Can Writing Actually Improve Your Health?

Writen by Patti Testerman

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, writing about stressful life events helped reduce symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis in patients with these chronic illnesses. The effects of the writing exercise were still evident four months later and resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in patient symptoms.

Interestingly, studies showed that asthma patients who wrote about their most stressful life events showed a 19-percent improvement in lung function; similarly, rheumatoid arthritis patients had a 28-percent reduction in symptoms.

These findings add to a growing body of evidence that links mental and emotional health to physical well-being.

Durable Medical Equipment

Writen by Rolf Rasmusson

Durable medical equipment and Medicare

With costs of the most common durable medical equipment reaching upwards of $1,200, the need for payment by Medicare is substantial. This increased cost of medical equipment forces elderly persons to look to Medicare and the rules governing what is covered are often confusing and time consuming. Find a durable medical equipment supplier and rely on their expertise, experience and guidance.

Durable medical equipment is a health care device that helps the elderly and/or disabled person do daily activities easier, and includes such items as wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks, and hospital beds. Even items such as mobility aids, medication dispensers, convalescent care products, rehabilitation equipment and more. Also, Federal housing agencies want to make a difference to the lives of elderly and disabled persons by providing financial assistance to homeowners and landlords to carry out home adaptations.

Medicare covers certain types of durable medical equipment under certain circumstances.

Under Medicare Part B, the supplementary medical insurance program, rental or purchase of durable medical equipment is covered. However, certain restrictions are set out which elderly persons need do be aware of when considering purchasing durable medical equipment through a medical provider.

These restrictions can cost the elderly person thousands of dollars if they are unaware of the restrictions governing coverage of durable medical equipment by Medicare.

Aiding the elderly person in pre-purchase determinations of what durable medical equipment Medicare will cover can result in substantial savings. For example, the most common denials include oxygen and hospital beds, and coverage is not available to residents in skilled nursing homes.

Consumers, attorneys, and providers of durable medical equipment should be aware of these restrictions as they can result in different purchasing plans for the elderly consumer.

Home health care supplies and equipment http://www.nutritional-supplement-4u.com/medical_supplies_home_health_care.htm

A Mother’s Instincts

Writen by Peter Nisbet

Ignore a mother’s instincts about her child’s health at your peril!

Whether you are a health professional or a parent with an unwell child, you must always remember that a mother knows far better than any doctor or physician whether her child is seriously ill or not. No member of the medical profession should ever ignore a mother’s instincts in these matters, and neither should the mother.

This is particularly true of meningitis, which can very easily be misdiagnosed. Meningitis is a disease which required very rapid diagnosis to enable full recovery, particularly bacterial meningitis.

Meningitis symptoms are very varied and similar to many other illnesses which children commonly get, and very often the mother’s instincts are more important than a doctor’s knowledge. Let’s take a look at some bacterial meningitis symptoms which are frequently diagnosed wrongly:

Sore throat and reddening at the back of the throat: This could be anything, including the tonsillitis that this condition is often misdiagnosed as. It could also be measles or a streptococcal infection (’strep throat’) or a multitude of other conditions from the initial stages of diphtheria to flu.

Irritability: A child can be irritated for many reasons. She may be teething, which generally makes tots a bit grumpy, or just plain hungry or tired.

High temperature: How many illnesses cause a high temperature? At a rough guess I would say most!

There are many more, but some which a doctor should be able to associate with bacterial meningitis are stiffness in the neck, a bulging fontanelle (the soft part on the top of the head) and jaundice (slight yellowing of the skin). The problem with these symptoms is that they don’t always appear. They can all be absent and the doctor will then have little to go on.

Most doctors have never come across a case of measles, let alone meningitis, and most never will. How then, could they be expected to spot the smaller signs of the disease which a mothers instincts will pick up on? These may be minor symptoms, but some are specific to meningitis in young children and even encephalitis.

This is where he should rely on the mother, but, sometimes fatally, most never do. However, a mothers instincts can be of critical importance in saving the life of her son or daughter.

