yourhealthreference.blogspot.com | The ONE-STOP Your Health Reference Guide

Infrared sauna

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:21:00 +0000

The healthiest way you can ever get is by using infrared technology as your saunas, not as the old one, infrared saunas give you more benefits you could be experiencing from using it. Those are:

The temperature, the traditional one is so risky, which needs close to your body to make an effect, if it more than 20 minutes longer, your body may in danger. And guess what? WIth infrared sauna you can avoid this.

Beside, it also good for ailments, inflammation, weight loss, lowering cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure!... No more time to wait, use it soon, then sooner you get those benefits!

Far infrared Sauna

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Getting and being health is something important for us, whether baby, child, adult or old people, have to keep their health. therefore, so many industries produce tools that easier us to maintain our body's heath.

One of the most used tools for this is far infrared sauna. What is the use of Far infrared?? far infrared has energy that can penetrate the body's tissues to a depth of the muscle, then using infra red for sauna can warm its user(s) greater depth much more efficiently than a conventional sauna.

Interested to have one best kind of infrared saunas ever produced?, well, all you've to do is visiting this site eastcoastsaunas.com, home of high quality infrared saunas on earth. decide what type of infrared sauna you want, THE MALIBU, THE DEL MAR, THE NEWPORT, THE HOLLYWOOD etc, after, you have already had the most powerful key for being health. Go for it.

Revolutionary health care method in your home, Far Infrared Saunas

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:49:00 +0000

It is so easy now to keep your body and mind health. And amazingly it is far away from any malfunctions possibility. You don’t need to consume any drugs, medicine, tablet etc. As we’ve known together overconsumption of those can cause instability in our body, so risky!

Well guys, it is infrared sauna which comes to you and solves your health problem with the really secure and easiest way that maintain your health.

These are what far infrared sauna can do:

Pain Relief
Weight Loss
Increases Extensibility of Collagen Tissue
Joint Stiffness
Increases Blood Flow
Menopausal Symptoms
Detoxification of the Body. Etc

What about Far Infrared sauna's price?

The price is suitable with its great function and use that starting at only $1995. Well, don’t make it any problems because your health is more expensive than only $1995... right? :)

Dietary Recommendations

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 04:58:00 +0000

As is the case with all other age groups, the elderly are best served by a varied diet drawn from the five basic foods groups. The National Institute on aging advises that a daily diet for elderly people should include:

At least two serving of milk (or dairy products low in lactose, such as aged hard cheeses and yogurt)
Two servings of high protein foods (lean, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, nuts, peanut butter)
Four servings of fruit and vegetables, which should include a citrus fruit (or juice) and a dark green leafy vegetable.
Four servings of bread or cereal products, whole grain or enriched.

Signs of Eating Disorders

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0000

To determine whether someone has anorexia nervosa, look for the following signs:

Loss of 20 to 25 percent of total body weight
Loss menstrual period
Compulsiveness about exercise
Compulsive eating behavior
Depression
Perception of self as fat

The bulimic exhibits the following signs.

Frequent weight fluctuation of 10 pounds in either direction
Massive consumption of high-calorie foods
Repeated attempts to lose weight by severely restrictive dieting or long term fasting
Awareness that eating pattern is abnormal
Fear being unable to control eating voluntarily
Depression
Self –deprecating behavior

SMOTHING OUT THE SCARS

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 10:35:00 +0000

The next time the movie camera closes in on your Hollywood heartthrob, ask yourself: Has this guy ever had a pimple?

Actually, many people have acne that disappears without a trace. Others aren’t so lucky, and the deep, craterlike scars can leave a permanent record of the disease. The scars can rarely be eliminated, but they can be improved, says David W. Low, M.D., an assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

The easiest technique is dermabrasion, in which your doctor planes the skin smooth with a high-speed brush or wheel. “What you’re doing is sanding the high spots,” Dr. Low explains. The procedure isn’t particularly painful, but there is significant postprocedure crusting and oozing. “Your face can look pretty bad during the first couple of weeks,” he says.

Dermabrasion is effective only for shallow scars, he says. If you have deep, “ice pick” scars, your doctor may decide simply to cut out the scar, then stitch the skin back together. The trick, of course, is making the surgical scar less visible than the acne scar.

A third technique is called punch excision. First the scar is removed, then a plug of skin is taken from another part of the body and inserted in the hole. Once the grafts takes, your doctor may use dermabrasion to make your skin even smoother.

Another option is to fill the scars with collagen, an absorbable gelatin protein. While collagen does improve the appearance of a scar, it will eventually be absorbed by the body. In most cases, the benefits will fade after six months to a year, Dr. Low says.

Regardless of the procedure, timing is important. Ideally, your doctor won’t operate until new scars aren’t being formed. It’s also important to have realistic expectations, Dr. Low adds. “If someone has really severe acne scars, there’s nothing you can do to remove all of the irregularities. You’re not going to make the skin smooth. You’re going to make it less rough.”

TREATMENT BREAKTHROUGH
CUTTING THE RISKS OF ACCUTANE

Doctors though they had the perfect cure for acne in the early 1980s with the discovery of the drug isotretinoin (Accutane), a synthetic derivative of vitamin A.

Isotretinoin has the ability to eliminate even the most severe cases of acne for months or even years at a time. Unfortunately, there is a rub: untoward side effects. Accutane, while giving you smooth skin, can give you headaches, itching and muscle pain and can even cause your hair to shed. But most alarming, it can cause birth defects if taken by pregnant women.

But there are some researchers in Europe who still believe that Accutane can be the end-all for acne––without the bad side effects. They feel that lower doses of the drug taken for longer periods can produce the same benefits but cause fewer problems.

Doctors in this country disagree, says Alan R. Shalita, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Dermatology at State University of New York Health Science Center in Brooklyn. “It is conceivable that one could come up with a low enough dose that wouldn’t cause birth defects, but this would be very difficult to prove,” he says. “Who’s going to take the chance of testing it?”

Another way to make the drug safer would be to simply limit the distance it travels, Dr. Shalita says. Today, isotretinoin is taken orally, which means it can reach––and perhaps cause problems in––many parts of the body. But researchers are investigating topical preparations that could be rubbed directly on the acne, putting the punch only where it’s needed. “it would be safer this way, because the absorption into the body would be minuscule,” he says.

RABIES

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 06:49:00 +0000

You’re following an old deer trail through the woods late one Sunday afternoon when, off to your left, behind a boulder, you catch a glimpse of something brown––an old raccoon, foraging through the bushes for his supper.

