I was doing some research lately on the Internet and stumbled upon a website managed by Anne Collins. Her website is jam-packed with tons of information about her weight loss program, tips, resources, information, testimonials, products and anything you need to find out about losing weight. I was very impressed and decided that I had to bookmark this site and come back from time to time.
I am not endorsing her program because I have not tried it myself. However, I must give her credit for providing lots of information for her clients and visitors to make it a friendly site instead of one that is more commercial than enlightening. She does have a host of knowledgeable stuff, so it can be overwhelming to browse all at one time.
Her weight loss reduction program has peeked my interest. Her claim is that she has been helping people to lose weight for the past twenty-four years so her record speaks for itself. She provides a diet without the hunger and helps you to stay motivated during your dieting experience. She uses a system that offers support, no forbidden foods, no drugs or pills, but a permanent weight loss structure.
Cabbage soup and low carb diets are only temporary according to Ms. Anne Collins. With her system she offers to teach you how to make realistic and sustainable changes to your eating habits forever. You will learn an easy plan on how to improve your lifestyle that you will be able to maintain permanently.
Ms. Collins also provides a number of success stories with before and after photos to show the reality of how others have had weight loss success. She provides a book with her program that lays out what kinds of food you need to include on your shopping list as well as an exclusive private member site for a whole year where you will get on-going support from her and other members.
In her private member site, she provides weight charts, foods to eat, dieting tips, diet issues, exercise, nutrition and information about eating out. She claims that her program is approved by a Dr. Tina Ambury is a Very Experienced and Highly Respected Physician, who gives a testimonial on her website. When I got down to the end of her sales page, I was shocked that all she charges for the entire year is only $19.97, which computes to $0.38 per week. There is also a 60-day money back guarantee.
Ms. Collins must be doing well because her Page Rank is high and I think it may have a lot to do more with the numerous pages that she has of articles, resources and information. The information may be worth more than the program, but the point is that most people that give weight loss advice and offer different weight loss products think of it as a business. Not many people will actually do this for free, but when someone offers free information along with their product, they are to be commended even if it is for other ulterior motives.
Article written by Cheryline Lawson, author and owner of alkalinedietdetox.com alkalinedietdetox.com
Motorcycling, sky diving and scuba diving are a few activities that Jill Misangyi, a registered nurse from Canada, never imagined she would be able to do until her spinal decompression surgery with fusion and instrumentation recently in India through Healthbase . Jill had been suffering from chronic back pain for 16 years.
Back pains are as common as headaches. Most back pains disappear on their own with some rest and / or medication. Some may stay longer but can still be managed with conventional treatments of medication, therapy and back building exercises. But, there are a few types of back pain that are so chronic that they render the person disabled. Such chronic conditions necessitate surgery so as to improve the persons condition.
There are different reasons that cause backaches. In this article we take a look into conditions caused by compression of the structures that form the spinal column, and the surgical solutions to these spine problems .
Conditions associated with spinal compression are: disc herniation, sciatica, spinal stenosis and spondylolisthesis. To relieve pressure on one or many pinched nerves of the spinal column caused by the compression, spinal decompression surgery in its different forms – discectomy, laminectomy and foraminotomy – is employed. Let us start with a description of each of these conditions followed by an understanding of the surgical options.
CONDITIONS
1. Disc herniation: Discs or disks are pads of cartilage between two adjacent vertebrae (i.e. spinal bones) that separate the vertebrae and provide cushioning to them. When the disc herniates (moves out of place), the soft gel inside pushes through the wall of the disc putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that are coming out of the spinal column thereby resulting in a severely painful condition. Disc herniation can occur in any disc in the spine – cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back) or lumbar (lower back) region. Disc herniations occur especially in jobs that require lifting, but can also occur from jobs that require constant sitting.
