infomedicine health and beaty

What's Binge Eating Disorder?

2012-12-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

Most of us overeat from time to time, and some of us often feel we have eaten more than we should have. Eating a lot of food does not necessarily mean that you have binge eating disorder. Experts generally agree that most people with serious binge eating problems often eat an unusually large amount of food and feel their eating is out of control. People with binge eating disorder also may:

Eat much more quickly than usual during binge episodes.
Eat until they are uncomfortably full.
Eat large amounts of food even when they are not really hungry.
Eat alone because they are embarrassed about the amount of food they eat.
Feel disgusted, depressed, or guilty after overeating.

Binge eating also occurs in another eating disorder called bulimia nervosa. Persons with bulimia nervosa, however, usually purge, fast, or do strenuous exercise after they binge eat. Purging means vomiting or using a lot of diuretics (water pills) or laxatives to keep from gaining weight. Fasting is not eating for at least 24 hours. Strenuous exercise, in this case, means exercising for more than an hour just to keep from gaining weight after binge eating. Purging, fasting, and overexercising are dangerous ways to try to control your weight.

World Cup Matches may Boost your Mental Health

2012-07-28T16:49:00.002-07:00

All the sports lovers now have a reason to celebrate. For them, watching their favourite sports World Cup is now, no longer just a means of entertainment. While they watch and cheer their favourite teams in Word Cup matches, they also boost their mental health. The positive effect on their brain, of watching their favourite team play, can be explained by the fact that people cheer their teams along with hundreds of other like-minded fans gives them a sense of belonging. Moreover, it also helps them in making better social connections.

Many people say that they are develop a bond with other people as they share a common interest. It gives them a feeling of companionship and makes them transcend into another world of blissfulness.

Being a part of a fan club gives you a platform to meet new people and befriend those who have common interest. When you go to watch World Cup matches, you surround yourself by people who are singing, drumming, dancing and cheering the teams. It makes you feel as if you too are a part of the team. People say that the friendship they share with other sport lovers is not limited to the fields. They often meet up at weekends and also share their personal lives along with the news related to their favourite sport. This way their social circle keeps expanding which undoubtedly creates a positive effect on the mind.

When you connect yourself to a team, and when your team wins a match, it automatically uplifts your self confidence as you start to feel that the victory of your team is your own victory. This can be explained by the fact that when people associate themselves with other group of successful people, their self esteem gets a tremendous boost. Several studies have been carried out to verify this and they have confirmed it. People who have invested their time and interest in their favourite teams make a personal connection with them. They start identifying themselves with their victory or their defeat.

Even when their favourite teams are not doing well, they take tremendous pride in sticking to it. It gives them a sense of loyalty and honour as they refuse to abandon their teams in their bad times. They begin to apply the same principle to their personal life too. They stand by their friends through their thick and thin.

When people of different caste, colour and creed join their hands in support of their favourite teams, sports become their religion that surpasses all other differences amongst them. It is truly a magical moment that fills the minds of the people with a lot of positivity. In this way their favourite sports become a tradition that gets passed from one generation to another and just as keeping the honour of the family is a responsibility of the successive generation, they also take the responsibility of supporting their favourite teams.

Thus, we can see that people get never ending joy and happiness while watching World Cup matches as they are surrounded by numerous other fans. Such joy and happiness is not comparable with any other social activity.

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Reduce the Effects of Stress

2012-07-28T16:38:00.002-07:00

Reduction in the effect of stress is of great significance for preventing health complications. Stress is usually defined as response to daily activities, which is also being linked with fatal ailments such as heart disease, cancer, lung concerns, suicide and accidents. Some of the experts also identify stress as an indicator of wellness of mind, body and spirit.

Getting caught in some situation or inability to manage some task is one of the situations to reflect negative stress. Stress could be physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural in nature, which needs to be calmed down to avert several stress related health ailments. The likelihood of developing a health problem becomes higher in a condition of prolonged stress.

Ways to Reduce Stress Effects

1. Take a Break to Break your Routine

Taking time out of your daily schedule for recreation, or a leisure vacation is an effective stress buster.

Breaking the schedule takes off anxiety from mind and provides much-needed peace to the mind.
Break gives you enough time to rest without getting worried for work.
Moreover, you can break your sleep pattern of limited sleep and enjoy sound sleep of 8-10 hours.
With all the time on your side, you can switch to healthy eating options for betterment of health.
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the diagnosis of Malignant Mesothelioma

2012-07-19T04:16:00.002-07:00

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and your medical history before examining you. Tests usually are needed because the more common symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath may come from many causes. These tests include an electrocardiogram (EKG), a chest or abdominal X-ray, depending on your symptoms and your physical exam. If these tests show any abnormalities of the lungs or pleura, you will need a computed tomography (CT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. These imaging studies allow the physician to determine the size and location of any tumor in the chest or abdomen.

If you have fluid in your chest or abdomen, a thin needle may be used to remove a small sample of the fluid for examination. This procedure, called fine-needle aspiration, also may be used to drain the fluid to relieve symptoms such as chest pain and shortness of breath. Occasionally, mesothelioma can be diagnosed from this fluid sample alone, but usually a tissue sample (biopsy) will have to be taken, too. The tissue sample can be obtained with procedures called a thoracoscopy or video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) for a pleural tumor or with a procedure called laparoscopy for an abdominal tumor. In both procedures, a tubelike instrument inserted through a small incision allows the physician to see the tumor and collect a tissue sample. You also may need a procedure called a bronchoscopy or a mediastinoscopy so the doctor can look for masses in the lung airways caused by other tumors or can remove tissue samples from lymph nodes.

There are also some investigational blood tests that may be associated with mesothelioma and can be helpful both in the diagnosis and response to treatment. These are known as osteopontin and mesothelins and are available as part of some clinical studies.

Once your doctor is certain you have malignant mesothelioma, the next step is to determine how far the tumor has spread, which will classify the cancer into one of four stages. This is done with imaging studies, such as CT and MRI. In stage I, the tumor is limited to the pleural lining on one side of the chest without any signs of having spread. If the disease returns after being treated successfully, it is called recurrent mesothelioma.