You’d like to reach out a hand and offer him some of the berries you’ve picked for a snack, but you hesitate, as all the headlines about wild animals carrying rabies flood your mind.

Could this raccoon have rabies?

Assessing the risk

Rabies, although rare among humans, is not so uncommon in the animal kingdom, says Makonen Fekadu, D.V.M., the top rabies specialist at the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta.

Not all species of wild animals––nor all animals in a species––carry the rabies virus, he adds. Those critters to look out for include, but are not limited to, raccoons along the East Coast, skunks in the north- and south-central states, dogs and coyotes along the border between Texas and Mexico, foxes in New York state an New England and bats throughout the United States.

Other animals––unless they attack you without provocation––should be judged innocent until proven guilty. Domesticated dogs are no longer a serious threat, since rabies vaccinations have virtually wiped out the disease in household pets, in 1990, only 148 dogs in the United States contracted rabies, and none transmitted it to humans. From 1980 to 1991, only 16 cases of human rabies were reported to the CDC, and only 7 of these are believed to have been acquired from animals within the United States.

A frightening disease

If so few cases of rabies are found in the United States each year, why does everyone seem to be so afraid of the virus?

Part of the answer may be that rabies is such a deadly disease once symptoms develop. The virus will kill anyone who has been infected unless they begin a series of five vaccinations before the symptoms appear, says Dr. Makonen. Around 30,000 of these postexposure vaccinations are given every year, and a testament to their effectiveness is the rarity of the disease in humans.

Rabies is usually transmitted through a bite or scratch. The virus stays in the area of the wound for several days or months while it multiplies. It’s that characteristic that can save your live, explains Dr. Makonen. It gives you an opportunity to get antirabies vaccinations from your doctor, and it gives the vaccine itself a chance to train your immune system to kill the virus before the virus can spread throughout your body.

Without the vaccinations, the virus would eventually move into the nerves, using them as highways to the spinals column and finally to the brain. There are no overt symptoms as this occurs, although those affected by it might begin to feel as through they’re getting a cold. Pain, cold, numbness, tingling or burning might also begin at the wound site.

When the virus actually reaches the brain, the possible symptoms include intermittent periods of anxiety, hyperactivity, hallucinations, convulsions and bizarre behaviors, such as biting or an overwhelming fear or water. After rabies symptoms develop, a person with rabies gradually becomes paralyzed and dies of respiratory failure within a few days.

Smart action

There is no way to tell if an animal has rabies just by looking at it. A raccoon walking slowly up the trail is just about as likely to have rabies as the one that’s snarling in the bushes. If you’re bitten by any animal:

Immediately clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Since the rabies virus tends to hang around the wound site, says Dr. Makonen, washing it out with soap and water is the single most effective means of preventing rabies that you have. You should wash even before you seek medical help, he says.

Scratched that do not break the skin rarely cause rabies, and if you are bitten or scratched by a dog or cat that has an up-to-date rabies tag, you are most probably safe. But if there’s no current tag, or if you are wounded by another kind of animal, give your local health department a call and find out if the type of animal that hurt you––skunk, raccoon, woodchuck, etc.––is carrying rabies in your area.

If it is, get yourself to a physician on the double to begin your vaccinations. In 1991, there people exposed to rabies decided they didn’t need the vaccinations. All three are dead.

Food Guide for the Nursing Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 03:54:00 +0000

Nutritional requirement for the lactating woman are higher that any other stage of the life cycle. One must account not only for the nutrient and energy value of the milk itself but also for the demand placed on the body to produce it. Other tips for the nursing mother include:

Caloric requirements are increased by 500 calories per day to compensate for calorie and nutrient loss with lactation. The increased nutritional needs of the lactating mother can be met by increased intake of nutrient –dense, high quality foods.
Drink plenty of fluids. In addition to four to five servings of milk, one and a half quarts of water and /or juice will help assure adequate hydration for you, as well as furnishing the needed fluid produce a good milk volume.
There is no need for iron supplementation while lactating and not menstruating because cessation of menstruation compensates of iron in breast milk.
Vitamin A requirement are increased by 400 to 500 RE to maintain maternal liver stores, to account for variations in milk volume and to provide a margin of safety.

Nutrition and The Eye

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:29:00 +0000

The value of dietary sources of vitamin A for the prevention of night-blindness was known to the ancient Egyptians. Since then dietary supplement have been shown to benefit the eyes in only a small number of additional situations.

Vitamin A is required for the synthesis of the pigments which absord light within the eye, as well as for the maintenance of the eye’s smooth surface. The initial sign of vitamin A deficiency is usually night-blindness, followed in severe cases by dry eyes, and ultimately, breakdown of the ocular surface. Fortunately, vitamin A is plentiful in most diets, and symptoms are rare. Nearly all of the cases in developed countries result from malabsorption of the vitamin due to an intestinal disorder. Oral or injectable supplement typically bring dramatic improvement. In developing countries, diets deficient in vitamin A remain a major cause of visual disability. Inexpensive supplementation programs have proven very effective.

Recently, it has been reported that vitamin A may be of some value in slowing the rate of loss of vision in retinitis pigmentosis, a rare, inherited disease of the retina. The effect was small, and the dosage used was nearly 60 percent of the potentially toxic dose. In the same study, vitamin E supplements appeared to slightly accelerate the loss of retinal function.

It has also been suggested that vitamins E and C, as well as Zinc and other antioxidant and macular degeneration. In one preliminary study, high does zinc supplements appeared to reduce the incidence of onset of macular degeneration, thought they had no effect on the progress of established disease. Confirmatory studies are in progress.

There is no convincing evidence that any vitamin or mineral supplement is of value in the prevention or treatment of cataract.(Scott E. Brodie, MD.,Ph.D.)

Strategies for Change in Health Behavior

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:57:00 +0000

Give careful thought to your motivation and reasons for wanting to make particular changes, make a conscious effort to think about them every day. Consider the long –and short-term advantages and disadvantages of changing.

Prepare for expected difficulties. Identify potential triggers for slips (i.e., an uncomfortable social engagement or physical illness). Avoid high-risk situations when possible.
Formulate a list of coping methods that can be used when the “old urge” arises (see other boxes in this chapter).
Don’t be overly compulsive or controlled in your new habits. Go with the 80 percent rule (if you can do so honestly). For example, 20 percent of the time, allow your self to eat taboo foods in limited quantities.
Develop and read a list of coping self-statement for times when you experience urges to slip, or following a slip. For instance: “Just because I don’t feel like jogging doesn’t means I shouldn’t, ” or “having that piece of cake wasn’t great, but it did taste good. I ‘m only human, so let me just go back to eating right and have no more cake today. “ practice and rehearse these types of statement, particularly while visualizing yourself in high-risk situations.
Practice deep breathing exercise and other relaxation skills when an acute craving episode occurs.
Develop a network of people who practice healthy behaviors to serve as good models and to provide support.

