Health Conditions Diseases Today

Traffic Pollution Linked to Birth Weight

2009-04-10T18:46:00.000-07:00

Scientist has found the relationship between exposure to traffic pollution and the affect of the development of babies in the womb. A mother who has a high level of exposure in early and late stages of pregnancy are more likely that the baby would not grow properly although more detailed research into the link was necessary.

The researchers have recorded details including each mother's ethnicity, marital status, education, whether or not she was a smoker and the location of the mother prior to the birth of the baby. A mother who has lived near the roadway during pregnancy has a higher chance that the high levels of pollutants in the air were linked to restricted fetal growth thus lower birth weight overall.

Baby Fat Key to Obesity

2009-04-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe but studies have shown that adults who retain their high-quality baby fat is a buffer against obesity and type 2 diabetes. Unlike the regular adult white fat which stores only energy, good brown fat vigorously burns calories for heat, but has been thought only to exist in childhood. But Researchers have found that adults still had brown fat left over from their childhood and slimmer adults had more of it than fatter ones.

Scientist are not developing ways to stimulate brown fat growth to control weight gain and improve glucose metabolism thereby preventing obesity and type 2 diabetes that ‘s practically considered a scourge these days. While this is far from being a miracle cure and is still a couple of years before the treatment becomes available, scientist are optimistic about the results and the treatments future.

Stressed Pregnant Women | Asthma

2009-04-08T08:08:00.000-07:00

Research from Children of the 90s study have discovered that pregnant women who undergo pressures that make them stressful are likely to have a child with asthma. The study has found nervous pregnant women have a 60% chance to deliver a baby that would develop asthma. Less stressful moms to be reported a lower incident of their child developing this illness. The discovery was a total surprise as the researchers were finding ways to improve the quality of childcare. Doctors are now advised to council expecting mothers to develop a healthy, less stressful lifestyle to lower the chance of asthma from occurring.

Scratching To Stop an Itch

2009-04-06T04:49:00.000-07:00

We all know scratching helps relieves itchiness, but do we actually know why it does that? The physiological mechanisms for how this works are little understood until now. Researchers have discovered that scratching helps relieve an itch by blocking some activity in the spinal cord nerve cells that transmit the sensation to the brain. But this effect only seems to occur during itch itself, scratching at other times makes no difference at all.

Research has suggested that a specific part of the spinal cord, the spinothalamic tract plays a key role as nerve cells in this area have been shown to be more active when itchy substances are applied to the skin. Scratching the skin blocks activity of nerve cells in the spinothalamic tract during itchiness - preventing the spinal cord from transmitting signals from the scratched area of skin to the brain as scientist hopes the work could lead to ways to relieve chronic itch effectively for the first time

Childhood Leukemia from Common Infections

2009-04-03T19:59:00.001-07:00

The Institute of Cancer Research has come out with a study that childhood leukemia may develop from just common infections. Leukemia occurs when large numbers of white blood cells take over the bone marrow, leaving the body unable to produce enough normal blood cells to balance it off. Scientist has identified a molecule, TGF, produced by the body in response to infection that stimulates development of the disease. It triggers multiplication of pre-cancerous stem cells at the expense of healthy counterparts.

The researchers have identified a genetic mutation, a fusion of two genes that actually occurring in the womb that creates pre-leukemic cells that then grow in the bone marrow of the baby that is effectively acting as a time bomb that can stay in the body for up to 15 years that may explode at any given time given the proper trigger which maybe any common infection that the child might acquire during the 15 year period. Better screening process should be developed to better detect the infection before it becomes cancerous.

Tropical Countries Produce More Baby Girls

2009-04-02T04:56:00.000-07:00

Studies have shown that people who live in the tropics produce more baby girls than boys compared to other parts of the world. Research has concluded that it may be down to the hotter weather or the longer days as the hot climate may change miscarriage rates and sperm quality. Also, there seems to be some evolutionary advantage to having more girls than boys if you live by the equator. But further studies are still needed to this conclusion to be validated. Plus experts already agree that the birth rates of boys and girls vary across the globe.

Aside from the weather, extreme environmental stress like war, the birth rate of girls far outstrips that of boys. That proof of natural evolutionary process in action. But globally, the gender balance still favors the males at around a rate of 106 males for every 100 females. But this maybe due to a wide variety of other factors like culture and tradition. Not necessarily nature in action. But nevertheless, nature and evolution will kick into action once the gender imbalance becomes critical to a point it endangers us as a species.

Problem Sleepers Maybe Suicidal

2009-04-01T22:14:00.000-07:00

People who suffer from constant chronic sleep problems are more likely to commit suicide, as a U.S study recently suggested. This study has caused enough concern that doctors are now being told to be on the lookout for patient that has reported troubled or disturbed sleep, even if they have no history of mental health problems at all!

The more varied types of sleep disturbances people had, the more likely they were to have thoughts of killing themselves, or may already have tried to do so. Scientists in the past have consistently linked sleep disturbances to an increased risk of suicidal behavior in people with psychiatric disorders and in adolescents but have not yet been conclusively proven until now.

Poor sleep and sleeping habits have long been linked with an increased risk of depression, but this study suggests that the increased risk of suicidal behavior is not necessarily linked to depression and thus can affect those that doctors might not feel are at risk. This is a great argument for people to get enough rest and sleep in our age where getting a good 8 hours sleep is harder and harder to come by.

Video Games Helps Improve Vision

2009-03-31T06:06:00.000-07:00

Contrary to popular belief that playing video games can ruin one’s vision. Researchers found playing the games improved the ability to notice even very small changes in shades of grey against a uniform background. This actually helps improve your vision later in your adult life. You will actually be able to notice even the smallest details. The Nature Neuroscience study has raised the possibility of using a video game training regime to improve vision.

Contrast sensitivity is often one of the first aspects of vision to be affected by aging. It can also be affected by conditions such as amblyopia, also known as lazy eye. Playing video games, as side from improved hand and eye coordination will improve your eye sight as you grow older, so next time someone criticizes you are playing games rather than studying, tell them you are exercising your eyes.

Hot Drinks Linked to Oesophageal Cancer

2009-03-29T00:52:00.000-07:00

Drinking very hot liquids have been linked with an increased risk of oesophageal cancer, Scientists have discovered that drinking soup, tea or any liquids at temperatures of 70C or higher increased the risk. Experts said the finding could explain the increased oesophageal cancer risk in some non-Western populations where tobacco and alcohol are the main factors linked to the development of oesophageal cancers in Europe and America.

Compared with drinking warm or lukewarm tea with an average temperature of 65C or less, drinking hot liquids in the range of 65 to 69C was associated with twice the risk of oesophageal cancer, and drinking very liquids at 70C or more was associated with an eight-fold increased risk. The speed with which people drank the hot liquid was also important. Drinking the hot liquid in under two minutes straight after it was poured was associated with a five-fold higher risk of cancer compared with drinking liquids four or more minutes after being poured. So next time you plan to drink hot soup, tea or coffee, make sure it gets cooled down a bit first before drinking.

Mobile Phones | Brain Tumors

2008-11-04T06:19:00.000-08:00

You might have heard or read news articles linking mobile phone use with brain tumors, but fear not, using mobile phone do not increase the risk of developing the most common type of brain tumor, according to a recent study. Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and three British universities found no link between regular, long-term use of cell phones and glioma.

During the past two decades, the use of mobile phones has risen rapidly worldwide but there has been no hard evidence to substantiate fears that the technology causes health problems ranging from headaches to brain tumors. Some scientists said mobile phones could pose a higher health risk to people living in rural areas because they emit more intense signals in the countryside. But the researchers has so far haven't found any increased health threats for rural dwellers.

Earlier mobile phones used analogue signals which emitted higher power signals than the later digital models. If there were health dangers from mobiles phones, they would be more likely to result from the earlier models but the scientists found no evidence of it. So it goes to say that people should not worry that their cellphones could pose a health risk, but of course, any new studies that may prove otherwise should be taken seriously.

Brown Rice | Cancer

2008-11-02T02:18:00.000-08:00

Rice is the staple diet in Asia and it's in this region where many people suffer from cancer. But new scientific studies and research conducted on brown rice show that it is a concentrated source of many nutrients and minerals, especially fiber, which is essential for reducing the amount of time cancer-causing substances spend in contact with the cells of the colon.

Although brown rice contains the same amount of carbohydrates as the popular white grain, there is a significant difference in the amount of nutrients in its content. The fiber in brown rice helps reduce symptoms of diseases such as colon cancer, atherosclerosis, constipation, diarrhea, and gallstones. Brown rice’s fiber content also acts as a detoxifier, absorbing and flushing out unwanted toxins, and preventing them from being absorbed by the intestines’ cells.

In just a cup of brown rice, vital nutritional benefits can be absorbed by the body, among them manganese, phytonutrients and magnesium. It also has selenium, a trace mineral that has been shown to significantly diminish the risk of colon cancer. Although priced slightly higher than regular white rice. The health benefits far outweighs any additional expense and as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

Green Vegetables | Cancer

2008-11-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

Scientists have recently discovered why a diet high in green vegetables helps to ward off cancer. Chemicals released when vegetables such as spinach or okra are chopped, processed, cooked, chewed and digested make cancer cells mortal, stopping them from proliferating indefinitely. The protection is provided by the chemical that gives the vegetables their slightly bitter taste. This anti-cancer mechanism is the same as that of some modern cancer drugs.

Sinigrin, a chemical compound found in brassicas, is converted by processing or eating into allylisothiocyanate (AITC). This interrupts the division of colon cancer cells, instead of going on dividing indefinitely, the cells float free and then go into apoptosis, the process of cell suicide.

Normal cells commit suicide at the end of their life cycles. But when this process goes wrong and cells continue dividing unchecked, the result is a tumor. One of the targets of drug scientists is to devise ways of restoring normal behavior, and it appears that AITC can do this. That a diet high in fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer has been known from studies that show eating plenty of greens can halve the risk. But exactly how it worked has, until now, been unclear.

This is not a miracle cancer cure, but it does show that preventive dietary measures can be discovered and exploited in the same way as drugs. It is for many years that sinigrin breakdown products kill cancer cells. But by uncovering a previously unknown part of the process working in a similar way to some anti-cancer drugs, this hopes to show how important diet can be in your personal anti-cancer armory. It is also important to note that the shorter the cooking time and the less water used to prepare the vegetables, the greater the preventive effect is, is it's best if possible to eat the vegetables raw or just cook it in the least possible time.

Colorectal Cancer

2008-11-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

Cancer ranks third as the worlds most common cause of death. Among the many types of cancer, colorectal cancer is the third most common and the number steadily increases because less focus is given to it compared to that of lung and breast cancer.

The good news is that it can be prevented. Here are some useful prevention tips to combat the disease:

A balanced diet - Diets high in fat and cholesterol, especially those coming from animal sources, as well as low fiber diets have been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer. Even if one can eat steak and liver at every meal and stay trim, it can still increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer by virtue of what one is eating. So cut down on these types of food and you will lower your risks dramatically.

Lose those excess fats - Do you weigh more than you want? Obesity, defined as having a BMI (Body Mass Index) greater than 30, increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. An by reducing your body's excess fats, you will bring down the risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Exercise - An unhealthy lifestyle of just sitting around and doing nothing increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. The longer waste sits in the colon or rectum, the longer toxic materials have to leach out of the solidifying stool and back into tissues. Exercise gets things moving, not just the body, but also the waste in the body.

Avoid smoking - Researches indicate that 12 percent of fatal colorectal cancers may be attributable to smoking. Smoking increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer for two main reasons: First, inhaled or swallowed tobacco smoke transports carcinogens to the colon. Second, tobacco use appears to increase polyp size.

Take your vitamins daily - Some research suggests that taking a daily multivitamin containing folic acid can lower colorectal cancer risk. Taking calcium and Vitamin D may also work together to reduce colorectal cancer risk, as Vitamin D aids in the body’s absorption of calcium. In addition, a recent study suggested that a diet high in magnesium may also reduce colorectal cancer risk in women.

Screening - One of the most powerful weapons in preventing colorectal cancer is regular colorectal cancer screening or testing. More than 90 percent of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer are 50 or older and the average age of diagnosis is 64. Research indicates that by age 50, one in four people has polyps. Most people have an excellent chance of preventing colorectal cancer if they get regular colon cancer screening. So visit your doctor regularly as detecting the cancer earlier makes it easier to cure.

Talk to your doctor about your personal medical history - Research indicates that women who’ve had breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer are at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer. Chronic inflammation of the bowel also increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer. Be sure to talk to your doctor about these as well as other important health ailments you might have developed.

Cure for Lymphoma

2008-11-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt a painful bean shaped mass under your armpit or somewhere whenever you have a fever or wound? That's most probably an enlarged lymph node.

Lymph nodes are specialized organs of the body that process infectious agents such as bacteria and virus. Whenever a lymph node increases size, it is palpable and feels like a mass. Other areas where enlarged lymph nodes can be felt are at the neck, under the jaw and chin, and back of the head.

When there is an infectious process, the lymph nodes try to ward it off from spreading, but when the infection overwhelms it, the lymph node itself becomes inflamed and increases in size a condition called lymphadenitis.

Lymph nodes become enlarged not only during infection but also when its cells transform cancer. Cancer of the lymph node is called lymphoma. Lymphoma can develop anywhere in the body where lymph nodes are distributed. Lymphomas can be seen and felt under the skin because there are numerous minute lymph nodes under the skin.

Tonsils are lymph nodes. Hence, an enlarged tonsil can either be an inflammation called tonsillitis or cancer like lymphoma. Lymphoma can also occur deep inside the body such as in the lymph tissues of the thymus, stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, bone marrow and brain.

How can you differentiate infection from cancerous process in an enlarged lymph node?

An enlarged lymph node due to infection is soft or doughy, and painful even at early onset. Fever may occur and is always accompanied by an obvious infection.

An enlarged lymph node due to cancer progressively enlarges and affects other lymph nodes. It is hard and not painful at early onset, but becomes painful when it is quite large, immovable, and pressing a nerve. Lymphoma or cancer may also be accompanied by fever, as well as unexplained weight loss of at least 10 percent over a short period of time, lack of energy, general fatigue, and drenching night sweats.

Consult your physician if you are afraid that your "kulani is a lymphoma. Your physician will look for the cause of the enlarged lymph node. If it is infection, infection control and antibiotic will be administered. Otherwise, he will refer you to a surgeon who will get a biopsy sample of the enlarged lymph node for pathology analysis.

Unlike other forms of cancer, lymphoma is very responsive to treatment. The primary treatment surgery is drugs, with radiotherapy adjunct. Responsiveness to drug treatment is somehow dictated by the histological and immunological type of the lymphoma, which would also dictate which of the cytotoxic drugs, so patients whi are suffering from this should not worry because it's very uch treatable with todays advances in medicine.

Cocoa For Diabetics

2008-05-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

For diabetics, thinking of eating or drinking chocolates is usually out of the question. But new studies has found that a cup of enriched cocoa may help improve the working of blood vessels in diabetic patients. Doctors are now prescribed three mugs of specially formulated cocoa a day for a month, and found out that severely impaired arteries regained their normal functions and the chemical flavanols found in cocoas may be responsible.

