You are currently browsing the monthly archive for December, 2006.
Women, and even men stay with abusive partners. It happens with or without the commitment of marriage.
To those in a healthy relationship, it’s often difficult to understand why they don’t just leave the abusive partner. One factor is denial. As painful as the abuse is, its more painful to look at themselves. The first step is to accept that the choices they made led up to the abusive relationship they are in. The second and most difficult step is to forgive themselves. Once forgiveness happens, an abused person can then begin taking steps to protect themselves and any children involved.
Tags: Abuse, Forgiveness, Relationships
Gas, bloating, and vomiting is a common occurrence for some, for others an occasional occurrence. It becomes more common for everyone around the holidays with a change in diet and amount of food consumed. There’s something around the house for various stomach ailments.
- Cinnamon-take 1 ½ teaspoons and let it sit in a cup of water and drink like tea. This will take care of a stomachache and diarrhea.
- Ginger-use to make a tea that can ward off nausea and vomiting.
- Ice-sucking on it may control vomiting.
- Cider vinegar-taking two teaspoons will relieve gas.
- Peppermint-tea or candy will help with bloating and gas.
Tags: Bloating, Gas, Natural remedies, Stomach Ache
You may suffer personally from it or suffer when a family member takes off their shoes. There are natural remedies for this and simple changes you can make to combat stinky feet.
- Soak feet in a strong tea for 20 minutes a day till odor is no longer a problem.
- Wipe feet with an anti-bacterial mouthwash.
- Change socks more than once a day.
- Check for athlete’s feet signs.
- Make sure shoes are odor free, use inserts when needed.
- Wear shoes made of natural material that allows “breathing”
If nothing is effective, seeing your primary physician may provide relief.
Tags: feet, Natural remedies, odor
With increased healthy lifestyles and medication to assist with the natural decline in the ability perform sexually, people are still sexually active into their 80’s and beyond. With the fear of pregnancy passed and not growing up with rampant sexually transmitted desiase, safe sex is not being practiced as often as it should be among the active seniors. While young adults fear pregnancy and getting HIV which could turn into AIDS down the road, the retirees know other health issues associated with advance will end their life before AIDS. Some of the symptoms like dementia and wasting syndrom are the same for HIV as well as other illnesses relating to advanced aging. Often an retiree will not be open about their sexual activity with their doctor, so the doctor won’t test for STD. The older sexually active adult grew up in a time when those things were kept very private.
Studies show that Asian-American teens make use of the health information available more often than white and Latino teens in America.
Each generation of American born citizens with Asian ancestry will improve their health habits. Preventive habits may start out behind with the first generation, but they quickly surpass the white teens in this study done by the University of Minnesota. Asian teens will have a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle. Second-generation Asian teens increased healthy habits, the Latino teens declined, and the white teens maintain poor health habits.
All races and ethnic background would benefit from a varied approach to health information.
Tags: Ethnics, Health habits, Race, Teens
Nurses are on the front line treating the symptoms of self inflicted illnesses of the millions of smokers. It would make sense that they would be the ones who could have an impact to help smokers stop smoking. Their impact is weak due to so many of them being smokers themselves. Of all the health care professionals, they have the most direct contact with patients and they have the highest percentage of smokers (18% of nurses are smokers) of the health care professionals. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provided a 1.8 million grant to help nurses quit.
Tags: Grant, Healt Care Professionals, Nurses, smoking
Everyone with acne has a friend who eats the same and yet has perfect skin. It’s hard to accept that diet has an influence on acne outbreaks. Everyone’s body is different. One person can’t tolerate dairy, and the next person can. The skin is part of our excretory system. When the toxins in the body build up, they will escape, sometimes it’s through the skin. Your body may handle toxins different from your clear faced friend. The fewer toxins in your body, the less work your skin has to do. Clean up your diet and it will benefit your face.
