FITZ n HEALTHY

Parkinson’s Disease

2007-05-24T00:24:00.000-07:00

Parkinson’s disease is easily noticeable because of its physical manifestations. A problem that develops mostly in elderly people, Parkinson’s is very important to acknowledge so that it can be taken care of at its early stages. Knowing what it is and what the symptoms are will help you to catch it in the beginning and start treatment immediately. Parkinson's disease results when brain cells deteriorate. It is a chronic condition because it has no cure and does not go away by itself. It is also a degenerative disease, which means that it breaks down the body of the person it attacks. Muscle control is lost due to a lack of dopamine in the brain and, therefore, a difficulty in walking, coordination, and severe shaking develop.

A person with Parkinson’s disease may also notice a change in his or her voice. A person’s voice may become low and monotone, with little or no inflection. Akinesia and bradykinesia may also manifest as trouble executing certain movements, and increased slowness when movements are attempted.

Talking more quietly is another affect of the disease, as is difficulty with motor skills. The result is lessened in fine motor skills dexterity and may mean the person with Parkinson’s may require help with everyday tasks such as shaving, tying laces, fastening buttons, and handwriting. Oily skin and dandruff is an affect of seborrheic dermatitis.

Therefore, Parkinson’s patients may notice that they have developed greasier skin, especially around the nose and eyebrows, and a greasier scalp. This symptom is often accompanied by increased sweating. Non-specific sensory symptoms include unusual sensory feelings such as numbness, pain, burning sensation, restlessness and fatigue. Lastly, depression and senility, as well as dementia, are also symptoms of Parkinson's.

Some of the signs of Parkinson's to look out for include tremors and trembling. For nearly three quarters of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the appearance of tremors or trembling is the first noticeable symptom. Muscle stiffness is another symptom of the disease. Patients experiencing stiffness or rigidity may not notice any other symptoms of this characteristic.

In fact, the person may not even notice the signs of rigidity unless a physician notes it during a physical examination. The presence of physical rigidity, such as decreased arm swing, is especially useful in helping medical personnel establish a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. This may also include 'Freezing' which is the sudden inability to move when you want to. If a foot on one side starts to drag, and you have difficulty walking through doorways and hallways, you should go to a doctor. Lacking coordination and having difficulty maintaining balance, controlling facial muscles, are causes of akinesia and bradykinesia. These characteristics may manifest themselves in the face, for example, as reduced facial expression, infrequent blinking, and slow swallowing resulting in increased saliva secretion, and occasionally, drooling.

Feeling anxious, angry, discouraged or depressed is common as the brain is undergoing a number of chemical changes. Approximately forty to seventy percent of Parkinson’s sufferers experiences depression at times, while twenty percent of these are a major depressive disorder. Parkinson’s disease is not something to be taken lightly, as it is very serious and can cause permanent problems.

By Groshan Fabiola
If you want to find greater resources regarding facial concepts or facial concept or even facial flex please click these links.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and the Menopausal Hormone

2007-01-31T21:30:00.000-08:00

Hormone replacement therapy often referred to, as HRT or Postmenopausal hormone use is the topic of this particular article. Here we will discuss the process and treatment option, dealing with symptoms, the effects, impact, and consequences of menopause, and taking estrogen either alone or in combination with progesterone.

Some of the common symptoms on menopause include: hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and an inability to sleep. Estrogen is the generally recommended treatment for treatment of these symptoms. Taking this drug can help menopause sufferers achieve a much better quality of life while going through ‘the change’. It is important however to remember that this is a natural process of aging and not a disease that simply must be treated. There are however, preventative therapies and products that help manage some of the more severe symptoms while protecting the body from the bone loss that sometimes occurs as a result of the lack of estrogen after menopause.

Quick facts about HRT and Menopause

The symptoms of menopause are actually the ‘coping mechanism’ that your body creates in order to deal with the hormonal and chemical changes taking place.

1) Estrogen use whether with or without progesterone serves to double the estrogen levels of menopausal women.

2) While hormone treatments are effective, they rarely return the levels to those of pre menopausal women. They are not designed to completely replace original hormone levels.

The hormone use is actually intended to ease the discomfort of some of the symptoms that are often associated with menopause such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, and the inability to sleep. These same hormones are also used to prevent certain medical conditions and diseases that are common for postmenopausal women. These diseases include: heart disease, osteoporosis, and some cancers.

There is a great deal of ongoing research concerning menopause, dealing effectively with the symptoms of menopause, HRT, and alternative therapies. These studies include clinical trials as well as in depth and wide ranging observational studies. Participants of these studies are sometimes given placebos instead of the hormones they think they are receiving and studied over time to see how they react to the hormones, if their symptoms subside, and to see if other diseases or conditions arise consistently. Typically there are no intervention only comparisons between those who take the hormones and those who do not.

Many of these studies concluded that the long-term health risks of HRT far outweighed the short-term benefits. If you are considering this type of treatment it is vitally important that you seriously discuss with your doctor whether or not this is the right treatment option for you, what the risks are, and if there are other options available to you that might be just as effective without the high risks. Some of the risks include risks of breast cancer, heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. On the other hand there were fewer hip fractures and instances of colon cancer among HRT patients so there are some benefits as well.

Eclectic sampling of findings

1) Women over the age of 65 using estrogen and progestin had double risks of developing dementia as well as a negative impact on cognitive function.

2) Women aged 50-79 experienced no significant change in vitality, mental health, general health, or sexual satisfaction as the result of using estrogen plus progestin.

3) The use of estrogen alone presents even less clear and conclusive results. As a result of the lack of clarity, studies and trials are ongoing.

4) There are indications that hormone replacement therapy increases not only the risk of cancer of the lining of the uterus but also endometrial cancer, and bleeding of the uterine. These side effects lead to the more frequent biopsies and ultrasounds for women who underwent HRT than those using placebos.

5) Increased risk of breast cancer.

6) HRT is a very effective treatment for the short-term symptoms of menopause.

7) Gal bladder disease and strokes are also more common among patients receiving HRT type treatment.

Ultimately, the choice of whether or not the short-term benefits are worth the long-term risks associated with HRT is yours. Regardless of what you decide, it is always a good idea to run your thoughts and concerns by your doctor and listen to the advice and caution he provides.

By Rob Buenaventura

Rob Buenaventura is a successful webmaster and publisher of MenopauseTime. He provides a website on menopause symptoms and related questions on menopause heath. For additional information on menopause diet pills and how it can help reduce menopause symptoms, check out MenopauseTime.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Muscle Building Program Basics

2007-01-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

Setting up your muscle building programs or routines can be a confusing subject. But it doesn’t have to be.

Basically, you have to know what you want. If you're a beginner looking to tone up and add a bit of muscle, you will have to start with a beginners muscle building routine.

If you've been muscle building for a couple of months and need a muscle building program that's a bit more challenging, you'll need an intermediate program.

On the other hand, if you're an experienced weight lifter looking to try something different, you'll need specialized muscle building programs.

It's a matter of finding out what you want and establishing your goals. If you don't know what you want, than you will have to sit down and figure that out.

How do you build muscle with weight lifting programs?

If you want to build muscle, you’re going to have to use weight resistance exercise like weight lifting. Weight lifting requires the use of weight bearing equipment such as barbells and dumbbells (free weights), and machines that use cables and pulleys to help lift the weight.

You can also use body weight bearing exercises such as chip ups and dips in your weight lifting programs. If you are just starting out, I suggest you use a combination of machine and free weight exercises in your weight lifting program.

This will give your body the time it needs to adjust to the different levels of stress that weight lifting places on your body.

As you progress in your weight lifting program, it’s suggested that you add more free weight exercises. Free weights and compound movements such as squats, bench press, shoulder press, and bent over barbell rows apply a lot of stress on the supporting muscles.

These exercises are often called multi-jointed exercises because they employ not only the targeted muscle but the supporting muscles as well. By using free weights and compound movements in your muscle building program you will challenge your body to work harder and therefore make better muscle gains.

Adding more free weight exercises will increase the intensity of your muscle building program. The result? Added overall power and quality beef added to your frame.

Here are examples of compound movements to use in your muscle building programs:

Barbell bent over rows
Bench press
Barbell shoulder press
Dead liftsSquats
Close grip bench press

If you are just starting out, I suggest you start with the beginners weight lifting program and slowly progress to the intermediate and advanced weight lifting programs.

Remember to always ask for advice if you are not sure about certain exercises. Gym staff is usually pretty good and will provide you with quality advice regarding all aspects of weight lifting.

What is a repetition?

Muscle building exercises consists of repetitions and sets. One repetition consists of a series of muscle contractions with a weight or movement such as one push up.

A series of repetitions is called a set. For example, 10 repetitions of push-ups is considered one set.

The number of sets performed will depend on your current level of fitness and goals. Beginners can only tolerate a couple of sets per body part. Anymore than one or two sets for a beginner is certainly not recommended, as this can be counterproductive.

If you are a beginner to muscle building training, I suggest you design your weight lifting routine using light weight and higher repetitions.

As you progress in your muscle building program, your strength and muscle gains will be moderate but what you want to concentrate on is form. This is very important.

As a beginner, you want to perform the exercises with proper form. This will be very important as you progress to the intermediate and advanced weight lifting programs.

As your form and style improves, you’ll want to move to a lower repetition range using heavier weights. Although you will want to keep using the higher repetition range for warm ups. As your training levels advance, you can add more sets to your weight lifting routine in order to stimulate more growth.

For building muscle it is desirable to perform low repetitions using heavy weight.

The amount of repetitions you complete will depend on your goals as well as the weight lifting routine itself. There is no magic number of repetitions that will produce better results than any other number.

You will have to determine your combination of body chemistry, feel, and trial and error to determine what works best for you. What works for one person may not necessarily work another.

What is a set?

A set is the completion of a series of repetitions. Beginners should perform one to two sets per exercise for the first couple of months of a weight lifting routine.

This should be sufficient to stimulate increases in muscle size and strength. After a couple of months, you will probably need to add one or two more sets to further stimulate improvements.

As you progress you will need to place more strain on your body to stimulate growth. Just remember that more is not always better.

You want to keep your muscle building sessions brief but intense. If you don’t know for sure what to do and how to do in order to have a good muscle building program you should always feel free to ask the gym staff or a professional muscle builder.

They will surely know how to guide you to a good muscle building program for you.

By Shawn LeBrun
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Bodybuilder and fitness trainer Shawn Lebrun shows you his muscle building program that will help you to build muscle and get your best body ever in 2006. Muscle building program to build muscle

Does Circuit Training Exercise Burn Calories?

2007-01-12T15:53:00.000-08:00

There's no doubt that hydraulic circuit training health clubs are more popular than ever before. With over 10,000 of these gyms dotting the American landscape, men and women alike are finding circuit training exercise to be relatively easy and certainly effective.

The question is, however, just how effective is circuit training exercise equipment when it comes to burning calories? Will the average workout buff incinerate 200 calories in a typical 30-minute circuit workout? Is it 400? 600? More?

Like many things in life, there are no exact answers when it comes to this exercise program and caloric burn. The reason is that different people will achieve different results from the same workout. To confuse matters even more, the same person will realize better results one day than they do another day, even though they're using the exact same exercise machines for the exact same amount of time.

There are several reasons why this is so, some of which include:
* How hard you work / the effort you exert;
* The resistance settings on the machines;
* Your age;
* The amount of lean tissue (muscle) you have on your body;
* Hormone balance;
* Hydration levels;
* Does the workout contain enough cardio to elevate heart rate?

WORK = REWARD

Even though it may seem like common sense, the first point to make is that for circuit training weight loss exercise to be effective, you must put in some serious effort. Of course, this is also true of any exercise program! As an example, let's take a look at cardio exercise in the form of running. A 165-pound person running at 5 mph for thirty minutes will burn 299 calories. That exact same person, running at 10 mph for thirty minutes, will consume 599 calories. The reward is directly related to the effort put forth. In this case, the number of calories burned more than doubles because the exertion is doubled. This principle is true whether we're talking about aerobic exercise or weight lifting exercises.

RESISTANCE TRAINING EFFORT COUNTS TOO!

The underlying reality is that all weight training exercise machines are not created equal. Whether your goal is to exercise to lose weight or gain strength, the approach you take when resistance training has a direct relation to the number of calories you'll burn. As an example, let's consider our hypothetical 165-pound person again. When they resistance train moderately for thirty minutes, they can expect to burn about 112 calories. If, however, they resistance train vigorously for that same thirty minutes then their caloric burn will climb to 225. Again, the result more than doubles because the user has put in more effort.

If you're going to gain the maximum benefit from circuit training then it's important to hit the resistance portion of the workout with maximum effort. This means getting as many repetitions as possible (moving the exercise equipment quickly) and using the appropriate level of resistance.

2x THE WORK = 2x THE RESULTS

The bottom line is that how many calories you burn while circuit training is primarily up to you. The benefit of exercise that many people are seeking is caloric reduction (fat loss), so it stands to reason that if you're going to work out it's a good idea to put in maximum effort. Vigorous exercise, as opposed to moderate exercise, will double your fat loss results. This is true of both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.

The exciting feature of hydraulic circuit training is that this exercise program actually combines the two different types of workout, so you're getting your cardio and resistance training at the same time. By alternating between exercise machines and cardio stations, you maintain a constant elevated heart rate while at the same time working every single muscle group in the body. This 'double duty' workout serves to double your results, and it's one of the major reasons why hydraulic circuit training is so effective.

SO WHAT'S THE ANSWER?

We know that you can burn from 299 to 599 calories in thirty minutes of aerobic exercise, and we also know that you can burn from 112 to 225 calories in thirty minutes of resistance training. Finally, we know that with the circuit training exercise routine you're getting both types of exercise at the same time. Therefore, it stands to reason that you could conceivably burn between 411 and 824 calories in a thirty-minute circuit training session.

That's why circuit training gym exercise works so incredibly well for those willing to exercise vigorously each and every time they enter the health club. It's also a strong argument for hydraulic circuit training in general, as opposed to other forms of exercise such as exercise bikes, exercise balls or exercise treadmills. To achieve a calorie burn this high, you simply must be engaging in both aerobic and resistance exercise at the same time.

It's easy to see why the best exercise tip is to take part in a regular exercise program on circuit training equipment. The proven caloric burn will bring you proven results.

By Tracie Johanson
Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

How Strong Do You Think You Really Are?

2006-12-12T23:16:00.000-08:00

Most people, when asked this question, will normally think about what weight they can lift, curl or press in a gym using barbells, dumbbells, or on a weights machine.

You may be bench pressing huge weights and curling the biggest dumbbells on the rack, but my guess is you are not that strong, and this may come as a bit of a shock to most people.

True strength comes in the form of functional fitness, fitness that can be applied and used in everyday situations, not just in a gym.

When you carry the shopping from your car boot to your kitchen, or carry your child to bed, you use many muscle groups which work together to achieve the job in hand. The body works as one unit, integrating all the muscles together.

Weight training in its conventional form, isolates muscle groups, and it does not teach the muscles it isolates, to work with others.

Functional exercises focus on building a body capable of performing real life movements in real life positions, whereas weight training on machines in a gym, teaches the body to perform only in positions when posture is made ideal by the machine.

If you have ever reached for something or bent over to pick something up, and we are only talking about small, light items such as a bottle of water, and felt your back go, then your functional fitness is seriously lacking.

This can be attributed to poor core strength. When we perform everyday movements, such as carrying the shopping, our body calls into play many more muscles than would be used on a gym machine. When we lean over or reach, to lift the bags, we use the stabilising muscles, which include the core muscles of the abdomen and secondary muscles to keep our balance so we don’t fall over.

When we use gym machines, our stabilising muscles are not used because the machine has taken the need to keep balance away. If we are not careful, the stronger muscles get stronger and the weaker muscles get weaker which causes an imbalance in the way our bodies work and function.

This explains why a seasoned user of weight training equipment who is capable of pressing a weight far above that of their own bodyweight over their head on a shoulder press machine, cannot perform a single repetition of a push up in the handstand position.

The machine has taken away the need to balance and that person is only strong when using a machine.

The key to functional exercises is integration. It is about training muscles to work together and not independently of each other.

To become truly strong and improve your functional fitness, you need to ditch weights altogether.

It is not surprising to find people who are capable of pressing 500lb on a leg press machine to become a quivering, sweating wreck after only 50 free squats and stop with no weight at all, which takes about 90 seconds! Try now and you will see what I mean.

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed forward and bend your legs and squat down to the floor, keeping your back straight. When your bottom touches your feet, press back up again and repeat this over and over at the rate of one repetition every 2 seconds.

