Wednesday, February 27, 2008

ADHD Medications And What You Should Know

Which ADHD medication is right for you? There have been many new medications released for the treatment of ADHD, however they are all stimulants. The introduction of Straterra was a welcomed announcement to most people, especially those who have children that have been diagnosed with it.

In the past, Ritalin and Adderall have both been considered effective, but a lot of parents have heard some bad rumors about Ritalin and do not want to put their children on a stimulant. Ritalin acts as a type of speed but in people with ADHD it neutralizes their brains and causes a calming effect. If someone without ADHD were to take Ritalin, it would act like a speed to them.

Straterra is not a stimulant. This leaves some people very curious about how it then can be effective for treatment. Straterra is the first and only non stimulant drug that has been approved by the FDA. This drug can be taken by children or adults and is effective for both. Straterra works differently than the typical stimulant drugs as it is considered a nor epinephrine reuptake inhibitor.

The benefits of this drug are that it offers relief for the entire day and well into the evening; it gives continuous symptom improvement over a period of time, it does not cause insomnia in adults or children, and there is no potential for abuse because it is not a controlled substance.

When referring to treatments that include the use of stimulants, Ritalin and Adderall are most often used to treat ADHD. The stimulants work in this manner, they block the absorption of dopamine and nor epinephrine which are the two brain neurotransmitters. The result is an increase in the transmission of certain neurons. Stimulant drugs have been known to be very effective with decreasing the levels of not being able to pay attention, and they are less distracted and less impulsive. This results in, especially with children, that they are no longer labeled the “different” kids in class as children with ADHD have a tendency to stand out from the others in class mainly because they are fidgety and lack self control.

The medications that are used to treat are safe and effective but as with any type of medication there can be adverse side effects such as problems with sleeping, stomach aches, headaches, and a loss of appetite, drowsiness, irritability, and nervous tics.

Often parents are fearful of the side effects that this medication can cause but parents should be made very aware that in most children these are safe and effective drugs that result in no side effects whatsoever. The ADHD medication should be taken as directed and to never just stop administering the drug without first consulting your physician.

There have been especially concerning rumors and stories about Ritalin. They often have heard that it is addictive, it might stunt your child’s growth, or it causes a “zombie” like affect on the child. In fact these are not true and can actually be the tools that your child needs to live a normal and productive lifestyle. As always, consult a licensed physician before using any attention deficit disorder drugs.

Author Resource: An airline pilot has ADHD, his son and daughter both have ADHD. Discover what they've found out and how you can get ADD/ADHD help. http://www.adult-child-add-adhd.com/

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Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Natural Allergy Cures: Discover The Natural Allergy Cures That Work

If you have ever used medication for an allergy, you would have probably noticed that there is a big problem, the medication only treats the symptoms rather than the cause. As soon as you stop taking your medication you'll notice that the symptoms eventually reappear. In this article we take a look at natural allergy cures.

Buying allergy medication can cost you quite a bit of money over the period of a year depending on how often you develop allergies. This is one of the reasons why many people have turned to natural allergy cures to treat the cause of the allergy rather than just the symptoms. In this article we look at some of these natural allergy cures.

Most health experts recommend that we eat five portions of fruit and vegetables each day in order to stay healthy. Doing this is also helps to reduce the symptoms of an allergy. You should aim to eat as close to five portions of fruit and vegetables as possible. Some vegetables that are really good for allergy symptoms include carrots, beet root and cucumbers. If you find it hard to get enough vegetables you may want to consider buying vegetable juice.

Research suggests that foods that are high in nutrients and vitamins such as B5, vitamin and pantothenic acid can help to improve the symptoms of hay fever. If you can't get enough vitamins and nutrients from your diet you may want to take a supplement, however if you can, try to make sure your diet is high in vitamins and nutrients as this can help to keep the immune system in good working order. Consuming yogurt on a daily basis can also help to treat hay fever; the best yogurts to consume are ones that contain healthy bacteria.

Castor oil is not the best tasting oil in the world, however it is brilliant at treating allergies that affect the intestines and nasal passage. Most people mix castor oil in with their fruit juice or vegetable juice, this disguises its taste, and increases the benefits because fruit juice is obviously good for you.

Most supplements will have a positive effect on allergies such as hay fever as they allow the immune system to work at its optimum, so the body can effectively fight the symptoms of an allergy.

In recent times therapy has started to gain popularity as a natural allergy cure. It works on the basis that allergies are the result of the immunes system trying to destroy a harmless substance, which it recognizes as harmful for some strange reason. In allergy therapy the brain is programmed to recognize that these substances are not actually harmful and should not be attacked.