One of these lesser, but just as important, symptoms is ‘Paradoxical Irritability’. This is where a child does not become soothed when picked up by the mother, but rather gets more irritated, and it is an indicator of meningitis. A mother can spot this.

A mother also knows when her child becomes more lethargic than normal. Lethargy and a general disinterest in surroundings and stimuli are other symptoms of meningitis. Therefore, although a mother may not be aware of the symptoms of the disease, nor even suspect it, she can pick up on some of those which distinguish meningitis from most other diseases.

There have been many reported cases of a doctor and mother disagreeing as to the seriousness of a child’s condition, resolved by the mother herself taking the child to Accident and Emergency. In lots of these cases the child survived only through the mother’s actions, frequently made in contradiction to a doctor’s recommendations.

Many consultant pediatricians recognise this, and impress on student doctors and nurses that they must listen to the mother. “A mother knows her child better than anyone else, and her instincts should be a prime tool used in the diagnosis of her child’s condition”. Perhaps not verbatim, but that is the gist of what many specialists teach.

Other symptoms only a mother may notice are a higher pitched cry than normal and a weaker suck during feeding. No doctor would know this. Added to this, there is that mysterious something which only a child’s mother has and cannot be defined. A mother knows if her child is very ill, even if the symptoms seem very slight. Even sometimes when there are none. And that is something which must never be ignored. The father doesn’t have it, only the mother, and it’s magic!

If you feel that your child is seriously ill in contradiction to your doctor’s diagnosis, insist on his or her admission to hospital, and if that fails take your child to Accident and Emergency yourself. It may be a false alarm, but at least you will have given your child every chance.

Many children are alive today for one single reason. A mothers instincts!

Irreplaceable!

Copyright 2006 Peter Nisbet

Aging in America: Part II-Changes to Health

Writen by L. John Mason

The “Baby Boomers” are beginning to turn 60 in the year 2006. There are many people confronting the physical issues of aging. A listing of the most common “side-effects” that can increase with aging is useful but a list of these issues and what you consider doing to minimize them is better.

After we pass from our youth, young adult phase, and into mid-life, say 35-45 years of age, we can begin to notice that our bodies are changing. We are no long as flexible and resilient as we were as young adults. Maybe our waist lines are growing as our digestion and metabolism begin to change. (Perhaps we can not handle the caloric intake that we prided our selves on as young adults.) Many of begin to have changes in vision that may require glasses or contact lenses or eye surgery. We need to learn to play sports differently because our muscles and joints do not heal from the abuse as easily as when we were younger. For many men, their foreheads start getting bigger. Our skin tone may change. Even our libidos can start to change, sometimes up and sometimes down It is not uncommon to find medical changes beginning such as: blood pressures get higher, blood cholesterol levels can raise, blood sugars may increase, increased insomnia, peripheral blood flow may be reduced, and even hormonal changes can begin to occur.

Medical intervention may be suggested for the chronic conditions that can lead to more severe health concerns. Treating blood pressure, higher cholesterol, and early stages of diabetes may be suggested because the long term effects may be life threatening. The secondary side-effects from these medications can also play a role in physical and mental health. We need to start living better and smarter. We need to exercise (3-5x per week for more than 30 minutes), eat better (less calories/junk food and more vegetables, fruits and whole grains), and we need to learn to control our habitual response to stress (which can start to catch up with us.)

Stress management and biofeedback can be helpful, non-medicinal, approaches to take control of certain symptoms. You can learn to reduce, perhaps control, your blood pressure, heart rate, and peripheral blood flow. These tools may even assist you with digestive challenges like: ulcers, or pre-ulcerous conditions, gastritis, colitis, constipation or diarrhea. Managing stress can also lessen chronic pain and improve sleeping. I have even heard of stress management and biofeedback techniques that can help reduce anxiety and the issues that add to substance abuse such as alcoholism, smoking control, drug and medication addiction, and even, over eating.

