Healthy Tips For Better Live

Archive for August, 2009

Hormone replacement therapy is sometimes called estrogen replacement therapy or ERT. This therapy refers to a woman taking supplements like estrogen or estrogen with progesterone. HRT replaces hormones a woman’s body should make or used to make.

Why might hormone replacement therapy be necessary?

o Estrogen and progesterone regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and reproductive health.

o Estrogen is important for bone health.

In general, which groups of women would a health care provider prescribe HRT?

o Women going through menopause and who had already gone through it (post-menopausal women). The drop in hormones can cause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances.

o Women with premature ovarian failure

The NIH Women’s Health Initiative Trial Results

Hormone replacement therapy for healthy menopausal and post-menopausal women includes increased risk of:

o breast cancer

o coronary heart disease

o stroke

o blood clots

In view of these findings of NIH researchers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration noted the therapy lessens some menopause symptoms in healthy post-menopausal women; however, the therapy carried serious risks. The FDA recommends low doses for the shortest amount of time to reach treatment goals.

For women whose bodies have stopped making estrogen or don’t make enough estrogen, this can reduce symptoms and maintain overall health.

The risk for pre-menopausal women with certain health conditions include:

o The risks associated with post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy do not apply to pre-menopausal women.

The benefits for pre-menopausal women with certain health conditions include:

o Low estrogen levels in women with premature ovarian failure put these women at risk for osteoporosis and heart disease. This therapy helps maintain bone health and reduces the risk of heart disease.

For more information:

You can receive a free 24-page booklet (part of the NICHD’s research portfolio in women’s health) entitled: “Do I have Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)?” This booklet is available in PDF form online at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development web site or you can write for it in print:

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH, DHHS (2003)

Do I have Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)? (03-5159)

Government Printing Office

Washington, DC

Source: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All health concerns should be addressed by a qualified health care professional

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Depression is a major mental disorder but is treatable. There are various depression treatments and some are in experimental stage. Some of the effective current treatments for depression include hormone therapy, “happy” pacemaker and magnetic healing.

Scientists have spent years to find the best treatment for depression. Ultimately they now know about serotonin and its effect on the brain. It is finally proven that the major imbalance in this hormone may be the prime cause of depression in men and women.

They are of opinion that hormones have great effects on our brain and mood because they act as stimulants for us. For example the female hormone estrogen is more powerful than any drug stimulant.

Hormones provide a strong cooling and sleepy effect on the mind of the patients of depression. It makes one feel better. An irritated and aggressive patient might get cool with the administration of a mild dose of hormone. There are reports that women suffering from depression have shown significant improvements with the application of mild hormone. Earlier they were declared untreatable.

Before hormone treatment for depression one should consult a neuroendocrinologist to get a hormone profile. knowing the level of estrogen and progesterone in the beginning and at the end of the month. Accordingly hormone is administered to reduce he severity of depression. The use of get happy pacemakers is also getting popular for the treatment of depression. The principle of get of happy pacemaker is based on vagal nerve. This nerve connects the brain with heart, lungs and stomach.

This nerve is mainly responsible for carrying information from the central nervous system to the other parts of the body. Nowadays a small pace maker is being implanted in the vagal nerves to help stop the seizures in the sufferers. But it shows some other critical functions. It makes the patient’s mood “happy”. It is unclear how it works.

Doctors are of opinion that it affects two chemical substances serotin and norepineephrine. These chemicals are associated with mood. With the implantation of the pacemaker a patient shows improvements to some extent. Forty percent of patient with pacemakers show diminished depression. The depression level is tested by verbal test. Patients themselves accept improvements.

Magnetic stimulation is also a remarkable treatment for depression. it targets brain structures that responsible for the depression in human beings. Studies have also indicated that the magnetic stimulation given to the brain for at least two weeks at a stretch provide relief to the patients suffering from depression. It reduces the severity of depression up to 30 percent.

Nowadays various clinics and hospitals are providing this treatment to the patients with considerable success. Very soon it would be a very common treatment for depression. In addition to it more researches are being done on the current treatments for depression.

Your teeth may be at risk. Did you know that consuming acidic foods and drinks can lead to acid erosion of your teeth? Once softened by acid exposure, your tooth enamel becomes weakened and can be more easily worn away, even by just brushing your teeth! If you tend to grind your teeth at night, you can quickly do some serious damage.

Often the first sign of this problem is increased sensitivity to cold air or liquids. Bouts of acid exposure will open up the pores on your teeth, and any areas of dentin exposure, such as root surfaces, can become very sensitive.