2. Sciatica: Sciatica refers to pain, weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg caused by injury to or compression of the sciatic nerve located in the back of the leg. Sciatica is a symptom of another medical problem, not a medical condition on its own. The sciatic nerve controls the muscles of the back of the knee and lower leg and provides sensation to the back of the thigh, part of the lower leg and the sole of the foot. Sciatica may be caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD), pelvic injury or fracture, piriformis syndrome (a pain disorder involving the narrow piriformis muscle in the buttocks), slipped disk, spinal stenosis, tumors, etc.
3. Spinal stenosis: Affecting mainly middle-aged or elderly people, spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal in the lumbar (lower back) or cervical (neck) region that results in compression of the nerve roots. It may be caused by osteoarthritis or Pagets disease or by an injury that causes pressure on the nerve roots or the spinal cord itself.
4. Spondylolisthesis: Spondylolisthesis is a condition in which a vertebra in the lower back slips forward and onto a vertebra below it. The slip usually occurs between the fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae. In adults, it is most commonly caused by a degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis. Other causes are stress fractures (caused during gymnastics), traumatic fractures, and bone diseases.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Depending upon the underlying reason behind the above conditions, surgical decompression might be used to help relieve the pain. Surgical spinal decompression can take the form of a diskectomy, a laminectomy, or a foraminotomy.
1. Spinal discectomy: Diskectomy or discectomy is the removal of all or part of the affected disc. Spinal discectomy can be done in a few different ways:
a. Microdiscectomy or microdiskectomy: This is a minimally invasive way of carrying out the discectomy procedure so that the bones, joints, ligaments or muscles of your spine are not touched resulting in faster healing and recovery.
b. Lumbar diskectomy: Lumbar discectomy, as the name implies, is performed to address conditions of the lumbar spine or lower part of the back. It may also be part of a larger surgery that also includes a laminectomy, foraminotomy, or spinal fusion (fusing the vertebrae together to stop motion at the painful joint).
c. Cervical diskectomy: Cervical discectomy is performed to treat conditions of the cervical spine or the neck region of the spine. It is most often done with laminectomy, foraminotomy, or fusion.
2. Spinal laminectomy: A laminectomy is the removal of a small portion of the arch of the vertebra to increase the size of the spinal canal to alleviate the pressure on the spinal cord and the pinched nerve. Laminectomy is most commonly performed to treat spinal stenosis. It is usually done along with a diskectomy, foraminotomy, and spinal fusion. Laminectomy can be done either using the conventional open method or using the minimally invasive method.
3. Spinal foraminotomy: A foraminotomy is the removal of bone and other tissue to expand the openings for the nerve roots to exit the spinal cord. Foraminotomy, which be performed on any level (region) of the spine, takes pressure off of a nerve in the spinal column and allows it to move more easily. The procedure is commonly performed as a minimally invasive procedure.
Spinal decompression surgery is successful in relieving pressure and pain in 80% to 90% of patients. When your back pain is getting the better of you, a decompression surgery can greatly help improve your quality of life.
As for Jill Misangyi, she feels her life after surgery has taken a total turn around for the good. She is off all pain medication and is back exercising building muscle. Her 16 years of painful prolonged waiting for surgery at an NHS hospital in Canada are wasted but she considers herself lucky to have found out about Healthbase and affordable medical tourism in India. She now has a second chance at life.
A general view of the verb snoring is that it’s simply another person, usually men, lying in bed, absorbed in sleep. Snoring is either caused by minor disturbances occurring to a person sleeping or a dangerous health situation called Sleep Apnea.
This nightly problem, at most to the next person sleeping beside the snorer, is caused by the air movement on the respiratory parts that causes it to vibrate during sleep. The affected areas of the respiratory system are the uvula and the soft palate. The reason? There isn’t enough air flowing in and out of these parts of the body due to blockage.
Common reasons of air blockage are topped by allergies, too weak throat (which closes when the person is sleeping), muscles in the area of the jaw are not well-positioned due to tension, fats accumulating around the throat and lastly, the blockage on the nasal area. Most people who have not taken serious considerations on what snoring can do may be in for a serious health problem condition later on. To make matters worse, as a person ages, susceptibility to snoring increases as well.
