October 5th, 2008 at 05:00am Under weight loss
AP - When critically obese, bedridden Jose Luis Garza pleaded for help in shedding a few hundred pounds, he landed the world’s biggest weight watcher.
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October 5th, 2008 at 05:00am Under weight loss
Reuters - Isoflavone, a chemical found in soybeans, chickpeas, legumes and clovers, can improve artery function in stroke patients, a study in Hong Kong has found.
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October 4th, 2008 at 05:00pm Under Depression
Has it ever occurred to you why some people have extreme mood swings or very sudden behavioral changes? Such people are suffering from a mental condition called, bipolar disorder or commonly known as manic depression. The duration of these mood swings can last for a couple of days, months or even years. Bipolar disorders are not incurable and since it results in such obvious mood fluctuations, it can be then traced, treated and analyzed to anticipate when the next attack can happen.
It is easy to detect signs of depression and normally it starts when a person start to dislike doing things that he or she previously likes to do. Deviation from normal activities is also another tell-tale sign of depression taking place. Also, people suffering from depression are likely to isolate themselves from others and do not like to socialize with people around them. However, always remember that when you are suffering depression, it does not only affect you, but others are also affected as they care for you and want to help you in any way possible.
Manic depression happens to anyone, of any gender and age. Even though most cases of manic depression occurs when a person reaches late adolescence of early adulthood, it still can affect children and the elderly too. Such forms of manic depression can attack anyone regardless of race gender or social status also. Yet, we have to take note that the symptoms of manic depression differ between man and women. However we do not have to fear as bipolar disorder can still be treated with medication and counseling from experts. Most of the time such disorder happens due to a certain type of major mood swing that a person is not able to come out from.
Manic depression can be either categorized under Bipolar I disorder or Bipolar II disorder. Bipolar I disorder is characterized by elevated moods for at least a week, decreased need of sleep, flight of ideas, and so on. Bipolar II category, on the other hand, is categorized as depressive mood behavior with at least one hypo-manic experience. Especially for the second disorder, it can seriously cause damage to a person’s social life due to the extreme mood changes he or she suffers from.
Manic depression can be very harmful to a person’s emotional life and can cause traumatic experiences for a person. It is also often indescribable and there has yet to be an instant cure for it. If left untreated; manic depression can worsen over time and go on for days or even months. It is always advised that if you know you are suffering from any kind of depression, it would be best if you can seek professional help as soon as possible. But never leave it untreated as it can worsen your mental and physical condition beyond your imagination. It can cause you to commit crimes you never wanted to and in some cases even lead to suicide. Furthermore these behaviors may and can manifest any time at any place; do not take your chances, seek help now!
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October 4th, 2008 at 05:00pm Under Cholesterol
Cholesterol lowering supplements are often to be associated with terrible side-effects and the result of consuming such supplements are usually thought to be negative instead of being good. However, the use of such supplements with a good, healthy diet and a lifestyle of exercise can actually prevent the nasty side-effects associated with it. On the other hand, they can actually insure your life with good health and extend your life. Even so, we have to make it clear that cholesterol supplements come in 2 different forms, man-made and naturally.
Man-made supplements
One example of man made supplements is Statin drugs. In the medical field, Statin drugs are rather famous for being effective in lowering cholesterol, yet just like any other man-made drugs; usage of Statin drugs would result in side-effects. One of the side-effect associated with Statin drugs usage is muscle ache; when this occurs, it is advised that you inform your doctor as soon as possible. Another more serious problem associated with Statin drugs is that it may cause slight kidney dysfunction thus it is advised that when a person is into a drug therapy involving any kind of Statin drug, he or she should also partake Co-Enzyme Q10 as an additional supplement to replenish for the enzyme that is being used up when using Statin drugs.
Natural supplements
On the contrary, natural supplements that help reduce cholesterol can be easily found in the market and do not have any side effects associated with them. Policosanol, a pure extract of sugar cane wax is deemed one of the most effective cholesterol lowering supplements in the world today. It is able to increase the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol and lower the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol naturally without any side-effects and has been said to outperform the man-made drugs in the market.
Green tea extracts have similar properties associated with Policosanol, so does Beta Sitosterol. Beta Sitosterol, found in soybeans and corn oil is thought to have anti-cancer and immune boosting properties too!
Guggulipid extract, from an ancient herb in India is also one the many natural solutions to high cholesterol problems. Used in India to treat a variety of sicknesses, it has also proved to be exceptionally effective in helping one reduce his or her cholesterol level. Just like Policosanol, Guggulipid extracts have proved to be even better than most man-made prescriptions in the market today.