When performing this movement, you use far more muscles than when lying or sitting on a machine, which is why it is so much harder. In fact, all bodyweight training is much more demanding than weights machines and will shock most people.

If you are looking to improve your muscular strength and endurance, then bodyweight exercises far out-perform weight training methods. Just take a look at wild animals, they do not use weights, gym machines or isolate muscles in any way when they go about their daily routines. It surely is no surprise that going to a gym and using weight machines and following split routines that isolate muscles, doesn’t improve functional strength at all, when you consider a monkey, which isn’t that different from us, swinging about the trees all day with nothing but their own bodyweight to shift, has the strength of ten human beings.

The important thing to remember when performing bodyweight exercises is to take it steady at first, they are very demanding but the improvements you will gain in your functional strength will be huge.

By James Holder

Do you want superior fitness and increased body definitionwithout lifting a single weight or visiting a gym? JamesHolder is the author of 'How to become Firefighter Fit' andcan teach you how to get fit and lose weight quickly. Checkout http//www.firefighterfit.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Lose Weight Using a Treadmill Machine

2006-12-02T18:47:00.000-08:00

Now, you have decided to buy fitness machines but you still in doubt which one is the best for you. Here is some of the best fitness equipment that you can choose from for your fitness workouts:

1. Treadmills are the most popular fitness machines by far. Estimates are that over 11 million people in the US have one. They solve the old problem of walking and running outdoors, the weather. Everyone knows that walking and running are great overall aerobic activities for your health, and experience throughout the years has proven that, but it's not always practical to run or walk outside. Modern treadmills let you set your own pace and angle of incline as you go, and many even come with programs that let you more closely simulate an outdoor walk or run electronically.

2. Elliptical trainers are fast catching on with many, especially those that have sensitive joint pain from impact exercising. You need to do exercise regularly as no exercise is good for you in the long run if you can't do it regularly; your joints won't allow it, so the elliptical trainer helps solve that problem by combining the motion of a cross country skiing machine with that of a stair stepper, and all of it is done smoothly, with very little impact.

3. Home gyms are very popular these days too as they let an exerciser target specific muscle groups in the body through resistance and build strength and conditioning as a result. There are several different kinds of home gyms that run the gamut from inexpensive to very costly, so you need to examine them all and see what will meet your personal needs best, and also fit in the space allotted at home.

Ok. Now suppose you choose to buy a Treadmill machine. It is a great way to exercise. It is one of the best ways to have cardio vascular workouts. It helps to lose weight considerable as well as tone up muscles. Whether its raining outside or sunny outside, one can easily get on the treadmill machine and have a go. The best pat is one can listen to music and even read a book while on the treadmill. While on a cross trainer or a fitness rower, its no possible to do the same. Manual as well as powered treadmills is also available. The manual treadmills are much cheaper than the powered treadmills.

The various companies, which make a variety of treadmills, are Proform Weslo, Reebok, and Johnson. They make treadmills to suit every budget and workout. Beginners as well as those who want an advanced workout can use treadmills. The prices of treadmill machines start from $300 and these treadmill machines can even cost as much as $3000. Of course the more expensive treadmill machines offer a variety of functions and are meant more for gym use rather than home use. The treadmills, which are meant for home use, can even be folded away. The running belt wraps around the console and thus it can be stowed away.

The more expensive versions of the treadmill machines have a variety of functions. They also have a console, which offers many resistance levels. The incline of the treadmill can also be adjusted. Therefore the treadmill can simulate the action of walking uphill. Those who want an advanced workout should opt for treadmill machine, which will help them in their workout, thus treadmill machines offer a variety of advantages for the runner. The control panel on the treadmill machine also gives the reading for the heart rate; pulse rate, the miles covered and speed can be adjusted as per convenience.

How To Achieve Great Body Without Going to a Gym!

2006-11-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

The other day, my friends asked to join them to the local fitness club. I thought it would not be a bad idea. Many people young and old are now aware of the importance of exercise. If you are not, please..exercise is important not only for our body but also for our mind.

I have always believed that you have a much better chance of reaching your fitness goals if you join a gym and get advice from a professional trainer or coach. You need to spend a bit of money, but it's worth it. Some people get the excuse of saying that they are busy and that they can have exercise at home. I believe that working out home has its disadvantages, but the one huge advantage it does have is…you don’t have to leave the house!

If you are one of these people that plans to workout at home then this article is for you! Ok ok, so, we don't have to join a gym and we still can have the same result. Here are the secrets (duhh... )

1. Don’t waste your money on “miracle” gym equipment

Getting in shape takes time, motivation and hard work. If you are not willing to put in those three things then you may as well not start. Avoid gym equipment that says “get in shape in 5 minutes a day”, or “flatter abs in 14 days”. These types of equipment are a total waste of money! You can literally do hundreds of exercises just using a set of dumbbells and a barbell, and these happen to be some of the cheapest pieces of gym equipment. If you are unsure of what equipment best suits your needs you should consult a fitness professional.

2. Wherever possible, use your bodyweight

If you have limited equipment, bodyweight exercises are your friend. You can potentially pack on a huge amount of muscle without ever lifting a dumbbell or barbell. Good bodyweight exercises to do at home include chin ups, wide grip pull ups, dips, bench dips, push ups and bodyweight rows.

3. Plan your diet around your workouts

If you have the flexibility of working out at home then you also have the ability to plan your meals around your workouts. Diet makes up 70% of the building muscle process so you can see how important it is. Make sure you eat a good serve of complex carbohydrates about one hour before your workout and a nutritious meal containing protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals within 1 hour of finishing your workout. You should spread your meals out evenly throughout the day. Eat six small meals throughout the day instead of three large ones. This promotes a fast metabolism and limits fat storage.

Results in fitness are dependent on a three-part formula of lifestyle choices. One part of the formula does not work well without the other parts. Those who have tried one or two without the third know something is missing. A healthy body can provide you with a healthy mind, increased energy and stamina, more productivity and self-confidence. Here are the three parts:

1. Cardiovascular training

2. Resistance and weight training

3. Balanced nutrition

Now, the questions are why, what, when, where and how? Many people diet without exercise and others exercise without eating right. Their intentions are good yet they don’t get the results they want so badly to achieve.

Allow me to simplify basic fitness and balanced nutrition principles. In the informational age in which we live, people are confused with what to do, so they do nothing. To tell you the truth, achieving the “ideal” body isn’t easy, you have to put effort, consistency, and commitment to achieve your desired results.

It is very important to develop a positive mindset. If you think it’s impossible, it will be. If you think you can, you will. Everything is in your mind. To get better understanding of how this mind work, please visit my blog: http://kwiklinx.blogspot.com .I can’t speak strongly enough how important your mindset, mental thoughts, and self-talk play such an important role on your results.

Before I finish, I want to show you this slide show. Do you want to have a body like one of these people??? Wow!!!

By Simon

Please visit my other blogs:

http://Relazionship.blogspot.com

http://BadPimple.blogspot.com

http://KwikLinx.blogspot.com

http://SimpleClicks.blogspot.com

10 Weight Loss Busters You Shouldn't Eat

2006-11-27T14:41:00.000-08:00

10 Weight Loss Busters You Shouldn't Eat:

1. Fried Foods That Are Frightening
2. Steakhouse Stories That Scare
3 Manufacturers Mislead Many
4. Burgers That Are Bigger and Biggest
5. Awful Appetisers
6. Cakes and Cookies That Are Calorie Clogged
7. Diet Drinks That Deceive
8. High Calorie Horrors
9. Diet Disasters When Dining Out
10. Super Sized Servings That Sabotage Your Diet

1. Fried Foods That Are Frightening

Deep fried foods are nutritionally bad for you. If you enjoy going to fairs and carnivals, you may well be tempted to eat the strangest of concoctions. It's amazing just what has been thrown into the deep fryer in the name of creativity.

But the only thing you are going to create is havoc with your weight loss diet.

2. Steakhouse Stories That Scare

Your local neighbourhood restaurant or steakhouse may be a Nutritional Nightmare.

Fried onions that are considered a Starter Dish are so full of Calories, Fat, Saturated Fat and with a high Salt content. And to go from bad to worse, the onions are usually served with a sauce that has even more Calories, Fat and Salt.

For the sake of your health, be sure you know your onions.

3. Manufacturers Mislead Many

Foods that are often labelled as healthy are just the opposite. Marion Nestle PhD, MPH a New York University Nutritional Professor in her book ‘What To Eat,' talks of ‘Fruit Snacks' that have absolutely no fruit in them but were just laden with sugar.

Don't believe the adverts, read the labels carefully then decide for yourself if it's right for you.

4. Burgers That Are Bigger and Biggest

Burgers are getting bigger and bigger. Burger King and others are taking a bun and piling on as many as four burgers, plus slices of cheese and strips of bacon. Just one of these burgers will give you more Calories than you should eat if having three meals a day.

If you really do want a burger, try ordering a plain burger. It could be served with a sauce, but it should be on the side not on top.

That will save you eating more Calories than you need.

5. Awful Appetisers

How about a Fundido as a snack before the main meal?

A Fundido is made up of a combination of cheese, pepperoni, bacon and sausage served with bread sticks.

If you are on a weight loss diet, a Fundido is a nutritional no-no.

6. Cakes and Cookies That Are Calorie Clogged

You are tempted to have a square of Starbucks Old Fashioned Crumb Cake to go with your coffee but that little square has 670 Calories in it.

And a piece of Cheesecake has enough Calories in it to make a mess of your weight loss diet, but the Cheesecake Factory adds Chocolate Candy, Mousse etc.

Nice for a treat once a year, but for the rest of the year … DON'T.

7. Diet Drinks That Deceive

High Calorie drinks are so deceptive. They don't need chewing and go down real easy and they don't fill you up. So how can this innocent looking cup of coffee be loaded with 490 – 580 Calories? It could be the chocolate or cream that is added.

To avoid piling on the Calories, order a small size cup of coffee with low fat milk and sweeteners.

8. High Calorie Horrors

When you are out shopping at the Mall you may be tempted by the delicious aromas of coffees, spicy pies and the mouth watering smell of freshly made doughnuts.

But giving in to temptation could mean you may consume a day's worth of Calories in one delicious but none essential piece of confectionery.

Ok I'm being a spoil sport but, for the sake of your health and weight loss diet, you would be better to take along a snack of crackers and nuts or raw veggies. Enjoy.

9. Diet Disasters When Dining Out

Two decades ago, dining out was already beginning to be a disaster for the person who was on a weight loss diet. The menu offered high Calorie foods.

Things haven't improved over the years; in fact they have become worse. On the menu in restaurants are such things as fried macaroni and cheese and cheese fries. Just oozing with fat and packed with Calories.

In order to keep to your diet change into a fluffy bunny rabbit and talk yourself into eating and enjoying salads.

10. Super Sized Servings That Sabotage Your Diet

Have you noticed how it's not just fast food meals that have got bigger? So have bagels, pasta servings, salads and sandwiches. If you go out to a restaurant for a meal, most of the meals on the menu are going to be around 1 000 Calories.

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The question to ask yourself is, do I really need this food? As Michelle May MD, author of ‘Am I Hungry?' and ‘What To Do When Diets Don't Work' said, that ‘Once a person indulges in a decadent dessert or monster burger, it triggers the ‘I've already blown my diet, so why bother,' mentality.

Beyond that, May believes, the real horror may be the American mind set about food. We were raised to clean the plate, so we could be rewarded with a dessert, which further enhances our desire to eat sweets and meals without recognition of fullness,' she says.

If you want to keep to your weight loss diet, learn what foods are best for you and avoid the ones that sabotage it.

By Eva Moffat

Eva Moffat an Ex- Nurse has helped many people with their Weight Loss problems over the years. Now it is your turn to be helped. For more of Eva’s practical help, visit Eva’s Weight Loss SiteClick on the link belowhttp://eva-moffats-free-weight-loss-info.blogspot.com
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Accupuncture as an Effective Therapy for Fibromyalgia

2006-11-24T03:23:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia is a complex chronic neurological disorder that generates a wide range of symptoms. Most people with fibromyalgia complain about recidivating muscular pain, rigidity of joints and a generalized state of body weakness. Although these manifestations may point to rheumatoid arthritis, clinical examinations can reveal any signs of physical damage in people with fibromyalgia.

Due to the fact that most medical treatments are unable to overcome fibromyalgia, the disorder is considered to be incurable. However, this belief is far from the truth. Although fibromyalgia is a serious disorder with a pronounced chronic character, there are actually effective means of treating it. Acupuncture has proved to be a very reliable form of therapy for fibromyalgia, providing symptomatic relief and preventing the recurrence of the disorder.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that has been successfully used to treat various illnesses for thousands of years. This oriental therapy can relieve most of the symptoms generated by fibromyalgia in a relatively short period of time. Acupuncture can quickly restore physical and mental balance, improving the overall health of the people who follow this form of therapy.

Acupuncture can quickly ease fibromyalgia pain and fatigue. This form of alternative therapy uses needles to stimulate various nervous centers of the body. In Oriental medicine, it is believed that the internal activity of the organism can be influenced by activating certain points on the body. These points are referred to as “acupuncture points” or “acupoints”. Therapists use acupuncture needles to activate specific acupoints on the body, correcting the activity of the entire organism simply by stimulating the nervous system.

This ancient Chinese practice is very benefic for people affected by fibromyalgia. Acupuncture inhibits fibromyalgia pain by stopping pain impulses from reaching the brain. This form of therapy can also regulate the body’s production of hormones, increasing the levels of serotonin, endorphins and encephalin, which have a very important role in relieving pain. Acupuncture can also improve the blood flow, restoring muscular tonus. Furthermore, acupuncture can help people with fibromyalgia relax, inducing them a state of comfort and wellbeing.

The majority of people affected by fibromyalgia admit that they have experienced an amelioration of their symptoms after only a few sessions of acupuncture. The first symptoms that can be relieved with the means of acupuncture are muscular pain and weakness, rigidity of the joints, and fatigue. After a month of ongoing therapy, acupuncture can also reduce stress, depression and mental confusion.

Chinese therapists claim that acupuncture works on multiple levels, healing the body, mind and spirit altogether, helping people re-achieve their balance. Oriental therapists also state that acupuncture stimulates and increases the vital “chi” energy, improving the overall health of the organism.

Acupuncture is very benefic to people with fibromyalgia and it can quickly alleviate their symptoms. In present, this form of therapy is probably the most effective means of overcoming the disorder.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia pain or many more please visit us at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Are Chiropractors Able to Cure Fibromyalgia?

2006-11-24T03:20:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia is a common neurological chronic disorder that primarily generates recidivating pain in the muscles and interconnected soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments. Statistics indicate that more than 3.7 million people in the United States are affected by fibromyalgia and despite scientists’ ongoing efforts to identify the factors that lead to the occurrence of the disorder, the specific causes of fibromyalgia remain unknown.

The opinions on the possible causes of fibromyalgia are various and in most cases, unfunded. Most medical scientists believe that the disorder is caused by certain acquired brain dysfunctions that determine an increase in the activity of the nervous system, considering that fibromyalgia is the result of an abnormally high nervous excitability of the body. Other scientists attribute genetic factors a major role in the development of fibromyalgia, considering that the disorder occurs only on the premises of genetic abnormalities. Another interesting theory suggests that fibromyalgia might be caused by previously suffered surgical interventions or by physical traumas.

Although there is no effective cure for fibromyalgia in present, scientists have tried many different approaches in their attempt to provide permanent relief for the symptoms generated by the disorder. Some medical scientists even believe that fibromyalgia can be overcome through the means of chiropractic treatments. They claim that the disorder is actually a form of stenosis that occurs in the upper regions of the spinal cord. In their opinion, the multitude of symptoms generated by fibromyalgia is caused by mechanical pressure exercised upon the meninges. Although fibromyalgia is considered to be incurable, some chiropractors claim that the disorder can be effectively overcome with the help of chiropractic treatments.

The chiropractors that have developed this new form of treatment for fibromyalgia claim that by correcting the physical abnormalities of the upper cervical region of the spinal cord, they are able to completely cure people with this type of disorder. The procedure involves repositioning the first vertebrae so that it no longer presses against the meninges. Chiropractors sustain that their treatment for fibromyalgia involves very few risks and provides immediate results. They also claim that the new chiropractic procedure has successfully cured 95 percent of the patients that suffered the medical intervention.