The solution to snoring varies from simple self-voluntary practices to risky surgeries. The bottom line in getting rid of this problem is the clearing of anything that causes blockage on the affected area. So for people who are overweight, snoring is another problem other than heart ailments. Mainly because the fats crowd the air passages in the body which causes irregular air flow. Another suggestion is to stop smoking which is the main culprit in weakening the throat. A weak throat also clogs the passage way for air.
However, if these simple treatments aren’t too appealing, there are more intense types of treatment which can also become intensively painful and expensive. Dental appliances that adjust the lower jaw for better breathing are available but surgery is as well. But then, surgery could develop relative damage to the throat later on and can just make matters worse.
If your loved one(s) has been snoring for a long time now, it’s better to start with natural and simple treatment than wait for the worst case scenario to happen. Snoring isn’t just annoying during sleep, it could also be dangerous.
Get more free information about how to stop snoring at stop-your-snoring-solutions.com stop-your-snoring-solutions.com
People who are overweight often become desperate about their situation and seek fast weight loss answers to a problem that has taken a lifetime to reach its current state. In their defense, however, let it be said that life itself, particularly modern life, seems to conspire to thwart their best-intentioned efforts to lose weight in a safe and healthy manner.
They are surrounded by all sorts of great tasting, appealing, and fattening food that is relatively cheap and easy to get hold of. They live in a society that for years has decreased its demands on their bodies so that physical systems which worked well for a more labor intensive society actually betray them in their efforts to lose weight.
One small example of this is cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone which helped keep cavemen and cavewomen alive. It served several purposes, but it was linked to a lifestyle which included scarcity of food and non-scarcity of activity. In our modern world, cortisol actually helps cause weight gain and hinder weight loss.
Still, there are other obstacles. As people age, their metabolism slows down so that the same number of calories packs on more fat. If they try to diet, and reduce their calories below a certain level, their bodies may slow down their metabolism even more, possibly causing them to begin gaining weight again even on their new reduced intake. If they come off the diet, and begin eating the way they used to, their body continues to subsist at the lower level and stores the rest as fat.
If they are relatively low on the economic scale, it may be harder for them to acquire the foods they need to more effectively manage their weight, and they may lack the information or education which allows them to make good judgments about their diet and activity plans.
Against this backdrop of life’s weight loss treachery, if you will, they must deal with all the negative impacts of their particular weight loss problem.
They must deal daily with the negative self-image that a person of their size often has, especially in a society which glorifies the skinny and “beautiful” and equates these attributes with fame, fortune, desirability, and social worth. This and the inability to participate in various physical aspects of life, impacts on self-esteem. This, and many of the physical conditions related to obesity or being overweight, can cause or increase depression. Because of health issues related to being overweight and the close connection between body and mind, mental problems can express themselves as real physical conditions.
The hamster wheel of physical and mental problems is hard to get off of, particularly when there is a fast food joint on every street corner beckoning seductively.
Is it any surprise that people who are overweight, particularly those who have tried almost desperately to lose weight, and failed, are seeking the quick and easy weight loss formula? They want to burn fat from their bodies, and they want to burn it off now!
The sad part is that when the next best “fast weight loss formula, plan, pill, book, diet, or potion” hits the market it is as likely to betray their trust as completely as all the fad diets, pills, and magic reducing equipment of yesterday.
The truth about weight loss is that it takes time.
Even the most drastic medical interventions, such as the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure, do not act exceedingly rapidly. In many cases, individuals would lose almost as much weight in about the same length of time by implementing a well planned exercise program and nutritional regimen. However, there are people who, for various reasons, would benefit from a medical procedure rather than trying to start a weight loss problem at the point where they find themselves.
