Night Eating Syndrome

This is a serious disorder, a result of upsets in hormones that regulate sleep, hunger and stress. People with night eating syndrome usually have no desire to eat until the afternoon, then eat most of their calories during the evening and at night, often waking up for high-calorie snacks. They need food to help them sleep. Feeling stressed and depressed is common.

Research suggests it affects 1,5% of all adults and around 10% of obese people. If you think you may have a problem with nighttime eating, get professional help from your doctor.

Nail Biting

Stop Nail Biting



In both adults and children, nail biting is a common habit, sometimes stemming from insecurity, boredom, anxiety or excitement. Excessive nail biting results in very weak nails and, in extreme cases, damaged fingers caused by chewing the nail down to the quick — the sensitive skin beneath the nail.

There is no guaranteed cure for nail biting.

In the book The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Women Dr. Frances Willson, a clinical psychologist, suggests nail paint, available at some chemists, to make your nails taste bad.

“When not in public, wear cotton gloves. That way, you can’t get at your nails,” says Dr. Willson. “Or buy a box of adhesive strips. Wearing an adhesive bandage around the tip of each finger can also act as a deterrent to nail biting.”

Another possible solution, according to the South African Family Medical Adviser, is to find something that occupies your hands when they are idle — a creative hobby such as building model airplanes, painting, knitting or sewing.

With a girl who bites her nails it can be a good idea to appeal to her vanity. Give her a manicure set to make her “nail conscious.”

Standard advice says it takes seven to ten days to break a habit. So give it some time — and encourage yourself.

“When it comes to breaking this habit, I believe that encouragement works better than punishment,” says Dr. Willson. “For many women who bite their nails, a manicure is very encouraging.”

Causes of Morning Sickness

Fifty to 80 percent of women end up with morning sickness during pregnancy. Some just feel a bit sick, others feel incredibly nauseous and some women find themselves vomiting almost every day. Plus, despite the name, it doesn’t exclusively occur in the mornings and can happen at any time of the day. But what’s known about it and why does it occur?

Well, despite instances of morning sickness being a well-known attribute of pregnancy and medical science being highly developed, the exact causes are still unclear. But there are plenty of theories!

One theory is that it could be caused by hormonal changes. Levels of a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG), which are in charge of controlling the production of other pregnancy hormones, are known to rise during early pregnancy. In fact, they peak at 10 weeks and then start to fall again at around 12 weeks — which fits in with the time when women commonly get morning sickness.

Other theories suggest it could be linked to women’s heightened sense of smell during pregnancy, or linked in with the fact that women are going through a range of physiological changes. Either way, morning sickness can be really unpleasant. Thankfully, though, in most cases it clears up, leaving the rest of the nine months nausea and sickness-free.

ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE:

Morning Sickness RemediesMorning sickness can make you feel really rough, especially when it occurs regularly during the early weeks of pregnancy. But if you’re desperate to ease the symptoms, then help is at hand. Not everything works for everyone, but there are practical self-help ways of minimizing the discomfort and easing some of the symptoms. Read more…

Migraine Headache: Symptoms, Causes,and Triggers

by: Kristy Law



Do you ever feel like you need to put a drill to your head? Do you feel like your brain is twisting and contorting in ways never thought possible? Do bright lights hurt you? Do smells bother you? Do you just want to hide in a dark room with a pillow over your head? If any of this sounds familiar, you probably are one of those poor people that suffer from migraines.

Millions of people suffer from migraines. However, the majority of sufferers are women. The true cause of migraines is not really known. Some people get them due to a previous head injury. Some people get them only certain days of the week and aren't sure why. Some people get them when they eat certain foods. Some people just have no clue why they get them.

If you suffer from migraines, there are certain things that can trigger the migraine attack. Avoiding these migraine triggers can effectively reduce the number of attacks. The first thing most people do when they get a migraine is to take a over the counter medication or a prescription migraine medication. However, it has been shown that doing this often can actually give you more migraines because your body becomes dependent on the medication. This is called rebound migraines or rebound headaches. If you are a woman, it has been widely known that birth control can cause a woman who never had migraines to suddenly have them. This includes oral contraceptives, Depo-Provera, etc. This is because birth control alters a woman's hormonal level. These hormonal fluctuations can trigger migraines. Oftentimes, women have the migraine attacks when they are due for a new Depo-Provera shot or right when they get the shot. This is because of the rapid increase or decrease in hormones. This is the same for oral contraceptives. Many women find that the migraines start at the beginning and at the end of the contraceptive pack. If you happen to have birth control related migraines, you may need to find another method of birth control.

There are also many foods that trigger migraines. This includes: caffeine, processed foods and meats (sausage, pepperoni, bacon, milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.), TV dinners, wine, chocolate, MSG (monosodium glutamate), alcohol, vinegar, certain fruits and juices (bananas, oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, etc.), raisins, certain vegetables (onions, pea pods, sauerkraut), Aspartame (NutraSweet), and fresh baked goods that are yeast risen (bagels, doughnuts, soft pretzels, pizza. etc). Keep in mind that not all triggers affect everyone. It is best for you to keep a journal of what you eat each day and see what days you get migraines.

Lastly, some people get migraines on certain days of the week. This is often because of stress or work related issues that cause stress. Many people also get migraines because of lack of sleep or an unstable sleep schedule. Pregnancy can also cause migraine attacks.

If you suffer from migraines, know that there are many who feel your pain. Do some research and work with your doctor to find out what may be triggering your migraine attacks. This way, you can learn to avoid these triggers and perhaps have less migraines. Then you can put that drill away!

Menopausal Hot Flashes:Causes and Natural Remedies

Is The Heat On? Maybe You’re Having A Hot Flash!
by: Dr. Rita Louise



Hot flashes are characterized by a sudden feeling of heat often accompanied by a reddening of the face and profuse sweating. For some, it is as mild as a brief warm flushing of the face and skin. For others, it is experienced as an intense heat on the face and upper body with intense sweating. Sometimes hot flashes are also accompanied by an increased heart rate, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, weakness or a feeling of suffocation.

Physiologically speaking, hot flashes are the body’s reaction to a decreased supply of estrogen. Typically this occurs when a woman approaches menopause. Every woman’s experience of this important life change is different, unpredictable and highly individual and they all follow their own pattern. In some production of estrogen decreases gradually, producing few flashes. In others, the ovaries stop abruptly or start and stop before production ends completely. For these women, hot flashes can become tricky.

Dropping estrogen levels confuse the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls appetite, sleep, sex hormones and temperature), where it makes the body think it is too hot. This activates the body’s heat releasing mechanism where it causes the blood vessels in the skin to expand, increasing blood flow to help dissipate heat. At the same time, the sweat glands begin producing sweat in an effort to cool the body off even more.

Not all women experience hot flashes, but more than half of them do. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 85% of all women in the US experience hot flashes in one way or another. Hot flashes often begin before a woman notices a change in her menstrual cycle and can start as early as her late 30’s and early 40’s. It is typically the first sign that menopause is approaching.

Usually experienced for a short period of time, some women complain of them all the time for a number of years. Most women begin to experience hot flashes 1-2 years before menopause and they end within a year of their last menstrual cycle. Some women can experience hot flashes up to and sometimes more than 5 years after their last menstrual cycle.

While estrogen therapy is the traditional solution to hot flashes it is good to try a less drastic measure first. Below are some things you can try to help reduce the heat of hot flashes.

Recommendations For Wellness

Dress in layers so you can peel off a layer if you start to feel warm.

Stick to cottons, linens and rayon and avoid wools and synthetic blends.

Try to keep some ice water on hand to sip on and cool down your insides.

Turn down the thermostat, buy an air conditioner or a ceiling fan to help keep your environment cool.

Silly as this may sound, many women report sticking their heads in the freezer when a hot flash hits.

Try to identify what is triggering your hot flashes. Keep a record of when they occur, what you are eating or doing and how you'ree feeling at the time a hot flash strikes.

Incorporate massage, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and other techniques to help you reduce your stress level.

Herbs such as black cohosh, chaste tree, wild yam and don quai have historically been used to relieve menopausal symptoms including hot flashes.

Talk to your health care provider about natural bio-identical hormone replacements.

A menopause homeopathic may also help to alleviate hot flashes, relieve pain and hyper-sensitivity.

About The Author
© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer 2005. All rights reserved. Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is the author of the books Avoiding the Cosmic 2x4 and The Power Within. It is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Let Dr. Louise help you bring health, healing and wholeness back into your life. Medical Intuition & Energy Medicine Certification training classes are now forming. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or call (972) 475-3393 for more information

RESOURCES

All About Hot FlashesIf you've had one, there's no mistaking it: the sudden, intense, hot feeling on your face and upper body, perhaps preceded or accompanied by a rapid heartbeat and sweating, nausea, dizziness, anxiety, headache, weakness, or a feeling of suffocation. Some women experience an “aura,” an uneasy feeling just before the hot flash, that lets them know what's coming. The flash is followed by a flush, leaving you reddened and perspiring. You can have a soaker or merely a moist upper lip. A chill can lead off the episode or be the finale. Read more…

Hot Flashes: Ease the Discomfort of MenopauseYou're in a meeting. Your forehead dampens with perspiration, and your colleague notes that your face is getting red. As you feel the familiar wave of heat creep through your body, you brace yourself for what's becoming an all-too-common and uncomfortable occurrence. You're having a hot flash. Hot flashes can come on at almost any time — whether it's in the middle of the night or in the middle of the produce aisle at the grocery store. Living with them is another adjustment you may have to make as you approach menopause. Read more…

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Symptoms, Causes,and Diagnosis

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that develops in the tissues that comprise the lining of a lung (pleura). The majority of individuals who develop malignant pleural mesothelioma have experienced chronic exposure to asbestos during the course of their lives.

