Low-carb diet fact sheet

You are overweight. Your dream is to lose weight. Losing weight could be extremely difficult. You can’t run or do some thing that you did before. At the end you decided to go on a diet. Is there some easy way to lose your weight, you are wondering. Your friend recommended you a low carb diet. ...

You are overweight. Your dream is to lose weight. Losing weight could be extremely difficult. You can%26rsquo;t run or do some thing that you did before. At the end you decided to go on a diet. Is there some easy way to lose your weight, you are wondering. Your friend recommended you a low carb diet. Before you decide to start low carb diet, read this article. You could seriously damage your health with inappropriate diet. When choosing a diet or weight-loss program, it's important to consider the risks with your doctor or nutritionist.

Low carb diets

The foods we eat supply our bodies with the energy and nutrients. You probably know that healthy diet includes carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Low-carb diets are diets in which you reduce carbohydrate and increase protein intake. Low carbs diets are very popular. Those diets may initially result in rapid weight loss, but they aren't a safe way to maintain weight loss. You can find low carb diet with different names such as Atkins, Protein Power, South Beach, Stillman, Sugar Busters and the Zone. Those diets are based on the theory that carbohydrates stimulate the production of insulin, which increases appetite and promotes weight gain. If you decrease intake of carbohydrates, you could have some serious side effects. Low carbohydrate diets for weight management are far from healthy. Some of side effects could include: ketosis, constipation or diarrhea, halitosis, headache, and general fatigue. With low carb diet you can increase your risk for heart disease and cancer, because increased fat intake and decreased intake of fiber.

Carbohydrates, protein and fats

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are needed to maintain normal body functions as well as proteins and fats. There are simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are found in fruits and foods containing refined sugar (ice cream, cakes, jelly, candies...). When we eat food with simple carbohydrates, our body quickly converted them into glucose. You should know that your body needs also complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat, fruits and vegetables, rye breads, wheat pasta, whole-grain cereals. They are needed sources of fiber, nutrients, and energy. In our bodies, carbohydrates are converted into glucose. Insulin plays an essential role in moving glucose into the cells to be converted into energy. When glucose levels in the blood rise, this stimulates the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Complex carbohydrates, during digestion, are first changed into simple sugars and then into glucose. Carbohydrates that aren't needed in the cells are stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen. If glycogen stores are full, excess carbohydrates become body fat.

The glycemic index (GI) index measures how quickly and how much carbohydrates raise blood sugar after they're eaten. Foods with a high GI quickly produce a high blood sugar, foods with a low GI produce a slower, lower change in blood sugar. Diets with a high GI include food with rafinided sugar, ice cream, cakes, jelly, candies... Diets containing lots of high GI are associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease. Diets containing low GI foods may help control diabetes.

Protein

Protein is a complex combination of amino acids. Protein is component of muscles, bones, skin, hair, blood and other organs. They are needed for normal growth, tissue repair and the production of hormones and enzymes that regulate body functions. Proteins during digestion are slowly broken down into amino acids and carried by the blood to the body cells. Meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, dairy products, nuts and beans are source of proteins. If we eat more protein than we need, the excess is stored as body fat, which can later be converted into energy. If carbohydrate and fat stores cannot provide enough energy, proteins can also be converted into energy. But, that happens very rarely.

Fats

Fats provide energy. They are needed for absorption vitamins A, D, E and K. There are saturated, unsaturated fats and trans fats. Unsaturated fats are found in olive, herring and mackerel and peanut and canola oils. Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, seafood, egg yolks and dairy products, as well as coconut, palm and palm kernel oils. Trans fats are found in foods such as margarine and shortening, as well as products such as cookies, crackers, cake, donuts and other food.
Too much fat, increases the risk of heart disease and possibly some types of cancer. Saturated and trans fats could increase blood cholesterol levels, a major risk factor for heart disease. Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats can help lower this risk. Some low-carb diets limit fats or focus on unsaturated fats. Others are more liberal with fat intake.

Carbohydrate, fats and proteins play important role in our body. If you reduce intake of carbohydrates, you may have some side effects.

Side effects of low carb diet

Following a low carb diet could cause serious health conditions. Replacement carbohydrates with proteins may result in overload on renal system. The kidneys can become overworked and that a related change in blood acidity can lead to bone loss. Diets that contain large amounts of protein may also increase the risk of osteoporosis. The digestion of protein requires calcium. If you don't eat enough calcium and you eat large amounts of protein, the calcium is taken from your bones. This is important for postmenopausal women and others who already have an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Low carb diet could cause long-term effects of ketosis on the kidneys. Ketones are filtered out of blood by the kidneys. The low carb diet may contribute to decreased kidney function in later years. Low-carb diets that contain large amounts of fat may increase the risk of heart disease and colon cancer. But, some studies have shown actual improvement in blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The long-term effects are unknown. With low carb diet you have also increased of arthritis. High consumption of saturated fat and cholesterol will increase the risk of heart disease. If you are on low carb diet you may have lack of some nutrients especially those from fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A lack of dietary fiber can cause constipation. When ketosis occurs, it can cause fatigue, bad breath and nausea. Maybe you%26rsquo;re considering a low-carb diet for weight loss even you read about side effects. You should remember to count your calories and make sure you get enough nutrients. Low-carb diets are not recommended for anyone, but they are not recommended especially for children, pregnant women or people who have kidney or liver disease.

Some good tips for you

If you want to lose weight, see your doctor first. You should check your general health. Ask your doctor to recommend you a good nutritionist. Nutritionist could make you an individual meal plan. This is the healthiest way to lose your weight. If you follow healthy diet plan, after some time you will see significant progress. You should also exercise. You should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole-wheat grains and lean meats, such as chicken and fish. You shouldn%26rsquo;t lose more than an average of 2 pounds per week. Low %26ndash; carb diet isn%26rsquo;t a healthy way to lose your weight.

Read More...

Cerebral Palsy: Symptoms & Treatment

OverviewCerebral palsy is a group of disorders involving chronic impairment and control of bodily movement that usually first appear in the very young children. This disorder is caused by abnormal development or damage in one or more parts of the brain that control muscle tone and movement.Child wit...

Overview

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders involving chronic impairment and control of bodily movement that usually first appear in the very young children. This disorder is caused by abnormal development or damage in one or more parts of the brain that control muscle tone and movement. Child with cerebral palsy has difficulty controlling and coordinating muscles. Very simple movements for that child are difficult. Other names for this disorder are a static encephalopathy, spastic diplegia, and %26quot;Littles disease,%26quot;. It is caused by a permanent brain defect or an injury at birth or shortly thereafter. Causes of Cerebral palsy are birth complications, some compilcations during the pregnancy, and some complications after birth. In many cases, the exact cause of the Cerebral palsy is never known. There are four types of cerebral palsy - spastic cerebral palsy, athetoid cerebral palsy, ataxic cerebral palsy, and mixed cerebral palsy.

Symptoms

Early signs include the delayed milestones such as controlling head, rolling over, sitting without support, crawling, or walking. Symptoms of Cerebral palsy could include spasticity, poor muscle tone, uncontrolled movements, and problems with posture, balance, coordination, walking, speech, swallowing, seizures, breathing problems, mental retardation, learning disabilitiesskeletal deformities, eating difficulties, dental problems, bladder and bowel control problems, digestive problems, and hearing and vision problems.






