Alternative Therapy Of Liver Diseases

Inherited genes are found to be one of the reasons for liver diseases. Inherited liver diseases may affect children of parents who do not have any symptoms of liver disease. But the disease could have been passed down from grandparents.

Treating liver diseases with gene therapy would be one of the ways of dealing with liver diseases. These gene therapies would play an important role in future treatments and might replace surgeries and drugs that are currently used to treat liver diseases.
The developments in molecular biology will play an important role in the future treatments of the liver diseases. Diagnosis of patients using methods like polymerase chain reaction is making changes in the way liver diseases are diagnosed.

Defective genes that are the root cause of inherited liver disease are detectable. Recombinant DNA technology is used for identifying the defective genes to prepare medicines and drugs for treating patients with liver diseases.

Mutations are identified now earlier than just a few years ago and appropriate methods can be used earlier for more effective treatment. Preventive treatment using such DNA technologies is possible and this will be used more frequently in the future. Apart from Gene therapy, nucleic acid based therapies will likely be used in the future for treating patients with liver diseases.

SIR-Spheres method

Another type of treatment that would gain popularity in the future is the SIR-Spheres method. This is one of the new methods of treating patients using radiation. In this method microscopic spheres are injected into the liver. These spheres have radioactive materials that are used to treat liver diseases.

Usually the radioactive material is Yttrium-90. Using this method, the radiation that is given to the liver is increased many times more than by using ordinary radiation therapy. It is estimated that up to 40 times more radiation can be given using this SIR-Sphere method. The treatment time is also reduced using this method.

The immune cells in the liver are called macrophages. It has been found that these macrophages are responsible for causing scarring and eliminating scarring in the liver.

There are two types of macrophages, one which causes scarring and the other which eliminates scarring.Research is going on to study the macrophages. Extensive research in this area might lead to dramatic changes in the liver treatments of the future. If the mechanism by which the scarring is eliminated is understood, it has a great potential to change the way the liver diseases are treated in the future.

Homeopathic medicines are also used by many to treat the symptoms of their liver diseases. The most common homeopathic remedies that are used to treat liver diseases are Bryonia, Mercurius, Podophyllum, Chelidonium, Digitalis, Myrica cerifera, Nux vomica, Lycopodium, Carduus marinas, Sculpture, Phosphorus, and Taraxacum.

Each one of these remedies is used to cure liver diseases and its symptoms are only used under specific conditions.

The homeopathic medicine Byronia is used to treat liver disease patients who have pain in the right hypochondria. The other homeopathic remedies that can be given to patients for treating pain are Kali carbonicum and Chelidonium.

Mercurius is the other homeopathic remedy that is used to treat children with jaundice. Persons who have abused quinine and acquired a liver disease can also be treated with Mercurius. Although it is most often patients who have abused quinine, Mercurius is also widely used for treating children with simple jaundice.

Podophyllum is another homeopath that is used for treating liver diseases and is similar to that of Mercurius. Chelidonium is used for jaundice and biliousness and also in hepatic congestion. Some people may get jaundice due to certain heart diseases. For such patients, Digitalis would be the right kind of homeopathic remedy. The worst cases of jaundices are often treated with Digitalis effectively.

Nux vomica, also called poison nut, is touted by many as one of the best and the first herbal remedy given to patients who acquired liver disease due to alcoholic addiction or quinine. If anger is the main cause of jaundice, then Nux vomica is said by many to be the best option to start with for treatment Consult a homeopathic practitioner for the usage of other homeopathic remedies for treating liver diseases as many of these herbal remedies can be posionous if taken wrong. And as always, consult your physician who is always the ultimate authority on your health care strategies.

Autor: Alvin Soong

Alvin Soong is a Chartered Financial Planner in for more than 5 years. He dedicated his blog to his clients and share with them knowledge on Insurance, Investment and Wealth Management. His website (http://www.skcagency.com) serves as a bridge for investors and his family group of agents. Click here to find out more: http://www.skcagency.com/blog

Added: April 30, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Genius of Robert Burns - Crippled Only by His Anxiety Disorder

Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Robert Burns is regarded as Scotland's National Poet. Debts, chronic physical illness, and domestic troubles led to Burns 'nervous disease' and he addressed Alexander Cunningham thus:
"Canst thou minister to a mind diseased? Canst thou speak peace and rest to a soul tost on a sea of troubles without one friendly star to guide her course, and dreading that the next surge may overwhelm her? Canst thou give a frame, trembling alive as the tortures ..., the stability and hardihood of the rock that braves the blast? If thou canst not do the least of these, why wouldst thou disturb me in my miseries with thy inquiries after me?

For these two months I have not been able to lift a pen. My constitution were, ab origin, blasted with a deep incurable taint of hypochondria, which poisons my existence. Of late a number of domestic vexations; losses which, though trifling, were yet what I could ill bear, have so irritated me, that my feelings at time could only be envied by a reprobate spirit listening to the sentence that dooms it to perdition. Are you deep in the language of consolation? I have exhausted in reflection every topic of comfort. A heart at ease would have been charmed with my sentiments and reasoning; but as to myself I was like Judas Iscariot preaching the gospel; he might melt and mould the hearts of those around him, but his own kept its native incorrigibility.

Still, there are pillars that bear us up, amid the wreck of misfortune and misery. The ONE is composed of the different modifications of a certain noble, stubborn something in man, known by the names of courage, fortitude, magnanimity..... gives the nerve of combat, while a ray of hope beams on the field ..." (25 February 1794).

Robert Burns bathed in the freezing waters of the Solway Firth as part of what seems like a kill or cure remedy by his friend Dr Maxwell.
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Autor: Paul Kennard

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Added: April 28, 2009
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You CAN Get A Restful, Night's Sleep, No Matter What

Valerian Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oil

Plant Origin: Belgium, Croatia, France

Extraction Method: Steam distilled from root

Valerian root has been used for thousands of years in ancient medicine as a way to calm and balance the emotions and ground people in emotional well-being. Valerian Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oil is also useful for these purposes and is much easier to use, whether you want to use it topically or internally.

Valerian Oil is incredibly useful for a whole host of conditions related to nerves and tension, from hypochondria and headaches to irritability and PMS. It can be a wellness tool to you with diarrhea, gas, nervous coughing, stomach cramps and spasms.

Therapeutic-Grade Essential Valerian Oil is great alternative tool for balancing the body related to panic attacks, insomnia, heart palpitations, emotional stress and depression. It is truly an emotional fix-all that will also may help eliminate the symptoms of your less-than-perfect moods.

One of the most popular uses for Valerian Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oil is in the evening bath. Valerian Oil is very calming to the body, and mind, and encourages sleep. Adding a few drops to a salt body scrub, and followed with a warm bath, especially along with other soothing oils like lavender and chamomile, can make for a very nice, soothing bath for anyone who needs to relax after a long, hard day.

Valerian has been shown by German experts to be useful for aiding in occasional sleep disturbances and restlessness, and it's great for calming and brining balance to the nervous system.

Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oil of Valerian is generally safe to use, but some people can be sensitive to it. If you're pregnant or planning to use valerian on an infant, consult your doctor first. When taking valerian oil internally, be sure to dilute a drop in four ounces of rice or soy milk or other liquid.

Valerian is a wonderful go-to therapeutic-grade essential oil that supports a number of imbalances that are so common in our modern, stressed out lives. It can be used in a massage oil. Add a couple of drops into to a carrier oil, such as olive oil. Include other oils that are good for muscle relaxation, such as Balsam Fir Oil, and give yourself a massage or recruit someone to massage you.

Valerian is a versatile, effective therapeutic-grade essential oil that can soothe your spirit, calm your nerves and help you sleep. It's a wonderful oil to use to wind down at the end of a long day, eliminating the toxins related to confusion and stress. It's absolutely the perfect antidote to our crazy, busy modern lives.

Always wash and rinse your hands thoroughly, before and after the use of therapeutic-grade essential oils, also avoid contact with your eyes.

You Got Insomnia? Get Valerian Therapeutic-Grade Essential Oil To The Rescue.

This entire article is available for reprint electronically or in print, for free, as long as it is done in its entirety and the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publications would be appreciated. Emailto: ghgs@youngliving.org

Autor: Emma Sanford Emma Sanford
Level: Platinum
Emma Sanford, received her AAS degree in Nursing Education and Liberal Arts from Rockland Community College, Suffern, NY 30 years ago. Her clinical experience in ... ...

Emma Sanford is a Registered Professional Nurse, Founder and Wellness Consultant of Good Health - Good Scents, a distributorship of chemical free edible wellness products, located in Atlanta Ga.

Ms. Sanford writes and publishes a FREE weekly ezine " Good Health -Good Scents Wellness Tools." Sign up for a FREE copy. Visit, http://www.goodhealth-goodscents.com and http://www.ultimatewellness.blogspot.com

Added: April 27, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Fibromyalgia Tender Points - A Guide to Self Diagnosis

If like me, over the years you've had niggling little pains, nothing too debilitating but funny little pains that just won't go away-- you've probably been at a loss as to just what was wrong with you.

One day you could have an ache in your arm & then the next, that will disappear but you could have a pain in your knee. Friends and family get fed up hearing about the latest strange pain and just resign themselves to the fact that there is always something wrong with you.

So are you a hypochondriac or is there actually something going on in your body that can be recognized & then labeled and treated? After all; although you're not in agony, this constant pain is annoying and drains your energy & limits your enjoyment of life. So you surely owe it to yourself to get to the bottom of it, once and for all!

Where are these pains?

Is it tender to touch the following places on the front of your body?

Knees
Hips
Collarbone
Biceps

Is it tender to touch the following places on the back of your body?
(You may need a partner to help test these)

Nape of the neck
Top of the back
Shoulders
In between the shoulder blades
Elbows
Top of each buttock
Point on spine just above bottom

I suspect your answers may have been yes to most of these.

You may have a Fibromyalgia tender point in all of the above areas or just some. Maybe like me, you just have Fibromyalgia tender points on one side of the body only. This is quite common.

The really annoying thing is that there's no other definitive test for Fibromyalgia other than seeing if you test positive on a Fibromyalgia tender point examination.

There isn't a blood test or X ray that can help with diagnosis.

I was lucky. A new General Practitioner came to my local surgery and I was assigned to her books. I'd gone to see her with my usual moans of how my whole left side seemed to be constantly in pain, in different areas at different times. Even I knew that sounded odd & was even on the verge of asking her if there was anything I could take for hypochondria.

By using her knowledge of the 18 tender point examination she was able to diagnose me with Fibromyalgia.

The other doctors at the surgery usually told me I had tendinitis and prescribed anti-inflammatories.These helped in the short term but the pains always came back. Other doctors just put everything down to stress. I agreed. The stress caused by always having constant pain! Up until seeing this new doctor the whole scenario was just a vicious circle.

You owe it to yourself to get a proper diagnosis so that you know once and for all, if what you're dealing with is Fibromyalgia & then you can start on the road to recovery.

Book a Fibromyalgia tender point examination today with a Fibromyalgia tender point friendly doctor. Take responsibility for your health and do it today!

In the meantime, I hope my list of tender points has helped you to self-diagnose Fibromyalgia, dispelling any concerns that you too may be a hypochondriac.

Good luck with your own Fibromyalgia tender point examination and I wish you a happier & healthier future.

Autor: Laraine Turner

Find out more about safe and natural remedies to Fibromyalgia pain & symptoms at http://fibromyalgiaholistic.blogspot.com

Added: April 25, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Anorexic Eating Disorders

Eating disorders, foremost among them Anorexia Nervosa, afflict upwards of 8 out of every 100,000 people each year; 40% of this statistic is composed of adolescent females between the ages of 15 and 19.

An eating disorder is defined as "a complex compulsion to eat in a way which disturbs physical, mental and psychological health". This compulsion can have a multitude of different effects depending upon the particular person who feels it. The victim may be compelled to eat more than is healthy, or far less; the victim may eat vast quantities of food and then, through forced vomiting or overuse of laxatives, cause the food to evacuate the body without being digested. This is partly what makes eating disorders so hard to diagnose and treat - there is no specific set of symptoms and, due to this, the practitioner in question may need a large amount of time to formulate a proper mode of treatment.

Eating disorders are also the topic of a latter-day societal taboo in modern life - due to images of modern body image perpetrated by the media, there is scant difference between "a perfect body" and a "dangerously underweight body"; and, assuming that the body in question was deliberately being maintained, automatically assuming that there is an eating disorder in effect may be perceived as offensive. For this reason, the topic of eating disorders, as well as attempts by the friends and family of a victim to seek help for that victim, is seen as an issue where it is easier to avoid a minor inconvenience while risking the victim's health than to risk embarrassment if there is a problem.

In the public consciousness, one eating disorder is foremost: Anorexia. To aid discussion of eating disorders, a brief discussion of this particular eating disorder shall be entered into

Anorexia or, as it is more properly known in medical circles, Anorexia Nervosa ("Nervous Anorexia"), affects between 8 and 13 per 100,000 people depending on the demographics of the population being examined. Anorexia is the most commonly known eating disorder to the general public, due to media exposure. Indeed, this exposure causes many people to heap all eating disorders, or under-eating disorders, into a single category under the name anorexia. This is both a symptom and cause of more ignorance and misunderstanding faced by people trying to deal with eating disorders - someone with an unrelated eating disorder may be told (by friends and family) to seek treatment designed for anorexia sufferers which will provide no help to them; similarly, someone suffering from Anorexia Nervosa may be told to seek a treatment method which was observed being administered to someone with an unrelated eating disorder.

Anorexia is characterized by a fierce mental compulsion not to consume food at all, lest this cause the victim to become overweight and a gross distortion of body image, which causes the victim to believe he/she is overweight no matter what weight they really are. Someone who is perceived by other people as a mere bag of flesh and bones may she him/herself as grossly, morbidly obese and will seek to fix this perceived problem by eating yet less. It is not uncommon for chronic untreated cases of anorexia to cause death by starvation to the sufferer.

