Health hypes

How to achieve exercise success

2010-03-07T09:36:00.000-08:00

I know from experience that a lot of people become intellectual experts on health, nutrition, physical exercise and disease prevention, among other topics, without really integrating much of that information into their lives. We often find it easy to agree on the principles of health, but difficult to actually take the steps needed to make those principles a reality in our own lives. I would like to share some tips with you on how to start moving in the right direction toward reaching your personal health potential.

First off, I think a lot of people secretly harbor the belief that medical technology will come along some day and take care of their health challenges without requiring any effort on their part. I know publicly most people deny that's what they're waiting for, but internally a lot of people are holding out for that.

When I was much younger, I knew a high school graduate who chose not to go to college. He said he was holding out for the promise that Bill Clinton made before he was elected to make college tuition free of charge. Today, as a result, he has no college education. A lot of people grasp onto the same irrational hope with their health. They want to hold out until there's some magic pill, surgical procedure or new functional food that will take over for them and reverse all of the poor lifestyle decisions they've been making over the last few years. Let me help you set this aside by saying there will never be a magic bullet solution to good health that doesn't require your participation. There will never be a new surgical procedure, a new chemical or a new discovery from the natural world that will replace you taking action, starting right now. If you want to be healthy, it must begin with action.

Small, incremental improvements

Although I'm a firm believer in taking action, I'm also a huge proponent of taking really small steps as a way to achieve lasting change. I believe that if you want to get results, the best way to do it is to make small incremental improvements. These improvements can be very tiny. For example, if you're trying to make the switch from regular cows' milk to soymilk, you would want to do it one week at a time by mixing soymilk and cows' milk together in progressive ratios.

For example, during the first week you might have your beverage as 90 percent cows' milk and 10 percent soymilk. That might even go on for a couple of weeks. But in time, you'll get used to that taste, and then you can use 80 percent cows' milk and 20 percent soymilk. And after you've made these ten small shifts, you'll be on 100 percent soymilk. This is a much smarter and more effective strategy than trying to just give up dairy products and switch to soy products overnight, because if you make such a drastic shift, you're likely to reject it. Integrating health and fitness information into your life only requires that you be persistent in the application of small incremental changes over time.

Getting to success with physical exercise

Now let's talk about physical exercise, because this seems to be one of the most challenging things for people to take on in an effective way. Here's why most people fail at trying to begin a physical exercise program: They typically try out a few exercises for a few days, but they begin to feel bad, so they give it up. By "feel bad" I mean their joints hurt or their muscles ache, or even the very first 10 minutes of engaging in exercise seems painful to them.

In this way, they're actually following a natural system of de-motivation, whereby the things that hurt in life are routinely avoided. So there's nothing unnatural about avoiding exercise if it hurts. The trick, though, is to stop being dominated by the short-term pains of exercise, and instead allow future factors to be your positive motivation. In other words, if you're going to engage in regular exercise, the positive feelings that you get from engaging in exercise must be greater than the negative feelings produced by the exercise itself.

The only way those positive feelings can be increased is if you manage to associate exercise with things that are very positive in your mind. Because, let's face it, sweating it out in the gym is not going to produce positive results that very instant – unless those results are in your head. I believe that those people who are successful with regular physical exercise programs, whether it's cardiovascular training, strength training, swimming or other forms of exercise, are able to make these associations and keep them strong. They are able to visualize their bodies as healthier and stronger; they are able to visualize feelings of high energy and fantastic health and hold those visualizations so firmly in their minds that they outweigh the short-term pain of engaging in physical exercise. I'm one of these people, but I didn't use to be. So I can tell you this is a strategy you can learn.

For starters, let your physical appearance motivate you

Here's a tip that definitely worked for me in the early stages of this process. I used to be very concerned about how people perceived me – especially on an outside, physical level. This was, of course, because I was overweight. You probably know, if you've been overweight, that you can be very sensitive to people's perceptions of you. So, I set a calendar date about six months in advance for an event where I would see a lot of people that I hadn't seen in a long time. Then I decided I would have a whole new body by the time I showed up at that event in six months.

For you, this could be a family reunion, a school reunion or just getting together with old friends. Possibly even a summertime outing where you might wear a swimsuit and your body will be right out there for everyone to see. It doesn't really matter what the event is; just use some sort of external occasion. Now remember, this is just a short-term strategy. Long term, this should all be based on internal motivations. But I'm saying that in the short term, if you can't find that internal motivation, you can use the threat, so to speak, of the opinions of all your family and friends to help motivate you.

So, for the next six months, your goal becomes to basically impress people (or perhaps to avoid embarrassment) six months down the road on that certain calendar date. So you have both positive and negative motivation at work here. You want to avoid embarrassment by not showing up looking 100 lbs overweight. You want to show up with a slimmer, trimmer body that you feel good about and that looks good to others. Again, I'm not saying this is the long-term strategy, because it's a very bad idea to base your ultimate self-image on other people's perceptions of you. I'm saying that if you need a real boost to get this motivation going, you can use the threat of public embarrassment in your own mind to sort of kick you in the pants and get you moving. Or, you can use the potential reward of feeling great around other people as motivation. Either way, you set a fixed calendar date and you start working toward that goal. That will get you in the gym, sweating off the pounds and engaging in strength training, and it will help you overcome the short-term pain of things like exertion and muscle soreness.

So you can use this gimmick to get you motivated and into the gym. But that's not the only place you're going to really transform your body. You'll have much greater results if you get a lot of sunshine and take regular nutritional and superfood supplements. There's no question that you will see much faster results if you have outstanding nutrition. In fact, you will be able to perform considerably better in every physical way with the help of good nutrition. Modifying your diet to maximize healthy nutrition is a commendable thing to take on in preparation for this.

If you do this for six months, you will find yourself undergoing a radically positive transformation. At the end of the six months when you've gone to your public event and people have complimented you on your brand new body and you've felt great about it, you will discover something else: You will come to realize that their opinion of you is not nearly as important as your opinion of yourself. And at that point you will switch to an internal motivation. You'll want to be healthy and keep yourself in great shape just for the rewards you experience personally, even if no one else ever saw your body or you never interacted with any other people.

The self-reinforcing motivation system

Now you'll really be on a roll, because the snowball effect kicks in and you become an unstoppable exercise machine. Now each and every workout will be internally rewarding. The pain and the muscle soreness will have faded away, because your body has adapted to regular physical exercise.

You'll start to notice that you feel good every time you workout. This will all result from making a positive and powerful association that is not based on external events. This is the best kind of association you can shoot for. Now you'll even start to miss your workouts if you don't get them on a regular basis. From here it's just a matter of how much time and effort you want to invest, and how much time your schedule allows, because you can really explore some fantastic health results by pursuing this internal positive association motivation strategy.

But remember, it takes time to get there. I don't expect anyone to just wake up one day, hop out of bed and say, "Gee, I want to make exercise really rewarding right now!" That's not realistic. You may have to use gimmicks to get yourself into that situation, and it may take literally months of regular exercise before it becomes internally rewarding for you. But that's fine. The long-term rewards are tremendous, and I can assure you it's worth every iota of effort you want to put into it.

Lastly, I do want to affirm that those first couple of months in the gym working out or walking around outside in order to lose weight can be very, very challenging. Those are the most difficult months of all. I can tell you that exercise is a heck of a lot easier when you're fit than when you're unhealthy. So remember as you begin and as you're working through the first 30 days or the first 60 days: It does get easier. In fact, it gets a lot easier -- it becomes so incredibly rewarding that in time you'll find yourself going to the gym and looking forward to getting on the treadmill and pumping out a few minutes of exercise just because it feels so good.

That can literally be your outcome if you so choose. So remember, use all the motivators you can, even if they sound gimmicky. And aim for small, incremental improvements in every area of your life. That's the way to achieve continued success in nutrition, physical training, exercise and any transformation you want to make in your life. You don't need to try for an overnight success. Instead, aim for steady, achievable success that grows one day at a time.

Benefits of Swimming

2010-03-02T03:21:00.000-08:00

There’s a lot of talk these days about muscle groups and concentrating on them one at a time. You walk into any gym and you hear guys and gals make small talk while taking a break from their sets and repetitions.

“How you doing with those biceps?”

“I pulled my hamstrings the other day. Overdid it on the leg extension machine.”

“I need to work on my deltoids. They’re not as defined as I want them to be.”

Gym lingo, they call it. They’re into triceps, laterals and pullovers and to help build bigger muscles, they add in the protein shake to their sacred rituals.

But there are smart ones. The smart ones learn to vary their routine, so you may not see them in the gym nine times a week.

They’re in the pool swimming their laps.

As old fashioned an exercise it may seem to others, swimming is still one of the best fitness routines you can engage in. You not only benefit from the cardiovascular workout – especially if you do those laps continuously to arrive at an ideal heart rate vis-à-vis your age, but you also get to work ALL muscles in one session. No other exercise provides that advantage: your arms, your legs, your core muscles – all glide in sync in the water. Plus if you’re so inclined, you would also get the added benefit of the equivalent of an aqua workout.

Swimming offers the cardiovascular element that is necessary in any health and fitness program, but like the National Institutes of Health and the Mayo Clinic have recommended, 30-minute exercises for most days of the week should be done. The specific recommendation in fact is to do aerobic or whole body activities four to seven days a week.

If you’ve decided that a swimming program is for you, you would worry less about injuries. By swimming at a moderately vigorous pace frequently, you gain considerable stamina.

Given that a swimmer uses most muscles, there are distinct improvements in range of motion and flexibility. A swimmer also builds muscle strength, develops endurance, muscle strength and power.

You can’t mistake them in the crowd. Individuals who swim regularly have that “I’m in the pink of health” look about them, have more zing in their gait, are able to manage pain more efficiently and feel less tired when performing daily activities.

Swimming also helps to protect the joints and cartilage of more mature people, providing them with a better capacity to resist shock.

And don’t be too quick to relegate swimming to that class of exercises for a certain age group, because one look at an Olympic swimming feat and you’ll know that even the youth find the rigors of the sport quite a challenge.

Compared to a jogger, a swimmer has the capacity to burn as many calories in an hour – just as efficiently as a runner who covers six miles in 60 minutes. The activity is a great upper body toner because specific strokes like the breast stroke, the free style, and the butterfly engage most of the muscles in the upper body.

One more wonderful thing about swimming is what it does to strengthen to a person’s lower body. The legs get a terrific workout. Notice how much faster you are doing the laps with regular swimming – that’s because your legs feel more robust and your respiratory system has improved considerably.

Many people find swimming to be a relaxing sport. By doing the strokes, you allow more oxygen into your muscles and breathe in a more regulated manner, hence allowing you to rid your body and psyche of stress.

Antidepressants and Blood Pressure

2010-02-22T21:57:00.000-08:00

HIGE BLOOD PRESSURE

As our understanding of the biology behind depression and related conditions has developed, many conditions once thought to be purely psychological are now known to have specific links to biochemical changes in the brain. As a result, the treatment for depression increasingly relies on drugs designed to moderate the level of certain compounds in the nervous system.

Most drugs used to treat depression work by increasing the amount of serotonin or dopamine available in the body. These chemicals regulate how cells within the brain talk to one another, and also help coordinate interactions between different brain regions. Low levels of serotonin and dopamine have been linked to alterations in mood, and antidepressant drugs are designed to increase the available amount of these chemicals.

Serotonin and dopamine, however, play important roles in many parts of the body outside the brain, and antidepressant drugs are increasingly used to treat a variety of conditions such as chronic pain. Both of these compounds are known to affect the heart and blood vessels. In concentrated doses, dopamine is used as an emergency drug to support (increase) blood pressure during surgery and when certain conditions –- such as body wide infection –- lead to low blood pressure beyond the body’s ability to correct. To a lesser extent, serotonin has similar blood-pressure-raising effects and may increase how sensitive the heart and vessels are to effects of dopamine.

While antidepressants don’t increase serotonin and dopamine to extreme levels, their use has been known to raise blood pressure. Specific antidepressants that have been linked to increased blood pressure include:

Buproprion (Wellbutrin, Zyban)
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Phenelzine (Nardil)

Increased levels of serotonin and dopamine play an important role in how these drugs raise blood pressure, but there is probably more to the story, and the precise mechanisms are still a matter of some debate. Current thinking is that these drugs increase overall activity in the nervous system, which might amplify certain signals (such as those controlling blood pressure) that the nervous system sends to the rest of the body.

If you have high blood pressure, you can still use antidepressant medications. Your doctor may choose to avoid certain types of antidepressants, and will likely want to monitor your blood pressure carefully during the initial stages of treatment. Many people with high blood pressure are able to use the most common antidepressants with no problems, but some may require adjustments to their high blood pressure treatment program.

The Different Exercises For Women

2010-02-19T23:06:00.000-08:00

BEST EXERCISES

If anything women are more in tune with their bodies than men. Wherever you go you will always come across women trying to either lose weight or maintain it. This is all good and fine but sometimes this is not the only reason why there are different exercises for women. Some women do their exercises for health reasons when they have to deal with heart disorders and fat related complications.

For the most part the best exercise regime for women is jogging. And this does not specifically apply to women alone because men also benefit from this as well. The reason why jogging works conveniently for females is that it gives them freedom from the family home as they are immersed in what they enjoy doing.

Jogging gets rid of excess cholesterol trapped in different regions of the body, specifically the heart. When you want to get rid of excess body fats jogging has one of the best results. The heat generated during exercise is that responsible for burning down fatty solids building up in ones body.

Cycling is yet another type of exercise that is suitable for females. When a woman, specifically a housewife, has been at home the whole day working the first thing on their mind is to relax. And if it means they have to run to exercise their bodies they will feel even more tired. Therefore cycling is what is considered as one of the best exercises.

Whilst cycling the body is allowed to relax and tone down from all the pressures of the day. At the same time cholesterol and fats building up in the body are gotten rid of. The only hazard with this form of exercise is that it can lead to tragic accidents if carried out in public highways. Be sure to cycle in the neighborhood where there is very little traffic.

Yoga is one type of exercise I never got to understand until I did it myself. And believe m, apart from the exercises being absurd they give so much relief. They help the body to recover from stress in addition to being a weight loss or maintenance exercise.

Generally exercises for women are pretty much the same as the ones for men. The only difference is that they are lighter and require less endurance. Despite the fact that women love to be seen in the same light as men they always have a lot more to do around the house. Therefore it is important that they be less difficult and appropriate for the purpose for which they are sought.

Hair Loss Help For Men and Women

2010-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

Male pattern baldness is a type of androgenetic alopecia that is found in men and is most commonly caused by the over production of DiHydroTestosteron also known as DHT. DHT is a combination of alpha reductase and the male hormone testosterone. Once DHT is produced it attaches to the hair follicles and stops or greatly reduces the normal rate of hair growth. Male pattern baldness typically affects the areas around the temples, crown and top of the head. This is greatly due to the increased amount of sweat glands that produce DHT in these areas.

With the large role that DHT plays in causing this condition it is presumed that the best way to stop hair loss or prevent male pattern baldness is by preventing or at least reducing the accumulation of DHT. Provillus has done this by creating a specially designed formula that stops the excess production of DHT in the body. It also contains ingredients that help promote healthy hair growth. There are many ingredients used to make Provillus and all have been proven to be all natural and completely safe to use. Some of these ingredients include:

· Vitamin B6
· Zinc Sulfate
· Biotin
· Saw Palmetto
· Nettle Root
· Magnesium
· Pumpkin Seed Extracts

Provillus has proven itself to work well for men in any age group who have the desire to reduce or completely stop the onset of male pattern baldness. Provillus users generally see a significant difference in about six to eight weeks. If you do not see results within this time frame it may be necessary to increase the dosage you are using.

While the original male version of Provillus should not be used by women, Provillus also has a specially formulated variety created especially for women that is effective in treating the issues of hair falling out that many women are likely to encounter. However the results of this product may differ slightly from the male variety as the causes for hair loss issues in women are not related to the production of DHT such as is the case with men.

Of the many natural products that are currently on the market for male hair loss and prevention of DHT production, Provillus is in the top three. Not only is it completely safe to take because the ingredients are all natural but it does not contain any chemicals or drugs therefore no prescription is required to purchase it. This makes it a much safer choice over prescription alternatives.