The good thing about natural allergy cures is that they don't only help to clear up allergies, they also keep the body healthy, for example consuming vegetable juice helps to reduce the chances of suffering the symptoms of allergies and also ensures that the body gets the optimum amount of vitamins and minerals.

Author Resource: Samuel Alby is a succesful webmaster with a keen interest in health topics. For more information on allergy relief head over to http://www.allergyrelieffacts.com/ where you can find out about natural allergy remedies and herbal allergy relief

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Saturday, February 23, 2008

How Many Different Types Of Headaches Can One Experience?

Several people have been known to experience different types of headaches at different times in there life so it is important to get the correct diagnosis by keeping a journal of the event and time that the headaches took place. Tension headache are widely believed to come from to much anxiety and stress in your life so make sure and put in your journal any related stress or anxiety attacks and try and minimize your stress levels. Sometimes headaches are separated into vascular, muscle contraction (tension), traction, and inflammatory types of headaches.

Check out the list below of the most common types of headaches:

Headaches: The problem today is headaches have become so common to many that they are just a part of everyday life. Headaches occur very regularly, usually at the same time each day, and they often keep a person up during the night. They can sometimes affect young children and even babies, causing them to become cranky and fussy. Various headaches can be caused by having high blood pressure, which causes pressure on the blood vessels and circulatory system throughout the body.

Tension headaches: Many refer to these as the chronic daily headaches and are the most common type of headaches among adults and adolescents. These muscle contraction headaches cause mild pain and come and go over a prolonged period of time.

Migraines: Doctors are still unsure of the causes of migraines, although they are related to blood vessel contractions and other changes in the brain as well as inherited abnormalities in certain areas of the brain. Migraine pain is moderate to severe and can last from 4 hours to 3 days and usually occur 1 to 4 times per month. Migraines are associated with symptoms such as light sensitivity, noise, nausea or vomiting and upset stomach or abdominal pain. They are vascular in origin, and may be preceded by visual disturbances, loss of peripheral vision, and fatigue plus they can be provoked by changes in your environment, such as menstruation, emotional stress, significant weather changes, lack of sleep, or even the opposite-too much rest (vacation migraine).

Cluster headaches: These are the least common, although the most painful type of headache. The pain of a cluster headache is intense and may be described as having a burning or piercing quality that is throbbing and constant. Many people say the pain is so severe that they cannot sit still and will often pace during an attack. Many times the pain is located behind one eye or in the eye region, without changing sides. Cluster headaches occur one to three times per day during a cluster period, which may last 2 weeks to 3 months and have been found to be more frequent in smokers than non-smokers.

Sinus headaches: Many sinus headaches are brought on by allergies, hay fever, cold, dry weather and anything that adversely affects the sinus cavity. Taking sinus headache medicine is the best solution since it has an ingredient to help drain the sinuses and relieve the pressure that causes the pain. Sinus headaches are associated with a deep and constant pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. The pain usually intensifies with sudden head movement or straining and usually occurs with other sinus symptoms, such as nasal discharge, feeling of fullness in the ears, fever, and facial swelling.

The most common types of headaches usually are not serious but may occur again and again over a long period of time. There are several different contributing factors that lead to the development of tension headache, migraines, cluster headaches and sinus headaches and most likely you fall somewhere in between these types of headaches. For more information please visit www.yourheadacheremedy.com.

Author Resource: Alyssa Nair has written many articles on natural headache remedies and how to stop them before they start. Read the helpful tips and advice about natural remedies that cure all types of headaches at http://www.yourheadacheremedy.com/.

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Apple Cider Vinegar To Fight Heart Burn

Strange as it may seem, apple cider vinegar can be used to fight heart burn, even though that type of vinegar is composed of acetic acid the same as any other. It wouldn’t seem logical to use an acid to alleviate a condition caused by excess acidity in the stomach, but all will be clear shortly.

First, let’s have a look at what cider apple vinegar is, and what health benefits it can impart to the body. There is more to the old maxim regarding an apple a day than most appreciate. Although an orange has more vitamin C, apples have a lot going for them. They not only contain the soluble dietary fiber and prebiotic pectin, that can help reduce blood cholesterol levels, but are also rich in vitamins and minerals. Many consider apple cider vinegar the form of the apple that provides its ultimate health benefits.

Hippocrates himself has written of the health benefits of apple cider vinegar and used it for the benefits to health that it imparted. That goes back almost 2400 years, to an age when the biochemistry of the body was unheard of and even the alchemists had yet to work their magic. There was no surprise then that an acid could be used to increase the alkalinity of the body since the terms had yet to be understood, let alone invented.

The later applications of vinegar followed a path that would be expected of a substance recognized as a form of medicine, and it has been poured over wounds to sterilize them from early in history, and by people of the 14th and 17th centuries to protect themselves against the Black Death and the Great Plague respectively. It was believed by people in these times that the disease was transferred by breathing in the ‘ill vapors’ and that a vinegar-soaked cloth over the face would protect them.