Due to specific societal conditions, understanding of eating disorders is limited. Many are ignored out of convenience and fear of embarrassment, while some people prone to hypochondria even wish to be seen as afflicted by this terrible disease. Eating disorders are terrible in this way because they are of the type Nervosa - caused by nervous system reactions and not transmitted as most diseases are by bacteria and viruses. Eating disorders are truly a disease borne of the modern age. Only through education of friends and family, as well as abolition of the senseless taboos associated with them, will eating disorders be conquered.

Autor: Michael Russell Michael Russell
Level: Platinum
Michael Russell has been involved in online business since early 2001, and whilst spending countless hours each month running his business still finds time for ... ...

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Eating Disorders

Added: April 24, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Low Self Esteem and Its Impact on a Child's Psyche

Low self esteem can begin to develop early in childhood, long before the concept is even understood by the child. Most of the traits underlying our personality are developed in early childhood. This means that a child with feelings of low self esteem is likely to carry them into adulthood without realizing it.

A child with low self esteem needs help to realize that not everything is his or her fault. He or she needs to understand that no person can succeed all the time, that perfection is an ideal and not a goal. However, that does not mean that such a child cannot attain spectacular success in life provided he/she is given the right guidance and motivation.

Low self esteem affects a child in many negative ways:-

1) Becoming an Over-Achiever - Some parents may find this prospect as something to cheer about but be assured that prodding your child to get high grades all the time does not equal good parenting. Children with low self esteem often becomes over achievers because they feel inadequate and think that they will receive love and respect only as long as they keep maintaining their high levels of performance.

2) Addiction - Drug addiction, smoking and alcoholism are the most common signs of a child with low self esteem. Such children often turn to drugs and alcohol in order to cover up what they feel are their inadequacies. Children with low self esteem often build a fantasy world in order to feel better about themselves.

3) Vulnerable to Peer pressure - A child with low self esteem is often susceptible to peer pressure. In their search for acceptance and attention and to avoid becoming victims of bullying, they tend to cave in to pressures from the "in" groups in order to belong to a clique that is viewed as being "cool", even if it means indulging in unacceptable behavior.

4) Depression - Feelings of being unloved, worthlessness and alienation are a constant in children of low self esteem. They are often depressed and unable to express their feelings due to embarrassment or shame. Depression in children can manifest itself chiefly through Eating Disorders, Suicide or Hypochondria.

a) Eating Disorders - By now the terms- bulimia and anorexia - have become part of daily conversation. However, despite the awareness of these conditions by the public at large, very few realize the extent of self loathing that must exist in a person for him/her to embark on an act so contrary to the human impulse of protecting self from harm.

b) Suicide - Suicide rates among young people have been increasing steadily over the years and the constant pressure by parents, schools, peer groups and society in general to strive for and achieve higher and higher goals is difficult enough for a well adjusted child. For one with low self esteem, this can be intolerable.

c) Hypochondria - A craving for attention is a characteristic trait of those suffering from low self esteem and what better way to achieve this than by claiming to be suffering from a myriad of diseases. The fact that no one believes them after a time merely confirms their idea of themselves as being worthless and so they either look for other gullible audience or increase the symptoms of their imagined illnesses. In extreme cases, they have even been known to inflict bodily harm on themselves in order to get the attention they so desperately seek.

Why is it so urgent that people help a child with low self esteem? A problem like this is much easier to overcome right at the beginning. For one thing, convincing an adult that he or she has low self esteem could be very hard. Moreover, childhood is the training ground where the adult is molded and shaped. Surely it is our duty as adults to make sure that we do all we can to ensure that the generation following us is equipped, not just on a physical and intellectual level but emotionally and psychologically as well, to face the challenges of their times.

Autor: Naresh Belliyappa

Naresh Belliyappa is a software engineer and website developer. He can be contacted at narbell@hotmail.co.uk For more articles,please visit http://www.ebookmall4U.co.uk

Added: April 23, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

The Ups and Downs of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder, also called manic-depressive illness, is a serious disorder of the brain marked by cyclical mood swings, which often disrupt work, school, family, and social life. The symptoms typically begin in a person's late teens or twenties and affect men and women equally. If left untreated, it can lead to suicide in nearly 20 percent of cases. The illness is often misunderstood and difficult to diagnose because its symptoms may not reappear for as much as a year at a time.

Many times, it is initially misdiagnosed especially when hypomania (milder manic episodes) is not recognized. Since mental illnesses cannot be identified by a blood test or a brain scan, diagnosis must be made on the basis of symptoms, patterns of the illness, and family history. The most common symptoms are episodes of mania and depression. A person with Bipolar disorder may also have neutral periods where there are no apparent mood problems. Additionally, there may be periods of "mixed moods" where the person is both depressed and manic simultaneously.

The disorder shows many other symptoms such as paranoia, intense anger, irritability, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed or over-stimulated, difficulty maintaining focus, attention or concentration, suicidal thoughts and impulses, hypochondria, hallucinations, self-harm, delusions and psychotic breaks from reality. Most individuals with bipolar disorder spend more time in depressed phases than in manic phases.

Bipolar disorder has many causal factors. These include physical, mental, environmental and emotional causes and are usually divided into biological and psychological explanations. Researchers have proven that bipolar disorder is hereditary, but it can also be stress related or caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Approximately sixty percent of individuals with Bipolar disorder also have drug or alcohol dependence or exhibit obsessive compulsive activities such as excessive spending, working or cleaning. Many exhibit sexually promiscuous behavior or an obsession with fitness or body image.

Autor: Yvonne Perry Yvonne Perry
Level: Platinum
Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer, author and keynote speaker who enjoys assisting people on a spiritual path by writing about topics that inspire excellence ... ...

Seasonal depression and anxiety disorders such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are also common with the illness. Many families are affected by bipolar disorder and some have no idea how to help their loved one avoid episodes or to prevent caregiver burnout. Yvonne Perry and Angela Grett have co-authored a book titled, My Mother is Bipolar, so what am I? The book will focus primarily on the effect the illness has on children raised by a bipolar parent. Many people suffer alone and in silence because they are afraid to talk about their loved one's illness. If you know someone who is the child of a bipolar parent, you will want them to read this book. It is available on http://www.childrenofbipolar.com

Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (WITS). She and her team of ghostwriters are ready to assist you with writing and editing for books, eBooks, Web text, business documents, resumes, bios, articles, and media releases. For more information about writing, networking, publishing, and book promotion, or to sign up for free email delivery of WITS newsletter, please visit http://www.writersinthesky.com New subscribers receive a free eBook Tips for Freelance Writing.

Added: April 21, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Jet Lag

Now I can't find the key. I'm not talking about 'key' in the musical sense, though right now I'd have trouble with that too. I mean the key to my hotel room. One of those little rectangular flexible cards, with a magnetic stripe and lots of printed information you don't read or need. These days they often print the room number on them. If someone finds your key, they can visit your room. Most helpful. The card is compact enough to slip into that place where you keep your credit cards. But it isn't there.