Aside from the benefits you can expect from the use of Provillus the makers also offer a full six month money back refund policy for anyone who is not satisfied with the results of their product making it not only risk free to your health but also risk free to your wallet.

Heart Chest Pain

2010-02-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Causes of Heart Chest Pain

Cardiovascular conditions that result in chest pain should always be taken seriously as some of the causes are life threatening and require emergency medical attention. Heart chest pain may be severe and sudden with other signs and symptoms like dizziness, shortness of breath (dyspnea) and fainting spells. This should raise the warning flag to seek immediate medical attention.

At other times, chest pain due to heart conditions may not require urgent attention but without medical treatment at some point, these causes can complicate into life threatening situations. Some of the causes of chest pain may also cause breastbone pain as part of the heart lies behind this bone.

Angina Pectoris

Angina is the chest pain that occurs when insufficient oxygenated (oxygen rich) blood can reach your heart muscle. There are different types of angina which may occur at different times or under certain conditions. Angina is relieved by a number of drugs although it most rapidly responds to nitroglycerin. It can be indicative of an imminent heart attack. It is often described as a sudden crushing or sharp stabbing pain.

Myocardial Infarction (MI or Heart Attack)

This is one of the most serious causes of heart chest pain and may be preceded by angina. At other times, it strikes suddenly and can be severe and suffocating with pain radiating down the arm, up to the jaw, to the back or upper abdomen. Other symptoms may include dizziness, fainting spells, shortness of breath (dyspnea), sweating and nausea. A heart attack is potentially fatal and immediate medical attention is required.

Thoracic Aortic Dissection

This is a tear of the inner wall of the aorta, the large blood vessel that carries oxygen-rich blood away from the heart. In this case, the tear occurs in the part of the aorta that runs within the thoracic (chest) cavity. A severe, sharp or tearing pain may be felt along with other symptoms like a dry mouth, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, disorientation and confusion. The person may appear pale and cold and clammy to touch with shortness of breath (dyspnea) and a rapid, weak pulse. An aortic dissection is life threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Pericarditis

Pericarditis is the acute or chronic inflammation of the lining around the heart. The heart is encapsulated in a thin membraned sac known as the pericardium. Pericarditis may occur as a result of localized or generalized infections, certain types of autoimmune diseases, trauma, certain drugs and as a result of chronic conditions like kidney failure or hypothyroidism. It may also occur post-operatively (Dressler’s syndrome) like after cardiothoracic (open heart) surgery.

Pericarditis causes chest pain that is typically aggravated with breathing, when eating or lying down flat (supine). The pain may vary between a sharp stabbing pain and dull ache. Other symptoms may include a fever especially in the case of an infection, hiccups or coughing, dyspnea and dizziness. Any condition that may cause the heart to beat faster or press against surrounding structures is likely to aggravate the pain.

Myocarditis

Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle. This often occurs as a result of an infection but may also be caused by certain toxic chemicals, pharmaceutical and narcotic drugs, alcohol abuse and certain types of autoimmune diseases. Myocarditis may also occur as a result of heart failure or may cause heart failure itself.

The chest pain can vary in intensity and often resembles a heart attack. Other symptoms may include a fever (infection), dyspnea, an abnormal heartbeat, leg swelling, swollen stomach (fluid accumulation) and fatigue. Certain causes of lung chest pain may lead to myocarditis as the heart tries to compensate for inadequate oxygen intake by beating harder or faster.

Rheumatic Fever / Heart Disease

Rheumatic fever is a an inflammatory condition which occurs after a Streptococcus infection, especially in infections like a strep sore throat. This can lead to inflammation of many parts of the body with the heart and brain inflammation leading to more serious complications. Rheumatic heart disease is when the heart becomes affected and damaged by this inflammation, particularly the valve(s) of the heart.

The heart chest pain in rheumatic heart disease varies in sensation and intensity but is usually accompanied by palpitations. Other symptoms include a fever, dyspnea and fatigue. Since rheumatic fever affects multiple systems, there will also be other symptoms like a skin rash, joint swelling and pain or uncontrollable body movements. This condition tends to affect children and teenagers although it can occur in younger adults as well.

HIV/AIDS

2010-01-30T10:01:00.000-08:00

HIV and AIDS Facts
FAQ and fast facts about HIV/AIDS:

What does AIDS stand for?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
What does HIV stand for?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
What is the immune system?
The immune system is a collection of mechanisms within the human body that protects against disease, detecting and fighting off a wide variety of agents from viruses to bacteria.
What is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS?
A person is said to be HIV positive if that person is infected with HIV virus. A person is said to have AIDS if the person has HIV infection and also certain signs and symptoms of AIDS disease. In short, HIV is the virus, and AIDS is the disease that it causes. Testing positive for HIV virus does not become AIDS until immune system is compromised which usually takes ten years. There are phases of HIV infection and AIDS is the final stage. Learn more on HIV infection and early symptoms of HIV/AIDS, what is HIV, what is AIDS, ways that the HIV virus is transmitted, and how does AIDS affect the body.
What is STD?
A Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) is a disease that is passed from one person to another due to sexual activity.
Causes of HIV infection, HIV/AIDS Symptoms, Treatment for HIV and AIDS
- See Early symptoms of HIV and AIDS article for information on first and early stage HIV/AIDS symptoms.
- See HIV and AIDS Facts article for information on causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and how is HIV/AIDS treated.
- More articles listed below on this page with information on signs and symptoms of HIV infection, what causes AIDS, HIV virus transmission, AIDS prevention, HIV testing, treatment for HIV, medications and cure for AIDS.
- See HIV/AIDS Vaccine topic.
History of AIDS
- Where Did AIDS Come From?
- AIDS: The First 10,000 American Cases
HIV/AIDS Statistics - How many people in the world have AIDS?
According to the current AIDS statistics published in July 2008, UNAIDS/WHO estimated that 32.9 million people were living with HIV/AIDS worldwide as of end of 2007. This is up from 29.5 million in 2001. HIV/AIDS has been a global epidemic for more than 25 years.

FOOD FOR A HEALTHY BODY

2010-01-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

Mainstream North American dietary habits restrict vitamin, mineral and fibre consumption, leading to many undesirable symptoms and health problems. Health experts recommend a daily intake of 25 – 40 grams of fibre for a healthy body. The average North American consumes only 10 grams most due to consuming highly refines processed food.

Fibre is essential for a well functioning gastrointestinal tract, cholesterol reduction, and maintains a healthy level of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract. There are two groups of fibre: soluble and insoluble. The latter exerts a mechanical action, whereas the former is more diverse and this depends on their chemical properties. Soluble fibres such as psyllium, flax and guar absorb water creating a greater feeling of satiation thus controlling intake of food.

Fibrous fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of fibre, as well as being low in calories. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate many fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains.

Researchers determined that there is no substitute to consuming natural vitamins. They are more beneficial, provide more pleasure, and happen to be less expensive.

In fact some peoples in North America (Inuit and First Nations) cannot absorb certain synthetic minerals and vitamins. Natural unprocessed, uncooked foods are better for the body than those grown with the help of pesticides, fungicides, or are irradiated “micro waved” or genetically engineered.

Cooking at high temperatures reduces proteins available in the food up to 50 percent destroys 60 – 70 percent of vitamins, and processed foods change the structure/ All of the above are vital for building and maintaining energy and health. Yet, most people prefer convenience to health. Convenience comes at a high price in form of time used to acquire natural food, the perishable nature of it, preparation and cooking. Harried life styles prevent time consuming food preparation, and make processed food a necessity for those short-sighted enough to set priorities in their lives.

When food is heated above 118C and consumed at this temperature, it damages inner tissues and enzymes are destroyed, all linked to health and longevity. Enzymes are vital in digestion, nerve impulses, detoxification, repair of tissues and a healthy mind. Properly prepared and cooked foods taste better, they play an important role in slowing the aging process.

Help For Painful Periods

2010-01-17T03:22:00.000-08:00

If you are like most women, you have probably experienced menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea) at one time or another. For some women, menstrual cramps are debilitating, while others experience only mild discomfort during their period.

Menstrual cramps may be primary or secondary. Primary dysmenorrhea occurs most often in young women who have just begun their menstrual cycles and often becomes less severe when a woman reaches her mid-twenties or after she has given birth . Secondary dysmenorrhea is diagnosed when menstrual cramps are caused by other conditions such as endometriosis, fibroid tumors, pelvic adhesions, and ovarian cysts or by the use of an interuterine device (IUD) for birth control.

Menstrual cramps are thought to be related to a hormone-like, naturally occurring substance called prostaglandin, which causes the uterus to contract. If a woman does not ovulate, it is unlikely that she will encounter cramps during her period. For this reason, physicians often prescribe oral contraceptives to ease painful periods. However, you should be aware that birth control pills cause abnormal bleeding in some women.

How Can You Beat Menstrual Cramps?

Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium, used around the clock as soon as you notice the first sign of your period can help to reduce the severity of cramps in many women by inhibiting the release of prostaglandins. Of course, be sure not to exceed the daily maximum as described on the medication's label. Acetaminophen(e.g.-Tylenol) will help the pain, but it does not have the effect on prostagladins.

Regular physical activity often reduces cramping in some women.

Natural progesterone may help reduce the symptoms that are causing menstrual cramps.

Supplementing your diet with zinc and calcium has been found to reduce cramps, bloating, and related PMS symptoms.

Herbal remedies, such as Viburnum prunifolium, Scutellaria spp. and Cimicifuga racemosa, have an antispasmodic effect that may reduce some menstrual cramps. Other useful herbs include cramp bark, squaw vine, unicorn root, bromelain, evening primrose oil, and blue cohosh.

Try taking a warm bath and using aromatherapy or a heating pad on your lower abdomen or back. If you don't have a heating pad, a heating pad substitute can be made at home.
How to Make a Heating Pad Relaxing and letting those around you know that you are not feeling yourself will help by reducing the stress of your everyday life that may contribute to your menstrual cramps.

Is Yoga Right for You?

2010-01-07T03:49:00.000-08:00

A lot of women perform yoga exercises not just to lose weight or maintain proper body weight but also because they want to be healthy emotionally and mentally. Yoga is also known to contribute to the decrease of a number of problems during menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause. There is research to prove this, but it’s easy to see the physical, mental, and emotional benefits evident on those women who practice yoga.

Yoga Helps You Cope with a Busy Lifestyle

If you are still undecided about yoga, then there are a number of things about it that will help you decide. One of these is its relevance to today’s world, even if it is one of the most ancient practices of all times.

Yoga is considered as the perfect solution that helps women cope with their busy days and the resulting mental and physical stress. This is especially true if they are working moms who need to deal with the pressures of both work and home. Sitting behind a desk or even driving a car for several hours every day would already result in a woman’s having shoulder and back problems that will not only affect their lives at the office but also at home when they are dealing with the family and household chores.

Choosing the Best Yoga Style Helps

Deciding if yoga is really right for you would also require you to choose the yoga style that will fit your lifestyle, personality, and needs. If you are a working mom, your yoga needs might differ from those women who are just working at the office for long hours every day. As such, it is very important to find the perfect teacher or trainer who has the right knowledge about yoga who is not only qualified and accredited but also compassionate and sensitive to what you really need.

Yoga Styles:

1)Vini Yoga. This is a personal practice that could be developed through the incorporation of meditation, proper breathing, and posture as well as prayer and rituals. The amount of all these aspects that could be incorporated into your yoga practice will have to be changed though as a woman and her needs change and develop. Therefore, if you are still a student or a young professional, then the physical aspects of yoga might be more important for you, while older women might focus more on the spiritual, mental, and emotional aspects.

2)Ashtanga Yoga. Also considered as the power yoga, this style is known to be flowing and athletic. Breathing is very important in this yoga style as a woman flows through a series of postures. This is able to generate a lot of sweat and body heat, thus helping women detoxify their bodies.

3)Ananda Yoga. This yoga style makes use of temperate poses. This is gently meditative and perfect for those who would like to practice a yoga style that helps them to look inwards so they can focus on making their emotions better.

Simple Solutions for Complex Problems

2010-01-07T03:41:00.000-08:00

One question I'm routinely asked is "If you had to recommend just one supplement for __________ (fill in the blank), what would it be?" I could easily spout off a laundry list of safe, natural therapies for virtually all common health concerns. Narrowing it down to only one therapy per condition is much more of a challenge, but based on recent patient and subscriber feedback, here goes.

Manage Pain With MSM
For joint and muscle pain, I've been hearing great things about MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), a naturally occurring sulfur compound and close chemical cousin of DMSO-that doesn't have DMSO's obnoxious smell. MSM relieves pain by several mechanisms. It's a powerful anti-inflammatory, it blocks the pain response in nerve fibers, and its sulfur may help with cartilage regeneration.

One of our patients, the mother of a Whitaker Wellness doctor, was bothered by nagging pain in her neck and shoulders- until she started taking MSM. Another patient, who is an actor, used to have such excruciating pain in his knees that he'd have to take Vicodin before going on stage and was considering arthroscopic surgery. He reported miraculous results with MSM and no longer requires painkillers. The suggested daily dose of MSM ranges between 1,200 and 6,000 mg. Start low and increase as needed.

How to Get a Good Night's Sleep
Occasional sleeplessness is a very common concern. I used to recommend melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate your "body clock"; valerian, an herb with mild sedative effects; or L-theanine, an amino acid with profound relaxing properties. Each of these worked for some people, but not everyone. Then I tried them in combination, and bingo! For the majority of patients and subscribers, this combo engenders a good night's sleep.

Tom, a VP at the company that publishes Health & Healing, shared his story. He was eating right, exercising, and taking vitamins, but when it came time for bed, despite the fact he was physically and mentally drained, he still sometimes had trouble falling or staying asleep. Since he started taking this supplement, however, he sleeps like a baby.

Look for combination sleep products in your health food store. Suggested doses are 1,000 mcg melatonin, 500 mg valerian extract, and 200 mg L-theanine 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.

V8 Gives Hypertension the Boot
Experts predict that an astounding 90 percent of middle-aged Americans will develop hypertension at some point in their lives. This sounds extreme, but I have to admit that many of the patients who come to my clinic have high blood pressure. Fortunately, we are very successful at getting them off drugs with diet changes, exercise, and a handful of supplements. But if I had to select just one thing for high blood pressure it would be Low Sodium V8 Juice.

Low Sodium V8 has a slight blood-thinning effect, which reduces pressure on the arteries, and it's loaded with potassium, which balances sodium and helps lower blood pressure. One of the many patients who has benefited from this therapy is Ted, an old friend of mine. After struggling with hypertension for years, Ted took me up on my suggestion to drink 12 ounces of this juice every day. Much to his surprise, this simple step worked to normalize his blood pressure.

Flaxseed Lowers Cholesterol
It seems like everyone's trying to lower their cholesterol, and millions of Americans are taking dangerous statin cholesterol-lowering drugs to bring it down. When a patient walks through the doors of Whitaker Wellness on one of these drugs, however, we immediately discontinue it and start them on natural therapies that accomplish the same goal in a much safer and saner manner. The one I'd recommend you try first is flaxseed.

Simply grind up a quarter cup once a day, mix it in water or a smoothie, and drink it. The soluble fiber and omega-3 oils in flax can dramatically lower cholesterol. One of my staff members tried it herself, and after three weeks of use her total cholesterol level fell about 23 points. And Health & Healing subscriber James, whose initial cholesterol level was 288, saw his numbers drop to 232 after 15 days, and plummet to an incredible 188 after six months.

DGL Quells Heartburn
People are always asking me about digestive problems, and I always recommend the same thing: DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice). This herb helps boost your natural defenses by enhancing production of protective mucosal cells that line the entire gastrointestinal tract. Many of my patients swear by DGL for relieving acid reflux and heartburn. One in particular, Hortense, hasn't had a single episode since beginning her daily DGL regimen.

DGL's suggested dose is two tablets chewed 20 minutes before meals three times a day. In order for DGL to be effective it must be mixed with saliva, so only purchase chewable forms. Unlike regular licorice, DGL does not cause water retention, raise blood pressure, or lower testosterone levels.