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What is Malignant Mesothelioma?

2012-07-18T12:31:00.001-07:00

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that is diagnosed in approximately 3,000 people each year. The disease usually affects the thin membrane that lines the chest cavity and the lungs. This membrane is called the pleura.

It also can affect the lining of the abdominal cavity, called the peritoneum, and, very rarely, it affects the lining around the heart, called the pericardium.

Most cases of malignant mesothelioma are caused by exposure to asbestos, a naturally occurring mineral that was used in a variety of industries. A small percentage of cases have been linked to exposure to a mineral silicate called zeolite or to a type of radiation contrast dye (Thorotrast) that was used before 1960 to help blood vessels show up on X-rays. In a few cases, the cause is unknown.

People exposed to asbestos for a long time or exposed to high levels have an increased risk of developing malignant mesothelioma, but even people exposed for a very short time can develop this disease. The disease develops at least 15 years (typically 20 to 40 years) after exposure to asbestos. People usually are diagnosed with this disease between ages 50 to 70. More men than women get this cancer, probably because men are more likely to have worked in the industries that use asbestos.

There are three main types of malignant mesothelioma: epithelial, sarcomatoidand mixed. The epithelial type is the most common.

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Recurrent Miscarriage !

2012-06-20T11:36:00.001-07:00

Recurrent miscarriage is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses. Also known as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and habitual abortion, it can have severe effect on emotional state of mother. Recurrent pregnancy loss affects about 0.34 percent pregnant women and usually occurs before 20 weeks of gestation.

Some of the causes of recurrent miscarriages include:

Genetic abnormalities in embryo increases risk of recurrent miscarriage by 3% to 5%. Chromosomal abnormalities that are passed from parents to child can abort pregnancy. Sometimes embryo contains wrong number of chromosomes or they are not arranged properly, this results in recurrent miscarriage.
On an average hormonal imbalance plays key role in 20 percent of recurrent miscarriage. Inadequate production of progesterone (luteal phase defect) and high level of luteinizing hormone can lead to recurrent miscarriage. Therefore, the women who suffer from hormonal disorders such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) needs to take extra care of themselves during pregnancy.
Structural abnormalities can also lead to recurrent pregnancy loss. At times size and shape of uterus can also lead to structural abnormalities. Women who have division in uterus or who have scarred uterus are more likely to have recurrent miscarriage. Structured abnormalities increase the risk of recurrent miscarriage by 2 percent.
Blood clotting disorder (thrombophilia) is seen to be underline cause in 15 percent of recurrent miscarriage cases. Some women with blood clotting disorder may experience several pregnancy complications while the others can go through one or more pregnancy without any complications. This disorder blocks blood flow to placenta thus causing foetus death. Such disorders are mainly caused due to anticardiolipin antibodies and antiphospholipid antibodies.
Weak cervix during second trimester of pregnancy can lead to recurrent pregnancy loss.
Endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism also increase risk of recurrent miscarriage.
Undiagnosed and uncontrolled diabetes mellitus can cause recurrent miscarriage.
Women’s lifestyle greatly influences risk of miscarriage. Pregnant women must avoid exposure to toxins such as smoking alcohol and drugs.
Another possible cause of recurrent miscarriage is immunological factors such as autoimmune and alloimmune. In case of autoimmunity the antibodies against self are developed, they destroy cellular or sub-cellular components of body. In addition, imbalance in alloimmune factors also contributes to recurrent miscarriage.
Thyroid disorder is also considered to increase risk of recurrent miscarriage.
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What is a Diabetic Eye?

2012-06-18T01:29:00.002-07:00

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Diabetic eye disease may include:

Diabetic retinopathy—damage to the blood vessels in the retina.
Cataract—clouding of the eye's lens. Cataracts develop at an earlier age in people with diabetes.
Glaucoma—increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision. A person with diabetes is nearly twice as likely to get glaucoma as other adults.

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina.
In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.
If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.

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Prediabetes attached to Stroke Risk

2012-06-12T10:10:00.002-07:00

Prediabetes refers to blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be defined as having diabetes. This condition places a person at greater risk for full-blown diabetes. Many people with prediabetes also have other risk factors for stroke. These include beingoverweight or obese, having high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels.

Researchers from the University of California at San Diego analyzed 15 studies of nearly 761,000 people to get a handle on whether or not prediabetes increases stroke risk.

And it does -- sometimes. Stroke risk varies based on the definition of prediabetes. Not all studies in the new analysis defined prediabetes in the same way.

Prediabetes is typically defined as a fasting (not eating for 12 hours) glucose level between 100 to 125 mg/dl. Seventy to 100 mg/dl is normal.

Studies with people whose blood sugar levels were in the 110 to 125 mg/dl range showed a 21% greater likelihood of stroke. This risk held even after the research team took into account other factors that are known to increase risk for stroke.

This range was how the American Diabetes Association defined prediabetes in 1997. They changed the definition to 100mg/dl to 125mg/dl in 2003.

Studies that used the less-restrictive range did show a higher risk for stroke.

Future stroke risk begins to rise at or above a fasting glucose level of 110 mg/dL, the study authors suggest. Their findings appear in the British Medical Journal.

If you fall into this category, "the best thing you can do is alter your lifestyle," says researcher Bruce Ovbiagele, MD. He is a neuroscientist at University of California at San Diego. "Maintain a normal weight and try to exercise at least three times a week."

There is no medicine that treats prediabetes, but "lifestyle modifications can prevent more than 50% of people from going from prediabetes to frank diabetes, which is a major risk factor for stroke," he says.

The best part is that these lifestyle changes are side-effect free.

"There is a growing epidemic of prediabetes, and more people should check whether or not they have it, regardless of the difference in definitions," Ovbiagele tells WebMD.