I make another search, so that my room now looks like a landfill site. Still no card; I'm stuck. Thank goodness it's daylight, as the card is designed to live in the master switch slot, by the door, to keep the power on. At least I can see. But I can't leave, because I won't be able to get back in.

I'm contemplating this predicament when the phone rings. My wife, in England, is about to go to bed. Here in Kyoto I've just got up. It's not surprising everything feels topsy-turvy, after eating breakfast at what my body believes to be suppertime.

"I think I'm going senile," I moan.

"Why?"

"I lost my key. Could be Alzheimer's, or dementia, or amnesia..."

"Try hypochondria."

"You don't understand. I've just written a postcard, then discovered that I wrote one to the same person fifteen minutes ago."

"You were doing that sort of thing twenty years ago,"

"Thanks for the reminder."

"It's nothing to worry about," she says. "The forgetfulness, I mean."

"Really?"

"Yes," she insists. "It's the jet lag affecting your hormones. The stress hormone cortisol occurs in higher levels when a person's sleep patterns are disturbed. High cortisol levels are associated with temporary loss of short-term memory. That's all. You'll adjust."

"Oh." She knows about these things.

"I showed you a copy of a medical research paper on cortisol and jet lag a couple of weeks ago."

"I forgot."

"Ha. Very funny."

I'm reminded of that old Jasper Carrot routine about the goldfish that can only remember something for seven seconds.

"Hey, look, there's a castle," says the first goldfish.

"Great," says his friend. "What's a castle?"

"No idea. Why do you ask?"

Later I find some jet lag stuff on the internet. A Bristol University team scanned the brains of experienced flight cabin staff. They discovered that those who made regular journeys across several time zones demonstrated evidence of impaired thinking ability. Their brains actually reduced. So, the price of my air miles to Japan is a bonsai brain.

I muse with my midget mind. According to the British Airways site: "Lack of sleep and disruption to the circadian clock (the brain's timekeeper) can lead to fatigue, digestive upset and headaches. It can downgrade our decision-making by up to 50 percent, communication skills by 30 percent, memory by 20 percent, and attention by 75 percent."

Thus, if you have flown around the world and are about to embark on serious work, don't expect to be anywhere near your sparkling best. As it's claimed that some of the worst industrial accidents are the result of shift workers' impaired ability due to circadian clock disruption, you'll probably be at your worst. The Three Mile Island nuclear plant meltdown is reputed to have been caused this way. If you have to travel across time zones, either remain on home time (not easy on anything but a very short trip), or travel several days early to give your brain time to adjust.

BUPA suggests some ways of minimising the effects of jet lag:

Drink lots of water;

Limit alcohol intake;

If travelling for just a few days, try to keep your body clock as close as possible to 'home time'.

Try to keep meal times as close to home time as possible when on a short trip.

British Airways point out that our body has evolved to be more sleepy between 3-5 am and 3-5pm, and more alert between 8-10 am and 8-10 pm. They suggest that when travelling, schedule meetings to be within 'alert' times, and naps and socialising into 'sleepy' times.

That's at home time, of course. The whole pattern is catastrophically reversed when you're in a time zone eight or twelve hours away. It is also suggested that you can improve alertness by supplementing reduced sleep with a short nap of 45 minutes, or a long nap of two hours. Any sleep is better than no sleep, they say.

Less helpful is the recommendation to aid sleep by tuning into static on a radio or stereo. No thanks. The site also discusses medication for sleep and alertness. Apparently, over-the-counter sleep medications usually contain antihistamine as the active ingredient, to create drowsiness and sleepiness. It's reassuring to read that these medications have little effect on the structure of sleep, and generally few side effects. Alertness products usually contain high doses of caffeine as the active ingredient. Be careful if you take these with other stimulants, such as caffeine in the form of coffee or tea.

We overlook the importance of short term memory. For instance, I'm a musician, and when sight reading, one can't read music unless one's memory is functioning well. Where is the repeat sign? Which accidentals have we just seen? How loud am I supposed to be? Where's the key signature?

Speaking of keys, that reminds me. I did find the lost key. I switched on the reading lamp, and realised that the master switch was on. The key was in the slot by the door all along. Oh dear.

I still feel a little jet lagged. It's said that you require a day's recovery for each hour of time change. Here in Japan I'm eight hours ahead of GMT. When I return to England, it'll be eight days before I return to normal. Until then I keep doing jet-laggy things, such as beginning to write a sentence, and then

Autor: John Robert Brown

John Robert Brown is a saxophonist, clarinettist, composer and author. Visit his website at http://www.john-robert-brown.com

Added: April 20, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Find the Truth by Reading Current Health Articles

When it comes to health issues, self diagnosis can be a dangerous thing and the medical professionals should always have the final say with regards to treatments. However, that doesn't mean that someone should not educate themselves on health matters, and especially if the illness or condition in questions affects you or someone close to you. This is why it's wise to keep updated by reading current health articles. Although it's not sensible to take treatment into your own hands, you could always take your new findings to you doctor for his input and opinion on whatever it is you've read about that you think may help your case.

Mind you, it's important to be careful when reading current health articles and it's crucial to find a reliable source for information. Unfortunately, the World Wide Web has its fair share of misinformation as well as an abundance of accurate, useful reports and updated developments in the medical field. Another potential problem with reading health articles is that it can turn a few people into hypochondriacs, as some well written pieces can convince the reader thy have certain conditions which they don't.

My son, bless his heart, was a victim of this with his young curious mind. He stumbled on some current health articles as he was doing a little online research about tropical Malaria for a school project. My wife and I noticed he was a little quiet for a few days but when asked if he was ok, he just shrugged his shoulders and said that he was fine. Eventually, it all got a bit much for the lad and after about a week of suffering in silence he decided to overcome his embarrassment and voice his concerns to us.

What happened was he'd come across some links on STD's and after reading up on the symptoms of a few of these he was certain he was going to die a premature death. He was sure that he had signs of third stage syphilis, another conditions called chancroid, and something else even I can't spell or pronounce. The poor lad is only 12 and is yet to have his first proper girlfriend, but even so, we had to take him to the family doctor before he could be reassured that he was a young, fit, and healthy young man with his whole life ahead of him. We have since moved his PC into the living room where we can keep an eye on the type of sites he visits,

But hypochondria aside, it is still a good idea for many folks to read current health articles whenever they have a need to keep updated on their or their loved ones illnesses. I have a very good friend of mine who developed progressive multiple sclerosis at just 39 years of age and he got real bad. He was just one step away from a wheel chair and had tried a multitude medications and combination medicines, but nothing seemed to be helping. It was painful to watch the poor guy getting worse and worse, and having a wife and young daughter made this cruel and seemingly unstoppable condition all the more sad.

Anyway, Elvis (a nickname from school days!), became a bit of an expert on his condition, and made sure he kept up with all the current health articles on MS from the experts around the world. One day, he discovered a drug that he thought might help him out in combination with a previous drug he had tried but failed. He approached his physician about this and he agreed that there was nothing to lose by trying.