Teeth softened by acid are much more vulnerable to decay. That can mean a lot of extensive dental treatment.

Serious damage from acid doesn’t happen with a single exposure, and your teeth have some capacity to recover (re-mineralize). However, many repeated exposures can lead to severe, irreversible destruction of your teeth.

This is HUGE problem. I’m very alarmed by how much acid erosion and the resulting tooth sensitivity I’m seeing.

And most people have absolutely NO IDEA that it’s happening to them.
This is a Real Threat…

In the past few years, I have seen more and more patients who are presenting with this problem. One patient in particular, she was a new patient to my practice. Her teeth were worn right down to their gum line! Ouch! I also noticed that many younger adults who consume large quantities of cola drinks and their teeth were being decimated by tooth decay (more on that issue later).

This problem of acid erosion isn’t just age specific. I see a LOT of it in all ages, and it seems to be getting worse every year. Sure, people are living longer and keeping their natural teeth. Yet, that still doesn’t explain all the damage I’m seeing.
Beware the acid bombs!

A key factor in this “epidemic” of acid damage is our modern diet. Many of the foods and drinks that we consume contain highly elevated levels of acid.
Acids commonly added to our food include citric acid, acetic acid (vinegar), and phosphoric acid – all of which can significantly harm your enamel. So make sure you read the ingredients label.

Why are these acids being added?
In most cases, to assist in preservation. It’s widespread within the food industry.
Benzoic acid and its salt forms (sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate, etc.) are amongst the most widely used food preservative in the world. It’s cheap and very effective. Prolonged shelf life translates into higher profits. In the food industry, it is used in wide range of items from jams, juices and salad dressings to ice cream, soft drinks and candies. It’s also used in toothpaste, mouthwash, and as a rust inhibitor in anti-freeze.

Being weakly acidic, benzoic acid won’t harm your enamel directly. This chemical’s preservative effect is pH dependant – it works best in a low pH (acidic) environment. Other strong acids are being added to food and beverage products to establish a low enough pH for this preservative to work. Many food substances, such as soft drinks, ice cream, and candies, are being acidified (juiced up) this way. That’s the big, hidden acid spike many of us are being hit with!

On a further note, benzoic acid can combine with ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
to form benzene – a known carcinogen. Vitamin C is often added to food or beverage products as an anti-oxidant. These two ingredients are still being used together in a wide range of beverages throughout the World (fortunately banned in North America). Another good reason to read those ingredient labels.
Watch out for the Double Dose!

A high sugar and strong acid combo make some of these food and beverages particularly devastating for your teeth. Bacteria in your mouth can aggressively metabolize any available sugar to produce lactic acid. That means your teeth will be exposed to even more acid. That’s why a lot of children have re occurring decay. They constantly got hit with a double dose of acid from all the cola drinks they drink!

Diet drinks may be marginally easier on your teeth, but some sugar substitutes (aspartame) can add an extra punch to the acid attack on our bodies.

More than Just Our Teeth…
The harm from overexposure to acid only begins with our teeth. These synthetic “acid bombs” we’re consuming can alter our internal chemistry and dramatically affect our overall health.

Our bodies will attempt to compensate for this excess dietary acid, but at a price. Our alkaline reserves are gradually being depleted, and as that happens, we start suffering from the many consequences of chronic acidosis.

The following are some of the dangerous effects of chronic acidosis…
* Minerals (mainly calcium) are leeched from our organs and bones to neutralize the excess acid. As calcium is leeched from our bones, we can eventually suffer from osteoporosis.
* Our kidneys are overburdened by the acid buildup and experience higher incidence of kidney stones.
* Digestion suffers because excess systemic acid can inhibit the production of stomach acid as well as the alkalizing salts from the gall bladder and pancreas. We’re left with poorly digested, acidic food in our intestine that brings on cramping, bloating and risk of intestinal infections.
* Capillary blood flow slows down and the removal of acid waste on a cellular level is blocked, increasing the effects of cellular aging and raising the risk of cellular transmutation (cancer).
* Acid accumulation in the pancreas interferes with insulin production, leading to diabetes.
* Our energy levels drop off and we suffer from chronic fatigue.
* Fat accumulates around our vital organs (to protect them) and we put on extra weight.
Chronic acidosis has been cited as the hidden but deadly disease that’s the primary cause of many of the serious ailments we suffer from. Dr. Leigh Connealy states “Acidosis literally destroys the body from the inside out, paving the way for disease to take over.