Many people, associate vinegar with ‘bad wine’ or solutions of acetic acid, generally 5%. But how is real cider apple vinegar produced? All vinegar has acetic acid as its key ingredient. The reason that it can be produced from wine is that acetic acid is produced naturally by the fermentation of ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, the main alcoholic product of the fermentation of sugars. If the fermentation of wine is allowed to continue after the sugar has been used up, then the yeast will act on the ethanol and convert it to acetic acid. In fact the word comes from the old French ‘vin aigre’ or ‘sour wine’, due to it resulting from the undesirable continuing fermentation of wine.

The concentration varies according to the use it is put, though commercial pickling vinegars can be distilled to any required concentration of acetic acid. Apple cider vinegar is obtained by the over-fermentation of apple must usually used for cider, and can be obtained either the clear filtered form, or unfiltered with a hazy light brownish color. Although the manufactured distilled vinegars consist of acetic acid at various concentrations, natural vinegars contain by-products of the fermentation process such as citric and tartaric acids.

However, none of this explains why apple cider vinegar should help to cure heartburn. The first thing you should keep in mind is that this type of vinegar has some nutritional value that will be explained later, but also that it is less bitter than many other types of vinegar and many enjoy drinking it with a small amount of honey as an energy pick-me-up and also to prevent various digestive problems that it appears to alleviate such as bloating and diarrhoea.

The reason that many people experience heartburn is due to the body finding that that the acidity of the stomach is lower than it should be to digest a meal. There might be several reasons for the body believing this, such as drinking too much milk during the meal and thereby neutralizing some of the acid while also introducing more fat to be digested. The body reacts by injecting more acid into the stomach. Excessively spicy foods or alcohol can cause the same effect.

Stomach acid is concentrated hydrochloric acid that is very corrosive and can even dissolve a nail. If your stomach is slightly full, the acid causes a slight, but not full, reflux and you get the burning sensation known as heartburn due to the corrosive effects of the very strong acid on the esophagus, which is not protected by the stomach lining that is designed to withstand it. Sometimes the excessive acid in your stomach will cause the bottom of the esophagus to open, allowing some of the stomach contents into the esophagus giving the horrible burning sensation. That sensation is acid corrosion of your body tissue, but it is rapidly repaired and does no lasting damage unless it is chronic when you have to see your doctor.

Since heartburn is caused by excess acidity then, it will seem strange that you can use an acid to alleviate it. However, keep in mind that your heartburn is due to the body (brain) being convinced that there is insufficient acid in your stomach. If you introduce a weak acid, then you can convince your brain that the acid has been brought to a satisfactory level and so it will stop sending signals to the stomach lining cells that secrete the HCl.

If you remember what I asked you to remember above, regarding the traditional uses of apple cider vinegar and how easy it is to drink, then that vinegar is the ideal acid to take. It floods the stomach with acetic acid and signals pass back and forth between the stomach wall to the brain and back again to the effect that the stomach has enough acid and so no more hydrochloric acid need be secreted.

Had you treated it with milk or even an antacid, it would have worked initially, but eventually the signal would be initiated and the lining would secrete more HCl. With an antacid that can occur after the stomach contents have been passed on, but although it has had its effect, your food will have been poorly digested, and so the better remedy is likely not an alkaline antacid but a weak acid such as apple cider vinegar.

That’s how it works, but what other benefits does it bring to you. For starters it is a good source of potassium which is essential to maintain a proper cardiac rhythm. Potassium can also help to maintain a good blood pressure, and it is necessary for healthy nails, hair and teeth, and also helps to repair damage to soft tissues and to allow cells to repair internal tissue loss.

Potassium is an essential mineral, although there is normally sufficient in a healthy diet. However, if somebody is displaying the symptoms of potassium deficiency then this form of vinegar can help to resolve the problem. The elderly especially can benefit from a regular dose.

Other than its antiseptic effect, the most common popular use of apple cider vinegar, however, is to fight heart burn and in that respect it is very effective, even if it seems a bit of a paradox.

Author Resource: More information on apple cider vinegar for heart burn is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

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Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Massage In St Paul

There are a lot of things to do in Saint Paul, Minnesota. You can go to the Roller Derby, listen to beautiful music by the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, visit the Mississippi River or Lake Como. You can also receive an incredible massage in St. Paul. Whether you go to St. Paul for a business trip, an unforgettable vacation, or a family relocation you will want to receive a memorable massage therapy session. So, if you haven't done it already you should put getting a massage in St. Paul on your list of things to do. Massage in St. Paul is widely available from independent Certified Massage Therapists, Massage Establishments, and a number of Day Spas.