Without any exaggeration, after two years of pain, discomfort and heading fast to becoming a full blown cripple, he got well within weeks. When I say well, I mean he'd gone from clutching onto sticks to running around like a kid on a mission. I have never in my life seen such a transformation in anyone and it's all thanks to his commitment to keeping updated on progressive MS by reading all the current health articles he could get his hands on. I just hope and pray he doesn't relapse, but touch wood; he's been as fit as a fiddle for 18 months at the time of writing this article.

Autor: Andy Maingam

Andy Maingam is a proficient writer and webmaster for HealthGusto dot com where he writes on such health issues as the health spas and low back pain exercise. He also has many other health related pieces on the site

Added: April 18, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Psychology of Clothing

A woman is walking along the street, her attire catches everybody"s eyes: she is clothed in the latest fashion. She draws everybody"s attention, including yours, not only with her toilet, but also with conscious superiority. Are you delighted? Are you envious?

Vainly! In fact, her appearance - is an evidence of her deep inner complexes. There is a science "psychology of clothing", where the concept "fashion victim" - is not a popular phrase, but a clinical diagnosis. Orientation exceptionally on the last word in fashion - is a sign of heightened hypochondria, a woman"s psychological dependence on other people"s opinion, uncultivated self-respect.

According to psychologists, a man, whose costume is extremely considered (no matter which one, even a skiing one), often tries to hide his colossal diffidence and prove his value, attract attention and sometimes to confirm his superiority with the help of some attire.

All-sufficient, steady people with various interests usually dress in rather simple way, not showing off, and interest in new trends reasonably, not hunting for new labels. They feel quite comfortable wearing as old jeans, as an evening toilet (as a rule, rather reserved).

Moreover, to psychologists" opinion, one can discern some certain type of self-consciousness behind each style.

1. Classic style. Its main feature - are moderation and traditional nature in combination with fashionable trends without carrying to extremes. Quite self-confident people, who do not feel any heightened necessity to prove their magnitude to other people, moreover using clothing, keep to this style.

2. Sporty style. Prominent organization men, bankers and other rich men, who always used a style "costume-cravat", suddenly began sweeping away jogging shoes, sporting cloth, rucksacks or sportive bags from counters. Yes, of course, today an idea of youthful appearance and healthy way of living has seized a strong hold on our minds, but this does not mean all these people decided to go in for sport or invigoration. This cloth became a standard not only for exercising, but also for rest, vacation. A turn to visible simplicity and liberation means striving of well-to-do sections to "complete with poor", as psychologists consider.

3. Grunge style. A style of "shabby cloth" gave designers a good task! They are cutting off and out, ripping up, soaking cloth in chloric acid, pressing, imitating spots and patches knowingly - they do all these things only because a "grunge" style has come into fashion. Tattered pullovers, dresses, coming unraveled, dirty jeans are sold in leading couturier"s shops and ordinary boutiques. This is a challenge to elegance, struggle with stylishness, expensive refined cloths and impeccable seams. If earlier it was impossible to go out wearing the same dress more than once, now "grunge" style praises scruffiness, as if it is saying: we are wearing the same cloth all the time!

Nevertheless, all this crude "old" cloth surpasses all reasonable prices. Some Levi"s models cost more than 6 thousands of dollars! This trend, often causing associations with hippie from Beatles days, displays neglect to cloth and a challenge to social inequality. However, psychologists consider that a style of "chic rubbish heap", which bourgeoisie added to its arsenal, says about its self-destruction and can even be treated as asking forgiveness for sins - similarly to medieval monastic rags.

4. Exotic (ethnic) style. Hindu, Chinese, Arabian and other oriental motives can be just a fashionable detail for one people, and a completed style and manner of clothing for other people. Such choice testifies to one"s thirst for traveling, mental escape to exotic countries, where everything is not so grey, like around. Exotic style, covered with bright national legends and traditions, says about one"s wish to live in a fairy-tale, escape from reality to some dream world. But it can also be a sign of belonging to culture, philosophy of some country, for example, Buddhism.

5. Military style. Khaki color, camouflage pattern, details, peculiar to military cloth, high heavy boots - some women do like this style. You have not to be a psychologist to understand that this means escape from feminine, a wish to gain a foothold in such masculine qualities, like decisiveness and power. A clue to one"s love for uniform (and for man"s style in general) should be searched in childhood, in too strict father"s upbringing, often military people, or fathers dreaming about son and bringing up daughters, like she was a boy...

6. Country style. Variegated skirt, loose blouse, decorated with patterns, laces or drawn-work, shoes without heels, simple beads, straw hat - these are attributes of natural, or country style. Simple, natural cloths and simple-minded, plain patterns are typical for it. This style can be a sign of one"s nostalgia on country life or testify about one"s ecologic views. A straw hat and a chintz skirt are saying with one accord with their possessor: we are not synthetic, we are natural!

7. "La Femme Fatal". This style is everlasting, but it is marked with fashionable attributes: high-heel shoes, skirt with cut, deep d�collet�, strings and open-work stocking. A woman-temptress, a woman-vamp, oversteps the limits of elegant moderation venturesomely, and self-affirms, as an object of men"s lust. Strangely enough, the choice of this style does not always mean a woman"s heightened sexuality. We can rather say that such woman does not see any other advantages in herself, which could attract men"s attention to her and cause their delight.

Autor: Yana Mikheeva

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of the WomansPassions site for women and about women at http://www.womanspassions.com, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.

She also has a blog for women at http://www.womanspassions.com/blog/

Added: April 17, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Natural Home Remedies that Deliver

Thankfully, we do not take Murphy"s Law, too seriously. Imagine, dealing your sickness with this attitude: "What"s going to get wrong, shall go wrong"! Stoical, yes; practicable, no. Natural home remedies have maintained a balance between the excessive hypochondria and absolute unconcern, as far as diseases are concerned. Age-old wisdom has a habit of coming true, though, in some instances, nobody knows how. Natural home remedies-be it for acne, skin care, infection or cold or even chronic irritants like arthritis or headaches-work or at least, provide relief to some extent.

A German proverb says that cold and cough can be cured in a week with medication, it takes seven days, otherwise. Is it not natural, that cold and cough would have a list of natural home remedies to fall back onto? The symptoms are running or blocked nose, Sneezing, Sore throat, Congestion, Headache, Low fever with body pain, Loss of appetite, Lethargy and Insomnia. The remedy is taking half a teaspoon of ginger juice with half a teaspoon of honey, three times a day (morning, noon and night). In cases of dry cough, chewing on a small piece of fresh ginger with salt sprinkled on it helps.

Severe pain in the affected joints, inflamed muscles, ligaments and cartilage, movement of the joint becoming extremely painful, especially in cold, windy and damp weather-means it is arthritis. One raw clove of garlic every day is supposed to be a cure. Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with warm water, taken twice a day, also helps cure arthritis.