See Clearly With Nutrients
Vision problems plague many people as they get older, and whether it's an inability to read fine print, dry eyes, floaters, or macular degeneration, these impairments interfere significantly with quality of life. That's why for more than a decade I've recommended lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc, bilberry, and other nutrients that target eye health.

These nutrients consistently provide good results-in fact, in just the past month I've heard from three subscribers who began using them. One woman reported that her macular degeneration, a progressive condition that is the leading cause of blindness in older people, is now under control and holding steady. Another says they help with her vision and dry eyes. And a 93-year-old man told me that now his 40-year-old relatives depend on him to read fine print! Look for vision products that contain 15 mg of lutein, 600 mcg zeaxanthin, 50 mg zinc, and 320 mg bilberry, among other nutrients.

Rev Up Energy With Ribose
Lack of energy is another common problem that can be caused by a number of things, from low thyroid to sleep apnea to a serious disease. But for run-of-the-mill fatigue, I vote for ribose. It's a simple sugar required in the production of ATP, the fuel that runs our cells. Low stores of ribose mean less ATP can be generated, and that translates into sapped energy. I've written about ribose for the treatment of heart failure and fibromyalgia, but it also shores up energy levels in cells throughout the body, giving you a natural energy boost.

One ribose "success story" is my wife, Connie, who, like the energizer bunny, just keeps going and going. Even though she works full time, travels with me, and is always juggling a number of additional projects, this woman never runs out of steam. Connie says that ribose noticeably perks her up, and it also improves her endurance while exercising. I recommend taking 5 g (one heaping teaspoonful) of ribose mixed in water, tea, or coffee two or three times a day.

Say Bye-Bye to BPH With Saw Palmetto
Women may have to go through menopause, but older men have to deal with enlarged prostates. This condition, called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can be a real inconvenience. My patient Fred wasn't getting enough sleep because he had to make up to five nighttime trips to the restroom. Problem was, despite a sense of urgency, he had trouble going and his urinary flow was little more than a dribble. He tried cutting back on liquids before bed and concentrating on emptying his bladder, but nothing worked. Then I told him about saw palmetto.

Saw palmetto works in a fashion similar to the drug Proscar to treat BPH symptoms- without the side effects of the drug, which include erectile dysfunction and loss of libido. After two weeks of taking saw palmetto, Fred noticed improvements. Over the next three months his nighttime bathroom trips decreased from five to one. The suggested dose is 320 mg daily taken in divided doses with meals.

Magnesium Relaxes Muscles
Charley horses and nocturnal leg cramps plague all of us at some time or another. These painful muscle spasms are not only inconvenient, they interfere with sleep and quality of life. The solution? Magnesium, which relieves cramps by relaxing the muscles. This mineral has been shown to be extremely effective at reducing the occurrence of nighttime leg cramps, especially in pregnant women and older individuals.

At the clinic we use magnesium citrate, a highly bioavailable form of magnesium. Look for powdered magnesium citrate, and take 420 mg in water about 30 minutes before bedtime. In addition to relaxing your muscles, it may help you sleep better too. (Some people are sensitive to larger doses of magnesium; if it causes diarrhea, reduce your dose.)

A Unique Product for Psoriasis
Skin problems, though rarely life threatening, cause patients an inordinate amount of distress- and one of the most distressing is psoriasis. A former employee of mine who suffered with this condition for 25 years described not only the pain of her bleeding, weeping lesions but also told me she felt like a leper during much of her childhood and adolescence. She tried every treatment imaginable for her psoriasis, from steroids to fish oil to fasting, to no avail.

Then she discovered an over-the-counter spray called Blue-Cap (formerly Skin-Cap). It worked like nothing else for this woman, as it has for many, many others. I want to give you a heads-up about some controversy over Blue-Cap. The FDA has reported that it contains a prescription steroid. The product's manufacturer denies this, stating the active ingredient is zinc pyrithione. It's a murky situation, but it hasn't deterred users who swear it's the only thing that gives them relief- including some of my patients who have been using it for years with no adverse effects.

Cranberries for UTIs
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are not something people like to talk about, but they are extremely common- and surprisingly easy to prevent. One subscriber told me she used to have frequent UTIs until she started drinking unsweetened cranberry juice. At the first sign of an infection, she drinks one or two glasses a day, and she says she hasn't had a UTI since she started this preventive measure.

Cranberry juice is one of those "kitchen remedies" that really works. These berries contain proanthocyanidins and a sugar called d-mannose that prevent E. coli bacteria from sticking to bladder walls and setting up residence in your urinary tract. Regular cranberry juice is full of sugar, so I recommended the unsweetened varieties. They are very tart, but you can sweeten them with stevia or xylitol. Another option is cranberry extract supplements, which are sold in health food stores. If you're prone to infections, use cranberry juice or supplements regularly.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

2010-01-07T03:34:00.000-08:00

Heart disease or coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when the arteries which supply the heart with oxygen become hardened. This is also known as the process of atherosclerosis. This can eventually result in complete blockage of a coronary artery and result in a heart attack. Heart disease is the Western world`s biggest killer today by far. However, the good news is that 90% of all heart disease is entirely preventable (and even reversible in some cases) through diet and lifestyle changes, making all those drugs used to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure unnecessary.

There are often no symptoms experienced by people with heart disease. For this reason risk markers are used to assess the likelihood of developing the disease.

Risk Markers and Causes

* Increased risk of the disease is associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood triglycerides (another type of saturated fat found in the blood), low "good" HDL cholesterol, and high "bad" LDL cholesterol. Higher levels of HDL cholesterol are linked with lower rates of heart disease, while LDL are linked with an increased risk. These are the more traditional markers.

* Only 40% of people who suffer heart attacks actually have high cholesterol or high blood pressure, so there are also more advanced markers that can provide more accurate indicators of heart disease. These include high fibrinogen levels, high apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(A)and low apolipoprotein A-1 levels. Do ask your practitioner for more details about these markers.

* Recent research also shows other important markers related to increased risk of heart disease including high homocysteine levels. High homocysteine can result from a nutritional deficiency of vitamin B12 folate and vitamin B6.

* C reactive protein is another new marker for heart disease which can reflect the level of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the immune system`s response to foreign invaders and trauma. Research shows that the process of atheroclerosis is also an inflammatory condition, so eating an anti inflammatory diet is important. This means little sugar and lots of raw fruits and vegetables as well as foods high in omega 3.

* The risk is also higher for people who are obese, who have a family history of heart disease or who have diabetes, smoke and do not exercise.

* The risk is also higher for people with "Metabolic Syndrome," which is also known as insulin resistance and is linked to problems managing blood sugar levels. Eating breakfast, eating plenty of protein and cutting out sugar and high carb foods such as bread are important for health.

* People who eat a lot of processed and refined foods high in sugar and fat, fail to drink enough water, drink excessive levels of alcohol, drink caffeine and eat lower levels of fiber and fruit and vegetables are at much greater risk for heart disease than those of us who don`t do these things. Therefore, eating a healthy diet of natural whole foods is important for avoiding heart disease.

* Stress is a very important independent risk factor for heart disease. Stressed, anxious people and angry "Type A" personalities are more at risk to higher cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, so dealing with stress with exercise, deep breathing and alternative and mainstream therapies are essential for people who are extremely stressed out.

Traffic Noise Raises Blood Pressure

2010-01-07T03:23:00.000-08:00

Living in areas with high traffic noise may lead to higher blood pressure and a concurrently higher risk of heart attack or stroke, according to a study conducted by researchers from Lund University Hospital in Sweden and published in the journal Environmental Health.

"Road traffic is the most important source of community noise," said lead author Theo Bodin. "We found that exposure above 60 decibels was associated with high blood pressure among the relatively young and middle-aged, an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke."

Previous studies have found connections between living near airports and higher blood pressure. Scientists believe that constant noise may place the body in a state of chronic stress, leading to higher heart rate and blood pressure. It may also harm health by disturbing sleep patterns.

Researchers examined health and residence data on more than 24,000 adult residents of Sweden, using their home addresses to determine the average level of ambient traffic noise in their neighborhoods. Young and middle-aged adults being regularly exposed to average noise levels between 45 and 65 decibels were significantly more likely to have high blood pressure than those in quieter neighborhoods, with risk increasing proportionally to noise level.

Among the middle-aged, 28 percent of those living in areas with noise averaging above 64 decibels reported high blood pressure. Only 17 percent of adults in the same age group and quieter neighborhoods suffered from hypertension. The numbers in younger adults were similar.

The researchers did not know why there appeared to be no link between noise and blood pressure in the elderly.

"The effect of noise may become less important, or harder to detect, relative to other risk factors with increasing age," Bodin said. "Alternatively, it could be that noise annoyance varies with age."

Sixty-five decibels is a little louder than a normal conversation. Recent data suggest that 30 percent of the European Union's population is exposed to average traffic noise of 55 decibels or higher continually.

Safe Exercise During Pregnancy

2010-01-04T08:17:00.000-08:00

Exercise is healthy and even more so for pregnant women. They should start at the early stages of their pregnancy to prepare the body physically for the added work of the pregnancy, labour and delivery. Follow the tips below for a full body pregnancy workout that is also safe exercise during pregnancy.

Do prenatal exercises which will help strengthen the body structure providing physical comfort, support and good posture.

A brisk walk every day in the fresh air helps to keep muscles in tone. Wear sensible shoes and keep abreast of the distance walked and the weather conditions.

For a more strenuous pregnancy workout than a brisk walk, try activities like running, bike riding and playing tennis. These may be continued after being guided by good judgement.

Use your heart rate as your exercise guide. To check your heart rate, count your pulse for 10 seconds after you stop exercising and multiply this number by 6 to obtain the number of beats per minute. This should be used to monitor your body’s response to exercise. Ensure you remain within 60-65% of your maximum heart rate.

The same exercise routines time after time can become monotonous and boring . A good way to make the safe exercise during pregnancy more exciting and something to look forward to is by adding music. Take your set of headphones to the gym or switch on your stereo at home while doing your workout. Music helps in calming you down and also aids in relaxation. You can also arouse your body with the energy of sounds.

Frequent breaks should be taken during the pregnancy workout to avoid overheating which may harm the unborn baby and you should also be careful to limit strenuous exercises while pregnant.

Here are some exercise guidelines which should be followed:

Ensure you remain within 60-65% of your maximum heart rate.

Drink as much water as you can during and after exercise.

Avoid oxygen deficiency by not exercising to the point of being totally out of breath. You should be able to talk normally and even sing!

Avoid extreme tiredness by not exercising to the point of exhaustion. Limit stretching and bending exercises from the 26th week of pregnancy until delivery.

Take extra care when exercising in hot weather as when doing strenuous exercises your core body temperature can rise. Excessive heat is unhealthy for you and the baby.

Choose an exercise that is non-weight bearing such as swimming late in pregnancy because of increased pressure and discomfort.

Try to exercise regularly at least three times per week. Avoid vigorous exercise when ill or during hot, humid weather. Always exercise on a wooden floor or a tightly carpeted surface. Avoid extreme stretching exercises due to the relaxation of connective tissue. Undertake a five minute warm up such as slow walking before a vigorous pregnancy workout.

Pregnant women should follow a non weight bearing exercise such as swimming or cycling on a stationary bike which tend to have fewer injuries. A study by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has proven that moms-to-be who follow a non weight bearing pregnancy workout are more likely to continue into the third trimester than those attempting weight bearing exercises such as lifting weights or running.

When looking to begin safe exercise during pregnancy, it is always a good idea to discuss any planned exercise with your doctor before you begin.

Vitamin D "New Information"

2009-12-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

As the sun begins to break through over Chicago, its warming rays are resuming a critical role that has lain dormant most of the winter, coaxing our skin to make vitamin D.

Emerging research indicates that vitamin D is more important to our health than previously thought, leading an increasing number of scientists to challenge whether the fear of sun exposure has made us cover up too much.

Doctors are finding an increase in vitamin D deficiencies, even as researchers discover remarkable results from the vitamin that affects nearly every tissue in the body.

Told their pain and muscle weakness would only get worse, and that they would likely remain in wheelchairs the rest of their lives, five patients in Buffalo decided to take a chance on large doses of vitamin D.

In 4 to 6 weeks they were up and about, saying goodbye to their wheelchairs and back to normal activities, pain free.

When women took vitamin D in multivitamin supplements over a long period of time, their risk of developing multiple sclerosis was reduced by 40 percent.

And a disturbing number of children who don't have enough vitamin D in their bodies are showing up with rickets, a crippling bone disorder thought to have been eradicated more than 70 years ago.

Dr. Craig Langman, a kidney and mineral metabolism expert at Children's Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University Medical School, sees a new case of rickets every week, triple the rate of five years ago.

"We're finding more and more kids are presenting with evidence of vitamin D malnutrition," said Langman, who noted that includes fractures and bone pain.

Vitamin D is a critical hormone that scientists are discovering helps regulate the health of more than 30 different tissues, from the brain to the prostate. It plays a role in regulating cell growth, the immune system and blood pressure, and in the production of insulin, brain chemicals and bone.

"We thought that vitamin D was a very narrow-acting substance," said Dr. Hector DeLuca of the University of Wisconsin, where vitamin D was first identified in the early 1900s, leading to the fortification of milk and some other foods that eliminated endemic rickets.

"The big surprise is that it's got a lot of important biological effects that probably contribute to our health and we're just now beginning to uncover them," said DeLuca. "Are we getting enough vitamin D? No we're not, especially in the winter."

Vitamin D is one of the body's many control systems. It acts like an emergency brake that helps stop cells from perilously misbehaving, as immune cells can do when they cause such autoimmune diseases as MS and as breast and prostate cells do when they turn cancerous.

Variable protection

This protection declines as vitamin D levels drop. University of Chicago microbiologist Yan Chun Li discovered just how that happens with high blood pressure. Vitamin D helps normalize blood pressure by keeping a pressure-increasing switch called renin in check.

Vitamin D's importance for health goes back more than 750 million years to the earliest life forms that left the ocean for the Earth's surface. All vertebrates today depend on sun exposure for vitamin D production.

The lack of vitamin D is known to cause rickets, osteoporosis and osteomalacia (soft bones). New research indicates that vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to many chronic diseases such as cancer (breast, ovarian, colon and prostate), chronic pain, weakness, chronic fatigue, autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and Type 1 diabetes, high blood pressure, mental illnesses--depression, seasonal affective disorder and possibly schizophrenia--heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, tuberculosis and inflammatory bowel disease.

"A lot of people with aches and pains and marginal weakness could be helped by vitamin D supplements," said Dr. Paresh Dandona of the State University of New York at Buffalo who reported the first five cases of vitamin D deficient myopathy three years ago in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Undiagnosed pain is the chief complaint of more than one-third of patients.

Studying 150 children and adults with undiagnosed pain, Dr. Greg Plotnikoff of the University of Minnesota discovered that 93 percent were severely or profoundly vitamin D deficient. All were put on prescription doses of the vitamin.

"One patient with chest pain had multiple balloon angioplasties and his pain never went away," Plotnikoff said. "He also had surgery for his low back pain but he didn't get any better.

"I measured his vitamin D level and it was basically zero," he said. "His chest and low back pain were not due to cardiac or spinal disease but to low vitamin D. We put him on prescription strength vitamin D and he got much better. We had spent over $200,000 on him in the hospital for these other procedures without doing a $20 blood test."

A study in the British medical journal Lancet found that infants receiving 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily were protected from developing Type 1 diabetes. Various forms of vitamin D have become a major treatment for psoriasis and preliminary evidence suggests it reduces blood pressure, reduces hip fracture risks in older people and improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Research help

"Our study supports a possible role for vitamin D in the prevention of MS," said epidemiologist Kassandra Munger of the Harvard School of Public Health. "Further studies are needed to confirm the findings, but taking a multiple vitamin as part of a healthy diet can't hurt."

Researchers are finding that the current recommended daily allowances of vitamin D--ranging from 200 international units for infants, children and adults up to age 50 years; 400 IU for men and women from 50 to 70; and 600 IU for people older than 70--are probably far lower than the minimum amount necessary for optimum health.

