in vomiting.

It is also seen as a more effective aid for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting compared to placebo. In one large study composed of 70 pregnant women with severe vomiting and nausea, those who took 1 g of ginger each day had reported less vomiting and being less nauseous, against those who took placebo.

Ginger contains antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in certain food like garlic, green tea, coffee, red wine and apples.

These are responsible for fighting free radicals which naturally occur inside the body, and which contribute to the development of health problems such as heart disease and cancer.

Aside from that, it acts as a natural anti inflammatory in health problems like arthritis, ulcerative colitis, bursitis and bronchitis.

While no major side effects are associated with taking ginger as a medicinal herb, caution is advised to those with gallstones. Consult your physician first before taking it.

A 2 Minute Chinese Weight Loss Secret

2007-02-22T09:49:00.000+03:00

The conventional methods for losing weight and flattening the abs are often tedious and they simply don’t work, they require a lot of sacrifice and are very expensive, each day there is a new book on how to lose those inches!To show you a simple way to remove fat from your belly-it is a simple 5000 year old Chinese method that tales just two minutes of your time!

To begin this exercise lie on your back. Now put the palm of your hands on your navel- then simply rub it as follows.

Use your right hand, then rub clockwise from the center, that is from right to left, first in small circles, then increase the circles until the upper and lower abs are being rubbed when you have covered both the lower and upper abs, reverse the movement counter clockwise , this time the circle gets smaller with each and every counter clockwise rotation until you are back at the navel.

Do not apply force, you want a simple gentle rub, when you get to the navel, repeat from the start again, do this 10-12 times

What is happening when you apply your right hand on your belly and you are performing the clockwise movement, is that your chi- invincible energy is being passed from the hands through the skin to your belly, so as you go in circles, you are applying energy to the muscles of the stomach.

To make this exercise more effective visualize the energy from the hands going through the skin to your belly, gently massaging and burning fat off your abdominal area.

This electricity from your hands- your chi- massages your intestines, your blood vessels and your digestive and bowl system

Fat accumulations are disturbed from their resting place and broken up, where it is passed into the bowl system and eliminated.

This way your stubborn fat is burned away simply by rubbing away!

But there is another benefit- when you rub your abs in a clockwise position you are encouraging proper bowl movement, this relives constipation and allows you to have the proper bowl movements/ Constipation is what usually causes water retention, and weight gain (fat deposit!)

So if you suffer from constipation, this exercise will allow you to have regular bowl movements which will allow you to lose those last few stubborn pounds.

Benefit of Yoga

2007-02-22T08:03:00.000+03:00

Medical conditions can be vastly improved through the benefit of yoga. Yoga can lessen the negative effects of such conditions as lung disease, Parkinson's, insomnia, high blood pressure multiple sclerosis, and even joint pain. The benefit of yoga is being recognized today as a viable alternative not only by the yoga community, but by many medical doctors.Stress is the leading cause in many illnesses today. An astonishing factor in today's world is noted by the Surgeon General who estimates that "80 percent of the people who die of non traumatic causes actually die of stress diseases". In this fast paced world, it is little wonder that people are turning to alternative solutions.

The use of the benefit of yoga is just one such solution. Since stress is developed in the mind, it is only natural that conditions such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, several auto-immune diseases, some types of diabetes mellitius, some cardio-vascular diseases, and irritable bowel syndrome would be at the forefront of human conditions and the quality of life today.

Outside stress is reflected in the reaction of our nervous system. The input stimuli, known as "Fight or flight" affects both our metabolism and well being. When faced with danger, whether real or imagined, the mind prepares the body for execution of one of these two conditions. Manifestation is in the form of increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and the shutting down of unnecessary bodily functions, such as digestion. All systems are focused on one of two things - either "flight" or "fight." Breathing becomes shallow, muscles tense in anticipation of action, and blood flow to vital organs is decreased. The digestive and elimination process shuts down. This can be a good thing - our body is prepared to defend itself. However, problems arise when this condition is long term. The "flight or fight" scenario is only meant to be a very short term event. One can see that long term exposure to this situation will have very adverse effects on the body. Yoga can change that.