Another, easier, truth about weight loss is that almost any action taken is a step in the right direction. If that step is the first action on a daily walking program, they will not notice much in the way of weight loss at first. However, even after only one short episode of walking, their bodies will begin making internal preparations to change the way that things happen internally. If the program is continued, the effects will begin to show in much the same way that small amounts of money, saved regularly and invested wisely can grow into huge sums.
Combining many small steps over a period of time can result in an acceleration of weight loss. It will still take time, but it will move along a little faster. For example, beginning a walking program is great. If it can be combined with more effective nutritional choices, that may enhance the effects of the exercise side of the equation. The exercise may produce a psychological lift which helps relieve stress and emotional difficulties which might, without the exercise, remain components of the weight loss problem.
No, there is no such thing as a genuine “fast weight loss system”, but many steps can be taken to produce healthy weight loss.
Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. He has written poetry and essays for his own use, and instructional media in many of the positions he held. After his retirement from the U. S. Army in 1995, he began writing articles on various subjects for websites he owned as well as for use by other webmasters. He has a keen interest in health, fitness, diet, and weight loss and has recently completed courses on Diet and Nutrition, and Fitness. He has posted a review on a great nodiet4me.com/burn_fat.html” target=”_blank weight loss system that helps nodiet4me.com/burn_fat.html” target=”_blank burn fat at nodiet4me.com/burn_fat.html nodiet4me.com/burn_fat.html.
For most of us, there’s a clear correlation between bad breath and smoking: if you smoke, you will have an offensive tobacco odor on your breath that all non-smokers will detect if they are close enough. Of course, a tobacco odor also tends to linger on the clothes and hair of a smoker, so tobacco on the breath is probably not a very large issue. Surprisingly, however, there are more pieces of the puzzle that tie bad breath to smoking in other ways.
Smoking apparently inhibits saliva production. This is a problem because saliva plays an important role in inhibiting the multiplication of anaerobic bacteria, which live at the back of the tongue, and sometimes in spaces between teeth and gums, and between the teeth. These anaerobic bacteria (bacteria which live where there is no oxygen) produce volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) when they digest proteins for nutrients. So bad breath and smoking go hand in hand because smoking decreases saliva and a decrease in saliva results in an increase in VSC producing anaerobes in the mouth.
Smoking also increases the risk of gum disease and tooth decay. Smokers apparently have more cavities that non-smokers. They also have gums that tend to detach from the teeth and recede, leaving exposed roots and spaces between gums and teeth where those VSC producing bacteria can flourish. The roots of the teeth, which are supposed to be protected by healthy gums, are not covered with enamel, so they are more subject to tooth decay. In this scenario, bad breath and smoking result from an unhealthy mouth full of tooth decay, periodontal disease, and proliferating VSC producing bacteria.
It’s not just bad breath and smoking that you need to worry about: other tobacco products carry similar risks. Pipe smoking and cigar smoking cause all the same problems as cigarette smoking, and chewing tobacco has all these and more. Smokeless tobacco frequently has sugar added to it, and may contain particles of grit, both of which have implications for oral health. The association between sugar and dental cavities is well known, and chewing on sand will put wear and tear on tooth enamel, also contributing to tooth decay.
So it’s not just the odor of cigarette smoke on the breath and that brownish yellow stain on the teeth that you need to think about when you get close to someone else. The best solution is, of course, to quit smoking, but if you can’t do that, use a good breath product that will help control the VSC producing bacteria that link bad breath and smoking. That will help a bit.
R. Drysdale is a freelance writer with more than 25 years experience as a health care professional. She is a contributing editor to
badbreath-cure.blogspot.com Bad Breath and Smoking, a blog dedicated to the treatment of bad breath.
For most american, rushing to get dinner on the table between work, soccer, ballet class and bedtime, time is often the missing ingredient, and it leads many people to rely on take-out, fast-foods and easy-to-fix convenience foods, diet experts say.
But most american still eat at home. But things are a little different in the past years. Frozen and half-prepared foods have gotten more popular and people are not ordering out so much as they did three or four years ago.