Indirect Methods of Determining Body Composition

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:48:00 +0000

Under Weighing. This Method (called densimetric) is based on the fact that fat tissue is lighter than other body tissue-bones, muscle, blood, and water. The person is weighed while submerged underwater, with as much air as possible exhaled from the lungs. he or she is then weighed normally on the ground. By using a formula based on the two weights, the percentage of body fat can be determined.

Skin fold thickness. About 50 percent of back fat situated just below the skin, and by measuring folds of skin on certain part of the body, the percentage of body can be estimated. The most accurate measurement are obtained by using calipers; indicative body sites include the triceps (the skinfold on the back of the arm midway between the shoulder and elbow), the sub scapular area below the shoulders blades, and the area justa above the hip bone.

Total body water (hydrometry). Most fat free tissue (muscle) contains water, while fat tissue has very little. Therefore, measurement of total body water provides an estimate of Fat Free Mass (FFM). One approach to this measurement is taken by injecting a known amount of a substance that distributes itself throughout the body’s water compartments. A blood sample, taken after enough time elapsed for the substance to reach a stable concentration in the body, reveals the substance’s distribution in body water, allowing the tester to measure total body water and from that to calculate the amount of FFM. The result obtained by subtracting FFM from total body weight is the body fat content. Another approach is by putting two electrodes on a limb and measuring resistance to an electric current. The amount of electric impedence measures body water.

Whole body potassium. Almost all of the body’s potassium is contained in cells other than adipose tissue. A naturally occurring isotope of potassium exists as a fixed proportion to all potassium found in the body. The radioactive portion can be measured by counting the gamma rays it emits, and this can be used to estimate the total potassium. The greater the amount of potassium in relation to body size, the smaller the percentage of body fat.

Ensuring a Safe Water Supply

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:51:00 +0000

If the water streaming from the tap becomes unusually brown, cloudy, or otherwise murky looking, or if it develops a strange odor or un pleasant taste, immediately contact the local water utility or the local health department for information and assistance. In some instances, these authorities will test the water, or they can recommend a qualified laboratory.

Many toxic hazards are colorless, tasteless, and odorless. Laboratory analysis is the only way to be certain that drinking water meets safety standards. Since all municipal water supplies must, bylaw, be tested on a regular basis, first ask the local water superintendent for the latest test report.

Individual whose water comes from a private well, or those concerned about contamination by chemicals that are not included in routine testing, may want to have their water analyzed by a commercial laboratory, listed in the yellow pages under laboratories, testing,. Check with the state or local department of the environment or health to be sure that company has been approved by the state for testing drinking water.

Water treatment systems
Several types of home water-treatment systems are also available, but it’s important to realize that no one type may treat all water problems. For example, activated carbon filters can improve the taste and odor of water as well as remove many chemical, but they won’t remove bacteria or toxic metals such as lead. In fact, unless the carbon filters cartridges are changed regularly, they can provide a breeding ground for bacteria. All home water treatment devices should be thoroughly researched for use and performance before purchase.

Tips on Lowering High Cholesterol

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 04:25:00 +0000

Lose weight if you are above the desirable range. Although high cholesterol levels are not always associated with excess weight, over weight individuals typically have higher readings than normal-weight ones. Most of the suggestions for lowering cholesterol will also assist in doing this.

Use a low fat, low cholesterol cookbook for recipes or modify traditional ones to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol content. Reduce portion sizes of meat dishes, and always trim away visible fat. Cook meats so that fat can drain off, and discard or skim all fat from the drippings.

Use vegetables, pasta, and other low-fat, cholesterol-free foods to add quantity and variety to meals.

Markedly reduce consumptions or cholesterol-rich foods, such as eggs and organ meats(liver, brains, and kidney). The American Heart Associations recommends that a person consume no more than four egg yolks a week, including those used in baked goods.

Don’t be misled by advertising claims of no cholesterol. Check the labels and avoid palm, palm kernel, coconut, lard, and other highly saturated fats and oils. Avoid excessive use of product with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils since such product contain high levels of trans fatty acids, which may raise cholesterol levels.

Exercise regularly. Frequency exercise helps in weight control and helps raise the HDL level in the bloods.

Some types of dietary fiber can help lower cholesterol. These include the sticky or soluble fibers, such as pectin (found in apples and other fruits), guar (used in gum and as a thickener), and the fiber in oat or corn brans and dried beans and other legumes. Include foods containing these fibers in your regular diet.

Have meatless meals a few times each week, but avoid quiche and cheese, nut, and cream dishes that many be high in fat.

The butterfat found in milk and cheese contains more cholesterol –raising saturated fats than does the fat in red meat or poultry. Therefore, use skim or 1-percent-fat milk. Substitute tub and liquid margarine for butter, and use cheese sparingly unless it is made from skim milk. (Even part-skim milk cheese tends to be high fat.)

Planning for Pregnancy

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 04:54:00 +0000

Two to three months before a woman plants to become pregnant, it is recommended that she visit her obstetrician/gynecologist and discuss the following topis:

Contraception (when to discontinue)
Diet (weight gain/loss; intake of artificial sweeteners, caffeine, and alcohol; vitamin/mineral supplementation)
Exercise
Drugs (use of over-the-counter, prescription, and recreational drugs)
Smoking
Immunization (especially rubella)
Medical condition (chronic diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, environmental or occupational hazards, family history)

Adapted from environmental Nutrition Newsletter, January 1986.

CERVICAL DYSPLASIA

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 04:18:00 +0000

The last word any woman wants to hear following a Pap smear is “abnormal.” It is not, however, a reason for panic. “Abnormal” findings are extremely common and are usually due to easy-to-treat conditions such as inflammation, an infection or cervical erosion. It’s also possible to learn that you have what doctors call cervical dysplasia.

This condition often causes no symptoms––it’s simply the growth of abnormal cells on the cervix. (The cervix, located deep within the vagina, is the opening to the uterus.) But because some kinds of cervical cancer, doctors often treat cervical dysplasia aggressively, removing the cells in moderate or severe cases and, in mild cases, either removing cells or monitoring them closely with frequent Pap smears. (The cells may revert to normal or become increasingly abnormal.)