In nature, the countermeasure for "fight or flight" is known as the "relaxation response" or parasympathetic nervous system. The main nerves of the parasympathetic system are the tenth cranial nerves, or the vagus nerves. They originate in the medulla oblongata. Parasympathetic stimulation causes a slowing down of the heartbeat, lowering of blood pressure, increased blood flow to the skin and viscera, and peristalsis of the GI tract - the exact opposite of "fight or Flight" symptoms. Yoga induces this response by teaching the pupil to breathe deeply and relax muscles. The benefit of yoga is clear. The body recovers faster, and the harmful effects of stress are reduced.

Yoga subscribes to the theory that by using breathing and relaxation techniques, the harmful effects of stress on the body can be eliminated, or at the very least greatly reduced. Through meditation and calming of the spirit, yoga teaches us to face the situation of "fight or flight" from a threat to a challenge. One is able through practice to focus on finding a solution, rather than creating an immediate response to the stimuli. One learns to be proactive, and take care of the stressors in their lives.

The benefit of yoga is undeniable. By utilizing the techniques of this ancient practice, anyone can achieve the balance and harmony so needed in their lives. Remember, however, that just one thing is not the solution to all of life's problems. By combining yoga with the miracles of modern medicine and traditional healing remedies, the average person in today's world will enjoy a longer, happier life.

How To Prevent Stretch Marks During Pregnancy In 8 Easy Steps

2007-02-20T10:03:00.000+03:00

Did you know that it is said that 75-90 percent of all pregnant women develop stretch marks when pregnant? Apart from all the other factors that pregnant women may have to look forward to - like weight gain, fatigue, morning sickness, back aches and getting up all night to go to the toilet - stretch marks are a very real possibility for every pregnant women.Stretch marks can occur on the breasts, abdomen, arms and legs and are most likely to appear during the sixth or seven month of your pregnancy. Whether you are likely to get stretch marks during pregnancy depends on the amount of your weight gain, your genes, your homes and what you have done to prevent stretch marks during the pregnancy.

There are many things you can do - including home remedies for stretch mark prevention - to lower the chance of you getting stretch marks when pregnant.

Here are some simple ways to prevent stretch marks during pregnancy:

1. Drink plenty of water during pregnancy. Though this may have the downside of meaning that you are constantly on the toilet, by keeping your body hydrated you are also keeping your skin hydrated.

2. Eat plenty of fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, healthy oils and low fat foods. Vitamins that are particularly great contributors to the appearance of the quality of your skin are Vitamins C, E, A and zinc - though foods rich in Vitamin A are best avoided during pregnancy.

3. Try not to gain too much weight during pregnancy. If you have a more steady weight gain your skin will stretch slowly and naturally thus lessening the chances of having stretch marks.

4. Increase circulation to the areas prone to stretch marks - abdomen, arms, legs, breasts for example - by using a body brush or a wash cloth to gently massage those areas.

5. Make sure your diet is balanced and nutritional. If you believe your diet could be improved then be sure to take vitamins which are critical for your overall wellbeing and that of your baby but also your skin, hair and teeth.

6. Make sure your skin is moisturized throughout your pregnancy but also after the birth of your baby till you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. There are many stretch mark creams and oils that can help prevent stretch marks while pregnant. Vitamin E oil is a very popular massage oil during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. These stretch marks creams and stretch mark oils have been specifically designed to keep your skin taut and firm during pregnancy.

7. Check with your doctor to see if you can undertake some mild forms of exercise during your pregnancy. Keeping your body in ship-shape and toned condition is a great way to make the most of what the body has to offer, also for your skin! Ensure that you include enough portions of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in your diet to feel and look your best and to reduce the chance of getting stretch marks during pregnancy.

8. Avoid stress as much as possible when pregnant. Making sure you have relaxing periods to yourself and reduce your stress levels will result in less stress on your skin. All of the above can contribute to your health, well-being but also the condition of your body and skin and ultimately lower your chances of getting stretch marks when pregnant.

However, stretch mark prevention does not stop after you have given birth. You are also prone to stretch marks following dramatic weight loss so it’s important to keep all these lifestyle choices mentioned above in mind after the birth of your baby too.