As we get older it is important that we take the extra time required for self-care. Consider the long term negative results that may have an impact on our quality of life and health. Please, also consider that spending this extra time and energy can also provide us with some surprising benefits. The time for self-care may actually be balanced by the fact that the practice of stress management can actually save you time in the long run. You will require less sleep and be better able to concentrate, perhaps even making fewer avoidable mistakes. You can also do better in testing situations and may find greater creativity. You will be better able to communicate more effectively, and this will save you time and possible frustrations. You will also provide a role model for the next generation of co-workers, family, friends, even your children, who will all need to learn more about self-care in an increasingly stress filled world.

Living longer can be a great joy or possibly a curse. Living longer with chronic health challenges is not an ideal way to live. Taking steps to reduce, or possibly eliminate, the impacts of aging will definitely enhance your quality of life and offer the sense of control that many people require for greater happiness.

Please take good care of yourself.

I am writing this series of articles to keep my work in the front of the trend of the baby boomers aging. I have been working in my field since 1978 and realize that an emphasis on the health, well-being, quality of life, and even the prosperity of this generation has both a professional and personal interest for me. My second book, “Stress Passages: Surviving Life’s Transitions Gracefully,” had major influence in serving the population of people struggling with the transition of aging. Well, now it is no longer ahead of its time. The time is now!

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the products that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Bikram Yoga – Hot, New Energy Source

Writen by Jolene Schwartz

As people search for curative and restorative effects to combat the impact of a chaotic world, Yoga has become very popular in our culture. Yoga is for everyone and can be done by every body. Yoga is the only exercise from which you gain energy instead of burning it and it doesn’t matter how well you do each of the postures, only that you do it the right way. Traditional cardio exercise works on 3-10% of the body, Yoga exercises 100% of the body, from bone to the skin, from head to the toes, and to every organ, gland, tissue and cell.

Bikram Yoga is practiced in a 105 degree heated room and consists of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises … “So what does the heat do,” you wonder? 105 degrees enhances Vasodilatation, and the capillaries surrounding the muscles respond to heat by dilating and the greater volume of blood brings more oxygen, helping in the removal of waste carbon dioxide and lactic acid. When blood passes through warm muscles, oxygen releases more easily from the hemoglobin, blood passing through cold muscles releases much less oxygen.

Warmer muscle tissue temperatures produce a fluid-like stretch that allows greater elasticity and range of motion. Cold muscles don’t absorb shock or impact as well, so they tend to be injured more easily.

Heat speeds up the breakdown of fatty acids and glucose, and burns fat faster and more easily. The stress of intense exercise drops a deluge of fatty acids into the bloodstream. If you exercise with cold muscles they can’t use the fatty acids as efficiently and they end up in places they aren’t wanted … such as in the lining of the arteries.

Muscles are not the only beneficiaries of heat, higher temperatures improve the nervous system function, meaning messages are carried more rapidly to and from the brain by the spinal cord and other neural transmitters and receptors.

Day by day as Yoga gains popularity, people sweat, strain, laugh and do more for their body, health, and well being than they could ever have imagined with Bikram Hot Yoga.

© 2005 Jolene Schwartz

Jolene Schwartz is a grooming specialist for over 20 years; as a master barber and licensed cosmetologist in her own men’s salon. She launched http://appearancesformen.com e-com site; writing monthly columns about men’s products, lifestyle, and offering the finest in men’s grooming products.

Balanced Diet: Know More on Healthy and Nutritional Balanced Diet!

Writen by Jasdeep Singh

In this fast paced world, good nutrition may sound very simple but it is indeed really difficult to practice it. We eat too many processed foods or we tend to miss some meals. Some of us even smoke or drink alcohol. We also choose food on the basis of the taste. This not only make us overeat but also we ignore rich nutrient food items which we feel have bad taste. Foods lose substantial nutritional value during storage. There are many such factors which rob us of the nutrients we need for the maintenance of general well being.

We all talk of balanced diet, but how many of us really know the actual meaning of the balanced diet? Balanced Diet is a diet which has adequate amount of all nutrients required for healthy growth and activity. Sounds simple!