Although it is hard to believe that fibromyalgia can be successfully cured through the means of chiropractic treatments, this new approach in the medical treatment for the disorder brings hope for patients who have tried virtually everything in their attempt to overcome fibromyalgia. If this new form of chiropractic procedure can provide permanent relief for people affected by fibromyalgia, it may revolutionize the medical treatment for many other neurological disorders as well.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia pain or many more please visit us at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
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Ia Fibromyalgia a Psychosomatic Disorder?

2006-11-24T03:15:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia is a very complex disorder and despite the ongoing efforts of modern medicine to reveal the exact factors responsible for causing it, the phenomenon is still shrouded in mystery. In the absence of accurate data on fibromyalgia, medical scientists can only speculate upon certain aspects of the disorder.

The process of diagnosing fibromyalgia is very problematic. Fibromyalgia generates a wide spectrum of symptoms but rarely leaves any physical traces, rendering doctors unable to diagnose the disorder clinically. People with the disorder appear to be in perfect health when they are physically examined and doctors are often tempted to conclude that fibromyalgia is actually a psychosomatic condition.

Due to poor understanding of the phenomenon, fibromyalgia was commonly misdiagnosed in the past. When the concept of fibromyalgia became popular, anyone who had muscular pain and body weakness and didn’t show any physical signs of disease was considered to be affected by this type of disorder. Also, the nature of fibromyalgia was considered to be purely psychological. In present, the process of diagnosing fibromyalgia is more elaborate and certainly more conclusive. Although the concept of fibromyalgia is still relatively vague, modern medicine has found important clues that can suggest the physiological aspect of fibromyalgia.

Physicians have identified the presence of certain tender points in all people with fibromyalgia. It seems that all patients with the disorder experience intense pain in the same particular regions of the body, revealing the implication of the nervous system in causing fibromyalgia. The neurological aspect of fibromyalgia can be confirmed by computerized tomography, which usually reveals abnormal activity in several areas of the brain. Although this fact doesn’t provide enough answers to medical scientists, it proves that fibromyalgia is the result of neurological dysfunctions.

However, not all people who complain about having the symptoms of fibromyalgia show signs of neurological dysfunctions, suggesting that there may also be other causes for the disorder.

Scientists believe that fibromyalgia may also be caused by underlying hormonal problems, poor nutrition, stress and lack of sleep. Stress, inappropriate nutrition and sleep problems are suspected to cause symptoms such as body weakness, fatigue, anxiety and poor concentration, while hormonal dysfunctions seem to be responsible for generating fibromyalgia pain. Most people with fibromyalgia appear to have deficient levels of serotonin, a substance that regulates the pain signals that travel from the nervous receptors to the brain. Fibromyalgia is also considered to occur due to poor muscle oxygenation, causing symptoms of pain and stiffness of the muscular tissues.

In present, medical scientists are unable to determine the exact causes of fibromyalgia. However, modern medicine has recently concluded upon the fact that fibromyalgia is a physiological disorder, dismissing the theories that supported its psychological nature.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia pain, fibromyalgia treatment check out this links where you will find one of the best fibromyalgia sites at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
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Popular Myths and Misconceptions about Fibromyalgia

2006-11-24T03:12:00.000-08:00

Due to poor understanding of the phenomenon and due to over promotion of various unfunded theories on fibromyalgia, many people have assimilated denatured ideas regarding the disorder. There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding the concept of fibromyalgia and it is very important to separate them from the actual truth.

The most popular myth regarding fibromyalgia suggests that the disorder is purely psychosomatic, denying its physiological nature. In truth, fibromyalgia is a real disorder and people it affects are not hypochondriacs! Although routine medical examinations can’t reveal any traces of physical damage, fibromyalgia is caused by physical dysfunctions. The reason why fibromyalgia can’t be revealed by clinical examinations is that it evolves latently, rarely generating visible symptoms. Computerized tomography can reveal signs of abnormal brain activity in people affected by fibromyalgia, suggesting a pronounced neurological character of the disorder. Although the actual causes of the disorder are still unknown, fibromyalgia has a medical background.

Another common myth regarding fibromyalgia claims that the disorder is very rare. Some people also believe that fibromyalgia is a new disorder that only affects women. These misconceptions are far from the actual truth. Fibromyalgia is a very common disorder, affecting more than 3.7 million people in the United States. Although fibromyalgia predominantly affects the female gender, it can also occur in men. Furthermore, fibromyalgia can occur at any age! Despite the fact that the disorder is mostly common in older adults, fibromyalgia can also occur in children and teenagers.

Also, fibromyalgia is not a new form of disease. It has affected people for centuries and it has drawn the attention of various medical scientists throughout the course of history. Many scientists have studied the manifestations of fibromyalgia and the disorder has been called in many different ways (muscular rheumatism, fibrositis, fibromyositis). In the 80’s, the disorder was named “fibromyalgia” (muscular pain), in order to eliminate the confusion that surrounded the concept.

Yet another common misconception about fibromyalgia suggests that the disorder is unserious. Although fibromyalgia is not life-threatening, in time it can cause serious damage to the entire body. In the absence of an appropriate medical treatment, people affected by the disorder can suffer from insomnia, depression and mental confusion. Without medical treatment, symptoms such as muscular and joint pain can also become very intense. In time, fibromyalgia can even cause disability to the people it affects.

Although there is no specific cure for fibromyalgia, the disorder can be overcome with the help of medical treatments and alternative therapies. A healthy diet and regular physical exercise can also help alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia pain, fibromyalgia treatment check out this links where you will find one of the best fibromyalgia sites at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

The Wide Spectrum of Fibromyalgia Symptoms

2006-11-24T03:09:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia is a complex neurological disorder with a pronounced chronic character. Although the most common symptoms generated by fibromyalgia are generalized pain and fatigue, the disorder can cause many other manifestations. Most people with the disorder have a wide diversity of physical symptoms that evolve latently, rarely becoming visible. Due to the fact that most fibromyalgia symptoms can’t be detected by medical examinations, some people consider the disorder to be self-induced. However, the truth is that fibromyalgia is a serious condition and its symptoms are real.

Most people with fibromyalgia complain about ongoing pain felt throughout the entire body. This primary symptom generated by the disorder can vary in intensity from a person to another and it is usually associated with a generalized state of fatigue and body weakness. Fibromyalgia pain is felt deep within the muscles, bones and joints and it can sometimes become very intense, taking over the entire body. Most people affected by fibromyalgia also experience muscular stiffness and poor mobility of the joints. Although medical examinations can’t reveal the presence of physical abnormalities in people with fibromyalgia, most physical symptoms are very similar to those generated by rheumatoid arthritis or osteoporosis.

Apart from these common symptoms of fibromyalgia, people with the disorder may also experience sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal problems or urinary problems. People with fibromyalgia often suffer from insomnia or sleep apnea. Even when they get enough sleep, people affected by fibromyalgia may still have a pronounced feeling of fatigue. Many people with fibromyalgia also suffer from paresthesia, experiencing sensations of numbness and tingling in the muscles.

Although the specific causes of fibramyalgia remain unknown, it is believed that the disorder occurs on the premises of increased nervous excitability. Medical scientists believe that most of the symptoms generated by fibromyalgia are the result of neurological dysfunctions that determine the nervous system to perceive external stimuli at a higher intensity than normal. This pertinent theory can easily explain some fibromyalgia symptoms such as ongoing pain, sensations of tingling, numbness, increased sensitivity to light and increased sensitivity to temperature. This theory can also explain why the symptoms of fibromyalgia can’t be effectively revealed by medical examinations. Apart from a wide range of physical symptoms, fibromyalgia also generates psychological manifestations such as depression, anxiety and sudden changes in mood, suggesting the multifaceted nature of the disorder.

There is no specific cure for fibromyalgia and the disorder can’t be effectively overcome with the means of medical treatments available today. Due to poor understanding of the actual causes of fibromyalgia and due to the multitude of generated symptoms, most medical treatments can only provide temporary relief for people affected by this type of neurological disorder.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia symptoms, fibromyalgia pain, fibromyalgia diet or many more please visit us at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Various Possible Causes of Fabromyalgia

2006-11-24T03:05:00.000-08:00

Fibromyalgia is a common type of chronic neurological disorder that primarily generates recidivating muscular and joint pain. Apart from pain, most people affected by fibromyalgia also experience a pronounced, generalized state of fatigue. In the incipient stages of the disorder, the muscular pain and fatigue generally occur in the upper parts of the body (neck, cervical region, upper back and shoulders), later spreading into other body regions (mid-back, arms, spine, lower back and thighs). Although people who suffer from the disorder claim that they permanently feel some degree of pain in the muscles and joints, the symptoms generated by fibromyalgia are usually episodic, occurring in “flares”.

Apart from pain and fatigue, people affected by fibromyalgia may also experience physical weakness, increased nervous excitability, migraines, short-term memory loss, poor concentration, anxiety, depression and confusion. The problem with the symptoms of fibromyalgia is that they can’t usually be revealed by medical examinations. In the absence of any physical traces, most physicians are tempted to label people with fibromyalgia as “hypochondriacs”, disregarding the neurological nature of the disorder. However, various experiments conducted in the past have found similarities in all people with fibromyalgia, and elaborate medical examinations can reveal neurological dysfunctions in people affected by the disorder.

Fibromyalgia is a complex phenomenon and medical scientists believe that there are multiple factors responsible for causing it. Studies in the field have suggested that people with the disorder perceive external stimuli at abnormally high intensities, as a consequence of neurological dysfunctions. Recently conducted experiments have revealed that some of the people with fibromyalgia show clear signs of allodynia (hyperactive brain response to otherwise normal stimuli), while others show clear signs of hyperalgesia (abnormally high sensitivity to pain stimuli). These findings are very important in revealing the actual causes of fibromyalgia and they have also proved that the disorder has a clear medical basis.

Sleep disorders are also suspected to be causes of fibromyalgia. Statistics indicate that more than 95 percent of people with fibromyalgia suffer from sleep apnea or insomnia. Until recently, scientists believed that sleep disorders were the consequence of fibromyalgia but it now turns out to be the other way around. The majority of people affected by fibromyalgia recall having trouble sleeping long before they have first experienced muscular pain and weakness. Hence, medical scientists believe that fibromyalgia occurs on the premises of inappropriate sleeping patterns, and they state that anyone with sleeping problems is very exposed to developing neurological disorders.

Scientists explain that certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin (a substance that regulates the intensity of pain signals sent to the brain), are produced during sleep and people with fibromyalgia have a deficit of these hormones due to sleep abnormalities. Thus, the treatment for fibromyalgia should be firstly aimed at overcoming patients’ sleeping problems.

Another cause of fibromyalgia appears to be poor muscle oxygenation. Medical scientists claim that inappropriate oxygenation of the muscles is a plausible explanation for symptoms such as muscular weakness and stiffness, similar to the manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. Although medical scientists haven’t yet unveiled the factors that prevent the oxygenation of the muscles, future research might provide medicine with an answer to the puzzle.

By Groshan Fabiola

If you want to find great information about many fibromyalgia subjects like fibromyalgia alternative therapies, fibromyalgia pain, fibromyalgia diet or many more please visit us at http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com/ .
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Treatments of Mesothelioma Cancer

2006-11-24T02:53:00.000-08:00

There are treatments for all patients with malignant Mesothelioma. However, the treatment option that is chosen for a particular patient depends on a number of factors such as the location of the cancer, the stage of the disease, patient’s age and general health, the extent of the damage, etc. treatment is generally of three kinds,

1. Surgery in which case the cancerous portion is removed from the body.

2. Radiation therapy (using x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells).

3. Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer).

Surgery

Surgery is the physical way of treating Mesothelioma in which the cancerous cells are physically removed. Surgery is a common way to treat malignant Mesothelioma. The doctor may remove part of the lining of the chest or abdomen and some of the tissue around it.

Sometimes, if the cancer has spread widely, a lung can be totally removed in a surgical procedure called a pneumonectomy. Along with the lung, part of the diaphragm, is also sometimes removed, diaphragm is the muscle below the lungs that helps with breathing. This will temporarily solve the problem of difficulty in breathing.

Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy high-energy x-rays are used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. There are two kinds of radiation therapy, external radiation therapy and internal radiation therapy. When the radiation comes from a machine outside the body it is called external radiation therapy. When materials that produce radiation, are put inside the body through thin plastic tubes in the area where the cancer cells are found, it is called internal radiation therapy.

To relieve symptoms and control pain, the doctor may use a needle or a thin tube to drain fluid that has built up in the chest or abdomen. The procedure for removing fluid from the chest is called thoracocentesis. Removal of fluid from the abdomen is called paracentesis. Drugs may be given through a tube in the chest to prevent more fluid from accumulating. Radiation therapy and surgery may also be helpful in relieving symptoms.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by pill, or it may be put into the body by a needle in the vein or muscle. Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the drug enters the bloodstream, travels through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body. In Mesothelioma, chemotherapy may be put directly into the chest (intrapleural chemotherapy).

Treatment options for people with Mesothelioma have improved significantly. This is more so in cases where the diagnosis has been early and treatment has been aggressive. Many people are treated with a combination of the above-discussed therapies and this is known as multimodal therapy. Mesothelioma is a fatal disease and so far no cure has been found for the disease. However, treatments can reduce pain and improve lung function. Easily administered pain killers are now used to control pain.

By Rob Mellors

Rob Mellors helps people find out about mesothelioma and mesothelioma treatment
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

2006-11-24T02:49:00.000-08:00

The term “Mesothelioma” in medical terms is defined as form of cancer that proliferates at a very fast rate after it has been diagnosed, which affects the mesothelial cells in the body. After detailed study of this disease by several scientists all over the world, it has been concluded that in most of the cases the reason is the direct contact with loose asbestos particles. This disease is generally known to be derived from an abnormality that arises from inhaling the loose asbestos particles suspended in the air for a very long time. The chances of the patients, diagnosed of mesothelioma, have very bleak chances of survival which is not more than one or two years and if it has been detected long back and rigorous medication has been started on the patient then the patient is likely to live for about five years.

There are three types of mesothelioma but the symptoms of the diseases depend on their kinds. The symptoms vary from one-another but the general symptoms that are found in patients suffering from different types of mesothelioma are weight loss, chest pain, loss of appetite, short breath , plain cough and cough with blood. Diagnosing mesothelioma in its initial stages is not possible because symptoms surface very late and that, these symptoms are no special signs indicating the particular disease but are common for other diseases too.

Generally the symptoms of mesothelioma resemble to that to any other normal lung diseases. Most of the symptoms arise in the lungs, where the mesothelial cells covering the lungs and the cavity between them are affected due to prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers. Consulting with the physician is very necessary from time to time and necessary test must be conducted to detect the disease.

The main symptom of mesothelioma is a constant pain in the chest which is followed by short breaths and difficult breathing because of accumulation of fluid in the chest, which makes breathing all the more difficult. Some of the other symptoms of the disease include abnormalities in the lungs, which can be diagnosed under proper supervision of the doctor with a chest CT-scan.

Basically, the disease of mesothelioma advances in four stages. In the first stage, begins the formation of the tumor in the area of lining of the lung and doesn’t exceed from one side of the lung. And then in the second stage the tumor extends to other organs in the chest cavity, such as heart. Then in the third stage its extents to the other abdominal organs affecting all the other organs too. Finally in the fourth and the last stage the tumor extends to all parts of the body and affects all the parts adversely. These are some of the symptoms of the disease of mesothelioma, by which the disease can be tracked in the initial stages of its occurrence.

DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

By Hans Hasselfors

About the Author: Hans Hasselfors is the founder of SubmitYourNewArticle.com. Visit our article directory for varied articles about mesothelioma.Article Submission done by: http://www.articles-submit.com/ Courtesy of:SubmitYourNewArticle.com
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Mesothelioma Is An Incurable Cancer That Makes Lawyers Rich

2006-11-24T02:44:00.000-08:00

Mesothelioma is a cancer which is linked to exposure to asbestos fibers in 70 to 80 percent of cases.

The National Cancer institute defines malignant mesothelioma as "a rare form of cancer...a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the sac lining the chest (the pleura), the lining of the abdominal cavity (the peritoneum) or the lining around the heart (the pericardium)."

It is one of the most deadly cancers known to man; the average life span of an afflicted person from the time of diagnosis until death is less than 24 months.

Mesothelioma develops in approximately 3,000 United States citizens every year. Most of those diagnosed have a history of occupational exposure to asbestos, though a few have environmental or household contact. This cancer has an extremely long latency period; an exposure period of as little as one or two months can result in a mesothelioma up to 50 years later. Patients who had contact with asbestos as far back as the 1940s are now being diagnosed with this disease. In fact, the average time between exposure and the development of mesothelioma is 35-40 years.