“The average age of onset is sixty and the latent period between exposure to asbestos and development of mesothelioma can be up to forty years,” says Dr. Warwick Carter in his book The Complete Family Medical Guide. “It has a very insidious onset, with symptoms little different to asbestosis itself.”

The early symptoms of mesothelioma are generally non-specific, and may lead to a delay in diagnosis, according to the website Mesotheliomaweb.org. “Sometimes resembling viral pneumonia, pleural mesothelioma patients may present with shortness of breath, chest pain and/or persistent cough; some patients show no symptoms at all. A chest x-ray may show a build-up of fluid or pleural effusion. . . The right lung is affected 60% of the time, with involvement of both lungs being seen in approximately 5% of patients at the time of diagnosis. Less common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include fever, night sweats and weight loss.”

“X-ray changes may not be apparent until the disease is quite advanced,” says Dr. Carter, “and CT scans are more useful in making the diagnosis in suspicious cases. A biopsy of the cancerous area is the only way to make a definite diagnosis.”

Treatment with surgery, drugs and radiation has been tried, but with virtually no success as the cancer is extremely virulent and spreads rapidly. Three quarters of malignant pleural mesothelioma victims die within a year of the diagnosis, and 98% within two years.

Magnesium and Magnesium Deficiency

Essential for hundreds of chemical reactions that occur in the body every second, the mineral magnesium has received surprisingly little attention over the years. Recent findings, however, suggest that it has important health-promoting benefits.

Among the world’s leading researchers in the field is Dr. Mildred Seelig, a pediatrician, internal medicine specialist and master of public health who has been studying magnesium for the past 35 years. She wrote with nutritionist Dr. Andrea Rosanoff the volume The Magnesium Factor.

In their book, they stress that magnesium is one of the most important nutrients, but that the majority of people in Western societies suffer from magnesium deficiency. The authors argue that this deficiency is a major cause of both heart disease and diabetes, as well as a significant number of other common ailments which entail a serious risk of dying prematurely.

“The solution to heart disease has been with us all along, and it is nutritional,” according to The Magnesium Factor. “Most modern heart disease is caused by magnesium deficiency. A vast and convincing body of research — largely ignored — has convinced us and many of our colleagues of this fact. The diet of the industrial world is short on magnesium, and this is causing an epidemic of heart disease... The effects of a low intake of magnesium can be worsened by the high levels of fat, sugar, sodium and phosphate in our diets, as well as, ironically, by the use of calcium supplements, which has become widespread because of our awareness of calcium's value for bone health.”

Low magnesium, say the experts, causes heart arrhythmia and is involved in migraine attacks. Many of the studies noted that drugs used in the treatment of asthma cause a loss of magnesium. Research has shown that it can be vital to heart function, and limits muscle damage during a heart attack; relieves bronchospasm (constricted airways) in the lungs; protects hearing from excess noise; improves parathyroid function; benefits sleep; improves the bio-availability of Vitamin B6 and cholesterol; strengthens tooth enamel; helps improve the functioning of the nerves and muscles; and aids regulation of normal heart rhythm.

Do you need magnesium?
Signs include:
Muscle cramps in legs or feet;
Muscle twitches;
Aching muscles;
Migraine headaches;
Dental pain;
Brain ‘fogging’;
Anxiety or irritability;
Restless legs.
Green vegetables such as spinach provide magnesium because the center of the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium. Nuts, seeds, and some whole grains are also good sources of magnesium.

Although magnesium is present in many foods, it usually occurs in small amounts. As with most nutrients, daily needs for magnesium cannot be met from a single food. Eating a wide variety of foods, including five servings of fruits and vegetables daily and plenty of whole grains, helps to ensure an adequate intake of magnesium.

The magnesium content of refined foods is usually low. Whole-wheat bread, for example, has twice as much magnesium as white bread because the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed when white flour is processed. The table of food sources of magnesium suggests many dietary sources of magnesium.

Water can provide magnesium, but the amount varies according to the water supply. “Hard” water contains more magnesium than “soft” water. Dietary surveys do not estimate magnesium intake from water, which may lead to underestimating total magnesium intake and its variability.

OTHER RESOURCES:

MagnesiumWhat it is, health benefits, recommended intake, general dosage information, and more.

Magnesium - International Health News DatabaseSummaries of the latest research concerning magnesium.

Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis and Prevention

Lung cancer: A malignant growth, or tumor, affecting one or both lungs.

Introduction
Symptoms
Duration
Causes
Complications
When to consult a doctor
Prevention
Outlook

Introduction

The growth usually starts on the bronchial tubes which carry air to and from the trachea (windpipe). In such cases its medical name is bronchogenic carcinoma. Other terms sometimes used are pulmonary neoplasm (lung tumor) and respiratory cancer.

There are several different types of lung cancer, depending on the cells within the lungs that are affected.

The disease usually appears in middle to old age, and is 15 times more common among cigarette smokers than among those who do not smoke.

Symptoms

A dry irritant cough which at first resembles that of a heavy smoker. Later, yellow phlegm may be coughed up.
Spitting blood more than once in a week. Pure blood may be coughed up, but more commonly streaks of fresh (red) or altered (brown) blood are mixed with phlegm.
Shortness of breath, loss of mass, and a dull continuous pain in the chest or shoulders.
Sometimes the first sign of the disease is a sudden feverish illness which is often mistaken for pneumonia.
Duration

Lung cancer can become irreversibly established before it is detected, because it can take weeks or even months for the symptoms to reveal themselves. Even regular chest X-rays and sputum tests often fail to detect lung cancer at its earliest symptom-free treatable stage.
If the cancer is not treated, it progresses steadily.
Causes

Smoking. Stopping smoking at any time before the disease has started greatly reduces the otherwise high risks.
Air pollution. Lung cancer occurs more frequently in towns than in the country. Prolonged exposure to some industrial dusts (for example asbestos) increases the risk of lung cancer, particularly in smokers.
Complications

The cancer may spread to other parts of the body, most commonly to bone and the brain, and the veins draining the head and arms may become blocked (superior vena cava syndrome).
When to consult a doctor

If any of the symptoms appear.
If the patient’s general state of health causes him or her friends or relatives to think of lung cancer.
Anybody over 35 who has a cough which persists for more than a month should seek medical advice. This applies particularly to smokers or someone who has recently had pneumonia.
Diagnosis

The cancer is diagnosed by chest X-rays, CT scans, sputum examination, and a biopsy of the tumor using a bronchoscope if possible.
Prevention


Keep your lungs healthy!
Do not smoke, and quit smoking if you do. Even in heavy smokers, after five years of non-smoking, the risk of developing lung cancer will reduce to near normal.
Smokers and other high-risk groups should have regular chest X-rays.
Observe industrial safety regulations strictly in working areas where there are harmful dusts such as asbestos.
Outlook

If the disease is detected in its earlier stages it may sometimes be cured.
The outlook, despite treatment by surgery or chemotherapy, is not usually good. Fewer than 20% of all patients with lung cancer survive more than five years from diagnosis. Those with small cell (oat cell) carcinoma usually die within a year. That is why it is vital to stop smoking in order to reduce the risk of lung cancer.

ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE:

A Natural Treatment for Lung Cancer?You won’t find it on the shelf of your local garden center but the natural plant extract called deguelin, used as an insecticide in Africa and South America, appears to prevent the growth of precancerous and cancerous lung cells without harming normal cells. Read more…

Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Symptoms, Causes, and DiagnosisMalignant pleural mesothelioma is a rare cancer that develops in the tissues that comprise the lining of a lung (pleura). The majority of individuals who develop malignant pleural mesothelioma have experienced chronic exposure to asbestos during the course of their lives. Read more…

Liver Spots on Your Hands?

Large brown spots on the back of the hands are caused by the aging effects of climate. These spots are often first noticed on the arms and hands, then the face. They also appear, occasionally, on the chest, back, and less frequently on the legs and torso. Called liver spots, but also known as age spots, brown spots, lentigo, and lipofuscin pigment, they particularly affect fair-skinned people who have spent much of their lives in the sun.

Liver spots are a result of your skin trying to protect itself from sun exposure by producing an overabundance of melanin. Melanin is the pigment in your skin responsible for “splotchy” or uneven tanning.

For cosmetic reasons, liver spots can be lightened with skin-bleaching products or removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy).

If the spots appear on the hands before old age, you should not try to remove them with bleaches or creams. They should be examined by a doctor, as in rare instances they could be malignant.