Spastic(pyramidal) cerebral palsy is common, the patient's muscles in a continuing state of spasms. This type is classified by which part of the body is affected: diplegia, hemiplegia or quadriplegia. Athetoid cerebral palsy is folowed by slow and uncontrolled movements . Ataxic cerebral palsy appears in only 5% to 10% of the cases. The most common form of cerebral palsy by far is mixed cerebral palsy, combine spasticitic and athetoid symptoms.
Risk factors for Cerebral palsy include: breech presentation, a complicated labor and delivery, premature birth, vascular or respiratory problems, premature birth, low birth weight, multiple births. In many cases of cerebral palsy are a result of a combination of prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal factors.
After birth doctor check the baby's heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes and skin color during the first minutes after birth. A low Apgar score is often an indicator of cerebral palsy.
Symptoms manifested by the mother during pregnancy may also suggest the possibility of cerebral palsy in the child. Severe proteinuria late in pregnancy , maternal bleeding and vaginal bleeding during the sixth to ninth months, during pregnancy are linked to higher risk of cerebral palsy affecting the child. Mothers with seizures are also more likely to have a child with cerebral palsy. Seizures in the newborn child may also indicate cerebral palsy. If your child was born prematurely, had a low birth weight or you had certain complications during the pregnancy, labor, or delivery, the child should be monitored carefully over time for signs of CP. You should visit a doctor if your child has a seizure or your child%26rsquo;s movements seem unusually jerky, abrupt or uncoordinated.
You should discus to your child%26rsquo;s doctor about any problems that suggest a lack of control or muscles or movements.

Exams and Tests

There is no medical test that confirms the diagnosis of cerebral palsy. The diagnosis is made on the basis of information gathered by the child%26rsquo;s doctor and, in some cases, other consultants.

Cerebral Palsy Treatment

Most children with cerebral palsy require significant medical and physical care. That includes physical, occupational, and speech therapy. With early treatment, the disabilities associated with cerebral palsy can be reduced. Many different therapies are available. A treatment should be individual. A treatment may work for one child but not for another. The parents and therapy team should work together to choose right treatments. Treatment methods are: physical therapy, medications, intramuscular alcohol injections and surgery.
Physical therapy is a very important treatment. There are exercises specifically designed to maintain muscle tone and prevent muscular atrophy. Physical therapy could include stretching, physical exercises, and other activities that develop muscle strength, flexibility, and control. The purpose of physical therapy is to maximize function and minimize disabling contractures. With appropriate therapy the child should develop skills like holding the head up, sitting unsupported, or walking.
The occupational therapy helps the patient with Cerebral Palsy to learn physical skills. The goal of therapy is that individual become independent as possible in everyday life. Many children with cerebral palsy, can benefit from the services of a specialist in learning disabilities. Children with cerebral palsy could have emotional problems and behavior problems. They can benefit from sessions with a psychologist.
Speech therapy helps the patient overcome communication problems. Many children with cerebral palsy have problems speaking.

Children with cerebral palsy often have gastroesophageal reflux and swallowing and feeding problems. A gastroenterologist, a nutritionist, and a swallowing therapist can assess nutritional status and treat problems. Swallowing therapy helps the child eat and drink independently. In some cases children with severe swallowing problems require feeding through a tube.

Children with cerebral palsy may have breathing problems. The muscles that control expansion and contraction of the lungs are disabled. A specialist in pulmonologist should be consulted for management of the lung disease.
There is special equipment that may be helpful for patient with Cerebral Palsy. Special equipment could include customized wheelchairs, walkers, positioning devices, scooters, and tricycles.
Medications are often used to prevent or control the seizures sometimes associated with the disease. Some new medications have proven effective, in controlling spasticity. Intramuscular alcohol injections have also provided relief of spasticity. Medications used to relieve spasticity and abnormal movements include dopaminergic drugs, muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines andBotulinum toxin type A. Dopaminergic drugs increase the level of a brain chemical called dopamine, or Muscle relaxants reduce spasticity by relaxing the muscle directly. Benzodiazepines act on brain chemistry to relax muscles. Botulinum toxin type A is used to decrease spasticity of muscles of the arms or legs, which improves range of motion and overall mobility.

Surgery

Operations used in the treatment of cerebral palsy include the dorsal rhizotomy, implantation of a baclofen pump, stereotactic surgery, reconstructive surgery%26hellip; Some skeletal problems such as scoliosis can be corrected with surgery. Severe spasticity can be corrected with a number of surgical procedures.

There is no cure for Cerebral palsy. Treatment methods are focused on the management of symptoms and enhancing the quality of life. The goal of treatments children with CP is to help them reach their full physical, mental, and emotional potential.

Read More...

Numb hands relation to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common, painful defect of the wrist and hand. If you have Numb handsyou may have Carpal tunnel syndrome.It is caused by pressure on the middle nerve in the carpal tunnel. The syndrome is seen more often in women, especially in pregnant and i...

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common, painful defect of the wrist and hand. If you have Numb hands you may have Carpal tunnel syndrome. It is caused by pressure on the middle nerve in the carpal tunnel. The syndrome is seen more often in women, especially in pregnant and in menopausal women. Symptoms may result from a blow, swelling, a tumor, rheumatoid arthritis, or a small carpal tunnel that squeezes the nerve. The middle nerve (median nerve) serves the palm and the thumb side of the hand. The median nerve carries signals from the brain to control the actions of the fingers and hand. Pressure on this nerve can injure it.

The injury results in sensations of numbness, tingling, pain, and clumsiness of the hand. This combination of symptoms is called Carpal tunnel syndrome. People with carpal tunnel syndrome experience difficulty in performing tasks such as unscrewing bottle tops, fastening buttons, or turning keys. Pressure on the nerve causes numbness, tingling, and pain in the arm, hand, and fingers, weakness, pain when the thumb is bent toward the palm, and burning, or aching that may spread to the forearm and the shoulder. Weakness and wasting of muscles may occur from lack of use, getting in the way of full use of the thumb and fingers. Pain may be infrequent or constant and is often most intense at night. Drugs given by injection often bring quick relief from bad pain. An operation to relieve nerve pressure usually corrects the syndrome for good.

Tingling sensation and decreased functioning in the wrist, hand, and fingers resulting from compression of the median nerve.

What are causes of carpal tunnel syndrome?

The exact cause is unknown, but highly repetitive flexing motions of the wrist are strongly implicated. Conditions that cause edema (e.g., diabetes, pregnancy, congestive heart failure, and renal failure) also have been suggested as causes. One theory links carpal tunnel syndrome to a vitamin B6 deficiency in conjunction with repetitive movements. Thyroid conditions and rheumatoid arthritis also can be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Some individual factors, such as the size and shape of the wrist and the shape of the median nerve, may cause development of carpal tunnel syndrome. The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome has increased dramatically over the past decade; it is one of the three leading occupational-related conditions. It occurs most often in women.

Occupational factors of carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome could be related with certain tasks like: repetitive hand motions, vibration, awkward hand positions, strong gripping, vibration and mechanical stress on the palm.
Disease Process

The median nerve in the volar aspect of the wrist is compressed between the longitudinal tendons of the forearm muscles that flex the hand and the transverse superficial carpal ligament. This causes paresthesias in the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger and half of the ringfinger. There are six key risk factors in the workplace for the development carpal tunnel syndrome. They include: repetition, high force, awkward joint posture, direct pressure, vibration, and prolonged constrained posture.

Other factors of carpal tunnel syndrome

Other risk factors include: previous injuries, cigarette smoking, poor nutrition, and stress can increase one's risk for carpal tunnel syndrome.

What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome?