Lifestyle Changes Can Prevent Full-Blown Diabetes

Minisha Sood, MD, agrees. She says prediabetes can be an important warning sign for future health problems, including stroke. Sood is an endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

The question becomes: What can you do about it? "If someone has impaired fasting glucose, I suggest lifestyle modifications endorsing 5% to 10% weight loss if they are overweight or obese, 150 minutes of exercise per week, and counseling about how to accomplish this."

"Many people don't take complications of their disease to heart, and they don't put a lot of weight on lifestyle changes," she says. "The onus is on the patient, but physicians can't be lackadaisical about prediabetes either. ... Know your numbers so you can get a head start on reducing your cardiovascular risk factors."

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Type 1 Diabetes Stem Cell Treatment Shows Promise

2012-06-12T10:02:00.003-07:00

The study was very small, and the procedure is not ready for widespread use. "We now have a unique approach with some positive findings, but it's still early. We need to better understand the biology behind the treatment and follow patients for long-term side effects," Robert E. Ratner, MD, chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association, tells WebMD.

This is the latest of several stem cell studies to show promising results for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, Ratner notes.

In the new study, 15 of 28 teens with type 1 diabetes who got an experimental treatment using their own stem cells went into remission and did not need insulin injections for an average of about 1.5 years.

The "cocktail treatment" combines stem cell therapy with drugs that suppress the body's immune system. In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-producing cells within the pancreas.

The experimental treatment is called autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It aims to kill the destructive immune system cells and replace them with immature stem cells not programmed to destroy insulin-producing cells.

First, patients are given drugs to stimulate production of blood stem cells. The blood stem cells are then removed from the body and frozen. Then, patients are hospitalized and given drugs to kill the destructive immune system cells. The harvested blood stem cells are then put back into the patient.

Eight teens who took part in the study have remained insulin-free for two years, on average. One patient has gone without insulin injections for 3.5 years.

"All our patients considered the [treatment] to be worthwhile and beneficial, though some patients experienced side effects," study head Weiqiong Gu, MD, of Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai, tells WebMD.

As a result of the immune-system suppressing drugs, most of the patients in Gu's study experienced side effects including low white blood cell counts, fever, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and suppression of bone marrow.

Most of those side effects disappeared within two to four weeks, and unlike in previous studies of the experimental therapy, none of the patients developed infections, pneumonia, low sperm counts, or organ damage. "One woman becamepregnant by natural means a year after transplantation and delivered a healthy girl," Gu says.

Still, patients have to be followed for years to ensure they do not develop known long-term complications of immune-suppressing drugs, including tumors andinfertility, Gu says.

The findings were presented here at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association and appear in the July issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

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Quit Smoking for Good

2012-06-12T09:43:00.002-07:00

If you have COPD, the most important step you can take to manage your condition is to quit smoking.

Your second most important step is to live in a smoke-free environment.

Whether you directly inhale smoke or get it from secondhand smoke,

cigarette smoke accelerates the damage already going on in the lungs. Avoiding smoke slows the damage and actually slows the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In addition, when you quit smoking, you lower the risk for you and those around you of other serious health problems like heart disease.

Quitting cigarettes can make the difference between living longer and well - and not living at all. That’s especially true now that COPD is a part of your life. The good news is smoking is a risk factor you can control. Here’s how.

1. Set a Date to Quit Smoking

If you want to quit smoking, it helps to set a quit date, says Lindy Wolfenden, MD. Wolfenden is an assistant professor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. She is also director of the outpatient pulmonary function laboratory at Emory Clinic. Setting a date to quit formalizes the attempt to quit. And while it may still take several attempts, the likelihood of permanently quitting goes up with each attempt you make.

When you choose a date to quit smoking, make it one when it is less likely you’ll have added stress. Stress is a major roadblock to any behavioral change. That’s especially true when you try to quit smoking.

Mark the quit date on your calendar. Experts recommend that as it approaches you stay mentally and emotionally focused on this date as a time for new beginnings and better health.

2. Expect to Feel Miserable

When you first quit smoking, it will be rough. You might feel miserable, irritable, even depressed. But according to the American Lung Association, nicotine clears out of the system quickly. It is usually in the undetectable range within 24 hours after someone quits.

For a few weeks, you might feel hungrier than normal. You may want to eat snacks all day long -- anything to occupy your hands and mouth. Once you get past the first few days, though, you will begin to feel more in control.

Keep sugarless gum or hard candy in your pocket during this time as a short-term “fix” when you crave a cigarette.

3. Remove Smoking Triggers

A smoking trigger is anything your brain has connected with smoking. Everyone’s smoking triggers are different. Your smoking trigger may be the smell of cigarette smoke, your morning coffee, or spotting an ashtray.

Wolfenden suggests removing tobacco from the house, porch, and car. “People should talk with their families about getting cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters out of the house. Remove anything that reminds them of smoking.”

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Stress Making You Bitchy?

2012-06-12T06:04:00.000-07:00

A recent survey on American woman has revealed that more than half of them feel stressed out most of the time. What’s more, this stress is making them bitchy. Since stressful situations lower the feel good hormones such as endorphin and increase the harmful hormones such as cortisol in the body, they can lead to outbursts. The condition of women is aggravated by their conditioning. They are expected and conditioned to keep their anger to themselves and not express it overtly. They would tend to get into a bad mood to express their bad mood.