Watch Out for These Acidic Foods!
Soft drinks (including lemon iced-tea)
Sports drinks – Gatorade, Powerade, etc.
Energy Drinks – Red Bull, Full Throttle, etc.
Citrus Fruits – lemons, limes, grapefruit, etc.
Fruit salad
Fruit juices – lemonade, grapefruit, orange, apple, cranberry, etc.
Chewable Vitamin C (never suck on them)
Candies (particularly sour candies)
Vinegar
Vinegar-based products such as salad dressing and ketchup
White or red wine
The Bottom Line: Loss of enamel is progressive. If left to advance, your teeth may become severely compromised.

What You Can Do:

* Be alarmed. Take this seriously and don’t let your teeth become casualties in the food wars. Pay attention to ingredients and start limiting your exposure to acidic food and beverages.
* Get real. Call junk food it what it is, not a “special treat” that you’ve earned. Avoid associating “comfort” with bad food choices. Try choosing healthy snack alternatives such as nuts and raw veggies
* Stop the pop! Find healthy alternatives, such as mineral water. If you do indulge, limit the frequency, time length, and concentration of acid exposure.
* Cut out the candy. Tame your sweet tooth before addiction consumes you. Sour candies, being dosed up with citric, malic, and/or tartaric acids, are extra nasty.
* Limit your exposure time. Eating or drinking something slowly throughout the day will do more harm than one big exposure.
* Water your juices down. Many juices have concentrated sugar and acid content, to the point that they cannot even quench your thirst. Consider adding at least half water (2/3 is my preference). Stay away from lemon iced-tea.
* Good Hygiene. Maintain brushing & flossing habits. Be sure to use fluoridated toothpaste to help strengthen your teeth. Avoid brushing your teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods or drinks, as this is when enamel is at its softest and most likely to be damaged. Simply rinse with water instead.
* We can help. Stay healthy and keep your teeth for life by keeping up your hygiene visits. We’ll keep tabs on acid damage. If the damage is already significant, we can help restore & protect the affected teeth with options such as bonding, porcelain veneers, or crowns.

Cancer of the ovary, a disease affecting one of both of the ovaries, is one of the most serious and under-recognized ailments affecting women. In United States, it is considered as the fifth among the most fatal gynecologic cancers (affecting the female reproductive organs). It is said that in every 57 women, one may be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and almost half of those women diagnosed with the said cancer may die in a span of five years.

Ovarian Cancer: Overview

Ovarian cancer is characterized by the malignant growth of one or of the two ovaries. The cells in the ovary multiply progressively and abnormally to the point that they can no longer be controlled. As a result, excessive tissues start to form tumors, which may be benign or malignant. The malignant ones are those that cause cancer.

The growth of the tumor may not necessarily start from the ovary or the ovaries, but may have spread to the ovary from other parts of the body, oftentimes the breast. The malignant tumor in the ovary may likewise spread to other parts of the body. The most common cases of ovarian cancer arise from epithelial cancer, which affect the epithelial cells (cells found in the tissues covering surfaces of the ovary).

Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

It is important for women to be aware of the nature and symptoms of ovarian cancer as this deadly cancer can affect women of any age. However, women face higher risk of ovarian cancer as she gets older, particularly after she reaches the age of fifty.

Most of the time, the symptoms of ovarian cancer do not show up until the cancer is widespread or in its advanced stage. This makes a woman at higher risk since it can be too late before she may be able to detect symptoms of ovarian cancer. Moreover, there are only very few symptoms of the cancer, which may be mistaken as symptoms of other health conditions.

The very first symptom of ovarian cancer is vague abdominal discomfort and bloating, which is caused by the excess fluid in the abdominal cavity. One always feels full even when she has not eaten much. As time passes by the swelling of the abdomen intensifies that some of your clothes may no longer fit you. Usually, it is because of this unusual swelling (way different from a woman’s monthly water retention) that most women go to the doctor for check up.

Bloating is accompanied by digestive disturbances, unexplained changes in the bowel habits and urinary patterns. There are frequent trips to the bathroom even in the absence of a urinary tract infection or other health problems. One may feel nauseous, very tired and she may feel like vomiting at times. She may also feel discomfort and pain during an intercourse.

Pain and swelling in the pelvic area is also noticeable upon closer physical examination. This is due to the swelling in the pelvis. In very rare instances, a woman in her postmenopausal stage experiences abnormal bleeding.

Other vague and non-specific symptoms of ovarian cancer include back and leg pain, loss of appetite, undernourished appearance, weight gain or weigh loss, and unusual bleeding in the vagina (heavier and longer than the usual menstrual bleeding).

Detecting Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Screening is a way to detect the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The earlier the patient is screened, the better so as to decrease the mortality and morbidity of ovarian cancer. One of the most effective ways to detect the cancer in its early stage is through pelvic and rectal exam.