The fact is that you want to eat in your own house and you don’t want to go to a restaurant. But you also don’t want to prepare the meal, or you want to spend little time preparing it. One of the ways to do that is to prepare fewer dishes. But only half of these dishes are still put together with fresh ingredients, as assembling a meal requires time and effort.
Lola O’Rourke, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association said that the groceries stores offer a lot of things that are good for one’s health and are also easy to fix. “I think there are very healthful options available”, she said. “If you look in the produce department, there are half-prepped vegetables that are ready for stir-fry or whatever”.
The thing is that the number of meals we have daily haven’t changed significantly over the past 20 years, but, unfortunately, if we look around us, we must conclude that the average meal is getting larger. The amount of food people eat has been studied and the conclusion that if you give people more food, they will eat more has been drawn. Restaurants give large portions of food in order to attract their customers, but they don’t think of people’s health when they do that.
The above mentioned are just a few of the bad eating habits we all have. Let’s see what is to be done in order to make our life healthier and to improve our eating habits.
First of all, you have to know your habits. To become aware of your eating habits, keep track of situations in which you find yourself craving unhealthy foods. Write them down in a notebook. Keep a list of what, when and why you eat for a few days. Ask yourself if you tend to eat when you feel bored, angry, tired, stressed, depressed, or anxious. If you do that, try, before eating, to ask yourself if you really are hungry. If the answer is no, consider having just a glass of water. Also, learn to refuse gracefully when people offer food that don’t fit into your menu plan and do something to distract yourself from your desire to eat.
The next step you should take is to change gradually. When you have identified an eating habit you would like to change, remember that gradual changes work best.
When you realize the fact that your eating habits are not as appropriate as they should be, try to think positively. Making changes to your eating habits can be enjoyable and the health benefits will soon become obvious.
Here are some ‘smart’ eating habits for you to consider. Remember the fact that how you eat your food is as important as what you eat.
Eat slowly – chew your food well
It takes 20 minutes before your stomach sends a clear message to your brain that you are full. If you take up the time to chew your food well, you will notice you will end up eating less. It is ideal for you to have smaller, frequent meals instead of larger, infrequent ones. Eat more
If you want to have a better weight, starving yourself is not going to help, you need to eat well. When your body don’t receive the required nutrients, your metabolism slows down. Metabolism is the rate you burn calories while resting. So, if you don’t eat enough, fewer calories will be burnt and there will be less fat loss. You should eat small meals at regular intervals to keep your energy levels high. Avoid too much red meat
Red meats are high in saturated fat and should be avoided if you have high cholesterol.
Chicken and fish are the best meats to consume. Fish is better than chicken because it has antioxidants. Antioxidants are organic substances that include vitamins C, E, A. Antioxidants help prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke.
These meats can be baked, grilled or roasted. Frying will add unnecessary fat.
Add fibres to your eating because this adds bulk to your food and prevents constipation. Whole grains food like oatmeal, bran, wheat germ, brown rice, fruits, prunes (dried plums), etc, are all good sources of fibre. Have onion and garlic
Onion decreases blood pressure and garlic decreases cholesterol. Any amount and form of onion and garlic will give you the benefits of their properties, but a raw garlic clove taken on an empty stomach in the morning is the best. Use less salt
Use minimum amount of salt for cooking if you have high blood pressure. Salt also causes water retention, which means that if you use too much of it, your body will retain water if it is not receiving enough. After all, it still has to carry on the normal functioning of the organs and, if you are not drinking enough water, then the body starts keeping it. Water being taken in other forms such as soups and drinks is retained for later use. Bloating and puffiness are all signs of water retention. Have calcium-rich foods
Use skimmed or double-toned milk and milk products as they contain less fat. Double-toned milk has lesser fat than toned or full cream milk. Cow’s milk is just as good as skimmed milk and it is definitely better than buffaloes’ milk as this contains large amounts of fat. You should normally have between one and two glasses of milk every day. If you are not such a big fan of milk, you should try to eat almonds, figs, red kidney beans, mustard greens, etc, which contain large amount of calcium. Have foods that contain iron
These include red meats, especially liver, fruits like watermelon and pomegranate, vegetables like spinach, beans, beets and broccoli, whole grains, dried fruits, sunflower seeds, and many others. Relish the flavors
I am sure that you have heard of this before. The best eating habit, which we all seem to overlook, is to actually taste and enjoy the flavor of the food with our emotions instead of just our tongue.