If such is your case, here are some pointers to manage your stress better from now onwards:

Get tougher assignments done earlier in the day – You should schedule your day in a way that the tougher tasks are completed first thing in the morning. Leaving them for later or procrastinating is likely to make you yell at people a lot more out of anxiety.
Don’t forget your coffee breaks – A study has found that having coffee alone does not have a good effect on your stress levels. On the other hand, if you sipped in caffeinated drinks in a group, the stress levels were reduced.
Learn to say ‘no’ – Women are inclined to accept each and every invitation that they receive. You do not need to feel obliged just because you have been called. In fact going somewhere while feeling annoyed or bitter all the time is likely to have the reverse effect in socialising.
Short high-intensity exercises – To really let out the stress from your body, get your body moving. Running for 5 to 10 minutes might be a better option than doing cardio or Yoga. Slower paced workouts do not have as good an effect on reducing your stress levels as the fast paced ones.
Pamper yourself – Enjoying a sauna, taking a hot relaxing shower or any other indulgence usually works well to beat your stress. Just make sure that it does not divert your focus from something important.
Get hold of your finances – Plan your summer holiday travel and check out how you are going to make it. Paying attention to your financial condition would make you feel more secured about the future and help to relieve stress.
Learn to speak slowly – Be alert about when you can snap out at anyone, the cahier or clerk of any establishment, or any other person. However tiresome the person may be, if you restrain yourself to talk slowly, it would place you in a better position to get what you want.
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Ovulating Girls have More Sexual Fantasies

2012-06-12T05:52:00.001-07:00

Several studies on finding differences in women’s sexual desire or interest across the menstrual cycle have found out that women have more sexual fantasies when they are ovulating. A study that was published in 2007 found that when ovulating women were interviewed, they preferred masculine and macho guys. A more recent study has found that a woman experiences an increase in sexual fantasiesduring the most fertile periods of her menstrual cycle.

Study author Samantha Dawson said that sexual fantasies and sexual daydreams do not depend on the availability of sex partners implying that fantasies are more representative of sexual interest than how much of sex a woman has. To conduct the study, the researches paid 27 single heterosexual women to keep an online diary of their sexual daydreams or fantasies every day for about a month. By counting reverse from the previous menstrual cycle, the researchers kept a ten-day window within which every woman will be likely to ovulate. During these ten days, each woman undertook a self urine test to find if they were ovulating. The women were not told that they were being tested for ovulation by keeping the ovulation tests in neutral packaging.

The women reported that they experienced 0.77 sexual fantasies per day on an average. This was seen to be much higher than what was found in earlier studies that said that men fantasised once per day and women fantasised once per week.

It was found that the frequency of fantasies increased in women, who were around three days surrounding ovulation. The women also reported that the fantasies were more arousing than the ones they had during the non-fertile days.

In several studies, men had reported to have had more visual and explicit fantasies than females, who tend to give more attention to the emotions or feelings they have towards the man instead of his masculinity or the kind of sexual acts they indulge in in the fantasies. In the current study, researchers found that women looked at pictures of masculine and feminine men as well as women at least three points across their menstrual cycle, but found hardly any interest during the fertile periods.

The researchers found that women were more interested in men during their most fertile periods. As far as the characters in the fantasies are concerned, women had about 95 per cent male characters across their menstrual cycle.

The Study has been publishes in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour.

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Thyroid Cancer and Depression

2012-06-12T05:45:00.002-07:00

The thyroid gland that is located in the neck is responsible for the production of hormones. When the gland stops producing the required amount of hormones, the body’s functions slow down with depressionbeing one of the symptoms of a lack in adequate production of hormones.

The thyroid gland is located in the neck just above the collarbone and is called the endocrine gland. The endocrine gland produces hormones that regulate the metabolism n the body. Endocrine glands make the hormones and secrete them into all the parts of the body through the bloodstream.

One’s metabolism affects the speed at which the body functions. Metabolism takes control of all the internal organs. When your thyroid slows down and thereby produces insufficient amount of hormones to control the metabolism, you undergo what is called hypothyroidism.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism can come and go with time. Most thyroid disorders are hereditary. Therefore, if your mother or aunt has had any thyroid disorder, you are likely to have it too.

Symptoms of Depression

There may be several signs of depression in people diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Some of the warning signs of depression in patients with thyroid cancer include:

consistently feeling sad, hopeless, empty, worthless or helpless,

thinking about suicide and death,

not enjoying hobbies or activeness and

significant changes in weight.

Patients with thyroid cancer may experience feelings of fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, wanting to sleep and feeling sluggish. The treatments may also cause depression, especially if you were an active person prior to going through the treatments that demand a lot of rest.

Treatment of Depression

If you want to stop being unhappy or feel that being sad is out of your control, make sure that you the health care team that is responsible for treating thyroid cancer is also responsible for taking care of emotional health. Here are other treatments for depression that you can administer yourself.

Eat a healthy diet.
Enrol in a support group to gain assistance from other thyroid cancer survivors and patients.
Talk to friends and family about your condition. Seek emotional support from them.
Understand that depression is a commonly experienced mental condition after having been diagnosed with cancer, but it can be treated.

Tips

Remind yourself to not sink into depression or let it affect you so much that you find it hard to battle thyroid cancer.

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Workout during Pregnancy Tips

2012-06-11T12:08:00.002-07:00

Being pregnant doesn’t have to mean abandoning all your fitness routines; it just means you need to be a little more vigilant about where and how you exercise. If you are already skilled and proficient at certain exercises and techniques, then there shouldn’t be any problems continuing these. It can be just as important to stay fit and strong during pregnancy, as you will need a show of strength during labour.

Stay indoors

Working out indoors minimises unpredictability; you’re never too sure what you’re going to get outdoors. Unmerciful weather can make footpaths slippery; loose debris may cause you to stumble or trip and loose autumnal leaves may make you slip. The chances of these happening are slim of course and you may scoff at this, but one trip, fall or stumble could cause a mis-carriage.

Erin O’Brien – a pre- and post-natal exercise specialist out of California agrees with taking your routines indoors and stresses that you can maximise the contours of your own home. O’Brien produced an exercise DVD called Pregnancy Fitness and it details numerous ways of keeping yourself in relative shape up to the delivery.

“Walking stairs is a great workout, because as you get heavier, you'll need stronger legs; put on some rock-and-roll,” she says, “and walk up and down your stairs for 20 minutes, up until you're 36 weeks pregnant.”

Keep cool

Keeping cool is another pointer the experts love to stress, which is why any kind of activity in the hot summer afternoons and evenings isn’t recommended; even getting in a hot tub or having a hot shower isn’t advised.