But eating more normal chocolate would not work. People with diabetes are at greater risk of cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and strokes, partly due to the effects of high blood sugar on the linings of blood vessels, which stops them being able to expand as much when needed by the body. This can result in higher blood pressure, which can then cause further problems. While a healthier lifestyle can reduce the risks, it often does not solve the problem completely.

Cocoa naturally contains flavanols which are antioxidant chemicals found in some fruit and vegetables, green tea and red wine, and has been linked with health benefits by other studies. But the type of cocoa cannot be found in the shops and is a version enriched with far higher concentrations of the chemicals. Patients with type II diabetes can certainly find ways to fit chocolate into a healthy lifestyle, but the new study is not about chocolate, or about urging those with diabetes to eat more chocolate.

Gum Disease | Cancer

2008-05-26T22:53:00.000-07:00

Gum disease, both in smokers and non-smokers, may be a warning sign of an increased risk of cancer. Researches found gum disease was linked to a higher chance of lung, kidney, pancreatic and blood cancers. An immune system weakness may cause both illnesses so the need to conduct regular checkups. Although the risk is higher on people who smoke, even in those who have never smoked, the presence of gum disease means a bigger risk of cancer. While there was no rise in lung cancer chances among those with gum disease who had never smoked, there was a slightly higher increase in the overall risk of any cancer, and a similar rise in the rate of blood cancers.

There are a number of theories as to why the presence of gum disease might be linked to other illnesses. People with gum infections have been found to have chemical signs that the inflammation there may be mirrored in other parts of the body - there have also been suggestions that bacteria linked to gum disease could cause problems elsewhere. The increase in blood cancers pointed to an immune system link. The persistent presence of gum disease might be a sign of weakness in the immune system which could also allow cancer to develop. But doctors are advising people with gums problems should seek first dental rather than medical help first. Dentists are trained to spot cancers in the mouth, they were becoming increasingly aware of the implications of gum disease for overall health, and were prepared to refer patients on in cases of unexpectedly serious gum disease in otherwise healthy patients.

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2008-05-17T18:49:00.000-07:00

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Colon Cancer

2008-04-10T06:54:00.001-07:00

Colon cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. It begins in the cells that line the colon. Cancer cells may spread or metastasize through the blood or lymphatic system or directly grow into tissues adjacent to the original cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that about half of all colon cancer patients will develop liver metastases found either at first diagnosis or recurrence after treatment.

According to the World Health Organization, about one million new cases of colon cancer are diagnosed yearly worldwide. The diagnosis of colon cancer may sound like a death sentence but the disease can actually be treated, especially when it is caught in the early stages. Depending on what stages the disease a patient is diagnosed at, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery could be done. There are a lot of studies currently being conducted to determine new ways of treating the disease. It is hoped that the results of these studies will provide new treatment modalities, which will help oncologist and patients in their battle against colon cancer.

Low Dose Aspirin For Heart Protection

2008-02-18T22:51:00.000-08:00

Aspirin is still one of the best ways to prevent heart attack and manage heart disease. Newer researches however have given evidence that low dose aspirin is safer and better tolerated than higher doses. One of these studies showed that taking more than 100 mg of aspirin a day increases the risk of bleeding, from nosebleeds to bleeding in the stomach and the brain. The study has found that serious bleeding occurs in five percent of heart disease patients taking 200 mg a day or more aspirin daily, but only one percent of heart disease patients taking the lower dose of aspirin experience bleeding. Lower doses such as 30 mg have shown to have excellent tolerability.

Although the study does not address how well different doses of aspirin prevent heart attacks, it is very much probable that low dose aspirin is as effective as higher doses to prevent second heart attacks. Aspirin helps prevent the formation of clots that block blood flow to the heart to prevent heart attack in people at high risk of having one and among those who have already suffered from a first heart attack. Although aspirin has existed for more than a century, it was only in 1998 when the US food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized a rule to provide doctors updated information on the use of aspirin for me and women who have had a heart attack or stroke or are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Tips In Raising A Healthy Child

2008-02-12T04:16:00.000-08:00

Looking after your child’s health and well-being can be a very daunting task, especially with work and other household chores you have to attend to, fortunately here are some nutrition and health tips available to parent everywhere.

1.) Be a good example to children – Your good counsel about proper nutrition will definitely fall on deaf ears if you don’t practice what you preach. As a parent, you should realize that the best way to instill good habits in your children is to become a good example for them. This includes eating the right kinds of food.

2.) Ask how their day in school went – Inquire particularly about the kinds of food that they have eaten. You can’t monitor what your children are eating in school, but at least encourage them to make better choices. Better yet, prepare special healthy and nutritious snacks for them every morning so you can be sure that they are getting the proper nutrition they need and deserve.

3.) Exercise with your children – Apart from eating well, exercise is another important component of a healthy lifestyle. Start your children on a healthy regimen of regular physical activities by encouraging them to exercise with you.

4.) Be appreciative of your children – Take notice of your child’s development, especially when it comes to health and nutrition. Don’t forget to let them know how good they look because of their healthy diet.

5.) Make I love you cards and insert them in your child’s notebook - This is another way of letting your child know how much you love him and care for him.

6.) Bring your child to the supermarket or grocery – It is a very good venue for you to teach your children about the different kinds of food available. Don’t fail to answer all their questions and explain to them the benefits of the different kinds of food as well as those that they must avoid of eat sparingly.

7.) Give your child two glasses of milk everyday – Providing two glasses of milk to your child every day is the easiest, most convenient and most affordable way for you to make sure that he gets most of the essential nutrients known as the go, grow and glow foods they need to grow strong and healthy.

Diabetes Kills Every 10 Seconds

2008-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is growing at a terrifying speed and is quickly becoming a very real threat to young people’s living all over the world. This metabolic disorder ranks as the fourth main cause of death in the world. If not controlled, it’s deadly arm strikes with heart attacks, kidney failures, blindness, amputation and obesity. The statistics say it all. Within the next 20 years, this metabolic disorder will reach epidemic proportions with 19,000 developing diabetes daily and that number will grow to 333 million by 2025.

The scariest thing about this disease is that more than 50 percent of people with diabetes are unaware of their condition. This in turn leads to expenses amounting to millions in treating complications that arise from undiagnosed or poorly treated diabetes. By the end of this year, diabetes will cause more that 3.8 million deaths globally, more than six percent of the total world mortality rate and similar in magnitude for those reported for HIV/AIDS in 2002. Statistics shows that a person dies of a diabetes related illness every 10 seconds. So we must make it a habit to have regular checkups so we can immediately treat the disease in the early stages if in case we have this condition.

Omega-3 Increases Heart Patient Survival

2008-02-07T07:43:00.000-08:00

There is something to be said about the health benefits of fish oil. Research evidence from well designed scientific researches consisting of multiple large scale population studies and randomized controlled trials show that intake of recommended amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the form of dietary fish or fish oil supplements lower blood triglycerides and reduces the risk of death, heart attack, dangerous abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease.

The American Heart Association and other international heart experts in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes in high-risk patients with cardiovascular disease or CVD has recommended omega-3 fish oil, particularly in those who already had a previous heart attack. Known CVD risk factors are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity and persistent uncontrolled stress.

The clinical benefits of fish oil have been reported after three months of use, and these benefits persists up to 3.5 years of follow-up. The beneficial effects of fish oils have been attributed to various mechanisms, including reduced triglyceride levels, reduced inflammation in the arteries causing arteriosclerosis or narrowing, slightly lowered blood pressure, reduced blood clotting and reduced tendency of the heart to develop rhythms.

Chemical Cough Drugs Side Effects

2008-01-24T04:44:00.000-08:00

Chemical cough drops have been around us for most of our lives whenever we get coughs; we are always give cough medicines to cure our conditions. But now health organizations have expressed alarm over the potential hazardous side effects of over the counter (OTC) chemical cough medications to one’s health, including the development of hypertension, irregular heartbeat and confusion. Most OTC cough medicines contain a mixture of decongestant, antihistamine, pain reliever, cough suppressants or a combination of these drugs. This combination is meant to treat as many symptoms at once but all of them have potential side effects.

Some cough medicines may also cause irregular heartbeat, chest pain; ringing in the ears, heart pounding and breathing difficulty. Children are known to experience nightmares, unusual excitement, nervousness or irritability when given cough medicines. Cough medicines are either suppressants, meaning they suppress the body’s urge to cough, or expectorate which loosens the mucus or phlegm in the lungs.

One of the popular ingredients of suppressants is codeine, a narcotic derived from opium. It is known to induce physical and mental dependence. Codeine affects the central nervous system and is an effective cough suppressant. Common side effects also include drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, confusion and addiction. Since most coughs are not serious and most will disappear from two to three weeks, it is better to take plenty of fluids, rest and the use of natural or herbal cure for a healthier body constitution.

Staying Mentally Sharp

2008-01-22T07:06:00.000-08:00

Brain researchers used to equate age-related memory loss with brain cell death. Thanks to better imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), doctors have discovered that aging does not cause significant loss of neurons in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in storing and retrieving memories. What’s more, research has shown that new neurons may even be added to the hippocampus in adulthood, driving a stake through the old belief that adults can’t grow new brain cells anymore. Now, studies suggest that the main aging related loss of neurons probably occurs in areas of the brain that produce chemicals that function as chatty go-betweens, facilitating communication and coordination between the different parts of the brain.

These new findings may mean, first, that memory loss isn’t an inevitable, anatomical withering away and second, that it is worth striving to keep your brain cells busy, making new connections and preserving old ones, and doing what you can to guard them against damage and deterioration. A variety of thing, such as keeping your mind active throughout your life controlling stress, and remaining physically fit, will help you do just that. While the jury’s still out on whether supplements such as ginkgo biloba can enhance memory, by taking care of yourself - both body and mind, you can perhaps keep your memory at it’s best.

Dyspepsia Conditions | Treatments

2008-01-21T05:02:00.000-08:00

One of the most misunderstood illnesses is the stomachache. This is the term most used to describe such a discomfort in the upper abdominal area which could be anywhere between the nave; and breast bone. While this condition is commonly attributed to peptic ulcers, in most cases it is actually due to dyspepsia. Dyspepsia is a general term applied to conditions where patients feel pain or discomfort concentrated in the upper abdomen. Specifically, the symptoms may include bloating, early satiety and excessive fullness after meals, nausea, anorexia, heartburn, regurgitation and burping or belching and should be differentiated from simple hunger pangs.

Conditions like peptic ulcer disease, acid reflux disease; gallstones and certain liver diseases may also be present this way, but when these have been ruled out, the condition is more accurately termed non-ulcer dyspepsia. Dyspepsia may be a result of an exaggerated response to normal conditions like mild stomach distension and normal acid production. Reduced gastric emptying or the impaired ability of the stomach to push food into the small intestines to facilitate digestion, a condition particularly common diabetic patients is another cause of dyspepsia.

There are various ways of curing dyspepsia and one medication is the common antacid. While antacids promptly reduce stomach acidity and may alleviate some of the symptoms of dyspepsia in some patients, they do not necessarily address all the other mechanisms that result in symptoms like excessive bloating and fullness. There are also herbal preparations and food supplements that are widely promoted in the media, but one should be careful in buying these supplements and must check weather or not your country bureau of food and dugs does approve them.

Schizophrenia Misconceptions

2008-01-17T04:30:00.000-08:00

Schizophrenia can affect anyone from any culture, race, religion or social-economic level, anywhere in the world. Statistics show that one person in every 100 will develop it before they reach the age of 45, Men and women are equally at risk. This chronic, severe and disabling brain disorder can seriously impair a persons ability to think clearly, elate to others and function productively in society. This disorder typically affects the persons thought process, often resulting in visual and or auditory hallucinations, delusions and unusual speech or behavior.

There are misconceptions that contrary to widespread belief that people with schizophrenia often think, feel and act in normal fashion. Being out of touch with reality does not mean that the individual is totally living in another world. But there are certain aspects of the person’s world that has no real basis. They are often perceived as dangerous but are more often not, provided they are receiving appropriate medical attention. In some cases, individuals can become aggressive during an acute episode but usually as a response to feeling extreme fear of false beliefs.

While there is still no cure for schizophrenia, the illness can be managed with appropriate treatment, especially when medical intervention is received early in the illness. Effective treatment involves the combination of medication, psychological counseling and support in managing the patient’s day-to-day living. Since it is vital to treat schizophrenia early in the course of the disease, family members of friends should immediately bring their loved one to a qualified psychiatrist or mental health specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment should that family member or friend show any sign of symptoms of schizophrenia.

Human Proteins | HIV

2008-01-17T04:26:00.000-08:00

The AIDS virus has long been a bane to human existence and up to now there are no known cures yet. But scientist and researchers have been gaining knowledge on how HIV works against use. The latest breakthrough is the discovery that the AIDS virus has to hijack human proteins to do its damage. But scientist until now has known only a few dozen of its targets. Recent Harvard University researches unveiled a surprisingly longer list, an important first step in the trail for new cures. HIV is on its face a simple virus, consisting of just nine genes.

Yet it makes up for that bare-bones structure in a sinister and complex way, by literally taking over the cellular machinery of its victims so it can multiply and then destroy. The proteins it exploits have been dubbed HIV decency factors, and 36 had been discovered. It will take far more research to figure out the role each of these proteins plays in HIV’s life cycle. Most of today’s AIDS drugs work by targeting the HIV virus itself. The US government in August of 2007 has approved sale of the first drug that works by blocking an HIV dependency factor, a cellular doorway called CCR5. The hope is that this longer list of those factors will point toward spots where similar drugs might work.

Green Tea Extract

2008-01-11T06:40:00.000-08:00

Green tea has been shown is recent studies to have numerous health benefits. The green tea extract, called Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) is the main catechin of green tea that helps fight against aging related diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Green tea extract and it’s main constituent, EGCG have been shown to have strong antioxidant activity, enhance metabolism and fat oxidation and promote mouth health. EGCG has also been shown to help in maintaining healthy glucose levels.

A lot of herbal green tea extracts are out now on the market, but they are not created equally. Some may have little or no EGCG extract in them at all. Also, some green tea extracts may have pesticides; caffeine and herbicide residues so it’s best to first consult with your country’s bureau of food and drugs as well as scrutinize the ingredients and country of origin.

In a more recent study, ingestion of tea rich in catechins lead to a reduction of body fat in men. Meanwhile, EGCG was shown to maintain oral health by inhibiting growth bacteria that cause dental caries, periodontal diseases, halitosis and bad breath. Its antioxidant properties possess anti-inflammatory property, inhibit vascular smooth muscle growth, counteract vasoconstriction and prevent stroke as well as hypertension.

Clot Buster For Stroke Patients

2008-01-09T05:15:00.000-08:00

Stroke has been called the brain attack and can affect a specific area or sometimes all of the brain. Technically, it’s a sudden blockage or rupture of blood vessels to the brain resulting in loss of consciousness, partial or total loss of movements or loss of speech. Ischaemia is an inadequate supply of blood to a part of the body caused by a partial or total blockage of an artery, thus the term ischaemic stroke.