In most of cases symptoms usually start gradually, with pain, weakness, or numbness in the hand and wrist, radiating up the arm. Symptoms include pain, weakness, clumsiness, numbness, heaviness, numbness, burning, and tingling in one or both hands are the usual manifestations. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome you may drop objects or be unable to use keys or count change with the affected hand. Your skin may be dry because of reduced sweating. The pain may be worse at night and lessen during the day unless the person's activities require repetitive wrist flexion. The pain may radiate to the shoulder and forearm. In some cases, sensation may be permanently lost and the muscles at the base of the thumb slowly shrink (thenaratrophy), causing difficulty with pinch.

What are complications of carpal tunnel syndrome?

If left untreated in some severe cases carpal tunnel syndrome can cause permanent nerve damage with loss of sensation and movement.

How carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed?

Diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome is confirmed by performing certain tests to detect damage to the median nerve. Clinical evaluation with characteristic signs, inability to make a fist, positive Tinel's sign (tingling and burning produced by light tapping over the tendon sheath on the ventral surface of the wrist), positive Phalen's sign (pain or numbness after 30 seconds of wrist flexion), wasting around fingernails; history of repetitive use, underlying disease, last trimester of pregnancy; weakened muscle response on electromyogram. An x-ray may be taken to check for the other causes such as arthritis or a fracture.

Treatments

You could have some relive without surgery. Treatment generally includes resting the affected hand and wrist for at least 2 weeks. You should avoid activities that may worsen symptoms. In some cases , keeping the wrist splinted in a straight position may help reduce pressure on the nerve. Immobilizing the wrist in a splint to avoid further damage could be helpful. You should change the patterns of hand use. You can use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other relievers. Those drugs may ease pain. A steroid injection also may help to relive numbes and pain. In some severe cases surgery may be needed. There are some alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, to prevent and treat this disorder.

Surgery

Surgery is performed for release of carpal ligament for decompression of nerve if conservative measures are ineffective. Surgery should not be the first choice for treatment. Surgeon enlarges the tunnel and that decrease pressure on the nerve. You should know that soreness witch following the surgery, last for couple weeks or months. The numbness in the hand after surgery may despair quickly or slowly. In most of cases it t may take several months the wrist to return to normal. You could have weakness of grip in the operated hand. In some severe cases Carpal tunnel symptoms may not completely go away after surgery.

How can we prevent carpal tunnel syndrome?

Prevention of carpal tunnel syndrome may involve redesigning work stations. Proper work station design reduced the stressful effects of repetitive motions. Work stations should be accommodating a vast majority of people who work in that area. Informing workers about the risk factors that can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome is very important.

General

Restriction of repetitive wrist flexion could be successful; Cock-up splints at night to reduce nerve pressure and relieve pain. Recurrence of carpal tunnel syndrome is rare. You will recover completely. To prevent job related carpal tunnel syndrome, workers can perform stretching exercises, take frequent rest breaks, and use correct posture and wrist position.

Read More...

Could high heels affect your health?

High heels are dangerous to your healthYou like high heels. When you are wearing high heels your legs are beautiful. You probably think high heels are the height of elegance. You should know that high heels can affect your health. Wearing high heels is your choice, but you should at least be aware o...

High heels are dangerous to your health

You like high heels. When you are wearing high heels your legs are beautiful. You probably think high heels are the height of elegance. You should know that high heels can affect your health. Wearing high heels is your choice, but you should at least be aware of the problems related to high heals. Women have four times as many foot problems as men. Wearing high heels is a major reason for this. Physical problems associated with high heels include foot pain, foot deformities, a change in back posture, knee osteoarthritis and balance impairment. Orthopedists think that high heels can contribute to the development of a variety of conditions like arthritis, chronic knee pain, sprained ankles and back problems. High heels can also result in a variety of foot problems. High heels could be the cause of knee osteoarthritis, a painful, degenerative joint disease. The knee osteoarthritis is characterized by the breakdown of the cartilage surrounding the knee.
You could have ankle sprains and breaks from rolling over on high-heeled shoes. If you wear high heels you probably had this kind of problem. You should also know that high heels are pumps with heels of more than two inches.

High heels and Osteoarthritis

Wide heels increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knee as much as, or more than, spindly-heeled stilettos. High heels increase knee joint pressure, this is repetitive stress to the knee elevates the risk for osteoarthritis.





Low-heeled shoes or no heels are prevention for osteoarthritis.
Both types of shoes increased knee joint pressure 26 percent more for wide-heeled shoes and 22 percent for narrow-heeled shoes. This kind of repetitive stress to the knee elevates the risk for osteoarthritis.





When you wear shoes with high heel it is long term effect to your knee, ankles and feet. The exact cause of osteoarthritis is unknown. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include injuries, age, congenital predisposition and obesity. Walking on high heels puts abnormal stress on both the front and the back of the knee.
The health of the cartilage that in the knee is dependent on the fluid in the knee. It absorbs the nutrients it needs from this liquid to repair itself. If you wear high heels stress on the knee restricts the absorption of the fluid, and the cartilage begins to dry out and shred.

High heels and foot problems

Feet are designed to provide you with balance and strength as you walk or run over many different types of terrain. High-heels could change the shape of your feet and may eventually prevent them from functioning properly. Foot problem related to high heels is metatarsalgia, which is pain in the ball of the foot. If the joints of your feet don%26rsquo;t work properly because of the strain of wearing high heels, other areas of your body are forced to compensate and suffer extra wear and tear. The Morton's neuroma, which is 10 times more common in women than men, is caused by a thickening of tissue around a nerve between the third and fourth toes. The Morton's neuroma, could develop as response to irritation and excessive pressure such as the weight burden high heels place on the ball of the foot. Treatments of the Morton's neuroma include orthotics, cortisone injections and in some cases, surgery. If you wear very high heels, you should know that can cause the calf muscles and Achilles tendons to become permanently shortened. You should know that other tendons and connective tissues can also become permanently disfigured. If you only wear high heels whole area could be reshaped for high heel wear only, even to the exact measurement of one pair of heels. If the skin on the bottom of your feet gets hard, you should treat it. It can become very painful.
You should know that shin splints can happen when very high heels are worn. When the anterior tibial muscletears away from the bone can cause pain when the muscle is used. If your shin splints you should have gentle stretching exercises, such as swimming. Sometimes wearing shoe inserts to support the foot could help. You should consult your doctor about shoe inserts.

High heels and falls

High heels impaired balance in both the younger and older women when the brain received dissimilar information from the eyes and the senses in the legs. When older women wear high heels might be at greater risk for falls. Being overweight means extra stress for your feet, not to mention the joints of your legs and spine. If you overweight and you are wearing high heels that are extra stress for your feet, joints and ankles. Toppling over on very high heels can cause a broken ankle, wrist fractures and worse condition.

High heel and headaches

Wearing high heels on a regular basis can cause toe pain, mid foot pain, heel pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, mid back pain, upper back pain, and headaches. When you wearing high heels that cause unnecessary stress on your ankles, knees, pelvis, and potentially throughout your entire spine. The compensatory changes that result from wearing heels can cause the muscles behind your neck to be stiff, putting pressure on nerves that can result in chronic headaches.

High heels and deep vein thrombosis

Standing for long periods of time in high heels can cause deep vein thrombosis. You should know that standing even in low heels carries this risk. Deep vein thrombosis is condition in which blood clots form in deep veins, mainly in the legs.