Leg Vein Removal

Getting Rid of Unsightly Leg Veins



Getting rid of unsightly leg veins with a simple injection has become safer, quicker and cheaper, thanks to a new glycerin solution that makes them disappear without a trace, often in just one session. Best of all, glycerin injections are relatively pain-free — unlike saline injections, which cause so much discomfort that they tend to discourage people from seeking any treatment at all.

In June 2003, Dr. Mitchel Goldman, dermatologic surgeon from San Diego who pioneered the current formula, published results based on his own clinical experiences. After injecting small varicose veins in one leg of each of 13 patients with glycerin and the other leg with STS (sodium tetradecyl sulfate, another superior alternative to saline), Dr. Goldman found that glycerin cleared away veins more quickly and with less temporary bruising, swelling, and discoloration.

According to Dr. Goldman, glycerin works best for small varicose veins — thread veins — about the width of a pencil point. For problem veins up to the width of a pencil itself, STS is still the treatment of choice.

Lactose Intolerance: Symptoms, Causes and Management

by: Rachel Newcombe



Being unable to tolerate lactose can play havoc with normal eating habits, but it is something that can be adapted to. But what exactly does lactose intolerance mean, why does it happen and how can you cope with it?

Lactose intolerance is a condition where people are unable to absorb significant amounts of lactose — one of the main sugars found in milk — into their digestive system.

Lactose consists of two sugars which are joined together. To be absorbed properly, it has to be split into the two smaller sugars. An enzyme called lactase, which is present in the small intestine lining, helps perform this split.

If there’s not enough lactase or none at all, the split doesn’t happen. As a result, the lactose ends up being fermented by the bacteria in the large intestine and this causes a range of unpleasant symptoms.

The symptoms of lactose intolerance can be very distressing. They include nausea, stomach cramps and pain, a rumbling stomach, bloating, wind and diarrhea. If food or drinks containing lactose are consumed, the symptoms often come on from between half an hour and two hours afterwards.

If you’re suffering from the symptoms it’s important to get it confirmed by a doctor, rather than trying to self-diagnose, as the symptoms could be due to another underlying condition. Your doctor can do a simple lactose intolerance test, which involves measuring your blood sugar levels before and after drinking a liquid containing lactose. There’s also a similar breath test available, or you might need to have a sample taken for testing from the lining of your small intestine.

There’s currently no definitive cure for lactose intolerance. However, there are ways of coping with it.

One way of coping is to avoid consuming any dairy products, drinks or other foods containing lactose. Although it can be tricky, it’s manageable by reading food labels carefully or checking the ingredients of foods if you’re eating out. It’s also possible to cope with it through taking enzyme tablets when you eat or drink. These help replace the lactase that your body isn’t producing and helps your digestive system.

Lactose is often hidden in lots of foods where we wouldn’t necessarily expect it to be, such as ham, gravy, pizza, bread and even sherbet. This can make it hard for lactose intolerance sufferers, as they have to be on the ball and ready to spot it.

Lactose intolerance can develop at any time, even if you’ve been in perfect health previously. Many people, for example, become lactose intolerant after they’ve suffered a bout of diarrhea. The lining of the small intestine can become damaged, which reduces the production of lactase. Others who’ve had major surgery, such as on the bowel or stomach, or suffer from Coeliac disease, can also be prone to being lactose intolerant.

Kidney Stones

What is a kidney stone?

Kidney stones are hard, stone-like masses, formed out of crystals found in the urine.

A stone may stay in the kidney or break loose and travel down the urinary tract. A small stone may pass all the way out of the body without causing too much pain. A larger stone may get stuck in a ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. A problem stone can block the flow of urine and cause great pain.

Researches have proved that kidney stones are no modern ailment; the remains of a 7,000-year-old mummy revealed that even the ancient Egyptians suffered from them.

Causes of kidney stones

Doctors still don’t know exactly what causes a kidney stone to form.

More than 90% of individuals with kidney stones have a chemical abnormality of blood or urine that contributes to the tendency to form the stones.

At one time, it was believed that certain foods caused people to develop kidney stones. Recent findings, however, suggest that foods may promote the formation of kidney stones in those who are susceptible, but it doesn’t seem that particular foods have any bearing on the formation of kidney stones in a person who is not susceptible. People who have a family history of kidney stones are more likely to develop them.

Not drinking enough water or other fluids may also contribute to forming stones. Inadequate fluid intake causes the kidneys to produce less urine, as well as urine that is highly concentrated. The smaller the daily volume of urine, the more likely it is that a person would form kidney stones.

The truth of the matter is that kidney stones may form for a variety of reasons: urinary tract infections, kidney disorders and certain metabolic disorders such as hyperparathyroidism have all been linked to the formation of kidney stones. Seventy percent of those who suffer from renal tubular acidosis, an unusual hereditary disease, develop kidney stones and the condition is most prominent in men, from ages 40-70. Women get stones less frequently than men, but occasionally they do occur, usually around the age of 50.

The most common kidney stones are calcium-based and related to a condition known as hypercalciuria, an inherited condition which causes stones when calcium is consumed in excess. Some other causes can include cystinuria and hyperoxaluria (two rare, inherited disorders of the metabolism), hyperuricosuria (a disorder of the uric acid metabolism), gout, excess intake of Vitamin D, blockage of the urinary tract (as in urethral stricture disease), and some diuretics. Even calcium-based antacids have been known to cause problems in some people.

Additionally, people with chronic inflammation of the bowel or those who have had an intestinal bypass surgery or ostomy operation may be at risk, as well as those who take a protease inhibitor known as endeavor, which is commonly used to treat HIV related infections.

One thing that is known: once a person gets a kidney stone, he is more likely to develop more of them in the future.

Types of kidney stones

1. Calcium phosphate stones are common and easily dissolve in urine acidified by vitamin C.

2. Calcium oxalate stones are also common but they do not dissolve in acid urine.

3. Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) stones are much less common, often appearing after an infection. They dissolve in vitamin C acidified urine.

4. Uric acid stones result from a problem metabolizing purines (the chemical base of adenine, xanthine, theobromine [in chocolate] and uric acid). They may form in a condition such as gout.

5. Cystine stones result from a hereditary inability to reabsorb cystine. Most children's stones are this type, and these are rare.

Symptoms of kidney stones

While kidney stones don’t always cause symptoms, most of the time they do. The first symptom of a kidney stone is usually extreme pain. Kidney stones block the flow of urine and pain occurs when the stones try to shift and move. This causes a sharp, cramping pain, usually in the back and side in the area of the kidney or in the lower abdomen, and may be accompanied by a blood-tinted urine. Occasionally nausea and vomiting will accompany the pain and the patient may experience the need to urinate more. However, when they do go to urinate, they may experience a pressure and burning sensation. If there is a presence of fever or chill, though, this suggests that there may be an infection and one should seek a doctor immediately.

Kidney stone treatment

Fortunately, surgery is rarely necessary for the removal of kidney stones and most usually pass naturally. Drinking 2-3 quarts of water per day may help to flush out the system.
When a person cannot pass the stone through the urine, however, there are treatments available to remove or crush them, including:

• Inserting a small instrument through the urethra (the tube through which a person passes urine from the body) to “snare” the stone and remove it.

• Shock wave lithotripsy, whereby the stone is crushed. Once the stone is crushed, a person can pass the smaller pieces.

• Surgery.

Kidney stone prevention

• Drink more liquids. Drinking 8-10 glasses of liquid each day helps to keep the urine dilute, which reduces the concentration of stone forming minerals in the urine. At least half of the liquid should be water; the other liquids could be any beverages you like.

• Reduce the amount of salt you eat.

• Be sure your diet contains adequate amounts of calcium.

• Avoid those foods which can increase the amount of oxalate or uric acid in the urine: chocolate, anchovies, rhubarb, caviar, greens, herring, berries, scallops, peanuts, mussels, asparagus, organ meats (liver, kidneys, brains), tea, meat, extracts, broth, bouillon, consommé.

• Cranberry is known to help some people develop fewer kidney stones.

Interstitial Cystitis: Symptoms and Signs

by: Tina Samuels



Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic and debilitating disease of the urinary tract and bladder that affects approximately one million people. There is an inflamed and irritated bladder wall that leads to many bladder symptoms. The bladder wall of an IC patient will have stiffening and scarring of the bladder, less bladder capacity as a result of the scarring, small pinpoint bleeding on the bladder (glomerulations) and ulcers in the bladder lining (Hunner’s ulcers).

So much isn’t known about the illness, even though it has been around for a while now. This article deals with the signs and the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. A general guideline for interstitial cystitis is from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and although it has come under fire and scrutiny as it doesn’t incorporate all of the prevailing symptoms and has some things included as an exclusion that some people with IC do indeed have, it is meant as a oversee of the illness and not a conclusive.

NIDDK Research Definition of Interstitial Cystitis

Inclusion Criteria
1. Cystoscopy — glomerulations and/or classic Hunner’s ulcer.
2. Symptoms — bladder pain and/or bladder urgency.