Getting a massage in St. Paul is something that is something you'll want to repeat over and over. What is your goal in getting massage? Is it to completely relax with a slow, soothing massage, relieve muscular pain and chronic tension, have a more comfortable pregnancy, or improve your sports performance Massage Therapists in St. Paul can help you achieve your goals. In fact there are several types of Massage in St. Paul. The most commonly offered massage techniques in St. Paul are:

Sports Massage - massage to assist the athlete in preparing for and recovering from sports events. Often this massage focuses on the muscle groups and connective tissues most used in the athlete’s particular sport.

Swedish Massage - relaxing massage using gliding strokes, kneading, friction, and striking strokes along with gentle stretching and rocking.

Deep Tissue Massage - massage of the deeper musculature and connective tissue to release chronic tension and pain. It’s often a firmer massage that is appreciated by experienced clients.

Shiatsu - a Japanese technique of massage that targets specific pressure points to relieve pain and improve the flow of vital energy.

Aromatherapy Massage - a very relaxing and therapeutic massage incorporating the benefits of both massage and essential oils for an incredible effect you're going to love.

Pregnancy Massage - massage for the mother-to-be helping her to decrease pain and discomfort throughout the pregnancy.

Lymphatic Drainage Massage - specifically used for decreasing swelling and edema as well as improving the circulation of the body's lymph. It's detoxifying and some think it improves the immune system too.

However, in addition to the more commonly practiced massage techniques your St. Paul based Massage Therapist might also practice some other well known massage therapy techniques:

Myofascial Release
Medical Massage
Acupressure
Neuromuscular Therapy
Hot Stone Massage

You might even want to try a special treat when you get a massage in St. Paul like Couples Massage where a couple can receive their massage together in the same massage room with two massage therapists. During the couples massage each member of the couple can choose to receive a different massage from that of their partner. Or, for the true massage therapy enthusiast some Massage Establishments and Day Spas offer Four Hand Massage, or Tandem Massage, where you can be massaged by two massage therapists at the same time.

Massage in St. Paul is also very convenient to receive. Massage in St. Paul is available on an incall basis at a Massage Therapist's office, salon, or clinic, in a Licensed Massage Establishment, or in one of many conveniently located Day Spas. Massage in St. Paul is also available on an outcall basis in your St. Paul area home, office, or hotel. No matter where you are in St. Paul a great massage is just minutes away.

So what's stopping you from receiving the benefits of a great massage? Massage in St. Paul is relaxing, stress reducing, pain relieving, and performance improving so get one today.

Author Resource: MassageSoup is a worldwide directory of Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers. Find St. Paul Massage Therapists or other Minnesota Massage Therapists on MassageSoup.

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Demineralized Water May Not Be Good For Your Health And Body

You may have seen people carrying out large heavy cooler sized jugs of water out of your local big box super store, drug store, pharmacy or health food store. A marvel attesting to the power of modern marketing. This marvel of advertising to influence consumers rivals that of big screen TVs and S.U.V.’s for city dwellers. Not only do these people pay for water, often carry these heavy, bulky, cooler sized jugs up flights of stairs. On top of that all they have to do in most cases in America to get as much clean, cool water as they would ever want in their lifetimes – only by turning on the water tap.

Demineralised water is not always good for you. Health conscious consumers should and need to be aware that while some water types are good for you – demineralised may not and indeed may be "demineralizing" your body and bones.

First of all – what is demineralised water? Demineralised water is water that is said to be completely or almost completely free of minerals. This demineralised water is produced any of a number of way including – boiling (distillation), deionization, filtered through a thin membrane (many of the "pure" water machines that you see in retail outlets along with the large cooler type jugs) or electrodyalisis.

Health experts have also reported that the longer that you drink this "demineralised" water, the more likely are of flushing out vital minerals in your body and as well placing your body into an acid state.

It has been known almost to the beginning of time that minerals in drinking water are good for your health. The beneficial aspects and properties of the minerals and constituents of drinking water (nowadays we refer to it simply as "tap water") were mentioned in the Vedas of ancient India. In the book Rig Veda, the properties of good drinking water were described as follows "Sheetham (told to touch), Sushihi (clean), Sivam (should have nutritive value, requisite minerals and trace elements) , Istham (transparent) , Vimalam lahu Shadgunam (its acid balance should be within normal limits)

Not only can demineralised body have long term health concerns for your body including leaching away the calcium in your bones, but generally the taste is poor, being described as flat. On top of that demineralised water will often not quench your thirst – especially in comparison to regular untreated water.