Some good tips for you

You should never wear high heels all day long. When you are shopping shoes do it in the afternoon or evening. Feet because of accumulation are little bigger in the afternoon. Your shoes need to be comfortably for you. You should try shoes on both of your feet, because sometimes one foot may be larger than the other. Measure shoes while you are standing. Making sure the shoe fits properly is essential. Flat shoes are not the ideal for foot and leg health. Low heels are best for you. The healthiest shoes for women are those with fairly wide heels that are no more than a half or three-quarters of an inch in height. You should know that pain and other foot problems are less likely to occur if high heels are worn as infrequently as possible and are replaced by sneakers or flats as much as possible. Wearing extremely high heels can damage the feet, especially if the toes are pointed, or the shoes are too tight. Damage can sometimes be so extreme that the sufferer can never wear any high heel ever again. Starting with lower heels and practicing for short lengths of time, gradually building up the height and time will help to prevent shin splints. You should warm up the muscles before each wearing of high heels. The calf muscles should be stretched and exercised on a regular basis. Before putting heels you should run on the spot for a few minutes to warm up your muscles. After wearing your high heels for an extended period you should stand with your legs apart barefoot on the floor. Keeping your legs straight, bend at the hips and try to touch your toes. You should have warm-up and cool-down exercises every time you wear high heels. If you feel any pain in your ankles or feet while wearing your high heels, take them off immediately. Sometimes is best to not wear high heels at all.

Read More...

How much exercise is too much?

IntroductionMost people don’t exercise enough. We all know the benefits of exercise. Right exercise can lower your body fat, and reduce your risk of many diseases. Regular exercise is a good thing. Regular physical activity reduces feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Exercise and sport...

Introduction

Most people don%26rsquo;t exercise enough. We all know the benefits of exercise. Right exercise can lower your body fat, and reduce your risk of many diseases. Regular exercise is a good thing. Regular physical activity reduces feelings of stress, anxiety and depression. Exercise and sports should be fun and keep you healthy. There are some people who exercise too much. Too much exercise can make you susceptible to injuries and illnesses. If you've think that you're a candidate for overtraining, read this article to find out how to avoid it. How do you know if you're exercising too much? You should exercise thirty to forty-five minutes a day, five days a week. It is sufficient to acquire health benefits. Your body needs activity but it also needs rest. Getting too much exercise is just as bad as getting too little exercise. Too much exercise can lead to long-term health problems and the disruptions in personal life that result from addiction and compulsive behavior.

What are the symptoms of too much exercise?

You may have some symptoms of too much exercise. The typical symptoms of too much exercise include: insomnia, achiness or pain in the muscles and/or joints, fatigue, headaches, sudden inability to complete workouts, loss in appetite, feeling unmotivated and lacking energy and elevated morning pulse. Exercising too much can cause some problems like: injuries such as stress fractures, strains and sprains, low body fat, fatigue, dehydration, osteoporosis and arthritis.





Too much exercise can cause a woman's period to stop and reproductive problems. You should see your doctor if you have any of those signs. If you have health concerns, be sure to check with your doctor before you add to your exercise program.

Overtraining

It's very important that you pay attention to how you are feeling during your workouts. This will help you to see whether or not you may be crossing the threshold into overtraining. Overtraining is just as common among ordinary people as it is among athletes. The most common symptom if you are overtraining is fatigue. If you are overtraining, the only way to help your body is to take some time off. You will need to take a week or more to rest. During recovery is important for you to drink lots of fluid and rest as much as possible. You should know that the best treatment is prevention. You can prevent overtraining by working out sensibly and allowing your body enough rest between workouts.

What is compulsive exercise?

If you force yourself to exercise, even if you don't feel well you probably have problem with overtraining. Do you prefer exercise rather than being with friends? Do you become very upset if you miss a workout? Do you worry that you'll gain weight if you skip exercising for a day? If your answer on any of those questions is %26rsquo;%26rsquo;yes%26rsquo;%26rsquo;, you probably have problem with compulsive exercising. Many compulsive exercisers need therapy to help them deal with exercise bulimia. You must know that compulsive exercise, can cause serious health problems, and in extreme cases, death. If you are taking time off from work, getting too little sleep, or missing social events to work out you are probably compulsive exerciser.
If you you're doing the same exercise too much, that also could cause some serious health problems. Your body needs time to recover. Doing the same exercise too much every day could also lead to overtraining.

What are the causes of compulsive exercise?

You should know that exercise can become a compulsive habit when it is done for the wrong reasons. Many people start exercising to lose weight. Healthy diet healthy and exercise are best way to lose weight. But, some people may have unrealistic goals. We are all under pressure to look good. Some people may overexercise to speed up weight loss. You should know that if you use exercise to compensate for eating binges or just regular eating, you could be suffering from exercise bulimia. If you feel like your eating and exercise habits have taken over your life, see your doctor. Some people who exercise too much may have a distorted body image and low self-esteem. When you start exercising for excessively long periods of time to keep our weight or body shape under control, you may have exercise addiction. Signs of exercise addiction include no longer experiencing pleasure during exercise, an inability to take a day off from exercise, and exercising when sick or injured. In some cases exercise addiction may require professional help.
People who have problem with exercise bulimia see themselves as overweight even when they are actually a healthy weight. You should ask your doctor, dietitian, what a healthy body weight is for you and how to develop healthy eating and exercise habits.

Some athletes may also think that repeated exercise will help them to win. The pressure to succeed may also lead these people to exercise more than is healthy. Too much exercise can lead to injuries like fractures and muscle strains.

How much physical activity you need?

Some experts recommend that healthy people do at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. You should know that most health experts say one should exercise every other day or 3 times a week. But several workouts a day, every day, when a person is not in training is a sign that the person is probably overexercise. To maintain your health, 2,000-3,500 calories should be burned each week through exercises, such as running, dancing, cycling and the like. Burning more than 3,500 calories every week can be harmful, that could lead to decreased physical benefits and increased risk of injury.

Some good tips

There are also some things that you can do to if you recognize that too much exercise is your problem. You must be aware of your positive attributes. You should listen to your body and give yourself a day of rest after a hard workout. Take at least one rest day a week, and balance exercise with recovery. You should control your weight by exercising and eating healthy foods. You should balance exercise with plenty of rest and good nutrition. Exercise is a great way to get fit, improve your body image and increase your confidence, but when you start going to extremes it can do more harm than good. You should concentrate on exercise rather than what you look like. You should avoid lifting weight that is too heavy for you. You should always warm up and cool down prior to exercising.

You must have proper exercise plan. When you start a new exercise program, you must begin slowly and build gradually to avoid injury. It takes time for your body to adapt to the new demands you are placing on it. You can also increase performance and decrease risk of injury by alternating hard and easy days, and by cross training. You should vary your routine weekly or daily if possible. You must monitor your heart rate during physical activity to ensure you are working out in your ideal range. Never stop exercise suddenly, because that can also create a change in mood. When you exercise your body produces natural endorphins. Feelings of depression and agitation can occur when you stop exercise suddenly. You should know that exercising long and hard isn%26rsquo;t always the best for your health.

Read More...

Difference and connection between FLU and COLD?

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses.Common cold is acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The resulting inflammation involves the nasal passages, throat, sinuses, trachea, and bronchi. The common cold can be caused by one of many viruses. Colds usually do not re...