Scott G. Williams MD, FACOG - an expert in obstetrics and gynecology – says that “babies don't develop as well with excessive heat, which is why pregnant women are told to avoid hot tubs; you get so hot, you raise the temperature of the baby; try to avoid being outside exercising in the middle of a July or August day.”

While Erin O’Brien recommends that “if you look in the mirror and see that your face is really flush, I'd take it down a notch”.

Back in the saddle

Cycling is a great work-out for pregnant women and to minimise the risk involved a stationary exercise bike might be best. These bikes come in all shapes, sizes and requirements, so you can practically build a bike that suits your needs. Your needs in this situation are a back rest and a wide saddle, as you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible in that seat.

Whatever pregnancy exercise or fitness routine you are doing, be sure to take on board lots of liquid; staying hydrated is critical to you and your baby. Tap water – if it is safe – is best kind as it contains all the natural minerals needed in our daily diet. Try to stay away from sports drinks, as these are high on sugar content and you’re not trying to endure yourself, you’re just getting exercise.

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Pregnancy Tips at Summer

2012-06-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

Being pregnant in one of the hottest seasons can be overwhelming. There sure are several downsides to being pregnant in the hot and sticky season, but there are a few things you can do to survive the summerwhile you are pregnant.

Keep yourself Hydrated

Staying hydrated throughout summer is even more important for pregnant women than others. You must make it a priority to drink plenty of fluids. Not only do liquids help in keeping the body cool, they also help reduce the amount of swelling in the legs and hands that is common during the third trimester of pregnancy. Water is one of the easily accessible and inexpensive sources of rehydration. Avoid caffeinated drinks because caffeine causes the body to lose fluids.

Choose Comfortable Clothes

There is nothing that magnifies the humidity and heat of the summer season than tight clothes. The downside of pregnancy is the excessive sweating due to an increase in hormones. With each month, your body tends to grow bigger and therefore, it is important that you invest in cotton clothing that is bigger than your normal pregnant size. Remember to choose breathable fabrics and light colours that can absorb more heat. While making a wise choice in terms of clothing during pregnancy, do not forget footwear. Ensure that you leave room for your feet and ankle to swell.

Travel Light

Depending on your routine, you may be carrying several bags from diaper bags, kid back packs, briefcases to planners. When you on the third trimester of your pregnancy, make sure that you downsize the daily needs. Remember to include only the most important items into your bag. If there is something that you may need, store it in your car or office so you don’t have to carry them around with you.

Keep Rest on Top in Priority List

Getting a lot of rest during pregnancy is important, especially during summer. Resist any feelings of guilt or slacking off that you may have during the course of your pregnancy. Give yourself and the baby as much rest as is needed. Taking enough rest will help you meet your scheduled commitments effectively. Even if you don’t feel like sleeping, lie down and place a pillow below your feet. Placing a pillow below the feet will help you minimise back aches and help you relieve any discomfort that you may be experiencing due to swelling.

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Summer Foods for Weight Loss

2012-06-11T10:52:00.001-07:00

Sure summer makes your appetite fluctuate and thereby gives you one more privilege of avoiding eating to lose weight, but the punch is that starving or skipping meals is counter-productive. When you are planning to lose weight, you should aim for healthy weight loss through healthy foods. Here are some of the best summer foods that are sumptuous and induce weight loss.

Strawberry

Strawberries are the perfect summer snack for weight loss because they are filling, low-calorie and high on omega 3 fats and cancer-fighting polyphenols. Eating a half cup of strawberries provides about 70 per cent of daily vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants.

Blueberry

Blueberries are excellent sources of delicious summer food that improve blood circulation and fight the free-radical damage caused to tissues and cells. Blueberries are low in calories and therefore, consuming them in umpteen will not increase body fat. You may enjoy them atop oatmeal, inside whole-grain muffins or puree them into burger patties.

Plum

However you choose to eat plums, they are packed with low calories, dietary fibres and vitamin C. If you feel hungry in the middle of meals, grab a pack of dried prunes. Apart from being a nutritious delight, plums help in suppressing the appetite.

Squash

Summer squash offers some of the major nutrients and vitamins that include potassium, copper and magnesium. One cup of squash provides 80 calories. The earthy flavour and bright colour of squash makes it a perfect side dish to meals.

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are a good source of beta carotene, an important antioxidant. Green bell peppers contain a good amount of vitamin C. Besides, bell peppers are a great choice for beautifying the dining table.

Mango

Mangoes are dense with antioxidants, protein and omega 3 fats. Apart from being tasty, these are low-calorie and can therefore, bulk the meals up without causing ill-health. Garnish slices of mango atop yoghurt or oatmeal, in salads etc.

Beets

One of the most important ingredients that beets have in them is the B vitamin folate, which is an important nutrient for women. Beets help in keeping heart diseases, certain types of cancers, especially colon cancer and birth defects away. You may add beets to salads and make them sumptuous without adding too many calories.

Bison Meat

Red meat sure has many calories, but you need not cut its consumption completely. Bison burger is lean, low in fat and has fewer calories than beef, pork or chicken. Besides, bison meat is high in iron and omega 3 fats.

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Treatment Acne during Pregnancy

2012-06-02T04:35:00.000-07:00

You may have always had clear skin, but during pregnancy, you are likely to experience sudden acne breakout. Acne during pregnancy is the result of changed hormone levels and production of some new ones. Read ahead to learn how you can manage acne during pregnancy.

Treating Your Acne During Pregnancy

Ensure that you are giving your skin basic care. Every morning clean your face with a gentle cleanser, but avoid toners and astringents. Your skin is more sensitive at this time; thus, refrain from using hard skin care products and cosmetics. Use a light moisturising cream. You can use it twice a day.
If you also had acne problem before pregnancy and it is getting worse now, your skin urgently needs acne treatment medication. Whatever product you use while being pregnant, it always has an impact on your baby’s health. Thus, be selective in your cosmetics and it is better that you don’t use any.