We have divided food into five groups on the basis of their nutrient content which are the most integral part of balanced diet.

Group One :

Wheat, Rice and Cereals. They are major sources of starch, carbohydrates, B-Vitamins and fibre.

Recommended Servings: 6-8 servings daily.

Group Two:

Dairy products. They are major sources of calcium , protein and vitamins (A,B2, B6, B12 and D).

Recommended Servings: 2-4 daily.

Group Three:

Fruits and Vegetables. They are major sources of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fibre.

Recommended Servings : 4-6 daily.

Group Four:

Meat, Fish, Poultry and Pulses. They are major sources od protein, Vitamin B12 , zinc and iron.

Recommended Servings: 2-3 daily

Group Five:

Fats, Oils and Sugar. They are major source of energy in our body.

Recommended Servings: Should be barely adequate.

Recommended servings of each group daily comprises a balanced. Now does it still look simple? To make it worse, our hectic life schedules make it more difficult for us to achieve this goal. Hence it has become a challenge now. We cant ignore this vital part of our life too. So we should better gear up for it!

Random Tip: Eating fruits increases your immunity against the development of age-related maculopathy and eye diseases.

About the Author: Jasdeep Singh

For http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also get free sample low carb recipes, low fat recipes, low calorie recipes, low sodium recipes, low sugar recipes at Low Carb Recipes

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Health – Exercise is Good for You

Writen by Teow Aun Chew

During my daily morning walk at 7.00 am, many new friends walking alongside told me about how they have cured themselves of their health problems through just brisk walking or slow jogging. To look fresh and feel your best, it is essential to stay active and keep physically fit. It is the best natural way to stay healthy other than any vitamin pills and supplements. It contributes also to good muscle tone for strength and flexibility, posture and physique and good emotional stamina and mental health.

The human body has over 600 muscles in various sizes and shapes. They are in the form of threadlike fibres in bundles. The brain sends signals to them to contract which result in muscular action. If the muscles are seldom used then they become flabby and sluggish. It is through exercise that they are stimulated and returned back to good condition.

To keep the heart fit, health authorities agree that continued physical activity suited to age and health status is the best way to keep it fit. It is contrary to the old fashioned belief about prolonged bed rest for the ailing heart. For the heart patients recuperating from heart attacks, it is important to do mild physical activity and this has been included in the care program. On the blood vessels, the fatty substances known as cholesterol can build up as deposits on the blood vessel walls. Regular exercise combined with proper diet will help keep down the fatty substances.

Tense muscles can lead to nervous breakdown or they are an indication of nervous tension. For people who are hot tempered, have a lot of anger, frustration, worry or other disturbing emotions, exercise can provide a wholesome relief for them. Try brisk walking or slow jogging (or any type of exercise suitable for you) when you are in that mood, you will realize that it will slow down and feel better after you have sweated it out.

Good posture improves physical appearance and it also creates the best positioning of the lungs, heart and visceral organs. Well-toned muscles make it easier to sit and stand straight as well as walking with upright body, weight evenly distributed and abdominal muscles pulled in. Your back should be straight, hips pulled in, knees slightly bent and buttocks tucked under. When you combine exercise with proper nutrition and avoid overeating, it will help you reach and maintain ideal weight goals.

There are rules to follow before you commence your regular exercise. Make sure that you are healthy, have physical checkup before starting a series of regular exercise. This applies to people who are recuperating from poor health or wanting to start exercising. It is not advisable to immediately rush into it because your body may not be able to take it yet. Start exercising gradually and proceed at your own pace without overdoing it. Carry out each exercise correctly so that you stimulate your body systems safely. Wear comfortable clothing and select a convenient time (best is in the morning) and stick to it as a regular daily routine. It takes time to get back into shape and don’t expect results right away. As time passes, with repeated workouts the exercises will seem easier to do and keep your courage and don’t give up. It is like eating, we have to eat everyday.

