The problem with Prozac

The problem with Prozac
Recent news reports have highlighted a major problem with
Prozac, basically that it doesn't actually work. Incredible
isn't it? It all stemmed from a major study by Hull
University into the available data on drugs obtained under
the Freedom of Information Rules, the results of which
revealed that Prozac, the number one drug which has been
prescribed over 40 million times for depression and
anxiety, is no better than a placebo. In fact, you may as
well be taking a sugar pill according to the reports. Not
only that, but other drugs in the same class don't work
either, namely SSRIs or Selective Serotonin Reuptake
Inhibitors. This is shocking news for those who are
currently taking Prozac believing it to be putting them
back on the right track to good mental health.

But is it true?

According to the data, patients who had been given Prozac
had improved whilst taking it, but no more than those who
were given a placebo. However, another study by US
researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital suggests that
whether we respond to drugs like Prozac or not could be
influenced by our genes. This would go some way to
explaining why some people appear to respond to SSRIs where
others don't.

It is interesting that in the Hull University study, people
who were suffering from severe depression did experience an
improvement in their symptoms, it was those who had milder
depression that did no better than those taking the
placebo. Regardless, these results will understandably
cause concern not only for those who are currently taking
Prozac but also because it casts serious doubt on the
reliability of so called reports from major drug companies
proclaiming the benefits of the latest miracle pill.

So what happens now?

Doctors are likely to face a few challenges if it is no
longer appropriate to prescribe Prozac for mild to moderate
depression and will be left with the problem of finding
suitable alternative forms of treatment for these patients.
Despite the fact that the NICE guidelines (National
Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) do recommend
that some form of counselling or talking therapies are
tried first before resorting to drugs, in reality, most
doctors are under pressure because of a lack of therapists
to refer their patients to and up until now, have been left
with little option other than to hand out a prescription.

Things are about to change though as the government have
just revealed their new strategy "The Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies Programme" which outlines their
plan to train almost 4000 more psychological therapists to
help treat the one in four of us that are suffering from
some form of mental health problem at any one time.
According to the Department of Health, half of those
treated for depression will be cured and around 25,000 will
stop claiming benefits because of their mental health
problems and will return to work.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has undoubtedly proved highly
successful for many people according to reports and is
often recommended in conjunction with some sort of
medication, if you are fortunate enough to be able to
access it that is. The prospect of having more counsellors
available and less people relying purely on drugs alone has
got to be a good thing. Drugs carry side effects, we all
know that, and Prozac is no different. Some evidence has
linked Prozac to an increased risk of suicidal thoughts,
particularly amongst younger people. Other side effects
include nausea, dizziness, loss of libido and impotence.

In the light of these latest reports many people currently
taking Prozac will be left wondering what they are supposed
to do and may worry about whether they should continue
taking Prozac or not. If you are on Prozac at the moment or
any other prescribed drug then it is absolutely vital that
you do NOT stop taking these drugs without first consulting
your doctor for advice. Abrupt withdrawal of some types of
drugs can cause serious side effects and be extremely
harmful to health.

No doubt we will be hearing a lot more about Prozac and
similar drugs used to treat depression in the near future.
If nothing else, this latest information forces us all to
look at the available options for treating depression and
if we can find ways to successfully treat depression
without the use of drugs, that's progress.

----------------------------------------------------
Depression and anxiety are serious mental health conditions
that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information
about depression and selp help come and visit
http://www.fightingdepression.co.uk

Trasylol Injections May Cause Stroke, Death

Trasylol Injections May Cause Stroke, Death
Trasylol-Aprotinin, an injectable drug produced by the huge
German pharmaceutical conglomerate Bayer AG, is normally
used to control bleeding after heart bypass surgery and
other heart-related procedures.

But the drug, which is used in 60 percent of all bypass
procedures, actually contributes to decreased health in
bypass patients by doubling heart bypass patients' risk of
developing dialysis-demanding kidney failure, in addition
to increasing the possibility of future strokes, heart
attacks, and even death.