There is a new clot-busting drug, called alteplase that has been recommended for treating patients with acute ischaemic stroke in an appraisal recently published by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in the United Kingdom. Alteplase according to research has an efficacy of three hours after a stroke, preventing death and disability.

Acute ischaemic stroke is responsible for considerable disability and mortality worldwide and with NICE recommendation, more and more patients with qualifying stroke to benefit from this treatment. But the NICE committee recommends physicians trained and experienced in the management of acute stroke and only in centers with facilities that enable the medicine to be used in accordance with marketing authorization should use alteplase.

Wrist Disorders Limit Regular Activities

2008-01-09T05:11:00.000-08:00

These types of disorders affect many of us who work in offices or even at home working inform of our computers. While working, you may feel tingling numbness in your hands and wrist that suddenly shoots up into a piercing pain through the wrist and then through you’re arm. While you may think it’s just a cramp, you may have already experienced carpal tunnel syndrome.

Carpal tunnel syndrome, De Quervain’s stenosing and arthritis are the most common wrist disorders that may limit ones regular activities. Wrist disorders manifests as pain, numbness, swelling, mass or nodule, deformities and loss of function. This disorder requires medical examination of the hand and wrist, which includes general examination, range of motion, muscle, sensory and motor functions.

The diagnostic tests used to detect wrist disorders are physical exam and maneuvers, x-rays, arthrography, CT and bone scan, MRI and wrist arthroscopy. Wrist pain is common, and repetitive motion can damage your wrists. Daily activities like typing, playing tennis or badminton, playing the guitar or piano and even sewing can cause pain, and discomfort.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common nerve entrapment disorder. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of ligament and bones at the base of your hand. It contains nerves and tendons. The thickening from irritated tendons or swelling narrows the tunnel and causes nerve to be compressed. Symptoms start gradually. As they worsen, grasping objects can become difficult. Women are three times more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome than men.

Chili Pepper Reduces Risk of Cancer | Heart Disease

2008-01-09T05:06:00.000-08:00

A recent study has shown that chili pepper has the potential of reducing the risk of deadly diseases. Such life threatening ailments include cardiovascular diseases and cancer as well as cataract and macular degeneration. There are significant properties of chili pepper, whose scientific name is Capcicum frutescens that are carefully being studied is various medical laboratories worldwide.

The chili pepper is among the plants that is being planned to become a supplement promoted as a means of natural alternative to various medicines. The fruit of the chili pepper is commonly used as a spice and condiments, while it’s leaves are consumed as vegetables. Chili peppers also has a reputation of being a herbal plant to ease rheumatism and arthritis and is likewise an effective cure for toothache, flatulence and dyspepsia.

Phytochemicals are what people need to stay healthy. They are naturally occurring compounds that are abundant in chili peppers, vegetables, fruits and other plant species. They act as anti-oxidants, which can metabolize free radicals. Anti-oxidants are vitamins minerals or other nutrients that counteract the harmful effects of free radicals.

Health Care News | Tips

2008-01-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Safety Of Our Food | Water | Medicine

Taking Vitamins During Pregnancy

Health Screening

Dandruff | Skin Condition

Cells Optimal Function

Plastic Surgery Visage

Migraine | Memory Loss

Dangers Of Certain Cosmetic Ingredients

Applying First Aid To Accidents

Drugs That Help Relieve Cold

Lifestyle And Alzheimer's

Stem Cell Miracles

Understanding Food Poisoning

Abdominal Pains

New Treatment For Your Vision

Going Overseas For Medical Treatment

Myths And Misconceptions

Vitamin D | Most Important Vitamin

Earasing The Stigma Of Leprosy

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Playing Video Games Helps Improve Vision

Tropical Countries Produce More Baby Girls

Back | Muscle | Joint pains

2008-01-09T04:59:00.000-08:00

Preventing Osteoporosis

Back Owners Guide

Wrong Sitting Position

Misinterpreting Back | Joint Pains

Wrist Disorders Limit Regular Activities

Oral Care | Diseases

2008-01-09T04:57:00.000-08:00

Oral Maintenance

Bacteria In Your Mouth

Special Dental Needs Of Seniors

Benefits Of Testosterone Patch

2008-01-04T05:10:00.000-08:00

Testosterone treatments have a lot of benefits, especially for aging men. Treatment with testosterone can actually curb the gain in abdominal fat as well as the loss of skeletal muscle seen in non obese aging men. Though the use of testosterone therapy as a means of defying the aging process is gaining popularity, data from scientific trails have been very limited in this area.

Findings indicate that maintaining testosterone at young adult levels may indeed prevent the adverse changes in body composition associated with the aging process. In a test conducted with 60 healthy men aged at least 55 years old with low-normal testosterone levels wore a testosterone patch or a placebo path for 12 months.

Men taking testosterone experienced a 30 percent increase in serum testosterone while the control group saw their testosterone levels fall by 10 percent. Men who wore the testosterone patch also experienced increases in fat-free mass and skeletal muscle and loss of thigh skeletal muscle also decreased. Analysis also showed that the change in abdominal fat also correlated with the change in testosterone levels.

Sleep Disruptions Increase Diabetes

2008-01-04T05:06:00.000-08:00

We all need at least 8 hours of sleep. But the type and frequency of sleep is also important to health and lack of these may lead to diseases. Researchers in the US has reported that disrupting sleep damages the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels, raising the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Millions of people all over the world have diabetes and most of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is when the body either becomes resilient to insulin or doesn’t produce enough of it to regulate sugar in the bloodstream.

Research experiments conducted has found that disrupting the sleep periods of volunteers rapidly resulted in reduction in their ability to regulate blood-sugar levels. The findings are reported in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Earlier studies have indicated that lack of sleep can reduce the ability body’s ability to regulate sugar, and this report adds evidence that poor sleep quality is also a diabetes risk.

Six Useful Guidelines In Buying Health Supplements

2008-01-03T06:10:00.000-08:00

Herbal medicines are very popular these days, but great caution must also be undertaken due to some of the ingredients in fact be harmful to our body or may interact with the prescription medicines we are taking. Here are six useful guides in buying herbal supplements.

1.) Whenever possible, look for standardized herbal supplements. It should posses the United States Pharmacopeia’s seal of manufacturing standards. These standards include a guarantee for it’s cleanliness and freedom from contaminants such as lead, mercurials or other drugs.

2.) Buy only single herb products. It should contain how much of the herb is contained per dose. Avoid products with multiple ingredients with unknown properties and numerous effects.

3.) Be on the watch for too many claims of benefit. No drug can be a panacea for a multitude of conditions.

4.) Avoid taking herbal supplements if you are already taking an over-the-counter and or a prescription drug for fear of drug interactions. If a proven drug is available for your medical condition, there is no reason for you to take a herbal supplement since the former has an established record of safety and effectiveness.

5.) In the event that you are to undergo surgery, avoid herbal medicines since it may decrease effectiveness of anesthetic agents, cause undue bleeding and provoke hypertension.

6.) Avoid such supplements if you are younger than 18 or older than 65 years. Older individuals metabolize differently and herbal medicines have not been tested for safety and efficacy among children.

Natural Does Not Necessarily Mean Safe

2008-01-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

Most people assume that just because it’s natural, it is safe. But that’s not always the case I herbal medicines. Most people take herbs for various indications. However, two thirds of people who use herbal supplements take them without the benefit of any scientific proof, according to a recent study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings medical journal. Consumers maybe just wasting their money and risking their health by taking these supplements indiscriminately. It is a known fact that herbal medicines do not undergo the same rigorous testing and labeling process as over the counter and prescription medicine. Some of these substances to include those labeled as natural do posses drug like effects hence, potentially dangerous.

Popular herbal ingredients like Gingko biloba, a popular memory pill can interact with blood thinners such as warfarin and aspirin increasing bleeding time. St. John’s Wort has been shown to reduce depression but has been associated with some serious drug interactions. Research on dietary herbal supplements has shown some benefits but may also pose serious side effects. But the most serious threat is that patients may be drawn away from taking prescription drugs that have been validated scientifically to benefit disease conditions.

Fish Oil Capsules | Omega 3

2008-01-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

Recent new studies indicates that fish oil capsules and fatty fish do an equally good job of enriching the blood and other body tissues with healthy omega 3 fatty acids. But as good news as this may seem, the findings cannot be interpreted to mean that capsules and fish are equally good for the heart. There are things that can change the blood lipids but don’t do anything for the heart and vice versa. Omega 3 fatty acid consumption is recommended by the American heart association and several other groups to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and consumption of fatty fish and fish oil capsules have similar effects.

But there has been little research whether the body process fatty acids from fish oil capsules and fish in the same way. To investigate, researchers had 11 women eat two servings of tuna or salmon each week, with an additional 12 women took in the same amount of omega 3’s, an estimated 485 milligrams daily in capsule form. After 16 weeks, the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in the red blood cells of women in both groups has risen by 40 percent to 50 percent, while omega 3’s in the plasma had risen by 60 to 80 percent.

Prior to this study, it is assumed that fish would be a better source of healthy fatty acid, but based on the findings, it does not make a difference whether you get your omega 3 fatty acids from a concentrate in a capsule or from a fish, the effect in the same. But whenever possible, researchers state that eating fish is still better because fish brings with it protein and minerals and other factors that are good for our health that the capsules don’t bring.

Natural Cure | Remedies

2008-01-03T05:49:00.000-08:00

Tea | Stress Buster

Traditional Asian Medicines

Detoxification | Fiber

Herbal Alternative | Prescription Drugs

Antioxidants | Miracle Drugs

Natural Way | Pain Relief

Guides In Buying Health Supplements

Natural Doesn't Mean Safe

Fish Oil Capsules | Omega 3

Diet | Weight Loss Conditions

2008-01-03T05:45:00.000-08:00

Crashed Diets

Surefire Way To Loose Weight

Eating Beef Reduce Weight

Ways If Treating Your Fat

Blood | Heart Conditions

2007-12-24T03:56:00.000-08:00

Thalassemic | Mediterranean Anemia

Fast Tracking Diabetes

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Controlling | Preventing Dengue

Understanding Diabesity

Plastic Blood | Cure Diseases

Preempting Heart Problems

Breakthrough Cure | Type Two Diabetes

Diabetes | Lifestyle Disease

Dengue Prevention | Clean Environment

Cardiovascular Data Bank

Clot Buster | Stroke Patients

Sleep Disruptions Increase Diabetes

Benefits Of Testosterone Patch

Pediatrics

2007-12-24T03:37:00.000-08:00

High Blood Pressure | Children

Constipation | Children

Childrens Headaches

2007-12-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Most of the time, headaches are usually associated with eye problems. And when kids complain of headaches, most of the time their parents bring them to the eye clinic. This is an example of a case where bringing children to an optometrist can help stop the headaches and improves children’s eyesight altogether if only the doctors advices were followed:

Complaining of almost daily headaches, a nine-year-old boy was bought by his mother to an eye clinic. While the optometrist found him to be moderately high farsighted, she was concerned about the unexplained source of headache so the doctor ordered further test to determine the cause of the problem. Clinical test showed that farsightedness was causing his son’s headaches, but his physical appearance showed there were more to it than a simple eye problem.

It is revealed that he had partially paralyzed lateral rectus, an eye muscle that is used for looking to the side. It could only mean that the pressure inside the skull was high and tumor could be one of the most likely causes especially because the child had no fever. The optometrist referred the boy to a neurologist and instructed his mom to bring him immediately to the emergency room. Unfortunately, the boy’s mom did not take the doctors advice and decided instead to bring the child’s home. Week’s later the boy slipped into a coma and eventually died. Belatedly, doctors found a large tumor in the boy’s brain.

Respiratory Diseases

2007-12-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

Dangers Of Meningococcemia

Dangers Of Flu

Occupational Asthma

Respiratory Allergy

Warning Signs Of Snoring

H5N1 Influenza Virus

Fighting Tuberculosis

Breakthrough Vaccine For Pneumococcal Diseases

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Problem Sleepers Maybe Suicidal

Pediatric Eye Care

2007-12-03T03:47:00.000-08:00

Taking care of your children’s eyes are important to the overall health and well being of your kids. Taking them to the optometrist and orthoptists should become a regular habit and routine. Pediatric eye care is vastly different from adult eye care in terms of size. Not only are the eyes of children smaller, the developmental characteristics result in unique sets of eye problems that have no parallel in adults. For example the condition of lazy eyes that were developed early in childhood can be treated when the cause is corrected early. In adults, most cases of lazy eyes can no longer be corrected.

Testing of vision is also different. Even when the child is unable to respond, pediatric eye optometrists can determine a qualitative measure of the child’s visual acuity through various specialized charts and equipment.

Refraction is another difference between adults and children. Children tend to have pseudo myopia or false nearsightedness, or pseudo-emmetropia when in fact they are really far-sighted. Letting them wear prescription glasses without a complete pediatric eye examination is a dangerous thing. The eyes of children are first allowed to rest with the use of eye drops so that the real grade of their eyes can be determined

Cancer Diseases

2007-12-03T03:43:00.000-08:00

Nanoshells | Cancer Tumors

Effrects Of Breast Cancer Treatments

Various Breast Cancer Treatments

Treating Breast Cancer

Smarter Cancer Drugs

Novel Anti-Cancer drugs

Causes Of Breat Cancer

Getting Cancer At Home

What To know About Cervical Cancer

Urinary Baldder Cancer

Head | Neck Cancers

Red Meat | Colorectal Cancer

Eating Sleeping | Cancer Prevention

Overcoming Prostate Cancer

Cancer From Chemical Contaminants In Your Home

Passing Blood In Your Stool

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Chili Pepper Reduces Cancer

Cure For Lymphoma

Colorectal Cancer

Green Vegetables | Cancer

Brown Rice | Cancer

Hot Drinks | Oesophageal Cancer

Childhood Leukemia from Common Infections

Avoiding Arthritis

2007-11-08T21:28:00.000-08:00

Arthritis has long been associated with minor afflictions of an aging person. The most common cause of a painful joint is osteoarthritis. Another arthritis common is gout. Gout is a joint disease marked by intense, burning pain and inflammation of the joint. There is however, some way to avoid arthritis:

1.) Daily normal activities like walking and regular visits to the gym or doing popular aerobic exercises in the home setting are doable preventive measures. Regular exercises tone and strengthen muscles around joints and help protect the joints. Even if some arthritides are inherited, tone and health muscles help maintain motion and lessen pain.

2.) Avoid excessive alcohol intake and food binges. These practices bring painful gout attacks for those who have gout.

3.) Stop smoking. Data show that rheumatoid arthritis and buerger’s disease are associated with this vice. These are also known risk factors for the development of osteoporosis even among males.

4.) More than three cups of coffee a day is a know risk factor for the development of osteoporosis so avoid excessive coffee intake.

5.) See your rheumatologist early especially if there is a family history of arthritis.

