Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Kava Kava For Anxiety Treatment

Kava Kava For Anxiety Treatment
In modern societies, stress and anxiety have pretty well
become commonplace. There are sources of anxiety, it seems,
all around us. Most adults have multiple responsibilities
that they attend to, some of which require consistent
effort and attention. In addition, we all to one degree or
another must navigate life, a task that is frequently
challenging. It's not terribly difficult then to feel
overwhelmed and anxious at some points, and perhaps even
often. Because anxiety is an unpleasant state and can even
seriously interfere with functioning, when anxiety comes
people typically want it to quickly disappear.

A growing number of people have become committed to using
what are thought of as natural treatments for various
disorders. Natural in this case is often seen as something
that doesn't originate from a pharmaceutical company, or
something that organically appears in nature. The thinking
behind using so-called natural treatments seems to be that
these treatments are more in tune with the human body than
something that is artificially manufactured; in addition,
some people consider natural treatments to have less
potential toxic effects than manufactured treatments may.

The desire to go natural has also found its way into
anxiety treatment. A plant known as Kava Kava is
increasingly being sold and used for the treatment of an
anxious condition. Kava Kava is native to parts of the
South Pacific, and the usage of the Kava Kava plant by
native peoples dates back centuries. Kava Kava has
specifically been used over time as part of religious
ceremonies, and as a cure for insomnia and muscle tension.
The ingredient used for treatment is found in the root of
the Kava Kava plant, and studies have suggested a
correlation between this active ingredient and enhanced
mood. Specifically, it's thought that Kava Kava may affect
certain chemical reactions within the brain, and cause an
enhanced state of relaxation.

Though on its face Kava Kava may sound like an appealing
treatment for anxiety, there are reports of Kava Kava usage
being linked to severe liver damage. In fairness, there is
not yet comprehensive evidence that minimal dosages of Kava
Kava itself damage the liver. Some advocates argue that the
liver damage seen with Kava Kava use is related to other
effects such as excess alcohol consumption. Whatever the
actual cause, reports of liver damage and Kava Kava usage
reinforces the notion that not everything natural is always
beneficial. It's also worth noting that there are anxiety
treatments beyond Kava Kava that have long track records
for not only being effective against anxiety, but also
being safe to use.


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Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. Find help for anxiety
by visiting http://www.hubonline.biz/feel-better-today.htm
or http://www.hubonline.biz/healthy-mood.htm .

Veterinary Acupuncture Tips

Veterinary Acupuncture Tips
Veterinary acupuncture is the treatment of pets like cats,
dogs and horses. Acupuncture is a part of Chinese medicine
use to diagnosis and treat animals and people. This
treatment is known as the traditional Chinese medicine. It
is a holistic approach to the cure of chronic diseases in
patients. This treatment considers the patient as an
organism having unified energetic parts rather than
considering individual body parts for the treatment. In
veterinary acupuncture, animals are also considered as a
whole-unit consisting of body, mind, diet, spirit, and
environment.

Generally, the holistic approach of this medicine helps to
explain this ancient medical approach. In conventional
medicinal treatments, doctors tend to analyze the symptoms
and according to the diagnosis, the physician addresses the
problem by trying to cure the symptoms. On the contrary,
holistic or acupuncture therapy looks at the symptoms and
tries to find out the causes of the symptoms that are
present.

By diagnosing the symptoms, it tries to discover the root
cause of that symptom and according to that, treatment is
given. This therapy is the best alternative to the western
veterinary medicine. Holistic approach can bring good total
health and welfare to your pets. Some times this treatment
also includes the conventional methods. Traditional
medicine treatment generally includes acupuncture and herbs
along with certain other techniques to balance the body and
allow the animals to cure.

Along with these, other techniques are also used to cure
the animals. These treatments consist of laser stimulation,
electric stimulation, and many more. Acupuncture and herbal
medicinal treatment have been in practice for thousands of
years by the Chinese. This treatment has now been greatly
accepted by U.S, practitioners to cure animals as well as
the humans. In this treatment, the accupoints are
stimulated and then treated with the herbal medicines.

In acupuncture therapy, needles are pierced in certain
points that are called the accupoints. This piercing
stimulates those points and the stimulation cures the
diseases. This is the manual treatment to cure a disease.
In the electric treatments, passing electric currents
through the needles stimulates the accupoints. These
needles are treated as the electrodes. The current passing
stimulates the point. Another method to stimulate the
points is by laser method.