If you think that demineralized water can play havoc with your and your family"s health – both in the short term and long term look at what it can do to regular household pipes and plumbing. Demineralised water is harsh and very very aggressive. If put into pipes and storage tanks the demineralised water is very aggressive and will attack these metal pipes – leaching the metal and other materials from the pipes and other plumbing materials used in water plumbing. This is the reason why homes can never have plumbing for this safe product "demineralised water".

If that is what demineralized water can do to metal pipes and plumbing imagine what it can do to your sensitive insides of your body.

Author Resource: Margaret S. Mathews Health Care Practitioner Morgellons Research Foundation Com Medical Tourism Marketing http://www.mmedsolution.com/ http://www.fortunacooks.com/ http://www.morgellonsresearchfoundation.com/

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Friday, February 15, 2008

How To Relieve The Pain Of Arthritis Naturally!

What did our ancestors do before the current era of modern medicine? Did they just grin and bear it or did they look to nature for solutions to common ailments. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, prescribed a very common remedy to relieve the pain of arthritis three thousand years ago. Believe it or not natural remedies are still commonly used today just like they were used a hundred years ago.

Why do people invariably trust modern medicines that can have serious side effects to the body and have not been proven over time? Just look at the news! Some new medicines that have been marketed in the last few years and heralded as great solutions have recently been removed from the market because people were having serious side effects and some even death. When my family and I watch TV at night, we see many commercials for pharmaceutical drugs that sound so wonderful until the end of the commercial when all the side effects of the medicine are mentioned. It is absolutely frightening to think people are subjecting themselves to the alarming side effects of medication and pass off known natural remedies because they are not popular, or the pharmaceutical companies do not recommend the natural approach to pain relief?

Common medications for the relief of arthritis can have serious side effects to the stomach. Some people including myself cannot tolerate such medications. Other than stomach pain, these medications can have long term effects which can create a whole new scenario of problems.

Yes, I do have arthritis. My condition was diagnosed by a medical doctor on two different occasions. I was not willing to accept the initial diagnosis because I was sure that my wrist was broken. As so many others have done before me, I filled my prescription as recommended by my doctor. However, it was not long before I realized that the medicine made me feel worse than the condition. I was really sick! That was the turning point for me. I decided that there must be another way. I knew there was no cure for arthritis, as I have been told by my doctor, but I also knew that I could not live with this level of pain.

I started doing my own research, and here is what I found. Apple Cider vinegar has been used over time for many different health problems from diarrhea to arthritis. I take a mixture of Organic apple cider vinegar and honey. This is no way an overnight solution. You have to take it for about 2 weeks before you start seeing results. Apple cider vinegar has many other benefits it filters and cleans out the blood. You should take it several times daily. I usually take it in the morning and before I go to bed. After taking in for about 2 weeks the pain was completely gone! I was so surprised because I was still in the state of mind that that everything had to be done through the doctor.

I’m not here to tell you that this solution is the one for you, but it’s worth a try. No matter what you decide to do I wish you the best, and hope you live a pain free life.

Author Resource: Margie Halfacre Founder of Artho Defense http://www.arthodefense.com/

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Tuesday, February 12, 2008

How to Manage Skin Cancer Symptoms and Treatments

Millions of people are affected by skin cancer. Each year the number of skin cancer cases increases, highlighting the need for an effective way to manage both the symptoms and the treatment. Fortunately, there is an easy way to keep tabs on this disease.

First, understand that there are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Each one can be treated if detected early enough. Both the squamous cell carcinoma and the insidious melanoma can spread to other parts of the body. Once skin cancer spreads, it is much more difficult to treat, so early detection is vital.

Second, recognize the most common causes of skin cancer: heredity (if there is a history of skin cancer in your family, your chances of contracting it are higher than normal), damage to DNA, exposure to ultraviolet rays, over-exposure to sunlight, and exposure to certain deadly chemicals. If any of these causes sound like they might apply in your case, pay close attention to the skin cancer symptoms described next.

Third, be aware of the common symptoms of skin cancer: skin discoloration, blotches and patches on the skin, irritation and redness. Melanoma occurs in moles on your body. The mole may change color or size, and may start bleeding. Be very watchful for any of these sorts of changes.

Fourth, consider the standard and alternative treatment options that are available to treat skin cancer. Most melanomas need to be surgically removed. However other skin cancers may be treated by removing affected and surrounding tissue. Radiation therapy and cryotherapy may also be available if the cancer is low risk and treated early. In cases where cancer has already spread and metastasized, then surgery and/or chemotherapy may be required.

So, how do you stack the odds in your favor? By managing your symptoms and treatment results carefully and systematically. Keep a journal of any symptom of skin cancer that you may encounter. For instance, the first time you see any oddity on your skin -- such as the appearance of a splotch on the skin or a discoloration or change in a mole -- make a note in a journal. Then on a weekly basis keep track of any changes in size, shape or color.