Scientists are quick to warn that although people may need more vitamin D, mostly in the form of supplements in higher latitudes where sunlight is weak during winter months, they should consult a physician before consuming large doses. Taking too much vitamin D can elevate levels of calcium in the blood, a potentially serious condition that can lead to nausea, vomiting, or even death. It is especially easy for children to overdose on vitamin D supplements.

Dr. Michael F. Holick of Boston University Medical Center, one of the world's foremost vitamin D experts, recommends 1,000 IU daily for everyone through a combination of safe exposure to sunlight and supplements.

Summertime sun exposure on the face, arms and hands around noon for only 5 to 15 minutes for people with light skin 2 to 3 times a week provides sufficient vitamin D, he said.

Blacks have the highest risk for vitamin D deficiency because dark skin needs 5 to 10 times more sunlight than white to produce the same amount of the vitamin. One study found that 42 percent of African-American women in the U.S. were vitamin D deficient.

Chronic diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency are 25 to 50 percent more frequent in northern climates than among people living closer to the sunny equator, where humans first evolved. As people migrated away from the equator, it is thought, skin evolved lighter shades to absorb more sunlight for vitamin D production.

Limited menu

Vitamin D is not available in most foods (oily fish, egg yolks, liver and cod liver oil have some), but it is abundantly made when sunlight strikes the skin, which normally produces about 90 percent of the body's store of the vitamin.

People living in northern latitudes don't get enough sun from December through February to make vitamin D. A person living in Chicago, Boston, Detroit or New York can stand naked outside all day in the winter and not make any vitamin D, said Holick, author of "The UV Advantage."

Even in summer the skin's vitamin D-making ability gets dampened from the increasing use of sunscreen, leading a growing number of health experts to challenge the advice given over the last two decades to avoid the sun at all costs in order to reduce skin cancer risk.

"The amount of vitamin D in our diet is totally inadequate," Holick said. "We are in an era of sunphobia--that is not being exposed to any direct sunlight--that's being promoted widely by the dermatology community and it's probably hurting people's health more than it's helping them."

"That message needs to be modified and moderated to a more sensible approach so that people can get a little bit of safe sun," he said.

The evidence is overwhelming that excessive sun exposure causes skin cancer. More than 1 million cases of squamous and basal cell cancers, which are highly treatable, are expected this year, according to the American Cancer Society. Solar exposure is also blamed for the anticipated 55,100 cases of melanoma in 2004 and 7,910 deaths. Melonama, a potentially deadly skin cancer, usually occurs years after severe sunburns in childhood.

Conflicting research

On the other hand, increasing but less conclusive evidence suggests that adequate vitamin D levels from healthy sun exposure may reduce the risk of many other cancers.

A recent study of more than 430,000 death certificates showed that people who had more exposure to sunlight had a 26 percent lower risk of death from colon and breast cancer, said D. Michal Freedman, an epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute.

Testifying in October at a "Vitamin D and Health in the 21st Century" conference called by the National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, William B. Grant, a retired NASA senior scientist and solar radiation expert, said his studies determined that lack of vitamin D accounts for 45,000 cancer deaths annually and 165,000 new cancer cases.

The conference was prompted by growing concerns of widespread vitamin D inadequacy and how to strike a balance between supplements, dietary fortification, tanning booths and sun exposure, said NIH nutritionist Mary Frances Picciano.

"If you go to the literature where people are talking about sunlight and cancer risk, nobody mentions that you need sun for vitamin D," she said. "By the same token if you go to the vitamin D literature where people are talking about skin irradiation to get vitamin D, nobody talks about cancer.

"One of the first things that might be necessary is to get the skin cancer people together with vitamin D requirement people," Picciano said. "There are questions that need to be addressed before meaningful public health policy can go forward.

How Your Diet Affects Your Health

2009-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Eating for convenience rather than for health is the norm these days. When you're on the go, stopping at a fast food drive-through is the easy way to get a quick bite. Health is affected by a poor diet, just as your car is affected by poor quality gasoline or the wrong kind of gasoline. A fad diet, a diet low in fiber, or high in fats can be detrimental to your body's organs. Though dietary supplements are important, popping vitamin pills is not the way to become healthy. The real key to good health is awareness of the foods we eat and the food groups. Real food provides vitamins in a "live," or chelated, form. Chelated vitamins are easier for the body to digest and assimilate.

Food Allergies and Intolerances

Food allergies and intolerances can wreak havoc on the system. For example, people with gluten intolerance, or Celiac disease, suffer extreme gastro-intestinal disturbances. Gluten is found in wheat, barley and rye. A skin rash can also be an indicator of food allergies. Common allergens are peanuts, eggs, and fish. Reactions that manifest as a skin rash include hives, a reddish color and swelling. Suspected food allergies should be brought to the attention of a physician.

The Risks of Poor Nutrition

While extremely low fat diets are appealing for their effect on weight loss, to function properly, the body requires thirty percent of its calories from fat. Fad diets are notorious for causing health problems. A fad diet that causes rapid weight loss in a week's time may increase the risk for development of gallstones or kidney stones. Low carbohydrate diets can also predispose one to gallstones. Other conditions such as dehydration can also result.

Conditions such as malnutrition, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, vitamin deficiency, and bowel disorders are caused by poor nutrition. Many disease processes are exacerbated by lack of sufficient fluids or the wrong kinds of fluids, such as soda or alcohol instead of water. A simple awareness of how your diet incorporates items from food groups, such as protein, carbohydrates, and fat, is the first step in improving the diet.

Tips for Eating on the Go

1. Consider the nutrition facts at the restaurant. If they are not apparent, ask for them.

2. Consider the amount of fat and fiber in the item you wish to order. If it has little or no
fiber, is high in fat or salt, don't eat it.

3. Eat whole fruit and vegetables. Choose a different one in each color every day:
red, green, yellow or orange. A whole fruit or vegetable is just as fast or faster than

eating a burger and fries, and is rich in fiber and nutrients.

Specific Benefits:

Adaptogenic Properties-Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng)

Weight Control-Green Tea

Toxic Metal Removal-Apple Pectin

Great Source of Minerals and Vitamins-Spirulina, Hawthorn/Crateagus, Bilberry, Gingko, Green Tea, Grape Seed Extract, Schisandra, Astragalus, Eleuthero Coccus (Siberian Ginseng), Licorice, Ginger, Cordyceps, Kale, Parsley, Cabbage, Broccoli.

Relieves Symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Arthritis-Chlorella, Bromelain, Grape Seed Extract.

Helps Reduce Risk of Cancer and Demonstrates Antitumor Activity-Spriulina, Bilberry, Apple Pectin, Celandine/Chelidonium, Silymarin/Milk Thistle, Green Tea, Grape Seed Extract, Licorice, Ginger Cordyceps, Maitake, Carrot, Kale, Spinach, Cabbage, Broccoli, Beet Root.

Helps Support the Immune System and Antiviral, Antibacterial, and Antifungal Activity-Spriulina, Apple Pectin, Bromelain, Celandine/Chelidonium,, Schisandra, Astragalus, Poria, Reishi.

Help Reduce Risk of Heart Disease and Improve Cardiac Function-Hawthorne/Crataegus, Green Tea, Grape Seed Extract, Astragalus, Cordyceps, Broccoli.

Helps Lower Cholesterol-Spirulina, Apple Pectin, Cordyceps.

Support of Eyes & Helps Prevent Macular Degeneration-Zuccini, Spinach, Collard Greens.

Rich Source of Vitamin A-Carrot, Spinach.

Reduce Risk of Cataracts-Kale, Spinach.

Childhood HIV Disease

2009-12-20T05:12:00.000-08:00

The World Health Organization¹ estimates that approximately 2.3 million children are living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as of 2006. In 2006 alone, 530,000 children were newly infected, an improvement from the 640,000 newly infected in 2004. Not only are the children themselves ravaged by disease, but their primary caregivers have also often succumbed to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where 18 million children are predicted to be orphaned by AIDS by the end of 2010. Worldwide, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) predicts the number of children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS is expected to reach 25 million by the end of the decade.

Although 2 strains of HIV have currently been identified, most patients who have AIDS are positive for HIV type 1 (HIV-1) or are positive for both HIV-1 and HIV type 2 (HIV-2). HIV-2 infection is most commonly observed in West Africa.

Vertical transmission of HIV from mother to child is the main route by which childhood HIV infection is acquired; the risk of perinatal acquisition is 25%. Perinatal transmission of infection by the mother accounts for 80% of pediatric HIV disease cases in the United States. Perinatal transmission can occur in utero, during the peripartum period, and from breastfeeding. Other routes of transmission, such as transfusion of blood and blood components, are rare in the United States but still exist in developing countries. Sexual abuse of children and high-risk behaviors in adolescents also contribute to youth HIV infection.

A variety of signs and symptoms manifesting in a child in whom HIV infection was not previously suspected should alert the clinician to the possibility of the disease. The presentations include recurrent bacterial infections, unrelenting fever, unrelenting diarrhea, unrelenting thrush, recurrent pneumonia, chronic parotitis, generalized lymphadenopathy, delay in development with failure to thrive, and significant pruritic dermatoses. Mucocutaneous eruptions may be the first sign of HIV infection and may vary in presentation, depending on the child's immune status.

Pathophysiology

HIV is a retrovirus that exhibits a variety of structural and nonstructural proteins that determine the interaction of the virus with the host's immune system and cellular components. The HIV virus attaches to the host cell by the association of a surface glycoprotein to the CD4 molecule; therefore, it primarily infects CD4⁺ lymphocytes and macrophages.

Once the virus core enters the cell cytoplasm of the host, viral reverse transcriptase copies viral RNA to the DNA of the host. The viral DNA is then transported into the nucleus and incorporated into the DNA of that cell. If activated, viral expression can result in new viral RNA and proteins. New viral core proteins, enzymes, and viral RNA molecules can induce budding, with additional cell infection. The reduction in cell-mediated immunity and secondary B-cell dysfunction result in the immunocompromised state and in the proliferation of opportunistic infections and malignancies. An elevated level of activation-induced cell death resulting from apoptosis of T cells occurs in patients who are HIV positive.

The CD95/Fas receptor/ligand system is necessary for the apoptosis of T cells, and abnormalities in this system are linked with increased T-cell death in patients who are HIV positive. As the immune status deteriorates, an increase in CD95⁺ T cells is found; conversely, a low CD95⁺ T cell count is found in asymptomatic patients who are HIV positive.

Frequency

United States

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cumulative estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS in children younger than 13 years through 2005 in the United States is 9089. This represents a drop from the 9419 cases reported in 2003. In the United States, the number of new cases of pediatric AIDS is decreasing, mostly because of public health initiatives regarding universal HIV testing for pregnant women and use of zidovudine in infected pregnant women and their newborn infants. In 2005 in the United States, 3764 children younger than 13 years were living with HIV infection, and an estimated 7 children younger than 13 years died from AIDS-related causes that year. These numbers are in stark contrast to what is occurring internationally.

International

Globally, children outside the United States are not faring as well. Everyday, 1400 children become HIV positive and 1000 children die of HIV-related causes. An estimated 2.3 million children worldwide younger than 15 years are living with HIV/AIDS. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 1.9 million children are living with HIV/AIDS and more than 60% of all new HIV infections occur in women, infants, or young children. As of 2007, 90% of the newly infected children are infants who acquire HIV from their infected mothers. Alarmingly, 90% of babies who acquire the disease from infected mothers are found in sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of HIV infection among undernourished children has been estimated to be as high as 25%.

The prevalence of HIV infection in Asia and Europe varies considerably because of varied cultural practices and lack of a national reporting system in many areas. The commercial sex worker industry in countries such as Thailand and in the CaribbeanIslands is responsible for increased HIV transmission to young girls and, vertically, to infants.

Mortality/Morbidity

In 2004, more than half a million children younger than 15 years died from HIV/AIDS. In 2006, this number decreased to 380,000. In 2002, HIV/AIDS was the seventh leading cause of mortality in children in developing countries. The disease progresses rapidly in approximately 10-20% of children who are infected, and they die of AIDS by age 4 years, whereas 80-90% survive to a mean age of 9-10 years. In affected regions of sub-Saharan Africa, the infant mortality rate has increased by 75% due, in part, to the orphaned status of most children. In contrast to much of the developed world, the mortality rates for children younger than 5 years are higher today than those observed in 1990 in many African countries, mostly because of the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS. A 2006 South African study²estimates that HIV/AIDS is the single largest cause of infant and childhood deaths in rural South Africa. HIV/AIDS is now responsible for 332,000 child deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, almost 8% of all child deaths in the region.

Race

In the United States, children from minority communities have been most affected by AIDS. More than 50% of affected children are black, and slightly less than 25% are Hispanic. Of the new childhood HIV cases in 2003, 68% occurred in African Americans. The number of pediatric AIDS cases reported in black non-Hispanic children is 3.4 times higher than in white non-Hispanic children and is 2.6 times higher than that of Hispanic children.

Sex

Young people (aged 15-44 y) account for one of the fastest growing infected groups and account for almost half of all infections. Among young people, young women are more likely to become infected. In sub-Saharan Africa, more than two thirds of all youth infected are young girls. Variations in frequencies in the sexes in other regions of the world depend on the predominance of commercial sex workers and the proportion of a transient and mobile workforce more likely to be separated from family.

Age

Because vertical transmission from mother to child is the main route by which pediatric HIV infection is acquired, most children who are HIV positive should be identified in infancy. Vertical transmission can occur in utero, during delivery, and from breastfeeding. Although current treatment strategies can prevent vertical transmission, the drugs are simply not available in many places, especially in Africa.

Because passive transfer of maternal antibodies to the infant occurs, the standard enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot tests cannot be used with diagnostic certainty until age 2 years; however, HIV RNA assays and the HIV DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test can be used for early detection. HIV infection can be diagnosed in most infants by age 1 month and in all infants by age 6 months. The use of at least 2 virologic assays is recommended to confirm positive results, with a final exclusion of HIV infection verified by ELISA or Western blot after age 18 months in infants born to mothers who are HIV positive.

Clinical

History

A variety of cutaneous conditions may occur in children with HIV.
Ideally, the diagnosis of HIV in a child is made through perinatal testing. The CDC has issued guidelines for recommended testing and counseling for all pregnant women; however, many women, especially in developing countries and in poorer areas of the developed world, do not have access to or do not avail themselves of the resources available. Thus, for example, the diagnosis of HIV infection may follow an investigation of a prolonged or unusual presentation of an infection or a malignancy.
Children infected as a result of sexual abuse or drug use may not present with known HIV infection.

Physical

Numerous mucocutaneous disorders have been reported in children infected with HIV. As the CD4⁺ count decreases, an increase in the number and severity of skin manifestations can be expected. Some studies suggest that children infected with HIV become symptomatic from the neonatal period up to age 8 years and that 57% of this group have associated disease within the first year. Dermatologic manifestations occur more frequently in children with advanced HIV disease; many tend to improve after antiretroviral therapy is initiated.

A high percentage of oral disease has been seen in children infected with HIV, and oral manifestations are often early indicators of infection. The most common oral disease and mucocutaneous presentation of HIV infection is candidiasis caused by Candida albicans. Both the pseudomembranous variant and the atrophic oral variant are most common.

Pseudomembranous candidiasis manifests as creamy white–to–yellow oral plaques, commonly referred to as thrush. Atrophic candidiasis manifests as distinct areas of erythema with the loss of tongue papillae if the tongue is affected. Hyperplastic candidiasis (with both erythematous and white mucosal coloration symmetrically distributed) and angular cheilitis are 2 additional clinical variants of candidiasis.
Difficulty in swallowing, inadequate oral intake, or dysphagia may be the initial symptoms of oral or esophageal candidiasis³and may contribute to the already-compromised nutritional status of the child.
An inflammatory, destructive, and necrotic process characterizes candidal periodontal disease in the gingival mucosa and the underlying connective tissue.
The usual symptoms in children with candidal esophagitis are odynophagia, dysphagia, and retrosternal pain.

Although C albicans is the most commonly identified Candida species, Candida dubliniensis has recently garnered notice as a cause of oral infection that is seen, for the most part, only in patients who are HIV positive.⁴Other Candida species implicated in HIV-related candidiasis are Candida glabrata and Candida tropicalis.