In fact, it is estimated that use of the Trasylol-Aprotinin
injection causes 10,000 cases of kidney failure in heart
bypass patients every year.

Other Staggering Statistics

10,000 is a huge number...but what about 109 or even 181
percent? These are the percentages by which Trasylol
patients are at risk for heart failure and stroke,
respectively.

In addition, Trasylol has been proven to make bypass
surgery patients twice as likely to suffer kidney failure.
This will lead to hundreds of millions of dollars in
healthcare costs - a number that stands in stark contrast
to Bayer's December 2005 announcement that the drug had a
$615 million sales potential.

And the statistics don't stop there - a January 2006 study
by researchers at the Ischemic Research and Education
Foundation in California stated that switching to generic
Trasylol alternatives, such as tranexamic acid or
aminocaproic acid, could not only prevent over 11,000
kidney complications a year, but could also reduce
worldwide drug costs by over $200 million and save over a
billion healthcare dollars. Serious statistics for a drug
that has been given rise to serious medical concerns.

Bayer Continues to Market and Promote

As recently as March 2006, Bayer AG continued to vehemently
defend and market its potentially dangerous drug, Trasylol.
It is currently pushing to have the drug approved for use
in hip replacement surgeries, thus widening the drug's
potential market - and exposing an ever larger market to
its dangerous side effects.

Though the drug costs 10 times more than its generic
counterparts (which have not been proven to provoke any
dangerous renal or heart symptoms), Bayer AG continues to
promote and sell it to over 1 million bypass and other
heart surgery patients per year.

If You Have Experienced Side Effects

If you have experienced negative side effects due to your
use of injectable Trasylol-Aprotinin, including but not
limited to encephalopathy, renal failure, heart problems,
or stroke, contact an experienced pharmaceutical products
attorney after seeking competent medical care.

Your Trasylol lawyer can assess your potential case, help
you file your lawsuit, and even help you gain monetary
compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, future
medical care and pain and suffering due to the dangerous
side effects of Trasylol-Aprotinin.

Patients who have undergone extreme heart-related surgical
procedures like heart bypass surgery do not deserve to
continue the suffering that can be related to
Trasylol-Aprotinin's dangerous side effects.

----------------------------------------------------
LegalView.com, your source for everything legal on the web
is your complete legal information portal. Visit us at
http://www.legalview.com/ for information on contacting a
Trasylol lawyer, or a Vytorin Attorney. Users can also go
to http://duragesic.legalview.com to contact a Duragesic
patch law firm in their area, with pharmaceutical lawsuit
experience.

Small Changes To Your Weight Loss, Part 2

Small Changes To Your Weight Loss, Part 2
How many times have you promised yourself to change your
diet and exercise? One day you are eating a certain way
and possibly being sedentary; the next day you expect
yourself to make a 180 degree change by following a rigid
diet and exercising without fail. When we fall off the
wagon or slip up, we blame ourselves and feel like a
failure.

I would suggest to you that if you take on too much, you
become overwhelmed and when you slip up, you give up. Why
not make small changes that allow you to experience success
and build momentum. As the saying goes, "Rome wasn't built
in one day" and neither are true, long-lasting changes in
your life. Let's build momentum by being realistic and
make small changes that last.

Here are some suggestions for little changes:

1. As you lose weight, eliminate your safety net of
keeping your large size clothes. Promise yourself that you
will never see that size again. Donate your clothes or
sell them in a garage sale. As you get rid of your excess
weight, get rid of your large clothes that you'll never
need again. You get to replace the large size clothes with
new, stylish clothes that celebrate your weight loss.

2. Don't eat out of bags. Put your portion on your plate
rather than eat out of a bag. Mindless eating is a given
when you eat out of a bag. You lose the perspective of
what you've eaten when you don't provide the accountability
of seeing the portion and eating accordingly.

3. No platters. Downsize your plate to downsize your
body. Use smaller plates when you eat your meals. The
less food you put in front of you the less you'll eat.
Alternatively, the more food in front of you, the more
you'll eat, many times regardless of how hungry you are.
Rather than use dinner size plates which range from 10-14
inches, use salad plates which average 7-9 inches wide.