Protecting Yourself

Unlike heart disease or lung cancer, cervical cancer––and its precursor, cervical dysplasia––isn’t generally though of as a “lifestyle” disease. But population studies do link an increased risk for cervical cancer with some factors that are within your control. Following these tips will help you reduce your risk.

Get regular Pap smears. “The biggest risk factor for invasive cervical cancer is infrequent Pap smears,” says Ruth Peters, Sc.D., a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California School Medicine in Los Angeles.

Most experts recommend that you begin getting Pap smears as soon as you become sexually active. After you’ve had three consecutive annual Pap smears that show all is normal, you shouldn’t need another for three more years. If the test shows that something cancerous may be brewing, more frequent testing is highly advisable, says Dr. Peters.

One study by researchers at the University of Washington found that women who hadn’t had a Pap test in ten years or more had 12 times the cancer risk of women who got checked more regularly.

Make it monogamous. The more sexual partners you’ve had, the higher your risk for cervical cancer. And if you’re faithful but he’s been sleeping around, your risks also shoot up. Why? Chances are you, through your mate, have been exposed to a virus associated with cervical cancer. “Strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been found in more than 90 percent of cervical cancer tissue samples.” Says Ralph Richart, M.D., director of the Division of Gynecological Pathology and Cytology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City.

Wait till you’re twentysomething. Because it may expose cervical cells to the sexually transmitted factor (perhaps HPV) at a time when they are particularly vulnerable, sex at an early age ups your risk for developing cervical cancer later, Dr. Peters says. “In one recent study, one partner before age 20 tripled a woman’s risk, and three or more sexual partners before age 20 increased the risk tenfold,” she says.

Use barrier methods of birth control. Condoms and diaphragms protect the cervix from contact with lots of potential irritants, including the HPV virus. In her study, Dr. Peters also found contraceptive creams, jellies and foams reduced cancer risks. Why? “They kill sperm, and they probably also kill whatever else might be transmitted,” she says.

Douche with discretion. Don’t douche your doctor tells you to. There is a misperception among many women that regular douching keeps you fresh and clean. Instead, it seems to reduce the body’s natural ability to fight off disease. “In one recent study, douching five or more times a month tripled the risk of cervical cancer,” says Dr. Peters.

Ditch your butts, and hi, too. Studies show that smoking triples your risk for cervical cancer, Dr. Peters says. “Nicotine and other chemical from cigarette smoke are concentrated in the cervical fluids,” she says. Those same toxins also end up in a man’s semen.

One study showed that women exposed to passive cigarette smoke for 3 or more hours a day had a threefold increase in cervical cancer.

Eat better. Numerous population studies have linked the development of cervical cancer with poor nutrition. Adequate intake of vitamins E and C, beta-carotene and folate seems protective.

Get Proper Treatment

What do you need to know if you are told you have cervical dysplasia? In a sense, you should be delighted that your doctor has found these abnormal cells. Early treatment can prevent them from turning into cancer.

Next you should be aware that your diagnosis should not be based on a Pap smear alone. “A Pap smear is a screening test, not a method of diagnosis,” says Robert Kurman, M.D., a professor and director of gynecologic pathology at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

An abnormal Pap smear indicating dysplasia should be followed by a biopsy of the cervix done with a colposcope, a viewing instrument that provides a magnified view of the cervix and allows the doctor to see any actual lesions, Dr. Kurman says. The biopsy removes small bits of tissue that are examined under a microscope. At the same time, the doctor may also scrape cells from the opening to the uterus, a procedure called endocervical curettage. Based on the examination of these two tissue samples, the doctor will decide how much cervical tissue needs to be removed and how it should be removed.

The tissue is most often removed by freezing (cryosurgery) or carbon dioxide laser surgery, both simple outpatient procedures. If the abnormal cells have invaded underlying tissue, a more radical surgical procedure, or radiation therapy, may be required.

A newer technique that uses a thin, electrically charged wire loop to scoop out areas of abnormal cells may be better than either cryosurgery or laser surgery, though, Dr. Richart says. “The procedure is easy to teach and learn,” he says. “It requires less expensive equipment than other methods of removal, allows biopsy and treatment to occur at the same time, which saves patients an additional office visit, and gives a complete tissue sample for examination, which will do away with missed diagnosis of invasive cancer.”

RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 19:56:00 +0000

They describe their legs are tingling . . . writing with worms––crawling with ants. Or as one sufferer puts it, “a drives-you-nuts kind of thing” Something that gives your limbs an uncomfortable urge to get up and move while the rest of your body is begging for sleep.

Doctors agree that this condition, known as restless legs syndrome, causes some unusual, and extremely uncomfortable, sensations. In fact, it makes doctors uncomfortable, too. That’s because they don’t know what causes it. They aren’t sure how to treat it. They even have trouble describing it.

Just ask Doughlas K. Ousterhout, D.D.S., M.D., a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in San Francisco who has had restless legs syndrome since he was a teenager. “You really can’t describe what it feels like,” says Dr. Ousterhout. “Your legs ache. You want to get up and walk or get up on your toes and get your legs going up and down that will help, but when you stop moving, it comes right back, of course.” Sometimes it comes back for just a few minutes, he adds. Sometimes it lasts for hours.

Mild or Maddening

In a way, restless legs syndrome resembles an itch deep inside one or both legs. An itch that often begins in the evening when you’re sitting or lying down. An itch that may be mildly annoying during the day but distressingly disturbing at night, when you’re trying to sleep. The only solution is to “scratch” the itch, says Lawrence Z. Stern, M.D., professor of neurology at the University of Arizona health Sciences Center and medical consultant for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Most of the time, just getting your legs moving will help.

The severity of restless legs syndrome, and the frequency of attacks, varies widely, Dr. Stern says. Some people experience it every night––their legs can sometimes jerk or kick involuntarily. For others––and Dr. Ousterhout one––it occurs occasionally. In most cases, “It’s something people will complain about if their doctor asks them, but it’s not the reason they actually go to the doctor,” Dr. Stern says. For others, of course, just reading a book, watching a movie or sitting at the dinner table can be torture: They just have to walk around. In fact, some people stay up all night because their restless legs won’t cal down.