Exclusion Criteria
1. Bladder capacity greater than 350cc on awake cystometry.
2. Absence of an intense urge to void with the bladder filled to 100cc during cystometry using a fill rate of 30-100cc/min.
3. Demonstration of phasic involuntary bladder contractions on cystometry using the fill rate described in number 2.
4. Duration of symptoms less than 9 months.
5. Absence of nocturia.
6. Symptoms relieved by antimicrobials, urinary antiseptics, anticholinergics, or antispasmodics.
7. Frequency of urination while awake of less than eight times a day.
8. Diagnosis of bacterial cystitis or prostatitis within a 3-month period.
9. Bladder or ureteral calculi.
10. Active genital herpes.
11. Uterine, cervical, , or urethral cancer.
12. Urethral diverticulum.
13. Cyclophosphamide or any type of chemical cystitis.
14. Tuberculous cystitis.
15. Radiation cystitis.
16. Benign or malignant bladder tumors.
17. Vaginitis.
18. Age less than 18 years.

This is a research definition only (for inclusion of patients in clinical trials) and is not necessarily applicable to diagnoses made in clinical practice. The major difference in the less stringent Interstitial Cystitis Database (ICDB) inclusion criteria for the diagnosis of IC is that cystoscopy (and its related diagnostic criteria) is an optional criterion for entry into the ICDB study. The rigid urodynamic exclusion criteria in the NIDDK definition do not exclude patients from an ICDB IC diagnosis.

The symptoms and signs of interstitial cystitis are varied and not every IC patient will have all of them. It is a difficult illness to pinpoint and this is meant only as a guideline to some of the symptoms that the interstitial cystitis patient may have.

1. Pelvic and perineal pain and pressure.
2. Urinary frequency: over 8 times/day; average is 16 times/day; can be up to 60 times/day.
3. Nocturia (excess urination at night).
4. Urinary urgency: urge not relieved by voiding.
5. Over 9 months of symptoms.
6. Dyspareunia (painful ).
7. Hematuria (blood in urine).
8. Symptoms worsen during menstruation.
9. Diminished bladder capacity.
10. and scrotum pain and pressure.
11. Dysuria (pain on urination).
12. UTI (Urinary tract infection) symptoms that do not improve upon antibiotic treatment.

50% of IC patients will have pain while riding in a car or with any prolonged sitting function; 63% are unable to work full time. Perhaps the most staggering statistic of IC is that interstitial cystitis patients are 3-4 times more likely to commit suicide than those who do not have the illness and that they rank below kidney dialysis patients in quality of life. So please, if you have any of the above mentioned signs or symptoms, get to an urologist. This diagnosis takes approximately 7 years to receive, usually through trial and many errors. Get checked, get tested, and get back on tract with your life.

Insomnia Help & Remedy

Good Night! Sleep Tight!
by: Dr. Jan Strydom



Do you have trouble going to sleep at night? If so, you should certainly do something about it, as sound, restful sleep is as important to us as food, air and water.

Sometime in your life you may have difficulty sleeping. Many people do. Anyone can suffer from insomnia, although sleeping problems are more common among women, the ill, the elderly, smokers, and alcoholics. Sleep problems are, however, surprisingly common among young people. While it is not an illness and is in no way life-threatening, insomnia can be very distressing, frustrating, exhausting, depressing and at worst it can make you feel like you're going crazy.

The bad news is that there are probably millions of people all over the world who have this problem. The good news is that, if you are one of these, you can certainly do something about it. You can cure yourself, in your own time and at your own pace.

My first and most important advice is that you should stay away from sleeping pills and alcohol. A drugged sleep is never a restful sleep.


Second, there is a very helpful technique that I would advise you to apply on a regular basis. You may apply this technique while, for example, watching TV or while reading. Put you right hand (note that it must be the right hand) on your head, as shown in the accompanying photograph. Note that the four fingers must be held together, while the thumb must be held apart. You need not press hard, just hold the hand comfortably on the head in the position shown. Sit with the hand like this for at least 20 minutes at a time. If you find that your arm and shoulder tire quickly, you may rest your elbow on something for support. For example, if you sit at a table reading you may rest your elbow on a stack of books. Depending on the severity of your sleep problem, the technique should be repeated from 2 to 4 times every day.

Furthermore, calcium is well known as a promoter of sound sleep. I therefore suggest that you make sure that you take enough calcium on a daily basis. About 1000 mg of calcium, taken towards or during the early evening will be found helpful. Because it calms the nerves, about 500 – 600 mg of magnesium, taken at the same time as the calcium, will also contribute towards good, sound sleep.


My fourth suggestion is that you should go to bed at the same time every night and rise at the same time every morning. Your bedtime should definitely be before eleven o’clock, and you should rise well before seven every morning.

Good night, sleep tight, and may the fleas you plenty bite!

Copyright 2005: Dr Jan Strydom

Help for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Diet Guide

by: Kathryn Whittaker

One in five Northern Americans has irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which makes it one of the most common disorders diagnosed today. Irritable bowel syndrome usually hits the person around age 20 and is more common among women than in men.

Irritable bowel syndrome is actually a disease, although doctors consider it a functional disorder. However, even though the syndrome can cause considerable pain and discomfort, it does not actually damage the digestive system.

Irritable bowel syndrome disturbs the normal functions of the colon, particularly how the muscles in the intestines work, causing a lot of embarrassment and pain. Irritable bowel syndrome does not cause internal bleeding, but may worsen a medical condition if you already have one.

No one really knows why certain people develop IBS. Researchers believe that people with Irritable bowel syndrome have sensitive colons that react to aggravating foods and certain emotional conditions, most commonly, to stress, conflict, or upsets. Antidepressants are often used to relieve stress-related irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Some doctors link colon sensitivity to weak immune systems.

No cure has been found yet for irritable bowel syndrome. Your doctor might prescribe fiber supplements or occasional laxatives to ease constipation, as well as medicines to help with diarrhea, or drugs that calm down abdominal pain, but careful eating is the most important step in reducing irritable bowel syndrome symptoms. Many irritable bowel syndrome sufferers can successfully control their symptoms with simple diet changes. Quite often, when you increase your fiber intake, irritable bowel syndrome symptoms are relieved.

Eating more fiber can be easier than you think. Whole grain breads and cereals, fruits, and vegetables are both delicious and rich in healthy fiber. Fiber-rich diet results in regular bowel movements and better colon cleansing. However, fiber will make you feel worse if you have pain or diarrhea because high-fiber diets may cause some discomfort at first, but do not panic. You simply need a few days to adjust to the new diet. Positive changes take time if your colon is more irritated than normally.

When starting fiber-rich diet, stick to plain foods like white rice, plain unflavored oatmeal, rice cereal, pasta, peeled potatoes. Incorporate insoluble fibers carefully by blending fresh fruit with soy or rice milk making delicious and nutritious cocktails. You can always add vegetables into soups or pasta sauces. Grilled, not fried, fish filet or low-fat chicken breast goes well with your pasta or rice. Eat fruits and vegetables as much as possible. To increase fiber intake, drink psyllium or flaxseed dissolved in water, such as Citrucel or Metamucil.

In general, try eating foods that are low in fat and high in carbohydrates, such as whole grain pasta and breads, unprocessed (not quick-cooking) rice and cereals. Avoid food that is high in fat, insoluble fiber, caffeine, coffee, carbonation, or alcohol.

When relieving irritable bowel syndrome symptoms through dietary means, you should keep your water intake at a maximum. Water prevents dehydration, especially if you have diarrhea. Drink plain water. Carbonated drinks, such as sodas, may result in increased levels of gas and cause pain in the abdomen.

Irritable bowel syndrome may require you to change the way you eat your meals. Big portions of food can cause cramping and diarrhea. To prevent these occurrences eat smaller portions and plan your meals so that you eat more frequently. Less food requires less effort from your bowels, so the message is to eat little and often.

When following these simple diet guidelines people can start living a normal, happy, outgoing life. Diarrhea and pain should reduce in just a few days. Constipation, however, can take several weeks to relieve, but it is worth persevering. Besides, you will look and feel healthier, too!

About The Author:
Kathryn writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on IBS please visit http://www.irritablebowelsyndromeguide.info and for additional articles on Irritable Bowel Syndrome http://www.irritablebowelsyndromeguide.info/ibs-articles.

ALSO ON THIS SITE:

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): Symptoms,Causes, and TreatmentSometimes it’s called the angry gut. That’s because if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), your insides often stir up a fuss. Your digestive tract roils, rumbles and pushes out wind. You may suffer from frequent diarrhea, diarrhea alternating with constipation or just constipation. Usually, you have abdominal pain. And it’s also likely that you’ll experience flatulence and bloating. Read more…

What Are the Symptoms of Hypothyroidism?

by: Deanna Couras Goodson



Hypothyroidism is a disease in which the thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. There are many reasons for this to occur. Most commonly, it is due to an autoimmune disorder, called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, in which antibodies attack the thyroid, gradually making it inactive.

Since hypothyroidism, unless it’s brought on by a trauma to the neck area or a cancer, takes place gradually, it is often difficult to determine the symptoms of the disorder. Of course, the symptoms that define this disease read like a who’s who of a variety of medical problems including depression fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and many other diseases of the immune system, commonly referred to as autoimmune diseases.


