The mention of a hair transplant evokes images of balding men and Elton John, but this outdated stereotype of hair replacement patients is about to be quashed for good. The advances in surgical procedures and the increase in the rate of success have led to an interest from the women too. Although it is predominantly men that suffer from hair loss, women can be affected too, but the treatments available now form part of a complete body enhancement package by offering eyebrow and eyelash hair transplants.
Just as plastic surgery started out as a medical treatment for reconstructive purposes, hair transplant surgery has been for people that have suffered hair loss from illnesses such as cancer or those that have suffered psychologically from extreme hair loss. But just as reconstructive surgery became cosmetic surgery, hair transplants are becoming the choice du jour for those wanting to make themselves more attractive.
The irony of women having eyebrow transplants because of over-plucking is amusing in itself, but eyelash transplants seem a little spooky. The trouble with some cosmetic procedures is that often the cosmetic element follows a fashion trend, and fashion is always changing. It reminds me of the trend just a few years back for tattooing eyebrows to save time applying make-up to fill in over-plucked eyebrows. It was also possible to do the same around the eyes, effectively tattooing eyeliner on. All well and good until heavy liner is no longer in vogue.
I remember my mother once telling me about seamed stockings during the war. They were incredibly expensive, but highly fashionable, and for those that could not afford to buy them, there was the option of getting the lines tattooed on instead. Nice idea while you're all dressed up and ready to go out. Not such a hot look in a swim suit on the beach I should imagine! But it is not just women that are taken in by cosmetic enhancement, and hair transplants for vanity are no exception.
In an era where it seems that most men endure the notorious waxing procedure inventively called the 'sack, back and crack', it is surprising to find out that some men are planting hairs on their chest and face to achieve a more masculine look. Designer stubble has never been so interesting. It is possible to transplant a goatee, chinstrap or a full beard with success time after time. Understandably, it is important for a man to feel manly, and as eating your crusts doesn't really put hairs on your chest, I suppose another solution had to be found.
The advancement in the procedures is thanks to a new surgical method. Previously, hair was taken from a donor area in strips and transplanted accordingly, unfortunately with a high rate of rejection and the infamous dolls head look. Today transplants are conducted with donor samples that contain between 1 and 4 follicles, reducing rejection and achieving a more natural and precise result. Admittedly the results are stunning, but caution still needs to be exercised when opting for treatment that is not for reconstructive purposes. The difference between reconstructive and cosmetic procedure lies in the patient. Reconstructive surgeries give a natural result, because these patients want to look normal again. For those that are already normal, cosmetic surgery is about achieving an unnatural result, to create an enhancement that stands out.
It is known to everyone that cigarette smoking is harmful and addictive. But very few know the risks of cigarette addiction. Smoking inflicts body with many irreversible damages and reduces the human life span by 25 years.
Effects of Smoking on Body:
Heart : Smoking is the biggest risk factor for all heart diseases. It accelerates the process of fat deposition in the inner walls of arteries (atherosclerosis). It increases blood pressure and heart rate. Not only these, smoking increases tendency for the blood to clot. It reduces the capacity of a person to exercise. (Exercises always keep heart healthy).
Lungs : Smoking destroys small hairs present in upper parts of airways. In normal persons these hairs protect lungs from germs, dust and other harmful particles. When this natural cleaning system is damaged germs, dust, smoke and other harmful chemicals enter lungs causing infection, cough and lung cancer. The air sacs of lungs (alveoli) get permanently damaged causing difficulty in breathing.
Digestive system: Smoking causes heart burn ,delays healing of peptic ulcers, increases risk of crohn's disease and formation of gall stones. It affects liver and increases chances of stomach cancer.
Legs: Smoking affects blood vessels of legs causing chronic pain in legs. This may further progress to cause gangrene of toes or feet.
Eyes: The sensitive blood vessels of eye are easily damaged by smoking. This causes blood shot appearance of eyes and itching. In heavy smokers it may lead to degeneration and loss of eyesight. Smokers are at an increased risk of cataracts.
Skin : Due to smoking the skin is deprived of oxygen and it loses its texture. An average smoker looks 5 years older than his healthy non smoking counterparts. The skin loses its healthy glow and takes on a yellowish-gray cast. The more cigarettes smoked, the worse skin will look. Wrinkles start appearing very quickly as smoking affects elastic tissues of skin.
Bones: It accelerates the process of osteoporosis
Cancer: Smoking causes cancer of lungs, larynx, oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus and bladder. Tobacco smoke contains more than 60 substances which cause cancer. 87% lung cancer death occurs due to smoking.
Reproductive system: Smoking reduces fertility in both men and women.
In women: Smoking imbalances estrogen hormone in women. It causes dryness of vagina and reduces blood flow to genital organs. Women who smoke can get diseases of fallopian tubes and their egg production is affected. Smoking can cause abortion. It accelerates aging process and can cause early menopause.