Nanoshells | Cancer Tumors

2007-10-25T15:34:00.000-07:00

Tumors are a threat that affects everyone regardless of gender, race and social status. Cancer tumors ravage both body and soul. Current tumor treatments are an ordeal itself. It is tedious, costly and leaves trails of unpleasant side effects. A quick one time, inexpensive, non-toxic and painless treatment with a 100% reduction could be one of the most dreamt about fantasy for the afflicted and their love ones. But scientist is developing cures based from nanotechnology called nanoshells. A single nanoshell is a 100-nanometer non-toxic gold metal sphere, bigger than an atom but much smaller than a cell. Such dimension is critical for effective interaction with biological system at the cell level.

Nanoshells are the future weapons in the battle against cancer. They are designed for specific annihilation of tumor cells. To enhance precise targeting, nanoshells may be designed to attack like smart missiles that seek and lock on targets by attaching proteins called antibodies on their surfaces, which naturally stick to proteins uniquely produced by cancer cells. This much awaited approaching of destroying cancer cells is also similar to how a high-rise structure demolition squad operates. Demolition engineers can blast away with amazing precision a tall building without crashing it down on the surrounding buildings. This is the best approach unlike the traditional chemotherapy where it damages the surrounding healthy cells.

Drinking Tea | Stress Buster

2007-10-24T05:09:00.001-07:00

Stress is the headache of our modern times. We blame everything on it from being over anxious, over fatigued, overweight and so on. We also associate stress with work since the latter usually demands a lot of mental energy, clarity and focus. In their working environment, people spend a good part of the day thinking and thinking more until they can’t think no more. The endless surge of mental activity does takes its toll. And when it does, people are hard-pressed to find ways to make life a bit more livable. But amazingly, cutting your stress is as easy as drinking a soothing cup of tea.

Tea is a drink of full wellness. This beverage has been sipped for centuries; tea is considered a digestive, a cure or simply a sensual delight. After all the good things said about tea, the experts have made another discovery: Tea is also the ultimate stress reliever. The main reason for this is that tea is rich in theanine, an amino acid that helps us in two ways. First it actually puts our mind in a relaxed state, keeping all that stress and anxiety away. At the same time, theanine promotes focus in freeing our minds from all the unnecessary distractions around the workplace.

Experts have encouraged people to drink as much as eight cups of hot tea every day to reap a lot of its goodness and benefits. It is also good to know that when you are sipping tea, you are not just relieving stress; you’re making your body healthier as well. Tea is rich in antioxidants that protect the body from life-threatening diseases such as cancer. Tea is also reported to boost one’s metabolic rate burning energy faster while helping to keep your body fit and slim.

Oral Maintenance

2007-10-23T04:44:00.000-07:00

Oral maintenance is where post people fail their hygiene due to ignorance,, bad habits or just plain laziness. Most of us overlook our mouths thinking that once it is closed, everything unpleasant within would be out of sight and out of mind hidden from scrutiny. But according to a survey, after the eyes the mouth is the next thing people notice especially when you smile and begin to talk. The mouth is so important because it is the gateway that receives food, drinks and even air into your inner organs, and it’s the cavity wherein you shape your words and throw your speech. No designer stuff could mask bad teeth, unhealthy gums and offensive breath. Here are some tips that will keep your mouth healthy and your breath sweet.

1.) Take care of your lips using a lip balm or moisturizer for softer and tender lips.

2.) After eating, use a toothpick or floss and then gargle with water or mouthwash.

3.) Brush you teeth properly.

4.) Use a tongue scraper to remove food particles caught in your mouth.

5.) Drink with a straw when you are drinking colored beverages like tea or cola to minimize the contact the liquid will have on your teeth that may darken it through out the years.

6.) Use a dental instrument or cotton buds to dislodge stubborn plaque.

7.) Control your tobacco, alcohol, coffee, soda drinks, commercial fruit juices and sugar intake.

8.) Be careful about highly abrasive toothpaste and tooth whiteners since teeth are not white; they are various shades of yellow. Strong teeth whiteners contain bleach that can weaken teeth and increase sensitivity.

9.) To quickly freshen up your breath, chew on a mint candy or gum.
Consult a professional in case of oral, throat and respiratory problems, visit your dentist or doctor for preventive maintenance and cure.

Dangers Of Meningococcemia

2007-10-22T05:11:00.000-07:00

This disease can kill within 24 hours after its onset. Aside from the lives that the disease has taken, many survivors have been maimed and disfigured and has bought anguish and pain to many families which have lost a loved one to the deadly bacteria. This disease can strike anytime and anybody, this is neither prevalent in cold places only and does not choose a particular time of the year to strike and claim it’s victims. Everybody carries a small risk of getting the disease. But children, particularly those whose ages are under five are the most at risk, followed by teenagers and young adults.

As many as 15-20 percent of patients with meningococcemia die as a result of acute infection. Survivors will have tissue damage that requires surgical treatment because meningo attacks the blood vessels and causes them to leak and clot from within. Large areas of skin, muscle and internal organs die from the lack of blood and oxygen and the patient has a high risk of dying.

Survivors need to undergo skin grafts, or even partial or full amputations of an arm or a leg. Those with immune system defects may have recurrent episodes of meningococcemia. The method of preventing the dieses is a thousand times better than attempting to treat the disease with antibiotics. The lives, anguish, expense and public safety saved by the preventive method are worth the investment in the vaccine. Initially, meningococcemia is very hard to diagnose, but as the day progressed, bruises, high fever and vomiting are sure signs of the disease.

Effects Of Breast Cancer Treatments

2007-10-17T07:10:00.000-07:00

Women who are breast cancer survivors are at risk for two kinds of side effects from treatments: long term effects which begin and persists after it is completed and late effects which arise months or even years after treatment has ended. Here are the most common long-term effects experienced by the cancer survivors.

1.) Fatigue – 30 percent of cancer survivors are fatigued for five years or more after successful treatment. Any number of physical factors, including anemia and inflammation resulting from radiation or chemotherapy and loss of muscle mass, can account for fatigue during and after treatment.

2.) Weight gain – Women undergoing breast cancer chemotherapy gain an average of five to eight pounds, and the excess pounds are all fat rather than a combination of fat and lean tissue.

3.)Nerve damage – Surgery can damage nerves in the treated breast and chest, resulting in numbness or pain. Chemotherapy can also affect the peripheral nerves, particularly in the hands or feet.

Here are some of the more common late effects:

1.) Lymphedema – Up to 25 percent of breast cancer survivors experience some degree of arm swelling following the removal of underarm lymph nodes, which is essential in evaluating the extent of the disease. Lymph node excision can damage the lymphatic drainage system, causing fluid to build up in the arm on the affected side. Lymphedema can appear weeks or months after surgery and is exacerbated if the arm is injured or infected.

2.) Osteoporosis – Women who undergo menopause following chemotherapy have a higher rate of bone loss than women who have a natural menopause. Aromatase inhibitors block the production of estrogen in fat and other tissues.

3.) Menopause – After breast cancer treatment, many women take tamoxifen, a selective estrogen blocker for five years to prevent recurrence. One positive side of tamoxifen increases bone density and decreases cholesterol levels but it also produces menopause symptoms like hot flashes and dryness.

4.) Subsequent cancer – Breast cancer survivors have an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast. Also some treatments increase the probability of developing certain forms of cancer, although the risk is low.

5.) Lung damage – Lung tissue can be damaged if the radiation to the chest cavity reaches the lung. In about one percent of survivors, it leads to radiation pneumonitis, an inflammation condition that usually occurs two to three months after treatment.

6.) Congestive heart failure – Cardiac damage is increasingly becoming rare as chemotherapy doses decline, but women who received high doses of doxorubin may sustain damage to the heart muscle.

Various Breast Cancer Treatments

2007-10-09T08:01:00.000-07:00

There are various methods in treating breast cancer; here are some of the most common and popular treatments available.

1.) Surgery – Most woman will have surgery with our without radiation and there are two primary surgical options available. Mastectomy, where in the entire breast is removed and a less extensive procedure called lumpectomy where the surgeon removes only the lump surrounding the normal tissues. The piece of tissue removed during the lumpectomy is then closely examined to determine whether its margins are free from cancer cells.

2.) Radiation therapy – Usually taken after a lumpectomy to eradicate any more cancer cells that may remain in the affected breast or nearby lymph nodes. Radiation is delivered to the whole breast once a day, five days a week for about six weeks.

3.) Chemotherapy – Women who have the harder to treat ER-negative breast tumors will benefit more from chemotherapy compared to women who has ER-positive tumors. Chemotherapy regimens that incorporate more drugs, higher doses and more frequent admission produced dramatic improvements on the women cancer patients.

4.) Hormonal therapy – A hormonal therapy such as tamoxifen are very effective and is typically given for five years after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Tamoxifen therapy is associated with a higher rate of blood clots and uterine cancer.

5.) Targeted drugs – Trastuzumab is highly effective in treating breast tumors that produce too much HER2, a protein that spurs the growth of cancer cells. Only 20 to 30 recent of the women have HER2-positive tumors and are thus potential candidates for this therapy.

Treating Breast Cancer

2007-10-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

The fight against breast cancer has had some major improvements over the years, thanks to the improvements of early detection and advances in treatments. Many tumors are being caught at an early stage; the rise in the incidence of this disease has slowed and the death rate has dropped. But this type of cancer is still the most prevalent cancer in women and is likely to take their lives. Breast cancer looms large in our health concerns because many have experienced it personally or most know a particular relative or friend who has had it. One particular unsettling is the randomness of this cancer, so far medical science has still no answers on why one woman develops breast cancer and another doesn’t. However, family history and certain gene mutation can substantially increase the risk.

Researchers have found the associations between nutritional factors and cancer risk, although not all associations have resulted in risk reducing strategies. Certain test for foods that seem promising at first like eating soy or taking supplements like vitamin e, vitamin c or selenium. Researchers have found little support for the common assumptions that dietary fat increases the cancer risk and the evidence that fruits and vegetables are protective is weaker than once thought. But many studies have shown that weight gain is a risk factor for breast cancer after menopause. Women who gained 20 to 30 pounds during their adulthood were 40 percent more likely to develop cancer. So slimming down can help prevent the disease.

Diabetes | Lifestyle Disease

2007-09-28T07:02:00.000-07:00

Cases of diabetes has been steadily growing throughout these years, mainly due to the increase of sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits that has led to many overweight problems that affects most of us right now. But following an exercise regimen and a healthy diet can also easily prevent diabetes. A simple advice to escape this disease is to prevent obesity, which is characterized by growing fat cells in the body. Obesity means increased levels of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. The fat cells in the body are the culprit of diabetes, which has been called the disease of modern man. Preventing this disease requires one to live a healthy lifestyle by eating foods that are low-calorie, low fat and low in sugar together with regular exercise.

Fatty and sugary foods contribute to high cholesterol, high blood sugar and high blood pressure, the three indicators crucial to diabetes. The proper management of these three health indicators prevents diabetes complications like stroke. These crucial indicators may be monitored through regular visits to the doctor and taking the prescribed medications. Sedentary lifestyle and cigarette smoking also raise the risk of stoke. For diabetic persons, weight gain affects the three indicators. This makes it necessary for them to follow the meal plan provided by a doctor to maintain the ideal weight. The number of diabetes cases 40 years ago was higher in industrialized nations. But in recent years, the demographics are shifting towards industrializing nations rather than industrialized nations due to a change in diet from carbohydrate rich foods to fat full diet.

Dengue Prevention Trough Clean Surroundings

2007-09-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute infectious disease that is manifested initially with a fever. This disease occurs in all age groups. This disease is preventable but prevalent in urban centers where population density is high, water supply is inadequate which results in water shortage and a good breeding place for mosquitoes and solid waste collection and storing are also inadequate. Aedes aegypti is the species of mosquito that is the transmitter of the disease which lays eggs in clear stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels and old rubber tires. The adult mosquito rest in dark places of the house.

The dengue disease is best-treated trough prevention by getting rid of the breeding spots for mosquitoes that carry the disease and this starts right in our homes. A clean home requires extensive home cleaning and effective insect control particularly mosquitoes, are two of the most important chores that yield great impact on our health. More than just being an eyesore, unclean surroundings bring germs that cause illness. Unclean places also become breeding grounds to diseases carrying insects; the most popular or notorious would be the day biting mosquito Aedes aegypti that causes dengue hemorrhagic fever.

So it is prudent that we must search and destroy possible breeding grounds of dengue carrying mosquitoes like old tires, broken vases and bottle caps; wear long sleeve shirts and pants for self protection; seek health professionals for fever that is already two days or more; and say no to indiscriminate fogging. The rainy months also bring a plethora of diseases that are fortunately very much preventable. The most common of this band of illness is dengue, which is already downing people since the ancient times.

Taking Vitamins During Pregnancy

2007-09-21T16:46:00.000-07:00

There's a research going on at Toronto Hospital for sick children in Canada that mothers who are taking prenatal multivitamins that are fortified with folic acid reduces the risk of three types of common childhood cancers like leukemia, brain tumors and neuroblastoma. The research found out that prenatal supplements of these type of multivitamins is associated with an outstanding 47 percent protective effect for neuroblastoma, 39 percent for leukemia and 27 percent for brain tumors. This review is the very first systematic research and meta-analysis on the use of prenatal multivitamins before and during early pregnancy and their protective effect for several types of pediatric cancer. Leukemia being the most common childhood cancer, accounts for about 50 percent of new pediatric cases in most countries. Brain and spinal cancers are the second most common type of cancer in paediatrics cancer cases.

In North America, neuroblastoma is the most prevalent solid tumor that occurs outside of the brain in children under the age of five and affects one in very six thousand to seven thousand children. Additional research has still yet to be undertaken to determine which components in prenatal multivitamins provide protective effects for paediatrics cancers and whether any of these effects can be attributed to folic acid. And in the future, scientist and doctors hope that with this new and exciting research most of the common types of cancer in children like Wilm's tumor, Retinoblastoma, Lymphoma, Bone tumors, Germ cell tumors and most cancers will finally be eradicated.

Health Screening Test You Utterly Need

2007-09-19T04:13:00.000-07:00

Most of us tend to take health screening for granted. How many of us actually take the time to conduct our annual physical checkups? Many conditions like heart disease, cancer and stroke are major killers in adults. The tragedy with these diseases is very much preventable with lifestyle changes and careful screening. People tend to be afraid of taking these tests in the fear of finding out that they might have some sort of incurable disease. But this type of thinking may lead to problems later on. Here are some test that we should regularly take.

1.) Blood pressure – This is the force of blood that is moving through your artery. The higher the blood pressure, the harder the body has to work to keep the blood moving throughout the body. Having a high blood pressure can increase your risk for stroke, heart failure and heart attack.

2.) Lipid panel – This test measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides. A type of fat the body uses to store energy in you blood. Both cholesterol and triglycerides have been linked to heart disease.

3.) Colon cancer screening – Colorectal cancer almost always develop from growth s called polyps. Colonoscopy can detect polyps before they turn cancerous. Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and the more sensitive fecal immunochemical blood test (FIBT) detect the presence of blood from which the fragile surfaces of polyps.