These are the certain methods to stimulate the accupoints
and treat the disease. Acupuncture or traditional Chinese
medicines are good for diagnosing diseases and treating
them. Acupuncture shows the effects according to the time
and after certain time the disease will cure. Generally,
this treatment is use to cure the diseases of cats, dogs
and horses but some physicians use this treatment to cure
small pets like birds, ferrets and rabbits.

Generally, the acupuncture therapy is done with the help of
needles made of metal. The weight of the needle is about
28gm to 30gm. These needles are sharp and used to prick
certain accupoints on the skin. Penetration depth of the
needles in the skin of the animal is about 1/2" to 3/4".
This penetration helps to stimulate the points leading to
the cure of the animal.


----------------------------------------------------
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice used to cure
many medical conditions. Learn more about acupuncture by
visiting http://about-acupuncture.blogspot.com

The Many Benefits of Calcium - your risk to cancer may also be reduced with calcium

The Many Benefits of Calcium - your risk to cancer may also be reduced with calcium
There are a handful of vitamins and nutrients the body
needs each day, in order to stay healthy and function on a
regular basis. They help to provide various organs with
what they need to perform their primary function, and also
help to fight off disease and other factors that can cause
the body to malfunction. Calcium is one of the most
important minerals that must be included in the human body,
since it helps to promote bone health, promotes healthy
circulation, and is even important for various muscle
groups in the body.

Because calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human
body, it is important to provide the body with calcium
through food and supplements. There are various foods that
provide a sufficient amount of calcium, such as various
dairy products like milk and cheese. Several vegetables are
also great sources of calcium, such as broccoli, cabbage,
and kale. Even though there are several food items that
contain great amounts of calcium, it can also be beneficial
to take a supplement to ensure the body is getting the
daily required amount.

There are various calcium supplements available, some of
which are actually combined with many other essential
vitamins and nutrients that the body needs. They come in
either pill or liquid form, which makes it possible for the
vitamins to be absorbed by the blood stream. One of the
best ways to take a calcium supplement and ensure the body
is getting enough is in liquid form, especially when it is
taken along with a meal. They contain other essentials that
help to promote calcium absorption in the body, such as
vitamin D, Orotic acid, Chondroitin, and Glucosamine.

Providing the body with the required amount of calcium each
day is essential, since calcium plays a huge role in
disease prevention and overall health. It is necessary for
keeping bones strong and healthy, and can help to prevent
osteoporosis from occurring. Because bones are living
tissues that constantly change throughout life, it is
important to provide them with enough calcium to maintain
bone mass up until adulthood. By providing the bones with
enough calcium to grow to peak levels, less mass will be
lost during the later years in life.

Calcium is also beneficial for individuals with high blood
pressure, since it can help to lower it when combined with
a healthy diet. Studies have shown that those with
increased calcium in their diet had the greatest decrease
in blood pressure, when placed on one of three diets that
all contained blood pressure friendly items. Since calcium
can help to lower blood pressure levels in many adults, it
also helps to prevent various diseases related to high
blood pressure from occurring.

Cancer is another disease that can be greatly influenced by
calcium intake, since calcium can actually help reduce the
risk of developing various types of cancer. Various studies
have shown that increased levels of calcium can actually
help to prevent colon, rectal, and even prostate cancer.
Although the exact reason why the risk level is reduced is
unknown, individuals who consume at least the daily
required amount of calcium showed a lower risk of cancer as
well as various cancer precursors.

Higher intake of calcium is also beneficial for weight
management, which can help to prevent many health related
conditions from developing. Obesity, diabetes, and even
heart conditions can be prevented with a healthy weight,
which can be achieved by taking a high amount of calcium
each day. Even food items that are low in fat contain the
same amount of calcium as the non low fat alternative,
which makes it that much easier to maintain a healthy
weight in order to prevent disease.

Consuming enough calcium on a regular basis is important,
since it helps to keep the bones, muscles, and various
organ groups strong. It can help to prevent certain
diseases from developing, such as osteoporosis, weight
related diseases, and even some forms of cancer. By
consuming at least the daily requirement of calcium on a
daily basis, it can be easy to stay healthy and live a long
and happy life.


