Archive for the 'Health' Category

Online Counseling for Emotional and Mental Health

Emotional health is a key component of physical health. Everyone knows that, but we sometimes forget just how important it is.

Most of us are conditioned to look only for physical causes for illnesses and chronic conditions. Yet without changing the emotions and behavior that are contributing to the problem, even if we get well, we are likely to relapse.

So the answer is to get counseling, but that seldom happens. We may know we need it, but many of us fail to obtain it for a variety of reasons. The “mental health” stigma is still strong for many people. And some of us simply do not have access to counseling.

Cost may be a big factor. Disability or lack of transportation can make it hard to get to a counselor’s office.

Or we may be so booked up with work and family that we simply cannot find the time. It is easy to put off making an appointment that could tie up several hours of your day when you include transportation time and possible delays at the counselors office.

Privacy concerns can be quite strong and valid, especially if you live in a small, conservative town.  You may not have any deep, dark secrets, but you still want to keep your personal and family business private. It can be hard to find a counselor you trust when your social life and/or livelihood, and perhaps that of your family members or other loved ones, may seem to be at stake.

It can even be hard to get off work or away from the family without explaining why—or lying. So what do you do?

One new option that the Internet makes possible is online counseling. With today’s easy chat systems you can chat live with an expert far away. No one else has to know, and the cost can be quite reasonable. That could literally be a lifesaver for some.

Unlike with physician referrals, you can choose the online counseloryourself from a directory offering a wide range of background, experience, and areas of specialty and showing names, photos and credentials.

You weigh the options, and you make the choice. If you try someone and do not care for them, there are no strings. Just pick someone else. (No hurt feelings from a physician or friend who recommended them.)

You can pay for counseling online securely, easily, and privately. With services like PayPal, you can pay on line without even a telltale charge on your credit card bill.

You can get your questions answered online by experts and even compare answers from different counselors. Having experienced cluelessness, hostility, and even breach of confidentiality with in-person counseling myself, I would definitely use this kind of service. It just makes good sense.

As online medical care has become feasible, so has online counseling. It’s about time, too. This could help many, many people, and even save lives.

Tags: online counselors, Mental Health, mental health stigma, Health, Alternative Therapies, emotional health

What Other Medical Conditions Can Result from Fosamax Use?

One of the major problems that people find alarming is the medical condition called osteoporosis. Women in their menopausal stage are the ones greatly affected. The cause of the fear may have been the thought that they already have contracted the disease before they know it. In fact, despite its being unnecessary, some women opt to undergo an osteoporosis screening. Help can also come from medicines, among biphosphonates, of which Fosamax is an example. However, people experiencing femur fractures are increasing and Fosamax is said to be a cause. Now, this Fosamax issue resulted to studies devoted to explaining these femur fractures.

The suffering caused by Fosamax is not only because of femur fractures. It is an essential thing to know about these other conditions found and reported because it can be helpful.

Esophageal Cancer

Fosamax has the tendency to upset our digestive tract and even irritate the esophagus. Yet, there is a study saying that taking Fosamax for a long time could double the likelihood of anyone developing esophageal cancer. To reduce the chances of damaging their esophagus, users are advised to remain in an upright position at least thirty minutes after taking the drug.

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Severe Musculoskeletal Pain

Severe pain on the bone, muscle or joints, especially in the hip, groin or thigh area, is another severe side effect blamed on the drug. Merck, the manufacturers of Fosamax, included this on the side effects column of its medication guide. Yet many health care providers still overlook this. They just see these pains as normal. This would cause a delay in the diagnosis, lengthen impairment, and require the use of analgesics.

Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

Another disturbing repercussion of prolonged Fosamax use is the death of a tissue in the jaw—a condition known as osteonecrosis of the jaw. Most of the time, it presents a severe pain in the jaw accompanied with swelling, numbness, or loose teeth. It is best to inform your dentist before a needed dental procedure that you are taking Fosamax. There may be a need for a temporary stall for your therapy.

Atypical Fracture of the Thigh Bone

In 2008 the Journal of Orthopedic Trauma reported a number of long-term Fosamax patients who sustained a rare, low-impact fracture on their femur. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) then required a revision in the Fosamax label while it[FDA] performed further analysis on those cases. Doctors now prescribe Fosamax to their patients for a period of not longer than four years even without FDA advice as a result.

These Fosamax side effects may sound disturbing, but these conditions cannot be experienced by every Fosamax user. It would be best to ask your doctor about your risks and how to prevent the said problems especially problems such as Fosamax femur fracture, which may keep on increasing.
Ronald Redman, like many others, is concerned about the Side effects of the drug Fosamax. Read more updates about “Fosamax Lawsuit” here.
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Tags: osteonecrosis of the jaw, menopausal stage, osteoporosis screening, femur fractures, health care providers

What dos and don’t to follow for diabetes?