Candidiasis may manifest as an unresponsive or recurrent diaper rash or as a chronic paronychia and onychomycosis. In Candida -associated diaper dermatitis, the area covered by the diaper is usually inflamed and erythematous, with satellite lesions extending beyond the central area of involvement. Other intertriginous areas have also been reported, including neck folds and axillary regions.
Candidal involvement of the proximal nailfolds causes severe paronychia and nail dystrophy. Candidal onychomycosis results in yellow-brown thickened nail plates.
Linear gingival erythema and median rhomboid glossitis have also been found, especially in children with a low CD4⁺ cell count.
Children infected with HIV also have a higher rate of dental caries in the primary teeth but a diminished prevalence in the permanent teeth, a finding attributed to the greater number of primary teeth and the delayed eruption of the permanent teeth in these patients. HIV-infected children should be screened and considered at high risk for dental caries, usually secondary to chronic medication use.^5,6

Oral hairy leukoplakia, which is associated with Epstein-Barr virus, is usually rare in children, but it has been reported in children as the second most common oral presentation after candidiasis in some Asian countries. Results from a 2006 study⁷suggest that oral hairy leukoplakia may be more common than previously believed; 16.7% of patients demonstrated subclinical, cytological disease, and only 1.7% of children had clinically visible disease.
Herpes simplex, parotid enlargement, and recurrent aphthous ulcers are also common oral manifestations.
Dermatophytosis manifesting as an aggressive tinea capitis, corporis, versicolor, or onychomycosis may be challenging to treat. As in adults, Trichophyton rubrum infection in the form of proximal, white, subungual onychomycosis is categorized as a typical nail manifestation of HIV disease.
Deep fungal infections are not commonly seen in children who are HIV positive.

Cryptococcosis, sporotrichosis, and histoplasmosis have been reported as either localized or disseminated variants.
Molluscumlike Cryptococcus papules have been identified in some patients.
Herpetic infection with herpes simplex virus (HSV) may take the form of herpes labialis; gingivostomatitis; esophagitis; or as chronic erosive, vesicular, and vegetating skin lesions.
The involved areas of the lips, mouth, tongue, and esophagus are ulcerated, which may result in difficulty with oral nutritional intake.
Skin lesions usually manifest as chronic erosions, which may have grouped vesicles. The fingers are a frequent site of infection. Pyoderma gangrenosum and ecthyma gangrenosum may be in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous herpetic infections.

Recurrent or persistent varicella-zoster infection is strongly linked with the CD4⁺ count. Scarring can occur from a severe outbreak, in which lesions may be hyperkeratotic and/or hemorrhagic and involve more than 1 dermatome. Because herpes zoster is usually not seen in children who are immunocompetent, an evaluation for HIV infection should be undertaken in a child with this diagnosis. Children should be evaluated for evidence of dissemination because disastrous sequelae, such as encephalitis, intracranial thrombosis, fulminant hepatitis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, pneumonitis, and retinal necrosis, have been reported in patients with dissemination.
Human papillomavirus infection, which may mimic the tinea versicolor–like rash in epidermodysplasia verruciformis, is noted. Large areas of flat warts most commonly occur on the forehead, the temples, the neck, and the upper body. Unusually large treatment-resistant condylomata are reported in children who are HIV positive.
Widespread molluscum contagiosum can occur in pediatric AIDS patients. Molluscum contagiosum may manifest as a diffuse eruption of umbilicated papules involving areas (eg, face) usually not affected in patients who are immunocompetent. Molluscum lesions tend to be more persistent in patients with HIV infection. Some lesions are large and may be confused with Cryptococcus neoformans lesions. Molluscum tends to improve with antiretroviral therapy.
Recurrent bacterial infections are seen in children who are HIV positive because of the abnormal B-cell response and consequent defective humoral immunity. A variety of bacterial infections occurs, the most common of which is caused by Staphylococcus aureus. As the CD4⁺ count decreases, invasive bacterial infections, including sepsis and pneumonia, occur.

Sepsis, otitis media, impetigo, cellulitis, and furunculosis have been reported. Although the infections may initially manifest in a manner similar to that in a child who is not immunocompromised, widespread and persistent infection should prompt consideration of HIV status. Acral lesions should be sought if sepsis is a concern because a pustule on the sole may be the first sign of sepsis.
Atypical presentations, such as plaquelike staphylococcal folliculitis, are also reported.
Rare conditions, such as ecthyma gangrenosum as a result of infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are also noted. In this disorder, hemorrhagic necrotic bullae that eventually form a black eschar manifest primarily on the extremities and the gluteal and perineal regions.

Bacillary angiomatosis caused by Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana is rare in children but has been reported.⁸Bacillary angiomatosis is considered by some to be an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection, typically seen with a CD4⁺ count less than 200 cells/m L. Clinically and histologically, the lesions often resemble pyogenic granulomas and Kaposi sarcoma. They often begin as pinpoint papules, which enlarge to become red nodules and usually involve the face or the upper torso. In addition to the cutaneous findings, these patients may have lymphadenopathy, abdominal symptoms, anemia, and an elevated alkaline phosphatase level.
Mycobacterial infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium are increasing in incidence in children who are HIV positive.

Children who are HIV positive and have tuberculosis are usually extremely sick. Usually, pulmonary disease is present, but extrapulmonary findings can also occur.
Acute pustular eruptions, widespread keratotic papules with hyperkeratotic palms and soles, tuberculous lymphadenitis, purple necrotic lesions, and ulcerations have been reported in patients who are HIV positive and have mycobacterial infections.
Mycobacterium haemophilum often causes disseminated infection in patients with AIDS. Diffuse swelling and induration of the periarticular soft tissue and nodular formation are reported in patients infected with M haemophilum.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is the primary AIDS-defining illness and occurs in 7-20% of patients who have not been administered prophylaxis and are younger than 1 year. Most commonly, P carinii pneumonia manifests with cough, dyspnea, tachypnea, and fever. The incidence of P carinii pneumonia is declining in areas where AIDS medications are available, but it continues to shorten life expectancy in areas in which access to antiretrovirals is limited.
Scabies in children infected with HIV may progress from a widespread pruritic papular eruption to a crusted variant as the CD4⁺ count decreases. This crusted (Norwegian) variant is characterized by an extremely high mite count and thus is very contagious. Secondary bacterial infection may complicate crusted scabies.
In regions of the world where measles vaccination is not routinely administered and where HIV is endemic, the potential for serious measles infection exists.⁹Measles typically manifests with an erythematous macular eruption of the trunk with caudal spread. Koplik spots (small blue-white dots surrounded by erythematous rings on the buccal mucosa) are the most common oral manifestation seen. In children who are immunocompromised, measles may manifest without skin involvement but with more severe complications.
Death from pneumonitis and encephalitis has been reported in African children with both HIV infection and measles.
Noma (cancrum oris) is a necrotic disease of tissues of the mouth.¹⁰This disease quickly spreads to surrounding bone and soft tissue and is often associated with immunodeficient states, such as AIDS. Noma predominately occurs in young children from sub-Saharan Africa and is often associated with measles.
Seborrheic dermatitis may be a manifestation of HIV in children who present outside of the usual neonatal and adolescent timeframes or who present with generalized disease. An association between Pityrosporum orbiculare growth in the presence of waning CD4⁺ cells and Langerhans cells has been postulated.
The eczematous periorofacial eruption of acrodermatitis enteropathica caused by nutritional deficiency of zinc, secondary to diarrhea-induced malabsorption, has been reported. Other vitamin deficiencies can also be expected because of poor oral intake or diarrhea.
Metabolic abnormalities have been reported in association with pediatric HIV disease. Lipodystrophy associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia occurs in children who are HIV positive (similar to adults who are HIV positive) and may be attributed to highly active antiretroviral therapy, although individual variations may make certain children more susceptible.¹¹See also Lipodystrophy, HIV. Variations in presentation include peripheral lipoatrophy, truncal lipohypertrophy, and combined versions of these presentations. A more severe presentation occurs at puberty. Thyroid abnormalities with hypothyroidism have also occurred in children infected perinatally.¹²
A variety of skin conditions, including exaggerated eczema, psoriasis, drug eruptions (including morbilliform eruptions and Stevens-Johnson syndrome), intense reactions to arthropod bites,¹³alopecia, and trichomegaly, have been reported in children who are HIV positive. Children with HIV infection are at risk for child abuse because of family stressors; therefore, unusual skin lesions should be evaluated for potential signs of exogenous injury.
A higher incidence of neoplasia is noted in children with HIV infection than in noninfected children.

B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, and smooth muscle tumors, have been identified.
The prevalence of HIV-associated malignancies has been reported to be as high as 2%. A 2005 evaluation of 2969 pediatric patients with AIDS in the United States from 1993-2003 revealed that the incidence of malignancy is 1.56 cases per 1000 person-years, a number lower than European counterparts but significantly higher than noninfected children.
Kaposi sarcoma is unusual in children; however, an African study has shown the childhood incidence of Kaposi sarcoma has risen more than 40-fold in the years after AIDS. Previously thought to only occur in males, it has been reported in both males and females born to mothers who are infected with HIV in high-risk groups for Kaposi sarcoma or in children infected postnatally by blood products. The most common sites of AIDS-related Kaposi sarcoma in children are the orofacial and the inguinal or genital regions

High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy

2009-12-20T04:13:00.000-08:00

What Is High Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is the amount of force exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries. A person's blood pressure is considered high when the readings are greater than 140 mm Hg systolic (the top number in the blood pressure reading) or 90 mm Hg diastolic (the bottom number). In general, high blood pressure, or hypertension, contributes to the development of coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure and kidney disease.

What Are the Effects of High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy?
Although many pregnant women with high blood pressure have healthy babies without serious problems, high blood pressure can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. Women with pre-existing, or chronic, high blood pressure are more likely to have certain complications during pregnancy than those with normal blood pressure. However, some women develop high blood pressure while they are pregnant (often called gestational hypertension).

The effects of high blood pressure range from mild to severe. High blood pressure can harm the mother's kidneys and other organs, and it can cause low birth weight and early delivery. In the most serious cases, the mother develops preeclampsia--or "toxemia of pregnancy"--which can threaten the lives of both the mother and the fetus.

What Is Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a condition that typically starts after the 20th week of pregnancy and is related to increased blood pressure and protein in the mother's urine (as a result of kidney problems). Preeclampsia affects the placenta, and it can affect the mother's kidney, liver, and brain. When preeclampsia causes seizures, the condition is known as eclampsia--the second leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. Preeclampsia is also a leading cause of fetal complications, which include low birth weight, premature birth, and stillbirth.

There is no proven way to prevent preeclampsia. Most women who develop signs of preeclampsia, however, are closely monitored to lessen or avoid related problems. The only way to "cure" preeclampsia is to deliver the baby.

How Common Are High Blood Pressure and Preeclampsia in Pregnancy?
High blood pressure problems occur in 6 percent to 8 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S., about 70 percent of which are first-time pregnancies. In 1998, more than 146,320 cases of preeclampsia alone were diagnosed.

Although the proportion of pregnancies with gestational hypertension and eclampsia has remained about the same in the U.S. over the past decade, the rate of preeclampsia has increased by nearly one-third. This increase is due in part to a rise in the numbers of older mothers and of multiple births, where preeclampsia occurs more frequently. For example, in 1998 birth rates among women ages 30 to 44 and the number of births to women ages 45 and older were at the highest levels in 3 decades, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Furthermore, between 1980 and 1998, rates of twin births increased about 50 percent overall and 1,000 percent among women ages 45 to 49; rates of triplet and other higher-order multiple births jumped more than 400 percent overall, and 1,000 percent among women in their 40s.

Who Is More Likely to Develop Preeclampsia?

Women with chronic hypertension (high blood pressure before becoming pregnant).
Women who developed high blood pressure or preeclampsia during a previous pregnancy, especially if these conditions occurred early in the pregnancy.
Women who are obese prior to pregnancy.
Pregnant women under the age of 20 or over the age of 40.
Women who are pregnant with more than one baby.
Women with diabetes, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or scleroderma.

How Is Preeclampsia Detected?
Unfortunately, there is no single test to predict or diagnose preeclampsia. Key signs are increased blood pressure and protein in the urine (proteinuria). Other symptoms that seem to occur with preeclampsia include persistent headaches, blurred vision or sensitivity to light, and abdominal pain.

All of these sensations can be caused by other disorders; they can also occur in healthy pregnancies. Regular visits with your doctor help him or her to track your blood pressure and level of protein in your urine, to order and analyze blood tests that detect signs of preeclampsia, and to monitor fetal development more closely.

How Can Women with High Blood Pressure Prevent Problems During Pregnancy?
If you are thinking about having a baby and you have high blood pressure, talk first to your doctor or nurse. Taking steps to control your blood pressure before and during pregnancy--and getting regular prenatal care--go a long way toward ensuring your well-being and your baby's health.

Before becoming pregnant:

Be sure your blood pressure is under control. Lifestyle changes such as limiting your salt intake, participating in regular physical activity, and losing weight if you are overweight can be helpful.
Discuss with your doctor how hypertension might affect you and your baby during pregnancy, and what you can do to prevent or lessen problems.
If you take medicines for your blood pressure, ask your doctor whether you should change the amount you take or stop taking them during pregnancy. Experts currently recommend avoiding angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and Angiotensin II (AII) receptor antagonists during pregnancy; other blood pressure medications may be OK for you to use. Do not, however, stop or change your medicines unless your doctor tells you to do so.

While you are pregnant:

Obtain regular prenatal medical care.
Avoid alcohol and tobacco.
Talk to your doctor about any over-the-counter medications you are taking or are thinking about taking.

Does Hypertension or Preeclampsia During Pregnancy Cause Long-Term Heart and Blood Vessel Problems?
The effects of high blood pressure during pregnancy vary depending on the disorder and other factors. According to the National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP), preeclampsia does not in general increase a woman's risk for developing chronic hypertension or other heart-related problems. The NHBPEP also reports that in women with normal blood pressure who develop preeclampsia after the 20th week of their first pregnancy, short-term complications--including increased blood pressure--usually go away within about 6 weeks after delivery.

Some women, however, may be more likely to develop high blood pressure or other heart disease later in life. More research is needed to determine the long-term health effects of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and to develop better methods for identifying, diagnosing, and treating women at risk for these conditions.

Even though high blood pressure and related disorders during pregnancy can be serious, most women with high blood pressure and those who develop preeclampsia have successful pregnancies. Obtaining early and regular prenatal care is the most important thing you can do for you and your baby.

The Benefits of Yoga

2009-12-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

Yoga benefits the body, mind and spirit. In recent years, yoga has worked its way into the mainstream health and fitness programs because people have begun to understand the benefits that those who practice it gain. When practiced regularly it can make a measured difference in a person’s physical, mental and spiritual health.

The physical benefits of yoga are outstanding. It’s been shown that yoga can:

Increase muscle, joint and tendon flexibility
Tone and strengthen muscles
Increase cardiovascular efficiency
Decrease blood pressure
Increase respiratory functions
Improve eye-hand coordination
Improve posture
Improve balance
Increase energy levels
Lower weight
Increase endurance
Eliminate toxins from the body
Heal damaged muscles
Limit the effects of diabetes, digestive orders, arthritis, asthma and heart conditions and decrease dependence on drugs for these problems
Manage pain
Reduce anxiety
Increased stamina
Slow the aging process
Improve the immune system

One of the most impressive physical benefits of yoga that many people report having is an increased awareness of their bodies and when their bodies aren’t performing as they should. They can actually sense when a health problem is beginning. This allows them to start treating the problem before it goes any further, preempting many serious illnesses.