Here are some common symptoms of this disease:

Fatigue
Weakness
Weight gain or difficulty losing weight while on a reduced calorie and exercise program
Hair loss
Dry, brittle, lackluster hair
Dry, flaky, or rough-feeling skin
Sensitivity to cold, especially in the extremities
Muscle cramps and aches. Frequency may vary.
Depression
Memory loss or mental ‘fog’
Irritability
Constipation
Abnormal menstrual cycle (for women)
Decreased libido (for both sexes)
Difficulty conceiving or fertility problems (for women)
Feelings of hopelessness, worthlessness or uselessness
Exhaustion despite having slept
Of course, if an individual has also been diagnosed with the related disorders of fibromyalgia, or chronic fatigue, they are more likely to develop hypothyroidism on top of that other disorder, making it even harder to distinguish between the two.

Females, especially over the age of 35, are prone to developing this disorder. Obese people and individuals with a family history of hypothyroidism and/or other autoimmune diseases are also at risk.

However, there are a few symptoms, usually occurring after the disease has progressed a bit, which are clearly thyroid-related. Those are:

Low basal body temperature. Basal temperature, which is taken under the armpit, is believed to be a truer indicator of body temperature. Those with thyroid disease tend to be consistently below the normal level of 98.5.
Swollen thyroid gland or goiter.
Hoarse or gravelly voice, especially without the coexistence of a sore or strep throat.
If you have more than two or three of the symptoms from the first list and at least one or two from the bottom list, one can safely suspect that they are hypothyroid and should contact their doctor to have the appropriate tests done.

Hypoglycemia: Symptoms,Causes and Diagnosis

Hypoglycemia: Low Blood Sugar
by: Gabe Mirkin, M.D.



If your doctor tells you that you suffer from hypoglycemia, he must then tell you the cause because low blood sugar is the result of something going wrong in your body. It is not a cause.

Your brain gets more than 98 percent of its energy from sugar in your bloodstream. There is only enough sugar in your bloodstream to last about three minutes, so your liver constantly releases sugar from its cells into your bloodstream. But your liver can store only enough sugar to last 12 hours at rest, so it must manufacture new sugar from protein and other energy stores.

When blood sugar levels drop, you may feel anxious, shaky, sweaty, hungry, a tingling in your skin or your heart may beat rapidly. More severe symptoms include confusion, a sensation of warmth, weakness or fatigue, loss of memory and in its extreme, seizures and passing out. As you suffer repeat attacks of low blood sugar, they affect you less and your symptoms lessen.

There are two types of low blood sugar. First, when your blood sugar rises too high, causing your pancreas to release a large amount of insulin that drops your blood sugar too low, and second, a slow drop in blood sugar caused by your liver running out of stored sugar. Doctors used to think that insulin-induced hypoglycemia follows meals and that your liver running out of sugar doesn't follow meals, but they now know that both types can occur any time.

It is almost impossible to diagnose hypoglycemia by drawing blood after you suffer an attack of dizziness, weakness or fainting because your body produces adrenaline immediately and raises blood sugar levels to normal before your doctor can draw blood. It can be diagnosed by feeding you lots of sugar and measuring your blood sugar level every half-hour for several hours. If you indeed suffer from hypoglycemia, your doctor then has to find a cause, which might include liver damage, an inadequate amount or excess of many different hormones, tumors or glandular abnormalities.

About The Author
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

OTHER RESOURCES

Hypoglemia: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment on Medicinenet.comHypoglycemia is the clinical syndrome that results from low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person, as can the severity. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when the sugar level returns to the normal range. Read more…

Hypoglycemia at MayoClinic.comHypoglycemia is a condition characterized by an abnormally low level of blood sugar (glucose), your body's main energy source. Hypoglycemia is commonly associated with diabetes. However, a wide variety of conditions, many of them rare, can cause low blood sugar in people without diabetes. Like fever, hypoglycemia isn't a disease itself, it's an indicator of a health problem. Read more…

Hypoglycemia DietHypoglycemia is the term for a blood glucose level that is lower than normal. When foods are digested in the body, they are broken down into many nutrients. These nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream to be used in performing various body functions. One of these nutrients is glucose, a sugar that provides fuel to the body. Read more…

Hypertension?

Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure


Although in most cases hypertension is symptomless, in severe cases it can cause headaches, shortness of breath, dizziness and visual disturbances. Anyone who experiences any of these symptoms should see their GP immediately.

There are plenty of non-pharmacological measures you can take to lower your blood pressure, or prevent it from becoming too high. The British Hypertensive Society recommends:

losing excess weight
taking regular dynamic physical exercise (such as a brisk 20-minute walk each day)
increasing your daily intake of fruit and vegetables (7 portions a day)
limiting your alcohol intake.

Hyperhidrosis: Causes and Treatments

Sweating is a natural phenomenon necessary for the regulation of an individual's body temperature. The secretion of sweat is mediated by a portion of our vegetative nervous system (the sympathetic nervous system). In some people, approximately 1% of the population, this system is working at a very high activity level, far higher than needed to keep a constant temperature. This condition is referred to as hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis, which may be caused by health conditions such as hormonal imbalance, overactive thyroid or sweat glands, can literally leave a person dripping in sweat. And it’s not restricted to one area — it can affect the armpits, hands, feet and forehead, making life extremely unbearable for those who suffer from this condition.

Thankfully there are treatments for hyperhidrosis in the form of surgical procedures or prescription antiperspirants. For those who have a bit of extra cash there is also the option of Botulinum Toxin (Botox). Yes, the same Botox that leaves you with the never-ending “surprised” look and pouty lips! Injections into the affected area, particularly the armpits, can reduce or even stop sweating for 3-7 months as it blocks the chemical transmitter that causes sweating.

Symptoms of Hormone Imbalance in Women

Symptoms of hormone imbalance in women may begin as early as the late 20's to the 40's. Symptoms of hormone imbalance in women tend to increase as a woman ages, especially if ignored in the earlier years. Hormone imbalance symptoms can be any one or more of the following:


Allergy symptoms
Depression, fatigue and anxiety
Endometriosis
Fibrocystic breasts
Hair loss and facial hair growth
Headaches, dizziness and foggy thinking
Low sex drive
Osteoporosis
PMS
Urinary tract infections and incontinence
Uterine fibroids
Weight gain, water retention and bloating
Wrinkly skin
Symptoms of hormone imbalance are caused primarily by the incorrect relationship between progesterone and estrogen levels in the body. The two female hormones, estrogen and progesterone, exist in a delicate balance. Variations in that balance can have a dramatic effect on your health, resulting in symptoms of hormone imbalance. The amounts of these hormones that the woman's body produces from month to month can vary, depending on factors such as stress, nutrition, exercise and most importantly — ovulation or the lack of ovulation.

In the first 10-12 days of the menstrual cycle, only estrogen is produced in the female body. If ovulation occurs, then progesterone is produced by the ovaries. On day 28 or so, levels of both hormones drop, resulting in menstruation. However, if ovulation did not occur, you can still have the menstrual period, but the estrogen is never “balanced” by progesterone, which needed ovulation to trigger its production. And this results in symptoms of hormone imbalance appearing — you have estrogen but progesterone production drops to very low levels.

In the industrialized countries, women take birth control pills, are exposed to household chemicals at home, car exhaust and other environmental xenoestrogens. In addition, women often have stressful lives, eat processed foods or skip meals, take synthetic estrogen HRT (hormone replacement therapy) and have hysterectomies. All these factors can add more estrogen to the female body, resulting in excess estrogen which will cause hormone imbalance symptoms.

How can a woman tell if she is experiencing hormone imbalance symptoms? An easy, fast and effective way is to take the online test at http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com for early signs of menopause and symptoms of hormone imbalance in women. The online test takes just a few minutes and is free. Learn more about your health, symptoms, what the symptoms are telling you and what to do about it based on your answers to important questions. Read more about hormone imbalance, estrogen dominance symptoms and physician-recommended natural treatments for eliminating the symptoms of hormone imbalance.

About The Author:
Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.safemenopausesolutions.com

RESOURCES:

Hormonal Imbalance, PMS, Perimenopause, and Menopause SymptomsHello. This is an important page for many reasons. First, take a look at the list of PMS, perimenopause and menopause symptoms at the left. Did you ever imagine hormonal imbalance could wreak such havoc on your body? It’s all the more disturbing if you reported any of these common symptoms to a medical professional and were dismissed with a raised eyebrow or a wave of the hand. Read more…

You May Be Suffering From Hormonal ImbalanceIt began as some minor bloating the day before my menstrual period started. Then came the headaches. Finally, a few days of minor discomfort turned into something that I had to plan my schedule around because of my symptoms. I was not alone. Jane* suffered from backaches and headaches so severe that she had to take off from work. Susan developed cravings for sugary and salty foods and began having breakthrough bleeding — bleeding mid-cycle. These symptoms have been classified as PMS — premenstrual syndrome. Frequently dismissed by doctors as “normal” hormonal fluctuations and scoffed at on bumper stickers and advertisements; PMS has become widely accepted. Read more…

Hemorrhoid Treatment

by: Danna Schneider


Whether hemorrhoids are external or internal, they are a constant nuisance to say the least. The pain, itching, burning and discomfort can really effect your productivity by making it uncomfortable to move around, sit for long periods of time, and have bowel movements. There is a natural way to treat hemorrhoids that will cure the symptoms almost immediately.

