Depression In Teenagers & Children
December 15, 2008
Depression In Teenagers & Children
by: Carolyn Magura
DEPRESSION in Teenagers and Children
A while ago I did a blog about Adult depression. While doing the research on Adult depression, I learned quite a bit of information about depression in general, in addition to what I already knew because I suffer from this condition myself. What I didn’t know, however, is just how prevelant this condition is in the population at large, and in children and teens in specific. One source said that depression is close to the top psychological condition in the western world (more about what this means in a later blog; it’ll take a whold blog to talk about what this means).
This article will cover the following: teenager and children depression statistics; teenager and children - specific depression symptoms (for “general” symptoms, check out the Adult blog), and, what you, as the parent and/or gaurdian, can do if you recognize the symptoms in one of yours. (Remember, the following information comes from many Internet sources.)
TEENAGER AND CHILDREN DEPRESSION STATISTICS
As many as 8.3% of teenagers in the U.S. suffer from depression.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death in teenagers.
How To Identify Your Own Depression
December 14, 2008
How To Identify Your Own Depression
by: Carolyn Magura
Depression. What is it? Why would a normally healthy, optomistic person get depressed? If things go wrong, don’t you just talk yourself out of feeling sorry for yourself? So what if your 23 year marriage ends, and your soon-to-be ex-husband moves in with your best friend; you are left to cope with 2 devestated teenagers; you loose your father and father-in-law to cancer; you have extreme job challenges; and, your new condo, purchased without REALLY knowing what to look for (just don’t buy a home with a laundry room upstairs over the living room!) and you develop a roof leak, and a laundry leak into the living room. AND, you are the primary care giver for a very needy Mother.
You can handle all of this, right? And, when, the next year, you loose your Mother and Grandmother to cancer too, it doesn’t send you over the edge, does it? Particularly when you also have Multiple Sclerosis, which has been misdiagnosed for over 35 years, and the worst thing for MS is stress and anxiety. You can handle everything, right?
Reduce Cholesterol By Eating Right
December 11, 2008
Reduce Cholesterol By Eating Right
by: Jim Scotty
Has your doctor advised you to reduce your cholesterol level? That is no surprise considering how many people have high cholesterol these days. To help lower your cholesterol, here are 10 simple tips you can use live a healthier life.
For most health related issues, diet and exercise are two of the most crucial components. What you eat is critical to lowering your cholesterol levels, so let’s focus on that for now.
One thing you should know is the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol. Simply think of HDL as “healthy” and LDL as “lousy.” HDL actually helps carry cholesterol out of your blood vessels while LDL allows it to deposit inside your artery walls.
The good news is that you can change your cholesterol largely by changing your eating habits. Let’s take a look at some of the tips you can start applying today:
1. Have a nice sandwich on whole wheat bread or a pita with some lean turkey and lots of fresh veggies such as lettuce and tomatoes. Skip the hot dogs, bologna, and salami, and hold the mayo. All of those things are processed foods that are filled with fat and cholesterol.
A Case of Infantigo: Spread the Word!
December 10, 2008
A Case of Infantigo: Spread the Word!
by: Rita Somenthal
My son caught infantigo (www.ainfantigo.com) while we were traveling home from Argentina on an airplane. He had an open wound on his wrist from a torn aluminum juice can, and the wound grew more and more infected.
At first we thought that he was having an allergic reaction, but the symptoms didn’t go away after a full day, so we thought it best to seek the advice of a professional doctor. The next day we were home, our family doctor recognized the rash immediately and prescribed antibiotics and rest for our little boy. The antibiotics cleared up the infantigo within one week, which was a relief indeed.
Our family had no idea that this bacterial disease existed until this happened to us, so I’m writing this article as an informative venture for any parent who is unaware of its existence.
Any public area is a potential high risk area for conditions like infantigo (impetigo) that can be transmitted from person to person. The bacteria are transferred when an infected person touches any infected object with his or her skin. Then the bacteria are picked up by an unsuspecting child (sometimes an adult) who touches the contaminated item later.