The flu and the common cold are both respiratory illnesses. Common cold is acute viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The resulting inflammation involves the nasal passages, throat, sinuses, trachea, and bronchi. The common cold can be caused by one of many viruses. Colds usually do not result in serious health problems, such as pneumonia, bacterial infections, or hospitalizations. About half of all cases of common cold are caused by the rhinovirus group. Usually people call a severe common cold the flu, but they are quite different illnesses. The flu and the common cold are caused by different viruses. Flu is an acute viral respiratory disease with clinical manifestations that often resemble a severe form of the common cold. Symptoms of flu usually start suddenly with a high fever and you may feel sick enough to go to bed. All age groups are susceptible, but the prevalence is highest in school-age children.

What is difference between cold and flu?

The flu is worse than the common cold. Symptoms such as body aches, fever, headache, chills, extreme tiredness, and dry cough are severe. If you have common cold you are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose. It is very difficult to tell the difference between common cold and flu. The flu causes the whole body ache. With the flu, you are sick all over your body. The common cold usually affects the nose and throat only. The three most common symptoms of a cold are nasal stuffiness, sneezing, and runny nose.





If you have common cold you should know that throat irritation is often involved, but not with a red throat. You should know that if you have flu is more likely that you have higher fever than if you have common cold. The flu begins abruptly, with a fever in the 102 to 106 degree range. With flu you will probably have significant lack of energy. If you have flu you may have other systemic symptoms such as dizziness or vomiting. If you have flu you will probably have a sore red throat and a headache.

Disease process of common cold

The pathogenesis of colds is still sketchy. The virus is deposited in the nasopharynx, where it moves to the adenoids and a rich bed of viral receptors. An inflammatory reaction is evoked, resulting in vasodilation, mucus production, coughing, and sneezing about 16 hours after initial infection. Within one to three days, the nasal secretions usually become thicker and yellow or green. This is a normal part of the common cold and not a reason for antibiotics. The virus spreads to the ciliated epithelial cells in the nasal passages, and symptoms continue for 4 to 10 days. The virus is active for about 3 weeks and may affect the trachea and bronchi, particularly in individuals with chronic respiratory disease.

Disease Process of flu

After a 48-hour incubation period, the virus penetrates the surface of the upper respiratory tract mucosa, destroying the ciliated epithelium and reducing the viscosity of mucosal secretions. This facilitates the spread of virus-laden exudates to the lower respiratory tract, with resultant necrosis and desquamation of the bronchi and alveoli. The virus of flu affect the respiratory tract, and produce symptoms of a cold, croup, sore throat, bronchiolitis, ear infection, and/or pneumonia. Between day 2 and day 4 of the infection, the whole body (aches) symptoms begin to subside, and respiratory symptoms begin to increase. The disease is generally self-limiting, with acute symptoms lasting 2 to 7 days and lingering symptoms lasting another week.

Symptoms of cold

The symptoms we have during a viral illness are often the body's attempt to get rid of the virus. Typical symptoms of common cold include nasal congestion and discharge, sore throat, sneezing, coughing, headache, and fatigue. Febrile reactions occur in infants and young children but are uncommon in older children and adults.

Symptoms of flu

The onset of influenza types A and B is sudden, marked by chills, fever, generalized aches and pains, headache, and photophobia. Respiratory symptoms begin with a scratchy, sore throat; substernal burning; and nonproductive cough. Later cough becomes severe and productive, and weakness, fatigue, and sweating persist. Influenza C produces milder symptoms.

Causes of flu and common cold

Spring and summer colds are often caused by picornaviruses, whereas fall colds are frequently caused by parainfluenza and winter colds by coronavirus strains. The mechanisms of spread are not clearly defined and may vary somewhat by viral type. Direct contact is implicated in rhinovirus colds; airborne infection by droplet is probably the mechanism in other viral strains.

Flu is caused by orthomyxovirus types A, B, and C, which are spread by direct person-to-person contact or by airborne droplet spray. Flu generally occurs in the late fall and early winter and can reach epidemic proportions when a modified form of the virus emerges for which the population has no immunity.

Complications of flu and common cold

The most common complications of common cold are the secondary overlay of a bacterial infection with purulent sinusitis or otitis media and the triggering of bronchospasms in persons with asthma.
The most common complication of flu is viral pneumonia or a secondary bacterial pneumonia. Individuals who have a compromised respiratory system and the elderly are most susceptible.

Diagnosis of flu and common cold

The diagnosis of common cold is made by clinical examination, while ruling out secondary bacterial sinusitis, otitis media, and streptococcal pharyngitis. Flu can be diagnosed if tissue culture of nasal secretions or fluorescent antibody staining of secretions is positive for virus.

Treatment

Treatments for common cold are medications. Usually acetaminophen analgesics if you have headache. Nasal sprays are important for decongestion. Your doctor probably will recommend you saline gargle or topical anesthetics for sore throat. If you have common cold you shouldn%26rsquo;t use antibiotics. Zou should know that antibiotics won%26rsquo;t help a common cold or flu. Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria and do not have any effect on viruses such as colds and flu. Using antibiotics when you don't need them may make them less effective when you do need them. If your child has common colds you shouldn%26rsquo;t give him or her aspirin. Rest for comfort and to minimize spread of common cold. Good handwashing and careful handling of items in the environment are important to minimize viral contact by others. You should intake enough fluids for hydration. Drinking plenty of fluids is essential to prevent dehydration.

Treatment of flu usually includes some medications. Analgesics are given for headache, aches, pains. Nasal sprays for congestion. Antitussives are given for cough. Flu vaccine is important for prevention if zou have high risk, or you are older and chronic ill. Amantadine can also be used for prevention of or early intervention for influenza type A in high-risk groups. Consult your doctor for an annual flu injection. The vaccination dramatically lessens the severity of the flu, but has no effect on the common cold. Adequate hydration, rest, careful handling of items in the environment and good handwashing to reduce the spread of the virus is most important.

Read More...

Milk - It Does A Body Bad

Essential Food Group?The average American eats close to 600 pounds of dairy products a year, which makes it the single largest component of their diet.On television we see reassuring images of healthy, beautiful people assuring us that milk is good for us. Our dieticians insist that “you&rsqu...

Essential Food Group?

The average American eats close to 600 pounds of dairy products a year, which makes it the single largest component of their diet. On television we see reassuring images of healthy, beautiful people assuring us that milk is good for us. Our dieticians insist that %26ldquo;you%26rsquo;ve got to have milk, or where will you get your calcium?%26rdquo; School lunches always have milk, and growing up weren%26rsquo;t you told that dairy products are an essential food group? Yes, the American Dairy Board has done a very effective job of marketing this product. Most people believe they need to consume large, daily quantities of milk to achieve good health. NOTHING could be further from the truth.

If we look at this on a very basic level, how would you feel about drinking the milk from a dog or a horse? A dog%26rsquo;s milk is for pups, a cat%26rsquo;s milk is for kittens%26hellip; Clearly this is how nature intends it. The milk of every species of mammal is unique and specifically designed to meet the needs of that animal. Human%26rsquo;s milk is designed to take an infant from 8 pounds to 40 pounds in 18 months. Cow%26rsquo;s milk is designed to take a calf from 90 pounds to 1,000 pounds in 24 months. Cow%26rsquo;s milk is not designed for people. For one thing, it has 20 times the casein of human milk. Casein leads to numerous allergic reactions and high levels of mucous in our noses and bowels. Did you know that Elmer%26rsquo;s glue is made from cow%26rsquo;s milk casein? That%26rsquo;s why there%26rsquo;s the picture of Elsie the cow on each bottle.

WHAT IS MILK?

Milk is a maternal lactating secretion, a short term nutrient for new-borns. Invariably, the mother of any mammal will provide her milk for a short period of time immediately after birth and then wean the new-born from the milk. Humans are the only species that continue to drink milk.