In conclusion, cholesterol lowering supplements need not necessarily be harmful when consumed, but are effective to a large extent. However we have to choose for ourselves the right type of medication we are to take. Also, it is advised that you first seek advice from your physician before using any particular medicinal product that helps in lowering your cholesterol.
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October 4th, 2008 at 05:00am Under Depression
The Samaritans have reported a 25% increase in the number of calls to its helpline in August and September, compared to the same time period last year. They attribute the rise in calls to the stress and strain caused by the ongoing credit crunch. The Recovery Network which launched on November 5th 2007 is responding to this growing need by adding a new section to their social networking internet platform focusing on mental health.
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October 4th, 2008 at 05:00am Under Depression
Heart patients should be screened for depression — a common condition that can profoundly affect both prognosis and quality of life — according to the American Heart Association’s first scientific statement on depression and coronary heart disease. The statement was published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
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October 4th, 2008 at 03:07am Under Diseases, Conditions and Treatments
With depression on the rise there are different ways that your depression treating can be carried out. However for the treatment to be effective your perception of its efficiency is very important. By considering the efficiency of the treatment and understanding what depression really is your treatment has a stronger chance of being effective.
The most common way of treating depression is with medication. For this purpose there are many types of depression treating drugs available on the market. Doctors will generally prescribe antidepressants as the first option. Other types of treatment that you can ask your doctor or mental health specialist about are herbal remedies, alternative medications like Ayurveda, Acupuncture, Tai Chi, or Bach Flower remedies.
At the current moment in time there are certain depression treating drugs that are available. These include Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s), Tricyclics, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s), Venlafaxine, Nefazodone and Bupropion. Even though these are doctor recommended there are some side effects that you might experience. Therefore before you begin any course of treatment with depression treating drugs you should consult your doctor or medical health professional for advice.
Besides treating depression with medication there are other forms of treatment available. These include psychotherapy, counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapy. With counseling you will need to see a trained mental disorder specialist in order for the right help, advice and information to be given to you.
Psychotherapy depression treating involves examining your life history as well as that of your family’s so that a clear picture of what triggers or causes depression may be known. Once this cause has been discovered, treatment to stop depression from further destroying your life can commence.
Of all of the depression treating methods and medications cognitive-behavioral therapy seems to work the best. With this treatment your perception of your behavior and how you react during a depressive episode will inform you of what changes you can make. Your behavioral therapist will be able to help you with advice, encouragement and help so that you can re-wire your instinctive responses during a depression attack.
As with all of the different Cure For Depression, you must continue the treatment until you are fully cured or your depression is controlled. Stopping treatment midway will only open the doorway for depression to creep back into your life. Therefore don’t give up hope or stop your treatment. A chance for a normal future and a life is just around the corner.
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October 4th, 2008 at 02:23am Under Health and Fitness
When you hear or read about clinical depression, how much do you really know about it? You might suspect that you have it or at least something like it, but did you know that there are many different types of depression? Learning about the different types of depression there are is an important part of learning how to cope with it and treat it as well. After all, depression is a condition just like any other; if you have a digestive disorder you need to know if it’s acid reflux disease or irritable bowel syndrome or bleeding ulcers in order to get proper treatment. The same can be said of depression; you need to understand the difference between postpartum, seasonal, major depressive disorder, dysthymia, and bipolar before you can treat any of these types of depression.
Postpartum of course is something that affects women during pregnancy and after childbirth. It is usually caused by the rush of hormones that a woman experiences, as well as things such as grief over perceived losses (loss of her figure, loss of her girlhood, loss of her freedom, and so on), a feeling of disappointment if the child has not “magically” solved problems she expected it to (i.e., giving her increased self-esteem, pulling her and her partner closer), and things such as these. Postpartum is one of the few types of depression that may go away after the woman’s physical system returns to normal and she adjusts to her new circumstances.
Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder are Types of Depression that affect persons that are sensitive to outdoor weather and a lack of sunlight. They get very depressed and sad in winter times or when they are forced to stay indoors. Bright lights, being outside as much as possible, and physical exercise are good treatment options.
Major depressive disorder and bipolar are the two most serious Types of Depression there are. Major depressive disorder is a very extreme form of depression that may be accompanies by thoughts of suicide or self-mutilation; bipolar is marked by severe mood swings where a person can feel almost euphoric one moment and then extremely depressed the next. These types of depression usually need medical intervention including regular medication.