----------------------------------------------------
Ron Godlewski has written many articles on health,
wellness, and maintaining vitality as we protect ourself
from chronic disease (like cancer) through lifestyle diets.
You can obtain more information on the importance of
vitamin supplements in disease prevention at
http://www.pillfreesupplements.com and receive a FREE quart
of Body Balance or call Ron toll free at 1-888-LFI-CUST
(1-888-534-2878).

Fish Oil

Fish Oil
If someone were to tell you that a single supplement could
assist in fighting heart disease, diabetes, allergies and
even arthritis, you might be interested. If they were to
then tell you that it was completely natural and swimming
in your local stream, you might think they were joking.
However, after several Ivy League studies and the
endorsement of countless physicians, the secret is out and
it's no joke. Fish oil is a completely natural compound
found in the tissues and organs of all fish. While fatty
fish generally contain more oil, even lighter fish contain
oil which is enclosed in the liver. Herring, mackerel,
trout and sardines are examples of fish containing optimum
amounts of oils.

The secret behind fish oil is its high content of omega 3
fatty acids. Countless studies have shown that, when
absorbed into the blood, these substances help to protect
our vital organs from disease and infection. In fact, the
health benefits gained through the consumption of omega 3
fatty acids are nearly endless. The effects are not limited
to preventing physical ailments. Studies have shown that
they also benefit patients struggling with depression,
assist with concentration and memory, and even increase
mood and vitality.

While all of the benefits of consuming fish oil are
encouraging, the benefits it can have on the heart are most
astounding. Not only can it help to prevent acquired
ailments, like clogged arteries, but fish oil also protects
patients with congenital disorders as well. Studies have
shown that patients with structural disorders in the heart
who took fish oil were less likely to develop irregular
heartbeats. When you add into consideration that fish oil
also reduces the risk of blood clotting and lowers blood
pressure, it really proves to be a total defender of the
heart.

While the idea of saving your heart by eating delicious,
fresh fish a few times a week may sound great to you, not
everyone enjoys eating it: or can afford it, for that
matter. Thankfully, fish oil can be absorbed in the
bloodstream through capsules and other supplements which
are approved by the American Heart Association. Taking
omega 3 rich fish oil through supplements allows for
precise measurements and dosages. In addition, taking the
supplements is much easier and cost effective than
preparing a gourmet fish dinner every couple of days. You
can add the supplements into your morning routine and not
miss a beat.

Since the benefits of incorporating omega 3 fatty acids
into a healthy diet have only been recently studied, you
may be skeptical about making fish oil a part of your
routine. However, since first being outlined on a large
scale in 1996 by the American Heart Association, the
benefits of fish oil have been the subject of thousands of
studies all over the world. More recent studies have even
begun to link the presence of omega 3 fatty acids to
constructive behavioral traits. Whether it will be treating
an experienced heart or helping a new one grow, make fish
oil start working miracles for you today.


----------------------------------------------------
Thomas Budd has a special interest in fish oil, as he takes
the supplement everyday. He believes in practicing good
nutrition through natural, scientifically proven methods in
order to promote overall health. For more information on
fish oil, please visit http://www.Fishoil-pro.com

Weight Loss: Eat As Much As You Want

Weight Loss: Eat As Much As You Want
There are three crucial parts to any successful weight loss
program.

The first is to make up your mind. If you do not know
where you are going, how are you going to get there?

The second is to change the way that you eat. Dieting does
not work. Dieting produces a yo-yo effect where you are in
a constant process of losing and gaining back the weight.

Getting fat does not happen in a vacuum. You have those
pounds because of the way that you live, primarily by
eating the wrong foods.

It is important to educate yourself about the proper way to
eat. After that, it is a matter of reorienting yourself to
a new lifestyle.

The third ingredient in a successful weight loss program is
to exercise. Exercise accomplishes several things. The
most obvious one is that exercise burns calories. This
however, is not the most important benefit. Exercise gives
you energy. If helps to focus your mind. Exercise gives
you confidence and improves your outlook. In short,
exercise is the fuel that enables you to accomplish your
goal.

There is a little known secret about losing weight and
regaining your health. That secret is that you can eat as
much as you want. There are however two caveats.

The first is that you must eat a diet that is appropriate
for human consumption. Humans have foods that are strictly
designed for them. If you don't believe me, let's take a
moment to stop and think about this.