4. Eat in front of a mirror. To combat mindless eating
and provide built in accountability, seeing yourself as you
eat works. Having to look at yourself reflects back to you
some of your own inner standards, reminds you of your
weight loss goals, and reminds you of why you're losing
weight, and provides an amazing amount of accountability.

5. Don't eat white. Avoid white foods such as white
bread, white rice, and white flour. Foods that contain
large amounts of simple carbohydrates make your blood sugar
rise and crash, and play a large part in weight gain.
Substitute the white stuff for whole grain breads, brown
rice, and other complex carbs.

6. Eat at home. Eat 90% of your meals at home.
Restaurant portions are so large that many serve their food
on platters. In addition, your awareness and inhibition
tend to be skewed in a restaurant. You're likely to eat
more, eat more high-fat and high-calorie foods. By eating
at home, you know what's in your food. No hidden fats or
sugar. Eat at home to save money and calories.

7. Eat breakfast. Don't skip breakfast thinking you are
saving calories. You're not! Starting your day by revving
your metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast sets up you
for healthy eating the rest of your day. It is called
"break-fast" for a reason. As you've slept, you've fasted
and by eating breakfast, you break the fast. By providing
nutrition to your body regularly throughout the day, you
won't get overly hungry thus overeat.

Long-lasting changes rarely occur overnight. Make one
small change, one step at a time. Before you know it,
those changes create a momentum of success that move you
forward to your weight loss goals. Changes involve
commitment and dedication but you're worth it!

----------------------------------------------------
Cathy Wilson is a weight loss life coach. Cathy lost 147
pounds six years ago. Her passion is helping clients
achieve their weight loss and life goals. Cathy works with
clients to create a weight loss life plan that is
customized to each client. Cathy is a member of the
International Coaching Federation, International
Association of Coaches, and Obesity Action Coalition.
Visit Cathy's website:
http://www.LoseWeightFindLife.com

Purify Your Body With Natural Body Detox

Purify Your Body With Natural Body Detox
Like every thing else the human body needs to be cleansed
inside out every now and then, otherwise the accumulation
of harmful, or in some cases even poisonous elements, may
cause serious diseases, mental and physical fatigue, pains
in various parts of your body, and an overall degeneration.
So if you are trying to retrieve that lost spark, if you
want to regain that zest for life, natural detoxification
is the way to go. Get rid of those terrible toxins by
natural body detox methods.

Detox methods clean the blood in your liver, through the
kidneys, lungs, skin and intestine. And natural body detox
methods are the cheapest and safest way of cleaning your
body thoroughly.

Obviously, as a preparatory measure, prior to the beginning
of your natural body detox, you have to bar further toxins
from entering your body. Products which we consume
regularly, such as, coffee, nicotine, refined sugar,
alcohol, saturated fats, all contain toxins. So stop
indulging yourself before you start natural detoxing. Other
products of day to day use such as shampoo, toothpaste,
soap, floor cleaners etc all contain toxins, so for the
time being check the use of all that stuff.

Having stopped effectively the entry of more toxins, you
can begin with the actual natural body detox process. Here
are some of the ways in which you can have a natural body
detoxification:

Natural Body Detox Method #1:Juice Fasting: this method
requires you to drink only glasses of juice for up to three
days. The juices of fresh fruits and vegetables of all
kinds except citrus fruits like oranges and lemon. However,
before continuing this method of natural body detox for
more than three days you should always consult a doctor or
a qualified nutritionist.

Natural Body Detox Method #2: Water Fasting: water fasting
is perhaps the most effective way of natural body detox.
For a day or two, you are supposed to live on a diet of
water only. What happens is that the water flushes the
toxins out of your system, but keep in mind that before
extending this for more than two days consult a doctor or a
health specialist. Like juice fasting water fasting too
should be done while you are at home, in order to cope with
the discomforts like headache etc while the toxins are
being flushed out.