The fact is that the body digests milk (any milk) differently once gastric juices begin to flow (at around 18-20 months old). Before gastric juices flow, milk is alkaline an non-mucous forming in the body, but once gastric juices enter the picture, they turn the milk to acid, forming mucous, causing sinus problems, allergies, colds, etc.

From 1988 to 1993 there were over 2,700 articles dealing with milk in the Medicine archives. Fifteen hundred of these had milk as the main focus of the article. Dr. Robert Kradjian reviewed 500 of the 1,500 articles discarding articles that dealt exclusively with animals or inconclusive studies. To his horror, none of the articles spoke of cow%26rsquo;s milk as the %26ldquo;perfect food%26rdquo; we have been led to believe by the milk industry. The main focus of these reports were on intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic reactions in infants and children, as well as infections like salmonella. Contamination of milk by blood and white cells (pus) was also discussed.

Among children some of the common problems found were allergies, ear and tonsillar infections, bedwetting, asthma, intestinal bleeding, colic, and childhood diabetes. Pediatric literature confirms that milk is the leading cause of childhood allergies. Ear specialists frequently insert tubes into the ear drums of infants to treat recurrent ear infections. It has replaced the previously popular tonsillectomy to become the number one surgery in the country. Unfortunately, most of these specialists don't realize that over 50% of these children will improve and have no further ear infections if they just stop drinking their milk. In adults the problems centered more around heart disease and arthritis, allergies, sinusitis, and the more serious questions of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer, especially breast cancer.

It Gets Worse

Fifty years ago an average cow produced 2,000 pounds of milk per year. Today, the top producers give 50,000 pounds! How is this accomplished? Mainly, via drugs, antibiotics, and hormones. The latest high-tech onslought on the poor cow is bovine growth hormone (BGH, aka rBGH). This genetically engineered drug is used to stimulate milk production, and according to it%26rsquo;s manufacturer Monsanto (creator of genetically modified food and now animals), does not effect the milk or meat. The FDA gave its approval for the sale of Monsanto%26rsquo;s BST product back in 1993, but in Canada and Europe it remains unapproved because of strong indications that it causes cancer

Dr. Samuel S. Epstein at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1996 published a paper arguing that IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) which comes from BGH-treated cows promotes cancer of the breast and of the colon in humans who drink such milk. Epstein pulled no punches: %26quot;In short,%26quot; he wrote, %26quot;with the active complicity of the FDA, the entire nation is currently being subjected to an experiment involving large-scale adulteration of an age-old dietary staple by a poorly characterized and unlabeled biotechnology product,BGH. Disturbingly, this experiment benefits only a very small segment of the agrichemical industry while providing no matching benefits to consumers. Even more disturbingly, it poses major potential public health risks for the entire U.S. population,%26quot; Dr. Epstein wrote. IGF-1 survives milk pasteurization and human intestinal digestion, it can be directly absorbed into the human bloodstream, particularly in infants.

It will be difficult for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to acknowledge that milk from BGH-treated cows might be implicated in common cancers. Historically, the FDA has maintained a very close relationship with Monsanto, the chemical company that spent a billion dollars developing BGH. The FDA approved BGH for cows in 1993 and issued regulations that made it illegal to label milk BGH-produced or BGH-free. Some of the FDA officials who approved BGH and who established the regulations discouraging labeling products as BGH had previously worked for Monsanto.

In 1994, Monsanto sued two grocery sores that labeled milk BGH-free, because the chemical giant feared that, given a choice, consumers would reject BGH-produced mlk. The FDA%26rsquo;s anti-labeling regulations (signed into law by a former Monsanto official) were clearly intended to help Monsanto succeed in this marketing ploy.

Sorry, There%26rsquo;s More

I hate to tell you this, but the bovine leukemia virus is found in more than 60% of dairy cows in theUnited States! (In some areas up to 90%) Unfortunately, when the milk is pooled, a very large percentage of all milk produced is contaminated (90 to 95 per cent). Of course the virus is killed in pasteurisation--if the pasteurisation was done correctly. However, there can be accidents. One of these occurred in theChicago area in April, 1985. At a modern, large, milk processing plant an accidental %26quot;cross connection%26quot; between raw and pasteurized milk occurred. A violent salmonella outbreak followed, killing 4 and making an estimated 150,000 ill. And remember, 60% of these cows were carrying the bovine leukemia virus.

What happens to other species of mammals when they are exposed to the bovine leukemia virus? It's a fair question and the answer is not reassuring. Virtually all animals exposed to the virus develop leukemia. This includes sheep, goats, and even primates such as rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees.

At Roswell Park Memorial Institute inBuffalo, New York, ovarian cancer--a particularly nasty tumour--was associated with milk consumption by workers. Drinking more than one glass of whole milk or equivalent daily gave a woman a 3.1 higher risk over non-milk users.

A huge study showed that human breast milk in over 14,000 women had contamination by pesticides! Further, it seems that the sources of the pesticides are meat and--you guessed it--dairy products.

Two cardiologists from Conneticut (Oster %26amp; Ross) identified an essential enzyme in milk that destroyed one third of the atrial material in the arteries of their patients. galactose, a milk sugar. According to recent research, galactose accelerates aging, particularly brain-aging, in mice and rats. In some recent studies, galactose is specifically used as an %26quot;aging accelerator%26quot; to test the protective effects of various supplements against it.

One particular protein, beta-caseine, found in cow%26rsquo;s milk, can trick the immune system into attacking and destroying the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. There are 52 kinds of antibiotics and 59 bioactive hormones found in milk

But What About All The Calcium?

Milk is often pitched as a great source of Calcium. It is not. Yes, it has a high calcium content, but the body cannot utilize it, in fact, consumption of milk actually leaches calcium from the bones! Because the milk is highly acidic, the body needs to buffer it with more internal calcium than you get from the milk. The 10-1 ratio of calcium to magnesium found in milk is insanely high and devestating to the body.

Got Milk?

The majority of us have been raised with milk and dairy products and for many it may seem foreign to not have it. Luckily, there are many amazing alternatives available. We have soy milk, rice milk, oat milk, almond milk, there are new products coming out all the time. It may seeem to taste a bit different at first, but I guarantee after a short while you will start to love it and wonder how anyone could possibly drink milk from a cow. Are they mad?

Read More...

Addictions and Self-Judgment

Charles is caught in a self-destructive cycle that causes much pain and immobilization. It is a cycle that many people are stuck in.The negative cycle starts with some form of self-judgment:"I'm a failure. I will never really amount to anything.""I've made so many mistakes that I can will never be a...
Charles is caught in a self-destructive cycle that causes much pain and immobilization. It is a cycle that many people are stuck in. The negative cycle starts with some form of self-judgment: %26quot;I'm a failure. I will never really amount to anything.%26quot; %26quot;I've made so many mistakes that I can will never be able to get my life back on track.%26quot; %26quot;I've blown it again - I will never lose this weight.%26quot; Self-judgment is the opposite of self-acceptance. It is the opposite of being a kind and trustworthy loving Adult with yourself. Self-judgment is a form of control: the wounded self hopes that by judging yourself you can get yourself to change and do things %26quot;right.%26quot; But the real result of self-judgment is pain. Your Inner Child is in pain from being emotionally beat up by the self-judgment.