The growth of baby retards when mother smokes in pregnancy. It affects the brain development of baby and reduces IQ. This happens even when mother is a passive smoker. The chances of miscarriage, premature birth and fetal death increase.
In men: Smoking impairs erections and can become a reason for erectile dysfunction. It also reduces sperm count and impairs sperm motility. But these are reversed after stopping smoking.
Hence quit smoking. Quitting smoking has immediate as well as long-term benefits for you and your loved ones
A hair loss website can help those who are in need of good solid information regarding hairloss treatments and procedures. The loss of hair affects a large amount of individuals, both men and women. Thankfully, there are many different methods today that can help stop hair loss, and at times can even reverse it.
While the internet is a great place to research for information, it should be noted that not every hair restoration procedure or treatment will work the same for everyone. However, careful research can help those who need treatment to find something that will work for them.
Hair loss websites can list all of the things that cause hair loss. While you may think that you know the reason why you are having the issue, there may be underlying factors that have not been thought of. The problem may be hormonal; as people age the hormones can cause many different bodily issues, including negative effects on the hair.
Another reason is heredity. This doesn't mean that just because your father or mother had issues with the loss of hair, that you will too. But it can mean that it is more likely to happen. Discussing the situation with a physician is always the best way to help determine hair loss causes, and what can be done about it.
Just as there are many reasons why a man may start to experience male pattern baldness, or a woman may start to experience female pattern baldness, there are as many ways to treat it. If you conduct some online research for hair loss information, then you will find out about creams, gels and medications that can be taken orally, including herbal treatments.
Topical ointments can work well for many individuals, while other people may need an oral medication that will require a period of time to work. There are also other types of remedies that can be used to cover a bald head, such as hair transplants or toupees.
If you are looking for information on baldness, hairloss products or remedies, then you need look no farther than the internet. Everything from herbal remedies to topical ointments, to transplants can be found online.
While the information may give you some great ideas, it is always best to talk to your doctor who can help you to decide what is best for you and let you know if the remedies are legitimate and really work. With this in mind, do not discount hair loss websites for good information.
So you've reached the point in the new year that you're thinking about your wellbeing, physical, mental and spiritual. The new year is a time when lots of people look forward and true to put right the things that they didn't the previous year. It's a time when a lot of people are thinking about taking up new challenges, and making changes. One of the many vows that people make in the new year is to engage in more physical activity and to 'get fit'. If you are one such person, then you might want to take a look at Yoga as a way of achieving this.
The term Yoga comes from the Sanskrit that means 'union' or 'merger'. The essential purpose of the practice of Yoga is to achieve a good and stable balance between the body and mind. When applied or practised, Yoga will help you to achieve self-enlightenment through a combination of breathing, pose, meditation and relief. By using the techniques that you will learn from a Yoga instructor you will achieve the means to maintain a healthy and balanced approached to life.
Yoga is not a religion, although it does have it's roots in the Hindu religion. There are no codes of belief in Yoga, one is merely given the tools and techniques you need to gain a better understanding of your bodies potential. When mind and body work in tandem, you will feel better, you will look better and you will have a very different perspective on life.
You do Yoga to because it is more than just one workout. If you're a runner or you do weights, you know that each form of exercise helps to develop your cardiovascular or muscle strength. Yoga however is one form of exercise that does both strength, and cardio and much more. It's more than stretching and relaxing. When you complete a Yoga session, you will feel totally relaxed and at the same time full of energy. You get to work on your physical shape, as well as learning how to breathe deeply, therefore providing more oxygen for your heart, brain and lungs. Awareness of your body makes it easier to experience total relaxation and as such, each Yoga session will help you to alleviate stress.
If you are wanting to learn more about how Yoga can help you change your life in this new year, you can search for Yoga instructors in your local area, or you can buy a yoga instruction book and learn it at home, whichever suits you. Whatever method you choose, you will enjoy this form of exercise and once learned, the techniques and skills will benefit you for the rest of your life.
Since the beginning of time one aspect of human social experience has stood out as the ‘place to be’ for communication and family bonding: the meal. In contemporary human life the evening dinner is often the only place and time that a family all sits down together. In tribal times (of course there are still tribes today) the cooking of a slaughtered animal or cultivated vegetables brought the group together to share ideas and feelings. Think about it these days; when you want to take someone out for a meal, meet business colleagues, get together with old friends and acquaintances, we go out for a bite to eat. What is it about sharing some food that puts us in such a relaxed and communicable state? Could it simply be science, and the fact that if you are tense when you eat, the food doesn’t digest as well? Or, could it have some psychological basis having to do with the idea that you are sharing some life-giving sustenance with your fellow species instead of warring over it? Subconsciously do we recognize the facts that we will be able to live another day as well as sew healthy seeds for future generations?