Dysthymia includes other Types of Depression that may not be properly classified. It is not extreme enough to be considered major depressive disorder but is serious enough that it shouldn’t be confused with “the blues” or other types of everyday sadness. There have been many more diagnoses of dysthymia in the past years because those who suffer from it did not belong in any other category or did not suffer from these other types of depression but still needed attention from medical personnel.
It’s important that you speak to your doctor and make sure you are addressing your condition regardless of which of these types of depression you may suffer from.
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October 3rd, 2008 at 11:00am Under Cholesterol
A healthy cholesterol level is always an added advantage to a person’s life as he or she would have no worry over heart diseases and would be able to lead a healthy and happy lifestyle. However, in our modern society, it seems increasingly hard for a person to lead a healthy lifestyle and maintain a healthy cholesterol level. Being caught up at work, we have insufficient time for leisure, let alone exercise or having the spare time to cook up a healthy dish for our families. But is having a healthy lifestyle that leads to a healthy cholesterol level really not for us?
Here are some steps to achieve a healthy cholesterol level, but be advised, it is not one-time thing, and rather you have to do it continuously till the day you pass on in life.
A Proper Diet: Instead gobbling down junk food daily during work due to the lack of time for a proper lunch break, an alternative would be to prepare some sandwiches that are high in fiber with the right amount of lettuce and tomatoes, meat and filling. This way, not only do you save the time rushing to the fast-food chain to buy a junk meal, you can eat healthily while working. Watching your intake of carbohydrates would also help greatly, especially if you are not much a sports person as the excess energy that remains unused would eventually turn into fat, which would in turn lead to increased cholesterol levels.
Exercise Regularly: Engaging in sports or exercise regularly is very essential to having a healthy level of cholesterol. Through exercise, we strengthen our heart and cardiovascular system; this would help our blood circulation and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Also, exercise can reverse the effects of that high cholesterol brings and even if you do not have high cholesterol, you would maintain a healthy and fit body with reduced risk of having high cholesterol.
Do Not Smoke: Smoking causes our arteries to be clogged up with plague which is already clogged enough due to high cholesterol. Thus, it would cause more cholesterol to line up along the artery’s walls due as the plague hardens and obstructs the flow of blood in our arteries.
Lead a Carefree Life: Chronic stress is a main cause of high cholesterol levels but can be prevented if we can learn to relax in life. A person under constant stress even with a low cholesterol diet, would no be able to save themselves from a life plagued with problems due to high cholesterol.
Though these steps are not 100 percent going to prevent you from having high cholesterol levels in your life, but it does reduce the risk of having high cholesterol.
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October 3rd, 2008 at 11:00am Under weight loss
No one said that losing weight is very simple; if someone did then they have plainly lied to you! Weight loss involves making enormous changes in your lifestyle patterns, one of them being your diet. However, in the long run, you should focus not on your diet, but on the amount of calories you are actually storing inside yourself. You can get this amount by deducting the amount of your calorie intake from the amount of calories you burn off doing exercises. In this article I will tell you three surefire ways to put a check on your calorie intake.
1. Say 'No' To Beverages: Barring a few, most beverages are high on calorie count. You should never drink fizzy drinks or sodas or even fruit juices, not just because they won't help satiate your diet in any way, but more importantly, they will make you a lot fatter. You should replace those beverages with water, as water can actually help you lose weight!
2. Don't deprive yourself: Some weight loss experts would suggest that if you really want to shed the pounds, you will need to forget about the 'forbidden foods' that have made you overweight. What these experts fail to realize is that it is near impossible to forget about those tasty foods that we used to eat once. If you deprive yourself totally from these delicious foods, sooner or later you will cheat and munch on them. So it is far better to include a few of these 'forbidden foods' in your diet. Of course, you should eat these foods in small quantities, just to satiate your mind.
3. Break up your large meal: The number one mistake that most overweight people make is that of eating a large meal at dinner time and then going hungry throughout the day. This will do you more harm than good and before you even know it, it will sabotage all your weight loss efforts. A far better option is to break up that large meal into several smaller meals and eat each small meal every couple of hours. Make sure that the gap between two meals is not too long, as starving can slow down your metabolic rate and as you might know, the slower your metabolic rate, the longer it will take for you to lose weight.
You may also consider filling up the gaps with different types of snacks. Whatever snack you eat, don't munch on chips and other junk foods as they are very high on calorie count!
I hope that these tips would help you with your diet and weight loss plan.
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