Natural Body Detox Method #3: A Healthy Diet: Good eating
habits are not only a measure of natural body
detoxification, but a healthy diet is something you should
follow all year round for general benefits. Fresh fruits,
vegetables, seeds, raw nuts keep your system healthy and
cleanses it too.

Natural Body Detox Method #4: Saunas: a sauna or a steam
bath cleanses the dirt out of your body pores, so it not
only detoxifies through your skin but also does away with
the toxins deposited in the fat cells. Saunas are therefore
a must in natural body detoxing.

Natural Body Detox Method #5:Skin Brushing: another method
that enables you to detoxify your body through your skin,
instead of your internal organs is skin brushing. Take a
dry skin brush, and in gentle circular motions brush your
skin, starting from your feet. This gets rid of the dead
calls of your skin and cleans it.

Before getting started zero in upon the method(s) that suit
you best and follow it. Natural body detox is something we
all need, but get to know about the various methods and
before undertaking a rigorous routine always consult an
expert.

----------------------------------------------------
John Khu is a health enthusiast and author of a new eBook
titled "Body Detox Tips". He is devoted to educate others
on the benefit of body detoxification. He is also the
owner of the website called http://www.bodydetoxtips.com
which provides complete and up-to-date information.

Change Your Lifestyle?

Change Your Lifestyle?
The progressive and continual increase in obesity and
weight related problems has resulted in over weight people
being told constantly to change their lifestyles. More and
more people are now starting to become aware of the fact
that dieting at best is a short term solution towards
weight loss. The success rates of most diets are
ridiculously low. Certain products touted as weight loss
aids are virtually useless and can at times be detrimental
to your health.

Because people in the know are aware of the failures in
conventional dieting and the inadequacies of many other
weight loss products, they have come to the conclusion that
something else is required to help people to lose weight
and lead healthy lives. That something is the mantra
'change your lifestyle' being coined.

The fact is for people that are overweight and want to
change that situation, they have to change the way that
they live their lives. Constant dieting or taking dubious
weight loss supplements is not going to help people to lead
healthier lives. In many cases these types of methods do
more harm to your body than good. The human body likes
continuity, is doesn't like a irregularity in your life,
and irregularity is what it gets when you are constantly
trying to change what you are doing to it in regards to
diet. This is why a plan of changing your lifestyle is so
important.

Now it is easy to say to someone that they must change
their lifestyle. It is easy to say that you must start
eating in a healthier way. It is easy to say that you must
begin exercising and become more active in your life.
People that are overweight and don't want to be, are
already aware that they must do these things. What they
don't need is to have these words rammed down their throats
on a regular basis. What they do need is methods for
implementing these changes successfully into their lives.

Knowing what to do is easy. Actually doing it is something
completely different. As I previously mentioned the human
body thrives on continuity and it is not very keen on
change. If you are overweight and you have lived a life of
inactivity, and have had unhealthy eating habits for a long
time, then this is the life your body has become accustomed
to. When you try to change your behaviours, your body will
not be happy about it. This is illustrated by the fact that
so many people fail to lose weight. Trying to change your
body so quickly with behaviours it is not used to will
result in your body fighting these changes, which in turn
will prevent you from losing weight with any long term
success.

Now here is the thing, initially changing your lifestyle
doesn't begin with you changing your behaviours, it starts
in your mind, and you have to start changing the way that
you think of yourself. At the present time you will think
like a person that is overweight, a person who cannot be
bothered with exercise or any increased activity, a person
that doesn't have a healthy diet, and a person that finds
change difficult.

While you think like that any new physical changes that you
try to incorporate into your life will ultimately lead you
to failure. Simple because you don't really believe in your
mind that this new person you are trying to be is you. If
you don't believe something then clearly you think it is
not true. When you know something that's not true, how can
you muster up the commitment, determination, and passion to
follow it through?

You need to start believing that what you are about to
attempt is going to be achievable. Stop thinking of weight
loss as hit and miss. Begin thinking of weight loss as a
skill to be learned. Any skill takes time and effort, and
weight loss is no different. Learn about the relevance of
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Learn about how food
affects your body. Learn about exercise and fitness. Try to
learn about these things prior to starting a weight loss
program, because this will make you more prepared and give
you a good foundation. Remember that any skill is often
difficult to learn at the start but the more you do
something the better you get out at it.