Safe Acne Treatments during Pregnancy

Before opting for any medication to treat acne, you should consult your doctor first. Some medications may be available over the counter, such as:

benzoyl peroxide
salicylic acid - in low concentrations only
erythromycin.

Medications to Avoid

Usually, non-pregnant women are prescribed Accutane, Retin-A, and Tetracycline by their dermatologists. However, these drugs should be avoided in pregnancy. Here we have discussed the complication caused by these medications and the necessary precautions.

Accutane:(Category X): According to the Organization of Teratology Information Services, almost 25-35% women who were exposed to Accutane during the first trimester of pregnancy, have babies with birth defects. These defects can range from craniofacial defects, heart defects to central nervous system defects. Usage of these drugs also elevates the risk of miscarriage and infant death mortality.

Retin-A:(Category C): According to OTIS, almost 10 per cent of women who use Retin-A have the risk of passing it into their blood stream and it can also pass to the baby. Even with these findings, Retin-A still carries warnings of use by women who are pregnant. In this case, it is best to discuss treatment with your dermatologist and other health care provider.

Tetracycline: (Category D): According to OTIS, tetracycline appears to cause disruption in the proper growth of bone and can also cause discoloration of teeth in a foetus. Therefore, taking tetracycline to treat acne should also be discussed with your dermatologist and your gynaecologist.

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Way to Awaken Your Intuition and Find Love

2012-05-30T12:48:00.003-07:00

Looking for love in all the wrong places? World-renowned psychic medium Char Margolis reveals her top three steps to bringing eternal love into your life.

Step 1: Visualize What Love “Looks” Like

Love isn’t always at first sight. Beauty fades and if you only focus on looks, you might end up with the wrong person in the long run. Always be careful what you ask for because you might just get it. For example, if you keep visualizing yourself with an ex, you may just wind up repeating similar behaviors. To find a nurturing kind of love that lasts, you need to identify the qualities that you are looking for in a partner and meditate on a loving person who has your best interests at heart.

Step 2: Use Your Intuitive Radar

All of us are born with intuition. Positive and negative energies exist in everything and are there to help you! If a potential mate rubs you the wrong way, don’t ignore your natural intuition! There's a big difference between butterflies and a stomachache, which some people may experience when they feel something is not quite right. Pay attention or you might find yourself wishing you had trusted your gut!

Step 3: Be Confident and Act Upon It

Once you stop ignoring your intuition, you’ll feel confident enough to make solid decisions about your love life without overthinking them. Remember that intuition is natural and was built to help and guide you. Just like trust is important in any relationship, trusting your intuition is the key to finding real love. If you feel a bad vibe, walk away. If you feel a good vibe, move forward. It will pay off.

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for Stress and Anxiety Best Teas

2012-05-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

In the Asian mountain regions of Asia, teas have been used for millennia to help with relaxation, in rituals (like spiritual and religious ceremonies), for nourishment, and as healing medicine.

In most cases of anxiety today, modern medicine will look to prescription medications to help people cope. According to a report in the 2010 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, people who use anti-anxiety medication have a 36% increased mortality risk. That means people using these drugs are almost 40% more likely to die than people who do not use them (1). While these drugs can be lifesaving in urgent situations, in most cases, there are natural alternatives.

The following teas are all wonderful for helping your body process stress, relax, and heal from the depletion that can occur as a result of long-term stressors.

Passionflower

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) was first grown and used by Native Americans in the Southern United States, like so many of our plant medicines. Passionflower has the flavone chrysin, which has wonderful anti-anxiety benefits and, in part, can work similarly to the pharmaceutical Xanax (Alprazolam) (2,3).

Two studies totaling almost 200 people showed no difference between the efficacy of common anxiety medications and passionflower, but showed that the herb may cause less drowsiness (4).

How to Dose Passionflower

Passionflower tea can be made by infusing 1 tablespoon of dried herbs in 1 cup boiling water. Let the mixture steep for about 10 minutes. Drink the tea near bedtime to induce restful sleep. More typically, we have patients use two droppers-full (about 50 drops) of tincture in warm water as a tea before bed. For people who are very anxious, they can take 25 drops as needed, and they may find it a reasonable substitute for Xanax and other anti-anxiety medications.

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Cancer-Fighting Beans and Greens

2012-05-28T12:48:00.005-07:00

Studies show that certain foods such as collard greens and white beans can help fight and prevent cancer. Dr. Will Clower, nutritionist and founder of the Mediterranean Wellness Initiative, combines these inexpensive cancer-fighting superfoods with his Alabama roots to make this most delicious beans-n-greens recipe!

Ingredients

Serves 6

1 cup onion, diced

2 cans Great Northern beans, rinsed

1 (32-oz) box organic chicken stock

1 bunch of collard greens

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 sprig rosemary

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

In a medium pan, sauté onion over a medium flame until the onions are translucent.

Take the collard greens and tear the leaves from the central ribs. Rip the leaves to a manageable size, approximately 2 inches by 2-inches. Gather the leaves and thoroughly rinse. In a Dutch oven, add chicken stock, collard greens, white beans, vinegar, and rosemary.

When the onions are done, add them into the Dutch oven. Bring mixture to a boil, turn down the heat to medium low. Cover the pot with a lid and allow to gently bubble away for 30-40 minutes, until leaves are tender.

Served over a bed of rice, this delicious recipe makes its own meal. The flavor could benefit, too, from a healthy splash or two of hot sauce. Enjoy!

Smart Guide to Sun Protection

2012-05-28T12:46:00.004-07:00

As you may have heard or read, the Food & Drug Administration has decided to extend the compliance date for the sunscreen labeling and testing requirements from this summer to the end of 2012 for major sunscreen brands.

The requirements will ensure that sunscreen products are clearly labeled as to their broad-spectrum protection and sun protection factor (or SPF), and whether they protect against only sunburn, or protect against both sunburn and skin cancer. The requirements also will ban misleading terms such as “waterproof” to describe these products. Extending the compliance date allows manufacturers the necessary time to test their products for broad-spectrum protection and properly label them.