Having an ongoing journal gives you an objective and precise history of when and how conditions on your skin have developed. This will be invaluable when you consult a doctor or dermatologist. Then, be sure to make an appointment with a doctor or dermatologist and get it checked out. Skin cancer is not one of those things that will go away on its own. It starts out with the greatest likelihood of being treatable. As time goes by, it gets less and less easy to treat it. Delaying the consultation with your doctor could cost you your life!

Once a course of treatment has been prescribed for you, keep another journal in which you describe the results. Have the symptoms gone away? Are they better? Worse? If a mole was removed, have other similar moles appeared? Have any other skin discolorations become evident?

If you are taking medication, keep a record of what you take and when. Is it helping the symptoms? Are there any side effects? Keep track of when side effects occur and how severe they are. Having this information handy will help your doctor prescribe the treatment that best addresses your overall health.

Setting up journals like the ones described here is easy to do. You can use a paper worksheet, a computer word processing program, or even a spreadsheet program like Excel.

You owe it to yourself to take an active role in managing your own health. Skin cancer is a serious disease, and you need to use every tool at your disposal to make sure you get the best health care possible.

Author Resource: Jason Jantzi writes for www.Health-Kit.com and is a specialist in researching treatments for pain and discomfort. Download a free Skin Cancer Health Kit from http://www.health-kit.com/cancer/skin-cancer/ and take control of your skin cancer symptoms today.

Article From Mister Article

Fighting Cancer with Radiotherapy

Cancer research programs are growing each year as funding increases. New technologies make even recent discoveries obsolete and doctors and scientists contribute their ideas and methods to understanding and curing cancer. As they continue to make these important strides toward finding prevention methods and moving towards a cure, more treatments are becoming available, and fewer people are being forced to endure painful and invasive treatments.

Radiotherapy usually requires non-invasive cancer surgery that allows doctors to direct radiation beams into precise locations of the brain in order to focus it directly over a malignant tumor. This method can help treat and remove intracranial tumors that would otherwise not be very accessible for open surgery techniques.

Electing radiotherapy as an option over more invasive routines is a matter of choice and convenience for some patients, but is more likely to be a necessity for patients with certain types of brain tumors that are not easily accessed through open surgery -- such as skull base tumors.

Radiotherapy often utilizes an instrument called the Leksell Gamma Knife, which concentrates gamma radiation to the targeted portion of the patient's brain. The radiation is so concentrated that, while some residual radiation will inevitably exists, the vast majority of it is focused onto a much smaller area, therefore degenerating the affected area and leaving the rest of the brain un-effected. The Leksell Gamma Knife form of radiotherapy has been known to work with as little as one treatment.

Using stereotactic radiotherapy, a popular method which uses a three dimensional coordinate system to focus the gamma radiation onto the targeted areas of the brain, doctors can essentially target extremely small affected areas of the brain, with very little risk to the remainder of the brain. Radiation therapy of this type uses the Gamma knife as the main source of radiation while two smaller, and weaker radiation beams are aimed from different angles, meeting at the area around the tumor, subsequently dosing the area with a high level of radiation which, hopefully, destroys the tumor.

Doctors across the U.S. specialize in wide varieties of radiation oncology options, including radiotherapy. These highly specialized Oncologists practice locally across the United States and offer patients with a myriad of radiotherapy options that fit the needs of each patient individually.

These doctors strive to deliver a healthcare experience that maintains each patient's pride and dignity and to create an environment that is conducive to healing.

Author Resource: Art Gib writes for Vantage Oncology (http://www.vantageoncology.com) an Oncology network specializing in non-invasive radiotherapy techniques. Their radiation oncology professionals remain on the cutting-edge, providing patients with immediate access to the latest, most advanced treatment options.

Article From Mister Article

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Eight Heart Healthy Foods You Should Be Eating

What you eat is one of the biggest determinants of your coronary heart disease risk. A diet high in the eight foods below will go a long way to maintaining a healthy heart.

1) Garlic

Garlic contains powerful chemicals that have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of blood clots that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. It has been estimated that a clove of garlic a day is needed to obtain these health benefits. If the thought of eating a clove of garlic a day is too much for you, odorless garlic capsules can be purchased from most pharmacies and supermarkets.

2) Oats (Oat-meal and Oat-bran)

Oats are high in soluble fiber which have been shown in many studies to reduce your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Research has shown that the higher your ratio of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) to LDL, the lower your risk of heart disease is. One cup of oatmeal a day provides enough dietary fiber to reduce your LDL cholesterol levels significantly.