Tags: No Tags
Maintaining optimal weight means more than a balance between exercise and calories. Hormonal balance also is necessary. The influence of testosterone in initial studies, show the effect different in males and females. Obese men (20% or more over maximum optimal weight) tend to have declined testosterone levels. Testosterone levels can be equel to a man 10 years their senior. Low testosterone levels affect sex drive and energy levels. In obese girls (25% or more over maximum optimal weight) going through puberty, they have testosterone levels 2-9 times higher than their thinner peers do. The high testosterone can impair their reproduction health and cause unwanted hair growth.
Tags: hormones, Testosterone, Weight loss
As the sales of drugs like Viagra and Cialis grows, a new gene therapy is currently being tested as an alternative. The gene changes a protein that will cause the smooth muscle to relax and increase circulation to the non-erect penis, increasing its function. The current tests are to prove the safety of the therapy. So far, the tests have not revealed any adverse effects. Once proven safe, tests to find out exactly how effective it is in improving erectile function will then be able to begin.
Tags: ED, Erectile disfunction, erections, gene therapy, sex
The American Council on Exercising (ACE), announced its fitness trend predictions for 2007. One of the predictions was that small group training would increase. In groups of 5 or less not only will it be a social option for friends who are looking for alternatives to meeting at the local bar for happy hour, families will also be attracted to small group training. There are specialized training for a variety of ages in one small group. As families have less time together with busy schedules and children’s average weight continues to climb it will be a healthy alternative to the common board game for family night.
Giving a child a few magnets to play with on the refrigerator while dinner finishes up seems safe enough with a large magnet that can’t be swallowed. Consider the magnet itself, and be sure its secure. Magnets pose a unique hazard. One magnet in itself is not a problem; it’s when more than one magnet is ingested. Magnets may connect through intestinal walls causing obstruction and/or perforation. X-rays don’t show if an object is a magnet. To find out if an object is a magnet, there is a simple test. A health care professional can run compass over the area where the object was detected to test if the object is a magnet.
Tags: children, Intestinal obstruction, Magnets
Poor teens in rural areas aren’t getting the help to quit that they need to be successful. Half of the teens that want to quit fail due to attempting quitting on their own. Urban areas have most of the programs even though there are a growing number of teens in rural areas taking up smoking. Is it the rural schools that aren’t using the information out there or is it the American Lung Association turning their back on the low income population? I honestly don’t know the answer, but I do know, those kids deserve the help that their urban neighbors receive.
Tags: Quiting smoking, Rural, smoking, Teens, Urban
Restricted activity, pain pills, and dependency aren’t appealing to a majority of the millions who suffer from back pain. Doctors, therapists, and medication manufacturers are earning excellent income treating those who are in pain. There is a movement to teach back pain sufferers how to help themselves with therapy, minimal medication, and plans tailored to individual lifestyles. One method that has proven effective is the McKenzie Method whose goal is to return back pain sufferers to normal activity as soon as possible with decreased pain, expense, and visits to health care professionals.
Tags: Back pain, McKenzie Method, pain
Male adult managers and teenage girls are a potentially dangerous combination. A fast food restaurant is often a first job. Feeling “grown up” earning money may give a teen a false sense of maturity. Inappropriate advances may be received as a compliment and having a sexual relationship affirmation of being an adult.
Wendy’s has found out recently, as they face another sexual harassment suit, its not enough for fast food places to post a phone number to call to report sexual harassment. Places with young inexperienced workers should not only train managers to behave appropriately, there should be a class for the teens (both sexes) to what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Source: Newsday
Tags: Relationship, sex, Sexual Harassment, Teens
If you have limited time to exercise or you are unable to do vigorous exercise, try walking! Walking is an exercise almost everyone can do and it has health benefits after you stop walking.
During a brisk walk, calories are burned and muscles are toned. The benefits don’t stop when you finish walking and sit down on the couch. For up to twelve hours after walking the physical changes in your body continue. Metabolic changes and increased enzyme activity will continue the calorie use. The increase in metabolism means increased nutrients being absorbed. Elimination of toxins becomes more efficient, also.