It’s easy to eat right during the summer months with an abundance of fresh produce available from a wide variety of sources. But as winter rolls around, those juicy ears of corn is just a memory. That doesn’t mean, however, that you drop your healthy eating habits with the dropping temperatures.
You still need to get your five servings a day of fruits and vegetables. Make an effort to include fruits and vegetables at every meal. Since your options are more limited during the winter months, now’s the time to get creative by trying new recipes as well as sampling produce you haven’t eaten before.
Winter brings a bumper crop of root vegetables like turnips, rutabagas and parsnips; squash; Brussels sprouts; and more. Apples and pumpkins are the foundation of a variety of comforting, homey desserts. Here are some tips to help you chase away the winter chill by adding the flavors and healthy benefits of winter produce.
Here are two delicious recipes sure to warm you up this winter:
Pesto Minestrone
This full-flavored soup is also full of healthy vegetables.
2 cups cauliflower (2 small heads), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups zucchini (1-2 medium), chopped
3 cans (14.5 ounces) chicken broth, reduced sodium
1 16-ounce can tomatoes, diced, drained
1 cup elbow macaroni or small pasta shells
3 cups kidney beans or black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed (1 cup dry makes 3 cups cooked) or 2 cans (15 ounces each)
1 cup carrot (1 medium), sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil (for pesto)
2 garlic cloves (for pesto)
1 cup basil leaves, fresh, loosely packed OR (for pesto)
1 cup Italian parsley plus 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves (for pesto)
1 tablespoon water
Directions
In a 5 to 6 quart saucepan bring to boil 1/2 cup water, tomatoes, cauliflower, onion and carrots; reduce heat and simmer covered 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add zucchini, beans, broth and pasta. Return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered 10 minutes. Meanwhile put all pesto ingredients in food processor or blender and process until very finely chopped. Just before serving, remove soup from heat and stir in pesto. Makes 8 servings.
Golden Apple Oatmeal
Start your day off right with a steaming bowl of this hearty (and heart healthy) oatmeal.
1/2 cup Golden Delicious apples, diced
1/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup water
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1/3 cup quick-cooking rolled oats, uncooked
Directions
Combine apples, apple juice, water and seasoning; bring to a boil. Stir in rolled oats; cook 1 minute. Cover and let stand several minutes before serving. Makes a 1- cup serving.
This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.
A novice guide to developing a good size chest.
Your pectoral muscle group is rather large and can become very powerful if your train it correctly. It has been designed mainly as a pushing mechanism. The chest muscles respond well to heavy compound movements such as the bench press. The large white, slow twitch fibres can grow to a considerable healthy size. A man who achieves a good size chest looks powerful.
Bellow is a training programme that will give you an idea on how to develop a strong and desirable chest.
The press up.
This form of exercise is great for total failure. It will force plenty of blood deep inside your muscle fibres. Your set and rep range depends on your personal fitness levels but a good way to push yourself forward is just to add one rep every day to your routine.
Example: if you can do 10 press-ups. Try and get to 11 the next day.
The positioning of your hands while in press mode will determine which part of the chest you are training.
Close position. Medium position. Wide position.
The close hand position will develop your inner chest region. This also benefits the development of your triceps and inner shoulders muscles.
The medium hand position will centre your body position and hit the majority of the pectoral muscle group. A great all round position for complete development.
The wide position will develop the outer chest, close to the shoulders. This position will also catch the outer shoulders and back area.
The press up is a great starter exercise and will help you with balance, control, and strength for weight lifting.
The bench-press.
If you get started in the gym and decide that you would like to add as much muscle to the chest as possible. Then the Bench Press will become one of the main exercises you will use to develop the chest area on your body. The positioning of your hands as above will also have the same effect. However, you can also position the bar at different intervals on the chest.
Example:
Upper chest. Middle chest. Lower chest.
The positioning will work out the desired area of chest. Training using this method will pre- exhaust your chest for the next movement. With this, what you're doing is tiring the muscle by lifting heavy weights for your desired rep and set range. This is also known as a compound movement because it will add size to your chest.
Flys.
The movement of the Fly exercise is designed to stretch and squeeze your pectoral muscles. Always start with light dumbbells. This will help prevent injury and keep the movement strict for the heavier rep range to come. The key to this exercise is to control and stretch the muscles on the way down. Once you feel the full stretch, force the dumbbells back to the top of the movement. Now focus all your effort in squeezing the pectoral muscles together. This is a great all round movement for that massive look.
Cable cross overs.
Using cables help shape your chest while adding depth and character. Once again take your time with the movement. It's not a race to complete each rep and finish a set. The cable movement will also help with your shoulders and biceps. Bend you knees slightly and keep your feet, shoulder width apart. This helps you isolate the movement solely on the chest area.