For Charles, as for many other people, this pain leads to acting out with addictive behavior - overeating, drinking too much, and smoking. Charles uses these addictions to numb out the pain from his self-abusive thoughts. Then, when he wakes up the next day feeling hung over and has gained another pound, Charles beats himself up again: %26quot;I'm such a jerk. I have no self-discipline. I had resolved to stop drinking and I really blew it. I'm just a useless blob. No wonder my wife divorced me. I shouldn't even be on the planet.%26quot; Charles continues to cause the very pain that leads to the addictive behavior, continuing the self-destructive cycle: self-judgment -- pain -- addictive behavior -- self-judgment -- pain -- addictive behavior, etc. This cycle will not change until the behavior that triggers it - self-judgment - changes. Yet Charles is deeply addicted to the self-judgment as well. We all tend to get addicted to whatever gives us a sense of control over our feelings, actions, and the outcome of things. Charles believes that judging himself will ultimately give him the control he wants. Yet the real result is powerlessness and despair. How can Charles change this? In order to shift this cycle, Charles needs to change his intent. He needs to shift his focus from controlling to kindness. He needs to become a trustworthy loving Adult with himself - an Adult who is reliably kind with himself. He needs to accept, with deep compassion, his judgmental, addictive, wounded self. Instead of judging himself for judging himself and for his eating, drinking and smoking, Charles needs to get himself off the hook. He needs to recognize that the part of him who judges, drinks too much, eats too much, and smokes is a scared, hurt, wounded child or adolescent who learned early how to avoid pain. The original pain came from his judgmental and abusive father, but now the pain is coming from treating himself just as his father treated him. As long as his wounded self is in charge, Charles will continue this painful cycle. When Charles moves into acceptance of his wounded self, he will start to treat himself in the way he always wished his father would treat him. His wounded self is starving for kindness, compassion, and understanding. In a session with Charles, I advised him to focus on kindness toward his wounded self. Most of us know what kindness looks like. We know how to be kind to others when we want to be. Charles had spent much of his life being kind to others and trying to get others to be kind to him, rather than focusing on being kind to himself. No matter how kind others are to Charles, if he is beating himself up with his self-judgments, he will continue to be in pain and act out addictively to avoid the pain. All the kindness in the world from others cannot ameliorate the pain that Charles causes from his own self-judgments. Kindness toward oneself is a moment-by-moment choice. Anytime we feel anything other than peace and joy, it is because we are not thinking and behaving in ways that are kind to ourselves.

Read More...

Make lifestyle changes for better control of acid reflux.

Acid reflux is diagnosed when highly acidic gastric contents reflux back up into the esophagus. We all on the odd occasion suffer acid reflux especially when we over indulge. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is the barrier than remains closed and stops reflux from developing. If the LES relaxes,...
Acid reflux is diagnosed when highly acidic gastric contents reflux back up into the esophagus. We all on the odd occasion suffer acid reflux especially when we over indulge. The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is the barrier than remains closed and stops reflux from developing. If the LES relaxes, then reflux can occur. Reflux becomes a problem when it is recurrent.

Unlike the stomach, the esophageal lining does not cope well with persistent acid. Not only will it result in symptoms such as heartburn but long term contact with acid can cause ulceration, bleeding, strictures and respiratory problems.

Acid suppression treatment with drugs such as ranitidine and omeprazole are so very effective and with these drugs readily available over the counter, it is so easy for a sufferer to go for the drug treatment option. This may be appropriate if acid reflux in caused by true LES incompetence but this diagnosis should be made by your gastro-enterologist. There may be things you can do to improve acid reflux. So before taking OTC medication find out what you can do for yourself.

There are various factors that affect the LES and these could be adequately addressed by lifestyle modification.





Sometimes just a simple change in lifestyle can make a significant difference. For you to make the changes, it is important that you are aware of the various factors that either trigger acid reflux or make it worse.

There are things that increase the intra-abdominal pressure and thereby put pressure on the LES. Some affect the tone of the LES and some affect contraction of intestinal muscles leading to poor clearance of the esophagus and delay in gastric emptying allowing more opportunity for reflux.

A Weighty Problem.

Obesity is the biggest cause of acid reflux today. If you happen to be apple shaped then the extra weight will settle around the waist. This extra weight presses on the abdomen and increases abdominal pressure. This forces the stomach up against the diaphragm and can distort the LES. Food can then be forced up into the esophagus.
Losing weight will make a difference. Some sufferers have significant improvement of their symptoms with only a small weight loss. Wearing tight fitting clothes also increase intra-abdominal pressure. Acid reflux sufferers should wear loose clothes.

Smoking.

Smoking can make acid reflux worse. Nicotine relaxes the lower esophageal sphincter. In addition nicotine deposited at the back of the throat can be corrosive to the esophageal lining. If you have acid reflux and you smoke, then this is another reason to add to the long list of why you should give up.

Food.

Certain foods can have a direct effect on acid reflux. Fatty foods will stay longer in the stomach. Delayed gastric emptying increases the opportunity for reflux. Similarly large meals will slow down gastric emptying and distend the stomach. A distended stomach filled with food will put unnecessary pressure on the LES.

You can make matters worse if you wash the meal down with more than a few glasses of red wine. I am not a killjoy but alcohol stimulates increased acid production in the stomach and relaxes the tone of the LES. This is not a good combination. Drink alcohol sensibly or not at all.

Cow%26rsquo;s milk intolerance or allergy can cause esophagitis. This is called Allergic Eosinophilic Esophagitis. In this case avoiding cow%26rsquo;s milk protein (Lactose) solves the problem.

Other foods that can cause problems in acid reflux include tomatoes, citrus fruits, garlic, chilli and certain spices. Caffeine can affect the LES. Avoid or use carefully tea and coffee. Some IBS sufferers use peppermint as treatment. This herb can affect the LES and can cause heartburn. If you have heartburn with peppermint, consider stopping.

Taking smaller meals more frequently will reduce acid reflux because the stomach will not be full. On average, food stays in the stomach about three hours. It makes sense, therefore, to avoid eating up to three hours before going to bed and that includes a nightcap. Similarly do not lie down soon after a meal.

Medications.

Some drugs affect the LES. These include the Tricyclic antidepressants (i.e. amitriptylline), bronchodilators (Theophylline) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. Tranquillisers and sedatives relax muscles and in the gut can slow down peristaltic contractions of the esophagus. This will increase clearance time in the esophagus. If the drugs you are taking are causing acid reflux then discuss with your doctor.

A Scandinavian study showed that women on HRT are more likely to develop acid reflux. The high level of female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, relax smooth muscles and increase the risk of acid reflux. It is estimated that up to 80% of pregnant women have acid reflux. This is due to the rising level of the female hormones and the weight gain.

If you have acid reflux and you are on treatment, opt for liquid medication. It goes down easier. Some tablet such as tetracycline can be corrosive to the esophagus. Tablets and capsules can also stick in the esophagus.

If you have to take medication always wash it down with a glass of water. Avoid taking medication lying down. Patients with acid reflux should take medication sitting up or standing and avoid lying down soon after.

If you have nocturnal heartburn then raising the head of the bed will reduce this. It will also reduce sensitisation in patients with day time reflux. Adding extra pillows has been shown to be ineffective. Best position to sleep is on the left side. In this position, the stomach is lower than the esophagus.

So if you have acid reflux symptoms, it is likely that it is due the factors you can control rather than true LES incompetence. Remember that to treat acid reflux, you need 24 hours acid suppression and not just the nocturnal dose. So instead of taking continuous medication, is it not better to address your lifestyle and make modification? Who knows, it may be all you need.

Read More...

Crisis Hotline: Dealing with Rape.