Taking Out the Kick

Eventually your restless legs may take you to the doctor’s office for a checkup. When you go, here’s what your doctor will probably find: nothing. This is because most people with restless legs have nothing detectably wrong. Oh, your doctor may test your blood and, if he’s a neurologist, your nervous system. But most people with restless legs have nothing wrong with them that seems to account for their problem––nothing, that is, except an itch too deep to scratch.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to calm your restless legs.

Hit the track. Regularly exercising your legs, whether by walking, running or doing in-place toe lifts, is probably the best way to ease your restless legs, Dr. Stern says. Dr. Ousterhout agrees. “When I was in high school, I used to go running at night,” he remembers. “It was about all I could do that would make it feel better.”

Knead your knee. Or whichever part of your big is giving you grief. While rubbing your legs isn’t a cure for restless legs, Dr. Stern says, some people say that it helps.

Take a jolt. Don’t be alarmed if your doctor sends you home with a rented black box and instructions to plug yourself in. Some researchers believe that TENS treatments––TENS stands for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation––can significantly relieve the symptoms of restless legs. With TENS, electrodes are placed on the skin over the affected parts of your legs. Small amounts of electricity then are directed into the underlying muscles and nerves. Essentially, your legs become too distracted by the electricity to continue being restless.

A Mystery with Clues

Although the cause of restless legs syndrome remains unknown, it is not a medical mystery without some clues, Dr. Stern says. Doctors do know, for example, that restless legs gets worse at night and with advancing age. Pregnant women are prone to it. So are people with kidney problems and rheumatoid arthritis. Restless legs syndrome has also been linked to iron deficiency, diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. In fact, a common drug used to treat Parkinson’s called levodopa (Sinemet) seems to work for restless legs in one study, 26 people who took levodoopa for two years said their symptoms were much relieved. Other prescription drugs such as clonazepam (Klonopin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), primidone (Mysoline) and bromocriptine (Parlodel) can help.

But many doctors believe the potential side effects of drug therapy may outweigh the benefits of treating this relatively harmless condition, Dr. Stern says. Unless your problem is really severe, your doctor will most likely want to try other therapies before prescribing any medications.

Until more is learned about this malady, it’s important for people to know that their restless legs syndrome, while mysterious, isn’t imaginary, says Dr. Stern. “I think people often are grateful to learn that restless legs is a recognized clinical entity and that they’re not going crazy.”

MASTITIS

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 19:48:00 +0000

Molly couldn’t wait to bring her newborn son home from the hospital. She pictured herself breast-feeding Joey in cozy comfort, tenderly caressing his tiny head while gently rocking in the oak rocker.

But molly’s picture-perfect vision of breast-feeding soon developed an ugly blot. After a few weeks, one of her breasts became so tender and swollen, it was hard to tell who wailed louder, Joey or Molly.

Fortunately, a call to her doctor reassured Molly that she was experiencing a mild form of mastitis, an inflammation of the breast that commonly occurs in nursing mothers in the first weeks after birth. Much to her relief, Molly learned that she would not have to give up breast-feeding. In fact, breast-feeding is the prescribed treatment for mastitis.

The Case of the Clogged Duct

When a nursing mother develops a painful area in her breast and there’s no fever, it’s usually caused by a plugged milk duct. This occurs when the breast is not emptying as completely as it should. The milk backs up in the duct, resulting in inflammation.

Take Molly’s case, for example. A few weeks after Joey’s birth, she returned to work. Up until that time, Joey had nursed on and off all day, which stimulated Molly’s breasts to product lots of milk. When Molly’s work schedule abruptly cut back on the nursing schedule, her milk supply exceeded the demand. Her breasts became overly full and, by late afternoon, sore and swollen.

To make matters worse, because her breasts ached, Molly rushed nursing Joey, leaving her breasts only partially drained. Overnight, her right breast became tender, and she stopped nursing from that breast entirely, which was the worst thing she could have done. As a result, milk backed up, a duct clogged, and her sore breast turned scarlet and throbbed like the dickens.

This is a classic example of inflammatory mastitis. “When an abrupt change in the nursing pattern occurs for any reason, it sets the stage for plugged ducts and mastitis,” says Karen Ogle M.D., associate professor of family practice at Michigan State University in Lansing. Also common: Babies who previously nursed all night suddenly become sound sleepers, leaving Mom with breasts filled to the brim.

Your Breast Plan

What can you do to prevent or treat aching, throbbing breasts?

Lessen your load. “Always nurse at the first feeling of fullness,” says Dr. Ogle. Your baby’s body should be fully facing the breast during nursing. This helps him to latch on to the nipple properly and to thoroughly empty the ducts of milk. “If you are away from your baby, hand express or pump enough milk to relieve the overfullness,” says Dr. Ogle.

Break through the pain. If, like Molly, your breast becomes inflamed, you must continue to nurse to drain it. “Despite the discomfort, now is not the time to wean to the bottle,” said Dr. Ogle. Stop nursing when you have inflammatory mastitis, and you risk causing an abscess, which will have to be surgically drained.

Once inflammation subsides, however, you can wean by cutting back one feeding at a time. That way, your breasts will gradually slow down milk production.

But for now, while the inflammation persists, try to breast-feed every 1 to 2 hours, followed by gentle hand expression or pumping if necessary to relieve the plugged duct. Begin nursing on the unaffected breast until you feel milk ready to flow from the inflamed breast, then switch sides. Take acetaminophen for pain and drink plenty of fluids.

Apply a little warmth. To encourage the milk flow, apply a warn, wet towel to the sore breast before nursing. You may also help loosen a plugged duct by learning over a basin of warm water and immersing your breast before nursing.

Free your breasts. Check your bra. It shouldn’t be so tight that it constricts milk flow. Also avoid sleeping on your stomach for prolonged periods, which can cause pressure against your breasts.

When to Call the Doctor

If, despite following these tips, your breasts remain sore and red for 24 hours or you have a fever, chills or other flulike symptoms, call your doctor. It probably means you’ve developed infectious mastitis.
Infectious mastitis is caused when a bacterium such as staphylocossus aureus. The mother’s body, perhaps through a cracked nipple, and the organism settles in a milk duct.

In any case, you’ll need an antibiotic to clear things up. Stick with the full course of drugs your doctor gives you, so that re-infection doesn’t occur.

Once again, continue to breast-feed. “Don’t worry about passing the infection on to the baby,” says Dr. Ogle. It’s the breast tissue that’s infected, not the breast milk. The antibiotic that passes into the breast milk is probably fine for your baby, but you should check with your doctor to be sure.

A final Rx: Rest. You need it to build your resistance and to counteract stress, which can hamper the free flow of milk.