Try to get it into your mind that thousands of people lose
weight successfully, so why should you be any different.
People who lose weight successfully do so by been better
prepared and having better knowledge. Write out a diet
plan, write out an exercise plan, gain some knowledge, and
you to will have a greater chance of success. If you really
want to lose weight then you will do it. Stop jumping from
one failure to another; instead come to understand that
there are no quick fixes. Change things slowly, drop
certain items from your diet one at a time, begin
exercising slowly and build up from that. Finely believe
that you are capable of doing whatever you set your mind
to. The reason that you should believe this is because it
happens to be true.

----------------------------------------------------
Visit http://easierwayz.com for information on what you can
do to really lose weight.

6 Questions You Must Ask When Selecting A Drug Rehab

6 Questions You Must Ask When Selecting A Drug Rehab
Drug and alcohol addiction is never suffered alone. Drug
abuse affects all walks of society. Whether you or someone
you care about is struggling with a dependency- there is
effective treatment available. Listed below are basic
questions to guide you on the way to recovery.

1. Who is responsible for the cost?

You need to determine if your medical insurance will cover
any of the cost. A rehab center that is federally funded
may entitle you to a discounted rate based on your income.
Check with the facility if they accept payments. Find out
what is included in the price. Ask if there are any add-on
charges you should be aware of. You will need to know a
total amount due at admission. You should inquire about a
refund if the program is not completed. In some cases, a
doctor must refer the patient to the rehab center before
they will be admitted.

2. What programs are in place geared to your specific
addiction needs?

More than 23 million Americans require drug treatment each
year. Less than 10% actually receive any help. Discuss with
the admissions personnel if they disclose their rate of
success. Based on the diagnosis, a decision will be made
whether your treatment should be out-patient or remaining
at the facility. Of great importance is appropriate
treatment targeted to the age and gender of the drug user.
Be prepared to be put on a waiting list for treatment.
There are usually no-shows and they will try to fit you in.

3. When is the family allowed to visit?

The person entering rehab may be resentful and request no
visitors. The family should realize the patient is probably
having bouts with fear, guilt, and remorse. It might be
helpful to give your love one space and time to adjust.
Family members should consider addressing their own anxiety
with counseled therapy sessions. Concerned friends and
relatives should provide encouragement and participate in
the recovery at the doctor's request. It is not unusual for
visitors to be prohibited during the recovery process.
Limited telephone calls are usually permitted as a good
behavior award and are typically monitored. The patient and
family should make themselves aware of the applicable rules.

4. Where are the qualifications for the staff displayed?

Don't be afraid to ask if the doctors and nurses are
qualified to handle all medical and psychological issues.
It is in the patient's best interest to have trained
professionals on call around the clock. Classes held on the
prevention of drug use would be beneficial to the drug
abuser and are often conducted by a former drug user. Make
sure there are precautions in place to combat violent
outbursts from the patients. It is important to note if the
patient must be detoxed before entering the program.
Establish whether medication will be administered if needed.

5. How does the drug rehab center deal with court appointed
treatment?

In 2002, two million Americans were incarcerated. 1.7 of
these cases involved crimes committed under the influence
of drugs or alcohol. Research suggests drug and alcohol
treatment reduces criminal activity up to 80%. Counseling
the drug user to change their habits, teaching them anger
management, and job skills can give the addict valuable
lessons. Judges may offer drug offenders the choice to
enter rehab instead of serving a prison sentence. Courts
will need to see a plan for rehabilitation, evaluation of
progress, and timely reports. The rehab center needs to be
equipped to comply with the patient's special requirements.

6. Why is it necessary to continue treatment after the
patient's release?

People who suffer from depression, schizophrenia,
anti-social behavior, and other forms of mental instability
have a high occurrence of many kinds of addiction.
Recovering from these dangerous behaviors is a lifetime
commitment. Follow up after care should be part of the
rehab treatment. Regaining health after chemical dependency
calls for check ups and continuing group or individual
therapy.