By following these simple lifestyle tips to preventing stretch marks when pregnant you will greatly reduce your changes of getting stretch marks in the first place.

However, should you get stretch marks nonetheless remember that you are not alone and that there are many stretch mark treatments and home remedies for stretch marks to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks.

Stretch marks are a very small price to pay for the blessing of giving birth to a beautiful baby.

Common Questions about Migraine

2007-02-19T15:25:00.000+03:00

How do I know whether this is migraine?

This is the most common question most people are unsure about diagnosis of migraine. Though all migraines are headaches, all headaches are not migraines. There can be many causes like high blood pressure, cervical spondylosis and poor eyesight being a few. So every one with headaches should not think he is suffering from migraine. The broad criterion of diagnosis is if you have two or more of the following symptoms during a attack it is probable you are suffering from migraine:

a. Throbbing headache, often on one side of the head only.

b. Visual disturbances (blink spots, distorted vision, flashing lights or zigzag patterns) these symptoms are often called aura.

c. Nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. d. Increased sensitivity to light. e. Increase sensitivity to sounds.

The second general rule is that if a headache and other associated symptoms prevent you from continuing with daily activities it could be a migraine.

What are the common triggers?

Migraine is believed to be caused by release of a chemical called serotonin or 5HT into the bloodstream from its storage sites in the body, resulting in changes in neurotransmitters and blood vessels in the brain. Exactly what causes this to happen is still not clear: However certain factors have been identified which can trigger attacks in susceptible people: a. Emotional stress, e.g., anger, worry, shock, depression. b. Physical exertion like over exertion / tiredness change in sleep patterns and traveling. c. Hormonal changes like menstruation and pre-menstrual period, puberty, menopause. d. Environmental like light, loud noise, intense smells, change or climate or smoking e. Diet like lack of food or infrequent meals, specific foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, cheese, alcohol, especially red wine. f. Other triggers like use of sleeping tablets high blood pressure, toothache or other dental problems, eyestrain, congested nose and sinus problems.

Migraine triggers are numerous and varied and occur in combinations peculiar to a individual. For most there is not just one trigger but a combination. These can be tolerated individually but when several occur together, a threshold is passed and an attack is triggered. Identifying and avoiding personal trigger factors can help.

If one of my parents suffers from migraines, is it necessary that I will also have it?

Though it has been seen that migraine does run in families, it is not necessary that children of migraine patients will also have it. Nor this is true the other way round. People often say that since nobody in family had migraine, they cannot have. This is also not true. It is possible for people to have migraine even when nobody in the family has it.

Migraine is difficult to cure?

Migraine is very much a curable disease as any other disease.

How to Choose the Best Multivitamins for You

2007-02-18T08:43:00.000+03:00

Nowadays, one can get a vitamin supplement for any ailment, any deficiency - eyes, heart, brain, allergies, skin disorder, vitality, cardiovascular problems, sex related, even weight management. You just have to name the problem – and the chemist will probably put you in a fix on which one to take.
But before buying one, it is crucial to read the labels on these supplements, because many daily vitamins may be lacking in the basic key nutrients essential for overall health.

The best way to choose a multi-vitamin is to look for:

· Quantity of nutrient being provided. Look for 100% of the Daily Recommended Allowance of minerals and vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, and D. Plus at least 20 micrograms of vitamin K, for strong bones.

· Quality of the vitamin being provided. Its best to go for one with no added colours, flavours, preservatives.

· Form – whether well packaged, free of moisture etc.

· Date of expiry.

A good multivitamin is not a magical pill to solve all your problems – but will give you a guarantee that one is getting the proper amount of vitamins and minerals needed for maintaining good health.

Who are more likely to need multivitamin supplements?

Persons over the age of 60 as they do not get all the nutrients they need. This can be due to a variety of causes such as ageing itself may make the absorption and utilization of certain nutrients more difficult.

Pregnant women and lactating mothers – This group of people need about 400 IU of folic acid daily, which can be from a multivitamin. Folic acid found in supplements is better absorbed by the body than the vitamin found naturally in food.

Pre-menopausal women - need extra amount of iron, Vitamin B12 and calcium, so as to prevent problems like osteoporosis in old age.