Every animal in nature has its own particular diet. When
you stop and think about it, these animals live in harmony
with nature. As a result, animals in nature do not get
degenerative diseases. They do not experience heart
problems. Animals in nature do not suffer from cancer.
Basically, as long as they can find their source of food,
they pretty much live disease free.

It is not until animals come under our influence that they
begin to suffer from disease. Our pets suffer from the
same maladies that we do.

The reason is simple. We feed them processed and enriched
food. When we feed them diets that contain chemicals and
vitamins and preservatives and by products, they become
sick. Just like us.

So what is the appropriate diet for humans. Simple. Whole
grains, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds and fruit.

If your diet consists mainly of food from these groups, two
things will occur.

The first is that you will lose weight.

The second is that your health will improve.

The other caveat is that you chew your food extremely well.
Chewing well enables your food to be predigested in your
mouth. This in turn takes a burden off your stomach and
intestines.

You will be able to absorb the nutrition from your food
better. Also, you will be satisfied much sooner.

There you have it. Eat foods that are appropriate for our
consumption and chew your food well. In this manner, you
can eat as much as you wish, have your health improve and
effortlessly lose weight.


----------------------------------------------------
Kathryn Soloff shows you How To Lose Weight Without Dieting
at http://www.natural-remedy-dot-com.com/
You can read more articles about Weight Loss at
http://natural-remedy-dot-com.com/weight_loss/

What is ringworm and how it effects human skin

What is ringworm and how it effects human skin
A fungus disease which can effect any part of the body
including the scalp, nails or feet and the symptom is known
as ringworm.

Ringworm has nothing to do with its name, as the word
"ringworm" may not directly represent its own meaning. The
name ringworm is given to this disease because the
formation of red ring occurs around the infected area on
the surface of the skin which can be transmitted by having
direct contact with other infected people or animals.

Normally, this condition occurs due to several types of
mold-like fungus called Dermatophytes, which is known as
the disease could be alive on dead cells of the body like
nails and scalp. More often, it effects younger children
because there are common occurrences in child care homes,
schools, as well as in infant nurseries. Apart from this,
the risk of this infectious disease increases more
dramatically in families that have pets than others who do
not have pets with them.

Ringworm that is caused by fungus can be transmitted by
having direct contact or while petting, cleaning and other
such contact with pets. Infection can also occur from
animals such as horses, goats and cows. Moreover, the
reason for the spread of ringworm is due to touch on the
objects that has also been touched by infected animals or
people such as upholstery, bedding, combs, towels, clothing
and brushes.

Sometimes, humans get ringworm when they touch contaminated
soil but this rarely occurs. The mold-fungi causing
ringworms exist for a much longer time if the soil is full
of adequate nutrients. The infection of ring worm caused in
people is much more likely to come about from prolonged
contact with heavily infected soil.

Areas where Ringworms generally appear
Ringworm that appears on the scalp will first take the form
of a small pimple, which keeps getting larger in area, thus
leaving crusty patches or temporary baldness on the
infected person. As a result, this will cause the roots of
the hair to become weak and start breaking off easily and
results in heavy hair loss. Ringworm may also develop in
the yellowish crusty area during its occurrence.

Ringworm can also appear on the other parts of the body
including feet, which may appear as red from patchy spots.
This turns into expanding rashes which keep spreading on
the area on which ring is developed. The severe case of
ringworms leads to several patches on the skin surface
which sometimes overlap each other and results in the
inflammation on the effected area.

Ringworms effecting nails sometimes make the nails become
more thick but weak and pale. If you find any type of
patchy, itchy and red spot on your skin, consult your
doctor immediately.

Treatment
This disease is fortunately very simple to identify and
treat. Ringworm can be easily diagnosed by a dermatologist
but sometimes the doctors may scrape few pieces of flaky
infectious skin for further diagnosis under microscope for
fungal detection. Then they can prescribe ring worms
sufferers an anti-fungal medication to apply on the
infected area to treat it, but ring worms on nails and
scalp require oral anti-fungal medications in order to
treat completely after determining which one is the most
suitable treatment for this disease.

To prevent this infection, one needs to take care of his or
her personal hygiene and cleanliness. It is suggested that
individuals suffering from ringworm infection to wear
cotton clothing to prevent it from spreading.