"Not, tonight darling, I have a headache" is an endearing lie that has become an integral part of every man woman relationship, since Adam and Eve. However, headaches are not lies, if nothing they are frustrating as hell. The symptoms are pain tearing apart the head, forehead or the eyes, nausea, irritability and loss of appetite. Home remedy suggests a paste made from grounded clove, cinnamon and almond to be applied on the forehead. A quarter teaspoon of clove powder in one teaspoon of cinnamon oil, applied on the pain zone, also provides cure.

Acne, occurs due to a myriad reasons and likewise there are a host of skin care treatments. Green coconut water or mehndi, juice of basil leaf blended with Chandan paste are traditional natural home remedies. However, a regular use of TCA peels can really give you a skin, free from blemishes.

Natural Home remedies are here since ages. Would they have been, if they had not worked?

Autor: David Maillie

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Added: April 16, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Fear Of Death And Darkness Phobia

Fear of the dark also known as Nyctophobia is common among young children who often fear that something catastrophic may happen to them in the night. In the darkness, we can't see very well, and for a young child, particularly one with a healthy imagination, this can be very frightening. A pervading sense can build that something sinister is just out of sight and arm's reach waiting for its moment to strike.

As a young child, I used to suffer from this phobia, as a result of which my mother used to leave the landing light on for me to provide a calming relief from the darkness. My parents also used to ask me questions to make me elaborate on my fears. By doing this, they showed concern and sympathy, while at the same time making it very clear that they were not afraid. In this way, parents can be of great use to their children.

The fear lessened as I grew older, then went away altogether. Most children as they grow up and the world around them becomes more logical and less fantastic, come to realise that they are quite safe in the darkness and their fears were irrational.

Some adults can suffer from this fear - particularly those who suffer from nightmares or have traumatic memories. Although gradual exposure to darkness can be helpful to nyctophobics, the management of nightmares and bad memories is liable to require specialist help.

Fear of death or Thantophobia is quite a natural phenomenon. None of us know what will happen to us after we die. But to be morbidly afraid of death is unhealthy and detrimental to our lives.

If one fears death excessively, it can prevent them from being able to enjoy life. Often associated with hypochondria, morbid death fear can cause unnecessary worry and anxiety and can prevent the sufferer from being able to live life to the full.

To a point the fear of death diminishes when we see it in its natural context - a dying person surrounded by loving friends and family. However most of our images of death in the modern world have been distorted by our culture's preoccupation with unnatural violent death: daily news stories of shootings, abductions and suicide bombings. Brutally violent movies and computer games. Also scare mongering news stories regarding types of food once perceived to be healthy, but now putting you at death's door.

All this negative focus leads to unhealthy consequences. An exaggerated fear of dying and phobias of growing old leads to a reluctance to make a will or make any plans for those we love whom we know will outlive us and a general ignorance of normal end of life options.

Autor: Steve Hill Steve Hill
Level: Platinum
Stephen Hill runs The How To Stop Stammering Centre In England. He offers stuttering therapy courses to help people who stutter to achieve fluency. There ... ...

Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including:

Stuttering

Stuttering therapy

Stuttering treatment

Added: April 14, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How To Know If Your Flu Symptoms Are Actually From Bird Flu

Since the onset of a bird flu outbreak, many people have gone to their doctors in a panic that they may have contracted bird flu. Although hypochondria may play a minor role, the similarity of some of the flu strains may as well be at fault. While the beginning symptoms of bird flu mimic those of the regular flu, there are subtle differences to watch for.

The initial symptoms of bird flu include fever, sore throat, body ache, and cough - basically the same symptoms of the seasonal flu. While you can rule out a common cold because of the inclusion of body aches, you may not be able to tell which flu strain is at hand. Specifically, a fever of 102 to 104 degrees for a period of 3 to 4 days is common. Likewise, headaches, severe muscle aches, and nasal congestion are also on the list of signs of bird flu. The length of these conditions should be watched to identify possible concerns.

Once these symptoms begin to manifest, you should seek medical care. Many people will try to "tough it out", but with the possibility of death as a result, going to the doctor should seem less intimidating.

There are certain signs that should send you to the emergency room or doctor immediately. Symptoms lasting for more than ten days or that are severe in nature may be an indication your body is not able to defend against the infection at hand. Painful breathing, difficulty in breathing, or bluish skin are also concerns you should watch for. Pneumonia is a common result of the flu, one that is the primary reason for flu deaths. Therefore, pain in the lungs or signs that your body is not getting adequate oxygen may point to a more severe problem.

Fainting, dizziness, or confusion are also red flags that should lead you to the doctor"s office, as well as obvious warning signs like excessive vomiting, dehydration, and complications arising from other medical issues.

While many of the initial symptoms are the same for various flu strains, the primary difference apparent with bird flu is the severity of the effects. It worsens quickly, and due to the reaction of the immune system after infection, the body is not able to recover. This is the concern with bird flu and should be remembered when trying to differentiate the regular flu strain and bird flu.

Autor: Sarah Jenkins

Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn"s Disease. For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.
http://www.imedicalvillage.com and read more of her articles.

Added: April 12, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

What is Fibromyalgia Syndrome?

Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a condition that strikes millions of men and women. Although not a disease process, Fibromyalgia is an often-times debilitating condition with symptoms such as wide-spread pain, and non-restorative sleep, A diagnosis of Fibromyalgia may well accompany a diagnosis of another condition, such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or auto-immune disorders.

Fibromyalgia is usually diagnosed by Rheumatologists, although any MD can perform the tender-point test used to diagnose it. The tender-point test is often wrongly referred to as a trigger-point test for Fibromyalgia. Trigger points refer to the pain associated with myofascial pain syndrome, not Fibromyalgia.

Physicians are often quick to misdiagnose Fibromyalgia as depression or hypochondria; it is not either condition. People with Fibromyalgia have more Substance P, the neurotransmitter for pain. This causes a decreased pain threshold, which is often disconcerting for the patient, as they have no idea why a small injury, for instance, may produce severe pain.

Proper sleep is imperative for Fibromyalgia treatment, as people with Fibromyalgia syndrome often do not reach stage four sleep. Healing from things like normal small muscle tears, takes place during stage four sleep.

Another common complaint of people with Fibromyalgia is fibrofog, otherwise known as brainfog. Studies suggest that this is caused due to the over-burden on the brain dealing with the constant pain a victim of Fibromyalgia suffers.

Although the Fibromyalgia prognosis isn"t terminal, many people that suffer from it do seem to report that Fibromyalgia progression is common; progressive in terms of people feeling worse. This is an issue of much debate in the Fibromyalgia community.

Many with Fibromyalgia find Fibromyalgia support groups either on the internet or through their Fibromyalgia physician. One such support organization is at http://www.fibrofoglights.org

At this time, there is no Fibromyalgia cure. Yet many are learning to control the associated pain and sleep problems with proper medications and other treatments. You are not alone, and it's not all in your head.

Copyright 2005, All rights reserved

Autor: Patricia Fuller

Patricia Fuller is a freelance writer.