Tags: Calories, exercise, Metabolism, Walking
Today MSN-NBC reported the public dispute regarding where Billy Graham and his wife will be buried, even though they are still alive!
You can read all the health blogs and sites and implement the perfect healthy lifestyle, but at some point, life as you know it ends. Be prepared. Be sure your partner and you come upon an agreement if you wish to be buried together. Make sure your family, has a copy of your wishes. Most important, keep the document updated. Do not rely on just mentioning changes to a partner, let everyone know and put it in writing.
Tags: Billy Graham, Burial plans, Death
An overlooked reason for bed wetting is food allergies or even food sensitivities. A big player is cow’s milk. Dairy can irritate a bladder, causing it to swell and not hold as much. During the day a child (or even adult) may do fine going to the restroom, but while in deep sleep, the bladder can’t hold it through the night.
Other signs of dairy sensitivity
- Allergic “shiners”-dark circles under the eyes.
- Bowl problems-constipation, diarrhea, gas, colic
- Ear infections
- Respiratory problems
- Eczema
Milk alternatives include soy milk, goats milk, and low lactose milk. Some may tolerate dairy in the morning, but not in the afternoon or evening.
Tags: allergies, bedwetting, constipation, ear infections, eczema, milk, respiratory
Some suggest that growing pains don’t exist, but many children will describe pain that has no cause and may keep them up at night. Between the ages of 3 t o5 years old and then again between the ages of 8 years old and 12 years old children will have unexplained discomfort. During growing spurts around that time new muscles may become over extended with normal activity. The pain usually occurs at night. Heating pads or over the counter pain medication (don’t take aspirin because of the link with Reye’s syndrome) will help ease the discomfort.
Tags: children, Growing pains, muscles
As of December 6, 2006, John Hopkins began offering a Master of Science in Nurse Midwifery program. Not only does a nurse midwife do the obvious-deliver babies, a nurse midwife can also provide well woman care.
Nearly 25 years ago I had the first of 5 home births. I liked that my nurse midwife could prescribe medication and accompany me to a hospital if necessary. Back then nurse midwives were pretty uncommon and didn’t even have a listing in the phone book! Midwifery has been around for a long time and it looks like they just got a firm foot in the future.
Tags: education, homebirth, John Hopkins, Midwives
Holiday seasons aren’t always filled with the hugs and laughter we see on commercials. Issues that are easy to avoid all year by avoiding family are more difficult during the holiday seasons. If you got out of Thanksgiving, you already know there is increased pressure to make Christmas!
There are a few things to do to diffuse possible trouble. You can face the problem head on ahead of time or agree to disagree. Be an adult, attend the gathering and create a good time. We know older relatives may not be around much longer, but tragedy can hit at any age. Do you want to miss out on your nephew’s first Christmas or your grandmother’s last because you can’t stand your brother-in-law?
Flavonoids are known to fight off heart disease. Not only is this antioxidant found in red wine and tea, it is in chocolate! Many chocolates have the “good” stuff processed right out of it. To get the benefits of chocolate choose dark chocolate and avoid mild chocolate.
The benefits of flavonoids:
- Lower platelets production
- Balance eicosanoids
- Relax blood vessels
This delicious addition to a heart healthy diet has its side effects due to the high calories and fats that are in many chocolate products. Add marshmallow, caramel, etc. to the chocolates and the benefits are reduced.
Tags: chocolate, flavonoids, heart health
Honey and a clean pillowcase are two simple ways to fight off an acne outbreak. A honey mask is effective in the fight against blemishes because it works as a natural disinfectant and can destroy bacteria on the skin.
Acne breakouts can be reduced by simply having a clean pillow case. A pillow case has 5-9 hours (depending on how long you sleep) to absorb not only the oils from your skin during the night, but also to collect whatever your hair has transported to bed and released on your pillow. Whatever is on that pillow will eventually be rubbed back onto you face.