GUM DISEASE

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 09:12:00 +0000

For people overage 35, gum disease outranks boxing, car accidents, ice hockey, hard candy and saltwater taffy as the leading cause of tooth loss. Three out of four adults Americans will have either the mild form of gum disease––gingivitis––or the severe form––periodontitis, or periodontal disease––at some point in their lives.

Despite such statistics, nine out of ten cases of gum disease could be prevented with simple, regular care, says William Clark, D.D.S., professor of oral biology and director of the Periodontal Disease Research Center at the University of Florida College of Dentistry.

We’ll tell you exactly what proper care of your gum entails, but first, a brief explanation of how gum disease does its dirty work.

The Plaque Attack

Gum disease starts with plaque. Plaque is a particularly loathsome, sticky concoction of mucus, food particles and bacteria that forms in the tiny spaces between your teeth and the gum line. Left to sit long enough, plaque can harden into a rock-hard substance called calculus.

In gingivitis, the plaque or calculus irritates and infects the gums. Your body’s natural defenses against infection make the gums swollen and shiny, and they bleed easily when you brush or floss. As the gums swell, pockets form between the teeth and gums, providing a cozy home for even more plaque.

Gingivitis may lead to periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease caused by bacteria. In good health, the tiny culprits inhabit your mouth in very low numbers. However, poor oral hygiene gives them the green light to multiply, says Dr. Clark. They move into the pockets caused by gingivitis, and your mouth becomes a battleground. The bacteria try to gain a foothold, releasing toxins and enzymes to battle the fighter cells created by your own immune system.

The ongoing war eats away at your bones, gums and connective tissue, and over the years, your teeth loosen in their sockets. Cementum, the sensitive tissue enveloping the roots, becomes exposed, and you feel pain when you eat hot or cold foods. Occasionally an abscess will form in the pocket, and the infection will destroy yet more bone.

In both forms of gum disease, one telltale sign is bad breath. Periodontitis also brings a bad taste in the mouth.

Preventing Gum Disease

Ask anyone with dentures: Real, healthy teeth are better than false ones. Prevent gum disease, and you should keep your teeth forever. It’s not so hard to do.

Brush daily. Let’s see, when did you first hear this one? Brushing gently after every meal is best, Dr. Clark says, “But you probably don’t need to take your toothbrush to work.” (Still, it’s a good idea, so at that important meeting you’re not caught with broccoli between your teeth.)

Is brushing best done with a plain old toothbrush, with an electric one or with a more expensive gadget that shoots water into gums? It really doesn’t matter. “Electric toothbrushes are no better for most people, but they may help if you have trouble with dexterity,” says Dr. Clark. An electric toothbrush may be more entertaining to use, so you may find yourself brushing more often––which is good. Thinking about the money you shelled out may also encourage you to brush more often!

Floss frequently. “At least three or four times a week is usually enough for most people, although flossing every day is best,” says Dr. Clark. Floss cleans between teeth, where bristles often can’t go.

Get regular professional cleanings. Even with good brushing and flossing, plaque can still form below the gum line. A visit to your dentist once every six months should be enough to keep the plaque at bay. “If your gums bleed when you brush, or if they’re puffy looking, you may need cleaning more than twice a year,” says Dr. Clark.

Try a mouthwash. This is purely an extra for your arsenal. Mouthwash can kill bacteria, but it’s no substitute for brushing, flossing and cleaning.

Use a toothpick. Especially handy when you can’t brush or floss, a toothpick can get rid of the big hunks of food and stimulate your gums. Be very gentle, though, to avoid stabbing your gums.

Stop smoking. One study says smoking doubles your risk of gum disease. While there’s no proof smoking actually causes gum disease, there’s plenty of evidence that it suppresses the immune system,” and that makes it harder for your body to fight the infection and makes the infection more resistant to treatment,” says Dr. Clark.

Treating Periodontitis

Periodontal disease is irreversible, at least for now. “But if you have it, you can keep it from getting worse,” says Dr. Clark. With the kind of treatment outlined below, you may be able to stop your pain––sand save your teeth.

Pocket probing, which can measure the space between gum and tooth, shows your dentist how deep your pockets are (perioontitis-wise, not money-wise). But the traditional manual probe is slow and imprecise. You may benefit from the newer computerized probe in which a slender wire is inserted into the pocket and withdrawn in one-tenth of a second. The computer-aided probe is quicker and able to make more accurate measurements than the old-fashioned manual kind.

Planning and scaling––a very thorough cleaning of plaque and calculus from tooth and root––is the first line of attack in halting existing gum disease. One form of the procedure woks best on front teeth, using anesthesia to go deeper than usual. This method can take 10 minutes per tooth but usually causes less gum shrinkage than surgery. For planning and scaling to have a chance to work, you have to follow up with your own commitment to faithful brushing and flossing.

Fiber-optic probes can be used instead of surgery for moderate periodontitis. Entering an incision so tiny that it doesn’t need stitches, the probe pushes gum tissue aside and shines a light on the root surface, enabling the dentist to scrape off calculus. You might call this “Scraping-edge” technology.

Antibiotics are often used in conjunction with cleaning or surgery, says Dr. Clark. Oral tetracycline is the most commonly used antibiotics, and more severe cases often call for amoxicillin. One new form or tetracycline comes in plastic fibers that are placed under the gum line, slowly releasing the medication over ten days, killing bacteria while reducing pockets.

Surgery may be needed in more advanced cases of gum disease. The octor makes tiny incisions around the neck of the tooth to expose the root and bone, enabling a more thorough cleaning, removal of diseased tissue and a possible reshaping and even grafting of damaged bone and gums.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:49:00 +0000

If you’re shooting off the Rockies for some skiing this winter, don’t let fear of Rocky Mountain spotted fever spoil your vacation.

First, the peak season for Rocky Mountain spotted fever is summer––not winter.

Second, even though the disease was first identified in the Rocky Mountain states, it’s actually most common in Oklahoma, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Third, no matter which state you are in, and no matter what the season, Rocky Mountain spotted fever is hardly anything to worry about. In order to be infected, you first have to get bitten by a trick––and not just any tick. The tick has to be one of three varieties capable of carrying the disease. In addition, your personal tick has to be infected with Rickettsia rickettsii, the bacteria that cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever. And the tick usually has to hang on to your skin for quite some time before passing on the bacteria. The chances of all of the above happening to you are, well, quite slim. According to government statistics, fewer than 700 Americans a year get the disease.