Peck deck.
The peck deck machine is a great finishing exercise. It allows you to completely break down those last deep inner muscle fibres. This type of movement will help you complete each set until complete failure.
Tips:
* Try and vary your routine. You don't always need to start with the bench press. Try working backwards or starting with an exercise you don't particularly like.
* Change your set and rep range. Aim for 20 reps on every set. This will limit your weight range but will work the muscle in a different way.
* Don't train heavy every time you go into the gym. You don't need to be lifting as much weight as possible in a particular session. This will only play havoc with your joints later on in life. Try 8 weeks of heavy then 8 weeks of medium weight.
Then 8 weeks of light. Again this will change your rep and set range, depending on how you're pushing yourself.
* Train to failure. Keep lifting the weight beyond the desired rep range. Don't stop once you hit the number in your head. Keep going and feel the burning sensation within your muscle. Even when your mind shouts out to stop. Keep going. This hurts and you are going to feel it in the morning, but this type of training will make you grow.
* Keep a good eye on your diet.
* Change your gym. Different gyms have different machines and weights. This variation will train your muscles slightly different. This system allows the muscle memory to change and slow down the adaptability of your muscle density.
Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common of all the cancers after lung cancer and it is the most common cancer in the UK. In the last ten years the breast cancer rates in the UK have increased by 13%. So what can you do? Just because the rates of breast cancer have been becoming larger of late this doesn't mean that you cannot do anything positive to reduce your chances of developing this cancer.
These 5 simple steps have been scientifically proved to reduce your chance of developing breast cancer and following them will improve your general health as well.
1. Drink less (alcohol)
The increase in drinking and binge drinking in the UK could be one of the main reasons that numbers of cases of breast cancer recorded are increasing. There is an increased rick of about 7% for every alcoholic drink consumed on a daily basis for women. Researchers estimate that around 2,000 of the 40,000+ yearly cases diagnosed is due to alcohol consumption. However, drinking moderatlely is probably the best idea for your all round health as some drinks (for example red wine) can be beneficial to other aspects of you health such as your heart.
2. Change your Diet
Researchers have estimated that 25% of diagnosed cases of cancer could be avoided by a change in diet. You have all heard the advice that we should get our "five a day" and where breast cancer is concerned, this could really pay off. Scientists suspect that consuming large amounts of animal fat could increase your risk of breast cancer. These factors are demonstrated in Japan. Japanese women have a diet very high in fruit and vegetables and very low in animal fats and the cases of cancer found in these women is very low.
3. Check yourself regularly
It is important to check your breasts regluarly, but few people know just how easy it is. The best way to check your breasts is to use your hand in a "paddle" shape and gently rub in a circular motion to check for hard lumps, often a way to tell if these lumps are anything out of the ordinary is if the lumps have a very defined edge. Breasts are naturally lumpy, especially when you're on your period, but once you begin to check yourself regularly you will be able to tell if there are any unusual lumps. Another thing to look out for is signs of an unusual dimpling of the skin. Stand infront of a mirror and raise your arms slightly, this should make it easier to spot any dimpling. If you spot any of these signs or your breast or nipple shape changes suddenly you should go to your GP and get yourself checked out.
4. Exercise
Obviously, exercising is a beneficial step to take for your all round health and fitness, including decreasing your risk of developing all kinds of cancer. A study carried out in the US found that women who exercise regularly before their menopause can decrease their risk of dveloping breast cancer by 23%. They also found that the exercise is most beneficial for girls and women aged 12 to 22.
5. Maintain a healthy weight
This step goes hand in hand with point 4. Obesity has been directly linked to diagnosed cases of breast cancer but only with women who have already gone through the menopause. It has been estimated that maintaining a healthy weight could mean that 12,000 people in the UK would avoid developing breast cancer. Obesity also increases the likelyhood of developing many other types of cancer.
The risk of new mothers developing postnatal depression is cut if health visitors are trained to spot signs and offer psychological help, a study says.
Health visitors were trained to spot symptoms of depression six to eight weeks after birth.
Women who were then given psychological support by health visitors, rather than the usual process of being referred on to a GP, fared better.
University of Sheffield researchers looked at 4,000 women.
At the six or eight-week check, 600 women were found to have signs of postnatal depression.
A third were offered the usual care of a GP referral, while the rest were offered eight sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy, which aims to change behavioural responses, or person-centred therapy where the patient is encouraged to discuss their feelings about their situation.
|
|
Dr Cindy-Lee Dennis |
Both forms of psychological support led to a reduction in depressive symptoms when compared with women in a control group who received the usual level of care.
A third of women who had been given therapy still had symptoms of depression six months after their baby's birth, compared with just under half of those in the control group.
The difference in outcomes remained when women were assessed again at 12 months.