When asbestos first came into use, its risks were unknown, and it was widely used as a fire-retardant material. Many people worked with this deadly substance, unaware that it would kill them several decades later. Workers such as bricklayers, insulaters, plasterers, electricians, mechanics, carpenters, and other tradesmen were exposed to asbestos on a daily basis as it was contained in many insulation and construction materials.

Even occassional exposure to asbestos is a health risk, and there have been many cases of mesothelioma developing in patients who only had brief contact, such as wives of asbestos-exposed workers who washed their husbands' overalls.

Due to the long latency period and vague, diffuse initial symptoms, there is often a delay in accurate diagnosis. As with many cancers, early symptoms can be mild and non-specific. Often patients present with only shortness of breath and a persistent cough; some show no symptoms at all in the initial stages, and the disease is first noticed on a routine chest X-ray. One early tell-tale sign is pleural effusion, a collection of fluid in the lungs. The right lung is affected 60% of the time, bilateral involvement being seen in 5% of cases. Less common initial complaints due to lung mesothelioma are fever, night sweats, weight loss, a raspy voice and facial swelling.

Peritoneal mesothelioma can cause abdominal symptoms such as pain, abdominal swelling, nausea, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia and swelling of the feet. As the disease progresses, patients often develop severe cachexia (wasting).

One of the most common symptoms of mesothelioma, pleural effusion, is an accumulation of fluid between the parietal pleura, which covers the chest wall and diaphragm, and the visceral pleura, which covers the lungs. Both membranes are covered with mesothelial cells which, under normal conditions, produce a small amount of fluid that acts as a lubricant between the chest wall and the lung. Any excess fluid is removed via blood and lymph vessels, thus maintaining a balance. When more fluid is produced than can be absorbed, an effusion forms.

These effusions are called either transudates and exudates. A transudate is a clear fluid that forms not because the pleural surfaces are diseased, but because of an imbalance between the normal production and removal of the fluid. Often this is caused by congestive heart failure. An exudate, which contains many cells and proteins and is often cloudy in color, results from disease of the pleura itself, and is common to mesothelioma. To differentiate between a transudate or an exudate, a diagnostic thoracentesis, in which a needle or catheter is used to obtain a fluid sample, may be conducted.

As the volume of excess fluid increases, symptoms develop such as shortness of breath (dyspnea) , chest pain, or a non-productive dry cough. Heard through a stethoscope, normal breath sounds are muted, and tapping on the chest will reveal dull rather than hollow sounds.
A pleural effusion can be seen with a chest X-ray, ultrasound or CT scan. Since pleural effusions are often caused by congestive heart failure, the discovery of an effusion is not in itself immediately suggestive of a malignant process.

A histological examination of pleural fluid is negative in 85% of cases; a definitive diagnoses is more often is obtained by a needle biopsy or surgical biopsy of pleural tissue.

Symptomatic treatment of lung compression caused by effusion is accomplished by application of a sclerosing agent which eliminates the space between the lung and the chest cavity, a process called chemical pleurodesis. Talc is usually used, with a success rate of 95%. It can be administered either as a powder or as a slurry mixed with saline. A surgical team opens the chest wall, removes the effusion, then collapses the lung before applying the talc. Once the lung is fused to the chest wall, an effusion can no longer accumulate and compress the lung. This is strictly a palliative measure to improve the patient's quality of life, and has no effect on the progression of the disease.

Attemps to cure mesothelioma utilize surgery to remove diseased tissue, combined with chemo and raiotherapy. Several new treatment modalities are currently being investigated. These include Photodynamic therapy, which uses light of particular frequencies to target and kill cancer cells which, compared to normal tissue, display increased uptake of photosensitizing drugs; immunotherapy, which fights the abnormal cells through stimulation of the body's own immune system; and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, which is a radiation treatment that attempts to target just the malignancy, thus avoiding damage to adjacent healthy cells and tissue. In addition, some success has been acheived with the chemotherapeutic drug Alitma (pemetrexed). However, despite the number of clinical trials currently underway, as of the date of this article the prognosis for mesothelioma sufferers is still extremely poor.

By Frank Vanderlugt

Frank Vanderlugt is interested in MesotheliomaLife ExtensionAnxiety
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Mesothelioma - History, Hazards And Dietary Advice

2006-11-24T02:39:00.000-08:00

History of asbestos.

There are four main types of asbestos; Amosite (brown fibers), Anthophyllite (gray fibers), white Christie, and blue Crocidolite. Chrysotile has curly fibers while the other three have rod like fibers. These fibers fragment into dust quite readily and waft into the air. They can adhere to skin or clothing and are easily swallowed or inhaled.

Half a century ago, asbestos was hailed by many as a miracle product. They said nearly anything could be made from this mineral. It as used as an additive to reinforce mortar and plastics. Asbestos fibers can also be separated into fine threads that do not conduct electricity and are unaffected by heat or chemicals.

Use of asbestos drastically increased during World War II. Shipbuilding incorporated asbestos extensively in freighters and support vessels to insulate boilers, steam pipes and hot water pipes. Asbestos became the miracle construction material as it was readily obtained, processed, and transported. After WWII cars used asbestos in brake shoes and clutch pads. Asbestos found its way into residential and industrial building materials, water supply, sewage materials, ceiling and floor tiles, and vermiculite garden materials to name a few products.

In the 1970's, following the discoveries of the health dangers of asbestos dust inhalation, the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission prohibited the use of asbestos in several products that could liberate asbestos fibers into the environment during use. Regulations governing the use of asbestos and public concern since 1970 have created a significant drop in the use of asbestos in the United States. The same pattern has been seen in most of the developed world.

In 1989 all new uses of asbestos were banned by the Environmental Protection Agency while any old uses before that year were still allowed. The EPA suggested that schools inspect for damaged asbestos and eliminate any exposure or enclose it in protective barriers. Vermiculite, widely used in horticulture, became a concern of the EPA . They recommended outdoor use, limiting the amount of dust used, and keeping vermiculite damp.

Health hazards

Asbestos may create serious health hazards such as coughing, lung damage, shortness of breath, and lung cancer. Most people do not become sick in the early stages of contact but usually need continued exposure. This often means on jobs such as mining, milling, manufacturing asbestos products, and the building construction industry. Firemen, demolition and destruction workers, drywall removers, and anyone else involved in trades that involve destruction of buildings, ships, and automobiles are also exposed to the hazards of asbestos.

Over a number of years continual exposure to asbestos can cause very serious health problems, such as mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a rare type of carcinoma of the membrane that lines numerous cavities of the body, including the lungs, abdomen and heart, and has been associated with exposure to asbestos dust. In mesothelioma, the cells of the mesothelioma metastasize and damage adjacent organs and tissues.

Mesothelioma may not develop for a long period of time, often as long as twenty-five or thirty-five years before full blown symptoms appear. Not all workers who have been exposed will develop diseases, but workers who have been exposed to it may bring fibers on their clothing, hair, shoes, and skin home to their families. To circumvent this risk, most industries require workers to bathe and change their clothing before they leave work.

Dietary advice for Mesothelioma patients

Doctors and nutritionists may recommend a special cancer diet because many mesothelioma patients tend to lose their appetites due to worry over their condition. Also, those who are undergoing treatment may choose not to eat because of the unpleasant side effects they may experience. Chemotherapy and some medications may cause an imbalance of nutrients that must be corrected in order to keep the body as strong as possible and to keep the patient from losing an excessive amount of weight. Other side effects of mesothelioma treatment can include nausea, vomiting, constipation,dry mouth and a change in the sense of smell or taste.

In our childhood we were all told to eat our vegetables. Forcing down cabbage and sprouts was supposed to make us bigger and stronger. Well, so it is for mesothelioma patients. Diet is often an overlooked subject for cancer patients, but eating the right nutritional foods for strength and energy is just as important as taking the proper medication.

Mesothelioma patients undergoing treatment must follow a special cancer diet devised by their nutritionists. The details of every patient's mesothelioma diet will vary. Some patients will need to incorporate more fat into their diets, while others may need more protein. Cancer diets involve eating the correct amounts of protein and calories as well as drinking the right amount of water to keep the ailing body replenished and energized. The body needs plenty of nourishment when it is going through chemotherapy or even when the patient is taking certain medications.

It is important that patients devise a cancer diet under the guidance of their doctor and nutritionist to ensure that they obtain the proper amount of nutrients to improve their quality of life.

Protein is important for any cancer patient because it helps repair tissue damaged by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Protein also helps maintain a strong and healthy immune system, lowering a mesothelioma patient's risk of infection after aggressive cancer treatments. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing protein in a cancer diet with cheese, milk, ice cream, yoghurt, eggs, nuts, peanut butter, meats and fish.

Fats are an essential part of the cancer diet because they supply the body with the necessary energy it needs while undergoing treatment. The amount of fats a cancer diet should consist of is dependent on a mesothelioma patient's age and body size. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing caloric intake with such foods as butter, milk, cheese, honey, sugar, granola and dried fruits.

Water is another essential component of the cancer diet. Without a significant amount of water, the body will dehydrate. It is important that anyone undergoing cancer treatment drink sufficient water to keep their bodies hydrated and replenished.

By Michael Aldridge

Article supplied by Michael Aldridge. For a complete and extensive guide to mesothelioma, please visit our web site at http://www.mesothelioma.informatee.com/
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

The Fact About Mesothelioma Cancer

2006-11-24T02:34:00.000-08:00

What is Mesothelioma Cancer?

Mesothelioma cancer is an extremely rare cancer form that is only found in the mesothelium. This form of malignancy generally affects those people who have been exposed to a situation where asbestos is present, typically those who have worked in buildings where it was used as a fire retardant..

What happens when a person has Mesothelioma Cancer?

This type of cancer directly affects the mesothelium and causes abnormal cells. These cells begin to divide rampantly. They invade and cause damage to all organs and tissues that are near the effected area. Mesothelioma cancer tends to spread fairly quickly throughout the body, as well.

Mesothelium

This is the membrane that protects and covers many of the organs within your body. The membrane is made up of cells and is in separate layers. The first layer surrounds the organ extremely close and the second creates a protective sac around the organs.

Studies show that only 2,000 people each year are diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer in the U.S. Studies further show that men are more apt to contract this type of cancer than women. However, Mesothelioma Cancer knows no boundaries and can be found in both genders.

Typically, the older the person is, the more at risk they are for developing Mesothelioma cancer.

Who is at risk for Mesothelioma Cancer?

Anyone who is exposed to asbestos in large quantities and for long periods of time are especially at risk for developing Mesothelioma cancer. It is impossible to say who exactly will develop Mesothelioma cancer because it has been found in those who had only very little exposure to asbestos and those who had no exposure at all, but lived with someone who had a good deal of exposure to them. The risk to those living with someone works in asbestos filled areas is high. Asbestos is brought home by the worker as dust on his or her hair or clothing.

Mesothelioma Cancer Symptoms

Mesothelioma cancer is a slow growing type of cancer. Some cases do not see any type of symptoms until thirty to fifty years after asbestos exposure. Some symptoms can include:

Chest Pain
Shortness of breath
Sudden Weight Loss
Pain in the abdominal region
Abdominal swelling
Bowel Obstruction
Blood Clots
Fever
Anemia
Trouble Swallowing
Facial Swelling
Neck Swelling

Treatment of Mesothelioma Cancer

There are a few different treatment options available for those diagnosed with Mesothelioma cancer. The method of treatment will depend upon many different things such as the age, overall health, where the Mesothelioma cancer is located and the stage the Mesothelioma Cancer is in. The three typical types of treatment include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. In some cases, treatments may be combined if it proves beneficial to the patient.

By Heather Colman

This article is Copyright © 2006, Heather Colman. Find more Mesothelioma cancer resources at mesotheliomacancerinfo.org.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Asbestos Exposure Issues

2006-11-24T02:28:00.000-08:00

Asbestos is a very dangerous substance to inhale. That’s why many companies hire professionals to remove asbestos from their workplace. Asbestos is so dangerous because the fibers that form asbestos can cause cancers such as mesothelioma, as well as other diseases.
The danger in asbestos is when the material breaks down or open and the fibers become airborne. Unfortunately, dangerous exposure the asbestos can occur when even just a trace amount of fibers for a minute amount of time is present in the environment. Even then, the symptoms of trouble might not show for up to 40 years.

In general people come into contact with asbestos where they are employed or live. There are other dangerous places, however. Anyone living or working near a shipyard, steel mill, power plant, or refinery is at risk for asbestos exposure. Once again, the asbestos fibers break loose from where they’ve been hidden, and since they are airborne, they easily travel to neighborhoods that are close by. Other industrial sites that often have asbestos on site are maritime, building, car repair, especially brake or clutch work, roofing and railways.

Asbestos isn’t just found in business and industry. Before the 1970s, asbestos was used to insulate schools and residences. Some estimates put asbestos use prior to those years at 30 million tons in the US alone.

Now that you’ve seen this alarming news, how can you ensure that you’re safe? For one thing, not all houses built before 1970 used any asbestos. Secondly, the chief places where people are exposed to asbestos are industrial sites. Not only that, but more people that were exposed did not get sick as opposed to those who did.

If you have any fear at all that you may have asbestos in your home, call the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They will tell you how to find qualified technicians to come and examine your house. In the case that asbestos is found, they will help you get rid of it. The EPA will also have you get a separate risk assessment to confirm or dispute their finding.

Then, if you are thinking about building a home, unless the material is clearly labeled, you should assume it could have some level of asbestos in it. Therefore, until you can verify that the product is safe, you should contact the manufacturer to find out exactly what is contained in each type of material.

If you are buying a home from a private seller, by law, they are required to disclose any known hazards to you, which would include asbestos. Apartment complexes built prior to 1970 commonly have materials that include asbestos. Keep in mind that while it might be a scary thought of living where asbestos exists, remember, until the product with the asbestos breaks down or opens, the asbestos is not a health risk.

As of 1995, OSHA issued standards that require testing, maintenance, and disclosure of asbestos for the workplace. Rental property also falls under this ruling, meaning that property owners are required to disclose the presence of any existing asbestos to potential renters. Armed with that information, you can quickly decide whether to live there or look for other rental properly.

By Joseph Amiante

Joseph Amiante runs the Asbestos Pain, web site that focuses on a range of resources about asbestos issues. For more details, go to: http://www.asbestospain.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms

2006-11-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

Adrenal Fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands - 2 small glands that sit on top of your kidneys - become overworked and depleted. Your adrenal glands are responsible for handling the stresses of your daily life, whether that be physical stress, emotional stress, or psychological stress.

When your adrenal glands become overworked, they cannot keep up with the stresses of your everyday life. You then start to manifest the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Note that just because you have one or two of the symptoms of adrenal insufficiency does not mean that you have adrenal fatigue. However if you find you have the majority of these symptoms then you may want to investigate further.

You'll want to learn some of the common causes of adrenal fatigue to see if you can identify with any of these causes in your own life. You'll also want to see your doctor for a full medical workup and diagnosis of adrenal fatigue.

Here are the key symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

You're Tired For No Explainable Reason

People with adrenal fatigue experience extreme physical exhaustion and they don't have an explanation as to why (such as a strenuous workout). This isn't just everyday tiredness it is extreme exhaustion.

You Gain Weight Easily - Especially Around the Middle

People with adrenal fatigue often notice they gain weight very easily. They especially notice the extra weight around the middle - and it's very hard to lose it.

You Have Difficulty Rising In The Morning

Those with adrenal fatigue often find they feel tired when getting up in the morning - even with a full night's sleep. They often need stimulants like caffeine and sugar to 'get going' both in the morning and throughout the day.

You're More Susceptible To Flus and Colds

If you have adrenal fatigue, you may notice that you seem to be catching every flu and cold that comes within 10 feet of you. You'll also notice that it seems harder for your body to bounce back from illness.

You Often Feel Overwhelmed and Run Down

People with adrenal insufficiency often feel run down and overwhelmed with the tasks they have to accomplish. They may feel as if they can't keep up and do it all. (This can lead to other symptoms like depression and social withdrawal)

You May Crave Salty or Sweet Snacks

This may include high protein snacks like meat or cheese. Some people with adrenal fatigue can have an increased craving for salt. You might also notice an intense craving for sweets and fast carbs like donuts, chocolate bars, pastries, ice cream etc.

You Feel Better In A Less Stressful Environment

Many people with adrenal insufficiency feel better when on vacation. Their symptoms may even clear up entirely but then return when they go back to their normal lives.