Weight-watchers and persons who are heavy alcoholics

Any person who is short of a balanced diet - a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and small servings of chicken or fish is sort of a balanced diet. So, check out your daily diet. Are you falling short of folic acid, B6, and B12 as they help lowering homocysteine levels in the blood and thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Precautions while taking a multi vitamin

Some basic caution is required before taking multivitamins, especially if any medical conditions exist, such as pregnancy or if aged.

Multivitamins may rarely be toxic unless large doses of various vitamins or minerals are taken.

Popular Diets: Which One Works Better?

2007-02-18T08:18:00.000+03:00

The Atkins Diet: this diet eliminates glucides considered responsible for the weight gain. The advantage is fast weight loss, but the disadvantages are numerous. Specialists found a lack of essential vitamins and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease among people who followed this diet, and don’t recommend it to women who are on birth control.

The Shelton Diet: it includes only meals with proteins or glucides. The advantage is fast weight loss and the disadvantage is the lack of nutrients.

The Antoine Diet: for this diet you must eat the same food all day. For instance, only meat on Monday, only fruits on Tuesday, eggs on Wednesday, vegetables on Thursday, dairy food on Friday, fish on Saturday, and so on. It causes fast weight loss but also produces imbalances, and the weight is often regained shortly after the diet ends.

The Mayo Diet: it is a difficult low-calorie diet that leads to fast weight loss followed by lack of vitamins, fatigue, or anxiety.

The Victoria Principal Diet: it has low amounts of proteins that lower the muscular mass, and the weight is often quickly regained after the diet ends.

The Scarsdale Diet: created by a cardiologist, it`s a low-fat diet with the same meals for fifteen days. Alcohol, milk, and fruit juices are forbidden. For short periods, this diet is efficient but long term it may cause a lack of nutrients.

The Montignac Diet: this diet is based on the principle of food dissociation but it forbids the combination of glucides and lipids. However, calories are retained as fat even if they are separate from glucides, according to specialists.

The Susan Powter Diet: it reduces the protein and fat intake while encouraging (es the glucides intake. It may result in lack of vitamins.

The Zen Diet: ten days of rice only. It`s difficult to follow and results in a serious lack of nutrients.

The Hollywood Diet: it includes only fruits in any combination. Dieticians agree it`s hard to follow.

7 Factors That Can Impact Your Sex Life

2007-02-17T08:58:00.000+03:00

Many people ask the question, how often do couples have sex, on average? The quick answer to this question is, it depends! Every person has different levels of sexual needs.

There is no right or wrong answer for frequency for a person or a couple. How often you desire sex is very personal. If you look at national averages for married couples, for example, then 1-2 times per week among married couples might be average. But for others who enjoy sexual activity every day, that might be much or too infrequent. Some people enjoy daily sexual expression, and some several times per day. There are many different factors that can affect your sex drive and your sexual behavior

Here are seven factors that can impact desire for sexual frequency:

1. How satisfying the sex is for both of you. If the sex is fantastic, you may enjoy yourself so much that you want more of it. In my experience working with couples, great sex can lead to even more great sex. Do you look to please yourself and your partner, or do you stop caring and trying? If the sex is not the greatest, then think of how you can make it a better experience for you, and talk with your partner about that. Then, put your plans into action. Dare to try new things. If you like them, you can do them again. If they don't work at all, then just laugh and move on.

2. How well you are getting along. If you are fighting all the time, it may be difficult to connect sexually with one another or to be “in the mood” for sex. Although some people swear that “make-up sex” after an argument is the hottest, I think that having a harmonious relationship outside of the bedroom can help your sex lives, (as long as there is chemistry between you, of course!)

3. Your physical health, including medications you take. Let’s face it. Sometimes, when you are not feeling well, being sexual may not be the first thing on your mind. In addition, some medications carry negative sexual side effects on desire or sexual performance. One example of this is some anti-depressants. You can read, research, and consult with your doctor if you notice changes in your desire or your performance when you take medications. Even so, research has shown that pleasurable sexual activity releases endorphins, and boosts the immune system, so maybe sex can be part of your health recovery plan!