Mothers' help
Writing in the BMJ, the researchers led by Dr Jane Morrell, said: "Training health visitors to assess women, identify symptoms of postnatal depression, and deliver psychologically informed sessions was clinically effective at six and 12 months postnatally compared with usual care."
In a second study published in the journal, University of Toronto researchers examined the effectiveness of telephone support to prevent postnatal depression.
Seven hundred women who tests showed were at high risk of developing the condition either received telephone support from volunteer mothers who had experienced postnatal depression themselves, or could seek help from health professionals themselves if they felt it necessary.
Those who were supported were around half as likely to develop postnatal depression 12 weeks after birth.
Around 13% of women are thought to experience postnatal depression following the birth of a child but it is often undiagnosed and untreated.
Antidepressants have been shown to be an effective treatment, but many women are reluctant to take the drugs, especially when they are breastfeeding.
Writing in the BMJ, Dr Cindy-Lee Dennis, who led the study, said their work and that of the UK team provided more evidence that postnatal depression could be effectively treated, and possibly even prevented.
But she said the condition was still undiagnosed and untreated in many women.
"Only by overcoming the barriers to treatment, providing comprehensive screening programmes, and ensuring the delivery of appropriate and timely care will we effectively prevent and treat postnatal depression."
People who get less than seven hours of sleep per night appear about three times as likely to develop respiratory illness following exposure to a cold virus as those who sleep eight hours or more.
Experimental studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation results in poorer immune function. However, there is little direct evidence to back up the theory that sleep affects susceptibility to illness.
Researchers from America interviewed 153 men and women (age range, 21-55 years) daily for 14 consecutive days regarding how many hours they slept per night, what percentage of their time in bed was spent asleep and whether they felt rested. The study subjects were then quarantined and administered nasal drops containing the common-cold-causing rhinovirus.
It was found that the less an individual slept, the more likely he or she was to develop a cold. Lower sleep efficiency was also associated with developing a cold - men and women who spent less than 92 percent of their time in bed asleep were five and a half times more likely to become ill than those whose sleep efficiency was 98 percent or more. Feeling rested was not associated with colds.
The above data supports seven to eight hours of sleep as a reasonable target. However, even a minimal habitual sleep disturbance (sleep losses of 2 percent to 8 percent, 10 to 38 minutes for an 8-hour sleeper) is associated with 4 times the risk of developing a cold.
Do you hate wearing bathing suits and skimpy clothing because you're unhappy with the way your breasts look? You're not alone. Millions of women feel the same way. That's why breast enlargement surgery is so incredibly popular. But surgery is expensive, painful, and can even be dangerous. Instead, many women have turned to natural breast enhancement products such as Breast Actives to make their breasts bigger and firmer.
Breast Actives enhancement cream is made with a variety of herbal ingredients that increase the body's production of human growth hormone. This hormone then tells your glands to start creating more breast tissue. This is essentially the same thing that happens during puberty. Breast Actives enhancement cream is safe to use and you won't gain weight. You just rub the cream onto your breast every day.
You'll also need to take the herbs orally as well. It's just like taking a vitamin. This supplement will boost your body's production of estrogen, which also tells your glands to create more breast tissue. So the cream makes your breasts bigger and firmer from the outside of your body, while the supplement works on them from the inside.
Breast Actives enhancement cream takes about six months to work fully. Patience is advised. And six months of cream can get a little expensive, but it's not nearly as expensive as implant surgery. And your breasts will look better than surgically enhanced breasts because they're real. Breast Actives enhancement cream is highly rated because it uses a superior grade of herbs in a sufficient dosage.
Since breast enhancement herbs affect the hormones, they can have other benefits as well. For example, many women report that these herbs relieve menstrual cramps. Some even claim they increase libido.
It's depressing when you feel lousy about your appearance. It can negatively affect every aspect of your life--at home and at work. But when you feel confident about the way you look it's a truly great feeling. You want to go out. You want to be around people. And they want to be around you.
Can Breast Actives enhancement cream really help make your breasts bigger and firmer? It already has for thousands of women. Why not you too?
Anxiety is a disorder that can disturb a persons mind to an extent where they lose control over their actions e.g. thinking and decision making. This sense of instability makes it hard for a patient to carry on leading a normal life. When anxiety takes hold it forces the patient into believing that they no longer have any say on matters of importance like decision making etc. All this can have a devastating effect on the sufferer as well as all concerned parties around them.
With the help of modern science we have modern medicine and treatments and if supervised by a governing body of the medical profession along with your modern way of thinking and that is to believe in yourself and recognise your illness then the help out there will certainly give you hope in having a brighter future.