----------------------------------------------------
Find more useful articles about ringworm at
http://www.ringwormonline.com
http://www.ringwormonline.net

Stay Motivated and Lose Weight by Training Like an Athlete

Stay Motivated and Lose Weight by Training Like an Athlete
One of the challenges to people who are looking to improve
their fitness is staying motivated until they reach their
fitness goals. With about 9 in 10 people wanting to change
their appearance (make that: lose weight) as their primary
objective, getting all the way to the target weight and
keeping those extra pounds off can prove to be much more
difficult than some had originally bargained for.

One of the big obstacles that people face is the fact they
have been out of shape for years when they decide to
finally do something about their fitness, and once they do
start working out, the fact that the results that they seek
may take awhile and can feel like hard work will test their
motivation to the limit. One of the big reasons people
hire personal trainers is that, in addition to the
education they can receive from a professional instructor,
the trainer can create workouts that are consistently fun
and engaging as well as an atmosphere of support. And this
can keep a person taking on their fitness motivated all the
way to the finish line.

As a personal trainer myself, I believe that one of the
best tools to keeping a person really motivated all the way
to their goal and target body weight is to set very
specific guidelines as to what that goal is, and have the
person working out be very excited about what reaching that
goal can mean to them. If a person wants to lose 20
pounds, we will discuss in detail what losing 20 pounds can
do for their life and how they will feel and be different
when they get there. And we come back to this reason over
and over again during the period of working toward that
goal.

One thing that I found, though, in my career as a trainer
is that frequently just having a goal about weight loss is
insufficient to keep a person motivated all the way to the
end. The reason is that the process of weight loss in a
healthy way can be a slow one. Even if a person had a great
week of training and eating well, their body may not have
changed a lot anyway. That can leave them with a feeling of
being unsuccessful, even though everything that they did
that week was positive and will benefit them in the long
run. So, I was left with the problem of having a person
doing everything they need to be doing really well and
actually feeling like they were successful even if they
hadn't lost a lot of weight in a particular week.

The key is to get all people in the process of improving
their fitness thinking like athletes, even if on a smaller
scale than someone training for the Olympic Games. I
believe that all people have the ability to experience
their athleticism on some level, even those that have been
out of shape for some time, and when they make a connection
to their bodies that allow for this, they can get hooked on
that experience and want more of it. They will see that
improving their fitness itself feels good and can be fun on
its own, and that it would be something they would enjoy
doing whether they were losing weight doing it or not.
Once a person gets to this level, the irony is that they
will lose all the weight they want anyway because they are
actually at a point where they will stick with the exercise.

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to be a trainer in a
couple of "weight loss" competitions sponsored by a local
TV station here in Phoenix. Each of the two years that I
participated, I worked with a person who was competing
against three others to see who could make the biggest
successful lifestyle change over a 5 month period. What
the other trainers and I found over the length of the
competition was that the people who ended up losing a
significant amount of weight were the ones who got to the
point that they realiozed that the weight loss was actually
secondary in motivation to them feeling fit, athletic and
healthy for the first time in a long time. All of the
trainers worked with their clients using some techniques
that were athletic in nature, similar to how an athlete on
a sports team would train, with jumping and running drills,
using medicine balls, playing basketball, etc. All of the
successful participants said that once they realized they
like feeling like they were athletes, they knew they would
stick with the program for the rest of their lives.

I use the term "inner athlete" to describe this way of
thinking, and I know that it works. Rather than having a
client do just cardio, we may set a goal to have them do
their first ever 5k road race in 3 months, and their cardio
trains them for that in addition to helping them lose
weight. Or they want to do a great hike in the coming
summer, or their kids are now playing sports and they want
to be able to play with them, so I do sports drills with
them so they build the skills that any athlete at any age
would want to have. These are the things that people like
having whether they are losing weight or not, and the fact
that this type of exercise helps them lose weight makes it
all the better.


----------------------------------------------------
Chuck Carter is a personal trainer and President of
http://www.LiveLeanToday.com , a website that provides
fitness and nutrition instruction as well as nutritional
supplements and fitness equipment for sale at
http://shop.liveleantoday.com .

Burn More Fat With Interval Training

Burn More Fat With Interval Training
Interval training is highly popular as a very effective way
of burning fat. At the same time, it is also a first-rate
method of improving cardio-vascular fitness.