There were 1.8 million drug addictio treatment admissions
reported in 2005. It is normal to have feelings of
confusion, anger, disbelief, and denial. Think about if
your loved one was diagnosed with cancer. You would seek
out the best care available. Drug and alcohol addiction is
also a disease. In this difficult time, take some comfort
in the knowledge you won't have to face it alone.

----------------------------------------------------
Addiction treatment resources showcasees only the finest,
cutting edge drug and alcohol recovery information visit:
http://AddictionTreatmentResources.com

Experience Required

Experience Required
Alternative health therapies and natural medicine are
excellent options for healthy living. But if you break a
leg or rupture your spleen, are you gonna call a naturopath
or hobble to the nearest emergency room for professional
medical attention?

I would choose conventional medicine in both cases, but
when it comes to chronic conditions and other diseases,
should we place all our faith in medical doctors?

According to a recent survey in the New England Journal of
Medicine:

95% of all doctors admit they had "contact" with big drug
companies;

35% have been reimbursed by these companies for costs
associated with attending medical meetings and conventions;

28% were also paid for lectures and consulting work; and

7% accepted free tickets to professional sports games,
concerts and other events.

This evidence raises the question of whether doctors are
working for the best interests of us patients or their drug
suppliers.

For most of my life I've taken my doctor's advice. But
after watching my two closest relatives lose their lives
within 21 months of each other while under the care of top
rated, board certified oncologists, I began to reassess my
beliefs.

One of the hardest things about breast cancer treatments is
the avalanche of available, often conflicting, information
about which treatment or therapy is best.

At the end of 2002, my 65 year old mom's breast cancer
returned after 19 years in remission.

In the spring of 2003, my 43 year old sister was diagnosed
with breast cancer for the first time.

They both benefited from some of the "best" conventional
medical care in the San Francisco East Bay Area.

I know because the shelves of their medicine cabinets were
lined with bottles of prescription medicine, a good
proportion of which were experimental drugs.

They also had access to leading alternative health
therapies too.

Acupuncture, essential oil therapy, deep tissue massage,
and herbal treatments are considered viable, highly
respected alternatives in northern California.

But not to their highly respected, board certified
oncologists at the hospital.

Whenever they did seek out alternative medicine, it had to
be done "under the radar" so as not to create conflict with
their oncologists.

In many cases, these alternative treatment alleviated the
debilitating side effects of "conventional" drugs and
chemotherapy.

Having to downplay or even hide the truth of what they were
doing certainly did nothing to calm or ease the stress of
their respective situations, either.

I don't blame the doctors or hold them accountable in
anyway for the eventual loss of my loved ones, but I was
frustrated and very disappointed by their across the board
refusal to explore or even allow for open discussion of
alternative therapies.

Whether they be conventional practitioners or alternative
healers, credentials and word of mouth are two key factors
when choosing my own health care providers.

I had a sit down interview with primary care physician and
asked pointed questions about his experience treating
asthma and allergies and the types of patients he had under
his care.

His answers and our subsequent discussion garnered my trust
and I've been his patient going on 10 years.

My acupuncturist and chiropractor were friends of friends
before becoming integral members of my chosen family.

There are lots and lots of credentialed and
non-credentialed experts on the internet.

Who's advice do you trust?

What information do you believe and why?

Mostly it's instinctual. Or really good word of mouth.

Think about how much trust you place in strangers. When
you're in line for a movie and the previous show is letting
out, how often do you listen to the 'off the cuff' reviews
of exiting moviegoers?

When's the last time you went to new restaurant without
reading a review or talking to a friend or co-worker first?

How about buying a new cell phone? Or digital camera?

Reviews, testimonials and recommendations from satisfied
customers often make the difference between a pass and a
sale on the internet.

People inherently distrust anything they don't understand
or have never heard of before, so other people's opinions
and insights usually make the difference between giving up
the cash and clicking back to that page of Google search
listings.

But, and this often gets overlooked in the decision making
process, what works for one person doesn't always work for
another.