Tags: acne, disinfectant, face, honey, skin
Cosmetic surgery is common place. Yet not everyone wants to go under the knife. For those people, there is BOTOX, which attracted an estimated 100,000 people in 2005. It gives a more rested look and turns back time temporarily. As there is increased demand and money to be made, there are is also a rise in untrained administrators of BOTOX and unlicensed products being used. The BOTOX toxin can cause neurotransmitters to become inhibited. 23% of those who seek out this treatment have body dismorphic disorder and should be receiving counseling. Side effect education is lacking with unethical practitioners.
Tags: BOTOX, cosmetic surgery, side effects
There are 23 studies to prove that babies who cry it out to fall asleep independently will eventually learn to fall asleep on their own. Is the only goal is to allow parents uninterrupted sleep?
Where are the studies of the emotional affects of such methods? Many adults who are use to sleeping with a partner often they can’t sleep well alone, but we expect an infant with undeveloped reasoning skills to accomplish this. To be helpless, dependent, alone, possibly in discomfort, and to have the only form of communication be ignored…can’t be healthy emotionally. If someone stops yelling out during a beating, does that mean they are OK?
Once the cough and aches begin, it’s too late to worry about building your immune system. The herbs that stimulate your immune system can lesson the severity of the symptoms but can’t stop a cold once it begins.
There are some herbs that will help you ease the symptoms
- Congestion-Hyssop, elderberry, peppermint, borage
- Cough-hyssop, fenugreek
- Hoarseness-hyssop, licorice, sage
- Sleeplessness-chamomile, elderberry, catnip
- Sore throat-licorice, elderberry, goldenseal, ginger
No matter what you do once you get the common cold, it will need to just run its course. A cold’s duration is usually seven to ten days.
Tags: cold, cold symptoms, herbal medicine, herbs
Recently there were clusters of e-coli cases that were linked to Taco Bell. The outbreak affected six states. The source was identified, and it wasn’t the health dept that figured it out first. It was Taco Bell.
Along side the county health dept investigators; the Taco Bell team collected their own samples. Using an independent lab, Taco Bell took the samples they collected and they got a quick test done. By the time the test results finally got back from the state lab, Taco Bell not only found the source, green onions, they had already recalled them from all stores.
Tags: e coli, food poisoning, health dept, Taco Bell
Take any test for mental illness or a brain chemical imbalance and you will have some of the symptoms. From being easily distracted (ADD-attention deficient disorder), to spending too much time cleaning (OCD-obsessive compulsive disorder), to manic days (bipolar disorder), we all have varying levels of symptoms.
When do you seek help?
- When the symptoms interfere with maintaining a job
- Attempts to self medicate (substance abuse) increase and become a problem
- It interferes with basic daily responsibilities
- Severe depression occurs
- There are suicidal thoughts
If you’ve answered yes to any of the questions, it’s time to seek professional help.
Tags: ADD, bipolar, depression, mental illness, OCD
There’s more to sex than satisfying primitive urges and populating the earth. Various tests have proven there are other benefits as well. Of course these benefits occur in healthy, mutually satisfying, consensual, sexual activity. Sexual abuse, control, and aggression will not only destroy any benefits that could be reaped, it can cause deep emotional damage and physical harm.
Health benefits:
- Blood pressure reduction
- Stress reducing
- Hormonal balance
- Calorie burning
- Prostrate health
- PMS relief
- Extended life
Mental benefits
- Increased self confidence
- Calmness
- Improved self image
- Feelings of relationship security
Always practice safe sex, a healthy body after its infected with HIV/AIDS, is no longer healthy.
Tags: mental health, physical health, safe sex, sex
Reyes syndrome is a rare condition that affects the brain, liver, and blood. It can be responsible for convulsions, seizures, and occasionally comas.
Though there is still a lot unknown about Reye’s syndrome, these are some common factors:
- Respiratory infections or viral illness’ symptoms were treated with aspirin
- Age group 4-12 years old
- Occurs about a week after a viral illness
- Occurs during respiratory infection
There has been a big drop in cases since the 1980’s. It is still advised to not give anyone under 19 years of age aspirin or any medication that contains aspirin to treat the symptoms of influenza.