Until sunscreens meet the FDA’s new labeling and testing requirements, the Academy recommends that you use these simple tips to help protect yourself during the upcoming summer season – and beyond.

Always use a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen rated SPF 30 or more. “Broad-spectrum” provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB rays). To clear up a misconception: Something rated SPF 30 is NOT “twice as strong” as something with an SPF 15.

Use a shot glass worth of sunscreen to start and when re-applying. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and a shot glass is about the right amount of sunscreen to put on before you head outside – even on a cloudy day. Re-apply that much sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

Be fashion-forward and sun-safe. Enhance your outdoor wardrobe with everything from wide-brimmed hats to UV-resistant clothing. When used with sunscreen, these clothing items provide effective and, yes, fashionable protection from the sun’s harmful rays.

Pack a sun-protection “Go Bag” before heading out. Once you hit the beach, park or playground, you will be out of luck if you forget your sunscreen. As always, it’s best to follow the tips above, but packing a “Go Bag” prior to a day at the beach, on the baseball diamond or picnicking in the park is always a good idea. Pack at least one family-sized bottle of sunscreen, hats and sunglasses for your group just to be sure you’re sun safe once outside.

And remember that while more than 3.5 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, there’s plenty you can do to help prevent it, detect it – and live.

We urge you to take the American Academy of Dermatology’s Facebook pledge to SPOT Skin Cancer™or visit the AAD’s website for more helpful advice and free resources – and encourage your friends and family to do the same!

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The Long and Short of Earlobe Repair

2012-05-21T04:51:00.000-07:00

As with many simple cosmetic procedures, numerous nuisances exist for repeatable and aesthetic results.

In cosmetic surgery, you can certainly find more "sexy" operations than the repair of the lowly earlobe. Large, pendulous earlobes are unattractive to many patients, and requests for lobe reduction are common in cosmetic surgery practices. As with all procedures, large and small, to perform it correctly requires finesse and understanding of what it takes to obtain consistent and aesthetic outcomes. Anyone can excise a fistula and sew the lobe back, but those who do it best have an understanding of what small alterations compensate for common mistakes.

Earlobe tears are extremely common and mostly seen in female patients. With the increase in male piercings, as well as extreme dilations and piercings, it has become even more common and challenging to perform this operation on both sexes.

Common causes of lobe tears include continued wearing of heavy, pendulous earrings; trauma from snagging earrings on clothes; hairbrushes; telephone cords; assault; domestic abuse; and babies pulling on shiny objects dangling from earlobes. Some patients present with freshly torn lobes, but the vast majority of earlobe tears are chronic and the patient has had the condition for years.

Earlobe tears can be classified into partial, full, and multiple tears. Partial tears are usually a simple elongation of the original piercing and bother patients as their earrings no longer sit correctly or the added weight produces an elongated opening. Full tears represent a violation of the inferior lobe border and can be multiple in nature, says Dr. Dhir, Senior Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon, Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.

Many authors have offered techniques for improved aesthetics with earlobe repair. Earlobe repair is a simple 10- to 15-minute procedure performed with local anesthesia. The earlobe is injected with local anesthesia for partial tears. The procedure costs Rs. 15000/- for both Complete and Partial tears.

Complete Tears

Having to go without earrings for the healing period is unfavorable for some patients, and immediate repair and piercing can be easily performed.
This technique is performed by completing the repair and then placing a dedicated piercing stud near the suture line. Standard earrings are not a good choice, as their posts are shorter and can cause pressure necrosis on the repair.
One disadvantage of immediate repair and piercing is that it is difficult to accurately place the earring due to local anesthesia engorgement, edema, and the position of the suture line. If immediate piercing is not performed, the lobe should be allowed to heal 30 days prior to repiercing.

Earlobe Reduction

Numerous techniques exist for earlobe reduction.

The most common consist of a "wedge" or other geometric reduction- To perform the wedge-type reduction; a triangle of hypertrophic lobe is marked and injected with local anesthesia. The excess is removed, and the same principles of the aforementioned lobe approximation techniques are applied.

The simple peripheral lobule trimming- Again, this procedure is usually performed with local anesthesia by outlining the desired limits of the new lobe and trimming the excess and heals with minimal scarring - Although scissors or scalpel can be used, I prefer the radiowave microneedle for this procedure, as the tissue contact is light and almost comparable to laser incision. The incision should be designed to hide the final scar.

Complications

Dr Pritam Pankaj, Senior Dermatosurgeon, New Look Cosmetic Skin Laser Center adds, significant complications are rare with this simple procedure and usually involve pointed lobe, stepped lobe, and unfavorable scarring. Severely stepped or pointed lobes may require a revision procedure to correct. As mentioned earlier, a radiowave ball electrode is useful to recontour pointed or stepped lobes. For unfavorable scars, CO2 laser resurfacing is an excellent option for revision to smooth and blend the scar.

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Cosmetic Surgery for Men

2012-05-21T04:43:00.001-07:00

Man boobs can be embarrassing

Having gifted, full breasts is quite attractive for women, but when it comes to men, let’s not kid ourselves, man boobs can be embarrassing.

Let’s face it- It is every man’s biggest nightmare.

What may come as a relief from this embarrassing corner is that a man does not have to experience them for a lifetime.

A woman’s asset can be a man’s problem

Man boobs is a medical condition named gynecomastia, and not just a pun dreamed up by marketers to sell products. It is a hormonal condition in which the body brings out an amplified amount of estrogen and a reduced amount of testosterone and mainly occurs at the time of puberty,” says Dr. Vivek Kumar, cosmetic surgeon, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

The other school of thought is that it can be because of excess weight. However, Apollo hospital’s plastic surgeon Dr Anup Dhir would disagree with it. It is a myth that you can spot reduces your man boobs, he adds.

There are better options than buying a bra

Don't let man boobs scare you. In order to deal with this ‘man problem’, medical advices must be sought.