This is particularly true when if comes to your health.

There's an avalanche of available (sometimes conflicting)
cures, remedies, protocols and fixes each with their
guarantee of success or your money back.

But we don't really want our "money back", we want to feel
better. We want the guarantee of success that the
advertised "health benefits" promise.

That's what we really want.

We all want relief from what ails us and we're willing to
trust people we've never met in person with our money in
the hopes of feeling better.

This is what we all are doing with ever increasing
regularity.

Finding the information is easy. Trusting your gut and the
opinions of others when making a decision about your health
can require a little more time and effort.

Stay informed. Read testimonials. Send emails to eBook
author or product manufacturer. Get your hands (and eyes)
on as much FREE information as possible.

As much as I trust and respect my doctor when it comes to
treating asthma and allergies with pharmaceutical drugs, I
now place a lot more confidence in my own life experiences
and knowledgebase gathered from surfing the web.

As I've grown more confident in making my own informed
judgment about my health, I've thought about asking my
doctor if he's ever been able to CURE any of his patients
of asthma and allergies.

I might just do that the next time I see him.

To your health and well-being,

Jay Greene

----------------------------------------------------
Take Control of Your Health! Stay Informed About The Best
Ways To Naturally Improve Your Health. Learn The Top 10
benefits of Maintenance Colon Cleansing. =>
http://www.tipsforhealing.com/2c.htm

Top Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Top Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Fibromylgia can otherwise be called as Muscular Rheumatism,
Tension Myalgia or Fibromyositis. This fibromyalgia is a
syndrome where the patient suffers from chornic muscle
pain. This is complicated syndrome wherein the pain can be
all over the body or just in certain parts of muscles
around the joints.

The majority who are affected by this are women over the
age of 30, who suffer from pain in the neck, back and
shoulders. They would generally complain of stiffness and
tenderness and pain in the joints.It may seem that the
problem is with the joints but infact it is a muscular pain
that causes the problem. This can appear in anyone
including children and men of all ages and is the second
most common disorder as per rheumatologists.

Due to the steady pain the person tends to show signs of
stress, sleeplessness, extreme moodiness, and even
depression. This may not be constant, but can escalate with
the pain and uneasiness. The cause of this must be due to
certain pain stimulating chemicals in the body and the
increase or reduction of serotonin in the body making it
sensitive to pain. Fibromylgia causes the pain to be
centralised wherein you feel the pain elsewhere in the
brain or spinal cord. This can be triggered with just a
slight touch or even external factors like light and sound.
It may seem psychological due to this, but in reality the
pain is genuine and caused due to these factors.

People suffering from Fibromylgia can be in a very painful
state even though this symptom is passive. Even though it
is not a fatal condition and does not cause any permanent
damage, the person suffering can be in a distressed state
due to the pain. It can be a severe set back as the person
will not be able to function like a normal person
continually due to the constant pain in the joints. These
symptoms of joint pain and headaches along with back pain
can continue over long periods sometimes even upto a decade
once it starts. It can be enhanced by weather conditions
like cold or humid weather or even psychological
disturbances like stress or exertion can trigger this
symptom.

This symptom is associated with sleeplessness and
restlessness where the patient suffers from sleep disorders
and tends to be a very light sleeper, awakened several
times. Joint pain is very common along with tenderness of
the skin and a feeling of stiffness. The pain can be
extreme or a dull continuous throb which makes a person
almost disabled. Due to the pain the joints may feel
inflamed even though there will not be any swelling. The
person suffering from Fibromyalgia will tend to feel tired
most of the time and will not have the energy to function
normally mentally and physically. Their mental stability is
not in condition and they may show symptoms of memory loss
or weak concentration an poor aptitude. Their skin becomes
extra sensitive to external factors like heat and cold or
even sounds.