4.) Blood sugar – This test measures the amount of sugar in our blood. High blood sugar could indicate that you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.

5.) Bone density for women – The density of calcium and other minerals that are packed into a segment of your bone. The less dense your bones are, the more likely they are to break. A bone mineral density test can detect whether you have osteoporosis.

6.) Abdominal ultrasound for men – This detects the presence of abdominal aneurysm, a ballooning of the vessel that supplies blood to the lower part of your body. It can be life threatening if the aneurysm ruptures.

Bodys Optimal Function Equals Cell Regeneration

2007-09-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

Getting old is inevitable, as we move on with our lives, we will come to realize that our body and certain functions are not what it is used to be and the feeling of invincibility is coming to an end. Because due to aging, our body looses its ability to regenerate, a process of healing and repair that holds the key to our sustained well-being and longevity. Cell regeneration is a daily process by which the cells n our body continue to replace and restore themselves to maintain the body’s normal function.

The body in order for it to function normally and optimally needs cell regeneration. It’s a natural process responsible for keeping our mind sharp, muscles strong and bones sturdy. Our cells demonstrate this wonderful ability to adapt when injuries are persistent to the body. While continuously proliferating, the cells never cease to replicate themselves. Some cells can take quite a long time to divide like cells found in kidneys and liver, but they will react and multiply faster once an injury occurs.

Proper nutrition is the key to have a normal and healthy cell regeneration rate. Too much stress, inadequate sleep and a deficient diet tend to interrupt the normal cell regeneration process. Aging also adds to the problem. The good news about this is that we can influence the factors that cause its decline. Developing a healthy lifestyle like eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep and exercising daily can boost our cell regeneration rate. Some nutritional supplements can also aid our body to boost cell regeneration rate.

Safety Of Our Food|Water|Medicines|Cosmetics

2007-09-12T05:56:00.001-07:00

All of us are exposed to pollutants of some degree when we go about our business everyday. Due to the number of substances floating around amid the increasing worries about how safe is the water we drink, take a bath in, the trans fats present in our food and even possible carcinogens present in the cosmetics we use, medicines and supplements we routinely take in daily. We now even face the dangers of toxic chemicals that are present in the toys our children play with. Because of these, consumers must be made more aware the dangers of acquiring cancer in the everyday things we are exposed to.

Already, major cities like New York have already banned trans fats in all its restaurants, eateries and all fast food chains to help protect consumers. Steps are already being undertaken between the Consumer Welfare Counsel and the food manufacturers with fast food chains to state the nutrition facts in the food they are serving. This simple step is empowering consumers to make healthy choices in the food they eat to avoid cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

We must also make it a habit to familiarize ourselves with the potentially harmful and cancer inducing chemicals that are used in the manufacturing of the cosmetics and beauty products so when we pick up a bar of soap or face powder, we can confidently scan through the ingredients for these toxic chemicals. Toys that were recently found to have harmful chemicals in them from a certain country should immediately placed out of reach by children. Although there is not much we can do about this matter, paying attention to current events will keep us up to date on what’s the latest development for us to better prepare ourselves.

Constipation In Children

2007-09-11T04:28:00.000-07:00

There are many conditions that children may acquire from eating the wrong kinds of food constipation is one such condition. Constipation is a digestive disorder, a condition normally characterized by infrequent bowel movement usually accompanied with pain and difficulty in passing stools. This digestive abnormality can hurt the child’s rectum and because of this, sometimes blood is passed along the child’s stool and can frighten the child as well as the parents.

Constipation can easily be avoided by giving your children enough fiber in their diet. High fiber diets include fruits, vegetables and grain products like wheat bread or bran. Laxatives should only be given as a last resort because it can cause electrolyte imbalances which can be hazardous to your child’s health.. Exercising and physical activities can help children prevent constipation. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water daily is a plus factor.

According to pediatricians, multi-strain human origin probiotics are vital against constipation. In recent news, the US FDA certified lactobacilli and bifido probiotic, also known as Protexin products are generally regarded as safe rated microorganisms. In line with this, a clinical study showing a 91 percent improvement among constipation sufferers who are taking multi-strain probiotics. Consistency and odor of the stool were also improved. So giving your child foods that contain these strains of microorganism found in some popular health drinks can aid in preventing constipation.

Obesity In Children

2007-09-08T20:48:00.000-07:00

Child obesity has become a problem among many countries these days. Most young children as young as 11 are having to worry about illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and stroke. More recent studies has proven that children are vulnerable to health problems due to inactivity and a high fat diet. With the advent of the internet and modern video games, most children are not active enough physically to lay a solid foundation for their health in the future. Lack of physical activities will lead to more obesity, heart disease and many more illnesses. Experts has suggested that for kids to remain healthy, they should have at least one hour of physical activity per day. Weather it be walking to school, playing sports or simply running around the garden. Experts have suggested the following measures to help your child with more physical activities and loose weight at the same time.

1.) Control your child's TV viewing habit - Children will watch television all day if left unsupervised. Set limitations what your child will watch. Instead of sitting and waiting for his or her favorite show to appear. Make a list in advance what show would they like to watch and what time it will be shown.

2.) Exercise as a form of family time togetherness - Instead of asking your child to do the exercise themselves. Join in together as a family. It does not have to be strictly exercise. walking the dog together or walking together to the store instead of riding your car will do the trick.

3.) Provide an incentive - Not to the point of bribery but tell your child if he or she completes something, she will be given a reward like a new toy or healthy snacks.

4.) Don't do all things yourself - Do not let anyone be in charge of your child's weight loss program. Mom and dad should work together to provide care for their children.

5.) Talk to the school - Together with other parents, you should talk to the school about increasing their physical education time or make playing sports games together a requirement.

Cardiovascular Data Bank

2007-08-23T05:32:00.000-07:00

During recent years, there have been significant advancements in the management of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Another equally important advancement is the ability to objectively assess and document clinical competence in the conduct of different interventions employed to combat CVD. There has been system in place that records all the histories of patients undergoing procedures in all diagnostic units as well as admissions to specialty services are clinically data encoded.

The Department of Invasive Cardiology, which branches include coronary angiogram and angioplasty is one of the excellent areas in this institution. The CVD risk factors for patients undergoing coronary angioplasty were hypertension, high cholesterol level, prior angina, smoking and diabetes. Once the signs of CVD are present, the numbers of risk factors that are present increases as its significance are more pronounced. The department of cardiovascular surgery has also encoded various heart surgeries for the database which includes coronary bypass, vascular or blood vessel, heart valves and congenital.

This enormously powerful clinical database available at the CVD of hospitals allows doctors to evaluate performance, make recommendations to maintain and upgrade quality of care, initiate research to further the science of cardiovascular medicine, all advancements and research for the benefit of cardiac patients. On the subject of patient benefits, cardiac screening test can save lives by providing prompt and accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. Thanks to these tests, many apparently healthy individual patients are discovered in the nick of time from heart attacks waiting to occur.

Breakthrough Cure For Type Two Diabetes

2007-08-21T05:11:00.000-07:00

There is a new and exciting breakthrough with the introduction of a new class of oral medication for type 2 diabetes called dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors that help address the significant needs of patients and doctors in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The role of hormones in the management of type 2 diabetes that a persons genes, which is inherited predisposition to diabetes and lifestyle can lead to impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance and the lack of glucagons suppression. These are many of the unmet needs among patients in the treatment of diabetes. Current diabetes drugs only address the insulin demand, but do not address the glucose supply.

In type 2 diabetes, the glucose is elevated; the insulin in blunted and the glucagons remains unsuppressed. In a non-diabetic, the glucose level goes up and the insulin level goes up but the glucagons level is normally suppressed, that is the desired effect. Incretins are also involved in the regulation of blood sugar levels. Incretins are hormones that are released in the gastrointestinal tract upon the ingestion of food. They improve the release of insulin as one of their mechanisms. GLP-1 (glucagons-like peptide 1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) are two of the most important incretins.

With the emergence of DPP-4 inhibitors like sitagliptin, blood sugar levels can be controlled by enhancing the patient’s own incretins and by inhibiting the DPP-4 enzymes by working on a mechanism that is glucose dependent, there is very little hypoglycemia which most patients fear. Metformin is the gold standard in diabetes management. Endocrinologist in the United States is now aggressively using the combination of sitagliptin and metformin.

Overcoming Various Prostate Problems

2007-08-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Prostate problems usually affect men as they reach their prime, although there are cases affecting men as young as in their teens. Frequent urination is signs of enlargement of the prostate gland. The prostate is a walnut sized gland beside the rectum and surrounds the urethra, which is the canal that empties the urine from the urinary bladder so that when it enlarges, it causes urination problems like frequent urination at night, difficulty starting urination, weak and interrupted urine flow and the feeling that some urine is retained in the bladder. Although this might cause inconvenience, one form of prostate enlargement can be deadly and that is prostate cancer. Fortunately, prostate cancer is curable when treated promptly and recovering patients can live long and productive lives.

Curing prostate problems start with early detection. There are several methods of cancer detection. A digital rectal examination can detect if the prostate is enlarged, a blood test called Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) is also part of the screening process. Once prostate cancer is suspected to occur, a prostate biopsy is performed. There are several methods of treating the cancer depending on which stage is the disease. Surgical removal of the prostate called prostatectomy and is a common procedure. Radiation therapy is also an effective non-surgical method where the radiation kills the cancer cells. Radiotherapy may be used for treating both early and late prostate cancer patients. Brachytherapy is another form of radiation therapy for prostate cancer that delivers the radioactive source close to the tumor. High-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a temporary type of brachytherapy that involves placing CT-guided needles into the prostate glands. When the complete dose of radiation is delivered, the needles are then removed to complete the therapy.

Measles And Prebiotics

2007-08-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Summer season is the time when parents are ready to turn their kids loose to play. But summer time is the season of the measles. If your kids still haven't had them, now they have a good chance of getting them now. Measles is a respiratory disease that is caused by a virus that lives at the back of our throat and the linings of the lungs. Within 10 to 12 days upon the initial exposure to the virus, the infected individual gets a prolonged fever that last 2 to 4 days. This fever is accompanied with cough, water nose and pinkeye. The rashes set in 4 days after the fever hits, beginning in the hairline and creeps down towards the rest of the body. If untreated, 20% of cases will lead to more serious complications with the majority affecting children. Adults can acquire measles and is more dangerous compared to infections in children. Complications includes ear infections, pneumonia, seizures, diarrhea and even death.

To prevent measles, children are routinely immunized during their 9th month. Studies has also shown that good nutrition plays a role in strengthening the immune system. Babies that are fed with milk supplements with Prebio 1 have higher antibody titers to measles compared to those using regular milk supplements without Prebio 1. Prebiotics are natural carbohydrates that in turn enhance the growth of bifidus which is good bacteria. Instead of harming the body, bifidus actually straighten the humoral response as well as increasing the production of antibodies. Prebiotic substances are best found in mother's milk so this is why it is still the best for baby. Milk supplements enriched with prebiotics is as beneficial.

Dandruff Skin Condition

2007-08-10T16:16:00.000-07:00

Dandruff problems affect millions of people worldwide, although most people treat dandruff as just a mere annoyance, it could lead to more serious conditions like extreme hair and scalp dryness, irritation, hair fall plus a number of other conditions. Dandruff is the abnormally fast shedding of dead skin cells from the scalp of people that is caused by a fungus in humans called Malassezia. This fungus hastens the shedding of the skin cells, which results in visible flaking and itching. Dandruff and Seborrhoeic Dermatitis can lead to low self-esteem and negative social image aside from the dangers to health it poses. The reason why dandruff is constantly an embarrassing problem to most people because it is seen as a hygiene issue can leave a bad impression and even outright indifference regarding your personal cleanliness.

There are treatments for dandruff, most come in the form of commercial shampoos who contain various active ingredients that can significantly reduce the number of flakes. One popular active ingredient in anti dandruff shampoos is Zinc Vitanol, which works as an antimicrobial agent that kills the Malassezia fungus on our scalp. But despite how much we shampoo our hair. We cannot totally get rid of dandruff in our lives or these anti dandruff shampoo companies will go out of business if they are 100% as effective as they claim. The most these shampoos can do if prevent visible flakes from appearing; cleaning our scalp and leaving them comfortably cool. Proper hygiene can effectively control dandruff, but consult your doctor if you continue to experience excessive dandruff and hair fall as this condition will require further medication and treatment.

Detoxification And Fiber

2007-08-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Toxins are all around us. In a typical day in the life of an office worker, waking up at six thirty in the morning to prepare to go outside to drive or commute to work, we inhale the lead in the air that comes out from the emissions of cars on the road. Without eating anything yet, we are having these pollutants for breakfast. By lunch time, we go to our favorite fast food to grab a bite, a big mac, large french fries and tall glass of soda's are on most people's menu. Then after work, it back to another commute back home but not before stopping by another fast food chain to buy dinner. Then after eating it is off to sleep again and the cycle starts all over again.

Continued exposure to toxic chemicals and pollutants whether inhaled or ingested results in cancer, hormonal dysfunction, neuro toxicity and all sorts of diseases and conditions. It is therefore important to detoxify our bodies once in a while. Detoxifications comes in several forms. Fasting and diets can reduce the toxic levels in our body, herbs, probiotics, antioxidants from taking vitamin E or from fruits, enzymes and bowel cleansing either naturally or via laxative can significantly reduce the toxins present in our body.

In all the forms mentioned in detoxification, fiber plays an important role. Eating foods rich in fiber makes for regular bowel movement. Which expels waste in our body that may build up over time and can cause further harm. For people unable to eat foods rich in fiber, there are commercial supplements that are available. Dietary fibers are actually carbohydrates. But unlike other foods, they cannot be digested, they don't have calories and wont add to your weight even if you take several servings. But before taking any detoxification therapy, each one of us must seek the advice of a health care professional first to see if you are fit to undergo such thereapy.

Cosmetic Surgery Treatment

2007-08-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

Normally when we hear the term plastic surgery, vanity is the first thing that comes to our mind when we hear people going to undergo that kind of procedure. But there are some conditions that warrant the use of plastic surgery to lessen the psychological impact of a potentially disfiguring disease, and this is the original intent of this procedure until it is discovered that the procedure can restore the contour to improve appearance. If you thought this field is relatively new to us, nothing can be farther from the truth as this is one of the world's oldest healing arts. Written evidence has suggest that this medical treatment for facial injuries for more than 4000 years ago.

Physical attractiveness is a quality that is fast turning out to be a premium as Western influences redefine standards of beauty. Gone are the days when plastic surgery is spoken in hushed tones and people no longer try to hide a cosmetic surgical procedure. Standing out from the crowd is a remarkable asset. There are some clinics that are termed as convenience store surgery where a clients walks into a doctors clinic to emerge later instantly more beautiful.

But despite all the modern improvements in this procedure, this is not for everybody. Checkups done prior to the procedure must include a general good state of health, people who are suffering from illness like hypertension and heart disease must secure a medical clearance before going under the knife. All surgery brings some level of uncertainty including the possibility of infections and allergic reactions to anesthesia. People who are already decided to go with the procedure can minimize risks by choosing a qualified plastic surgeon and closely follow their advice before and after surgery.