It is no wonder why anxiety is diagnosed as a mental health disorder when it can cause so much havoc in the upper region. Some patients lost hope where they believed their anxiety was beyond repair. Unfortunately they became a victim of their own thoughts that was to give them the only solution to their problem and that was to commit suicide. We all know the feeling of anxiety where the fear factor sets in and we imagine that something awful or nasty is about to happen. If faced with difficult times e.g. like an upheaval in life, divorce or losing someone close are all situations that can be identified to the cause of anxious moments. There are different types of anxiety; therefore the importance of speaking with a doctor is imminent so the right course of medicine or treatment can be prescribed. Mild bouts of anxiety are common and present in a great many of our lives, but for the more severe cases anxiety bouts now become attacks which is a major worry.
Doctors dedicated in this field will diagnose an anxiety disorder if the patients tension level scales to high and stays with the sufferer for several months. If the patient can not pin point a reason behind his anxiety then it is right to stick with the prognosis of it actually being anxiety. The reason being is, depression stands in the way of diagnoses due to similarities of symptoms for both disorders. What the doctor has to decipher is whether the patient has depression with anxiety symptoms or vice or versa as in i.e. is anxiety the cause of their depression.
The effect anxiety has on each individual differs in many ways; some people are prone to the psychological/emotional side of things. When other people are tortured by the effects physically
The Psychological downside to anxiety comes in the form of inability to concentrate along with irritability. A patient experiences constant worry which can lead to sense of fearful anticipation. Lack of sleep is a strong symptom causing fatigue to take the whole body. The Physical effects can be pains where the patient feels tightness in the chest. Breathing is affected. Loss of appetite, sex drive goes down hill and visits to the loo are more frequent (Urinating) sickness dizziness headaches and muscle tension are just a few to mention of the symptoms.
Anxiety if permitted will devour any thoughts you have on leading a normal life. This can be all prevented if you seek advice early on any concerns you may have relating to your health or that of someone close.
Varicose veins are veins that are swollen and agonizing. They can become huge and twisted to look similar to ropes. In the normal vein there are valves that keep blood moving forward toward the heart, but with varicose veins the valves do not perform properly, this permits the blood to pause in the vein and it pools, causing it to enlarge.
Warnings to look for are distress and a feeling of fullness in the legs, visible dilated veins, mild bulging of the ankle and discoloration of the skin around the ankle. If you begin to have a lot of pain, and your veins do not answer to your own healing, you should see a varicose vein doctor. When you begin to have indications, sitting or lounging with your feet tilted may help.
Varicose vein remedy will be conservative at the beginning. Your doctor will probably order you to abstain from standing, especially for long periods of time. Remain off your feet as much as possible, and wear elastic support stockings when you are on your feet.
Should you ensue a sudden surge in pain, swelling, fever, or redness, you should touch base with your doctor directly, as you can develop complications such as soreness of the vein (Phlebitis), leg ulcers, or the rupture of a varicose vein. You can treat your varicose veins for as long as it helps, by keeping your feet tilted, by staying off your feet as much as possible, and by wearing elastic support stockings. Varicose veins, however, will only worsen over time. However, by taking the proper care of yourself, you can hold off the worst for as long as possible.
If you get to the point that your ache is unbearable, you may have to have surgery done. There is a treatment called Sclerotherapy which is executed while the patient is standing. A solution is injected into the vein to cause thickening. This closes off the vein. Afterwards an elastic bandage is wrapped snugly around the leg or part of the body where the varicose vein was situated.
Another remedy is called Endovenous ablation therapy. This procedure uses heat to destroy vein tissue. A slender tube is put into the vein through a small incision under local anesthesia. Then by using laser or radio wave energy the vein is cauterized, closing it off. This is an outpatient procedure.
Surgical vein stripping (or varicose vein removal) is a procedure that is done under general anesthesia. You are asleep and do not feel pain. This is also an outpatient procedure. The doctor makes a cut at the top and the bottom of the varicose vein. A thin, plastic, tube like tool is put into the vein and is linked around it, then when the tube is pulled out the vein is removed with it. The vein stripping is not done as often nowadays as it was in the past, since the Endovenous ablation treatment has been shown to work as well, or better, than the stripping procedure. There looks to be less pain, also, and patients typically recover swifter. These therapy will, more than likely, cause scarring.
Many people proudly announce that they are perfectionists. This condition of trying to do everything perfectly can eventually cause overwhelming anxiety. They may believe that being a high achiever and working so hard at everything they tackle will gain admiration. But it is more likely to result in creating additional insecurity and anxiety in their lives, which drives them to try harder. The anxiety increases stress and begins to affect their lives. If they can lessen the desire to be perfect so their anxiety and stress levels will lessen too. Treating anxiety is a process and here are some basic rules.
1 Accept that the anxiety can be controlled and that you can be in command of it. This is half the battle won. Accept that you have a problem and decide that you are going to control it. Get out of the habit because that is what it basically is.