If you are teenager looking for the advice regarding the fast weight loss and effective teenage diets then you should read this article. First of all avoid the fast teenage diet plans. They are very unhealthy and you will discover that you will gain the weight back once you end up with the starvation. I am not saying that it is impossible. Of course you will lose weight if you do not eat but this is not only horrible for your body, your brain needs food to function. Without food you are going to be very moody and unhappy!

They give you a false sense of hope and are highly unhealthy and toxic to your body.

There is just a one way how to lose weight permanently.

Change your lifestyle. It is not easy but it works. Do not believe in magic.

Remember!

Burn more calories then you consume.

If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight.

Teenage Diets

1. Focus on eating healthy food

Dieting to reduce weight is not recommended until growth has ceased, usually around the age of 18.

Warning!

Health research shows that even a short period of very strict “dieting” during your early teens can lead to low bone density, which causes weak bones in later life. Between 12-17 years of age, up to 90 percent of adult bone mass is laid down, so this is not a time to limit your intake of calcium, vitamin D or vitamin C, all of which are essential for proper bone growth.

“Dieting” may also lead to poor intakes of folic acid and iron. Both these nutrients help to prevent anemia, a condition which leads to constant tiredness as well as impaired intellectual performance. If you lead a busy life at school, with exams, sports and so on, you can’t afford to suffer from the ill-effects of anemia!

The best thing you can do to keep yourself healthy is to eat a healthy diet. Eating healthy is a long-term lifestyle choice, something you are going to do for your entire lifetime.

2. Focus on taking daily exercise

The ideal exercise program for fat loss has a combination of cardiovascular (aerobic) training and strength training. But ultimately, you are not likely to stick with exercise long term unless you choose activities you enjoy – so pick something you enjoy, even if it doesn’t follow the guidelines of “traditional” fat loss programs.

Exercise burns calories and creates a calorie deficit, but the real advantage of exercise over diet is that exercise increases your metabolism, dieting slows it down. Exercise also has major health benefits, while starvation can only create health problems.

Fact: forty-two percent of all injuries from overuse affect the knee joint, and runner’s knee (a.k.a. patellofemoral pain syndrome or PFPS), is the most common injury among runners.

PFPS can effect both knees, though more commonly it is more painful in one knee. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine PFPS hinders more young and active people, and twice as many women as men. This is most likely because women tend to have wider hips, resulting in a greater angling of the thighbone to the knee, which puts the knee cap under more stress. The symptoms of PFPS are caused by the irregular tracking of the patella (kneecap) in the femoral groove.

What are the common symptoms of PFPS?

The most common complaint of those suffering with PFPS is tenderness behind and around the knee. Some also experience pain on the posterior side of the knee capsule as well. Instability and cracking could also be signs of PFPS. Although symptoms will be different in each case, running on hills and uneven surfaces often aggravates PFPS symptoms.

What are possible causes of PFPS?

Determining a single cause of your knee pain can be quite difficult. A good approach to eliminating your pain is having your knee assessed by a physical therapist. Anterior knee pain could be a biomechanical problem. Biomechanical issues that may be causing your pain include: excessive internal rotation of your hip, your knee cap may sit too high or too low in its groove, worn cartilage in the knee joint which reduces shock absorption, high arches of the feet providing less cushioning and flat feet, or knees that turn in or out excessively can pull the patella sideways. There could also be muscular issues contributing to your PFPS. Tight hamstrings and calf muscles, in particular, can put excessive pressures on the knee. Weak quadriceps muscles can also cause the patella to track out of alignment, creating painful friction and rubbing.

What can I do to help with PFPS?

A good physical therapist can perform a thorough assessment and determine what factors could be contributing to your knee pain. They would also evaluate your running stride while running on a treadmill to determine if there are any problems with your running technique and gait which may be the culprit of your pain. Treatment will likely consist of exercises to focus on correcting existing muscle imbalances and improving strength in weak muscles. You will also perform a flexibility program for the hamstrings, calves and hip flexors, and education on proper footwear and referral for orthotics to correct your foot positioning, if necessary. The rule is if your feet have good form, your knees will follow.

Some smart ways to prevent PFPS is to try running on softer surfaces like grass or trails. Also, don’t do too much. Increasing your weekly mileage more than ten percent each week is too much. And lastly, running on hills can be good for your heart but hard on your knees; make sure to introduce a hill routine slowly! For the best advice contact a good physical therapist who can analyze your running gait and provide strengthening exercises to prevent future pain in your knees.