Interval training involves alternating high intensity
bursts of activity with lower intensity stages of recovery.
Because the body's aerobic and anaerobic systems are
overloaded at the same time, you get the benefit of
training both at once.

As a high intensity training method, it is certainly harder
work than lower intensity training, but the benefits can be
seen much more quickly.

How interval training works.

The interval training technique can be applied to pretty
much any exercise, e.g. running, rowing, swimming, cycling
etc. Taking running as an example, you'd start with the
usual warm-up for 5-10 minutes at a low to moderate
intensity. Then increase the pace to a sprint for one
minute. At the end of the minute, lower the intensity by
slowing down to about half the speed to allow your body to
recover. Stay at this rate for about 2 minutes before
starting the next high-intensity minute. Keep alternating
these two periods.

Depending on your fitness level, you might not want to push
yourself too hard during the higher intensity periods at
first. However, you'll quickly find that your fitness
improves and you'll soon be able to increase the speed or
duration of the high intensity bursts.

Some exercise machines such as running, cycling, rowing
machines and elliptical trainers have an interval training
setting as one of the built-in programmes. They'll allow
you to set two speeds or resistance levels and press a
button to toggle between the two. If the machines at your
gym don't have interval training pre-programmed, you can
simply change the speed or resistance setting manually.

Don't think that interval training has to be confined to
machines in the gym either. If you prefer exercising in the
great outdoors, this training method is easily employed in
activities such as running and cycling simply by speeding
up and slowing down.

The science behind interval training The intensity of the
high intensity bursts should be high enough that you would
not be able to maintain them for long. During these
periods, your body will use the anaerobic system for
energy, the by-product of which is lactic acid. Lactic acid
builds up in the muscles causing the 'burn' and creating
what is referred to as an 'oxygen debt'.

During the lower intensity periods, the heart and lungs
must work to repay the oxygen debt by delivering oxygen to
get rid of the lactic acid. This period trains the body's
aerobic energy system. The trick is, not to slow down too
much during the lower intensity periods; you don't want the
heart rate to drop too much otherwise the aerobic training
effect is reduced.

What are the benefits of interval training?

Alternating your intensity is far more interesting than
exercising at the same intensity for long periods of time.
As it is more intense overall, you'll also burn more energy
in less time. This means your workouts can be shorter and
more fun and still burn more fat.

Working at high intensity also stimulates your metabolism,
so that after you finish your workout, you'll continue to
burn fat at a higher rate than if you'd exercised for
longer at a lower intensity.

The cardio-vascular system is trained more quickly doing
this type of training compared with longer periods of lower
intensity exercise.

Long duration endurance training is often associated with
injuries because of the repetitive stresses placed on
joints and soft-tissues. Because interval training is less
repetitive, it is a good way to reduce risk of these types
of injuries.


----------------------------------------------------
More fitness articles are added regularly at
http://www.homomuscle.com/fitness

The Basics of Medical Skin Care

The Basics of Medical Skin Care
As a plastic surgeon, I see many patients for facial
surgery who often ask about their skin care. Or more
specifically, what can they do to improve their skin either
before or after surgery. Skin care is a very bewildering
world for all patients with ten of thousands of products
available in stores and on-line as well as cosmeceutical
ads which have no boundaries to claims given that they are
retail beauty products and not FDA-sanctioned
pharmaceuticals. Where does the patient start and how do
they work their way through the skin care maze?

First and foremost, like all things in medicine, a
diagnosis has to be made. You can't very well select the
right treatment if you don't have a working diagnosis as to
the skin problems. THis can be done in two ways; being
evaluated by a very experienced aesthetician who has a lot
of medical experience (i.e., working in a doctor's office
preferably a plastic surgeon or dermatologist) and/or
getting a Visia skin complexion analysis. Like a CAT scan
for your skin, this computerized digital skin analysis
system evaluates everything from wrinkles, pore size, to
the amount of sun damage...and documents it
photographically. This provides not onlya set of diagnoses
for the skin but also becomes a reference from which to
judge the results of any future treatments.