In most of the cases, the sufferer will be taken off certain medications and will be suggested anti-estrogen treatment, suggests Dr Dhir.

30 per cent of males suffer from it and going for a surgery is the best way out. Liposuction is performed on the patient to do away with the fat on the chest area, says Dr Kumar.

Hide them in 5 minutes flat

One can do so by not going for t-shirts with high necks as they’re far too clingy for your chest. Vertical layers will also help in adding to the slim effect, suggests Delhi-based fashion designer Mandira Wirk. Adding another garment to your outfit can also be a good option like a jacket or a long-sleeved shirt over a t-shirt. Stay clear of single coloured t-shirts, she adds.

Our advice: It is better to go for surgery then to feel sorry about it throughout your life. After all you deserve to go topless!

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Extreme Cosmetic Surgery

2012-05-21T04:36:00.004-07:00

Ever thought how it would look on you if you got a couple of millimetres off your toe? Or wondered what if you could add some inches to those biceps? Have you ever wanted a bigger, better butt? Without having to work out and exercise, of course. Well, guess what, if you’re quirky enough and have deep enough pockets, a cosmetic surgeon can help with all these. Welcome to the age of extreme cosmetic surgery!

Toe shortening procedure

The most surprising procedure that actually exists and is carried out (more in the west than in India) is that of toe shortening. According to doctors quoted in online journals, women who feel unhappy with the toes that they were born with find it worth their while to go in for surgery to get – yes, you guessed it – a shortening of their toes. But doctors in India are quick to point out that most extreme cosmetic procedures are a result of a skewed and highly negative self image. The common term used to describe people with such a condition of wanting the absolute “perfect” body is BDD (body dysmorphic disorder), which causes people to notice every tiny flaw in their body and want to fix them.

Implants in the biceps

While procedures like tummy tucks and rhinoplasty (nose jobs) are becoming fairly common thanks to our movie stars who rediscovered fame because of their size zero figures and flaw-fixing nose jobs, extreme surgeries like implants in the biceps are not so common yet. Says Delhi-based twenty-something, Sadhna Nagpal, “I’ve considered getting a nose job, because I feel my nose is really weird, but I can’t imagine why anyone would want implants in their biceps! Are they even safe?” Her query is important. According to Delhi-based independent medical practitioner Dr. Arpanaa Kumar, “It is unlikely that doctors will recommend a procedure such as bicep implants. There is always the risk of infection, and even nerve or muscle damage.”

“Fix everything and make me perfect”

Extreme cosmetic surgery does not necessarily mean obscure and unheard of procedures. Some people come in to the doctor’s office wanting to fix everything that they believe is not ‘perfect’ about them. Says Dr. Kumar, “when our celebrities make statements like what God doesn’t give you, a doctor can, it encourages people to try and fix everything they feel is not beautiful about them. My friend knew a woman who wanted to enhance her bosom, get a nose job, and even chemically lighten her skin. So many procedures on one person are not just extreme but also extremely unsafe.”

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The ABC of Botox

2012-05-21T04:33:00.002-07:00

Glamour and wrinkles are two sides of the same coin. When wrinkles come, glamour definitely goes. But with botox treatments wrinkles – those pesky crow feet lines around eyes, horizontal lines on forehead and vertical lines between eye brows -- are becoming a thing of past. The best part is that it is non-surgical cosmetic procedure. Primarily botox prevents wrinkle formation by blocking the nerve impulses that causes the contraction of muscles.

Below are the ABC’s of Botox you must know -

Advantages of botox treatment:

o   15 minutes procedure.
o   Quick results, painless injections and no recovery period.
o   You can opt for retreatment.
o   Cheaper than face lifts.
o   Safer than drugs and may be used to cure cerebral palsy in kids.
o   No bruising, no swelling and no stitches.

Disadvantages of botox treatment

Temporary results.
Expensive addiction because you have to keep going back!.

Abstain from botox treatment:

If you’re pregnant or a lactating mother. Although there hasn’t been much research on the effects of botox on breastfeeding mothers and their babies yet, it’s advisable that you stay away from botox until more information is known. If you are pregnant or a new mother and would like to try botox, then consult a doctor first.

If you have other infections/diseases or are on medication. Director of Anticlock Age reversal Clinic and Medispa in Chandigarh --Dr. K.M.Kapoor says, “Doctors must look at the history of the patient for contra indications. Botox treatment is avoided if a person is on aspirin as it might cause bruising, has neuromuscular diseases or has localized infection in the area to be treated.”

What happens with Botox:

•     Visibility of changes: In a week or so, the treated muscle weakens and gradually a person who has gotten botox can lift their eyebrows or whichever wrinkle line they’ve worked upon without any major problems.

•   Duration of Botox effects: On an average botox injections are required after 4-5 months. Some, however, have experienced lasting effects for as long as 6-9 months. Botox prevents any communication between muscles and nerves but only temporarily. Since the muscles are temporarily incapacitated to move under the skin the frown lines no more make an appearance on a person’s face. But once they do then retreatment can immediately work upon the tensed muscles.

•   Post treatment precautions: Dr. Kapoor gives important advice to those who are going for multiple botox treatment. “They must avoid lying down for almost 2-3 hours; mainly because they want botox to be absorbed in the same position. Also, it’s better not to get any massages done on the face for 24 hours.” As to how effective the treatment is he says, “It’s preventive, curative and therapeutic. With multiple sessions both the dose requirement and the interval between sittings decrease”

Food and Drug Administration deems any other use of botox as dangerous. “But botox can cure cerebral palsy in children” adds Dr. Kapoor, “but then a child’s weight and the requirement of units of botox must be empirically calculated. For an adult whose weight is 60-70 kg 50-70 units of botox fits the bill but for a child who weighs 15 kgs – to cure muscle spasm - 100 units of botox in each arm is too much to handle. Hence, there can be side effects such as flu-like symptoms for children.”

Now you’ve heard it from the horse’s mouth. So, go for botox if need be and take age off your appearance.

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