Yoga not only contributes to physical health; with regular practice it also can improve mental health. Practitioners of yoga have reported the benefits for centuries, and recently the scientific community has begun to research and confirm what has always been believed. The psychological benefits of yoga can include:

Mental clarity
Stress reduction
Emotional groundedness
Increased body awareness
A relaxed mind
Improved ability to pay attention, concentrate and retain information
A countering effect to the feelings of depression or helplessness
Increased brain activity including an improved communication between the left side of the brain and the right side of the brain
Positive changes in mood
Positive change sin vitality and energy
An increased sex drive and a healthier view of sex
Pride in taking care of the body
Kinesthetic awareness
A decrease in hostility and anger
Increased social skills
A feeling of being refreshed immediately after yoga – as if just waking from a good nap

On the spiritual level, many who practice yoga also report benefits. Some of the spiritual benefits believed to come from yoga are:

· A greater awareness of nature and a person’s connection to nature

· A feeling of being at one with the universe

· An awareness of how the yoga practitioner’s life affects the lives around him

· A sense of peace

· Enjoyment of oneself

· Enjoyment of life

· Awaking of the energy within oneself

· A connection with the soul

· An awareness of the Life Force

It’s easy to see how the three areas that benefit from the practice of yoga – body, mind and spirit – can intertwine. When the three areas are working together in harmony, the benefits of yoga increase. Because of the effects that yoga has, there is much that a person can accomplish that he may not be able to if not for yoga.

For instance, many people report that practicing yoga has helped them with smoking cessation. When the body is less stressed, when there is an increased awareness of the body, when there is an emotional groundedness and when there is sense of peace, it is easier to resist the pull of a cigarette or many other addictive habits. The practice of yoga can change much in person’s life.

Medical Weight Loss Tips

2009-12-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

Medical weight loss is defined as a weight management program that is developed and monitored by a medical professional, either a family doctor or specialist physician. In medical weight loss, the therapeutic program is approached as a doctor would for any disease and the management is based on individual factors. Obesity is classified as a disease and is one of the leading causes of heart disease in developed nations. Obesity is curable and in many cases it does not require lifelong medical attention.

Weight Loss, Gain & Management Principles

The basic measure of energy is by the unit known as the calorie. Physical activity uses energy (output) that can be measured in calories. Food supplies the body with fuel for energy (input) which can also be measured in calories. Therefore the calories in food is the energy potential of food. The calorie is a very small unit of measure and food and exercise is usually measured in kilocalories (kcal). However over the years, this has been termed as calorie so currently, any reference to calories in food or exercise actually refers to kilocalories. In the metric system, energy is measured in kiloJoules (kJ).

There are three basic principles which weight management is based upon.

Calorie input (food) is greater than calorie output (exercise) then a person will gain weight.
Calorie input (food) is less than the calorie output (exercise) then a person will lose weight.
Calorie input (food) is equal to calorie output (exercise) then a person will maintain a constant body weight.

However, there is an additional factor that has to be taken into consideration in a healthy person and that is the body’s basal metabolic rate (metabolism). A person with a high metabolism can consume more calories than they use for physical activity without gaining weight.

Taking this into consideration, medical doctors can assist patients with constructing and implementing a medical weight loss plan.

Diseases that Cause Weight Gain

A number of medical disorders can contribute to weight gain and this plays a key factor in any weight management program. A medical doctor will have to prescribe or alter the necessary medication needed to treat any underlying disease or the weight management plan will fail. Some of the common conditions that may contribute to weight gain include :

Hypothyroidism (refer to Hashimoto’s thyroid disease)
Cushing’s syndrome
Depression
Growth hormone deficiency
Eating disorders
Hormonal disorders
Insulin resistance

There are other conditions that may contribute to weight gain, some of which are genetic, but these are rare. Many people suffering with obesity often claim to have a genetic disorder since their parents or siblings also suffer with the obesity. However in most cases, obesity is due to environmental factors and inappropriate learned behavior in relation to proper nutrition and exercise. In these cases, psychotherapy and dietary awareness is necessary.

Medical Weight Loss Procedure

A medical weight loss program is only considered after the supervising doctor completes a thorough patient personal and family history. Here all factors that may be contributing to weight gain are taken into consideration. Other diseases, even if unrelated to weight gain, are identified. The aim of this thorough case taking and physical examination is to identify all pre-existing medical disorders, exclude any diseases that may be suspected and give you a clean bill of health before you start your weight management program.

Diagnostic investigation may be necessary to diagnose or exclude any of the diseases identified in the case taking and physical examination. Even if there are no other medical disorders, a doctor may request a cardiovascular evaluation to verify that you are not at risk of a heart attack should you begin the exercise component of your weight management program. Diagnostic investigation like blood tests may also be necessary to verify your blood glucose tolerance, cholesterol levels and any vitamin or mineral deficiencies.

Assessment for the weight management component of your consultation may include the following :

Your body weight, height and body mass index (BMI).
Your body circumference measurements (in inches or centimeters) of different parts of your body.
Measure of body fat in the main areas like your abdomen with the use of body fat calipers.
Your regular eating habits and physical activity which may be recorded in a journal for up to 2 weeks prior to the start of the program.

Body fat and circumference are two important measurements that have to be taken into consideration apart from body weight. At times in a weight loss program, the body weight may stay constant (plateau) although the body fat or measurements will reduce. This allows the proper benchmarking and setting appropriate goals in the weight management program.

Weight Management Program

A medical weight loss program should be developed by a medical practitioner after considering your individual case history, family history, risk factors for life threatening disorders and general health status. A weight management plan may be divided into five components, all of which may impact on the weight loss goals of the patient.

Eating plan
Exercise schedule
Psychotherapy
Weight loss surgery
Weight loss drugs

Eating Plan for Medical Weight Loss

This is the single most important aspect of any weight management program as the prevalence of obesity in this day and age revolves around the excess consumption of high calorie foods. A doctor may take one or more approaches to developing an individual eating plan in conjunction with a dietitian.

Low Calorie Foods

Certain foods have a lower calorie content ounce-for-ounce compared to other foods. A diet of low calorie foods will reduce the daily calorie intake without reducing the quantity of food. This prevents hunger, which may drive the person to binge on high calorie foods as a means of alleviating any cravings.

Low GI (Glycemic Index) Foods

The glycemic index (GI) is the measure of the rate at which foods are broken down, absorbed and increase the blood sugar level. If the blood glucose increases, the body secretes the hormone insulin into the bloodstream to control the glucose levels. Insulin forces cells to take in more glucose, converts some of the blood glucose into glycogen which is stored in liver and muscle cells and the remaining glucose is stored in fat cells. Therefore maintaining a healthy and constant blood glucose will prevent blood ’sugar’ spikes.

High GI foods, mainly refined, processed and convenience foods, cause these sudden ’sugar rushes’ in the the blood. The body has to secrete insulin and store excess glucose as fat. Low GI foods slowly release their ’sugar content’ into the bloodstream, maintaining a constant glucose supply which the cells can use at a moderate rate. This prevents the need for storing excess glucose as fat for later use. This process may be disordered in a person with diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance.

Increased Protein Intake

There has been much hype over the high protein, low fat and no carbohydrate diets in recent years and these eating plans can be dangerous. The body needs all three food types, carbohydrates, protein and fat, for proper functioning. Protein has a distinct benefit over the other food types. Ounce-for-ounce protein has a lower calorie content than fat or carbohydrates. Protein also triggers the satiety center in the brain, which plays a part in ‘telling’ the body when we are hungry or not. Since protein has this unique effect on the satiety center, even in low quantities, it areduces hunger pangs.

Protein is an important component for the body’s structure, especially the muscle cells. The muscle cells are unique in that they have the highest metabolic rate from any other cell, even when at rest. If there is a lack of protein, the body sources protein from the muscle cells and this causes the muscles to shrink and ultimately use less energy, even at rest. The protein requirements for each person differs and your medical doctor will make an estimate of your daily protein intake depending on your weight, age, physical activity and current needs.

Low Fat Intake

Fat provides three times the calories, ounce-for-ounce, than carbohydrates. While fat is a necessary part of any diet , as it plays an important role in the nerve linings, an excess intake of fat will contribute to weight gain. Fat also contributes to blockage of the arteries and is a major contributing factor to coronary artery disease. Under the supervision of your doctor and a dietitian, the appropriate amount of fat intake can be assessed and incorporated into your eating plan.

Eating Habits

Eating small meals regularly, up to 5 or 6 times a day, is more beneficial than eating fewer meals. This assists your weight loss goals by :

maintaining constant blood glucose levels.
‘resetting’ the metabolic rate.
preventing the ’starvation’ hormone response.

The ’starvation’ hormone response occurs in persons who are deprived of food or opt to eat only 1 or 2 big meals in the day. The body needs a constant supply of energy and if deprived of food for long periods, it will trigger a hormonal pathway which stores food and utilizes only the bare minimum for sustaining the body. This survival mechanism causes an increase in body weight (excess calories stored) and fatigue (fewer calories used). Eating small meals regularly will usually increase the metabolism. However this metabolic rates will maintain itself unless a proper eating plan is maintained for an 18 to 24 months at which point your body will continue at the new ’set point’.

Food Intolerances and Allergies

A medical practitioner can assist with identifying the signs and symptoms of a food intolerance or allergy and run the proper diagnostic tests to make a conclusive diagnosis. This will greatly assist a dietitian in developing your eating plan accordingly.

Exercise Schedule for Weight Loss

Exercise is important in ensuring a balanced approach to weight management. By expending more calories through exercise, any excess calorie intake can be offset by physical activity. Exercise also assists with increasing endorphin levels, the ‘feel good’ hormone, and serotonin, which plays an important role in enhancing moods. These are important considerations in allowing the patient to feel better about themselves and helps to prevent binge eating or comfort eating.

However in persons who are obese or overweight and considered t high risk for a heart attack, a strenuous exercise program can be dangerous. Ideally an exercise program would incorporate at least 20 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three times a week. Exercising less than this or infrequently can strain the heart more than being inactive. After a cardiovascular assessment and in conjunction with your body’s abilities and needs, your doctor will assist you in choosing the most suitable exercise routines for your weight management program. At times, a biokineticist or certified fitness trainer may be consulted to ensure that your exercise regimen meets with your weight loss goals.

Psychotherapy

Eating disorders and inappropriate eating habits are often a learned behavior from childhood. At times it may be due to ignorance, while at other times it may be a form of emotional assistance in dealing with stressful situations (‘comfort eating’). Psychotherapy assists you in dealing with any emotional issues, treating depression and helping you set and achieve mental and emotional goals to coincide with your physical weight loss benchmarks.

Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery is not considered as a first option for any patient unless other measures have failed. Weight loss surgery is known as bariatric surgery and the most common procedure is the gastric-stapling. This is a form of restrictive bariatric surgery that serves to reduce the stomach size and limit food intake. Previously other forms of bariatric surgery involved malabsorptive surgery where the crucial parts of the gastrointestinal tract were bypassed in order to prevent the body from absorbing food. The most common practiced method was jejuno-ileal bypass surgery (JIB), which has now been banned in most countries due to the danger associated with malnutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and certain medical complications.

Weight Loss Drugs

Proper weight loss drugs differ significantly from over-the-counter (OTC) diet pills. Weight loss drugs either suppress the appetite (appetite-suppressants) or alter absorption of fat from the gut (fat absorption inhibitors). These are scheduled drugs that require a doctor’s prescription and should only be used as part of a medical weight loss program.

There has been many cases where other drugs have been used for weight loss purposes. This includes the use of synthetic thyroid hormones to increase metabolism, diuretics to increase water loss and ephedrine OTC diet pills which stimulates thermogenesis (heat production) in the body by burning more calories. Ephedrine diet pills is now banned in many countries but herbal and nutritional supplements containing ephedrine still appear on the market occasionally. These drugs are extremely dangerous and can lead to a host of complications, some of which are life threatening. Synthetic thyroid hormones and diuretics are scheduled drugs and should not be used by any person for weight loss unless a doctor has prescribed it to treat an underactive thyroid or water retention respectively.

Watermelon Health Benefits

2009-12-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

Nothing tastes as good as a slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. The sweet and watery flesh of the watermelon can quench your thirst, as a considerable part of this fruit consists of water. But apart from its thirst quenching quality, watermelon is very rich in nutrients and offers numerous health benefits as well. The nutritional value and health benefits of watermelon is not limited to its juicy flesh, but even the seeds and the rind are very rich in vitamins and minerals. Roasted watermelon seeds are used as snacks, whereas the rind is pickled or stir fried by some people. Scroll down to know more about watermelon health properties.

Watermelon Nutritional Value

As mentioned earlier, watermelon contains a good amount of water, which makes it very low in calories. This fruit is rich in vitamin A and vitamin C. Small amounts of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate, niacin, etc. are also found in watermelon. It is very rich in potassium and also contains minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous in traces. Watermelon is also free of fats and cholesterol. Apart from the vitamins and minerals, there are many components in this fruit which are also responsible for the health benefits of watermelon. It is rich in antioxidants called carotenoids, like lycopene, phytofluene, phytoene, beta-carotene, lutein, and neurosporene. Watermelon seeds contain a good quantity of protein and oil. Around 35% of watermelon seed is protein and 50% is oil, along with 5% of dietary fiber. These seeds also contain minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous, zinc, etc. This was, in short, a little about the nutritional facts about watermelon. The following is some information about watermelon health effects, or the benefits of watermelon on human health.

Watermelon Health Benefits

The health benefits of watermelon are mainly based on its nutritional value and presence of other components, like carotenoids. These nutrients offer various health benefits, which include preventing and fighting various diseases. Let us take a look at some of the important watermelon health facts.

Prevents Heart Attack and Stroke
Watermelon are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C, vitamin A (mainly in the form of beta carotene) and carotenoid lycopene. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals in the body. Free radicals are the primary causes of heart attacks and strokes. Vitamin C and beta carotene fight free radicals and reduce the risk of diseases, like, heart attack, stroke, etc. Antioxidants also reduce cholesterol, which apart from causing heart related problems, can worsen other diseases too. Read more on heart attacks.

Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Watermelon is rich is antioxidants, called carotenoids, especially lycopene. Studies show that lycopene is beneficial in preventing some forms of cancer, like, breast cancer, prostrate cancer, endometrial cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancers. Lycopene is an antioxidant, which can protect the genetic material of white blood cells and also prevents oxygen damage in cells and other structures, which has been found to be linked to the occurrence of cancer in humans.

Boosts Energy Production
We all know that B vitamins are essential for energy production in the body. Watermelon, being rich in B vitamins, can provide you with important B vitamins like Vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B6. Apart from that it prevents dehydration, due to the high water content. Read more on vitamin B.
Apart from the above said watermelon health benefits, this fruit is beneficial in preventing macular degeneration, which is one of the main causes for the loss of vision in elderly persons. Watermelon contains a good amount of an amino acid called citrulline, which is used by the human body to produce another amino acid called arginine. It has been found that arginine can prevent erectile dysfunction, lower blood pressure, and improve insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients. Above all, it can help you to lose weight. As it is high in water content and low in fat and calories, this fruit can fill your stomach, but is non fattening. These watermelon health benefits make it a perfect fruit for human consumption. Use fresh watermelon to reap the health benefits offered by this fruit. Prefer watermelons kept at room temperature to those kept in the refrigerator, as the former has more nutrients than the latter.

Accurately Identifies Skin Cancer

2009-12-06T00:45:00.000-08:00

High-frequency ultrasound with elastography can help differentiate between cancerous and benign skin conditions, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"High-frequency ultrasound with elastography has the potential to improve the efficiency of skin cancer diagnosis," said lead author Eliot L. Siegel, M.D., vice chairman of the Department of Radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSM) in Baltimore. "It successfully delineated the extent of lesions and was able to provide measurable differentiation among a variety of benign and malignant lesions."

There are more than one million cases of skin cancer diagnosed in the U.S. every year, according to the American Cancer Society. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for about 68,720 cases of skin cancer and 11,590 deaths in 2009, despite the fact that with early detection it is highly curable.

Suspicious skin lesions are typically diagnosed by dermatologists and biopsied based on their surface appearance and characteristics. Unfortunately, even to experienced dermatologists, benign and malignant lesions often appear similar visually and on physical examination, and some malignant lesions may have a benign appearance, especially in their early stages. It is not uncommon for patients to have one or more lesions that appear concerning.

"Dermatologists tend to biopsy any lesions that seem visually suspicious for disease," said coauthor Bahar Dasgeb, M.D., from the Department of Dermatology at Wayne State University in Detroit and Pinkus Dermatopathology Lab in Monroe, Michigan. "Consequently, many benign lesions are needlessly biopsied in order to avoid the risk of missing a potentially deadly melanoma."