4. Your ability to ‘get in the mood’ even when you’re not initially. This can go a long way in enhancing your relationship with your partner. Once you get going, you will probably both have fun! Plan activities that get you in the mood for lovemaking! Whether you enjoy a warm bath, candles, soft music, a sexy shopping experience, a body massage, or looking into your lover’s eyes, go for it!
5. The frequency you are used to. If you are like most people, you are a creature of habit. If you are in the habit of being sexual every day, then you are more likely to continue that habit. If you form new habits, such as watching 5 hours of TV per day, then you are more likely to focus on the TV instead of intimacy.

6. Your ability to communicate your desires and needs, and to get those met. How well do you know yourself sexually? Are you able to communicate what you like sexually to your partner? Many people have difficulty talking about sex openly because of social stigma and taboo. If you can learn to break through those barriers, you may find yourself more motivated to be sexual with your partner.

7. Your sexual compatibility. Whether or not you enjoy the same things sexually seems to be a big factor in whether or not you are satisfied and motivated sexually. For example, if you enjoy lots of kissing during lovemaking, while your partner is opposed to this, then you may not have such a great time together. Also, if your partner is very sexually adventurous and you are very uptight, you might both resist having sex together because of your different tastes. The best is to find someone who enjoys similar activities as you do, or enjoys everything, and you can have fun together.

Frequency in sex is much more a matter of your personal choice and your choice as a couple. Use the law of attraction in your favor. If you want more intimacy, feel, think, and take action in that direction. Many couples I see have different ideas about frequency, and need some assistance working through these issues. The important thing is to learn what you like and how to get your needs met. Decide on the frequency you want and go for that.

Prevent Back Pain

2007-02-15T07:58:00.000+03:00

1. Don’t do things that could hurt your back.
The first activity that comes to mind is lifting. Do you keep heavy items to lift close to your body and use your legs to do the actual lifting? Bend your legs, not your back. This is especially important in the gym. Use a weight belt to do squats or deadlifts.

At the risk of sounding like a nagging mum, do you pay attention to your posture? How you stand and particularly how you sit? An upright spine is subject to much less stress than one bent and twisted by slouching and poor movement habits.

Also consider when you play sports or train. Do you warm up and stretch beforehand and afterwards? Taking these simple precautions is the daily line of defense in preventing back injuries and pain.

2. Do exercise that strengthens your back.
It’s pretty obvious that the stronger your back muscles are, the more support your spine has. Weak back muscles mean the possibility of spinal injury or back muscle strain is much greater when you engage in any activity or exercise where the load weight is taken by your back.

Weight bearing exercise, done properly, will build a very strong back. Be careful though, not to overdo it especially if you are just beginning to use exercise to strengthen your back. Start slowly with lighter exercises or without weights.

3. Strengthen your abdominal muscles.
The abdominals and the back muscles work together to make a strong middle section which supports your upper body. You can’t make a really strong back and neglect the abdominal muscles.

Strengthen your abs with exercises every two days. Try crunches for upper abs and leg raises for lower abs. About 3 sets of 25 each will take less than ten minutes. Your abdominals are a whole set of muscles that work together to support your upper body weight. So a variety of exercises is best in order to condition the transverse abdominus, obliques and intercostals as well as the upper and lower muscles.

4. Keep the body fat low.
Abdomens bulging with excess weight strain the spinal alignment of the low back so keep the weight off your belly. The more body fat you carry the tougher it is on your back.

Keep your diet nutritious, low in fat and take in 4-6 smaller meals a day rather than fewer but larger meals. Building your muscle and raising your metabolism assists greatly in burning off excess body fat and keeping the over weight problem at bay.

Stick to these simple rules and you will not only lessen the likelihood of back strain but your back in general will feel much healthier. That backache you wake up with will probably disappear.

Magic Cream -Original from KSA

2007-02-14T09:35:00.000+03:00

Say NO to AGING

For skin leaving it soft, smoother, lighter, clearer & refreshed. Effective to uneven skin tones in any part of the body.

Magic Cream is effective to uneven skin tones in any part of the body, it whitens and moisturizes your skin to make it softer and smoother.

Magic Cream is also effective treatment for blackheads, pimples, freckles and all other skin impurities.