What Exactly is a Hemorrhoid?

Hemorrhoids are abnormally swollen veins in the rectum and anus that are almost exactly like extreme varicose veins that you may see on a person's legs from excess weight or strain. When these bulging hemorrhoidal veins are irritated, they cause surrounding membranes to inflame and swell, causing a burning and itching sensation that is very painful and many times difficult to treat — especially if they are internal.

Hemorrhoids are caused by too much pressure in the rectum, forcing the blood to stretch and bulge the walls of the veins outward, sometimes rupturing them. Hemorrhoids are typically caused by the following:

1.) Sedentary lifestyle — meaning too much sitting. This causes undue and unnatural pressure on the rectum and anus.
2.) Pregnancy
3.) Strained bowel movements, or constipation
4.) Severe and constant coughing
5.) Lifting heavy objects

Some of the lifestyle changes you can make to prevent and help treat hemorrhoids are to make sure you remain active. Try not to sit for long periods of time, and make sure you do not spend too much time on the toilet.

Get enough fiber in your diet to prevent constipation since constipation causes undue strain on the anus and rectum, which can further aggravate existing hemorrhoids and even create new ones.

Do not pick up heavy objects that your body can't handle comfortably. Excessive weight (including your own body weight) will cause the veins to further tear, bulge and inflame.

Natural hemorrhoid treatments that act as anti-inflammatories have proven to be extremely successful over long-term periods to treat and heal hemorrhoids. What they do is naturally calm and soothe the strained muscles and veins, and act as an anti-inflammatory which returns the swelling back to normal, relieving pain, itching and burning all at once.

Naturally treating hemorrhoids is a highly effective way of getting to the source of the problem, and treating the internal issues such as inflammation and decreased circulation that heavily contribute to hemorrhoid formation. Not only that, they provide fast relief, and consistent relief and prevention of further problems.

About The Author:
Visit Danna Scheider’s webpage Hemorrhoid Treatment for more information on an effective alternative to long term relief and treatment of hemorrhoids.

OTHER RESOURCES:

Anuice Hemorrhoid TreatmentNo more suffering while spending money on creams that may provide only temporary relief. A cryogenic device (cold applicator) that reduces inflammation, stops the pain, bleeding and itching. If you have tried, without results, nationally advertised creams, or “miracle products”, you will be glad you found this site. ANUICE® will solve your problem! Guaranteed! Read more…

Natural Hemorrhoid Treatment — Quick & Lasting Relief!Hemaron is the only natural supplement for hemorrhoids that contains Japanese Pagoda Tree extract, proven to heal hemorrhoids with an amazing 94% success rate! If you are suffering from hemorrhoids, you are not alone — this common condition affects about half of the United States population by the age of 50. You don't have to continue to suffer from hemorrhoids — there is a new natural treatment that treats the root causes of hemorrhoids to give you lasting relief from the burning, itching, pain, and discomfort of hemorrhoids. Read more…

Heartburn Remedies and Relief

Despite its name, heartburn does not involve the heart but rather the esophagus. Your esophagus is your body’s food chute, a tunnel of muscle whose job it is to push what you swallow into your stomach. And although this is supposed to be a one-way street, stomach acid sometimes rises back up, causing the fire we call heartburn.

Symptoms of heartburn can include a burning or painful sensation in the upper chest behind the breastbone, a sour taste in the mouth, belching, coughing and wheezing, difficulty sleeping after eating, regurgitation, and chronic hoarseness or sore throat.

Occasional heartburn can be caused by simply eating chocolate (it relaxes the gatekeeping muscle known as the esophageal sphincter) or lying down after a meal (the angle allows acid to escape). But a chronic burn can signal acid reflux or gastroesohageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that occurs when the sphincter stops working properly. Left untreated, GERD can lead to a worse esophagus ailment: cancer.

If you frequently suffer from heartburn, you are not alone. In the United States, 44% of the adult population has reported experiencing heartburn at least once a month, 14% have reported experiencing it weekly, and 7% have reported experiencing it daily. Twenty-five percent of women have heartburn during their pregnancy. People are usually given a diagnosis of GERD when they have symptoms of heartburn and acid regurgitation at least once a week.

Nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux, which may result in heartburn during sleep, has been demonstrated to be associated with a more severe form of GERD. Unlike upright reflux (experienced while awake), which tends to be short and resolves quickly, supine reflux (experienced during sleep) tends to be longer and resolves slowly.

Recommendations for Wellness

Eat small, frequent meals to avoid overeating. A distended stomach increases pressure on the esophageal sphincter, making heartburn more likely.

Never lie down after eating because when you lie down after eating, food and acid are more easily pushed back into the esophagus. Wait at least three hours after meals before reclining, to allow acid production to subside and the stomach to empty.

Avoid (or at least lessen the intake of) food and substances that decrease muscle tone in general and slow down the action of the esophageal muscular ring. Such foods and substances include fat, chocolate, cola drinks, coffee, and tobacco. Citrus fruits and tomatoes may also increase the risk of heartburn, especially when consumed before bedtime.

We know that an allergy to cow's milk can cause acid reflux in babies. This is neither uncommon nor is it limited to infants. Adults often lack enough of the enzyme needed to digest lactose (milk sugar) or may have a sensitivity to milk protein. Either can cause heartburn. Some people drink milk to neutralize acid in their stomachs. This is only a temporary fix. Milk actually raises acid levels after it reduces stomach acid.

Some people think that tea and alcohol contribute to acid reflux. Not according to two large studies in Norway with over 47,000 participants. Neither tea nor alcohol, in any quantity, affected them. Instead, researchers found that smoking daily for 20 years, or adding salt to foods for 20 years, were each linked to a 70% increased risk for heartburn.

If you smoke, stop! Smoking decreases the strength of the esophageal valve, thereby allowing stomach juice to reflux, or flow backward into the esophagus. Smoking also seems to promote the movement of bile salts from the intestine to the stomach, which makes the stomach juice more harmful. Finally, smoking may directly injure the esophagus, making it less able to resist further damage from refluxed material.

Helpful foods include pineapple, brown rice, potatoes, beans, whole wheat pasta, yogurt, salmon, tuna, sunflower seeds, asparagus, mushrooms and Brazil nuts.

Avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, tetracycline, quinidine (a drug that reduces heart arrhythmias), potassium chloride, and iron.

Be cautious about over-the-counter antacids. If you use antacids regularly, over a period of time, they can contribute to a host of more serious problems including arthritis, asthma, depression, digestive problems, and osteoporosis. Antacids don't correct heartburn. They just treat its symptoms.

Be wary of any new drug because it takes many years for the full story to emerge. Propulsid is an outstanding case in point. This marginally effective but widely prescribed heartburn drug was removed from the market because it caused heart arrhythmia when combined with other common drugs, such as antibiotics. Propulsid was on the market several years before this potentially fatal adverse interaction was detected.

If you are overweight — and even if you're not — embark on a diet and exercise program. Increased energy level and loss of weight will serve to take pressure off the esophageal muscular ring, helping to increase its productivity. Norwegian researchers found that people who swam or jogged for 30 minutes once a week were 50% less likely to suffer from the condition than the couch potatoes were.

Do not wear tight clothes or tight belts.

Sleep on your left side. Researchers at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia monitored overnight ten middle-aged men and women with GERD, recording sleep positions and the number and duration of reflux episodes. All ten ate a greasy, high-fat dinner and a bedtime snack that night, a sure prescription for heartburn. The volunteers experienced reflux more often when sleeping on their backs and right sides than on their left sides. Moreover, acid took longer to clear from the esophagus when they slept on their right sides compared to other positions.

Elevate the head of the bed or sleep with extra pillows.

Make diet and lifestyle changes first. Then, if you don't get enough relief from these changes, talk to your doctor.

Heart Disease, Stroke and Women:

Catch a Wake-Up!


Heart disease and stroke kill more women worldwide than cancer, HIV/Aids, malaria and TB combined. Yet we still think of heart disease as a man’s problem. Time to change that, so get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, and take an honest look at your exercise and eating habits. Keep your heart happy and healthy by:

Exercising regularly — for 20 minutes or more, at least 3 times a week
Maintaining a good body mass index (BMI) of between 20 and 25
Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
Avoiding smoking and drugs
Avoiding saturated fats like butter.

Help, My Child Has Head Lice!

The most important measure to get rid of head lice is complete hygiene, says Rolf Stühmer in his book The Big Book of Health. Take the plunge and have the hair cut as short as possible, or comb it several times daily with a special comb.
Wash the hair with coal tar shampoo or warp the head in a cloth soaked in hot vinegar.
It is also important to boil all clothing which could have come into contact with the lice, or to treat them with a suitable disinfectant or insecticide from the drugstore.