You Are Troubled By 'Brain Fog' or Inability to Concentrate

This may include things like the inability to remember certain details, appointments, etc. This may also include a feeling of confusion or difficulty concentrating.

Increased PMS For Women

Women with adrenal disorder may find their periods become heavier and/or irregular. They may also notice increased PMS mood swings and/or food cravings.

Those are several key symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Other symptoms include:

Lightheadedness/Low Blood Pressure

Tendency to Tremble When Under Pressure

Reduced Sex Drive

Heart Palpitations

Nervousness/Raw Nerves

Poor Digestion

Feel Most Energetic in the Evening

Extremely Senstive To Cold

If you can identify with the majority of these adrenal fatigue symptoms you may want to read about the causes of adrenal fatigue to see if you can identify with any of them in your own personal life. You'll also want to see your doctor for more tests and a complete diagnosis.

Adrenal fatigue can be overcome and you can feel better. Listen to your body, cut back on stress and treat yourself well.

By Vienna Miller

Vienna Miller is a contributing writer to Adrenal Fatigue - helping you learn more about adrenal fatigue.
For more articles on adrenal fatigue see:http://www.adrenalfatigue.homestead.com/
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

Learning To Be Assertive Despite The Fatigue of Illness

2006-11-22T23:57:00.000-08:00

I had just received the third pink slip in two weeks from the lab that said my payment was passed due. Over three times I had called and my insurance company had assured me that the lab work was covered and that they would mail out a check that afternoon. This time, when I finally got a representative on the telephone, I was polite but firm. I said that I wanted the problem taken care of immediately, and I wrote down her name and the supervisor’s name. It was time to get even more assertive.

Has assertiveness gotten a bad rap, however, among the chronically ill? Is it assumed that we won’t have the energy or stamina to fight all of the battles that we will face? When we do talk to someone in customer service, we are rarely taken absolutely seriously. After all, isn’t it just the drugs that make us impatient and nit-picky about all of this insurance stuff? Has anyone ever brushed off your assertiveness simply by assuming, “She doesn’t have anything else to think about all day, so no wonder she’s upset!”? Or “She’s just taking her frustrations out on me because she has a chronic illness.”

When you imagine an assertive person, what comes to mind? Webster’s Dictionary says that assertiveness is “positive; affirming confidently; affirmative.” Too often we confuse assertiveness with aggression which is defined as “making assaults and unjustly attacking.” Most of us have had moments when we have slid into an aggressive mode, but assertiveness is based on one’s ability to confidently step forward. Rather than becoming aggressive, I believe that the chronically ill often become burnt out on fighting and we simply avoid any conflict. Who has the energy to fight for our rights? Next time a situation arises where you may need to be a bit assertive, here are some things in which to remember.

[1] I have the right to say no without feeling guilty.

For those of us with chronic illness, this is a big one! We must say, “no, thanks,” or “I’ll pass,” much more often than we would prefer. Even when we master the ability to say no, the guilt continues to sit with us for days. Let it go! You know your abilities and limitations and what is best for your own health and your family’s well being.

[2] I have the right to state my opinion, even if I change my mind.

Have you ever been on a jury and you had to state your decision up-front, but than as the deliberations continued, you changed your mind about the verdict? You have the right to say what you think, but it’s best to think before you speak. Is what you say going to hurt someone’s feelings? Are your comments going to help the situation?

[3] I have the right to take risks and try new things.

Just because you have a chronic condition doesn’t mean you have to eat at the same restaurant the rest of your life. Try new things! You may find a new hobby or a new activity that you are able to easily do, in which you would have never thought about. “When I started taking photos it was on one of those cardboard cameras,” says Darcie. “But then I found that I really loved it and I wasn’t half bad. So I bought a real camera. It’s been fun. I’ve had an excuse to go to events that I couldn’t participate in before, like boat races, because I am ‘the photographer.’”

[4] I have the right to be heard.

Whether you are having a conversation with a medical professional or your mother, you do have the right to be heard. Too many of us fall into the habit of talking all of the time, however, and forgetting that we also have the responsibility to listen. Know your boundaries and what you are willing to listen to and not. When a man approached me after a health fair and said, “I can cure you in 30 days,” I replied, “You have sixty seconds to tell me why I should talk with you further about your product.” I listened... and no, he didn’t convince me. He felt okay about it though, and I got out of an uncomfortable thirty-minute sales pitch.

So be assertive—practice in front of the mirror if you must. As you step out and share your opinion, it may feel awkward at first, but then you will gain more confidence and it will become simpler the next time the opportunity arises. Even studies have shown that assertive people are more likely to have personal and professional relationships that are based on honesty and mutual respect.

By Lisa Copen

Don't miss Lisa Copen's new consumer magazine, HopeKeepers, for people who live with chronic illness or pain and the sponsor of Invisible Illness Awareness Week. Articles, chat, groups. http://www.restministries.org/
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

HOW CHRONIC FATIQUE HAS AFFECTED MY LIFE

2006-11-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

By Triston Huntsmin

Many of you have heard the term 'chronic fatigue' I am sure. Far fewer of you probably know the technical, medical knowledge about the disease. While I could share with you page after page, hour after hour of information on chronic fatigue, I think it is more appropriate to share just how deeply chronic fatigue has affected my life.

I grew up just like many other kids. I loved to play outside until darkness came and I loved to push the limit with my parents every night about bedtime. As a child, there was nothing better than when my mom or dad took time away from their busy schedules to play with me and my siblings. I loved nothing more than when my dad's car pulled into the driveway and he came around back to join us in whatever game we happened to be playing. I have year after year of great memories of afternoons and summer days spent playing with my dad. That was all before chronic fatigue happened of course.

I was in junior high when my dad first began showing symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as chronic fatigue. It was interesting because I remember that the sickness seemed to come upon him slowly and yet all at once. I remember that his energy levels slowly disappeared until he could barely get out of bed to make it to work somedays. He was tested for a wide variety of things, but it was a couple of years before the diagnosis of chronic fatigue was made.

Because I was too young to fully understand the problems that were plaguing my dad's body, his chronic fatigue was a source of frustration and anger to me. I didn't like it that my dad no longer was able to play catch with me in the back yard or that he rarely made it to my Saturday soccer games anymore. He tried to explain his chroic fatigue to me over and over, but often I would get made and storm out of the room. How could my dad, so healthy and active and young just a few years before, be unable to make it out of bed in the morning?

Once my dad was officially diagnosed with chronic fatigue, it was many months before an effective treatment plan could be figured out by his doctors. They tried curbing his chronic fatigue with many diet and exercise plans. They tried getting him to sleep longer at night and nap during the day. Our family stopped eating many of the foods we loved most each time mom began preparing a new diet for dad's chronic fatigue. The cafeteria at school and an occasional meal with friends became my only retreat from the boring and tasteless foods my dad was now destined to eat because of chronic fatigue.

My point in saying these things is simply to share in brief the ways chronic fatigue has affected my life. While I am very thankful to all of the doctors that have worked on my dad and made his condition bearable, I still miss the dad I had before chronic fatigue came and stole his life and our time together away.

Author Triston Huntsmin enjoys writing pieces that reflect true parts of his life. He hopes to inspire others to get honest about the ways that life is affecting them. Learn more about chronic fatigue at www.chronicfatiguenews.info
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Lisa Copen said: I had just received the third pink slip in two weeks from the lab that said my payment was passed due. Over three times I had called and my insurance company had assured me that the lab work was covered and that they would mail out a check that afternoon. This time, when I finally got a representative on the telephone, I was polite but firm. I said that I wanted the problem taken care of immediately, and I wrote down her name and the supervisor’s name. It was time to get even more assertive.

Read more of this "Learning to be assertive despite the fatique of illness" by Lisa Copen.
http://www.restministries.org

SKIN CARE 101 FOR SUMMER

2006-10-22T06:08:00.000-07:00

Author: BJ Schwehr

It's a well know fact that extended exposure to the sun’s ultra violet light rays (UV), invisible intense rays of the sun can cause skin cancer, wrinkles and premature aging. Prolonged exposure to UVA or UVB accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature aging of the skin such as age/ liver spots and easy bruising of the skin along with the increased risk of skin cancer.

UV radiation is divided in to 3 categories:

UVC radiation does not affect the skin and is completely absorbed by the ozone layer. UVC radiation is found in artificial sources, such as tanning booths.

UVB radiation affects the outer layer of the skin and is responsible for suntans and sunburns. UVB rays are most intense between the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and much more intense during the summer months.

UVA radiation is a major contributor to skin damage. It penetrates deeper into the skin and is more constant than UVB. The intensity of UVA does not vary according to time of day or time of year.

UV radiation skin changes:

UV radiation breaks down collagen fibers and this process repeated over and over can develop wrinkles. UV exposure causes thickening and thinning of the skin causing wrinkles, easy bruising and tearing of the skin.

UV radiation causes the wall of blood vessels to become thinner causing bruising from a minor bump and appearance of tiny blood vessels in the skin especially on the face (those tiny red lines on cheeks and around the nose).

UV changes occur in the pigment in the form of freckles in light / fair-skinned people. Large freckles, also known as age or liver spots, appear on the back of hands, chest, shoulders, arms and upper back. Age or liver spots, as they are known, have nothing to do with age but are due to sun damage.

Moreover, UV of course, can cause more serious damage – Skin Cancer.
There are three types of skin cancer:

Melanoma – is the most deadly and spreads to other parts of the body more readily than other types. Melanoma is the eighth most common cancer in the United States and causes 1-2% of all cancer deaths. It most frequently appears on the trunk in men and on the legs in women, but it can occur anywhere on the body. Suspicious or changing moles need to be diagnosed and treated immediately.

Basal Cell Carcinoma – is the most common skin cancer and tends to spread locally. Here again diagnosis and treatment immediately is important.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma – is the second most common, it can spread but is not as likely to a Melanoma. As before, diagnosis and treatment immediately is important.

Protection is key to preventing UV damage to the skin. Here are some tips about sunscreens.
Sunscreens should contain ingredients that physically block UVA and UVB radiation. Look for a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 15-plus and the ingredient Avobenzone, Titanium, or Zinc Oxide.

Sunscreens or moisturizers with SPF 15-plus should be applied daily even in winter months. It should be applied liberally enough that it forms a film over sun-exposed areas. It takes approximately 20-30 minutes for sunscreen to be absorbed by the skin. It should also be reapplied after swimming, excessive sweating or toweling.

Important Note: Insect repellents reduce the sunscreen’s SPF by up to one-third. When using sunscreen and insect repellent together a higher SPF sunscreen should be used and reapplied more often.

On a positive note, the body manufactures vitamin D when exposed to sunshine, and it is recommended people get 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine 3 times a week. So get out and enjoy the sunshine just remember to much sun can cause skin cancer, wrinkles and premature aging so protect areas exposed to the sun during those peak sunshine hours, use a SPF of 15-plus sunscreen, protective clothing and a good pair of sunglasses to protect the eyes

Author BJ Schwehr, Yoga Beginnings, http://www.yogabeginnings.com/
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

ARE YOU AT RISK OF CONTRACTING DIABETES ?

2006-10-22T06:06:00.000-07:00

Author: famoustrainer

It is unbelievable, but today there are at least 20 million people living with diabetes in America and the sad part is that it was possible to prevent and heal pre-diabetes and diabetes type 2 naturally with balanced nutrition, and basic exercise.

People at risk of getting the disease drop by a staggering 60 percent if they manage to lose just 10 pounds by following a healthy diet and engage in regular exercise such as walking, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (May 3, 2001).

Pre-diabetes

This term means that you are at risk for getting type 2 diabetes and also heart disease.
The good news is if you have pre-diabetes you can reduce the risk of getting diabetes type 2 and even return to normal blood glucose levels if you follow the guidelines in this article.

Type 2 diabetes

Formerly called adult-onset diabetes, this is the most common form of diabetes. This form of diabetes usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body cannot use insulin properly.

People can develop this type of diabetes at any age and is usually associated with today's modern lifestyle of fast food, stress and no exercise.

Being overweight and inactive increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes dramatically. Traditional treatment includes taking diabetes medicines, aspirin daily, and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol with prescription drugs.

But with modest weight loss and moderate daily physical activity, you can delay or even prevent type 2 diabetes and lead a normal life. Lets look at a few steps you can use straight away in your daily life that will make a big difference to your condition.

Strength Training - Researchers have reported a 23% increase in glucose uptake after four months of strength training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise.
Nowadays you do not have to live in a gym to put on functional muscle. Short High Intensity sessions performed once a week is all that is required to improve glucose metabolism and lose weight.

The strength training technique I use requires just twenty to thirty mins per week. Gone are the days of the five-day a week program with 6 to 12 sets per body part that, method has never worked.

One short intense strength-training workout a week will elevate your metabolism more than you ever thought possible.

The two main components of this technique are the intensity of the exercise and the recovery after the exercise.

Infrequent, short, high intensity weight training sessions, followed by the required amount of time to recover and become stronger is what is needed to increase functional lean muscle and improve glucose metabolism.

Nutrition - The way to lose body fat and maintain muscle is to have a food program for life. Quality food and more energy output are the basics you'll need to go for. Bulk foods that fill you up and don't fill you out, foods that are low in fat and sugar which aren't refined should be the ideal.

Small frequent meals should be consumed during the day each containing a little protein to maintain muscle and energy levels. Foods with vital vitamin and mineral supplements should also be taken on a daily basis.

A high quality broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement should also be taken on a daily basis.

As before get the calories from high quality food but if you can't, utilize a blender to make concoctions from skim milk with whatever additives you want to use, just as long as you keep count of the calories for your daily total.

Now use these blender mixtures and solid food for your daily feedings. Spread it out over many small meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day. The way to keep track of weight loss is to buy a calorie counter and record your daily calorie intake for a week.

Exercise - Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.

The key to effective aerobic training that burns off maximum fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn't matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories.

The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the Gym.

Make no mistake about it you can do a lot to lower your chances of getting diabetes. By exercising regularly, reducing fat from your diet and losing weight can all help you reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes?

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com/ right now for your 'free' weight loss or muscle building e-courses.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

ANTI-AGING STRATEGY: McDONALD KNOWS THE SECRET

2006-10-22T05:48:00.000-07:00

Author: Barbara Morris, R.Ph.

Copyright 2006 Barbara Morris, R.Ph.

If you eat fast food, even occasionally, you must admire how quickly they crank out the stuff. A proven, time-tested system makes it possible. Every day, in every way, they prepare and serve every burger and every batch of fries exactly the same way. No deviation from the system allowed. It works perfectly except when humans goof up and don’t follow the system.

The “fast food system” can teach us a lot about mastering the aging process. You can apply it to your own life.

You start with a product (you), develop a system or regimen (exercise and diet), then every day apply the system to the product (you). Simple, yes?

Of course, you must first develop the system or regimen that you want to put the product (you) through each day. Don’t make it difficult or complicated, just decide on some simple “baby” steps to take, then start.

Let’s assume you decide there are five basic actions you will take each and every day to keep you ageless. They could be:

• You eat breakfast with enough protein to keep your appetite in check until the next meal. No sugary fake “cereals” or excess empty carbs to upset your blood sugar and create cravings.

• You take vitamin supplements, even if you feel great and think you don’t need them.

• You make time to exercise, even if you think you don’t have time. No need for trips to a fitness center; instead, invest in a treadmill or stationary bike, and put it in front of the TV. Walk or pedal away while you watch your favorite programs instead of sitting on the sofa drinking nasty diet soda and wolfing down a bag of greasy chips.

• You spend 15 minutes reading books or newsletters that teach you about anti-aging living.

• You drink eight full glasses of water during the day.

It’s a no-brainer You do the five actions of your choice each and every day. You don’t need to start all five at once. Start with one thing. Then add another after the first action becomes automatic. It doesn’t matter if the sky falls, you do it anyway. It becomes a habit, a regimen or a system – whatever you choose to call it. And it works.

If you are 30, 40 or 50 and you begin to invest in yourself with a dedicated system that makes sense to you, I guarantee that by the time you are 77 (my age) father time will have no claim on your ageless life. You will feel and function, mentally and physically as you did 25 years earlier.

Look, you can’t stop the passage of time, but you can develop a personal anti-aging system that stops “oldness” dead in its tracks. Take the advice of that wise entertainer, Eubie Blake, who said, “If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” You have to power to control the aging process. Stop putting it off. Start your own “fast food system” today! Remember, it works!