Not only it will give you an even-tone complexion but also it will smoothen your skin.Magic Cream can also remove the freckles, skin asthma or any type of skin allergies. It will also help heal your scars, cut wounds and insect bites.

How to use:

Massage Magic Cream gently onto your face and neck or any dark spots on your body, like your under arm or elbow. If you experience a slight tingling feeling, don't worry it will soon disappear. And just continue to use Magic Cream every day to make sure your skin keeps its natural fairness. For best result, use it atleast twice a day and before bedtime.

Getting Over a Break Up

2007-02-13T00:00:00.000+03:00

If you've just had a break-up and are feeling down, you're not alone. Just about everyone experiences a break-up at sometime, and many then have to deal with heartbreak — a wave of grief, anger, confusion, low self-esteem, and maybe even jealousy all at once. Millions of poems and songs have been written about having a broken heart and wars have even been fought because of heartbreak.

What Exactly Is Heartbreak?

Lots of things can cause heartbreak. Some people might have had a romantic relationship that ended before they were ready. Others might have strong feelings for someone who doesn't feel the same way. Or maybe a person feels sad or angry when a close friend moves out of their life. Although the causes may be different, the feeling of loss is the same — whether it's the loss of something real or the loss of something you only hoped for. People describe heartbreak as a feeling of heaviness, emptiness, and sadness.

How Can I Deal With How I Feel?

Most people will tell you you'll get over it or you'll meet someone else, but when it's happening to you, it can feel like no one else in the world has ever felt the same way. If you're experiencing these feelings, there are things you can do to lessen the pain. Here are some tips that might help:

Share your feelings. Some people find that sharing their feelings with someone they trust — someone who recognizes what they're going through — helps them feel better. That could mean talking over all the things you feel, even having a good cry on the shoulder of a comforting friend or family member. Others find they heal better if they hang out and do the things they normally enjoy, like seeing a movie or going to a concert, to take their minds off the hurt. If you feel like someone can't relate to what you're going through or is dismissive of your feelings, find someone more sympathetic to talk to. (OK, we know that sharing feelings can be tough for guys, but you don't necessarily have to tell the football team or your wrestling coach what you're going through. Talk with a friend or family member, a teacher, or counselor. It might make you more comfortable if you find a female family member or friend, like an older sister or a neighbor, to talk to).

Remember what's good about you. This one is really important. Sometimes people with broken hearts start to blame themselves for what's happened. They may be really down on themselves, exaggerating their faults as though they did something to deserve the unhappiness they're experiencing. If you find this happening to you, nip it in the bud! Remind yourself of your good qualities, and if you can't think of them because your broken heart is clouding your view, get your friends to remind you.

Take good care of yourself. A broken heart can be very stressful so don't let the rest of your body get broken too. Get lots of sleep, eat healthy foods, and exercise regularly to minimize stress and depression and give your self-esteem a boost.

Don't be afraid to cry. Going through a break-up can be really tough, and getting some of those raw emotions out can be a big help. We know this is another tough one for guys, but there's no shame in crying now and then. No one has to see you do it — you don't have to start blubbering in class or at soccer practice or anything. Just a find a place where you can be alone, like crying into your pillow at night or in the shower when you're getting ready for the day.

Do the things you normally enjoy. Whether it's seeing a movie or going to a concert, do something fun to take your mind off the negative feelings for a while.

Keep yourself busy. Sometimes this is difficult when you're coping with sadness and grief, but it really helps. This is a great time to redecorate your room or try a new hobby. That doesn't mean you shouldn't think about what happened — working things through in our minds is all part of the healing process — it just means you should focus on other things too.

Give yourself time. It takes time for sadness to go away. Almost everyone thinks they won't feel normal again, but the human spirit is amazing — and the heartbreak almost always heals after a while. But how long will that take? That depends on what caused your heartbreak, how you deal with loss, and how quickly you tend to bounce back from things. Getting over a break-up can take a couple of days to many weeks — and sometimes even months.

Some people feel that nothing will make them happy again and resort to alcohol or drugs. Others feel angry and want to hurt themselves or someone else. People who drink do drugs, or cut themselves to escape from the reality of a loss may think they are numbing their pain, but the feeling is only temporary. They're not really dealing with the pain, only masking it, which makes all their feelings build up inside and prolongs the sadness.