Added: April 11, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Refuse to Worry About Your Health!

Most of us have felt the need to scratch when a friend shows us his new rash. Indeed, at one time or another, almost all of us experience uncomfortable physical sensations that cause us concern or doubt. Many people today are hyperaware of their bodies, discerning and fretting over bodily sensations that most people don"t notice at all. Some might focus on health-related matters, have multiple lab tests for them, and never quite believe they aren"t deathly ill. Others might be certain of having a particular disease, but are too frightened to see a health care practitioner. Some will read about one disease and obsess over it. Others will manage to acquire a "disease of the week," as their symptoms mysteriously move from one part of the body to another. Whatever the manifestation, these people share a common clinical feature: anxiety over their health.

For millions of people, worrying excessively that they might be ill - even after professionals have assured them they"re not and medical tests have confirmed these assurances - is a problem. A subgroup of this population suffers from a milder preoccupation with their health that can interfere with enjoying the health they do have. Sufferers might even develop health anxieties for short periods of time - less than six months. They"re normal in every other respect: they go to work, go to school, socialize, and attend to spiritual needs. They don"t have a mental disorder like hypochondria or obsessive-compulsive disorder; they simply worry too much about their health.

Unfortunately, being fearful of diseases or germs can become a full-time preoccupation. For those with health anxiety, it"s very common to "burn out" family members and friends by repeatedly relying on them for trips for medical care, picking up prescriptions and spending a lot of money on medications, co-payments or excessive lab tests. In short, health anxiety can literally intrude into all areas of life.

Sufferers can, and should, seek the support of family and friends by asking them for help. In turn, significant others can be supportive by encouraging such a request as well as not being critical or judgmental about health anxiety. If you"re a health phobic, you should be considerate of the feelings and energy levels of those around you. And don"t push yourself too hard. You shouldn"t expect too much improvement too soon. The problem didn"t appear overnight, so it"s not going to disappear overnight either. Keep in mind that no one dislikes having health anxieties more than the person who has this problem. If you"re a family member or friend, you shouldn't minimize the condition or belittle the sufferer. Instead, you should thoughtfully and attentively listen to what the disease phobic has to say about her or his fears, experiences and goals. And then do what is reasonable to assist her or him in the recovery process.

While health anxiety presents a definite challenge to millions of people, healing is possible. Because the primary culprit in health anxiety is your thinking, the cure lies within the realm of your mind. This means a primary method used to overcome the problem is learning to "rethink" your life experiences and interpretations of physical symptoms and complaints. In other words, by changing the way you look at life in general, you can find lasting relief from your fears of disease, illness, and germs.

Autor: George Zgourides George Zgourides
Level: Basic
George D. Zgourides, M.D., Psy.D is a physician, clinical psychologist, and healthcare chaplain. He and his wife Christie are the authors of several books dealing ... ...

George D. Zgourides, M.D., Psy.D and his wife Christie are the authors of several books dealing with various health-related, psychological, and self-help topics.

Added: April 9, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

How To Avoid Medical Collections

With medical collections costing doctors millions upon millions of dollars in unpaid bills and collection fees, many people have just one question: Who are these people who are trying to stiff the doctors who delivered them from great physical pain (or the flu, hypochondria, not-so-white-teeth, or a nose that didn"t look enough like Brad Pitt"s)?

Well, I"m here to tell you who these people are, or at least some of them.

They"re me.

Yes, I admit it: I left a dentist"s bill unpaid for three months.

OK, so dentistry isn"t technically considered "medical," but it"s the same situation: a doctor left in the lurch.

Why did I do such a horrible thing, especially when I, a small businessperson myself, know how difficult unpaid debts can make cash flow, and how it could very easily make me persona non grata in that office?

Why Medical Collections Happen

Or, Possible Reasons for Me Being a Deadbeat

Here are reasons commonly advanced for why people like me might not pay a doctor"s bill.

They don"t have enough money, plain and simple. After all, if they couldn"t afford insurance, they probably are going to have trouble with the bill.
They don"t care about the poor doctors and either don"t know about or don"t care about the potential for damage to their own credit ratings.
They are chronically lazy, stupid, or just don"t know what they"re doing. OK, the terms used aren"t quite that specific, but that"s the general idea.
All of these possible reasons why a patient might not pay could be pretty discouraging for a practice looking to get the money it"s owed. After all, there"s not much even the best doctor can do about a patient"s poverty, venality, or fecklessness.

But is there really so little hope for collecting on medical debt?

Why Medical Collection Isn"t Necessarily So Hopeless

Or, The Real Reason I Didn"t Pay My Dentist"s Bill

I just signed and mailed a check for my outstanding dentist"s bill. That just goes to show the situation isn"t so hopeless after all, doesn"t it? Here"s at least one case of a healthcare practice getting its money back., and after three months at that .
No, my financial situation did not improve dramatically, nor did my slothful ways correct themselves.

Wondering what the dentist did to make me pay? Plead? Cajole? Shame? Threaten to put the tartar back?

Actually, the dentist didn"t do anything, and that"s the problem.

Here"s what happened: I remembered I had the bill to pay.

I had forgotten ever owing the dentist money. Since I wasn"t expecting the dentist"s bill, unlike all the bills that come every month, it got lost in a pile of credit card offers, appeals to help save trees being cut down to make paper, and news about really great products for writers. The follow-up letter reminding me to pay met a similar fate. It probably didn"t help when I took a trip to Las Vegas and then threw away the junk mail en masse when I got back.

I finally remembered the bill when someone asked me to write an article about medical collections. Sure enough, the follow-up letter (though not the original bill) was there in the pile of newsletters and friendly reminders from various businesses to schedule this or that appointment.

The moral of the story

If you are a patient, make sure to check your mail for letters from the doctor"s office. If you"re running a healthcare practice, follow up with your patients who have outstanding invoices-a phone call is preferable, since it"s less likely to get lost at the bottom of a pile of correspondence.

Don"t have time for that? Worried about the legal issues of collection law compliance? Don"t let that stop you. Go to a company that specializes in medical collections and accounts receivables management for healthcare practices.

It"s not about "putting debts in collection" anymore. Many of these companies offer everything from sending out a few polite phone calls and letters to end-to-end accounts receivable management. None of this has to impact your patients" credit rating or cost you a fortune.

Your office can go back to healing people. Isn"t that why you got into this business in the first place?

Autor: Steve Austin

Steve Austin is a regular contributor to Let No Debt Remain Outstanding (http://www.let-no-debt-remain-outstanding.com/), a website with articles on choosing a collection agency, along with recommended the best collection agencies.

Added: April 7, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Why Hasn't My Doctor Said That I May Be Suffering From Hypoglycemia?

Are you like many people that have stumbled (through a friend/family member or the internet) upon the fact that you may have hypoglycemia? You've never been given a formal medical diagnosis but based on your findings you feel like it is very likely that you have hypoglycemia? If so, you may be asking why your doctor hasn"t been able to come to this conclusion yet or if it is possible to simply go to your doctor now and get something from him/her to fix the problem.