Elastography was found to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions not by their visible appearance but by measuring their elasticity or stiffness. Since malignancies are stiffer than benign growths, elastography, when added to high-frequency ultrasound imaging of the skin, has potential to improve the accuracy of traditional clinical diagnosis of skin cancers and, in some cases, eliminate unnecessary biopsies of benign skin lesions. The procedure is noninvasive, convenient and inexpensive.

For the study, researchers used an ultra high-frequency ultrasound system to image 40 patients with a variety of malignant and nonmalignant, or benign, skin lesions. Malignant tumors included squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. Benign lesions included dermatofibroma, a noncancerous growth containing scar tissue, and lipoma, a noncancerous tumor composed of fatty tissue.

The researchers calculated the ratio of elasticity between normal skin and the adjacent skin lesion, and used laboratory analysis to confirm their diagnoses. Cystic lesions, which are not malignant, demonstrated high levels of elasticity, while malignant lesions were significantly less elastic. The elasticity ratio of normal skin to the various skin lesions ranged from 0.04 to 0.3 for cystic skin lesions to above 10.0 for malignant lesions.

In addition, high-frequency ultrasound with elastography allows for accurate characterization of the extent and depth of the lesion below the surface, which can aid physicians in treatment.

"The visualized portion of a skin lesion can be just the tip of the iceberg, and most dermatologists operate 'blindly' beyond what they can see on the surface," Dr. Siegel said. "High-frequency ultrasound provides almost microscopic resolution and enables us to get size, shape and extent of the lesion prior to biopsy."

Benefits of Physical Fitness

2009-11-29T07:28:00.000-08:00

I’ve been working out now for nigh ten years and it’s been a massive part of my life for all that time. When someone asks me why I work out, this tends to lead to epic rant that can last for hours. So you’re reading an article about the benefits of physical fitness written by it’s number one fan… prepare for an epic rant.

So just what are the benefits of physical fitness? What makes those hours and hours of gruelling work under the weights or on the tarmac worth it? Well it’s a long list. Physical fitness you see changes absolutely every aspect of your life, it makes you look and feel healthier, it makes you more capable, closer to your potential, it makes others stand up and take notice and it makes you feel confident and ready. Plus you can run a really long way or pick up lots of heavy things without getting out of breath.

When you see a guy or girl on TV in an advert or in one of those big budget dramas or films, chances are he or she has done a lot of work to get himself into that shape. He’s not Mr Universe, or Neil Armstrong, but without watching his diet and occasionally getting into the gym he would never have got the part. If you want to look desirable in order to sell something, you need to look healthy. Unfortunately, so backwards and mollycoddling is our society, that they then blame the media for making us feel insecure or insufficient. They blame the media for depression and for anorexia. But would you really be as likely to watch a movie where the hero was trying to pull a twenty stone woman? Would you be as likely to want an Omega if it was sponsored by Johnny Vegas instead of Bond?

There’s another solution – rather than complaining until the media is forced to hide the alternative to unhealthiness from us, why not do something about it and attain some kind of physical fitness yourself? When I watch an advert for Calvin klein, or see a cover of Men’s Health, I don’t feel inadequate – instead I find myself critiquing their physique. Good abs but the obliques could do with some work… they always forget the obliques! You see when you have good physical fitness yourself you can feel in with that crowd, proud and confident of your physique and start to feel successful and attractive as a result.

And then you will be able to sell things. I don’t mean you’ll be on TV selling underwear and Joop, but you’ll be able to sell yourself on a day to day basis. As you appear healthier you’ll instantly broadcast a healthy lifestyle and good genetics and people will want to hear from you – everything you say will be given extra credibility. It will help you in business, in romance and in your private life. You’ll be displaying to women that you’re better genetic material and to your boss or interviewer. Not only will you look healthier though, but you’ll act more confident as a result.

Confidence is a big benefit of physical fitness and a good physique will help you to appear more imposing just as you’ll begin standing with your chest puffed further out and lats spread more heroically. When you speak people will instantly pay more attention as it’s spoken from someone who has some physical authority in the room.

So being physically fit will drastically improve your confidence and get others to stand up and take notice of your success and health. It’ll help you progress you career and it’ll help you to attract members of the opposite sex. Really though, all these things are just side effects; the real benefits of physical fitness are in how it changes your body.

Firstly, increasing your physical fitness will prevent you from getting out of breath so easily. This will help you in a variety of tasks, enable you to walk and jog places without nearly keeling over, and will mean that you win all sorts of competitions and sports. Sick of being the weakest link in your five-a-side team? Improving your physical fitness will put an end to that. Furthermore, being physically fitter will lessen your chances of suffering from various unpleasant conditions including insomnia, diabetes, cholesterol and heart disease. If you’re overweight, or weedy and malnutritioned then you are at risk from a variety of life threatening ailments. On the flip side, benefits of physical fitness include stronger bones, better sleep, more energy, quicker reflexes, better immunity to disease, healthier skin and hair… your whole body will be transformed as you kick start it and propel it back into action.

Being stronger is also a great form of self defence which also gives you extra confidence. If you look weedy or overweight then you’ll be a target when you’re walking around the streets at night, but if you look like your made up of more muscle and have the fitness required to run then most muggers or trouble makers will move on to easier targets. Then if they do attack you you’ll be able to handle yourself far better – even if that just means running away and wearing them out. The same applies in pub brawls and if you’re younger, in the playground, and the sense of confidence it gives you makes training worth it on its own.

Working out doesn’t just improve your body though, there are also many psychological benefits of physical fitness. Firstly, exercise will improve your mood through the release of endorphins (responsible for the so-called ‘runner’s high’) that numb pain and leave you feeling euphoric and calm – they offer a great natural alternative to anti depressants or just a quick energy and mood boost. Similarly exercise stimulates the release of growth hormone and testosterone – both of which have many benefits (growth hormone repairs wounds and improves sleep while testosterone will increase your drive and determination). Testosterone even improves your sexual performance meaning everyone will notice the transformation if you work on your physical fitness.

As though that wasn’t enough, the benefits of physical fitness also extend to intelligence and regular cardiovascular activity has been shown to increase performance on IQ tasks. Furthermore recent studies have suggested that exercise stimulates neurogenesis (the birth of new brain cells) in the hippocampus (a part of the brain that’s largely responsible for memory). In other words then, working out will improve every aspect of yourself, you’ll have more energy, sex drive, sex, brain cells, strength, confidence, and skills. The benefits of physical fitness are in short all-encompassing.

More Benefits of Drinking Water

2009-11-29T07:22:00.000-08:00

There are a multitude of health benefits of drinking ample amounts of water. Following are some of the visible benefits that you will see or feel after several weeks of drinking proper amounts of water.

1) Water is your extra weight's worst enemy. You will find that with appropriate water consumption, your weight and extra pounds will begin to shed. Many beverages that people consume throughout the day are high in calories and high in sugar. This includes soda, juice and alcoholic beverages. Water however, has no fat, calories, sugar or carbs, and will curb your thirst much more effectively than any other beverage. Therefore, with your calorie and fat intake reduced by water replacing those high calorie beverages, you will undoubtedly notice visible weight loss within several weeks. Another benefit of drinking ample amounts of water is that water will suppress your appetite, because water naturally fills your stomach.

2) It is a scientifically proven fact that drinking ample amounts of water lowers your risk of heart attacks. Statistics reveal that individuals who drink more than five to six glasses of water a day are 40% less likely to suffer from a heart related death. You can go by just how you feel when you drink more than five glasses of water per day. You will likely feel more energetic and you will find motivation to engage in more athletic activities than before. Your body needs water, and you will like the way your body feels when you are giving it what it needs.

3) Often times when people are feeling low energy levels, they resort to energy beverages to spike their energy levels. There are a lot of health concerns relating to these sorts of beverages, because in the long run they are not only detrimental to your health, but in the short run they also dehydrate you. The natural secret to spiking your energy level is to consume ample amounts of water. Dehydration will make you feel tired, even at the slightest level. If your body is dehydrated by just 1% of your body weight, you will likely feel fatigued and muscle weakness, and if you allow your body to consistently feel dehydrated, you will likely suffer from more serious symptoms such as dizziness. It may sound cliché, but there is truth in the saying that you must listen to your body. Your body will tell you when it needs water. Listen carefully because it is very likely that your body will not say that it needs a high fructose corn syrup based beverage. Drink water, and drink plenty of it.

4) If your health has been impacted to the degree that your body is suffering consistent headaches, you will find proper water consumption to curb that symptom. Chronic headaches are a symptom of dehydration. A simple solution is to drink ample amounts of water, and your headaches will likely curb themselves. This is not the only cause for chronic headaches, so if your headaches continue to persist then you should consult a medical professional to look into other possible causes. Dehydration however, is one of the most common causes of consistent headaches.

5) There are benefits to your skin when you drink enough water as well. Many people, who went from not drinking enough water to drinking plentiful water, have reported clearer skin and a healthy glow in their face. This is not an overnight effect, but it is very likely that after a month of drinking plentiful water you will begin seeing a difference in your skin.

As you can see there are plenty of health benefits of increasing your water consumption. Not only will this increase in water consumption help you lose weight, but it will also result in better maintenance of your overall health. In the following piece you will learn a few tricks to help your mind adjust to the new habit of drinking more water.

Important Tips for Good Health

2009-11-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Health is wealth. It is very well said. Without health nothing can be achieved, nothing can be enjoyed. Health is the most important aspect of ones life. If we have a sound health then we can have a sound life. An unhealthy body makes you feel deprived of energy, ill and despondent. It swaps all the confidence from a person. A healthy body gives strength, confidence and the energy to take up any challenge the life offers. A healthy and fit body can easily manage the day to day stresses. When all the functions and systems of the body are working well we conclude that a body is healthy.

Maintaining a good health is as important as breathing. If you have a poor health and you remain ill most of the time then this is a high time you start thinking about it. For maintaining a healthy life one has to change his daily routine. One has to start exercising and consuming a proper diet. The diet you take up really affects the kind of health you have. Exercising, meditation, yoga are many other options which can help you stay healthier.

Here are some tips for maintaining a healthy body:

1. Your breakfast should be high on fiber.

2. Consumption of tobacco and nicotine should be slowly reduced. Efforts should be made to stop consuming such products.

3. Regular exercising and a small walk after dinner can help you build a stronger stamina and a healthy body.

4. Food high on fat and oil has to be strictly avoided. Fat and oil increases the cholesterol level in the body.

5. It is always advised to consume fresh fruits and vegetables. These fulfil the body’s requirement of nutrients and roughage.

6. The accumulation of fat in the body is the main reason for obesity and other problems. It is therefore advised to walk after eating dinner.

7. Follow a diet which provides you nutrients in the required amount. This can really help you in staying fit. Thus a balanced diet is always recommended.

8. A balanced diet fulfills all the nutrients demand of the body.

9. Over exposure to the sun can cause sun burns, tanning and many other skin problems. So it is advised to use suns cream before stepping out of your home.

10. Always wear seat belts while driving. It reduces the chances of severe injury if an accident occurs.

11. Stress can throw water on all your exercising and balanced eating. So it is recommended not to take stress.

12. Keeping a positive outlook towards life can surely enhance your efforts for a healthy body.

13. Alcohol if consumed in heavy amount can pose a greater risk to life than any other thing can do.

14. Antioxidants work against the functioning of free radicals. Vitamins C and e function as free radical remover. So its intake can help in maintaining a good health.

15. Bone density decreases in women as they reach their 40’s. So calcium and its derived products are very essential for them. It is recommended to add calcium in your die.

16. Iodine is very essential for human body. Its deficiency causes a disease named goiter. Salt is the main source of iodine in body. But some salts do not produce iodine in the required amount. So a salt rich in iodine is very essential.

17. Wine helps you fight against any heart disease almost 68%.

18. Oil which is less on Tran’s fat is good for your heart.

19. A sound sleep of at least 7-8 hours can do wonders for your health. There is no substitute for a good sleep.

20. Sex can also help you get rid from stress. So satisfying sex life is also good mantra for a healthy life.

21. Caffeine if consumed in higher amount can cause insomnia and many other problems. So its intake has to be reduced any how.

22. Getting rid from all the bad habits can help your mind to function efficiently.

Healthy body can help you to achieve better results in every aspect of your life. Proper education regarding the correct things for a healthy life is essentially important. Each and every part of the body is equally important. All the parts function in unity with each other. So you need to focus on the entire body for becoming absolutely fit.

Dancing Your Way to Fitness

2009-11-29T07:14:00.000-08:00

Some people have great passion towards dancing and pursue it as their career. However, to some people dancing is a hobby. Are you one of those people who love to dance in your spare time and are suffering from problem of being overweight? Here comes the good news. Dancing is a perfect way to lose those extra pounds in a fun filled manner without any stress. This article presents information on how dancing helps you shed those extra calories.

If you know the basics of dancing, then switch on your TV and tune in to a musical channel and dance your way to the rhythm of the music. If you can afford it, it is best to attend dance classes that are oriented for people who love to reduce weight through dancing.

Dancing is a fun filled way to exercise. It only serves to burn the extra calories, but the soothing music helps to get rid of all the stress. A stress free body remains healthy. It also helps to overcome the problem of stress related overeating that poses the threat of obesity. Before you start the dance session, do a little warm up to tune the body muscles for dancing. Similarly, cool yourself with a short walk or jog. If you have not danced earlier, give it a slow start by practicing about fifteen to twenty minutes a day. Do not start with complicated moves, you may get bored and quit dancing. Once the body is acquainted to simple dance moves, increase the degree of complexity and time period.

Dancing serves as whole body workout. You can work out all the muscle groups of the body by way of dancing. Women generally crave to have a perfect body shape. Dancing is the best way to shed all that extra fat and attain a perfect body shape while having fun. It is also a good opportunity to learn the dancing style to your liking such as the most popular salsa dance with a variety of body movements.

Another benefit of using dancing as a way to improve your fitness is that you do not need any special equipment. You can even practice at home without having to go to a boring gym. Thus, by dancing you can attain a perfect shape at zero cost. You do not have to sacrifice the foods that you like or purchase those expensive fad diets that do not give what they promise. Dancing also serves as a way to express your creativity. If you are creative enough to design new dance moves, you can even quit your existing job and start your new career as a dance choreographer. Isn’t this amazing?

However, if you are heavily overweight, take care of your ankle and knee joints while dancing. Make sure to use perfect shoes. Take necessary measures to prevent the danger of skidding. Use loose fitting clothes to perform the dance movements with ease. With the help of all the above tips, go ahead and start dancing as a means to remain fit.

Anti-Aging Skin Care

2009-11-29T07:06:00.000-08:00

Our skin is one of the most used indicators of our age, and if you ask someone to predict how old you are it’s your skin that they’ll look to to make their estimate. For this reason, anti-aging skin care is one of the surest ways to look younger and healthier to make sure that there are no awkward moments when someone mistakes your sister for your daughter. Using the correct techniques it’s possible to cut up to 25 years off your appearance, maybe more, and not only look better but feel better too.

The first facet of anti-aging skin care is in our diet, and the more healthily we eat, the smoother and healthier our skin will be. This stands to reason when you consider that it’s our food that provides our body with the building blocks required to make look after our skin and every other tissue and muscle in the body. You literally are what you eat, and if you want healthy skin you need a healthy diet.

When thinking specifically about anti-aging skin care, there are three main things we need in our diet – antioxidants, vitamins and oil. First of all the anti oxidants, found in foods such as citrus fruits and fish, will help protect our skin cells (and every other cell) from oxidisation and attack from free radicals. This will mean that the skin cells come under less fire and so appear healthier. At the same time this will help protect the skin and other cells against cancer by lowering the chance of the DNA behind the cell walls being damaged or mutated.

Vitamins meanwhile, particularly vitamin A and E, are used in rebuilding the skin and are a great way to encourage the body to heal both scars and wrinkles. Essential fatty acids meanwhile will provide your skin with oil to keep it subtle and prevent it becoming dry and flaky. Omega 3 fatty acid will act as both a source of oil for your skin and a source of antioxidants, while a multivitamin tablet will provide the rest.