While this disease is nothing to stay awake worrying about, it’s nothing to laugh at either. Rocky Mountain spotted fever can be a nasty disease, starting with flulike symptoms and progressing to delirium, pneumonia and, in some cases, even worse fates. It is treatable, but without treatment, one person in five can die, say John Krebs, a public health scientist with the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.

Staying Tick-Free

The best way to prevent Rocky Mountain spotted fever (as well as other tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease) is to stop ticks from having dinner on you. Experts recommend the following.

Sport the buttoned-down look. Whenever heading into wooded or grassy areas in the summer or spring, don long pants, preferably tucked into high socks, and long-sleeved shirt to keep the creepy-crawlers away from your (to them) appetizing skin. It also helps to wear light-colored clothing. This makes ticks––which look something like small watermelon seeds––easier to spot and remove before they grab hold.

Remove attached ticks quickly. A feeding tick is disease waiting it happen. The longer it feeds, the greater the chance it will pass something on to you. “Transmission is unlikely if you remove the tick within 24 hours,” says William A. Petri, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., an assistant professor of internal medicine and microbiology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

“The best way to remove a tick is simply to grasp it near the head, preferably with tweezers, and slowly extract it,” says Krebs. Try not to crush the tick, since that can spread harmful bacteria. After you’ve removed the tick, wash the area of the bite with plenty of soap and water. Incidentally, forget about using gasoline, petroleum jelly or other “simple” techniques for removing ticks, says Krebs.

Be repellent. When venturing into a wooded or grassy area on a summer day, particularly in an area known to harbor disease-carrying ticks, apply insect repellents containing DEET to your arms, legs and head. For added protection, you can spray your clothes with repellents containing the chemical permethrin.

Shield your pets. Sure, Fido loves picnics. Unfortunately, ticks love Fido. It is possible for dogs to get Rocky Mountain spotted fever, says Krebs. They may also bring disease-carrying ticks home, where they can hop on you. Protect all the members of your family by buckling your pets into tick-and-flea collars before allowing them to frolic in high-risk areas. While some of these collars are quite effective, they are no guarantee that your pets will arrive home tick-free. It’s best to also give them a good inspection as they enter the door.

Postbite Action

Should you get infected, it’s essential to get to the doctor as soon as you can. How do you know you’ve been infected? The first symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever are headache, fever and muscle pain, which usually hit about a week or so after the tick passed you the germ, says Dr. Petri. “People will say it’s the worst headache they’ve ever had, and they’ll have muscle aches just everywhere.”

A rash usually appears three to four days after the first flulike symptoms appear. It typically begins on the ankles and wrists, then spreads to the trunk, the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Without prompt treatment at the point, the disease can then cause delirium, pneumonia, low blood pressure and vasculitis, an inflammation of the inside of the blood vessels that can “affect every organ in your body,” Dr. Petri says.

While the rash usually appears early, one person in ten won’t get it until the disease is well advanced, and another one in ten won’t get it at all. Don’t wait for the rash before getting help, Dr. Petri advises. If you’re sick and even suspect Rocky Mountain spotted fever, you must see a doctor. He’ll give you tetracycline, doxycycline or other antibiotics, which should knock out the infection within days.

Indirect Methods of Determining Body Composition

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:53:00 +0000

How to Help an Adolescent with a Weight Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:34:00 +0000

The following are tips for families and friends of adolescent with a weight problem.

DO:

Comment favorably on constructive changes in the teenager’s eating habits.
Compliment the teenager for avoiding situations hat trigger overating.
Keep problem foods (high-calorie, high-fat foods) out of sight, and preferably out of the house.
Stock tasty low-calorie foods such as skim milk product, fresh fruits, and raw vegetables in the cupboard and refrigerator.
Encourage the teenager to plan meals and to choose healthful, low-fat cooking methods

Don’t:

Be pessimistic
Scold or nag if the teenager fails to keep to the diet plan; negotiation is a better approach.
Tell other people about any failure or back sliding on the teenagers part.
Offer food that is forbidden. (“A little won’t hurt you.”).
Offer foods as a sign of affection. (“But I prepared it especially for you.”)

DANDRUFF

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 05:08:00 +0000

Intelligent and hardworking, Dusty Chalders has a good job, a loving wife and healthy, obedient children. He also has a little problem.

“Hey, Dusty, is it snowing out side?”
“Say, Dusty, did you drop your powder puff?”
“Yo, Dusty, have you been painting today?”

After fielding hundreds of personal comments from a few insensitive “friends,” Dusty went to his doctor for help. “Doc, you’ve got to help get rid of this dandruff,” he pleaded. “I can’t even wear my good blue suit.”

Getting A Little Flaky

Doctors aren’t sure why, but sometimes skin cells on the scalp proliferate-form, die and flake off-at an accelerated rate. “Dandruff is skin that comes off as a cohesive chunk,” says Guy F. Webster, M. D., an assistant professor of dermatology and director of the Center for Cutaneous Pharmacology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. “It gets worse in the winter, when the air is dry, because each individual flake is less prone to stick to your scalp if it’s not moist.”
While dandruff can be itchy, and perhaps a little unsightly, the biggest concern you probably will ever have is putting up with its appearance-and perhaps a few jokes. Because dandruff is present in nearly everyone, it’s hard to call it a disease.

Dermatitis by Another Name

The problem with dandruff, however, is that it can be a serious problem cosmetically. Some people get dandruff so badly that it can dump a veritable snowstorm on their shoulders day after day. This type of flaking is called seborrheic dermatitis, a disease characterized by a profusion of flaky, itchy head scales.

In fact, dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis are so much alike-they’re even treated alike-that some doctors believe they simply are variations of the same condition. “Some people believe they’re part of a spectrum, that the most mild form of scaling disease is dandruff and that if it’s a little worse, it becomes seborrheic dermatitis,” Dr. Webster says.

But there are differences. Dandruff usually stays at home on the scalp, but seborrheic dermatitis can wander to the eyebrows, outer ears and other parts of the body. It is also accompanied by inflammation and can be quite itchy as well.

Both, however, are needless embarrassment, says Dr. Webster, because it isn’t necessary to bear either of them on your shoulders. Dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis can easily be controlled. All it requires is a little attention to your hair a little more often than you are currently used to.

The Soap and Water Cure

If you have dandruff, says Dr. Webster, chances are you are not washing your hair often enough. Since dandruff is nothing more than flaking skin, washing it away will get rid of it. How fast the flaking proliferates should determine how often you wash your hair, not whether or not your hair feels dirty. The same goes for seborheic dermatitis. The more you wash away, the less you have to display.