Barbara Morris, R.Ph. is a leading anti-aging strategist, pharmacist and author of Put Old on Hold. Her expertise is cited in Art Linkletter and Mark Victor Hansen’s new book, How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life. To learn more about the book, visit http://putoldonhold.net/LinkletterBook.html Visit Barbara’s website, http://www.putoldonhold.com/ and sign up for her monthly anti-aging newsletter and receive complimentary e-book, “Diva Tested Tips for Fabulous Skin.” Read more by Barbara Morris at http://tinyurl.com/rhlko
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS AND YOUR HEALTH

2006-10-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Author: Douglas Alp

Copyright 2006 Douglas Alp

There are many people who really do not know the benefits of fish oils and the essential fatty acids in one's diet. As the definition goes the word essential meaning they are critical and necessary for good health. The essential fatty acids (EFA) are the good fats in your diet and provide benefits for the heart, brain and the entire body.

The essential fatty acid consists of omega 3 and omega 6. Omega 3 is primarily found in cold water fish. Fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, tuna and mackerel are very good sources the pre-formed omega 3’s. Fish is a great source of the omega 3. Eating fish is also beneficial because fish is a great source of protein, minerals and antioxidants.

Plant also contain omega 3. Plants such as flax seed, canola, soybean and walnuts all are a good source for omega 3. Your body needs to convert these omega 3 fats into the usable form but they do provide a great source to add to the essential fatty acid derived from fish.

Some benefits that have that have been scientifically proven by the increase of omega 3 in your diet are as follows: improved cardiovascular function, superior circulatory function, relief from arthritis and other inflammation problems, reduction in joint aches and pains, improved memory and brain function, helps induce healthy insulin levels, increases the HDL (good cholesterol) levels in your body acting to unclog your arteries, increased energy and improved mood.

In a study from Harvard University in testing a group of 30 people with manic depression or bi-polar disorder showed an increase in mood by 65% using fish oil as apposed to a 19% increase in mood testing with olive oil.

There are 3 types of omega 3’s. The forms are categorized as EPA, (eicosapentaenoic acid), and DHA (docosahexanoic acid) can primarily be found in cold water fish. The third form of omega 3 is ALA(alpha-linolenic acid). ALA is primarily found in green leafy vegetables, flax see and flax seed oil and certain vegetable oils. ALA is converted to EPA by the body. All three of this omega 3 forms are important to your body function and your health.

The other essential fatty acid that the body need is the omega 6 which can be derived from plant based oils, poultry and eggs. The issue surrounding omega 6 is that we get more than enough omega 6 in our diets. Since omega 3 and omega 6 compete for the same space in our cells including our brain, our nerve endings and for the same enzymes it is important to have them in the correct balance. The ratio of 4 to1 and even 2 to 1 of omega 6 to omega 3 is optimal. Since most people are getting 10 to 20 times more omega 6 than omega 3 it is recommend for improved health to consume more omega 3. The increase of green leafy vegetables, flax seed or flax seed oil and the addition of cold water fish will help to increase your omega 3 consumption and help you get the correct balance of your essential fatty acids (EFA) into your diet.

This article has been brought to you by Douglas Alp from MyCompletelife.com. Douglas is in pursuit of the complete life which beings with optimal health at the core and is the foundation for a great abundant life. You can visit his site at http://www.mycompletelife.com/ to find other great resources and sign up for your free newsletter to assist you to building a healthy and vibrant body and mind in pursuit of your complete life.
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HEALTH AND WELLBEING: THE GREATEST GIFTS ON EARTH!

2006-10-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

Author: William Cary

Happiness lies, first of all, in health.

But that happiness is going to be in jeopardy if our health is not ok!

Modern life is very complex and we work the longest hours. Resultantly there aren't enough hours in the day to work and have a quality home and social life. The hustle and bustle of our daily routine makes us even more fatigued.

You try balancing your tight schedule in the work front with your time to be devoted to restore your enthusiasm. It will boost you up and you can perform your work properly.

But sometimes you lack the stamina for doing any work. Even if you maintain eating right food you are short of that strength.

So how do you fit in all the mundane tasks of everyday life?

And what is that required other than normal food or medicine?

For all the queries the answer is ‘an appropriate health care’. A proper health assessment is very much needed to rejuvenate you in the midst of your hectic day-to-day work pattern. It is nothing but the process of defining and quantifying risks and determining the acceptability of those risks to human being.

Once the factors are known, the next work is to define ways to maximise the health power. There are actually seven keys to healthy living: A good decision, Proper lifestyle, Spirituality, Stress Management, Regular Exercise, Burning of calories and Intake of Proper Nutrition. And all these things are out of the normal medication or they can easily be called alternative medicines. Treating diseases chiefly by assisting the body's innate capacity to recover from illness and revive the power within is the basic motto of the alternative cure all.

It is called natural therapies. Building and restoring health and wellness via prevention and healthy lifestyles is called natural therapy. Natural health includes herbalism, natural hygiene, naturopathy, and nutripathy and these techniques are sometimes viewed to be useful as complementary therapy to conventional medicine.

Where do you get all these natural therapies?

An increasingly popular solution … is to divest time-consuming chores on to a lifestyle management company which will act effectively as a personal assistant in return for a fee. They also arrange for a free consultation by the medical professionals.

There are so many organisations which usually fulfil the needs. Those organisations do organise for Health care management, Natural therapies, Health care Travel, Corporate health programs, etc. and help us regaining that lost force.

Have a good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease by the help of those organizations.

Sooner it is, better it would be for your health and wellbeing!

William Cary is a freelance Writer who diagnoses every article with full consideration of its reach to the target audience and for more information regarding the Health and Wellbeing, Natural therapies, Lifestyle management, Health care Travel and Healthy eating he advocates this site http://www.revivegroup.com.au/default.asp
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TOP 10 DIET TIPS FOR OPTIMUM HEALTH AND WEIGHT!

2006-10-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

Author: Sylvia Riley

Copyright 2006 Sylvia Riley

Top 10 Diet TIps for Optijmum Health and Weight

1. Raw Power

Raw plant foods are healthy, regenerative, cleansing and energising, packed with potent compounds that gift the body in numerous ways. Raw food boosts the immune system, enhances digestion and has reputed benefits for weight loss and clear, beautiful skin. It is much more easily digested, taking half to a third of the time of cooked food and provides substantial amounts of healthy fibre, nutrients, benevolent oils, antioxidants and life-giving enzymes.

2. Know Your Fats

Hydrogenated fats and refined cooking oils contain harmful trans-fatty acids and free radical toxins that poison the body. Excess saturated animal fats are also detrimental to health and contribute to clogged arteries, heart disease, obesity and cancer. Natural cold-pressed oils such as nut, seed, olive and fish oils contain monounsaturated fats, healthy essential fatty acids, nutrients and phytochemicals that serve the body. Coconut oil is a ‘miracle oil’ that has a myriad of health benefits and actually aids weight loss! Flax seed and fish oils are super rich in essential omega-3 oils which enhance the burning of fats in the body and serve numerous important health functions.

3. Eat Your Greens

Some of the healthiest and most nutritious foods on the planet are green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and kale, green algae (spirulina and chlorella for example) and grasses such as wheat grass and barley grass. As well as the plethora of nutrients and phytochemicals these foods contain, one key ingredient they all share is chlorophyll, a powerful cleanser and detoxifier. Chlorophyll binds to heavy metals and is excellent in helping to remove them from the body. Laboratory tests have demonstrated the ability of chlorophyll to inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses and repair damaged tissues.

4. No sugar

We all enjoy a little sweetness in our lives, yet there’s no getting away from the negative effects of sugar. These include immune system suppression, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, tooth decay, premature aging, hormone imbalance, free radicals, osteoporosis, heart disease and the feeding cancer cells. Artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine are very dangerous alternatives. Try natural sugars such as dried and fresh fruit, or stevia, a healthy sugar subsitute.

5. Phytonutrients

There are literally 1000’s of active compounds in plants known as phytonutrients now recognised for their astonishing health virtues. They have been shown to play an active role in the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases as well as lowering cholesterol, detoxifying the blood, relieving allergies and neutralising free radicals. Dr James Duke of the US Department of Agriculture states that ‘One gram of preventative phytonutrients is better than a ton of curative drugs’. Phytochemicals correspond with the colour attributes of plants, hence eating a rainbow selection of vegetables and fruits ensures a healthy and varied intake of these health promoting compounds.

6. Cut Out Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates such as white flour and white rice are robbed of nutrient value and are high-glycemic, one step away from ingesting sugar directly. This raises insulin levels in the blood which in turn prevents the burning of fat for energy and increases the risk of obesity and diabetes. Stick to healthy whole grains which are absorbed slowly and do not lead to imbalanced sugar levels, such as brown rice, millet, spelt, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth or natural white rice such as jasmin or basmati.

7. Antioxidants Foods

Antioxidants subjugate the attack of free radicals in the body, the hazardous molecules implicated in the onset of aging and disease. Although we produce many of our own antioxidants within the body, food provides an essential source for these key players of our defence system with superfoods providing a particularly opulent supply (berries, spinach, prunes, onions, grapes and Brussel sprouts being some examples).

8. Avoid Dairy

Increased dairy consumption has been linked with numerous diseases and conditions including acne, allergies, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Chron’s disease, and even osteoporosis. Milk also contains harmful synthetic hormones (such as BGH), drugs and pesticides. Try rice milk or nut milks as alternatives (avoid soy however as it has deleterious effects on the body with plenty of research available online regarding this).

9. An Alkaline Diet

PH balance in the body is imperative for health and resistance to disease. To achieve this it is important to ensure you include predominantly alkaline foods in your diet (60-80%) such as fresh vegetables and fruits which contain alkalising minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. An acidic system (Acidosis) is associated with a wide range of health problems including stomach ulcers, arthritis, bladder and kidney conditions, diabetes, osteoporosis, fungal overgrowth, heart disease, cancer and weight gain. Foods that acidify the body include sugar, meat, dairy products, eggs, fats and most grains (except millet, quinoa and amaranth). Some of the ‘best’ acid foods include brown rice, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, oats and fish.

10. Plenty of Superfoods!

Superfoods are the most potent, anti aging, antioxidant rich, nutrient dense, disease fighting, beautifying, immune boosting, mood enhancing foods on the planet! They include regular foods that may already feature in your diet such as broccoli and spinach, as well as more unusual ones such as bee pollen and aloe vera. There are many, all worth exploring, and once discovered you'll not want to be without them!

MIRACLE SUPERFOODS:http://www.miracle-superfoods.com/NATURAL NUTRITION GUIDE FOR DOGS AND CATS:http://www.pet-nutrition-guide.com/MIRACLE MIND:http://www.miracle-mind.com/
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MOVING TOWARDS AN AGELESS BODY

2006-10-22T05:32:00.000-07:00

Author: Mary Desaulniers

Copyright 2006 Mary Desaulniers

Picture this—a woman in a red bodysuit, back arched on a narrow perch. A bar holds the base of her neck, a seat holds the small of her back as her body, well-toned, flexible with full musculature, secures itself onto the perch. Her left leg, straight and taut, is held high off the ground by powerful back and thigh muscles. Her hair, thick and dark, swoops towards the floor, revealing a strong, firm neck. Nothing in the pose, skin or face belies her age. She is 69.

Meet Emilie Conrad, the woman with the Ageless Body. Founder of the Continuum Movement, Emilie has been tapping into the body’s wisdom since her early years. Even as a child, she had a strong intuition that life was imbued with a unifying spirit. A fortuitous visit to Haiti confirmed her intuition; enchanted by the undulating movements of the Haitian prayer rituals, she sensed its power to connect the human body to a primal fluid rhythm. She saw the earth speaking through the feet of the prayer ritual dancers.

Haiti was an epiphany for Emilie Conrad; it showed her the vast discrepancy between western culture and the thick, aqueous, molasses culture that has its roots in Africa. “Western culture abhors the ‘body’,” says Conrad. Body wisdom is ignored in favor of more repetitive, mechanical and dissociated movement that is characteristic not only of our western concept of fitness, but also of the boxed-in, 9-5 routines of our society. The body in the western world is controlled, bound to an agenda.

This goes against the innate wisdom of the body. The body is fluid, organic, insists Conrad. What she calls a ‘body’ is “movement, a dance of cells, molecules and interpenetrating wave motions.” Our body is a fluid system--”we are basically fluid beings who have arrived on land—moving water existing on earth—with all its transformative properties carried within.” Our land life, however, places constraints on our development; the fluid embryo sprouts bone; our vertebrae harden and we forget our primal, oceanic identity.

At Continuum, body movement is fluid, simulating the primal memories that are stored deep in our cells. There is no overriding pattern to be sustained, just the momentum that comes from breath, sound, movement and sensation. Movements are designed specifically to enhance the undulating spirals and circularity of a fluid body, a fluid system, a fluid field. Movements are designed to help us understand our bodies as “moving intelligence.”

What happens to the body when it participates in fluid movement?

“It becomes relaxed and realigned; its core strength and flexible power are increased; its innovation and sense of deep play is enhanced. It begins to trust its body wisdom and it becomes ageless, “says Conrad.

Whether they are 35 or 85, people who practice Continuum movements appear younger. The fluid movement in Continuum classes addresses the loss of resonance in the connective tissues of the body. Stiffness in joints and loss of bone density are due to a decrease in fluid resonance.

Repetitive movement and years of living in gravity have turned our bodies into closed systems; as we age, we become less fluid, more boxed in. But with the un-patterned, spontaneous, primal movement of Continuum, our bodies can reclaim the primal energy and life force that is our birthright.

Recently, Emilie Conrad has also extended the use of Continuum movement in the treatment of connective tissue disease and spinal cord injuries.

If there is any one who is an example of the ageless body—it is Emilie Conrad. The picture on the upper left is Emilie Conrad at age 69. She is now 72, and still agile, vital and fluid as ever.

Mary Desaulniers Ph.D will be interviewing Emilie Conrad on VoiceAmerica 7th Wave Network Internet Radio show "Reclaiming The Body's Wisdom" beginning October 5/06 . Get details at http://www.greatbodyat50.com/
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AGING BOOMER OR AGELESS BLOOMER?

2006-10-22T05:29:00.000-07:00

Author: Barbara Morris, R.Ph.

Copyright 2006 Barbara Morris, R.Ph.

If you are a woman between 35 and 50, do you think about the quality of your life in 25 years? It’s normal not to think about the future at this stage of life because you have all you can do to deal with what is happening today – gray hair, emerging wrinkles, weight gain, your job, kids, mortgage, aging parents, your husband’s midlife crisis.

If you see yourself in the future at all, you probably visualize yourself at age 75 and beyond as “old.” You know what your elderly mother looks like and you assume you will look like her. After all, it’s “normal” to get old and decline. Besides, conventional wisdom says you cannot do much to manage the aging process – so why waste time worrying about what you can’t control? Even though you may believe you can’t avoid traditional oldness, you still want to stop the signs of aging invading your face and body. You want to keep youthful characteristics you have right now.

What are you doing to keep what you have? Do you live an anti-aging lifestyle? Or is your major anti-aging strategy limited to the purchase of expensive face and body creams? Do you exercise regularly, or just think about it? Do you know which dietary supplements promote agelessness? If you knew what they are, would you take them?

It doesn’t matter what you are not doing now. Taking informed action matters. A woman between 35 and 50 still can achieve youthful agelessness as long as life lasts. However, it’s important to understand the following:

Youth accompanies birth as a short-term loan. Think of youth as an interest- free loan for about 20 years. After age 20 payback time begins. Youth has done all it can do for you and then you are on your own. Youth starts to leave your body imperceptibly and at an accelerated rate.

Another thing -- enjoying that interest-free loan for so many years creates complacence. Because you cannot see youth leave in an obvious way, you imagine it will last forever and you neglect to devise a strategy to keep it. That seems to be human nature. You just let life happen, hoping for the best. The result is traditional old age. What to do?

The secret: To keep youth around for as long as you like, internalize the reality that youth is no longer free. That’s they key. To keep it you must pay a price called “effort.” You must implement a lifelong maintenance strategy right now – next year is too late. The longer you put off taking action, the more difficult it is to achieve perpetual agelessness.

Make no mistake – perpetual agelessness is possible. I’m doing it – you can do it too.

The plan:

Visualizing yourself and your life in 25 years is vitally important because if you don’t know what you want, and don’t have a plan to make it happen, you will age traditionally.

In 25 years, you will look and feel like a senior, doing senior things with senior peers. Your identification and association with each other will reinforce senior attitudes and behaviors. If that is what you want, go for it! However, I don’t know any woman who would choose oldness over agelessness if given a choice.