First off, it can be difficult to test for Hypoglycemia.
Some people that have Hypoglycemia don't have any
symptoms and others that have many of the classic
symptoms, have a normal blood sugar level. So it makes
it hard for doctors to test for the disease.

Secondly, Hypoglycemia mimics various other illnesses,
such as nervous illnesses like panic disorder or
hypochondria so that is how the doctor may diagnose the
patient. This is not to say that another diagnosis
isn't accurate, but it may be missing the diagnosis for
Hypoglycemia on top of it.

Thirdly, medical doctors are not generally trained in
nutrition. That is critical in this disease because hypoglycemia is, in large part, a nutritional deficiency. Last I heard, doctors only go through one semester of school dealing with nutrition while getting their training. Veterinarians on the other hand, as well as alternative doctors, do spend a great deal of time on nutrition in their training and they are more likely to complete research on natural products to determine whether or not that method could help the patient.

Hypoglycemia often goes undiagnosed because many
physicians don't understand it completely. Since the
symptoms are similar to various other diseases they will
perform tests for those diseases. When the tests they
have available don't show up as various other diseases
the doctors don't have anything for you. Therefore, if
you feel in your heart that you are hypoglycemic you
must educate yourself and push your doctor.

Education and taking your health and well being into
your own hands really are the best ways for you to
control and overcome your symptoms.

"An informed patient is the best patient," --Murrmann-Price

Autor: Shannon Lueck

Shannon suffered from hypoglycemia for 12+ years before she stumbled across a system that helped her overcome her symptoms. Learn more about how she conquered hypoglycemia at: Reactive Hypoglycemia Symptom and Diet Treatment Website

Added: April 6, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Health and Medical Advice on the Internet: Use it Wisely to Overcome Illness and Find More Happiness

I"ve got a bit of a problem with depression and anxiety. I"ve been tackling these problems for several years without the use of modern medicine. Tai Chi, meditation, martial arts (exercise), and positive interaction with other people seem to keep a lid on my illnesses most of the time. I don"t like the idea of medication"s side effects, and I don"t believe the answers in life are often found in the easy path (E.G. taking a pill), but rather on the hard path of effort and determination. This is not to say that I don"t feel medicine is not effective, not at all, I just feel all the options should be looked at before making big decisions to do with one"s health.

Health of body and mind has always been one of the most important issues in life for us humans. Seeing a doctor is usually the best option when one comes down with an illness or ailment, but people have always tried alternative routes to recovery: E. G. the "home doctor" books of old. Maybe you don"t like sitting in a room waiting with a bunch of other sick people-you might catch something there! You could be housebound, or maybe you feel like hearing several opinions as you"ve found past experiences with some doctors have been tainted by poor judgments. Well, the Internet is here with a multitude of options to help you get better.

Medical advice and data abounds on this household tool in the form of self-help sites, searchable medical encyclopedias, support groups, live chats with doctors, and you can even have professional consultations on-line (for a fee). My advice is to just be wary of the type of language that the site is expressing. Many sites will have extensive lists telling you of all the symptoms in the Universe: everybody on Earth could be construed as being ill in some way! This can cause people with a propensity for hypochondria to start diagnosing themselves with all sorts of diseases. In my case, reading about all the symptoms of depression actually made me feel more depressed as it made me focus on my weaknesses (without too many optimistic perspectives or treatments expressed on some sites).

Look for sites that look at things in a positive light. Maybe search out some alternative therapies as well so you can get all the possible different approaches that can be taken to tackle your illness. Some websites can be very helpful with interactive features like "Ask the doctor", on-line questionnaires, and question and answer archives that give you an idea of what others have asked and the solutions they were presented with. There is heaps of information on both prescription and over-the counter medicines so you can make your choices in an informed manner. You can often find information specific to groups, like children, the elderly, men and women.

Just remember your body is your temple and you must be wary of many variables not often foretold in literature. Beware of medicines from other countries as they may be different or have different names. Keep in mind only you know your personal history, all people are different, and always get several opinions. Watch out for sites with grandiose claims as miracles come from higher powers and not from companies who might just want to get rich quick!

I do acknowledge the fitness and diet sites as being very useful as well. You can devise your own fitness plan derived from lifestyle information, and forums and newsgroups give you many opinions on which road to take. You can have your diet analyzed by on-line trainers, some of which send free newsletters and even send you emails of encouragement to help you towards your goal.

So, there"s a whole new world of on-line health advice and information for humanity to access right from home. Get all your options and remember your attitude is often the first real step to overcoming physical, mental, and spiritual adversity!

Autor: Jesse S. Somer

About The Author

Jesse S. Somer - M6.Net - http://www.m6.net

Jesse S. Somer is a simple human hoping to show others like him about the positive vibe the Internet is creating in people all over the world.

priyankaa@m6.net

Added: April 5, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Hypochondriasis: Living in Fear of One's Body

Hypochondriasis, also called hypochondria or health anxiety, isn't a new ailment. People have been worrying over fleeting aches and pains for centuries. The word hypochondria was coined by the ancient Greeks and literally means, "under the ribs." The Greeks believed most of the phantom symptoms originated from that area of the body.

When confronted with a patient suffering from hypochondria, doctors are placed in a difficult position. They have to decide whether the person is imagining his ailments or whether he is really ill. Hypochondriacs visit the doctor frequently, becoming in the doctor's eyes something akin to the boy who cried wolf. The problem is that people with hypochondria really do get sick now and then, just like everyone else, so doctors must take every complaint seriously. This puts a tax on the health care system as unnecessary tests and exams are performed.

However, placing blame on the shoulder of hypochondriacs is not the answer. They suffer from a very real condition that they can't control. Doctors who brush them off often make matters worse, as the patient feels that he is not being heard. It is important for primary care physicians to have patience and understand that often just listening to a patient's concerns can alleviate a good deal of the anxiety he or she feels.

While some people may joke about hypochondria, it is a serious disorder. For those with health anxiety, every headache is a brain tumor, every cough is lung cancer, every sore throat is throat cancer, every skin mark is skin cancer, every twitch is multiple sclerosis. A lot of hypochondriacs worry about having the most severe diseases such as AIDS, even when they don't have any of the risk factors.

While it is a good thing to be aware of any changes to one's body, being too aware can detract from one's quality of life. The stress of always worrying about sickness and death can make life miserable. People with this disorder never get to appreciate their good health because they never believe they are healthy.

For those with family members who suffer from this condition, it is important not to downplay or belittle their complaints. Often people will tell a hypochondriac that he or she is "exaggerating" or "being melodramatic." What family and friends don't realize is that the person really does have an illness: hypochondria.

There is help out there for sufferers and their loved ones. With proper treatment, such as cognitive therapy or anti-anxiety medication, people with hypochondria don't have to live the rest of their lives in fear of illness. With help, they will once again be able to enjoy the good health they've been so afraid of losing.

Autor: Rachel Williamson

Rachel Williamson is a contributing writer at Health Diaries, where she has written about hypochondria.

Added: April 3, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/