If you have gone through a serious illness or operation, then follow your physician’s advice about the kind and amount of exercise that you should do. Stop exercising when you feel sick and consult your doctor. If you have been ill for over a week with minor illness and no fever, resume your exercise routine gradually as you feel up to it according to your physical and mental strength.

Warm-up exercises are those that help you to avoid over straining the muscles and accelerating the action of the lungs and heart too fast. Examples are sit-ups, knee push-ups, toe touching, leg raising, flutter kicking, arm circling, ankle stretching and knee bending. But if you are just going for brisk walking, then start slowly and pick up the momentum as you walk. The best is at least fifteen minutes a day until you sweat it out or two kilometers of walk.

For the rest of the day after the morning exercise, give yourself positive feedback such as feeling good about yourself and tell yourself you are healthy. It is one huge step to develop good mental attitude to relieve stress at work or home. Reward yourself because you are entitled to it or live your life leisurely. Smiling and laughter have long been proven as important ingredients to reduce stress. A good laugh has never hurt anyone and laughter is one of the best medicines. Before long, you will be looking buff and pink (healthy) and ready to take on the world. So, don’t wait for tomorrow, start exercising today to burn away the bulge.

For facial exercise so as to have tighter and better complexion and better and stronger gum, wake up at least fifteen minutes earlier and stay in bed doing facial exercise. Move your jaws by opening and closing your mouth hard and stick your tongue in and out and move it sideways. By the time you really wake up, you can see yourself looking better and fresher. You may be able to save your teeth due to gum problems.

Author: T.A Chew

T.A Chew was a badminton champion during his younger days. After he left school and started work, he missed out the most important ingredient to keep fit. He stopped exercising and after many years in laziness he found out that he had diabetes. Advised by his doctor to be disciplined in his daily exercise, he is now in tip-top condition and feeling healthy with his daily morning exercise. Website: http://www.white-sun.com

5 Tips To Losing Weight With Convenience Food

Writen by Tony Newton

While it would be ideal to make all of our own snacks and meals from scratch everyday, the plain and simple truth is that most of us simply don’t have that kind of time. This is where we turn to convenience foods to meet our dietary and weight loss needs.

However, the right convenience foods in the right amounts can easily be integrated into almost any diet.

TIP 1 – Shop Smart

Never shop on an empty stomach. This will only make it harder for you to make choices that are in your best interests. Always be prepared with a thorough shopping list and do not divert from it. If an aisle is full of tempting goodies but has nothing on your list, simply walk right by it, instead of down it.

TIP 2 – Read Labels

All convenience foods are not the same. Depending on your chosen diet, some will fit much better into your routine than others. This is why it’s important to become an informed consumer and never place anything in your grocery basket unless you’ve read the label and determined it’s in your best interests to buy it.

TIP 3 – Trim The Fat

Just because a macaroni and cheese frozen dinner is oozing extra cheese doesn’t mean you have to eat it. A common sense approach to preparing and consuming convenience foods can go a long way to making them healthier. When you take a frozen meal out halfway to stir it, remove or blot away any excess oils and fats. Transfer to a real plate when finished, so you can discard the excess sauces.

TIP 4 – Portion Control

It’s easy to lose track of how much you’ve eaten when you drink or eat straight from the container. Stay on track by carefully measuring out serving sizes before you begin eating. When you do buy items like chips or pretzels, locate the appropriate serving size on the nutrition label. As soon as you arrive home, divide the larger bag into individual servings in small plastic baggies.

TIP 5 – Make Your Own

There’s no rule that says only store-bought, pre-packaged foods are convenient. Take time on the weekend or on days off to do some conscientious grocery shopping and cook one or two large meals of something healthy that you enjoy. Separate into serving sizes and refrigerate (or freeze) as necessary. Voila! Now you have your own frozen dinners (or lunches, or snacks) with much healthier contents.

In conclusion, choosing the ideal convenience food to help with weight loss is not a simple task in today’s world of fast-paced living. But there sure are many helpful planning solutions available to fit every budget both online and in the real world. And by choosing foods to help with our individual health issues and concerns, and reaching out for support, information and dietary planning when needed, not one of us has to “go it” alone.