Pay the price to remain an ageless, independent, vital, dynamic mature woman. Resolve not to be victimized or categorized by the number of years you have lived. In our culture, we have a label everything and everyone. Rather than identify or label yourself as a senior, see and accept yourself as an ageless mature woman in a constant state of growth.

The easiest, most comprehensive program I found to kick start a plan to keep what you have or to make it better is Dov Oshri’s Anti-Aging Fitness Program. It gave me all the information and motivation I needed to start and stay committed.

Take control of your aging process by educating yourself about living an anti-aging lifestyle. You can download my resources list for suggestions.

You must develop an open your mind and be ready to change completely how you think about aging and how you will live your life. There is a learning curve involved. It takes time and patience to change lifelong habits and attitudes but well worth the effort. Start now to become the ageless woman you can be.

Barbara Morris, R.Ph. is a pharmacist and anti-aging strategist. Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.putoldonhold.com/ . Download Barbara’s Resources List at http://tinyurl.com/qv4j3 Learn more about Dov Oshri’s Anti-Aging Fitness at http://putoldonhold.net/dovalcantiagingfitness.html
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TOP 10 E-MAIL HEALTH HOAXES OF THE DECADE

2006-10-22T05:16:00.000-07:00

Author: Manolito Montala

Here, In no particular order, are the 12 worst e-mall health hoaxes of the last decade. All have been thoroughly debunked by health ant medical experts

1. Antiperspirants cause breast cancer. This hoax began circulating In 1999 and claims that the use of antiperspirant (deodorants are safety) is the leading cause of breast cancer. Citing a ''health seminar'' as the source of information, the writer alleges that antiperspirants prevent the body from eliminating toxins through sweat, resulting in the accumulation of toxins in lymph nodes, which eventually leads to cancer. Men are less likely to develop breast cancer through the use of antiperspirants "because most of the antiperspirant product is caught in their (armpit) hair and is not directly applied to the skin. '' .The writer then urges readers to pass on the message ''to anyone you care about ''.

2. Aspartame causes serious disease. Also making its first appearance in 1999, this hoax claims that the artificial sweetener aspartame causes more than a dozen serious medical conditions, including brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, and lupus, ant confusion, memory loss, and severe vision loss among diabetics There are two versions the first and more popular was supposedly written by a Betty Martini, an alleged lecturer at the World Environmental Conference. In the second version, a Nancy Markle is the author. The Multiple sclerosis Foundation denies any knowledge of association between aspartame and multiple sclerosis, whale the American diabetes association debunks the allegations regarding aspartame and diabetes. The US FDA attests to the safety of aspartame.

3. Bananas spread flesh- eating disease. This hoax first appeared In January 2000 and claimed that several shipments of bananas from Costa Rica were infected with a flesh-eating bacterium that causes necrotizing fasciistis. The e-mall cites a Manheim Research Institute as the source of the warning. Necrotizing fasciitis is a real but rare infection caused by Group A streptococcus, the same bacterium that causes strep throat. It attacks soft tissues under the skin, resulting In gangrene, amputation and even death. Group A streptococci are spread by direct contact with secretions from the nose and throat of infected persons or by contact with infected wounds or sores. The germ lives in the human body and cannot survive long enough on the surface of a banana.

4. Cough CPR can save your life. In 1999, e-mall purportedly endorsed by the Rochester General Hospital and Mended Hearts (a support group for heart attack victims) claimed that repeated, vigorous coughing could save the life of a person who suffers a head attack while alone. According to urbanlegendsaabout.com, through CPR'' (or "self-CPR'') is a real procedure occasionally used in emergency situations under professional supervision. It is not, however, taught in standard CPR courses, nor is it advised by most medical professionals as a ''lifesaving'' measure for people who experience heart attacks while alone.

5. Fish Contaminated With Deadly 'Zulican Virus '' After Tsunami. Immediately after the Asian tsunami disaster In December 2004, a wave of text messages (SMS) and forwarded e-mails warned Asian consumers to avoid eating seafood ''because fish killed bathe Indian Ocean tsunami are infected with the deadly 'Zulican virus ''. This hoax caused not only fear among consumers but also a drastic drop. In sales of fish and fish products. In several Asian countries HeaIth authorities have since declared that the ''Zulican virus'' is bogus, and there is no evidence suggesting toadfish caught after the tsunami are unfit for consumption.

6. Freezing Water In Plastic Battles Releases Cancer-Causing Dioxin. This widely circulated 2004 hoax purportedly relayed information from a Johns Hopkins newsletter claiming that freezing water in plastic bottles can release toxic dioxin and cause cancer. Johns Hopkins university denied they issued such information in a special news release. Professor Rolf Haiden of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said "This is an urban legend Freezing actually works against the release of chemicals. Chemicals do not diffuse as readily in cold temperatures, which would limit chemical release if there were dioxins in plastic, and we don't think there are ''

7. Woman Catches Leptospirosis From Unwashed Coke Can. In 2002, several variants of this hoax claimed that a woman in North Texas (or Belgium, Botswana, etc was infected with the deadly leptospirosis disease after drinking Coke straight from an unwashed can contaminated with dried rat urine. Leptospirosis is a real disease transmitted via rat urine or feces. Urbanlegends about.com says soda cans are usually stored and shipped in shrink-wrap or cardboard cases and are, therefore, unlikely vehicles for dried rat urine, contaminated or otherwise. Of course, washing off the top of a soda can-or any bottle, for that matter-before drinking. It is always a good idea.

8. Lead In Lipstick. This 2003 hoax claimed that several brand-name lipsticks (Christian Dior, lancome Clinique, YSL, etc ) contain "cancer-causing lead '' and Its presence can be tested by scratching products with a 24-karat gold ring Urbanlegends about com found neither reliable Information to support the claims nor warnings or references of any kind in International medical Journals and the FDA'S online database on the presence of lead in lipstick.

9. Tampons Contain Asbestos.This e-mall scare story began circulating In 1998 It alleges that tampons pose a serious health threat to women because they contain asbestos As usual, the message was unsigned, urged recipients to send It to every Woman they knew, and positively unsettling. Experts dismissed the allegations as absurd ''Tampons do not contain asbestos and never have. No research has been published anywhere to even suggest lid's according to urbanlegends about com

10. Shampoo Causes Cancer.Circulating since 1998, this hoax claims that sodium laureate sulfate, a synthetic chemical found in brand-name shampoos and other personal-care products, causes cancer Again, the message Is unsigned and cites no references to support its claims It Is true that sodium Iaureth sulfate (SLES) is found frequently In shampoos ant occasionally In toothpastes However, the chemical does not appear on any official list of known or suspected carcinogens, says urbanlegends about com

SMART SKEPTIC Why do people create and sent hoax messages? Hoaxbusters com says only the original writer knows, but cites some possibilities to see how far a message would go, to damage a person's or organization's reputation, or simply for the perverse pleasure of spreading misinformation Whatever the motivation may be behind hoax messages, maintain a healthy dose of skepticism when checking your inbox When you receive an e-mall that looks like a hoax, the most prudent course of action Is to verify the Information with a medical professional before acting on or sharing It Or just hit the delete button As hoaxbusters com aptly puts it, ''When in doubt, don't send it out ''

Manolito Montala is a webmaster and one of his interests is collecting local medicinal herb plants information which can be found in Filipino Herbs Healing Wonders. You can also visit his site in http://www.filipinoherbshealingwonders.filipinovegetarianrecipe.com/
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10 SECRETS TO SUPER-CHARGING YOUR METABOLISM

2006-10-22T05:03:00.000-07:00

Author: Janet Dunmore

Copyright 2006 Janet Dunmore

After years of yo yo dieting and trying every fad diet out there to lose weight I found that my metabolism was so low I only had to look at a cookie to put on weight. I decided I needed to make some drastic changes if I was to improve my chances of losing the extra weight that had been creeping on for the last few years.

Just think how easy it is to gain 1lb a week, you just have to overeat by 3,500 calories per week and there you are at the end of the year 52 pounds heavier. Well, if you’re built like Victoria Beckham then you could probably stand to add the extra, but for us regular types, this is quite a scary prospect.

I decided to do some serious research into what would help me get my metabolism back up to normal in order to give me a fighting chance in my weight loss quest. Here’s what I found that works:

Muscle helps to keep your metabolism up. You don’t need to become a body builder but light weights with plenty of repetitions help tone and build the muscles. Cycling is also a good way of building muscle in your legs.

Some kind of Sustained activity every day is also important to keep your metabolism revved up. Try walking the dog for longer, taking the bike instead of the car, clean the house (vigorously) dig the garden or go dancing.

Start your day with a substantial meal and tail them off as the day goes on, make dinner the smallest meal of the day. This gives you more time to burn off the calories.

Don’t skip meals. This will just deny your body of essential vitamins and nutrients needed for optimum health and slow down your metabolism. Try eating 5 small meals a day. Remember there is a reason that Sumo Wrestlers eat huge meals then take a nap after every meal.

Use spices, spices can make bland food more appealing and spice can boost your metabolism slightly.

Drink plenty of water; dehydration can slow down your metabolism. Water is the most important nutrient in the body. The liver will concentrate on water retention instead of burning fat if deprived of water. You will also feel more tired if dehydrated and therefore less inclined to exercise.

Try and make sure that 10-35% of your daily calories come from protein. These should be lean protein sources, e.g. fish, chicken etc. Also a small handful of unsalted nuts can help to keep your hunger at bay as well as providing a good source of protein.

Calcium helps to rev up your metabolism, so try and include 3 servings of low cal dairy and 1200mg of calcium a day.

Add interval training to your work-out. It’s easy to add high intensity bursts, add a 30 second sprint to your jog every 5 minutes or up the incline for 1 minute in 5 on your treadmill.

Steer clear of fad diets such as The Maple Syrup Diet. It is liquid sugar, your blood sugar will just go up and down like a yo yo and your body will go into starvation mode (metabolism drop). Any fad diet purporting to help you lose weight fast is probably just going to help you to lose water and muscle and have your metabolism dropping faster than you can say roly poly.

If you can just incorporate 5 of these tips into your daily regime then you should see a significant improvement in your weight loss results.

Janet DunmoreNether HeyfordUKFor more help in reaching your weight loss goals go to:JanetDunmore.com
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CAN NOT BE EXCHANGED WHEN DISEASED

2006-10-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

Author: Veronique Belmar

Copyright 2006 Words of Life and Health

No! No! Not Exempt!

You have one body and one life, treat it badly and reap the harvest of sorrows, sickness, diseased, pain, unhappiness and low self-esteem. Will you be able to purchase a new body when wrecked with disease? Is careless or ignorance a victor over your life? Is it not better to have a healthy body than a diseased one? You are not too old or too young to change your lifestyle!

The Heart Cries Stop I’m Dying!

When you shop for food items, just remember, that whatever you purchase will determine your health and wellbeing. Don’t ever think that you’re too old to change your eating habits, although, it would be better if you started eating healthily from a young age. But remember that too much fat can cause your arteries to become blocked and Atherosclerosis may result, that is, a type of “hardening of the arteries” in which lipids and other substances build up on the inside wall of the blood vessels. Coronary Atherosclerosis has dramatically increased over the last twenty years and is becoming the leading cause of death in the western world. Coronary atherosclerosis is due to lifestyle. High-fat and high-cholesterol diets, cigarette smoking and hypertension (high blood pressure) are risk factors of coronary atherosclerosis.

However, although fat is an essential part of our diet, it can be harmful if we eat too much of it, especially saturated fats, found in animal and dairy products. And I can confidently say that eating too much of these fats can create different kinds of diseases and illnesses in our body.

Obesity the Forecast of Body Destruction

Obesity is a threat to happiness, self-esteem and sociability. High calories equal death traps and a lack of exercise equals Amen. Negligence equals ignorance and ignorance leads to disease or death. The food you eat and your lifestyle will determine your happiness and health. Your exclusiveness from others, low self esteem, rejection, and poor health are often indicators of what you should not be.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is on the increase. Obesity is a fast-growing epidemic that is primarily due to environmental influences. For many years it has been said that low fat diets reduce obesity. Despite a reduction in fat intake, obesity continues to rise. However, obesity and inactivity is an epidemic and not a media story.

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the industrialized world. It has a negative effect in blood levels, such as high blood pressure, type-2 diabetes, and a fatty liver so putting a person at risk of cardiovascular disorders, and is one of the leading causes of premature death in the western world. Also, obesity increases the risk of various types of cancers. Therefore, it’s possible that the next generation may be sicker and have a shorter lifespan than previous generations.

Exercise Keeps the Heart and Other Organs Healthy

Exercise is a must, at least 3 days a week. You just cannot eat or consume calories on a daily basis, without exercising! Brisk walking is one of the major exercises you need to be engaged in because when you walk briskly, you exercise at least the major organs of the body. So be sure to take brisk walks. But remember to warm up first, that is, walk slowly, and then, start increasing your pace. Eexercise can have positive effects on weight loss, weight control and overall general health.

Do you want to live longer? Then do your exercise. Do you want to prevent disease? Then change your lifestyle. Remember that even modest levels of exercise would help a person feel better within themselves.

Veronique Belmar write books on Health, Biblical Prophecies, Children's Books, Poetry, and many more. At the age of ten she was interested in eating healthily and taking part in different sporting activities, and at fifteen her favourite books were based on health and lifestyle literatures. Because of her involvement in these literatures, she discovered the importance of health, lifestyle, what to eat and what not to eat. Also, how to live an honourable life, in order to be happy, healthy and prosperous; and now she is able to tell, and help others care for their health and happiness.Veronique Belmar is author of both Life and Health Joy (http://www.lifeandhealthjoy.com/ ) and of Words of Life (http://www.wordsoflifegh.com/ )
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HOW TO STAY HEALTHY THIS WINTER

2006-10-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

Author: Jacob Mabille

As fall turns to winter, cold and flu season moves into full swing. Last year was a record year for colds and flu and this year health officials predict it will be even worse. We must take precautions so the cold and flu season doesn’t catch us off guard.

High Risk Individuals

Though anyone can come down with a cold or the flu, there are certain individuals who are at high risk. These include:

*Senior citizens.
*Pregnant women.
*Diabetics.
*Heart patients.
*Toddlers.
*Those with chronic diseases or those who are receiving chemo therapy or radiation treatments. *Children with disabilities or chronic diseases. *Those with compromised immune systems such as HIV or AIDS patients.

If you are an individual who is in this high risk bracket, talk to your family physician or health care professional to determine if you should have a flu shot.

If you aren’t in this high risk category, there are a few things you can do to reduce the chance of coming down with a cold or the flu.

Hand Washing

If you want to ward off colds and the flue, wash your hands frequently throughout the day. To wash your hands thoroughly, wet them with warm, not hot, water. Apply a generous amount of soap and massage it into your hands and around fingertips and fingernails for thirty seconds. Clean with soap all the way up your forearms to your elbows. Rinse thoroughly, being certain not to leave any soap residue. Dry your hands well. If you’re in a public washroom, wash your hands in the same manner as described above and dry them with a paper towel. Use the paper towel to shut off the tap and then to open the washroom door. Toss the paper towel into the garbage receptacle as you leave.

Stay Well Hydrated

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids to keep your body well hydrated. In summer, we tend to drink a lot because it is hot. It’s easy to neglect hydration when the weather turns cool. To keep your body well hydrated, drink eight to ten cups of fluid each day. Part of your fluid intake should be water. Other sources of fluids include fruit and vegetable juices, milk, tea and coffee. Raw fruits and vegetables are also a source of fluid. Keeping your body well hydrated will flush out all toxins and help you to ward off colds and the flu.

Healthy Food Choices

Make healthy food choices. Humans tend to eat more in the winter months. Eat well balanced meals and be sure to include fish in your diet at least once a week. Fish provides the body with Omega oils that help to boost the immune system. Eat lots of fiber and cut back on sweets, snacks and fast food to ensure your diet includes important antioxidants that fight off colds and the flu.

Be Active

In winter the majority of people become less active. Don’t be a couch potato. If you dislike cold weather, create an exercise regime that you can participate in within the comfort of your home. If you need others to motivate you, consider joining the YM-YWCA or a local gym or recreation facility.

If you like cold weather, take the kids tobogganing, go cross country or downhill skiing, snowmobiling, ice skating or try snowshoeing. Winter sports can be lots of fun and they help us to ward off germs that cause colds and the flu.

If you eat a well balanced diet, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, stay hydrated and get lots of exercise, you will stay in optimum health through the long winter months and won’t have to cope with a cold or the flu.