Tags: aspirin, children, Influenza, Reyes syndrom
Many people experienced this long before it was officially recognized and labeled as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It is most common in the winter and can occur in the summer as well. Its symptoms are similar to that of depression. Of those who suffer with SAD, most are young adults in their late teens to early 30’s and of the SAD sufferers, ¾ are women. It is believed that it is caused by lack of exposure to sunlight and sunlight exposure triggers internal biological changes. Before you decide to start popping anti-depressants or getting counseling, go outdoors more and change the lighting in your home.
Tags: biological changes, depression, outdoors, SAD
You can never protect yourself from every germ everywhere and excessive sanitizing kills weak germs and allows super germs to flourish. So what do you do to stay well this winter? Focus on building your immune system, it won’t matter what you are exposed to if you have a strong immune system.
Things you can do to build your immune system
- Take immune boosting supplements (like vitamins C & E)
- Include natural antibiotics (like garlic)
- Reduce stress
- Get adequate rest an exercise
- Eat healthy
- Keep digestive system healthy
- Spend time in the sun
Tags: cold, germs, immune, prevention, wellness
Reducing calories will help you drop some pounds, but it’ll take exercise and stress reduction to get rid of inches around that tummy. The Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s study has shown that combining exercise with diet, that the fat cells are actually reduced in the stomach area, when weight loss is combined with exercise. To get that flatter stomach that most women and men strive for, besides exercising, stress must also be reduced. Cortisol is a brain chemical that is released during stress. It triggers the appetite. The calories consumed during stress tend to be stored as fat in the stomach area.
A UK company based in Guildford called ReNeuron has applied to the US Food and Drug Administration to carry out human trials on 12 stroke patients. They have told the BBC that they evidence that stem cells could regenerate brain cells that are damaged by strokes.
According to Dr Eric Miljan, when the foetal stem cells were injected into the brains of rats in which a stroke had been induced their movement recovered. Tests showed that blood flow and brain activity were restored in the damaged area.
Source: BBC
Varenicline is the first non-nicotine drug developed especially to help smokers quit, it works by mimicking nicotines effects on the body and reducing with-drawal symptons at the same time.
There is likely to be heavy demand for this drug ahead of next years smoking ban in the UK, which comes into force on July 1st.
Read more at BBC Health
Tags: ban, smoking, uk, varenicline
In 2005 only 119,000 of those 1 1/2 million youth between the ages of 12 to 17 years old who needed treatment for alcohol problems got to a treatment center to receive the help that they needed. The reasons these youth should receive treatment is because youth who have past alcohol use are at an increased risk of suicide and suffering from depression. Not only are youth more at risk from their own alcohol use, but from those who drink while driving with or without children in the car. 21% of the children under 12 that die in car crashes were from alcohol related accidents.
Source: Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free
Tags: accidents, alcohol, substance abuse, treatment, youth
Get rid of the flashbacks of the aftertaste of mystery meat, and replace it with the taste of tender Albanian chicken wings. Why? Its because universities are collecting recipes from moms and dads and including them in the cafeteria menus. This idea is nothing new to the University of Georgia; they started this idea about 20 years ago with an annual competition. Now on campuses you will not only find traditional American comfort foods being served, there are ethnic dishes that are included also. From the big name colleges like Harvard and Yale to the smaller hometown colleges, the cafeterias are changing.
Source CNN
Today is World AIDS Day. It’s no secret that there is an unprecedented epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa. One of the reasons HIV and AIDS has become an epidemic is because of the lack of food. Yes, the lack of food. The battle in Africa isn’t being lost just not because the “cocktail” of pills is very expensive. It’s because even if it was given away for free, many would still receive no treatment because they lack adequate food. To receive the current medications available to fight this AIDS epidemic, certain weight and health criteria must be met. The reason is, these medications are so harsh that they can kill a weak patient instead of improving their quality of life. The poverty stricken are unable to eat properly and are unable to receive treatment.