2 Recognize the symptoms and make a conscious effort to shut them down.A widely accepted aid to help identify the tendency is to wear an elastic band around your wrist. Every time your thoughts begin to dwell on the desire to be perfect, or you feel anxious, snap the band. It reaffirms your determination to not go there.
3 Do not blame others, for the situation you are in or conditions for your anxiety. Blaming others for the situation is just too easy. Life is tough at times and full of knocks and pitfalls, so acknowledge that. Finding a workable solution to your problem is the healthy challenge of life.
4 Take each day at a time. A lifetime of conditioned thinking and reaction is not easy to change. However, it can be done by taking small steps at a time. Take care of yourself by keeping clear of stressful situations and do not take on more than you can cope with.
5 Adopt a positive attitude. Confidence and self worth is what you are after even if do not feel like it. Act the part and eventually you will be the part. You should not believe that you are being judged continually.
6 Seek help. There are many professionals who are well trained and experienced at helping to deal with anxiety once it becomes a real problem. There are also many remedies which help to calm your anxious state. Start with a natural remedy that is not habit forming.
Many high achievers have discovered the African indigenous plant called Kanna for treating anxiety. The remarkable thing about this herbal plant is that it is safe. It is completely non addictive and no severe adverse effects have been documented. Those relaxed, happy ancient tribes had the secret of not only basic survival, but on how to enjoy life. The plant was greatly prized because when chewed they experienced a feeling of goodwill and benevolence. The good news is that it is now available in a natural milled powder form in capsules.
I have suffered the effects of anxiety and stress and vowed no more. I since made an extensive study of the symptoms, the causes, effects and management of stress and have helped countless people turn their lives around If you would like to rid yourself of stress and look forward to each day, go to my website for a FREE guide which sets out the Golden Rules on how to manage stress and anxiety.
About the Author
Philippa has suffered from both anxiety and stress related problems. She decided that enough was enough and decided to research the reasons,causes and management of stress and anxiety related problems. Over the years and as a result of her studies she has helped countless people deal with their stress and anxiety
There is no evidence that products widely promoted to help the body "detox" work, scientists warn.
The charitable trust Sense About Science reviewed 15 products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found many detox claims were "meaningless".
Anyone worried about the after-effects of Christmas overindulgence would get the same benefits from eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep, they said.
Advertising regulators said they looked at such issues on a case-by-case basis.
The investigation, done by research members of the Voice of Young Science network, was kicked off by a campaign to unpick "dodgy" science claims - where companies use phrases that sound scientific but do not actually mean anything.
|
|
Tom Wells, chemist |
They challenged the companies behind products such as vitamins, shampoo, detox patches and a body brush on the evidence they had to support the detox claims made.
No two companies seemed to use the same definition of detox - defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the removal of toxic substances or qualities.
In the majority of cases, producers and retailers were forced to admit that they had simply renamed processes like cleaning or brushing, as detox, the scientists said.
Toxins
One researcher investigated a Garnier face wash which claimed to detoxify the skin by removing toxins.
''Your body is the best detox product you have'' - Sense about Science
The "toxins" turned out to be the dirt, make-up and skin oils that any cleanser would be expected to remove, she said.
A five-day detox plan from Boots which claimed to detoxify the body and flush away toxins was also criticised for not being backed by evidence.
Evelyn Harvey, a biologist who looked into the product, said that if consumers followed the healthy diet that was recommended alongside the supplement they would probably feel better - but it would have nothing to do with the product itself.
The researchers warned that, at worst, some detox diets could have dangerous consequences and, at best, they were a waste of money.
Tom Wells, a chemist who took part in the research, said: "The minimum sellers of detox products should be able to offer is a clear understanding of what detox is and proof that their product actually works.
"The people we contacted could do neither."
Alice Tuff, from Sense About Science, added: "It is ridiculous that we're seeing a return to mystical properties being claimed for products in the 21st Century and I'm really pleased that young scientists are sharing their concerns about this with the public."
The Advertising Standards Authority said it would investigate such claims on a case-by-case basis if a complaint was made.
"If a product is making claims not substantiated by the evidence submitted by the company we would challenge that."
A spokeswoman from Boots said its five-day detox plan encouraged people to drink water and includes ingredients that "battle against toxins and help protect from the dangers of free radicals".
And Garnier commented: "All Garnier products undergo rigorous testing and evaluation to ensure that our claims are accurate and noticeable by our consumers."
Thousands of people have expressed concern about pain management in A&E units in a poll of patients.
The Healthcare Commission survey of nearly 50,000 people found less than two thirds felt staff did everything they could to manage pain.
But overall nine in 10 patients said they were happy with the standard of service in hospitals in England.
A&E doctors admitted there were some areas that needed improving, but the government said it was pleased.