Developing healthy eating habits is simpler and easier than you might have thought. You will look and feel better if you make a habit of eating healthfully. You will also have more energy and think more clearly. Your immune system will be stronger so you will not get sick as often. Healthy eating habits are your ticket to a healthier body and mind.
If you choose to have healthy eating habits, this will definitely have an impact on your entire life.
Try to be aware of the calories and fat you eat every day. Most people have daily double amounts of calories and fat, without even knowing that.
And, most of all, remember that junk food leads to more junk food. The problem with eating unhealthy foods is it makes you crave even more junk food. A handful of chips usually leaves you wanting more. Once you break the cycle of unhealthy eating, it’s easier to maintain good eating habits which leads to weight loss.
For a woman, there are a lot of possible ailments that one may contract due to the many forms of stress and tensions that they are exposed to. The most common of these are problems associated with the daily activities and they can hamper even the simplest of chores. One of these ailments is the restless leg syndrome. Although the term mentions only the legs, the ailment can also affect other body parts, although it is most inconvenient and most commonly observed affecting the legs.
What Is Restless Leg Syndrome?
Restless leg syndrome or RLS refers to a particular condition when the woman feels a strong and irresistible urge to keep ones body in constant movement accompanied by odd sensations akin to burning or itchy sensations in the affected area. By moving the affected body part, a temporary relief is possible, although the sensation is bound to occur again later.
Treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome
How can RLS be countered? A simple approach to restless leg syndrome accounts more on the treatment of the problem because there is no known way to prevent the ailment from occurring. When treatment of RLS is considered, the following medications are recommended:
* Iron supplements. Although this is the most common medical measure used in treating the ailment, a woman should not just take iron supplements because others who have the same ailment are doing so. Experts advise that before taking any iron supplement, one should undergo testing of their ferritin level. This is because a lot of people who suffer from restless legs syndrome do not have low ferritin levels and encouraging them to take iron supplements may cause bodily disorders resulting from iron overload in the body and it may be a harbinger for fatal consequences. On the other hand, for those who have low ferritin levels, it is recommended upon the assessment of a doctor to increase the level. However, some who were subjected to taking iron supplements did not report any improvement in their condition a reason why taking iron supplements is not considered the best choice for treating the disorder.
* Dopamine agonists. Dopamine agonists are drugs known to stimulate dopamine production in the body, which results to the patient having more control of the affected area. Dopamine agonists are the same drug used for treating patients affected with Parkinsons disease. Although the drug shows some promise, it is not fully recommended by experts because it causes symptoms to worsen. Moreover, in some patients who took the drug, dopamine agonists causes side effects that includes the patient losing self esteem and being sluggish especially when the drug wears off.
Although a simple approach to restless leg syndrome may require medication sooner, experts suggest that the best solution is still to get some rest. For women, it is advised if one will sit rather than stand up while preparing dishes. In the same manner, any activity that can be performed sitting down will redound to the woman avoiding restless leg syndrome.
Most people, including doctors, are unaware of this.
One in seven persons of northern European extraction carries one copy of the mutant HFE gene C282Y.
Two copies can predispose to the iron overload disorder hemochromatosis. This may present as chronic fatigue, skin pigmentation, heart irregularities, impotence, diabetes, dysfunction of the liver, cirrhosis or cancer, premature menopause, arthritis or decreased functioning of the thyroid.