Tony Newton publishes the popular health and wellness website – http://www.1st-for-health.com With lots of informative articles on low carb diets, hair loss, arthritis pain relief, obesity and lots more.

Acne Treatment Remedies for Adults and Teens

Writen by Gail Leino

Those who have experienced pimples on their face and torso want an acne remedy that they can use and that will work. There are lots of different products you can use. Some make outrageous, miracle claims but a few of them work to reduce the symptoms and overall appearance of acne.

It can be very difficult to make the right choice of an acne product on the market today. Most people use trial and error in their choices, trying the product for a few days then giving it up and moving on to a new one when nothing happens or worse something does happen in the form of further irritation of the skin. It can be very upsetting and expensive even though this form of trial and error does occasionally give good results.

Good research can save time. Find what’s in the product and research what it does. This will help to eliminate much of the competition. There are few acne treatments with FDA approval in over-the-counter uses and they are often used in combination with other acne fighting treatments. This helps to maximize their ability to help keep acne off your face.

Many are used in different strengths or percentages in the medications. Sulfur has been used for many years as an acne treatment. It does cause drying as part of its treatment so you may need to use some skin lotion on your face. Sulfur can be combined with antibiotics and it is considered very safe and relatively inexpensive for the purchaser. However the skin can become used to the Sulfur and will no longer react to it when applied, so the treatment is ineffective.

Benzoyl peroxide common in over-the-counter treatments and is thought to be very, highly effective in the killing of the p. acnes bacteria which causes acne. It can also dry up excess oil from the pores and overuse can lead to dry and chapped skin. A mild dosage is often just as effective as the stronger one.

Lastly Salicylic acid unplugs those clogged pores by soaking into the plug and helping to loosen it up. It’s made from willow bark. Interestingly a form of it is what makes up Aspirin. Plus the acid helps to exfoliate the dead skin cells from the surface of your skin.

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Free info. on Adult Acne and skin treatments.

How Practicing Yoga Can Lead To A Healthier Heart For Baby Boomers

Writen by Gregg Hall

The benefits of exercise are well known especially the positive affect that it has on the health of your heart. Through exercise you will lower your weight, your cholesterol, and your blood pressure. This will all result in less work on your heart and if you already are having heart problems, exercise can help keep your heart beat regulated and expand your blood vessels.

According to physicians a regular exercise regimen is one of the best things that you can do to ensure that your heart stays healthy. If you have not been active, don’t rush into it. Just start out walking a few minutes and increase it gradually, you will be surprised at how quickly you will gain strength and endurance. Don’t overdo it when you first get started. Starting out slow will help condition your heart and give you the encouragement to increase the amount and intensity of your exercise.

A great form of exercise for baby boomers to consider is the practice of Yoga. Yoga is very low impact and focuses on breathing and relaxation methods. One of the great things about yoga is that any one of any size or age can start doing Yoga and make an impact on their health. When you add in the relaxation methods used in yoga practice you can bring down your blood pressure and relieve stress that is harmful to your heart.

The practice of Yoga has long been proven to be effective in relieving stress, calming nerves, and promoting heart health. This is why many fitness clubs now have begun to offer yoga classes with certified trainers that will help beginners learn to practice yoga safely. Yoga practice urges you to listen to your body and build up to working to your full capacity. Special needs can be discussed with the trainer and routines custom-made to fit your body.

If there are no classes available in your area, Look online for yoga tapes and other low impact tapes that will guide your new exercise routine or got to your local library and see what information and media products they may have on the subject.

It doesn’t matter which exercise you start with, what’s important is to make it a regular part of your daily routine. Walking is possibly the easiest and least expensive way to start exercising and just about anyone can do it. Be sure to buy a good pair of walking shoes to protect you feet and you’re all set.

Before starting any physical exercise routine, contact your doctor. He may also recommend the right exercise just for you.

Gregg Hall is an author and internet marketing consultant living in Navarre Florida. Find more about exercise and weight loss at http://www.shop4betterhealth.com