From a product and treatment standpoint, there are only 5
things you can do to your skin...that's it! All skin care
products and even more invasive skin treatments attempt to
address one or all of them..but there is nothing more you
can do topically. These five functions include: cleanse,
hydrate, protect, exfoliate, and stimulate. The collective
effects of all of these are smoother, tighter skin. If all
five functions are achieved in a skin care program, then
the best results can be obtained. If only one or two of
these product functions are done, then the skin results
will be less. Simplistically, a cleanser is needed morning
and night, a daytime moisturizer/sunscreen protectant, and
noctural regimens of exfoliation (e.g., AHA, lactic acids,
Retin-A) alternating with stimulants (e.g., Vitamin C and
peptides) comprise a basic program. The hardest regimen is
to figure out the best nocturnal regimen of exfoliation and
stimulation. Working with an aesthetician here can be
really helpful. Many product lines today already have it
laid out for you in kits or steps. As you can see, thre is
no good reason for more than 5 to 7 skin care products, if
they are properly selected and monitored. And the good news
is....it is no more expensive to get a good medical line
than buying that big jar of hope sold over the counter at
the department or drug store by someone who has no idea,
really, about comprehensive skin care.

The key today in medical skin care is....simplify, a
focused approach, and monitor the results and how you react
to them. If you then mix in some regular microdermabrasions
and light chemical peels....with a little Botox or
injectable fillers if needed...you are on your way to
better-looking skin with a good return on your investment.


----------------------------------------------------
Dr Barry Eppley runs a private plastic surgery practice
through his hospital-based medspa locations at Clarian
Health in Indianapolis. To learn more about the latest
trends in plastic surgery, spa therapies, or skin care, go
to his daily blog, http://www.exploreplasticsurgery.com .

Hip and Knee Prostheses

Hip and Knee Prostheses
A prosthesis is an artificial replacement of or substitute
for a part of the body. Prostheses may be removable or may
be permanently implanted. A prosthesis is used for
functional or cosmetic reasons or in many cases, a
prostheses is used for both. Hip and knee prostheses are
permanently implanted to replace a hip or knee that was not
functioning properly or has had years of wear and tear from
an individual.

Hip and knee replacements are among the most common
surgical procedures in all of orthopedic surgery. The
procedure involves replacing damaged or deteriorated joints
with artificial replacements, which include parts made of
high molecular weight polyethylene, similar to pliable
plastic. Most patients who undergo a hip or knee
replacement gain improved agility, flexibility, and reduced
pain; however, due to the practice of sterilizing
polyethylene, some replacements have failed prematurely,
resulting in injury, and causing the need for further
surgery to replace the failed parts.

Several companies use a technique known as gamma
irradiation in air to sterilize the hip and knee
prostheses. This sterilization process has caused the
polyethylene part of the devices, once implanted in the
body, to break into small pieces which then can lodge into
the patient's hip or knee joint. In the body's fight to rid
itself of those pieces, the immune system can also attack
the patient's healthy bone, causing it to decay, a
condition known as osteolysis. The patient inevitably needs
another potentially risky surgery to replace the hip or
knee prosthesis long before expected.

Certain hip and knee implants that were manufactured
beginning in the early 1990s by the following manufacturers
are being investigated for the failure described above:

. Depuy

. Howmedica Osteonics Corp.

. Howmedica, Inc.

. Osteonics Corp.

. Zimmer

. Biomet Each hip and knee prostheses case is unique and
requires a thorough review of the individual's medical
records to determine proper product identification and to
determine potential damages or injuries as a result of the
implantation of a hip or knee prosthesis.

If you or someone you know have undergone hip or knee
replacement, you may be eligible to participate in hip and
knee replacement litigation. In which case, if you are
eligible, it is advisable to contact an experienced knee
and hip prosthesis law firm to learn about the legal
details involved with developing a case. In such a case,
the plaintiff will seek compensatory damages from the
defendant for medical bills.


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To learn more about hip and knee prosthesis, visit
LegalView's homepage at http://www.LegalView.com/ . Here,
an individual can also garner access to hundreds of other
legal information portals ranging from mesothelioma
treatments to the Baxter Heparin reactions, found at
http://baxter-heparin.legalview.com/ .

How to Alleviate the Pain of Arthritis the Natural Way

How to Alleviate the Pain of Arthritis the Natural Way
If you are one of the millions of adults that suffer from
arthritis, then you know how painful it can be. Some days
it takes everything you have just to get out of bed and to
make it through the day. But is doesn't have to be this
way. There are natural treatments for arthritis pain. Keep
reading to discover some of these treatments and how they
can help you.