Even one copy of C282Y can be associated with too much iron in the liver, high cholesterol, diabetes and the skin disorder porphyria cutanea tarda.
Other mutant genes exist and are distributed throughout the world’s population.
Hemochromatosis Symptoms
Probably the greatest difficulty in diagnosing early hemochromatosis is that it is non-specific and symptoms are vague. Many sufferers are often diagnosed with the “flu” or “chronic fatigue syndrome”. If the correct tests are not done sufferers may even be given iron tablets which further worsen their symptoms.
The earliest symptoms of hemochromatosis are fatigue and aching joints. Once iron has begun to accumulate in body tissues the liver may be affected. In the past it has not been uncommon for sufferers to be suspected or being secret drinkers when abnormal liver function tests are found.
As iron continues to accumulate the condition of the liver may worsen and other organs may be affected.
Other organs which may be involved include the skin, pancreas, ovaries, testes, heart, digestive system, thyroid and joints.
Annoying skin rashes, palpitations, impotence and diabetes may be a consequence of too much iron.
Many patients suffer from recurrent infections and may decide to take “immune boosters” which are metabolized by the liver. This can make their condition worse.
Patients with severe hemochromatosis may present with blood poisoning, heart failure, failure of the reproductive organs and severe arthritis where joint replacement is necessary. In the worst cases liver transplant may be necessary. Men over 55 years of age with severe hemochromatosis have 200 times the chance of developing liver cancer.
Hemochromatosis Diet
When the diagnosis of hemochromatosis is made it is important to adjust the diet so that too much iron is not being absorbed because of an improper diet. The biggest considerations are not to take medications which contain iron, consume too much alcohol or Vitamin C.
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron and has been known to precipitate heart palpitations in those with hemochromatosis.
Excessive alcohol consumption which has shown to greatly increase iron absorption in those with hemochromatosis is set at 60g a day. Thus it is important to stay well below this level. The limit should be 30g a day. When a patient has two copies of C282Y and drinks excessive alcohol there is a multiplying affect – not an additive affect – on the absorption of iron. It is deadly to drink too much alcohol if you have hemochromatosis.
The ingestion of black tea has been shown to decrease the absorption of iron. African tea which is becoming popular may contain iron so too much should not be consumed.
Don’t take milk thistle which has often been touted as good for the liver. It can cause severe problems in those with hemochromatosis.
Don’t eat raw shellfish. They may be contaminated with Vibrio vulnificans which thrives in an iron rich environment. There have been fatalities in the northern hemisphere. Cooking inactivates this organism.
Vitamin E – as an antioxidant may be of some help because too much iron may act as an oxidant. However it is probably important not to exceed 400 to 800 IU a day of Vitamin E.
Patients with hemochromatosis should not take supplements unless there are documented deficiencies. There is evidence that those with hemochromatosis may also have an increased ability to absorb other heavy metals. While iron may be removed by bleeding it is very difficult to remove other excess heavy metals.
Hemochromatosis Treatment
The mainstay of hemochromatosis treatment is bloodletting also known as phlebotomy or venesection. This treatment is life long after diagnosis.
Severe cases of hemochromatosis may need up to and sometimes more than the 10g of iron removed by phlebotomy. In very severe cases phlebotomy may need to initially occur once or twice a week. Each unit of blood is usually 500mls and contains 250mg of iron. So it takes the removal of 2 litres of blood to rid the body of 1g of excess iron. The ongoing need for phlebotomy is highly variable. Maintenance phlebotomies may be in the order of 3 or 4 a year in many cases. Some patients are well maintained by becoming blood donors. The aim is to keep the ferritin level at between 25 to 75 ug/L.. Ferritin level is used to monitor the iron level.