Diabetes is a very common problem in the people of today. There are two types of diabetes –Type 1 and Type 2; the most common cases are of Type 2 diabetes. It mainly affects the adults who are in there mid-thirties. Pancreas creates a hormone called insulin which is used for converting the glucose obtained from the foods we eat and thus energy is produced. When the person is diabetic, the insulin is either not produced at all or the body is unable to utilize the insulin and as a result sugar gets accumulated in the blood. The common symptoms of the diabetes are excessive thirst, hunger and frequent urination. Fatigue, sudden weight loss, dry skins are other symptoms of diabetes. The best way to fight diabetes is by a planned diet and regular exercises. Here you can find some diabetic diet dos and don’ts so that you can prevent this deadly disease.

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By following some simple diabetic dos and don’ts, one can actually have a healthy and happy life.

1. Avoid intake of sugary food in your diet e.g. soft drinks, candy, desserts etc.
2. Eat whole grain food as these allow slow digestion so one will not feel hungry very easily. Try using brown rice instead of white rice. Take brown bread instead of white bread.
3. One should avoid taking the foods with high fat content such as butter, cheese, hamburger, cream, chocolates etc.
4. Take the low-fat milk, curd, margarine to maintain the fat content of your diet plan
5. Fish intake is good for health as fish has Omega 3 oils which are healthy for the body
6. Green vegetables and fresh fruits are the best way to get vitamins and minerals for our body so try to have these daily
7. Healthy lifestyle will help one to prevent not only diabetes but many diseases. Try to eat food on time and have proper sleep
8. Exercise daily

There are some special foods which can be included in the list of diabetic diet dos and don’ts as these help in keeping the blood sugar level low. Try taking the juice of bitter gourd every morning daily. Fenugreek is another useful seed for fighting diabetes. India blackberry or jamun is very helpful in fighting diabetes. The seeds of jamun are helpful in preventing the conversion of starch into sugar. Raw garlic and onion are also recommended for preventing and controlling the diabetes.
Read in this article about diet for diabetics and types of diabetes. Also read more on diabetes treatment at Onlymyhealth.
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Tags: blood sugar level, omega 3 oils, whole grain food, Health, diabetes type 1, diabetes type 1 and type 2

Teeth Care – Whiten Your Teeth Too Much

It was noticed in our society that only people who got their teeth whitened were rich and celebrities. But now-a-days, the scenario has been changed. Now it is teeth whitening is a treatment and also becoming popular amongst the general people as well. Now-a-days, anyone can get benefit from this treatment for pleasing smile.

Apart from treatment there are also many ways by which you can whiten naturally. But you will need to take utmost care of your teeth because you want to actually whiten your teeth too much. Teeth lose their whiteness due to many reasons.

They lose their whiteness naturally due to mineral structure changes over time. Smoking coffee, drinking and even some antibiotic also cause to reduce whiteness of teeth. Hence it is necessary to avoid these bad habits. Follow below mentioned steps to make your teeth as whitened as celebrities and film stars. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Health

Nutrition & Immunity

Our immune system has got a full-time, highly demanding job. It works day and night constantly fighting at the front line and under-cover in secret missions to protect its master from invading organisms, viruses, bacteria and all sorts of micro creepy crawlies. In the dirty ditches of the human battle field, armed forces of white blood cells, natural killer cells and friendly bacteria patrol – poised and ready for action.

During early childhood and infancy these super soldiers receive their initiation training. Training camps are run by friendly micro organisms in our gut which proceed to teach our immune system to react appropriately to all sorts of foreign invaders in our blood stream.

Protein, dairy or wheat particles are generally seen as allies and have the freedom to pass but nasties like the cold virus, E.Coli and other superbugs must be attacked, destroyed and evicted without disturbing the human master.

But sometimes we can get caught up in friendly fire. A lack of bacteria workforce, inattentive immune cell soldiers or a lack of military precision can lead to an over-reactive response and overkill. Over eager foot-soldiers mistake your own thyroid cells for WMD’s and start attacking, leaving you with an underactive thyroid. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Health, Nutrition

The Full Nutrition Beauty Stop

Flawless skin, glossy hair and neat nails are three features that are conducive to our impression of ‘beauty.’ We spend hundreds if not thousands of pounds every year on keeping our manes thick and shiny and our nails shaped and polished. Simply keeping our skin cleansed, exfoliated, toned and moisturised as well as anti-aged is becoming an expensive full time job!