Halitosis: Causes and Treatment

How Bad Is Your Breath? 14 Simple Tips For
Reducing Mouth Odor.
by: Dr. Rita Louise



Bad breath, morning breath, breath odor or halitosis are all terms used to describe a noticeably unpleasant odor exhaled on the breath. Halitosis is not a problem by itself, but it can cause concerns in our interpersonal relationships.

We are all familiar with how the consumption of certain foods such as garlic and onions can affect our breath. This occurs because these foods are absorbed into our bloodstream, where they are transferred to our lungs and exhaled. Fortunately, bad breath caused by the foods we eat is only temporary.

The truth is, most breath odor comes from food particles trapped in our mouths. When food remains in the mouth, it becomes a breeding ground for the bacteria that can cause bad breath. Other causes can include poor oral health, improper cleaning of dentures, periodontal disease as well as smoking & tobacco products. Bad breath can also be a sign of an underlying medical condition of the stomach, lungs and bloodstream.

Another little known situation that can contribute to halitosis is xerostomia (dry mouth). When our mouth is dry, saliva production decreases, leaving the mouth's natural ability to clean itself impaired. Saliva is the mouth's natural mouthwash, which contains properties that reduces bacteria in the mouth. Alcohol consumption, certain medications, breathing through the mouth instead of the nose or a salivary gland disorder can contribute to having a dry mouth.

Recommendations For Wellness

Brush your teeth and rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal to remove food particles from the mouth.

When you are brushing your teeth, also brush your tongue. The tongue is covered with thousands of tiny hairs that can trap bacteria.

Have regular check-ups with your dentist to rule out gum disease and to correct any faulty restorations, overhanging fillings or leaking crowns, all of which can trap food in the mouth.

Chew sugarless gum or suck on sugarless lozenges to increase the flow of saliva.

If your mouth is dry, drink plenty of water. Try swooshing it around in your mouth for at least twenty seconds to loosen any food particles the bacteria can feed upon.

Avoid breath mints and mouthwashes that contain alcohol. Instead of helping, they can make things worse. They only temporarily cover the smell and tend to dry the mouth, creating a more favorable environment for bacteria.

Snacking on vegetables such as raw celery or carrots can keep plaque from forming.

If you are going to an important meeting or on a big date, avoid foods that can cause bad breath, such as onions and garlic.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption, which can dry the mouth.

Quit smoking. Tar and nicotine can build up on the surface of the teeth, tongue and cheeks. It can also dry the mouth and inhibit saliva flow.

Chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener and is found in leafy green vegetables like parsley.

A few drops of peppermint or tea tree oil can be applied to the tongue or toothbrush to help freshen the breath. In addition to its refreshing nature, their antibacterial properties will kill the bacteria found in the mouth.

Baking soda has a long history of being used to maintain good oral health and for fighting bad breath.

A mixture of 50% hydrogen peroxide and 50% water can be swooshed around in the mouth and used as a mouthwash. Hydrogen peroxide can kill many of the bacteria that can cause bad breath.

About The Author
© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer 2006. All rights reserved.
Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is the author of the books Avoiding the Cosmic 2x4 and The Power Within. It is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Let Dr. Louise help you bring health, healing and wholeness back into your life. Medical Intuition & Energy Medicine Certification training classes are now forming. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or call (972) 475-3393 for more information.

RESOURCES:

Bad Breath (Halitosis)Most adults suffer from bad breath occasionally, although it may affect up to a quarter of adults on a regular basis. Bad breath is usually brought on by the breakdown of proteins by bacteria somewhere in the mouth. However, there are several other possible causes that affect the airways, oesphagus and stomach that can also lead to bad breath. Read more…

Halitosis (Bad Breath)Most bad breath (halitosis) comes from something in the mouth. Food sticks between your teeth, around the gums and on your tongue. If you don't brush and floss your teeth every day, this food can rot. The rotten bits of food cause a bad smell in your mouth. Rotten food also helps bacteria to grow in your mouth. This bacteria can cause gum disease, or gingivitis. Gingivitis also causes bad breath. Read more…

Halitosis — Treating Bad BreathFirst of all, thorough brushing to remove food particles is a daily necessity. Regular check-ups to correct problem areas: gum disease, carious teeth, faulty restorations, overhanging fillings, leaking crowns, all of which cause food traps, is a must. For those over thirty, the odor of periodontal disease is a particularly common cause of halitosis and one which is easily treated. Read more…

Gout: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment and Prevention

Gout: A Foe for your Toe
Article by: Jake Mayer

Gout is a misunderstood malady. Despite the intense pain that gout can bring, it is a condition that rarely makes the glossy pages of a magazine. If you are ever personally hit with the sudden onset of gout, classically (50% of the time) seen as a sudden and excruciating pain in the big toe, you will have a newly found interest in the following information.

Gout is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the fluids of your body. These uric acid crystals deposit in joints, tendons and kidneys, damaging the tissues and causing inflammation and pain. The pain is a result of countless needle-like crystals that form from the excess uric acid.

There are two main types of gout, primary and secondary. Most (90%) of gout sufferers fall into the ‘primary’ category. This is a pattern with a cause that is generally unknown (idiopathic), although there are some genetic patterns that can lead one to tend toward elevated uric acid. Secondary gout is identified when uric acid is elevated in response to some other disorder (such as kidney disease).

Some medicines (such as aspirin and diuretics) can lead to the onset of gout attacks because they decrease the excretion of uric acid from the body.

The first sign of gout is usually an intense pain during the night. The attack is commonly brought on following a day or evening of excess in alcohol, food, some drugs, or surgery. If the attack progresses, fever and chills will follow. Recurring attacks are common (90%), mostly occurring in the first year. While chronic gout is quite rare, gout sufferers do have a higher risk of kidney dysfunction and kidney stones.

Conventional treatment for the symptoms of gout is the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine. Isolated from the autumn crocus, colchicine has a strong effect to combat inflammation (though it has no effect on uric acid levels!). This provides most sufferers relief within the day, although the drug may be difficult for many to tolerate due to digestive side effects.

To prevent gout attacks, the following lifestyle should be considered:

*Avoid alcohol, a major influence in initiating attacks.
*Follow a low-purine diet. This includes organ meats, meat, shellfish, yeast, and sardines, mackerel, etc.
*Reduce excess food intake including processed carbohydrates, excess fat and excess protein.
*If you find yourself or your loved one suffering from a gout attack, it is unlikely you would hesitate to seek professional help. The pain of an acute gout attack has been compared to the pain of childbirth.

However, gout sufferers are overwhelmingly (95%) male.

Copyright: http://www.lapisteahouse.com

Gestational Diabetes:

Causes, Risks and Treatment

by: Andrew Palmer


Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnancies, making it one of the top health concerns related to pregnancy.

What is the cause of gestational diabetes?

While no one really knows the cause, there are some factors that might increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes. These include:

* A family history of diabetes
* Obesity in the woman
* Having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
* Older maternal age (over the age of 30)
* A previous delivery of a large (greater than 9 pounds) baby

What are the risks of gestational diabetes?

High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If a woman had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes have a greater change of developing diabetes, but there are also some other risks involved, such as macrosomia, or a "fat" baby. Babies with macrosomia face health problems of their own, including damage to their shoulders during birth, or a higher risk for breathing problems.

Treating gestational diabetes

In most cases, gestational diabetes is managed by diet and exercise, and goes away after the baby is born. But because gestational diabetes can hurt you and your baby, it is important to start treatment quickly. You should consult your doctor for special meal plans and scheduled physical activity.

There is no reason to panic

While gestational diabetes is a cause for concern, the good news is that with the correct diet and exercise, you can keep your blood glucose levels under control, and give a healthy start for your baby.





About The Author
Andrew Palmer helps maintain Diabetesweb, an informational site on everything related to diabetes. Be sure to check it out if you need further information on gestational diabetes.

Gastric Bypass Complication: Gastric Bypass

Surgery Could Lead to Lack of Vitamins


Nowadays, gastric bypass surgery is a popular way to help obese people lose weight and keep it off. But, if you're considering this procedure, here's something to keep in mind.
According to a report published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, you could have problems with a vitamin A deficiency. Normal vitamin A levels are required for appropriate functioning of our immune system, skin, retina, and ocular surface. Without adequate levels of vitamin A in the body, serious systemic consequences can occur, including significant ophthalmic complications leading to potential vision loss and ultimate blindness if the deficiency is not recognised and corrected.

A specialist eye clinic in the UK found that three patients who had extensive intestinal surgery between 20 and 35 years earlier were experiencing increasingly poor eyesight.

Medical experts found that the patients had a vitamin A deficiency, despite them having taken supplements. After two of the patients agreed to vitamin A injections, their vision improved within days.

The trouble, say researchers, is that the increase in popularity of this type of procedure could make vitamin A deficiency increasingly common and it's an essential vitamin for eyesight.

Gallstone Treatment

Getting Rid Of Gallstones Naturally
by: Dr. Rita Louise



The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that sits on the right side of our bodies just beneath the liver. Its primary function is to store and secrete bile. Bile is a yellow-brown fluid produced by the liver, which helps us digest fats. Our liver produces up to three cups of bile a day. Our gallbladder can store up to a cup of bile as it awaits a fatty meal.