Anti-aging skin care is also about lifestyle, and how we treat our bodies will be reflected in the appearance of our skin. While soaking up the sun will help us to look bronzed and healthy in the short run, over time it will lead to damaged skin cells which will create more wrinkles in our old age. Similarly it’s important that we make sure we get lots of sleep. One of the reasons for this is that our sleep is when our body repairs damage done to our bodies throughout the day and so can rejuvenate our skin that way.

One of the ways in which this works is through the release of growth hormone, or HGH, which is a hormone that encourages anabolism in the body making it repair wounds, rebuild muscle, replace damaged cells and encourage growth in the muscles and bones (though the bones stop growing after puberty when the ‘growth plates’ will seal off). As well as sleep, another way to encourage the natural production of growth hormone (synthetic growth hormone is used a lot by bodybuilders and celebrities, but is unfortunately illegal in most states and countries and very expensive in those that it is not) is to exercise and to take hot showers, both of which will trigger an anabolic cycle.

Then the most obvious aspect of anti-aging skin care – the use of anti-aging cream and products. These will work in multiple ways, both protecting your skin from outside attack from UV rays and environmental factors, and providing your skin with important nutrients. You should make sure that you follow a routine and apply your face creams in the morning and in the night before bed. This routine should begin with an exfoliating cream or face wash which will remove dead skin cells (that can otherwise interfere with the mechanisms of the moisturising creams and nutrients). After this you should then use a protective cream such as Protect and Perfect from No 7, which will protect your skin from UV rays. Finally a rejuvenating moisturiser should be applied which should contain vitamins A and E – both of which are vital in skin repair and collagen, which will help keep the skin plum and elastic (it can be considered ‘nature’s Botox’. The moisturising element will also help give the skin moisture and keep it subtle and elastic. While you apply these creams, you should use circular motions with the pads of your fingers to massage the skin and encourage blood flow in the surface which will help provide it with more vital nutrients and keep the skin tone more even. Use concentric circles moving inwards towards the centre of the face – it’s also very relaxing and will help to keep the skin subtle and soft.

All these are examples of anti-aging skin care and will lessen the appearance of wrinkles over time, but they won’t have any immediately visible effects. For a more fast acting approach then you might consider laser treatment, which offers a painless and relatively inexpensive range of skin treatments. The laser facial for example will do the same job as the exfoliating skin – removing dead skin cells like a peal which will reveal the healthier living skin cells underneath. This will immediately lessen the appearance of wrinkles, help to even out skin tone, combat age spots, and help other skin treatments to be more effective. Another option, laser genesis, will work to stimulate the middle layer of skin cells to produce more natural collagen which will help to smooth out your complexion and make your skin look healthier and younger.

The final anti-aging skin care method is makeup. While this won’t have any effect on the actual health of your skin, it can still shave years off your age by concealing unwanted wrinkles and age spots and adding colour to the areas that want attention. Even for men, a basic self tanning moisturiser can help create a young, healthy ‘bronzed’ look and disguise lines and blemishes. Make sure when shopping for makeup however that you look for products that work with the skin and contain important nutrients and moisturisers as others can worsen bad skin.

Weight Loss

2009-11-29T06:55:00.000-08:00

Weight loss is a concern for almost everyone on this planet. As we age our metabolism naturally slows. Enter the stresses of every day life such as working long hours, taking care of children, moving, loss of job, divorce, etc. and slowly the weight creeps up on us.

People will turn to drastic measures to experience some weight loss that includes dangerous surgeries, starvation diets and excessive routines. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The secret is to learn how foods affect our bodies, which foods to eat and when to eat them. It really isn’t that hard, once you realize that some foods work with your body to actually help you lose weight.

The best thing you can do for yourself is learn what works and what doesn’t. The Strip That Fat system can show you how to stay healthy, lose weight and keep it off for life. It is a lifestyle change, not a fad diet. The key to weight loss is helping your body naturally burn fat. It is as simple as that.

Many people eat the wrong foods at the wrong time of day and no matter how much they exercise, they just cannot seem to lose the fat. There are foods that boost the metabolism and help you to burn more calories, even at rest. Muscle helps the body burn fat as well. As we age we lose muscle mass and that is the number one contributor to a slow in metabolism. Food fuels your body, boosts our immune system and cleanses our bodies. When working correctly, our bodies are a great working machine. The problem comes when certain functions in our bodies are not doing their job. The reason for that some foods sabotage us, such as sugars causing a rise in our blood sugar levels resulting in fat being stored. Weight loss with high blood sugar levels is near impossible.

With Strip That Fat you will learn that fat is actually good for you to eat. Of course, eat fat in moderation, but there are good fats that help our bodies function and actually burn fat storage. There are ways to trick your body into thinking it’s full, teach your body to burn more calories and train your mind to sustain weight loss. Things like eating breakfast, not eating salads, and the secrets about water, are all things that can contribute dramatically to your weight loss.

Weight loss is a concern for almost everyone on this planet. As we age our metabolism naturally slows. Enter the stresses of every day life such as working long hours, taking care of children, moving, loss of job, divorce, etc. and slowly the weight creeps up on us.

People will turn to drastic measures to experience some weight loss that includes dangerous surgeries, starvation diets and excessive routines. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The secret is to learn how foods affect our bodies, which foods to eat and when to eat them. It really isn’t that hard, once you realize that some foods work with your body to actually help you lose weight.

The best thing you can do for yourself is learn what works and what doesn’t. The Strip That Fat system can show you how to stay healthy, lose weight and keep it off for life. It is a lifestyle change, not a fad diet. The key to weight loss is helping your body naturally burn fat. It is as simple as that.

Many people eat the wrong foods at the wrong time of day and no matter how much they exercise, they just cannot seem to lose the fat. There are foods that boost the metabolism and help you to burn more calories, even at rest. Muscle helps the body burn fat as well. As we age we lose muscle mass and that is the number one contributor to a slow in metabolism. Food fuels your body, boosts our immune system and cleanses our bodies. When working correctly, our bodies are a great working machine. The problem comes when certain functions in our bodies are not doing their job. The reason for that some foods sabotage us, such as sugars causing a rise in our blood sugar levels resulting in fat being stored. Weight loss with high blood sugar levels is near impossible.

With Strip That Fat you will learn that fat is actually good for you to eat. Of course, eat fat in moderation, but there are good fats that help our bodies function and actually burn fat storage. There are ways to trick your body into thinking it’s full, teach your body to burn more calories and train your mind to sustain weight loss. Things like eating breakfast, not eating salads, and the secrets about water, are all things that can contribute dramatically to your weight loss.

Tooth Pain Causes

2009-11-29T06:51:00.001-08:00

Almost every adult has felt the harrowing pangs of tooth pain, at least once in their lifetime. The handful of people who have not experienced it, have already made a mental note of the excruciating pain by observing it befall on their near and dear ones. Scores of people dread paying a visit to the dentist, even if they have a tooth ache and procrastinate the checkup. The reason behind this avoidance is the amplified pain associated with the visit. We all know about how excruciating tooth pain can get, however, do we know what causes tooth pain. Let's have a look at the different tooth pain causes in detail.

Causes of Tooth Pain

Tooth Decay (Dental Caries)
Tooth decay, also known as dental caries or dental cavities, is one of the most common causes of tooth pain. A tooth gets decayed by the action of harmful acids secreted by bacteria present in the mouth. Food consumed comprises sugars and starches, which when left on the teeth forms plaque. The bacteria in the oral cavity thrive on the plaque and produce acids that erode tooth enamel. As the erosion progresses, a cavity is formed. The onset of tooth cavity formation cannot be identified, except by regular checkups with the dentist. By the time, symptoms of tooth pain emerge, the damage done to the tooth is quite large. One can even experience toothache after filling. Read more on tooth decay.

Gum Diseases
Periodontal disease or gum disease is a condition, in which gums get inflamed and gradually affect the bone supporting the tooth. The main cause of this condition is poor dental hygiene. Plaque accumulation on the teeth, contains bacteria. These bacteria release toxins, thereby damaging the gums. If this gum damage is not treated, tooth loss can occur. A skilled periodontist will ask for a tissue regeneration technique, if the bone surrounding the tooth has been destroyed. This procedure involves bone grafting, so as to enhance bone re-growth. He may even ask the patient to undergo gum surgery to treat the condition. Read more on periodontal disease: causes, symptoms and treatment.

Tooth Root Sensitivities
The roots of the teeth hold the entire tooth structure and are situated in the bone. Gum diseases, if left untreated, will conduce to root sensitivity. This is because the toxins released by the bacteria edge their ways into the tooth enamel, causing the roots to get exposed. These exposed roots contribute to tooth root sensitivities. Consumption of cold, hot and sour foods can cause the teeth to feel really tender and raw. Treatment for tooth pain caused by this recession of gums can be handled by fluoride gels in the initial stages and root canal treatment in the later stages. One can also resort to various home remedies for tooth pain relief.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder
Temporomandibular joint is the joint formed between the mandible (lower jaw) and the skull. Conditions like facial injury, teeth grinding - bruxism, arthritis, etc., can lead to inflammation of the joint. The muscles surrounding this joint undergo spasms and make simple tasks like opening of the mouth very difficult. The patient experiences pain in the jaws, ears and teeth as well. Thus, TMJ is another cause of tooth pain. The pain caused by this condition can be relieved by resorting to oral anti-inflammatory medications. The muscles around the joint area can be brought at ease, by applying a warm compress. Read more on temporomandibular joint disorders: TMJ symptoms and treatment.

Fractured Teeth
Any powerful blow to the mouth during an accident can lead to cracked tooth. Moreover, the tooth can also crack, if one bites forcefully on a hard object. The crack may or may not be severe and can result in pain, only when you use that area of the mouth to chew food. The cracked tooth will hurt every time any movement is made with it. This issue can be resolved by placing a dental crown, but if the crack has caused the pulp portion of the tooth to get exposed and infection has set in, the dentist will ask for a root canal treatment to be done.

Besides these dental causes of tooth pain, there are some non-dental tooth pain causes as well. Sinus or ear infections can lead to tooth pain. In some people, tooth pain appears to be the only symptom of an impending heart attack. Read more on: To avoid tooth pain spearheaded by any of the above tooth pain causes, it is important to maintain good dental hygiene. Regular brushing, flossing and proper dental care will keep your teeth from encountering major issues.

Calcium Citrate Side Effects

2009-11-29T06:46:00.000-08:00

Basically, calcium citrate is a salt of citric acid. It is popularly used as a dietary supplement to improve the strength of the bones and teeth. The form of calcium which is supplied by calcium citrate is rarely found from the foods that we eat. For the purpose of absorption of calcium into the bones an acidic environment is required. Calcium citrate is capable of creating that kind of acidic environment in the stomach and thus facilitates the absorption of maximum amount of calcium into the body. The dosage of the calcium citrate depend on certain factors. They are: the age of the person, health condition, other forms of calcium intake of the person, etc. Normally, the ideal dosage for children should not be more that 800 mg per day and in the adults it should not exceed 1200 mg per day. Before knowing about the calcium citrate side effects let us find out about its uses as supplement.

Uses of Calcium Citrate

Dairy products like yogurt, milk cheese are rich source of calcium . However, many people today are avoiding all these foods which lead to calcium deficiency. These people need to take calcium citrate to meet their daily requirements of calcium. Those who are suffering from kidney failure tend to get higher phosphate levels in the body. This condition can be treated with the help of calcium citrate. Children with high fluoride levels are also given calcium citrate to bring down the fluoride level. Pregnant women require calcium citrate for various reasons. It is helpful for increasing fetal bone density and growth, easing off leg cramps which is common during pregnancy and reducing the danger of hypertension in pregnant women. Calcium citrate is required by women in the post menopause phase to prevent osteoporosis and menopause symptoms. It is also used to treat the condition of hyperactive thyroid gland. Sports persons need calcium citrate as they have additional requirement for calcium to make their muscles and bones stronger. You can refer to calcium rich foods.

Side Effects of Calcium Citrate

One of the most commonly observed calcium citrate side effects is that it causes some gastrointestinal problems. Like constipation, stomach gas, bloated feeling, etc. Some people also complain about nausea and vomiting, pain in the abdomen and loss of appetite. These problems are nothing very serious and one need not worry about them. They can be managed if calcium citrate supplement can be taken along with food and not in an empty stomach. In case, constipation becomes severe or continues for a long time, you may have to stop intake of calcium citrate. Headache is another minor form of side effect of calcium citrate and to control this one should take some rest.

The more serious side effects of calcium citrate is irregular heartbeat. This condition is often accompanied by other symptoms like flushing and excessive sweating. These symptoms are not very normal and doctor need to be consulted. Another side effect is increase in the frequency of urination. If you observe that the urine output has increased or you are experiencing any pain while urinating after you have started the intake of calcium citrate you should report this to your doctor.

Though allergic reaction to this calcium supplement is rare but it may happen. The symptoms of allergies are eruption of skin rashes, swelling inside the mouth or face, tight feelings in the chest, difficulty in breathing etc. Other rare side effects of calcium citrate are pain in muscles and bones, abnormal loss of body weight and swallowing difficulty may be observed in some people. You can also refer to calcium supplements - side effects.

Calcium citrate side effects can be controlled to a great extent if you have a detailed discussion with your doctor about your medical history and other medications. The doctor should have the knowledge of medical conditions like heart rhythm problem, kidney problem, frequent tendency of getting dehydration or constipation. Interaction of calcium citrate with other medicines could also be responsible for the side effects. Intake of any antibiotics, or other prescription drugs, herbs or dietary supplements should be informed too. If you have the habit of smoking or drinking alcohol, tell your doctor about it.

How Coumadin Increases Disease Risk

2009-10-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

While doctors hand out Coumadin like candy, apparently because they have no idea how to get someone’s sticky blood to flow normally, patient’s livers were apparently not briefed on the strategy – an oversight that is likely to injure and speed the onset of age-associated disease. A new article in the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals just how vital vitamin K function is to your health.

The Coumadin vs. vitamin K issue is one pitting the mental midgets of Western medicine against the innate wisdom of the human body.

There are 16 known vitamin K dependent proteins. The researchers used knockout mice (mice lacking one or another of these proteins) to determine which vitamin K proteins were most important to survival.

They found that the 5 vitamin K proteins relating to clotting were the most important, as knocking them out caused death to the mice while still in the embryonic phase of development.

Their research showed that the liver regulates the distribution of vitamin K to any of the 16 proteins, and does so on a basis of priority, giving clotting function top priority.

When Coumadin is taken it creates a vitamin K deficiency and the liver responds by channeling available vitamin K to clotting protein function, at the expense of other vitamin K dependent proteins.

The net result is that other functions in the body that require vitamin K are left without enough to function properly. This causes bone loss, arterial calcification, and increased cancer risk. Vitamin K proteins are also an integral part of the overall antioxidant network.

Therefore, long-term Coumadin use is not worth the “benefit” for just about anyone.

Doctors need to get their heads out of the sand. Much of Coumadin prescribing is “cover-your-rear-end” medicine – giving it out because if a person should have a stroke and they weren’t prescribed Coumadin then the doctor is in a situation of legal liability (which is utter nonsense and should not be the case). Coumadin also causes regular repeat office visits to check clotting times via a blood draw, which is a nice cash flow for the doctor as the office visit requires little or no intelligence or time.

I have pointed out in an earlier article that sticky blood may even be protective and that Coumadin actually increases the amount of unstable plaque which actually would increase the risk for a stroke (the opposite of why it is given). I have also pointed out that Coumadin in the short term is the number one drug causing serious injury requiring an emergency room visit or more serious problem (see article FDA Sleeps While Common Medications Poison the Elderly).

The use of Coumadin in general practice is an example of why the general population is rapidly losing confidence in Western medicine. In the current health care debate it is generally agreed that we need to reduce the cost of health care so that more people can be covered with truly needed care. This issue of the inept practice of medicine, based on widely over-prescribing expensive and dangerous medications, is a driving force at the source of the problem of runaway health care costs. Doctor ineptitude is being given a free pass in the current debate so as not to have doctor groups torpedo proposed changes.