If hemochromatosis is advanced other problems also need to be treated. These can include arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, impotence and cirrhosis. These problems are treated separately but the hemochromatosis is also included in the overall management. For example phlebotomies usually improve diabetes secondary to hemochromatosis. However the diabetes rarely completely clears. Similarly impotence caused by deposition of iron in the hypothalamus/anterior pituitary and causing testicular failure and impotence is usually not reversed by phlebotomy treatment. With successful deironing or removal of excess iron liver fibrosis may improve. Cirrhosis of the liver usually does not improve.
Peter Whittington with his sister Dr Chris Whittington, a Clinical Associate Professor of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia, a Past President of the British Columbia College of Family Physicians an acknowledged expert on Hereditary Hemochromatosis, maintains ironic-health.com ironic-health.com, a site devoted to information about ironic-health.com hemochromatosis, the iron overload blood disorder. Peter and Dr Whittington can be contacted at mailto:admin@ironic-health.com admin@ironic-health.com
Have you ever tried to quit smoking to no avail?
Are you dreading the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that accompany smoking?
Did you know that if you quit NOW you gain many significant benefits to your health and well-being? Change is good, and it is never too late.
Quitting smoking can be difficult for many reasons. The nicotine withdrawal symptoms are extremely uncomfortable, physically and emotionally. It is easier for many to simply keep smoking than to go through the withdrawal process.
Fortunately, there are methods available that can ease the discomfort of withdrawal.
You must be motivated to quit if you are to be successful. Once you have made the decision to quit, the next step is to find a method that shortens or reduces the withdrawal phase. This is highly favorable to quitting “cold turkey”, which only has a success rate of approximately 3%. This is the main reason why many smokers fail at the attempt to quit.
Different modalities exist to assist one in their quest to throw away those cigarettes forever. One method that proves to have excellent results in Europe is a patented form of auricular management. This is aided by computer assisted software.
Founded by a team of scientists and professors in 1999, it was discovered that many people were able to quit while cutting the withdrawal symptoms drastically with this approach.
It is completely non-invasive, does not involve needles or medication, and is free of side effects. Treatment is administered at key points on the ears and nose, and it is customized according to the clients smoking traits.
The good news is that this exact method is now available for the first time in the U.S.
Annette Baril is a New York State Licensed Acupuncturist. To learn more about how you can stop smoking for life, go to: nicocess.com nicocess.com or write to: mailto:info@nicocess.com info@nicocess.com
Sedative-hypnotics like Valium are Central Nervous System depressants and are a category of drugs that slow normal brain function. There are numerous CNS depressants; most act on the brain by affecting the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that facilitate communication between brain cells. GABA works by decreasing brain activity. Although the different classes of CNS depressants work in unique ways, ultimately it is through their ability to increase GABA activity that they produce a drowsy or calming effect that is beneficial to those suffering from anxiety or sleep disorders.
Benzodiazepines, such as Valium, can be prescribed to treat anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks. In higher doses, it can even be used as general anesthetics.
Despite the many beneficial effects, Valium have the potential for abuse and should be used only as prescribed. During the first few days of taking Valium, a person usually feels sleepy and uncoordinated, but as the body becomes accustomed to the effects of the drug, these feelings begin to disappear. If one uses this drug long term, the body will develop tolerance for it, and larger doses will be needed to achieve the same initial effects. In addition, continued use can lead to physical dependence and – when use is reduced or stopped – withdrawal.
Because Valium work by slowing the brain’s activity, when a person stops taking them, the brain’s activity can rebound and race out of control, possibly leading to seizures and other harmful consequences. Although withdrawal from Valium can be problematic, it is rarely life threatening, whereas withdrawal from prolonged use of other CNS depressants can have life-threatening complications. Therefore, someone who is thinking about discontinuing Valium therapy or who is suffering withdrawal from this drug should speak with a physician or seek medical treatment.
At high doses or when it is abused, Valium can even cause unconsciousness and death. As a parent or individual, if you suspect someone of using this or similar drugs you can get a definitive answer by using a simple, private urine drug testing kit. There are easy-to-use Benzodiazepine (Valium) urine drug testing products that can be found online.
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