When you dash to your local beauty counter and reach for the latest miracle serum, stop for a moment and consider what you are putting inside your body… After all, our skin, hair and nails are the windows of our wellbeing. They reflect how happy our body is inside. If skin is dull, blemished or ageing prematurely, if hair is lifeless and if nails are brittle – perhaps it is your local food market that should receive an emergency visit, not the beauty department!

Our skin, hair and nails reflect how well we are nourished and common deficiencies can lead to blemishes, thinning hair and broken nails – no matter how much you spend on your manicure!

Despite the commonly held view that those white flecks on your nails are due to a calcium deficiency, it is in fact a lack of zinc which sprinkles unsightly white spots on your talons! Zinc is a significant beauty mineral. Not only is it important for strong nails but also for skin repair and maintenance. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, liver, eggs, pumpkin seeds and mushrooms.

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Thinning hair is a common beauty complaint, especially given the current ‘big’ hair trends! Protein is an essential hair nutrient, as it contains amino acids – important components of keratin which helps make up the hair’s matrix. Keratin is also an important feature of the skin and nail structure. Good beauty-boosting proteins include eggs, lean poultry, fish, legumes and seeds.

Blemishes on the skin are an expression of inflammation. Whether this is due to hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiencies or stress – the anti-inflammatory pathways in the body require support. Reducing red meat and dairy intake is advisable as these are pro-inflammatory foods. Support your body’s anti-inflammatory pathways with plenty of omega-3 rich foods like oily fish, nuts and seeds, as well as fresh garlic, ginger and turmeric. Omega 3 is also a nutrient celebrated for its anti-ageing properties.

A poorly functioning liver often chooses to express its struggle on your face. Drinking plenty of fluids is the first step to supporting your detoxification organ. 2-3 litres of fluid a day is recommended. The trick here is variety, who wants to be sipping plain water all day long?! Get your liquid from fruits and vegetables, (especially watermelon, pineapple and other juicy delights) dilute fresh fruit juices and choose from delicious herbal teas like rooibos, green and ginger varieties. Staying well hydrated is shown to help keep hair naturally shiny and complexion lines less visible.

A high level of toxicity in the body puts strain on the skin as it is an organ of detoxification. Getting plenty of high fibre foods in your diet is important for the removal of toxins from the system.  Include beans, lentils, pulses, oat bran and prunes in your diet as well as plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. Always wash your fresh produce thoroughly and go for organic choices where possible.

A wide range of factors influence the appearance of our skin, hair and nails. Poor digestion, constipation, sun exposure, weakened immunity and hormonal imbalance are just some examples of why you may not be looking your best. A nutritional consultation could help to identify the underlying reasons as to why your external features are exhibiting weakness. A nutritional programme would then be designed to meet your unique requirements and help develop an inner harmony that makes your nails strong, your hair shine and your skin glow.

Rachel Henderson is a qualified nutritionist and founder and director of Food Fairy Nutrition Ltd. If you’re interested in benefiting from a unique and individually tailored online nutrition consultation service, or you’d simply like more information, please go ahead and click one of the links above!
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Tags: Health

How to Find the Best Dentist

One part of health that many people do not think about is their oral health. Oral health is one of the most important kinds of health because it plays a big impact on overall health.  You may not realize it but problems that start in the mouth can quickly spread to other parts of the body.  You can also diagnose certain diseases, illnesses, and cancers by what is going on in the mouth.  Because of the importance of oral health it is important that you make regular visits to a dentist in Puyallup so that you can avoid the negative health complications that can arise if you go without seeing these professionals.  
Before you start to see a dentist in Puyallup you will want to do some research on the different doctors that are available.  There are likely a variety of dentists that you could choose to go to as a primary care dentist, but you will want to do some research so that you can find the one that will treat you the best.  
The first step to finding a dentist in Puyallup is gathering information on the Internet.  The web will have plenty of information on what kind of experience the dentists in your area have and if their patients are happy with the results that they have received.  To find out what kind of experience other people had with the dentists in your area you have a few options.  The first option is to ask your friends and neighbors whom they go to for their oral needs.  This is a good option because your friends and family will give you an honest opinion about the services received.  Another option that you have is to look for online reviews that were left by people in the community.  These reviews should be taken with a grain of salt as you don’t really know for sure who is writing them, but for the most part they will probably be a good indication of what you can expect when you visit the dentist that they are reviewing.  
Choosing a dentist Puyallup is not an easy decision.  It can take years to find a dentist that you truly feel comfortable with.  Make sure you start your search with some well thought out research and it will make your decision much easier for you.

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Tags: Health