Breaking the Silence, Ceasing the ShameRecently in court, the defence lawyer shocked me by asking me what else sex was, besides penetration. We need to remember that all penetration is not sex. If you have been raped, you have not "had sex," or initiated or included yourself in a sexual act. In fact...

Breaking the Silence, Ceasing the Shame

Recently in court, the defence lawyer shocked me by asking me what else sex was, besides penetration. We need to remember that all penetration is not sex. If you have been raped, you have not %26quot;had sex,%26quot; or initiated or included yourself in a sexual act. In fact, on some level, were the public sentiment different, one would not even include rape in a volume discussing sex, because it has very little to do with sex altogether. Sex is not so simple as to be one physical act: it is a subtle alchemy that happens when we are willingly aroused, physically and emotionally, either alone or with others, and is not contained within something so small as an act of penetration and release.

Where our thoughts, as a whole people, more broad and wider in scope on sexuality, we would understand that an act of rape, legally defined as %26quot;a sexual act committed against a woman's or Man's will,%26quot; is only a sexual act for the perpetrator, and even in that, has far more to do with other factors, such as power and emotional imbalance, than it does with sex at all.

William Blake, in the late 1700's, wrote a piece entitled %26quot;Visions of the Daughters of Albion.%26quot; At the time, the premise of this piece was revolutionary: Oothoon (pronounced oo-aw-thoo-awn), a woman in love with Theotormon, is raped by another, Bromion, and despite Theotormon's feelings she is %26quot;spoiled,%26quot; she boldly asserts otherwise. Oothoon -- and Blake -- state clearly that she is incapable of being spoiled, ruined or sullied by the action of others upon her, in which she had no part or engagement with. Thankfully, in our culture, others have also finally begun to realize this is so!!!

How do you know if you have been raped?

At ANY point, during any act in which your body is violated sexually -- be it via genital or oral penetration, or more ambiguous acts such as being made to feel anothers body against your wishes, et cetera -- if you have made clear, even as simply as saying no once or pushing the other person away, that you do not wish to be sexually engaged, and have been forced, through physical force, coercion or threat to do otherwise, you have been raped.





In general, if you have NOT consented to sexual activity and were forced to participate, that is rape.

No matter what ANYONE tells you, it is not your fault. There certainly is fault, but it lies with the rapist, not the victim!!!!!

You may have walked home alone against your better judgment, you may have been at a party and had too much to drink, or you may have gone alone with someone and initially trusted them and wanted to be with them, but changed your mind, or been sexually engaged with someone and then decided you did not want to be at any point during that act. Even if any of these conditions were present, and even if you didn't make the best choices, if you have not given consent to share physically, and another has done so without your consent, the fault lies with them, though you may want to think about ways to better protect yourself in the future.

What should you do right away?

On a practical level, there are several things you should do. Firstly, you should contact a friend or family member you can trust, who can be with you indefinitely, immediately.

Next, you should call the police, once that person is present, or go to the station to report a rape. When you do, you should state as soon as possible, that you wish to prosecute. You can change your mind later if need be, but saying such as early as you can will initiate testing you will need, and better reporting of the incident. Do NOT at any point, appear to waver on your desire to prosecute, even if you are unsure. When at the station, or at the scene at which you have reported, ask for a rape crisis counselor or advocate. That person will help and support you and your needs during this process.

As much as you will want to take a shower, do not do so until after you make a report and are tested. Showering can remove important evidence like semen, skin and hair, and clothing fibers or fingerprints. Wait until after your examination for bathing. As well, write down all you can recall about the incident, and keep a copy of what you have written for your own records, and give another copy to both the police and a lawyer.

As far as deciding to prosecute, there are several factors you should consider. Due to the laws in this country, rape trials are still not made easy on the victim, and they are often a long and arduous process. Many people still hold the outdated and ignorant notion that in some way, it is the victim's fault. You may hear much of this, if you go to trial, from the perpetrators defense. You may also encounter it at the police station. Rape trials take time, as well. Most rape prosecution cases in the United States and the United Kingdom average anywhere from a few months to over a year to complete, and take at least ten to twenty days to even begin the process. However, for yourself, and other victims, bear in mind that the only way to continue to smash the myths surrounding rape, and make clear it is a serious crime, is to prosecute. You may also have medical expenses you will have to pay, including further testing, STD treatment, abortion, and psychological treatment. You may lose money by taking the time from work or school you need to heal yourself -- all of these expenses are damages, which you are owed compensation for. Above all else, rape is a crime, and persecuting a criminal helps to keep that criminal from committing the same crime, both to you, and to others.

Healing Yourself: Body and Soul

For many of us who are survivors of rape and other sexual abuse, we have taken, and may still take, a lot of time healing ourselves, and dealing with the issues this abuse brings up. There are many support groups for survivors, and you will most likely find your own personal support circle invaluable. Speak up and out -- do not let abuse silence you. You need to work through the feelings of sorrow and anger you have to heal. Largely, you will have to do your own healing. Accept that, and take responsibility for being a survivor, not a perpetual victim.

You may want to evaluate the rape situation to take any future preventative measures you can. Have you taken a self-defense course? Do you make sure to walk home alone only during the day, or if forced to walk at night, find company or walk only on large well-lit streets? If you go to a party, do you bring a friend with you, and keep a friend with you? When on first dates, do you first choose a public place to meet to make a good judgment call on your date safely? Is your home secure?

These precautions, mind you, do not always work, but they do most of the time. However, we can empower ourselves by being sure we are giving ourselves as much respect and safety as possible, and make the possibility of rape far smaller.

Healing Our Culture

An additional precaution, that can also help to heal the sexual and emotional dysfunction in our culture is to keep sex, and discussions of it, open, honest and frank. Empower yourself sexually -- tell potential partners you expect to be taken seriously if disinterested, and that you are owed that respect, which is one you would gladly give to them were the shoe on the other foot.

Do not use sex as a tool for barter or emotional game-playing. Treat it as sacred. If you are angry with a partner, voice your anger. Do not withhold sex as an illustration of it. If you do not want to have sex with that person, say so, and explain why. But do not use sex to try and negotiate for something else, for example, an emotional commitment.

Make your personal limits clear, and do not be afraid or shy to do so. The biggest contributors to sex crimes in this culture are silence and shame. If we understand that sex is sacred, and is normal and healthy, and do not treat it as a taboo, or as something filthy or criminal, we can help to heal our culture, and do our small part to help eradicate rape.

My thoughts and feelings

As a rape and abuse survivor, it is suprising to me that only a quarter of rape survivors actually prosecute the rapist. Though, I did prosecute and it was the most hair-raising and fearful experiance I have ever done, but it was the most important. It helped me to find closure and heal myself. Although the defence was shocking and nasty to me, I knew it was their job. In court, I was looked after by witness protection.By law, they have a duty to protect you and your emotional, mental and physical well-being. He could'nt hurt me there, he could'nt hurt me anymore. Victims do not realise that rapists are cowards once they are caught. In short - the dread of court is only worked up by the fear that the rapist or abuser will strike again. As a writer, i am obliged to tell the truth and the truth is simply that the rapist wont and can't hurt you once you are behind the protection of the police and courts.

One thing I have learnt through prosecuting my rapist is that strength comes from inside you, and you alone. It comes when you least expect it. As humans, we have ways of coping with stress and fear. Survivors need to speak up. Speak up for yourself and use those methods for coping in a positive way to find closure and heal themselves. Healing comes from finding peace in your own heart and mind.

Read More...