3) Alcohol

Moderate consumption of Alcohol (up to two glasses a day) has been shown in most studies to reduce heart disease risk by between 20 percent and 40 percent compared to non-drinkers. Moderate Alcohol consumption has been associated with an increased ratio of HDL to LDL, thinner blood (leading to reduced blood clotting), reduced blood insulin levels and a reduction in arterial plaque build up. Heavy alcohol consumption however raises blood pressure and is associated with a greater risk of heart disease.

4) Oily Fish

Fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which reduce heart disease risk by reducing blood pressure and increasing blood vessel elasticity. Medical experts recommend a minimum of 2 servings of fish a week to obtain the full benefit of omega-3, alternatively fish oil capsules can be taken.

5) Nuts such as Almonds, Walnuts, and Cashew Nuts

Nuts are rich in polyunsaturated fats and contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. A handful of nuts a day has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 20 percent.

6) Tomatoes and Tomato Products

Tomatoes, especially cooked tomatoes have high levels of Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. In a study of 40,000 women at the Harvard school of Public Health, women who consumed seven or more servings of tomato-based foods were 30 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease compared to those who consumed less than 1.5 servings. Women who ate more than ten servings a week were up to a massive 65 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

7) Green Tea

A Japanese study of over 400,000 individuals aged between 40 and 79 found that those people who consumed five or more cups of green tea a day were 26 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Researchers also found that the effect was stronger for women than men. Green tea is high in polyphenols which are powerful antioxidants that are also found in most berry fruit, apples, celery, broccoli and parsley.

8) Spinach

Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A, C, and K and is also an excellent source of Folate. Folate helps the heart by reducing homo-cysteine levels in the blood. High homo-cysteine levels are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.

Author Resource: Anthony Wilson is the owner of http://healthhubs.net/, a daily updated news and information website about many health topics such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Article From High Profile Articles

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Things To Know About Urinary Stones

The usual stones in the urinary tract consist of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate (or combined with ammonio-magnesium phosphate), or uric acid, etc. However, the stones may occur as a combination of these constituents, called 'mixed stones'.

What are the symptoms of urinary stones?

Stone/s in the urinary tract may remain symptom less for long, and may be detected by routine X-rays. Stones which are stagnant/motionless in any part of the urinary tract do not show symptoms, although they may cause massive harm, as they grow in size. However, there is very severe pain (renal colic) as the stone starts moving downward.

A renal colic pain usually subsides with the administration of a strong pain-killer injection. Blood may also pass in the urine during an attack of renal colic, as a result of some injury in the urinary tract, caused by stones. Infection will also occur in the urinary tract due to the slowing down of the flow of urine. In which case pus cells will also be seen in the urine, when examined under the microscope.

What should be done for urinary stones?

It is advisable that the treatment of urinary stones is done in the earliest possible time after the acute attack has subsided, so that UTI is prevented. If neglected, besides causing repeated attacks of renal colic, the obstruction in the urinary tract will grow due to the increase in the size of the stone, which may show serious consequences later.

Small and early stones, causing little/no obstruction are usually pushed down and out, when the patient takes plenty of fluids, at least 3 litres of water per day.

In case the stone is not ejected, it must be removed either surgically, or by lithotripsy.

Lithotripsy is a non-surgical method of removing stones from the urinary tract. It is called extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), and in this procedure electrically generated shock-waves are focused on the stone and fragment it. Hence this mode of non-surgical therapy is ideal as it excludes surgery and late complications.

What tests are required in a case of urinary stones?

Tests like plain X-ray as well as ultrasonography of the urinary tract are important in order to detect the exact location of the stone, and to see the extent of damage caused to the urinary tract by the stone/so However, uric acid stones are not picked up in X-rays. Therefore, an intravenous pyelography may be required in some of the cases, to prove the presence of stones in the urinary tract. Intravenous pyelography is also useful in locating any associated lesion/ s of the urinary tract, such as a stricture, horseshoe kidneys etc.

The above tests should not be forgotten in a case of UTI for excluding urinary stones, especially when the patient has no signs/symptoms of renal colic.

It is essential that the stones once passed out or removed must be analyzed regarding their constituents, so that appropriate steps can be taken so as to avoid a recurrence of the stones. A restricted diet should be prescribed, depending on the stone analysis report.

Author Resource: Author sites: http://www.easyhomeremedy.com/ , http://www.healtharticles-lk.com/ , http://www.e-self-help.com/

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Saturday, February 2, 2008

Shrink Fibroids Naturally - An Emotional Approach

Shrinking or curing fibroids does not have to involve surgery to remove them or drugs to shrink them. Drugs are rarely effective long-term and surgery does not guarantee that fibroids will not return unless a hysterectomy is performed.

Fibroid surgery simply leaves a woman with something else to heal from and can leave her without the ability to have children. Fibroid drugs or surgery seem these days to be the first action, rather than the choice of last resort.