Red Meat And Colorectal Cancer

2007-08-07T05:35:00.000-07:00

The consumption of red meat has been linked to colorectal cancer in a study published by the American Cancer society. In their released guidelines, they recommend the limitation of eating red meat in favor of other sources of protein like fish and beans. Another study conducted by the European prospective investigation into cancer (EPIC) has also cited the increased cancer incidence of men and women who has consumed the most red meat in contract with those who has consumed the least.

The study was published in the Journal of the Cancer Institute found that those who ate the most red mead or processed meat more 35 percent likely to develop colorectal cancer. This study does not mean that we have to take red meat off the menu entirely, since it is still an excellent source of proteins and minerals. The study suggest that switching or skipping red meat several times a week in favor of fish will make us healthier and cancer free. Eating more fish has been proven to significantly reduce the risk of acquiring colorectal cancer by as much as 31 percent.

Bacteria also reside in the meat. And certain bacteria also pose a greater risk than colorectal cancer, so it is best to properly cook the meat before eating. Here are some safety tips to avoid the presence of dangerous bacteria in the meat:

Scrutinize properly the packaging of the meat in the store by making sure it is not torn.
Refrigerate or freeze as soon as possible the meat upon purchase.
If the meat is to be stored for a longer period of time prior to consumption, wrap it in heavy duty plastic.
Never reuse the packaging material the meat came with.
Do not partially cook the meat to be consumed later. This allows potentially dangerous bacteria to thrive and multiply to the point of subsequent cooking cant eliminate them.

Fighting Preventing Osteoporosis

2007-08-06T05:44:00.000-07:00

Osteoporosis affects millions of people, primarily women worldwide. This disease is characterized mostly by backache, bone fracture from minor injuries from the spine, hip and wrist, curving of the spine and loss of height. The condition causes the bones in your body to lose calcium and minerals slowly over the years. The bones in your body are not afflicted with any disease, it just your bones have lost their density. Women are affected the most because they go through menopause and lose even more bone than normal as their body produces less and less estrogen making your bones brittle and easily broken aside from making you look shrunken or humped.

There are many ways to fight osteoporosis. Aside from taking multivitamins or calcium tablets, moving around helps a lot. Inactivity increases bone loss so engage in weight lifting exercises like walking, bicycling or even aerobics even for just 3 to 4 hours a week. But before doing any strenuous activity, consult your doctor or a fitness instructor for advice. Increase your calcium intake daily. Your body will absorb more calcium from foods rather than calcium supplements. Calcium rich foods like cheese, milk and dark leafy vegetables.

Avoid eating too much protein rich foods as these hampers the body’s ability to use calcium. Sunlight exposure also helps the body absorb calcium faster. Quit smoking since this will lower ones estrogen levels and drinking alcohol too much may affect the bones proper growth function. Drinking too much coffee can also strip away the bones calcium layer protection. Fluoride has also been found to protect not only our teeth but also our bones.

Migraine And Memory Loss | Clearer Nose Passages

2007-08-05T06:54:00.000-07:00

Migraines

People get migraines all the time. Whether you are a student trying to cram to pass an exam, a secretary feeling the pressure from your boss or a business man having a tough time keeping his business a float. For what ever reason migraine head aches happen to all of us. But did you know that a research has been conducted the people with migraine suffer less memory loss over time than people who do not suffer from migraines?

Researchers concluded that while migraineurs scored lower on memory test at the start of their study, they have shown a 17 percent less cognitive decline than non migraineurs 12 years later. Migraine medications such as ibuprofen might have a protective effects on memory. It is more likely that there might be an underlying biological mechanism such as changes in blood vessels or differences in brain activity contributing to this phenomenal condition.

Clearer Nose

Blocked nose does not only happen to people who suffer from colds or flus, but to people who suffer allergy or some other conditions that make breathing hard. Most of the time, over the counter decongestants and antibiotics will work. But for some, these treatment and medications do not work. Now there is a novel procedure called balloon sinuplasty. This procedure involves the insertion of a balloon catheter through the nostril. This procedure has been proven successful for sinus sufferers.

Once the balloon has been inserted inside the sinus, the balloon is inflated to gently widen and restructure the blocked passageway, allowing the return of normal sinus function. It is less invasive than the traditional endoscopic sinus surgery. The most common difference with this procedure compared to the more conventional sinus surgery is how fast the patients recover from this procedure because there is much less bleeding and pain.

Plastic Blood Can Cure Diseases

2007-08-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

Medical breakthroughs are happening all the time. Diseases that has no cure before can now be treated with modern medicines. New species of plants and animals are being discovered in the rain forest or deep down the sea bed floor that may hold the components for the next miracle cure. A recent breakthrough has been discovered that may one day save lives in emergency situations, believe it or not, plasma made from plastic.

Blood made from plastic can one day be used in medical emergencies where real blood is not readily available and may eliminate the need for blood donation. A PhD professor from the University of Sheffield, Larry Twyman has developed a molecule made from polymer, also known as plastic and porphyrin than can hold iron atoms at it's core. This substance is similar in size and shape to hemoglobin and mimics the red protein responsible for transporting oxygen into the blood stream. This type of breakthrough borders on science fiction but this is real and currently under more laboratory observations.

The thought of using plastic into the blood stream may look unsafe and somewhat toxic, but porphyrins are natural and the polymer component is ignored by the body's immune system which is not blood type dependent. Although this is still confined to the lab, pending more laboratory tests. But if this is successful in humans, this could be extremely useful where there is an emergency or in the battle field where a quick blood transfusion may save lives and eliminate the need to wait for a blood donor with the same blood type as the patient.

Preempting Heart Problems

2007-08-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

Hearth problems affects millions of people world wide no matter what age or race you belong to. Treatment of hearth diseases is very tedious and is also expensive making it out of reach for the poor. There are however simple ways in which heart diseases can be detected early, and therefore preventing you from acquiring the disease in the first place sparing us from all the problems associated with heart problems. Here are some tips to help detect and prevent heart diseases.

1.) Check your daily calorie needs - Most of us need only a portion of the calories we are consuming every day. Therefore we must develop the habit of counting calories. On average men generally needs about 2500 calories a day while women about 2000 but few people know exactly how much calorie we need each day and it is higher or lower depending on how active you are.

2.) How big is your waist line - The waist size is the best indicator wether your weight is affecting your heart. fat cells are not just storage houses for extra calories that your body was unable to burn off. Fat that is packed into your abdomen release inflammatory chemicals and out of kilter level of appetite controlling proteins. This results in the risk of having a heart attack as inflammation speds up the atherosclerosis.

3.) Counting cholesterol levels - It is very important to have your blood checked not only for the total levels of cholesterol but also the levels of bad LDL cholesterol and good HDL cholesterol. Have your doctors analyze the report if the laboratory result is not clear on those two items.

4.) Blood pressure - Check your BP (blood pressure) regularly. Have your doctor BP at very visit and ask the doc how often it should be measured. regular blood pressure checks will help spot a potential problem early on .

5.) Triglycerides - Triglycerides are made from the fats and carbohydrates you eat which is converted into a form that can be stored by the body in the form of fat cells. Triglycerides are also released from the fat tissue whenever we need the extra energy. But high levels have been linked to coronary heart disease especially in women.

6.) Getting your pulse rate - Your pulse rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. regular checking of your pulse rate can determine if there are any abnormalities in your heart rate. Regularly daily exercise can strengthen your heart rate and therefore making you less suceptible to any heart problems.

Eating Beef To Reduce Weight

2007-08-01T06:09:00.000-07:00

Eating beef has have its shares of ups and downs in recent times. The Atkins diet and other low carb diets have made beef very popular with people wanting to loose weight. However, news about mad cow disease and the recent findings that there is maybe a link between high consumption of red meat to colorectal cancer made people think twice about having the meat at their lunch and dinner table.

But consuming beef in moderation is not only healthy to the body, but the protein in them helps you maintain your muscle mass and reduce the fat out of our bodies during weight loss. Of course, sitting down eating beef all day will not help you loose weight and the opposite may happen with you ending up being overweight with a high cholesterol count with all kinds of conditions and diseases. Exercise is much more effective when couple with a high protein diet such as beef. protein makes you feel fuller than fat so increasing the consumption of lean beef and other protein in your diet may help you consume fewer total calories thus helping you with the weight loss.

All beef are not created equally. When shopping around for meat, choose the cuts that have the least amount of visible fat. When preparing to cook the meat, trim off any excess visible fat. A serving of beef is an excellent source of nutrients like protein, zinc, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, niacin, vitamin B6, iron and riboflavin. Older people are also advised to eat small portions of lean beef because of they are the one that are most at risk of inadequate levels of zinc which helps the body's immune system, wound healing and appetite control.

Certain Cosmetic Ingredient's A Danger To Health

2007-07-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

Millions of men and women buy beauty products every, but few are aware of what actually in those beautifully packed products. Most of us who are looking to buy beauty products often ask what kinds of soaps, moisturizers and cosmetics should we use to make our skin softer or make our face look younger. But unlike food, we never bother to look at the ingredients these cosmetics have and some ingredients in the market today have been linked with cancer and all sorts of conditions and diseases. Here are some ingredients that may be found in everyday products that we need to be aware of.

1.) Alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) – Are found in hundred of beauty products ranging from anti-aging creams to lip balms. AHA increases sun sensitivity leading to sunburn and sun damage. These can only be sold in concentrations of up to four percent.

2.) Coal tar - Found in dandruff shampoos, there is enough evidence that coal tars are carcinogenic in humans.

3.) Hydroquinone – Found in skin bleaching creams. Research says its only effective when used ling term but safe only when used briefly and discontinuously in products which must be thoroughly after use. I can cause allergic response like itching, burning and blistering.

4.) Lead acetate – Found in progressive hair dyes used primarily by men. Suspected to damage the reproductive system in humans.

5.) Nitrosamines – Found in half of the cosmetic products sold in the US. This substance is readily absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the organs where it induces chronic toxic effects.

6.) Parabens – Found in skin and hair products, baby care lines, deodorants and nail polishes. Parabens, according to scientist may alter hormone levels increasing the risk for certain types of cancer.

7.) Petrolatum – Found in many personal care products. Research says that impurities created during the manufacturing process of some petrolatum are linked to breast cancer

8.) Phenol – Found in medicated lip moisturizers. Fatal poisoning occurs when large quantities are absorbed through the skin.

9.) Phenylenediamine – Found in permanent hair dyes found in women. It is a possible human carcinogen. Highly allergic and can cause eczema, bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin irritation and even death.

10.) Phthalates – Found in hair sprays, nail polishes and fragrances. Phthalate DEHP leads to premature breast development in girls.

11.) Resorcinol – Found in hair dyes and dandruff shampoos. Studies show that it can cause methemoglobinemia, a blood disease if it enters a wound.

Eating Sleeping Prevents Cancer | Heart Diseases

2007-07-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

There are some healthy foods and practices we may not tend to notice or take for granted that could actually help us prevent diseases and conditions that will harm out body. Take for example, did you know eating spinach can help fight skin cancer? We carry an umbrella outside and put sunscreen to prevent getting skin cancer when we outside our house, but eating spinach can help us fight the cancer inside our homes. A recent study has concluded that those who ate leafy green vegetables at least three times a week were 55 percent less likely to develop squamous cell skin cancer. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach were linked to a reduction in skin cancer especially for people who has a history of the disease. These foods contain nutrients that are anti carcinogenic. Spinach contains folate, vitamins A,C,E and carotenoids know to affect the skins response to sun damage.

Another type of berry, although not readily available stateside called Acai berries from the rain forest of Brazil has been found to trigger a self destruction response in up to 86 percent of human leukemia cancer cells. The berry is said to be very perishable and processed acai berries has been only available for about five years and as of today, the berry has still 75 as yet to be identified compounds that may hold the key for a permanent cure for leukemia.

Heart problems affect a significant number of people in the populations. Treatments and medications of heart diseases are not cheap and some procedures are uncomfortable to say the least. But did you know that a simple nap can help you prevent heart diseases. A recent Harvard study of health men and women tracked out a six year time period found that taking a midday nap for at least 30 minutes three times a week were 37 percent less likely to dies from heart problems. The link between stress and coronary mortality has long been well established. Napping is a stress releasing process therefore alleviating heart conditions.

Wrong Sitting Positions Can Create Back Problems

2007-07-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

Back problems affect a significantly number of people in the population. Whether you are young or old, more and more people are having these problems like never before. There are a lot of factors that may contribute to this like age, diet and physical activity. But would you believe that how we sit affects back pains? The finding for this study is very important since we live in an age where most of the work being done are done sitting down. Whether you are an office clerk or CEO of a huge corporation, chances are you are sitting down more than 90 percent of the time in you daily work shift. Recent study has shown, radiologist have confirmed what ergonomists have long suspected that sitting upright is bad for you back. A new method of detecting this is the positional Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI scans of patients sitting and standing can demonstrate how gravity acts on the spine.

The study of the scans have shown that 90 degree sitting position, which most people consider normal, places unnecessary strain on the lower back curvature, causing disc to become squashed. A 135 degree body thigh position, like that of an adjustable recliner shows the least strain to the body. This is a big problem since most of us are sitting in the 90 degree position, or even worse slouching to an 85 or 80 degree angle especially while typing work in computers.

There are ways to relieve the pressure of back pains for us who work all day in the office. Buy ergonomic chairs, tables and even computer keyboards and mouse can relieve a lot of anxiety we fell as we sit all day. The sitting position, in which the hips need to be higher than the knees and the feet should be flat on the floor. Opening up the angle between your body and thighs is whats important to relieve back pains.

Traditional Asian Medicines

2007-07-21T21:07:00.000-07:00

Traditional Chinese medicine or TCM has been long part of Asian culture in the remedy of diseases and is more than 5,000 years old and has been used through out the region. Except India, 58 percent of the region takes TCM with the highest percentage of usage found in Hong Kong with 74 percent. But through the years, The use of Chinese medicines has expanded to the west with scientist conducting test reveals that there is some ailments that current medicines has no cure for but Chinese medicines can cure.

Some commercial drugs may prove to be harmful or produce side effects when taken, so an alternative choice is using Chinese medicine which is usually made up to plants, roots and herbs and contain no chemicals that may prove to be harmful and is relatively safe even if you overdose in small doses. It's popularly used for treating coughs, colds, sore throat, back pains and indigestions. It's popularity in Asia has long been based on traditional trust or cultural faith.

There are different types of TCM that may be taken for different ailments and they may also be taken for major illnesses like certain types of cancer as a complementary medicine to other treatments and offers excellent value for your money. This is particularly true because over the counter drugs are expensive, even with generic brands. TCM offers an alternative to people who cannot afford to pay such expensive medicines. Most Asians favor ginseng and chicken essence as a way to boost energy levels and birds nest for cell regeneration although it's prohibitively expensive.