Jacob Mabille writes for Latest Health Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.
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POISON PREVENTION

2006-10-22T04:51:00.000-07:00

Author: Jacob Mabille

Every year a needless number of accidents occur involving poisons found in the home. Common household cleaning products as well as insecticides and other chemicals can be harmful and in some instances deadly to children and pets. March is Poison Prevention Month but with proper awareness and careful storage, we can prevent accidents involving poison every month.

A couple of years ago, my beloved cat accidentally got out of the house and ended up being a victim of antifreeze poisoning. Although it was never clear whether the poisoning was deliberate or accidental, his tragic death was needless and preventable.

Even the best-fed pets tend to rummage through garbage if given the opportunity. Dogs may chew on empty or partially empty containers. It’s in their nature just as young children are curious and may tend to explore low area cabinets such as under the sink where household cleaners may be stored. We can’t always protect our children and pets from every danger they may encounter but we can take measures toward poison prevention.

Don’t store household cleaning products, insecticides or other chemicals on low shelves or anywhere that young children may be able to reach. Don’t leave cleaning products setting out where children can get their hands on them, even when you are using them. In the time it takes to answer the phone or door an accident can happen. Always make sure that all lids are tightly secure.

Don’t use any type of rodent poison in an area where children may play or any place that is accessible to the family pets. The same precautions should be applied when using rat or mousetraps. Curious little fingers and paws could sustain injury. Be careful when letting pets outside. Neighbors may use chemicals around their homes to ward off rodents or in their gardens. Unsuspecting pets that are out for a stroll could become victims of such poisons. Try to keep cats indoors and walk your dog rather than letting them out by themselves. Automotive products such as antifreeze are deadly to pets. If containers are left outside or a vehicle is leaking such a product, an animal could be drawn to the harmful mixture. Be careful not to leave such items open in a garage or basement. If you keep your vehicle inside a garage that pets have access to, make sure you keep it maintained and check often for leaks or other hazards.

Medications and even some beauty products can be hazardous as well. Always be sure to keep medicines out of reach. Keep them on a high shelf, in a medicine cabinet or somewhere safe from small hands. Many medications now come with childproof caps that help to prevent accidental poisoning. They work rather well considering that sometimes adults have difficulty opening them.

Although Poison Prevention Month is all about preventing poisoning you should be prepared and know how to react in the event poisoning does occur. It may be difficult but try to remain calm. Call the Poison Control Center and get assistance. If the container is available or you know what the substance is, describe the type of poison that was ingested. Let the center know if you have any idea how much of the poison was consumed. Stay on the phone and listen carefully because you will be instructed how to proceed. Don’t give a child any water, milk or any other substance to dilute the poison or induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by the Poison Control Center.

Although in some cases, such an action may be beneficial, depending on the type of poison, it could actually do more harm.

If you suspect a pet has been poisoned get the animal to a veterinarian immediately. Prevention is always the best medicine in any case. Keep all household products and toxic substances out of reach. Don’t let pets wander. Keep dogs on a leash when walking. Put safety first at all times.

Jacob Mabille writes for Latest Health Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.
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THE NEW AND IMPROVED CHOLESTEROL RATIO

2006-10-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

Author: Jacob Mabille

In the past, doctors have focused on the ratio of our good cholesterol (HDL) to our total cholesterol but, in today's medical community, there is growing consensus that a closer look at bad cholesterol (LDL) is our best management tool.

Total Cholesterol contains good cholesterol that protects our heart, known as High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and bad cholesterol that is harmful to the heart, known as Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL).

Cholesterol, although a fat, is an essential nutrient for the body. It is made in the liver. The liver produces cholesterol in the necessary quantities for a healthy body, then revs up its production when we ingest a diet high in saturated fats and foods such as meats, dairy products and eggs.

When the liver cannot efficiently dispose of the cholesterol excesses of a high fat diet, the excess cholesterol becomes bad cholesterol (LDL) and travels to the arteries of the heart and deposits itself there in the form of plaque. As the plaque accumulates, the walls of the arteries narrow and blood flow to the heart is restricted and eventually blocked.

The theory that "a higher ratio of something good to something bad is always better" is especially true for a healthy heart. This new standard compares our bad cholesterol (LDL) to our good cholesterol (HDL), rather than our good cholesterol to our total cholesterol.

Here are two examples, both using the same method, of how to arrive at the ratio of your bad cholesterol (LDL) to your good cholesterol (HDL):

*LDL of 129 divided by HDL of 40 = a ratio of 3.2 *LDL of 99 divided by HDL of 60 = a ratio of 1.7

The first ratio example of 3.2 indicates the lesser risk of having a heart attack or stroke as compared to the higher risks of up to 11.0. The lower the ratio the better. In general, a ratio of 3.5 or below is recommended.

The second ratio of 1.7 represents the recommended guidelines for optimal, or the best, levels of good and bad cholesterol, which is below 100 for LDL and above 59 for HDL. A ratio of 1.7 or any ratio below 3.3 is considered even better than a low risk.

Risk Levels for Heart Attach or Stroke due to blocked arteries:

*Considered a Low Risk: 3.3 to 4.4 *Considered an Average Risk: 4.4 to 7.1 *Considered a Moderate Risk: 7.1 to 11.0 *Considered a High Risk: 11.0

Consider these three questions:
*Is your blood pressure above healthy levels? *Do you smoke cigarettes? *Do you have a family history of heart disease?

If your answer is "yes" to any of the above, you may have additional risk factors for heart disease, even if your cholesterol risk-ratio is at optimal levels. While you can do nothing about family history, general medical advice urges us to get control of high blood pressure and quit smoking.

If you do not know your cholesterol numbers: total cholesterol, HDL and LDL, make an appointment to discuss your cholesterol ratios with your doctor and request a copy of your lab report for your files. Your physician's analysis is your best guide to cholesterol management.

Jacob Mabille writes for Latest Health Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.
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TUMMY ACHE OR SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS?

2006-10-22T04:45:00.000-07:00

Author: Jacob Mabille

Children often complain of stomachaches. It’s a common ailment and one that children may experience after eating too much or when feeling nervous about an upcoming event. But a stomachache can signal a more serious illness.

My nine-year-old son didn’t like to go to school nor did he like to sit down and eat a home cooked meal. He preferred cookies and chocolate milk rather than eating his vegetables. He always used a stomachache or headache as a ruse to get out of going to school or eating dinner. But like the boy in the story he cried wolf once too often.

One evening around dinnertime he started to complain that his stomach hurt. Since we were having stuffed peppers for dinner I figured my son’s sudden stomach pains to be timed perfectly. But when I realized he was fevered and the pain actually seemed genuine, I knew something was wrong. Shortly after arriving at the hospital emergency room we soon found that my son was diagnosed with appendicitis and would have to have emergency surgery. I felt so guilty for thinking that my child was just pretending to be sick.

Appendicitis is an inflamed appendix usually resulting from a bacterial infection. The appendix is a small organ that seems to have no function, although it must have served a purpose at one time. The pain that occurs with appendicitis may be dull or sharp. It usually begins around the area of the navel then moves to the lower right hand portion of the abdomen. It may be accompanied by fever, nausea, loss of appetite and the pain becomes worse with movement. As the appendix swells and fills with pus, the chance of rupture increases. If the appendix ruptures infection can spread quickly throughout the body.

Even if your child likes to fake sick to get out of eating dinner or going to school, don’t take his complaints lightly. Luckily everything worked out well for my son. His appendix was removed; the surgery went well and he healed quickly. Not to mention my son felt that the soreness was worth it since he could enjoy having a vacation from school. But I also learned a valuable lesson too. No matter what games our children may like to play, we must always pay attention to their complaints because their health is no game. If your child complains of stomach pains, fever and doesn’t feel like eating call your physician immediately. It’s always best to be safe and know that your child’s health is protected.

Jacob Mabille writes for Latest Health Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.
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WHAT EYE PROBLEMS RESULT FROM ALBINISM

2006-10-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

Author: Jacob Mabille

Albinism refers to a group of inherited conditions. People with albinism have little or no pigment in the eyes, skin and hair. Besides looking different, which may cause social problems, albinos also have various impairments. In the most severe form of albinism (called oculocutaneous albinism), those affected appear to have hair, skin, and iris color that are white or pink as well as vision defects. This article mainly concentrates on the eye problems resulting from albinism.

The eyes need melanin pigment to develop normal vision. Because of that people with albinism have impaired vision. The skin also needs pigment for protection from sun damage so albinos sunburn themselves very easily and have increased risk of getting skin cancer. Less common types of albinism can also involve other problems.

Albinism often results extreme farsightedness or nearsightedness and astigmatism. Sight can be improved with glasses, however, normal or near normal vision is unusual even when glasses are worn.

Other common eye impairments include nystagmus and strabismus. Nystagmus is an involuntary movement of the eyes back and forth. One way how some people cope with this problem is by using a head tilt. This decreases the movement and may improve vision. For nystagmus treatment eye muscle surgery is also an option however this does not help in all cases.

Strabismus means that the eyes do not fixate and track together. In some cases the alignment of the eyes improves with the wearing of glasses. Young children are sometimes thought to use the non preferred eye more. This is done by patching the other eye. However treatment cannot correct the improper routing of the nerves to the brain.

Photophobia also is a frequent disorder. In the case of photophobia the eyes are very sensitive to the sun. This can be coped with by wearing dark classes when exposed to the sun.

Albinism treatment mainly aims to ease symptoms and depends on the extent of the disorder. The skin and eyes must be protected from the sun. Sunglasses (UV protected) may relieve photophobia. Sunburn risk can be reduced by avoiding the sun, by using sunscreens and covering completely with clothing when exposed to sun. Sunscreens should have a high SPF (sun protection factor).

Jacob Mabille writes for Latest Health Articles where you can find more health tips and related articles. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.
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ONLINE MEDICAL CONSULTATION: A PERFECT 'CURE ALL' FOR YOUR HEALTH PROBLEMS

2006-10-22T04:40:00.000-07:00

Author: jacfran

There are diseases which from a mere glance are thought of as untreatable. Like obesity, impotence and hair loss.Obesity that is enhancing world wide has become a major threat to human being for its dangerous side effects: diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, stroke, back and jointpain, osteoarthritis, infertility, breathlessness and depression to name but a few.

But a proper weight loss tretment can make an obese slender, too. While impotence or Erectile Dysfunction is an abnormal physical or psychological state in a male characterized by inability to copulate because of failure to have or maintain an erection.

There can be a remedy to this also if the reasons behind this are known at the right time. Similarly we can also stop hair loss through online consultation.

So many drugs like diet pills, Reductil slimming pills, Acomplia, Cialis, Propecia etc are available in the market, but proper medical consultation with the doctors before buying any medicine for any kind of illness is always advisable. And sometimes it is not at all possible to discuss with a doctor about the healthcare needs due to potentially embarrassing problems and the lack of time.We are then really seeking the online medical advice to bring a service which allows us to have a medical consultation and order any drug that our doctors prescribe, all from the comfort of our own home.

Here comes the concept of the online health check consultation. There are certain other reasons behind the online healthcare consultation: prescription of the UK registered doctors, free consultation charges, lowest medicine price, prompt delivery of the prescriptions as well as the medicines, fast track re ordering system, branded medicines and last but the main thing, i.e. money back guarantee.

As part of the consultation services, then you would be provided medical health questionnaire which you have to fill in as per your illness and then submit the questionnaire for examination by one of the doctors. This does not take too much time. The doctors will review the questionnaire and will prescribe you the right medication immediately.

So, if you are having some health issues and would like to get solutions to these issues from the comfort of your home, visit an online clinic and check out the benefits yourself.

Jack Francis is a freelance writer. Jack advocates visiting Online Clinic UK for getting prompt advice and solutions to your health related issues.
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HEALTH FITNESS GUIDE - KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

2006-10-22T04:37:00.000-07:00

Author: Jeff Baker

"Having knowledge but lacking the power to express it clearly is no better than never having any ideas at all" - Pericles

There are two kinds of knowledge when it comes to fitness; general and specialized. General knowledge tends to be of little value when achieving your fitness goals. Knowing that weight lifting, for example, can help you lose weight is of little use by itself. Once you specialize your information to know that a full-body workout doing exercises such as crunches, bicep curls, or squats build muscle which require more energy which can then burn excess fat, then you can formulate a complete plan to achieve your goal.

Knowledge by itself is useless in the pursuit of fitness goals unless it's backed by a definite plan of action. Unused knowledge is only potential power. Putting specialized knowledge to work through written, definite plans powers the engine of your fitness goals.

The true definition of an educated person is not a large amount of general or specialized knowledge. Look in any university or college. There are plenty of professors with a huge amount of specialized knowledge and a student population gaining general knowledge. Rather, an educated person is one who can find the knowledge they need or find the people who have the knowledge they need and apply it in a coherent manner to achieve their goals.

That's the heart of specialized knowledge; if you don't have the knowledge you need, find it or find someone who has it. It's not important if you don't have the knowledge but it is important that you know how to find it.

Whatever fitness goal you have, determine what knowledge you need and the end to which it'll be used. As you gather this specialized knowledge it must be organized and put to use through a practical, written plan.

Those who are successful at improving their health and fitness never stop gathering specialized knowledge related to their current fitness goals. If you decide to start running and have never run before, determine first why you want to run. Then gather knowledge about reaching that goal.

What kind of shoes are best for your running? Are certain clothes better to wear than others? Is there information you should know about running related to your age? Can your neighbor down the road who runs marathons give you any tips?

Now that you've determined what information you need, have gathered it or gotten it from others, organized that information into a plan and then implemented it, your capability to achieve your goals becomes almost unlimited.

Capability means imagination, a quality that combines specialized knowledge with ideas in the form of organized planning to achieve goals; your fitness goals or any goal.

The next article in the series will cover Imagination, the Workhorse of the Mind.

Jeff Baker is currently a web development manager and author living in Arlington, TX. His current interests are health and fitness after nearing a 100lb weight loss through goal-powered fitness concepts.His free Goal-Powered Fitness newsletter can be found at http://www.goalpoweredfitness.com/
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THE TWO-SIDE STORY OF FISH OIL

2006-10-22T02:24:00.000-07:00

Author: Ng Peng Hock

Fish is a high-protein low-fat food with a range of health benefits. White-fleshed fish, especially oilier fish is believed to contain substantial quantities of omega-3s or the so called “good” fats. Furthermore, fish does not contain the “bad” fats commonly found in red meat. As such, nutritional supplements made from fish oil are growing more popular. Sales of such supplements in the United States alone have more than tripled since 1998, reaching US$190 million in 2003.

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish play an important role in reducing the risk of heart disease. The two fatty acids found in oily fish, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been recognized by The American Heart Association (AHA) as vital to sustain the heart. More recent studies also suggest that high levels of omega-3 fats do help reduce symptoms of mental health and developmental disease, ranging from dyslexia to bipolar disorder.

Despite the health benefits provided by fish, several research studies have shown that fish or fish oil supplements can contain unsafe level of environmental pollutants such as dioxins, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), and heavy metals such as mercury.

Take salmons for instance. Farmed salmon, most commonly eaten, contains significantly higher levels of dioxins and toxins such as PCBs than wild salmon. PCBs are chemical cocktails used as coolants and lubricants in transformers. They can cause developmental disorders and other health problems for young children. PCBs have been banned in the United States since 1979, but they still persist in the environment and end up in animal fat.

When farmed salmon from United States grocery stores was tested, it was found to contain 16 times the PCBs found in wild salmon, 4 times the levels in beef, and 3.4 times the levels found in other seafood. Similar studies established that farm-raised salmon contains between 3 and 10 times more dioxins than wild salmon.

Mercury contamination has been another major concern. It can harm the nervous system, especially to developing foetus and the very young.

However, it is possible to minimize exposure to toxins by eating fish that are known to have lower levels of contaminants. Also, avoid fried fish as frying seals in chemical pollutants whereas grilling, broiling or poaching allows fat to drain away. Fat is where the pollutants are usually stored. Another advice is not to eat the same kind of fish more than once a week.

The United States group, Environmental Defense, lists the best and worst seafood choices:

Best – Atlantic wide salmon; Atlantic sea herring; US farmed abalone; US farmed catfish; Atlantic mackerel; Alaskan halibut, sardines, oysters; Alaskan black cod; New Zealand mussels; Alaskan halibut.

Worst - Atlantic cod; Atlantic halibut; farmed salmon; bluefin tuna; swordfish; shark.

Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com/dr-robert.html

Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.
Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Goto: http://www.howtopreventheartdisease.com/
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