Due to the constant suffering these people tend to also
undergo extreme mood fluctuations which can result in the
person having no patience and displaying anxiety syndrome
or even depression due to the inability caused by the onset
of Fibromyalgia. Their energy levels are low and alertness
can be lessened. Actions which need continuous motion could
become impossible. Other sympyoms that can be noticed are
rash, pain during menstruation, guidiness, visual
impairment or even ear pain. The temperature can also
fluctuate and be below normal most of the time causing
dryness of the mouth as well. Irritable bowel syndrome can
be another sign of Fibromyalgia, complaints of constant
pain in the stomach, constipation or nausea are seen in
most of the patients.

Other common symptoms can be irritable bladder, twitching
of muscles, dry eyes, cramps, numbness etc. Occasionally,
they even react to certain medications when suffering from
Fibromyalgia.

Homonal variations can trigger the symptoms or even certain
allergies. The most common complaint would be of body pain
where the muscles seem overworked and tender and cause a
burning sensation.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia can be treated over a period of
time and it is better for the family to study this
aprticular syndrome in order to understand the patient and
help him in his recovery.

----------------------------------------------------
Hailey Harris is an expert in dealing with Fibromyalgia
after suffering for more than 8 years with health problems.
She is now symptom free and living a pain free life. She
developed Ridfibromyalgia.com found at
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com to help others learn to do
the same. To receive tons of info, tips, and healing
strategies for free visit
http://www.ridfibromyalgia.com/how.html .

Is It Time To Give Up On Low Fat

Is It Time To Give Up On Low Fat
We are surrounded by low-fat foods.

Nearly 10 billion dollars a year are spent advertising
low-fat foods - Trying to convince us that we should buy
them because they are "good for our health".

It was in the early 1980's when our government suggested
that we cut back on our fat intake. Since then food
companies have been in "product-development overdrive"
churning out low-fat foods.

From low-fat cookies and brownies, to low-fat cheese and
yoghurt, you can find a low-fat version of every one of
your favorite foods in your local grocery store.

However, before we accept the "low-fat equals good health
message", there are a couple of important things we should
think about when it comes to the effectiveness of low-fat
foods:

1) If you take the fat out of food, you have to replace it
with something. Binders, emulsifiers, bulking agents, and
yes sugars like high fructose corn syrup are all used to
replace fat. What's more, the foods that traditionally have
higher fat, like cheese and yogurt, are the ones that need
the most additives once the fat is removed.

2) The low-fat food trend is only 25 years old. And in the
last 25 years, as low-fat foods dominated our grocery
stores, obesity, diabetes and cancer have all been on the
rise. The idea that simply switching to low-fat foods will
help us maintain a healthy weight has failed miserably.

3) A recent study examining the lifestyle habits of 18,555
women found that women who ate at least one serving of high
fat dairy every day appeared to reduce their risk of
ovulatory infertility. While this is only one study, it
does have a very large subject group and does lead to the
idea that fats may not be as bad for you as once thought.
Indeed, even saturated fats may actually have some health
benefits.

4) The scientific evidence behind the idea that low-fat
eating is healthy is actually pretty weak. It was in the
1950's that a small group of people began to popularize the
idea that low-fat eating was healthy eating. Since then
hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on research
trying to prove the idea was correct. The results of this
research have been so surprisingly weak that it is starting
to make many scientists skeptical of the supposed damaging
health effects of fat.

5) The "fat is bad" message is very oversimplified. Take
butter for instance. Yes it is a source of saturated fat,
but it is also almost 25% monounsaturated fats, of which
almost 80% is oleic acid, the same type of fat found in
olive oil. There are many foods out there that have been
wrongly accused of being simply saturated fat.

Bottom line - We need to stop trying blame obesity on the
fat in our foods.

As a simple guideline- Eat less, but enjoy the foods you
eat. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and lots of herbs
and spices. And maybe most importantly, spend less time
stressing over the types of food you are eating. These are
probably the best thing you could do for your health.

----------------------------------------------------
Brad Pilon is a strength training and nutrition
professional and author of Eat Stop Eat. You can learn
about his new book "Eat Stop Eat" that is quickly changing
the way people think about dieting, by visiting
http://www.eatstopeat.com Brad Pilon is an expert
contributor at eFit-Today
http://www.efit-today.com/public/department59.cfm