The Indian equivalent to TCM is homeopathic medicine where, according to statistics eight out of ten would use it. Homeopathic medicine is good fro chronic ailments where there are limited treatments for it and for ailments such as allergies and arthritis where there is no specific medications. homeopathic medicines treat the symptoms well and has a relatively low drug toxicity level and has far fewer side effects compared to more over the counter ones.

Applying Fist Aid To Accidents

2007-07-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Where ever we are and what ever we are doing, accident do happen. Whether you are at home, at school or in the office, accidents will occur from time to time. And although we cannot predict when they might happen, we certainly can do things to minimize their damages. A fist aid kit is essential in every establishment and every home must have one. There is the right way of applying certain medications to treat minor injuries and the wrong way. Here are some common conditions that we may encounter

1.) Sprains and strains - Especially for people who have kids running around the house. Sprains and Strains are almost a sure occurrence. Most people apply heat pack to treat them but it is not the most effective way to treat a muscle or joint injury. When you are injured, you might be bleeding internally and adding heat may make you bleed more. The correct way is to apply a wrapped icepack and also remember the term RICE. R is for rest. I is for ice, apply ice on a tea towel. C is for compress, support the injury with a bandage and E is for elevate, raise the injury above the level of the heart.

2.) Severe Bleeding - Nothing can be more nerve wracking than seeing lots of blood gush out of someone especially if its your child. Using tourniquet can do more harm than good as they can stop blood supply to the whole limb increasing the risk of tissue damage or even the loss of the limb. The right way to do it is to apply direct pressure to the wound using a pad. raise the affected area above the heart to help the bleeding slow down. If the blood continues to seep through, cover that with a second bandage and continue to apply pressure.

3.) Burns and Scalds - For accidents that may happen in the kitchen, getting burns or scalds because of cooking is the most common occurrence. Getting burns or scalds, one is inclined to apply toothpaste as it can cool the affected area but experts advice that applying toothpaste or any creams or ointments for that matter, are not advisable. It is best to place the affected area under a cold running water for atleast ten minutes. The aim is to stop the burning and relieve the pain.

Drugs That Help Relieve Colds

2007-07-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

Cold affects millions of people every year and its symptoms bring discomfort to people of all ages. And although there is still no cure yet for the common cold, there are lots of remedies that are available for people buy to help ease symptoms and speed up the recovery process.

1.) Decongestants - These are usually bought in the form of capsules, tablets, liquid, in nasal spray and in drops. The active ingredients in these medicines is Pseudoephedrine, oxymetazoline. Decongestants help relieve stuffy nose by reducing the swelling of membranes lining the nose to clear the nasal passages. There are however, side effects in taking these medicines which includes irritability, headaches, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, palpitations and can cause burning sensations in the nose. Nasal sprays which contains oxymetazoline or phenylephrine works the fastest since they act directly on the nasal passages. They may also have the least side effects but they should not be used more than three days.

2.) Antihistamine - They come in capsule, tablet and in liquid form and the active ingredient is Diphenhydramine, Brompheniramine and Chlorpheniramine. Antihistamines cure itchy eyes, runny nose and recurring sneezing by inhibiting histamine, a natural substance that causes this symptoms in response to the cold virus and allergens. But antihistamines can cause nausea, vomiting, dry mouth and drowsiness. Antihistamines can cause sedations and are best taken at night before we sleep or when you don't have to drive or go to work and just about anything that requires your full attention. Brompheniramine and Chlorpheniramine can cause less drowsiness than Diphenhydramine.

3.) Cough suppressant - Comes in capsule or liquid form and the active ingredient is Dextromethorphan and cures dry, hacking cough by relieving the hackling caused by the cough reflex. Side effects by taking these medicines include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and drowsiness. Don't attempt to suppress the cough if you have asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis or cystic fibrosis. These suppressants can also cause problems for children under six months and studies suggest that suppressants are nothing more than placebo.

4.) Expectorant - Contains Guaifenesin and comes in capsule, tablet and liquid form. help relieve mucus producing cough by thinning mucus and loose phlegm making it easier to cough and clear the air passages. taking these medicines can cause nausea, vomiting, upset stomach and headaches. Guaifenesin is the only FDA approved over the counter drug, but its effectiveness has been questioned in recent studies. Products that contain expectorants and cough suppressants may counter act each other making it far less effective than we hoped it to be.

Your Lifestyle and Alzheimer's

2007-07-06T21:56:00.000-07:00

Alzheimer's disease affects a significant population of our elderly. The disease is associated with memory loss and affects the relationship they have with their family members. A lot of researches has gone into finding a cure for this degenerative disease. But recent studies has concluded that you lifestyle could affect your risk of contracting such diseases. Simple changes that does not significantly alter the way we are used to do things everyday are very simple.

Studies have found that alcoholic drinks, when taken in moderation like a drink or two a day have an almost 50% chance of lower risk of cognitive decline compared to people who have claimed to drink nothing at all. Eating certain foods, fruits and vegetable can lower the risk of contracting the disease. Apples have a high concentration of Quercetin, an antioxidant that may fight the damage done by free radicals to the brain. Eating broccoli will help making more folate available to the blood which helps preventing the decline in verbal fluency. Folate are also found in green leafy vegetables. Oily fish contains omega-3 and reduces by 70% the build up of blood plaques.

Going on a diet will also prevent the onset of the disease. It is generally considered that overweight people are at a greater risk of contracting the disease. Eating less to loose weight will reduce the level of blood plaque in the system. Exercising will also reduce the risk of the disease. and the good news is that it does not take much exercise, an average of walking 3 km a day will already have their risk of dementia halved.

Taking care of your heart by going on a checkup regularly will also help reduce the risk. High LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are all risk factors in having a heart disease. But these factors also raised the risk for dementia for as high as 50% Disease are actually more related to each other than we think so it really best to live a healthy lifestyle to prevent the onset of the disease rather than spending a fortune finding ways to cure it. And its really a marvel how simple lifestyle changes can affect our overall health.

Pain Relief The Natural Way

2007-07-05T07:25:00.000-07:00

Millions of people all over the world live with chronic pain. Although there are medicines that can help ease the discomfort, many more will still continue to suffer. But there are ways that we can relieve ourselves of the pain without taking any pills or medications. Some are non conventional methods that may seem foreign to most of us, but have proven to work in relieving pain.

1.) Chiropractic therapy compliments the healing process although practitioners cannot prescribe drugs or perform surgery but are trained to do standard medical procedures. Their services are even covered by some health cards. Spinal manipulation have been proven to treating simple lower back pain especially if it has been only present for a short time.

2.) Hypnosis can also relieve pain as well as treat headaches and bowel syndrome by altering brainwave patterns in the same way as other relaxation techniques.

3.) Breathing exercise by deep breathing from the diaphragm will greatly reduce stress that is associated with several chronic pains.

4.) Regular exercise prompts your body to release endorphins, which blocks the pain signals from reaching the brain. Endorphins are also known as feel good chemicals that your body produce to help alleviate depression and anxiety. Regular exercise will let you loose weight which is important form chronic pain sufferers because lighter weight will reduce the stress on your joints and improve your flexibility.

5.) Acupuncture is one of the most non conventional means of treating pain. But this practice has been around from centuries and has been proven to work numerous times already. Acupuncture helps relieve dental pain and nausea after undergoing an operation. This ancient form of treatment also helps treating cramps, myofascial pain as well as a host of other conditions.

6.) Certain foods an also help ease the pain. Although there is not enough evidence yet, foods like chicken soup and jacket potatoes make you feel better. Cherries, which contains Anthocyanins have anti inflammatory properties found in aspirins. Sugar can also reduce the perception of pain, especially in children. Soya can also help relieve osteoarthritis pain.

Ways Of Treating Your Fat

2007-07-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

There is one epidemic that has been steadily rising and affecting people from all walks of life and that problem is obesity. People are now getting fatter and when people gain weight, they tend to develop some conditions associated with weight gain like getting harder to breath and will get tired faster as well as diseases like diabetes and hearth problems. its no wonder that people are looking to find ways to loose weigh and most want a magic pill that when taken will reduce their weight drastically. But are there such things?

The biggest hope in achieving a pill that can magically cure obesity is rimonabant made by Sanofi-Aventis. this pill is already available in Europe. Rimonabant stifles hunger and craving by targeting the endocannabinoid system, which plays a big role in regulating weight. But doctors warn that you can't just take the pill and loose weight and stop. You will be taking the medicines for a long time if not for life. If you stop treatment and still don't change your eating habits. You weight will bounce right up.

Another cure being research in the fight against obesity is a vaccine against getting fat. The researchers has concluded that the best drug vaccines will be those that will work on the hormones coming from the gut. Scientist are looking at a hormone called ghrelin, this is a scourge among yo-yo dieters. When you diet, the body goes on survival mode and ups the production of ghrelin in your body which may slow your metabolism , encourage eating and force your body to retain fat.

Zapping out fat may be literal. Lasers are being developed that can zap your fat in the body without having to result to operations. The traditional way of getting the fat out of your body is via liposuction. But liposuction still requires a small surgery procedure that requires breaking into your skin. Although the risk are minimal. Deaths have occurred due to complications. So the laser is being developed as a suitable replacement to surgery which minimizes complications, infections and scarring.

Stem Cell Miracles

2007-07-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

Stem cells are the modern equivalent of an elixir of life because it is a cure for all sorts of diseases because stem cells are found in all multi cellular organisms and can repair a wide range of specialized cell types as well as damaged organs. It is no surprise that they have already been proven to treat ailments such as heart diseases and leukemia as well as a host of conditions that has yet to find a cure for. How ever stem cell research have been proven to be controversial because it uses human embryo to extract the cell. Although an alternative method has already been discovered in harvesting stem cells. The ongoing stem cell research has opened up numerous possibilities in medical science. The treatment of leukemia used to mean repeated chemotherapy to destroy the damaged immune system. But with stem cells, it can be introduced to the bone marrow to rebuild the immune system. This process has become more like a blood transfusion which benefits the patients who must suffer the effects of chemotherapy.

Heart diseases also stand to benefit from this new research. Stem cells are introduced to a patient to regenerate damaged heart tissues. Traditional heart treatments used to involve heart transplant. But operations like this sometimes cause complications and the patient has a risk of not making it. And the time it takes for a heart donor to become available sometimes takes years and some patient die.

Another disease that has plagued many people is diabetes. People who have family members afflicted with diabetes can testify how hard and uncomfortable this disease is. But new research into stem cells harvested from fat can treat this disease. The fat from our bodies contain baby fat and it is this fat that scientist cultivates in a laboratory dish and molded unto the types of cells required. This can also cure injuries of the spinal cord and could be grown into cartilage or even bone. Stem cells have indeed ushered in a modern age of medicine where diseases once curable by antibiotics are no longer effective due to the pathogens evolving. This new research may hold the key into finding new cures that will help man live longer and healthier lives free from pain and sickness.

Understanding Food Poisoning

2007-06-30T17:44:00.000-07:00

Food poisoning is one of the diseases that affects millions every year. Foods that are brought on the street, undercooked food and spoiled foods are the main cause because dangerous bacterias such as E.coli, Salmonella and Vibro parahaemolyticus are just some that are found in these types of foods. More often than not, food borne illness are difficult to tell for most people because its symptoms are rather similar to the flu. Chicken, seafoods, cooked rice and cold cuts are just some of the foods that these bacterias love to invade. It's best to make sure that foods are prepared properly and are thoroughly cooked. Here are some more bacterias you should be watching out for.

1.) Vibro Bacteria - These bacterias are found in raw and undercooked seafoods.

2.) Salmonella - Bacteria that are commonly found in poultry products and some fruit and vegetables.

3.) Norovirus - A very contagious bacteria that is commonly found in shellfish.

4.) Listeria monocytogenes - This is the most dangerous food borne pathogens. Found in soft un-riped cheeses, cold cuts and unwashed produce.

5.) Escherichia coli - Found in raw or undercooked meat and poultry, unwashed fruit and vegetables as well as unpasteurized milk and some juices.

6.) Campylobacter - Commonly found in un-chlorinated drinking water, undercooked meat and poultry products. This disease is one of the leading cause of food illness

But food poisoning can be prevented. I will only take a small effort on our part to keep us from getting sick. We must develop a practice of looking at the expiration dates on the food products we purchase especially poultry and seafoods. Wash all the products you brought from the market like fruits and vegetables and properly cook your food, as most cases involving food poisoning is eating raw or undercooked meat.

Understanding Diabesity

2007-06-26T05:15:00.000-07:00

This disease has many different names depending on whom you ask, some call it diabesity, and others prefer the term cardiometabolic disease or metabolic syndrome. But the same problem associated with this condition is insulin resistance and obesity. And according to new research, almost half of all American adults are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes due to the connection of between excess abdominal fat and insulin resistance, which is the causes of diabetes. The main culprit in this condition is the fat cells, particularly the fats accumulating around your stomach area. Fat cells, especially abdominal fat will produce excess hormones that will affect insulin uptake by the cells and tissues causing insulin resistance, raising blood pressure and increased inflammation throughout the body. Abdominal obesity leads to increase fat in the liver, which drives insulin resistance, and increased fat in muscle tissue leads to resistance to insulin in these tissues. Women who gain weight are the most vulnerable especially at menopause because the develop insulin resistance plus high triglycerides and low level of HDL.

When the blood sugar in the body rises out of control due to insulin resistance, it damages blood vessels and can even trigger heart attacks and strokes. Even before a person develops diabetes, the risk of heart disease increases once you have impaired fasting glucose, a condition now called prediabetes. The risk of diabesity depends on large part, the waist circumference. The best way to reduce your chances of getting type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease if to exercise and loose weight and learn to keep the pounds off. But the most important step you can take to avoid gaining weight in the first place. When obese people loose even small amount of weight, it will have a tremendous impact on their health. To reduce the risk of diabesity, here are some things you can do like trying the Mediterranean diet, which includes eating mono saturated fats such as olive oil, lean protein, low and non fat dairy foods and high fiber foods like beans as well as certain fruits and vegetables. Limit your refined carbohydrates and increase fiber, boost your metabolism and calorie burn with weight training and aerobic exercise.

The Dangers of the Flu

2007-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

If there is one disease that I am sure most of us have gotten at one point in our lives is the flue. For most people, the flu is nothing but a mere nuisance, with the runny nose and home remedies like chicken soup that has rumored to cure even the most stubborn flu. But for the immune-compromised, people of old age or the chronically ill, the flu can be very deadly. Every year, hundreds and thousands of people around the world die of the flue or its complications and many more were hospitalized. For those of us who are wondering how do we know when we really have it? The flue is caused by a virus and last for about three to four days depending on the severity and typically with symptoms including chills, aches and pains, coupled with a stuffy nose and a dry cough. But if they last for more than a couple of days without any sign of improvement, then you need to see your doctor and ask to throughly exam you and you mus also relay to the doctor your medical history and ask him what can possibly be wrong with you.