Sometimes the sadness is so deep — or lasts so long — that a person may need some extra support. For someone who isn't starting to feel better after a few weeks or who continues to feel depressed, talking to a counselor or therapist can be very helpful.

So be patient with yourself, and let the healing begin.

Great Tips for Your Body Building

2007-02-12T08:42:00.000+03:00

All people must pay attention to trying to maintain their fitness, as the fats in the body can quickly get more than the muscles. In addition to this, as people grow old and exceed the age of 25, the loss of muscles is of 5% every 10 years.

So, how can we lose weight and gain muscles? The first step is to exercise regularly. In order to lose fats and build muscles evenly, one must do some conditioning program. Exercising must be done regularly in order to be effective in the battle against fat accumulation.

The calorie intake is also an important factor when trying to build muscles and on the same time, reduce fats. Weight is said to be very closely related to the amount of calories we take in every day. At least this is what the professional say! But control and restrictions regarding the calories’ intake is not all that matters. It would be a good idea to start counting the calories you get by eating different types of foods and trying to choose the ones with fewer calories. You are the best person to decide which types of food suit you best. So, when you go shopping, take the time and read the labels carefully. Never buy large amounts of new products, as there is a chance that your body will say no to it.

The most important thing when building muscles and losing weight is patience. Nothing good can be achieved in a short period of time. It can take from one or two months to almost a year in order to notice any difference. You will need a body building program and a good diet. You must not feel discouraged if you cannot see any results after working out for almost a month. This is a situation when perseverance really pays off. So if you really want to lose weight and build your muscles fast, use an effective strategy and the best work out program.

If one focuses on the goal of reducing fat and building muscles, he or she will surely come up with new and useful strategies. There is no perfect program to achieve this goal, so it all depends on your perseverance and your patience. The results will eventually show, so do not lose hope. Determination should never be a weak point. So, good luck to all of you!

Treatment for Impotence

2007-02-11T16:52:00.000+03:00

If you suffer from impotence or erectile dysfunction (ED), don't let embarrassment keep you from sexual health and happiness. Try the self-help home remedies below, but if the problem doesn't resolve, don't hesitate to seek professional help.

Check your prescriptions. A variety of medications can cause ED, including blood pressure drugs, antihistamines, antidepressants, tranquilizers, appetite suppressants, and cimetidine, an ulcer drug. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether any of the drugs you take could be contributing to ED. If one of the medications you take has ED as a side effect, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different one.

Remove the performance demand. It's not unusual for a man to have an occasional episode of ED -- after drinking alcohol or after a particularly stressful day, for example. However, if he places too much emphasis on the incident and harbors fear that it may happen again, the anxiety itself may become a cause of erectile difficulties.Behavior modification can help with this, though. One strategy that sex therapists often use is to have couples abstain from intercourse altogether, telling them instead to engage in cuddling and nonsexual touch. Gradually, over a period of weeks or months, depending on the couple, the partners work toward more sexual touching, then intercourse. The idea is to make sex a less-threatening experience.

Break out of a rut. Add some spice to your lovemaking: Go to a hotel or a different setting. Vary the routine. Try new positions. Buy your partner some new lingerie.

Learn to relax. Stress, arising either from performance anxiety or from other life situations, can exacerbate ED. Regardless of the cause, it's difficult to enjoy yourself when you've got too much on your mind. Try relaxation exercises such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, where you consciously tense and relax each part of the body in sequence.

Express your feelings. Marital or relationship difficulties are notorious contributors to sexual problems. Anger, resentment, and hurt feelings often spill into a couple's sex life, turning the bedroom into a battlefield. This situation is especially likely to develop if partners don't communicate. Work to share your feelings with your partner. Use "I" statements, and keep the focus on your feelings, instead of your partner's actions. Doing a thorough housecleaning of the relationship, instead of storing up emotional debris, may very well clear the way for a healthier sexual union.