The normal medical response to a diagnosis of fibroids is that if they are not causing any problems is to just do "watchful waiting" - or nothing at all or to go for surgery if they are causing problems.

For those who ask "why me? What has caused my fibroids? most doctors will patiently explain that the causes are unknown. There is however increasing empirical evidence that emotional state may have a significant role in the development of fibroids. In her recent book "Cure Fibroids Naturally" Gillian, who cured her own fibroid naturally identifies several uniquely female issues or traumas that appear to be linked to fibroids. She is not alone in her belief that emotional issues may at least in part lie behind the development of fibroids, Dr Cristian Northrup in her book "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" underlines an emotion link to fibroids also.

The good news for fibroid sufferers is that there is another effective way to tackle fibroids that does not preclude any other fibroid treatment. The theory is that by tackling fibroids at the emotional level, as the issues are resolved so the underlying emotional cause of the fibroids is removed and the fibroid simply dissolves away.

For those who understand and accept the concept of the mind-body link, this approach is likely to resonate quite strongly and will feel naturally right.

For those who are more comfortable relying on the medical profession for all of their health solutions, it may be more difficult to accept that there are other alternative fibroid treatments. A gut instinct is that "this is not for me", sometimes however, this may simply be resistance to stopping and dealing with the underlying issue. But the real joy with this approach is that it does not preclude a medical solution, it simply sets out to undermine the emotional issues that may be a causal factor in fibroids.

It strikes me that women with fibroids who have the luxury of a little time or who's fibroids are not actually causing problems, could choose to use this time to take positive action and to try this approach. Clearing out any emotional baggage has the potential to not only positively improve your health and your life but also your body's ability to heal.

Whether you choose a natural healing path or elect for surgery or any other fibroid treatment, you can only improve your ability to heal by dealing with any underlying emotional issues that may be lurking in your subconscious and sabotaging your health.

Author Resource: For more details please visit Natural Fibroid Treatments
G Symond is a successful website author and writer on the benefits of positive thinking and the mind / body link for health and healing.

Article From Mister Article

Friday, February 1, 2008

A Few Suggestions For Natural Cures For Acne

Today's medicine has made wonderful progression for treating many different conditions from allergies, headaches and skin conditions such as acne. Alternative medicine is now recognized by more people than ever before. These natural ingredients are proven methods to ensure a body is healthy with a healthy mind.

The proven success of alternative medicine now has many people more inclined to go to natural cures for acne and dealing with acne ailments since natural alternatives have also been known to be safe and effective as compared to over the counter or prescriptions alternatives. Acne is mainly caused from excess secretion from the sebaceous glands when pores become clogged the oil backs up. Acne is also the result of different hormonal imbalances in the body often times the cause of stress. Stress has been known to contribute to the cause of acne in addition to improper diets and lack of sleep. There is a need to remember that acne is a very common skin ailment. Until recently most acne conditions were only seen in teenagers at the onset of puberty.

There are many natural cures for acne. The first thing that should be done with alternative treatments is to first diagnose what has caused the acne condition. After diagnosis the condition as well as the causes can be treated and cured usually followed by eradication of the acne scars. Chinese herbal treatments are very beneficial as acne cures. There are many additional natural cures for acne for example yoga, ayurveda, acupuncture, reducing stress, proper breathing techniques, balanced diets, herbal concoctions and various forms of homeopathic treatment. These treatments have quickly been gaining ground as treatments for not only the acne but the condition that caused the acne flare ups as well. These treatments increase blood circulation and help to remove blemishes. Chinese herbal treatments are used in combination with vitamin supplements. Replacing junk food with healthier foods such as fruits and vegetables are often suggested by physicians. This type of diet helps to create healthy skin cells. Among natural cures for acne is Tea Tree oil that has been proven to be very effective to treat acne since it reduces inflammations and eliminates bacteria.

There are many natural cures for acne available online. Shop around and compare prices for all these natural treatments. They are safe and effective with no side effects. However you should check to make sure that you are not allergic to any of the natural ingredients. There are many facial scrubs, washes, cleansers and astringents that are herbal or honey based and a variety of other natural ways that are very effective in naturally treating acne. You can also find many alternative skin care treatments at your local health food store or supermarket.

To read more about the many alternative medicines that are now available you can search online for Ezines about various acne conditions and their natural cures. When reading about these natural products make sure you do not have an allergy to them. Quite often when people consider natural alternatives for cures for various ailments they find out they are allergic to one of the natural ingredients.

Author Resource: For more acne treatment tips, please visit: http://www.acnebully.com/ a website that specializes in combating acne and natural methods for get rid of acne treatments

Article From High Profile Articles