Omega 3 fatty acids have been proven to reduce
inflammation. This will help with the pain of arthritis.
Omega 3 fatty acids can be found in fish and certain types
of nuts. You can also buy over the counter fish oil
supplements that contain large amounts of Omega 3 fatty
acids. A word of caution if you are taking the fish oil
supplements. Fish oil will thin your blood, so you must be
careful if you are taking aspirin or any other blood
thinning medications. Make sure that your doctor is aware
of any vitamins and supplements that you are taking to
avoid a potentially dangerous interaction.

Another natural remedy for arthritis pain is to make
changes in your diet. Increase your water intake to help
promote cartilage formation. Following a healthy diet will
also help keep your weight under control. This is very
important for those that suffer from arthritis. Being
overweight will put extra stress on the joints and cause
more pain and inflammation. If you have any food
sensitivities, eliminate these foods from your diet as well
as cutting back on sugar and simple carbohydrates.

There are plenty of over the counter supplements that claim
to help relieve arthritis pain. The only way to know if
these work for you is to try them. But make you sure you
only try one remedy at a time. The reason for this is two
fold. One it will decrease your chance for experiencing a
drug interaction. Secondly, you will be able to pinpoint
which supplement works the best for you. A few of these
supplements are glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate,
niacinamide and methyl sulfonyl methane or MSM. Do a trial
and error with these supplements to see which one works for
you. But as stated before, make sure that your doctor is
aware of which supplements you are going to be taking to
avoid an interaction with any prescription medicines you
may be taking. But there is another way to alleviate
arthritis pain if you don't like to take medications.

Exercise can help alleviate joint pain that is associated
with arthritis. One of the best type of exercise you can
do is swimming, preferably in a heated pool. The buoyancy
created by the water will help keep the stress off the
joints while you swim or do water exercises. The heated
water can be soothing and help to decrease inflammation in
the joints.

So if you are an arthritis sufferer, investigate some of
these great natural treatments for your arthritis pain. You
will be glad you did when you are enjoying a pain free life!


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How to Alleviate the Pain of Arthritis the Natural Way
http://www.1thinkhealthy.com/

Depression After Pregnancy

Depression After Pregnancy
On the whole, depression is a far-reaching problem. In the
United States it's believed that twenty percent of the
population is depressed, a percentage that equates to tens
of millions of people. Unfortunately, most of the millions
of depressed people in the US never receive treatment,
making depression in the US not only far-reaching but also
chronic. This lack of depression treatment not only leads
to individual suffering, but also to millions of dollars in
combined lost productivity every year.

When considering how to approach the problem of depression,
it's worth considering whether depression is most prevalent
in a particular segment of society. It was long believed
that women were most prone to depression, but in recent
times this thinking has been reconsidered. The fact of the
matter is, not only do men get depression but men are more
likely to commit suicide because of depression than women
are. Looking at depression as purely a gender issue then is
not only inaccurate but may also lead to dire consequences
in outreach efforts.

It's important then to be clear that men can and do get
depressed, and that treatment for depressed men is
available. It is true however that women are most likely to
report feeling depressed, and that depression in women
who've recently given birth may be especially significant.
Depression in women after childbirth is common enough that
it has its own terminology: postpartum depression is what
post childbirth depression is most often referred to as,
though it can also be called perinatal depression.

Postpartum depression is a simple enough condition: it's a
case of depression in a woman who's recently given birth.
The uncertainty with postpartum depression is why it occurs
in the first place. Carrying a child over the course of
nine months is a terrific responsibility, and that
responsibility in itself can lead to stress and feelings of
depression. A woman who feels a lack of support following
childbirth can also understandably become depressed. It's
believed as well that there may be a hormonal aspect to
postpartum depression: hormonal balance in a woman rises
greatly during pregnancy, and then drops back to normal
within twenty-four hours of giving birth. It would be
surprising if this sort of hormonal swing didn't have at
least some impact on mood.

While it's certainly true that not every woman who gives
birth becomes depressed afterward, it happens often enough
that it's something to be aware of. The good news is that
while postpartum depression can be difficult to deal with
it typically clears on its own; and if it doesn't clear on
its own, there are effective treatments available.


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Zinn Jeremiah is a freelance writer. For help with
depression, visit
http://www.hubonline.biz/get-better-now.htm or
http://www.hubonline.biz/healthy-mood.htm .