Talk about sex. Sometimes, erectile problems occur because you simply don't feel aroused. In these cases, sex therapists often work to help patients communicate more openly about their sexual relationship -- what they like, what they don't like, whether they'd like to do some experimenting. Again, to avoid defensiveness and hurt feelings, "I" statements are key. Choose to make assertive, rather than aggressive, comments.

Don't drink before sex. Drinking alcohol or being drunk can significantly impair your sexual functioning.

Remember your successful experiences. If performance anxiety has undermined your confidence, thinking about positive sexual relationships or experiences you have had in the past may help boost your self-esteem. It may also convince you that you can have a fulfilling sex life in the future.

Involve your partner. Although erectile difficulties originate with the man, they are a couple's problem and have couple solutions. If the problem is not a medical one, there are many strategies, such as the ones discussed in this chapter, which can help. However, your chances for improvement are much better if your sexual partner is involved in the solution.

Know that you are not abnormal. It can never be stated enough: Having problems with erection does not mean that you are physiologically or psychologically abnormal in any way. It is not your fault and you shouldn't feel guilty or allow your self-esteem to suffer.

Read, then talk. Take advantage of the many sources of information about sex -- books that can help you and your mate solve your problems and work towards a more mutually satisfying sex life, as well as sex manuals and even videos.

Skip the aphrodisiacs. Spanish fly and other so-called aphrodisiacs are usually little more than placebos -- sugar pills that do nothing but boost your confidence. What's more, Spanish fly can be very dangerous to use and can even be fatal. Avoid alternative or herbal remedies.

Employ fantasy. Many men with erectile problems engage in "spectatoring," or constantly observing their own sexual performance. This takes the individual out of the moment and leads to being overly critical. Instead of judging yourself, focus on the pleasures of being with your partner. Fantasizing about and with your partner can take the focus off you.

Try masturbation. Performance anxiety is just that -- anxiety over performing for your partner. But don't forget that while it's important to please your partner, you're also there to please yourself. Masturbation -- bringing yourself to orgasm while you are alone -- may be helpful by reteaching you how to achieve your own pleasure (as long as it's not overdone). The next step is to bring that ability into a sexual situation with your partner. In this way, you can change the focus from performance to mutually pleasurable interaction.

Don't be afraid to seek help. If your ED has no medical cause, psychological issues may be involved. Guilt, shame, anger, fear, sadness, and other emotions can impair your ability to perform sexually. Help is available from therapists who specialize in sexual issues. Ask your doctor or urologist for a referral.

Prostate Cancer Life Expentancy

2007-02-10T08:41:00.000+03:00

Men, how long are you going to live with or without prostate cancer? If you're being honest, you really don't know. We all have a life expectancy based upon general statistical probabilities but none of us know how or when we're going to die.

No matter what the illness or disease that may inflict us including prostate cancer, we still can't be certain when we're going to die. We know at some point our own mortality will become evident. Just because you may have prostate cancer however, doesn't mean you've been given a death sentence.

Here are some facts about prostate cancer

1. Prostate cancer is generally considered a slow growing carcinoma. This means you may have many high quality of life years ahead of you... that is if you're not hit by a truck on the way to work on the freeway.

2. Prostate cancer typically advances through four major stages. At what stage you're diagnosed with prostate cancer, will determine your probable chances of dying due to complications of the cancer.

3. As you get older, your risk of contracting prostate cancer rises. Men have a lifetime risk or chance of contracting a prostate malignancy of about one in 10 that increases as we get older. Good news! You've survived into your 70s. Bad news... your risk of prostate cancer is one in three.

4. Prostate cancer is considered basically a geriatric disease. That is, the great majority of men, under the age of 60 will not be diagnosed with a cancerous prostate. Remember fact number three above though as your risk increases greatly after age 60.

According to such well known cancer societies and cancer associations as the American Cancer Society, about 92 percent of all the men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive at least five years after the initial diagnosis. Although such a prognosis may seem like less time than you expected, remember that prostate cancer is considered a disease of the aged and many men who contract the disease are well into their 60s and 70s.

So your life expectancy after a diagnosis of prostate cancer, will depend on what stage the cancerous tumor has progressed to, your age and willingness to consider all treatment options. In the end, prostate cancer survivability rests with early diagnosis and effective treatment