Every day is best. Some people can wash their hair once a week and still be dandruff-free, Dr. Webster says. People with dandruff problems usually have a problem only because they let it go too long. The notion that shampooing causes dandruff by drying out the scalp is simply not true. Washing your hair-every day, if possible-can be the cure. But you also need to know how to wash it right.

Get the right shampoo. Over-the-counter dandruff shampoos work quite well, Dr. Webster says. The best are those containing selenium sulfide (Selsun blue) or zinc pyrithione (Head & Shoulders), both of which help slow cell growth. You might also try shampoos containing salicylic acid, which can help soften and remove itchy scales.

These shampoos work best if you leave them on for 5 to 10 minutes. Whip up a good head of lather at the beginning of your bath or shower, then thoroughly rinse it out when you’re nearly done. Since these shampoos can dry your hair, you might want to use a good conditioner for the crowning touch.

Treat it with tar. Tar-based shampoos not only, well, beat the tar out of dandruff, they pump in extra body as well. You should, however, use these preparations only if you’re dark haired, Dr. Webster warns. “If you are very fair haired, tar-based shampoos may turn your hair green.”

Oil it up. If you have thick scales on your scalp that create a lot of flaking, try loosening them up by rubbing them with a little warm mineral or olive oil. Let the oil soak in for a few hours, then shampoos as usual.

Finger the fungus. It hasn’t been convicted yet, but a fungus called Pityrosporum ovale may somehow be involved in triggering dandruff. A cream containing ketoconazole, rubbed into the scalp, can exterminate the fungus and perhaps some of the dandruff as well. For most people, the less expensive anti-dandruff shampoos will work just as well, Dr. Webster says.

Get used to it. Even though you can control a flaky scalp, it’s impossible to eliminate it. Don’t even try, Dr. Webster says. “No good is served by stirring up the scalp to see if you can get the last scale off,” he says. “You can always stir up another scale.”

TIPS to Avoid Weight Gain After Stopping Smoking

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Begin an exercise program to coincide with stopping smoking. As the days without cigarettes lengthen into weeks, the ability to jog, play tennis, swim, or do aerobic exercises will increase and the shortness of breath common to smokers will decrease. Soon, exercise will be a pleasure. In addition, it burn up extra calories.

Examine daily diet. Since stopping smoking can lead to a rediscovery of food, there is a temptation to overeat. Avoid high-calorie food and keep a supply of low calorie snacks on hand. These might include carrot and green pepper stick, unsalted and unbuttered popcorn, high-fiber crackers, and other low-calorie foods. Determine how many calories per day are needed based on age, height, and ideal weight and try not to eat more than this target.

Pick a convenient date for quitting. Avoid setting a target date for quitting smoking that coincides with a major holiday when rounds of parties and family get-togethers will increase the temptations to eat and drink too much.

Curtail the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The calories in such beverages are empty.

Consider the pros and cons of using nicotine gum during the first three months of abstinence.

Tactic for Coping with Stress

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:55:00 +0000

Studies show that those who are unable to express their emotions are at greatest risk of stress related disorders. The following steps promote constructive emotional expression and ways of minimizing daily stresses. They should in no way be considered a substitute for appropriate psychiatric, psychological, or family counseling to help deal with situations in which depression is a significant factor.

Learn to bring out into the open hidden or suppressed feelings of anger. For example, a headache that almost immediately follows an event may be a sign of suppressed anger.
Try to deal with anger as soon as possible by helping the person involved understand why and when you feel angry.
If anger stems from situation or person who cannot be confronted, or is out of your control, to acknowledge this fact. You might try to blow off steam through physical activity. Exercise is one of the best stress reducers, whether the cause is anger, frustration, anxiety, or another emotion. In addition to sports, physical activity such as gardening, dancing, or even cleaning the house may also help diffuse negative emotions.
Recognize other manifestation of stress, particularly those which may suggest significant depression-insomnia, irritability, nervous eating or skipping meals, withdrawal from friends, loss of interest in sex. If the source of the stress is difficult to define, or seemingly overwhelming, get help; share your concerns, feeling, and anxieties with your spouse, family, a close friend, clergy, or family or psychiatric counselor, if necessary. Sharing feelings allow for ventilation, better perspective, and reassurance. Sharing enlarges the spirit, whereas withholding feeling and internalizing serves only to isolate and thereby magnify the impact of the problems beyond reasonable bounds.
Avoid particularly exasperating situations; if long lines produce stress, choose nonrush periods or transact business by mail or telephone.
Some like to learn a relaxation technique such as yoga, meditation, biofeedback, relaxation, exercise or deep breathing. Taking a warm bath, reading a good, listening to music, or going for a massage can also be relaxing. Use what work best for you as a daily stress reducing strategy.
Avoid becoming upset over events that you cannot change and, instead, focus effort on those within your control. Be honest about acknowledge he difference. As the late Reinhold Niebuhr so aptly put it.” Good grant us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other”.
Finding the humor in event or your reaction to them (When possible) is a very effective tension releaser.
Learn to recognize and modify, if possible, attitudes that may promote stress, for example, extreme perfectionism, preoccupation with time, sensitivity to criticism, and lack of flexibility, among others. Have faith and confidence in yourselp without relying on good looks, and status to determine your self worth.
Remember, get professional counseling if other methods are ineffective in coping with stress.

Successful Breastfeeding from hospital to home

noreply@blogger.com (Your ONE-STOP Health Reference Guide) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:57:00 +0000

The following are tips to make the transition from breastfeeding in the hospital to the home smooth and successful.

Arrange for rooming –in of the baby in advance of delivery, if its available.
Breastfeeding as soon after delivery as possible.
Be calm and comfortable in order to assist in the letdown reflex. Sit or lie down with the baby’s head in the bend of your arm. Hold the breast between your fingers and touch the infant’s lower lip with the nipple to simulate the rooting reflex. Once the infant is latched on, the breast no longer needs to be held.
Follow your pediatrician’s advice about the frequency and technique for feeding.
Don’t hesitate to call your pediatrician for support.
Nurse the baby both breast at each feeding.
Don’t give supplementary feeding of water or formula unless ordered by your pediatrician. Breast milk is 80 percent water and in most cases is sufficient for your baby’s fluid needs.
Learn how to express milk by use of breast pump before being discharged from the hospital.
Burp the baby frequently, both in the middle and the end of a feeding to help release gas in stomach.