In total, 88% of patients rated their care as good, very good or excellent, with the numbers giving hospitals the top score rising slightly since the last survey in 2004.
'Worrying'
But the watchdog said the overall performance could not hide some worrying trends for individual aspects of the care package.
Just 59% of patients said they felt staff did everything they could to manage pain.
One in four people who requested pain relief said they had to wait more than 15 minutes, and 9% said they never got the relief they requested.
Concerns were also raised about the information patients were given.
Only 37% said they were given a complete explanation of possible side-effects of medicine they were given.
|
|
Katherine Murphy |
Another third reported they were not told about the danger signs associated with their illness or injury that they should look out for after being discharged.
The poll also showed slight drops compared to the last survey in the ratings for privacy and respect and the way patients felt they were involved in their care.
And it revealed regional variations in the quality of services with London performing worse on many aspects of care.
The performance of hospitals in the capital has been an issue in previous reports from the watchdog and officials said they were looking into the trend.
Healthcare Commission chief executive Anna Walker said while the overall rating was good, hospitals still had lessons to learn.
"Patients have raised important issues."
And Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, claimed patients deserved better, adding: "Pain management is a critical part of care."
The watchdog also highlighted a concern about the four-hour waiting time target.
More than a quarter of patients said they were in A&E for longer than four hours.
Accusation
The Healthcare Commission suggested this could be because patients were being sent to assessment units, a kind of half-way house between A&E and the rest of the hospitals.
Managers have been accused of using these units as a way of getting round the target when they have not been able to treat or admit the individual within four hours.
Time spent in the assessment unit does not count towards the target.
The watchdog refused to get drawn into whether this was a deliberate tactic to hit the target or part of the proper assessment process.
But both the Lib Dems and Tories said hospitals were being pressured into manipulating waiting times.
Martin Shalley, of the College of Emergency Medicine, agreed it was probably happening "in some places".
And on pain he said: "More needs to be done.
"I think it is probably to do with time pressures. Staff do not always have the time to keep asking patients about pain during their visit to A&E. It is something we are trying to improve."
But he added: "Overall, however, we should be pleased with the performance."
Health minister Ben Bradshaw also said he was pleased with the results.
"There has been a dramatic improvement in recent years."
|
The condition attacks the joints |
Women may suffer more from rheumatoid arthritis than men, findings suggest.
Female patients say they experience more symptoms like aches, pains and tiredness even when they appear to have the same level of disease as men.
The Finnish researchers believe their findings may be down to physical strength - women are naturally weaker than men and thus feel the strain more.
Details of their study of over 6,000 patients from 25 countries is published in Arthritis Research and Therapy.
It is already known that the disease is more common in women than in men - more than 70% of those with rheumatoid arthritis are female.
|
|
Lead researcher Dr Tuulikki Sokka |
Women tell us they have more severe symptoms 
In the latest study, the men and women were asked to complete questionnaires about their disease and underwent x-rays and blood tests to gauge how advanced their arthritis was.
'Weaker' sex
Lead researcher Dr Tuulikki Sokka, a consultant in rheumatology at the Jyvaskyla Central Hospital, said: "The level of rheumatoid arthritis appears to be pretty much the same in both sexes but the symptoms of joint tenderness and things like that appear to be worse in women.
"The problem is that the only real measure we have for rheumatoid arthritis is the X-ray, which only measures damage.
"This is not a very valuable tool in the everyday clinic and so we need to rely on what patients tell us. We found that women tell us they have more severe symptoms."
Dr Sokka believes this relates to women being physically weaker than men.
"Our findings were particularly obvious in older women, who are losing their muscle mass little by little every year.
"Given that woman is the 'weaker vessel' concerning musculoskeletal size and strength and her baseline values are lower than men's, the same burden of a musculoskeletal disease may appear to be more harmful to a woman than to a man."
Macho façade
Alternatively, it may be that women feel less inhibited about admitting they are having difficulties, or that men tolerate more pain, she said.
Hormones may also play a role.
Professor Alan Silman, a spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign, said: "One of the most fascinating and unexplained aspects of rheumatoid arthritis is the strong female excess in incidence, although this narrows substantially after the menopause.
"This provides powerful evidence that hormonal factors are involved in the disease.
"Furthermore men who develop the disease need to have a stronger genetic background than women.
"Thus it is not surprising that the disease behaves differently between the genders and the differences in severity are not likely to be totally explained by external factors such as body build and physical activities."
Dr Chris Deighton, a consultant rheumatologist at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, said it was possible that women had more severe joint disease than men.
But the study also showed that the way disease activity is measured in patients could differ between men and women.
Dr Deighton said: "My impression is that there's still a possibility that women have more severe joint disease than men do.
"When they looked at the data, they noted that women tended to have more erosions (of bone) than men did."