When you are telling the doctor your medical history and the symptoms that you are showing, you are directing the doctor to narrow the list of possible diseases, test and treatments that can be done. The details of your history and symptoms should lead the medical investigators to the right answers. Some things you can suggest the doctor when getting your checkup is to get a chest x-ray so you may spot and catch the early signs of pneumonia or lung cancer. a blood test can also determine if you have some other disorders like looking for mononucleosis, otherwise known as glandular fever plus other types of infection. But don't go overboard with the examinations. Most of the time simple bed rest and taking proper vitamins and medicine can treat the flu with not much problem. Seeing the doctor every time you catch a flu is not only expensive if your don't have your HMO but also time consuming and creates unecessary stress on your part.

Be Aware of Abdominal Pains

2007-06-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

People get abdominal pains all the time. Some may get it from eating too much or not eating at all, eating spoiled foods or maybe its just flatulence. But be wary, sometimes stomach pains are signs that something else must be going on. One of the danger signs of appendicitis is stomach pains and fever. Appendicitis can be treated by a small surgery. But if the appendicitis has already ruptured, this this could lead to a potential life and death situation. Every year, hundreds and thousands of people get appendicitis. Yet most of them are mis diagnosed. Given the high risk of mortality associated with perforated appendix, some doctors tend to make a mistake on the side of caution since removing an appendix is a relatively safe procedure.

But other more serious medical conditions can mimic appendicitis. Some of these conditions include ovarian cyst, tubal pregnancy, some forms of diverticulitis, which is a type of inflammation in the intestines and pelvic inflammatory disease more commonly known as PID. Other culprits includes inflammatory diseases stemming from an ulcer, so its really best to eat your meals on time, gallbladder disease or a live abscess and sometimes even kidney disease or colon cancer. So before any medical procedure, make sure your doctor has utilized every available test to determine the right diagnosis, even to the extent of getting a second opinion. Remember, this you your life we are talking about.

Children Head Trauma

2007-06-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

Children are naturally active. They play all the time at home, in school or at the park. And inevitably they might get hurt from tripping and sometimes when they trip, they hit themselves in the head. But injuries from these minor accidents can cause eye and brain damage. They show up as a range of behavior changes that can signal a life threatening problem resulting from head trauma. Traumatic head injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. So it is really important that we watch out for them and if ever they got hurt. They must immediately inform their parents or guardians so that they will be brought to the doctor or hospital for further treatment.

The symptoms can point to a range of health problems. Concussions happen when the fluid surrounding the rain and spinal cord has been throttled. A more serious problem occurs when there is progressive pooling of blood from a torn vessel on the surface of the brain called subdural haematoma a medical emergency usually requiring surgery. Retinal hemorrhages called bleeding in the eye an easily be seen as a visible change can help doctors diagnose shaken baby syndrome and repetitive injuries from sports of from playing too rough. Other sign s that can be detected by a doctor exam is slight weakness in the arms and legs or abnormal pupil responses. Testing of children's head traumas should include a CT scan and a full eye and neurological exam to determine the full extent of the damage.

Misinterpreting Back and Joint Pains

2007-06-22T22:04:00.000-07:00

Most of us view back pain and join pain as the inevitable consequence of old age or as a result from getting injured. But pain is one way our body is telling us that there might be something wrong with us. But most dismiss them as just the effects of old age or injury. Pay very attention to them and don't ignore the pain. There are life threatening diseases that mimic these pains and its important to identify them early on so they can be properly treated. here are some serious diseases and conditions that can create back and joint pain.

1.) Prostate cancer and abdominal problems - Prostate and pancreatic cancers and kidney stones can create back pain, often with a sharp sensation in the middle or lower back. These diagnosis may often be missed because people don't normally associate back pain with cancer or kidney stones.

2.) Osteoporosis - Weakening and thinning of the bones is often age related, but it's now happening to younger people to due to the lack of vitamin D which is usually from drinking milk since most young people today would rather rink soda than a glass of milk. This can lean small fractures to the spine and other areas causing pain.

3.) Lupus - This chronic autoimmune disease typically appears as a dark butterfly rash on the face accompanied by severe joint pain. It is diagnosed with blood test and treated with anti-inflammatory medicines.

4.) Swollen Joints - This can be a sign of joint infection. Often a sample of the joint fluid is taken for testing. If an infection such as staph is present, antibiotics are prescribed.

5.) Bone Cancer - Pain can be caused by bone cancers as well as other cancers that spread to the bones. Common targets are the spine and the rib cage.

6.) Lyme Disease - This conditions is usually transfered by ticks. It often surfaces as a joint pain, with or without a rash. If detected early, Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.

Bacteria In Your Mouth

2007-06-20T07:33:00.000-07:00

Hundreds of hours of mouthwash TV commercials about keeping your mouth clean by eliminating 99.99% germs is your mouth that causes bad breath has imprinted us that bacterias are bad for us. However, the truth is bacteria is more beneficial because some organism actually freshes our breath. This bacteria has been identified as Streptococcus salivarius K12. There is a new form of treating bad breath by eliminating all other bacteria in the patients mouth, then introducing the K12 bacteria that once it has established itself in the host mouth, will keep their breath fresh and fight other bacteria that will causes bad breath and even stop strep throat. But oral hygiene is still the best treatment for normal breath problems. Stop smoking, brushing your tongue and flossing all contribute to your breath smelling fresh and clean.

How do we know if we have bad breath? More often than not you might feel a sour taste in your, your tongue may appear yellowish and you may often breath through your mouth and feel a lack of saliva causing a dry mouth. Most of use use commercial mouthwash when we need to freshen our breath. But did you know that there are natural remedies to bad breath? Easting certain types of food will actually make your breath naturally smell clean. Fruits like pineapple and cranberries contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that acts as a natural cleanser and it also prevents plaque and bacteria from sticking to the surface of the teeth. raw vegetables increases saliva production which helps wash food particles and acid from teeth. Yogurt also reduced plaque and gingivitis as well as stinky hydrogen sulphide. Look around your kitchen. There are also lots of other foods that will help prevent bad breath that may already be in your refrigerator.

Going Overseas For A Medical Treatment

2007-06-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

If you think about it, why go through the trouble of going overseas for your medical treatment. The hassles of putting together your travel documents and actually going to be confined in another country's hospital far from home and friends. But seeking medical treatment has already been an old practice dating back to ancient times. Two of the most common problems, cancer and heart disease are at the top of the conditions being treat overseas on now what is called medical tourism. When someone requires specialized treatment without delay and at a reasonable cost, then medical tourism is the way to go. They are attracted to overseas medical institution because of the expertise of certain foreign hospitals and their medical staff especially the reputation of their doctor. It's about getting medical procedures performed by highly trained doctors using state of the art equipment.

Another reason on why people choose international hospitals is they have already exhausted all medical options in their respective country and would like a second opinion on their diagnosis, which usually requires delicate surgery that may critically affect their health and way of life a plus the required facilities may not be readily available locally. There are various criteria when deciding where to go for a treatment and is often a personal decision to make by the patient. Research and instincts plus lots of consultations and reassurance from medical experts and friends greatly influences where they decide to go for treatment. Also, look for accreditation and certifications of the hospital and find out as much as possible the qualifications of the staff, the success rate of the surgeon who is going to carry the operation and find out if the doctors are licensed and credentialed by the hospital and their respective medical boards

Urinary Bladder Cancer

2007-06-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

Cancer of the urinary bladder is easy to detect when there is blood in the urine or hematuria. When a person is showing this kind of symptom, he or she should take this as a sign immediately go and consult a doctor for a medical checkup. Bladder cancer is the most common form of cancer in the urinary tract. It’s even more common than testicular cancer and kidney cancer combined. If cancer of the bladder is suspected, x-ray procedures coupled with cystoscopy examination is necessary to verify if there is indeed cancer.

If cancer of the bladder is discovered, the urologist must conduct a biopsy to determine the depth of penetration into the bladder wall of the tumor. The growth of the tumor into the muscle is the single most important indicator of prognosis especially because of superficial cancer of the bladder where the cancer is confined solely on the lining can be cured by simple ablation with a cystoscope or fulguration with electricity but the use of laser has made such treatments easier.

But if the tumor is invasive into the bladder wall, if it’s already a high-grade lesion or if its superficial cancer that cannot be treated with local measures, then there is no option but to operate. The problem with the decision to operate is that it involves the removal of the entire bladder called cystectomy so that the urine has nowhere else to go and because of this patients will constantly leak urine 24 hours a day unless diverted to a bag outside the body. No drugs or combination of drugs will work on advance cancer of the bladder as of today but in the future, doctors are hoping for a medical breakthrough that will cure patients with the disease.

New Treatments For Your Vision

2007-06-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

If you are used to wearing your eye glasses or contact lenses due to blurry vision due to a number of reasons like farsightedness, cataracts or nearsightedness ; prepare to put them away because there are new breakthroughs in the field of vision care. Over the years, new innovations like drugs, surgeries and new materials have come up to help you see better. Here are some common eyesight problems that has alternative ways of curing them.

1.) Age related macular degeneration - This is the breakdown of the macula which controls one's central vision. A new targeted therapy called Anti-VEGF ( vascular endothelial growth factor ) agents, Lucentis, Macugen and Avastin is injected to the back of the eye in while the patient is anesthetized to help stop central vision loss.

2.) Cataracts - This condition makes the eye lens cloud as you age so it makes if difficult for you to see. New lenses called Tecnis ZM900 and Alcon ReSTOR are multi focal intra ocular lenses (IOLs) are artificial implants that mimic the natural lenses giving suffering patients spectacle free distance and near vision.

3.) Glaucoma - Is caused by damage to the optic nerve that causes progressive loss of the field of vision. A new drug called Anecortave acetate is injected around the wall of the eye and appers to decrease production of myocilin, a protein that clogs the pore system inside the eye where fluids drains.

4.) Myopia - Also called nearsightedness in which objects in the distance appear blurry. A new pliable lens Phakic Implantable contact lens (ICL) is injected by an ophthalmologist into the eye where it unfolds to correct nearsightedness.

5.) Presbyopia - A condition in which the eyes lens loses its elasticity making nearby objects appear fuzzy. New glasses being developed called switchable bifocals will someday let you switch from near to farsighted vision at the touch of a button.

Antioxidants Miracle Drugs?

2007-06-16T04:41:00.000-07:00

Health supplements that are rich in antioxidants are selling like hotcakes. People have come to believe that antioxidants will promote health and and will prevent disease. Food supplements like cranberry capsules, green tea extract as well as vitamin C and vitamin E are bought and consumed by people by the bucket loads. Commercials shown on the television promote certain fruit juices that have boasted to be rich in antioxidants to help us fight highly destructive chemicals called free radicals. But is this really the case? Recent studies in the past few years have concluded that at best, antioxidant supplements do little or nothing to benefit our health. Even worse taking or accidentally taking large doses will give us the opposite effect and will give us health problems that they are suppose to stamp out.

But how did antioxidants acquired the reputation of being a miracle health cure? Decades ago, scientist has discovered that highly destructive chemicals called free radicals are linked to many kinds of diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancers, diabetes and even arthritis. And it was soon discovered that people whose diet are rich in fruit and vegetables have lower rates of diabetes, dementia and certain types of cancer. Fruit and vegetables are a rich source of antioxidants so the connection was made. Free radicals bad, antioxidants good.

The best know antioxidant, vitamin E was put to the test recently by scientist to prove that it is no miracle drug. Studies have shown that vitamin E supplements cannot prevent cancers and Alzheimer's. But taking antioxidants does have a health benefit, but not the way it was hyped out to be. Green tea was found to have health benefits. The best way to have a healthy body is by living a healthy lifestyle. Eat a well balanced meal of fruit, meat, fish and vegetables, take plenty of liquids a get enough sleep. And as of now there is no magic pill that we can take to make us magically healthy.

Herbal Alternative To Prescription Drugs

2007-06-15T21:32:00.000-07:00

In most cases where conventional prescription drugs fail, herbal medicines can work astonishingly well. Many scientific studies have already proven that herbal medicines work as well or even better than standard over the counter medicines that are use to treat anything from arthritis, osteoporosis, anxiety to migraines. In fact many practicing medical doctors regularly prescribe herbs instead of modern day medicines even from big modern hospitals located in the U.S and across Asia.

In countries like China where herbal medicines are sold regularly have testified its benefits to the people as well as many Chinatowns all over the world sell traditional chinese medicines, in which a large portion of them are made from herbs. There are many benefits of herbal medicines compared to over the counter drugs, like there is no danger of overdose in case you take a large amount of herbal medicines accidentally and are cheaper compared to their pharmaceutical counter parts. But the greatest benefit of all is they can be used to treat ailments for which there are no known drug treatments like you can use herbal medicine to kill viral infections that dont respond well to antibiotics as well as some forms of cancer. You can even use them to treat your varicose veins. But please bear in mind that not everyone will respond well to herbal medicines but you will be pleasantly surprised on how well herbal remedies work.

Head and Neck Cancers

2007-06-12T07:32:00.000-07:00

Head and neck cancers can significantly alter a persons physical appearance since this sickness usually requires the removal of the lower jaw and requires an implant which can cause depression in patients usually loosing their will to live. When dealing with this type of disease, multidisciplinary approach is the best means of treating this cancer. Multidisciplinary approach simply means that a group of physicians decides on what treatment options to take. The treatment guidelines vary depending upon the stage of the ailment and the medication custom made for each individual. The options for the treatment are then presented to the patient, who ultimately decides on what course the oncologists, surgeons, anesthesiologist, and other specialist should take. A psychiatrist will provide emotional support for the patient.

Early detection of head and neck cancer is vital because late stage detection of this cancer will prove to be fatal since the outcome of survival has not improved in recent years despite the onset of new medical technology. A person must watch out for the following signs that may indicate symptoms of head and neck cancer like a lump in the neck that last more than two weeks needs to be checked. This is because cancer that begins in the head and neck region will spread to the lymph nodes in the neck. Swallowing problems and pain in the through that lingers for a long time. Mouth sores, changes in the voice, bringing up blood that may be caused by tumors in the mouth. Nasal obstructions, hearing loss, persistent earache or pain in or around the ear when you swallow and changes in the skin.

Myths | Misconceptions | Understanding Leprosy

2007-04-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

Several myths and fallacies surrounds leprosy. Many people believe that it is caused by eating spoiled food or by eating certain food combinations like chicken and squash. Others believe that leprosy is a result of pasma, for example, taking a bath after ironing clothes is believed to increase the likelihood of developing the disease. Contacting the disease from bathing in a river where a leprosy patient bathed is another false belief. In some regions of the Philippines, its even believed that merely stepping on the footprints of a patient will cause the transfer of the disease.

Leprosy is a very complex and mysterious disease. Nobody really knows the exact mode of transmission. However, based on studies, the surest and acceptable mode of transmission is through droplet infection. It has been found that millions of the bacillus called Mycobacterium leprae, are found in the mucosa of the respiratory tract, particularly in the multibacillary (MB) patients.

When a person with leprosy who is not taking any form of anti leprosy medication, coughs or sneezes, droplets are released in the air and enter the respiratory tract of other individuals. The skin is less probable route since the bacilli cannot penetrate the intact skin. Leprosy is not carried in the genes, hence not hereditary. Mycobacterium leprae is not a very efficient pathogenic organism. It is easily counteracted by our body's immune system.