When we eat, our gallbladder contracts and pushes bile into the small intestines where it helps with the digestion of fats. Bile is made up of water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins and bilirubin. Under certain conditions, substances in the bile, especially the cholesterol or bile pigment (bilirubin) can harden into stones — gallstones.

Gallstones can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. We can develop one large stone or a multitude of smaller ones. Many people with gallstones have no symptoms at all. Others go through life relatively symptom free, experiencing minor symptoms such as abdominal bloating, intolerance to fatty foods, belching, intestinal gas and indigestion. For others, however they may suffer what is called a gallstone “attack”. Gallstone attacks often follow a fatty meal. Symptoms of an attack include steady, severe pain in the upper abdomen that can last from 30 minutes to several hours. Sufferers may also experience pain in the back between the shoulder blades or under the right shoulder. A gallstone attack is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting. If symptoms such as sweating, chills, a fever or a yellowish color to the skin or whites of the eyes occur, it is important to seek medical assistance.

There are a number of factors that increase your risk of having gallstones. Those at a higher risk include women, especially women who are pregnant, on hormone therapy or taking birth control pills, people over 60 years of age, Native and Mexican Americans, overweight individuals and individuals who fast or go on crash diets and lose a lot of weight quickly.

It is important to recognize that if the gallbladder is loaded with stones, there is very little room to store bile and fat digestion may become impaired. In turn, the unused bile can back up into the liver causing liver congestion. If this is the case, it is important to evaluate your liver’s health prior to cleansing on your gallbladder.

Recommendations For Wellness

The traditional treatment for gallstones is to have your gallbladder removed. There are, however, a number of things you can do to reduce your risk of producing gallstones or experiencing a gallstone attack.

*Reduce your consumption of saturated fats typically found in red meat and pork, while increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables you consume.

*Start a diet and exercise program, but avoid crash dieting which can increase your risk of gallstones. Both diet and exercise can help you reduce your risk of producing gallstones.

*If you are taking birth control pills or are on hormone replacement therapy, speak with your doctor regarding your risk of forming stones or have them check your gallbladder for the presence of gallstones regularly.

*Studies indicate that coffee increase the flow of bile and may help to decrease the risk of gallstones. If you decide to add a little coffee to your health plan for this reason, make sure you only consume organically grown coffee beans.

*Supplement with vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed by the body to convert cholesterol to bile acids in the body.

*Lecithin has been shown to help break down and transport fat molecules and may help dissolve gallstones. Studies indicate that it is helpful in protecting us from gallstone formation.

*Safflowers can be used to thin body fluids as well as aid in the digestion of oils.

*Nature’s Sunshine Gall Bladder Formula can be used to help stimulate circulation, improve liver function & aid in the production of digestive fluids.

*Do a gallbladder flush. During a gallbladder flush, 1-2 cups of olive oil are consumed to simulate the gallbladder into releasing bile. This increased demand on the gallbladder to release bile works to push the stones out.

*If you think your liver is congested, or if you have been having minor symptoms of gallstones for a long period of time, it is important to support and cleanse your liver for a period of time before doing a gallbladder flush. Try taking herbs such as milk thistle, dandelion or a liver cleanse formula.

About The Author
© Copyright Body, Mind & SoulHealer. All rights reserved.
Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Rita Louise, Ph.D. is the author of the books Avoiding the Cosmic 2x4 and The Power Within. It is her unique gift as a medical intuitive and clairvoyant that illuminates and enlivens her work. Let Dr. Louise help you bring health, healing and wholeness back into your life. Medical Intuition & Energy Medicine Certification training classes are now forming. Visit http://www.soulhealer.com or call (972) 475-3393 for more information.

RESOURCES:

GallstonesGallstones form when liquid stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. The liquid, called bile, is used to help the body digest fats. Bile is made in the liver, then stored in the gallbladder until the body needs to digest fat. At that time, the gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into a tube — called the common bile duct — that carries it to the small intestine, where it helps with digestion. Read more…

Diagnosis and Treatment of GallstonesMost people with gallstones have what are called silent stones; they have no symptoms. Many times gallstones are detected during an abdominal x-ray, computerized axial tomography (CT) scan, or abdominal ultrasound that has been taken for an unrelated problem or complaint. But steady severe pain in the upper abdomen which may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting, pain between the shoulder blades, or in the right shoulder, are symptoms of a gallstone attack. Read more…

Gallstones TreatmentThere is no permanent medical cure for gallstones. Although there are medical measures that can be taken to remove stones or relieve symptoms, they are only temporary. If you have symptoms from gallstones, surgical removal of the gallbladder is the best treatment. Asymptomatic gallstones usually do not require treatment. Read more…

Causes of Fibromyalgia

What Causes Fibromyalgia?
Article by: Deanna Couras Goodson



Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is generally an elusive disease. I know from personal experience that not many people seem to understand much about it. I include many medical professionals in that group.

There are several theories on the causes of FMS. First, there seems to be a prevailing belief that a trauma such as a car accident triggers the disease. Other traumatic events that may lead one to develop this disease include sexual or physical abuse and alcoholism. In my case, I had a car wreck in May of 2001 and started exhibiting symptoms almost immediately afterwards. I believe that one led to the other for me.

Secondly, other illnesses or disorders lead one to become fibromyalgic. This makes it seem as though fibromyalgia may have its roots in a virus or a bacteria of some sort. Other illnesses that may cause FMS might be: the flu, Epstein-Barr virus and several autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases attack the body’s immune system.

People with FMS tend to have weakened immune systems and may be prone to one or more of these illnesses, specifically, but not limited to: hypothyroidism, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. I am also hypothyroid, but I am not sure which occurred first. It’s a chicken-and-egg kind of thing to me, so I can’t say for sure. FMS patients have to be tested for other disorders first because a diagnosis of FMS is basically one of exclusion.

That means, to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a person would have to test negative for other disorders and still have pain in specific areas, called pressure points. It’s usually a long and dragged out process. Therefore, one could be fibromyalgic long before one is hypothyroid, for example, and wait longer for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

Another possibility mentions that FMS is caused by a parasite. The body naturally has parasites. However, there are good parasites and bad ones. When the body makes too much of a good parasite or has a bad parasite, the immune system attacks. If a chronic parasitic flare-up like Candida Albicans — yeast overgrowth — occurs, then, a person could be weakened enough to become susceptible to developing fibromyalgia.

Perhaps, people who become fibromyalgic have a physiological abnormality pertaining to the neurotransmitters that regulate serotonin. Serotonin is the feel-good chemical. When it is out of whack, a person can feel, among other things, depressed.

Finally, genes may play a role in a person’s propensity for developing fibromyalgia. (Say that last sentence five times fast. I dare you!) Many of its related conditions such as: depression, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis do have a genetic component, so why not fibromyalgia?

ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE:

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: Symptoms, Causes and TreatmentChronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME is categorized by severe disabling fatigue, which lasts for at least six months. It is made worse by minimal physical or mental exertion, but there’s no adequate medical explanation for what causes it. When it comes to diagnosis, ME and Fibromyalgia (FMS) are often grouped together by doctors as they’re both characterized by chronic fatigue. Fibromyalgia means pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons — the soft fibrous tissues in the body. Read more…

Eye Sty: Causes and Treatment

by: Lisa Barger



Medically referred to as a hordeolum, a sty is simply an infection occurring on the eyelid. Sties are caused by the staphylococcal bacteria that normally live harmlessly on the skin of our eyelids, but when those germs become trapped inside an eyelash follicle or a tear duct, a painful, pimple-like infection results. In most instances, sties are little more than painful inconveniences but large sties can cause swelling or tearing that interferes with eyesight. In rare cases, multiple sties form along the margin of the eyelid resulting in a potentially serious condition known as blepharitis.

Most sties are "external" and occur on the outside of the eyelid. External sties tend to be short-lived and go away with no lasting damage. "Internal" sties, on the other hand, occur on the underside of the eyelid and often leave pus-filled cysts that have to be drained by a physician. Sties are often confused with another common condition known as chalazia. Chalazia are non-infectious spherical bumps that occur as a result of a blocked duct on the outer surface of the eyelid.

Most sties are self-limiting and go away after about 5 days, but you can speed up the healing process by applying hot compresses to the affected area several times a day. After the sty opens, clean the area gently with warm water and a cotton swab several times throughout the day to prevent re-infection or spreading. Most sties can be effectively treated at home but if a sty interferes with your ability to see, tends to reoccur or just doesn't seem to heal, your doctor can prescribe antibiotics.

The best way to prevent sties is simply to wash your hands regularly and avoiding touching your eyes. It's especially important for children, who may rub their eyes when tired or under stress, to be taught to wash their hands after going to the bathroom or finishing an activity. For people with normal immune systems, sties aren't terribly contagious but they can spread from person to person through touch.




About The Author:
Lisa Barger is a traditional naturopath specializing in natural health education. To learn more about Ms. Barger's belief in "Empowerment through Education" or to take a free online natural health class see her website, http://www.LisaBarger.com