Coping with Narcolepsy
December 10, 2008
Coping with Narcolepsy
by: Anne Wolski
Are you one of those people who can drop off to sleep anywhere? Do you find that you are going to sleep at inappropriate times? Are you constantly fighting to stay awake during the day despite having a good night’s sleep? If so, you may be suffering from a condition called Narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a condition in which the sufferer has episodes in which he/she suddenly falls asleep. These episodes are uncontrollable and can last for anything from a few minutes to hours after which the person will awake feeling refreshed and fully alert. There are usually several episodes in a day.
Often, these attacks occur following a meal but they can happen at any time during the person’s waking hours.
The condition does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity or socio-economic background. It does normally become evident between the ages of 15 to 25 but can affect young children as well as the elderly.
A Checklist For Stress
December 9, 2008
A Checklist For Stress
by: Arthur Buchanan
Stress is a natural part of life. It can be both physical and mental and much of it can come from everyday pressures. Everyone handles stress differently, some better than others. Left unchecked, however, stress can cause physical, emotional, and behavioral disorders which can affect your health, vitality, and peace-of-mind, as well as personal and professional relationships.
Here is a checklist of negative reactions to stress and tension:
• Do minor problems and disappointments upset you excessively?
• Do the small pleasures of life fail to satisfy you?
• Are you unable to stop thinking of your worries?
• Do you feel inadequate or suffer from self-doubt?
• Are you constantly tired?
• Do you experience flashes of anger over a minor problem?
• Have you noticed a change in sleeping or eating patterns?
• Do you suffer from chronic pain, headaches, or back aches?
If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, consider the following suggestions for reducing or controlling stress:
• Be realistic. If you feel overwhelmed by some activities, learn to say NO!
Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare; Definitions, Relationships
December 8, 2008
Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare; Definitions, Relationships
by: Carolyn Magura
Health Insurance; COBRA; OBRA; HIPAA; Medicare. If asked, could you state that you knew that all 5 of these topics had the same thing in common: medical insurance coverage for you and, perhaps, your family? Would you know the qualifications for each? Well, in this article, we will discuss them. For a timeline that depicts, graphically, the time relationship between them, please see the timeline in www.disabilitykey.com.
HEALTH INSURANCE Coverage from Work
If we are lucky, we, and/or our spouse, work for a company that provides, as a benefit, health insurance coverage for us and our family. If so, we are very lucky. Even if that is true, there are some key things that you might want to look at to see if you have ENOUGH coverage.
1) From your Human Resources Department (or wherever else you would go to get information about your health insurance) get what is called a “Summary Plan Description” (SPD). This document should be kept where you can always find it, as it contains all the information you will need about what your insurance covers and what it doesn’t.
The 8 Most Common Allergies
December 6, 2008
The 8 Most Common Allergies
by: Anne Wolski
It seems that almost everyone we meet suffers from an allergy of some kind or knows of someone who doesperhaps it is because of the amount of chemicals we use in this modern eraperhaps it is that modern conveniences such as air conditioning or fans can more efficiently distribute the harmful allergens throughout our society.
It is possible for almost anything to cause an allergic reaction but there are some allergies that are more common than others. These are explained in more detail below.
1. Asthma
Asthma is a serious respiratory disease. This allergic inflammation of the lungs is characterized by wheezing, coughing and tightness around the chest, making it difficult to breathe. It can be brought about through environmental allergens, dust mites, pollen, animal dander, smoke and other pollutants.
2. Allergic Rhinitis (hay fever)
Like asthma, allergic rhinitis or hay fever is caused by airborne allergens such as dust or pollen. It is characterized by watery, itchy eyes and a runny nose. It also causes bouts of sneezing and coughing. This is caused by the person breathing in floating pollen which then sticks to the mucous membranes of the throat and nose. They can also land on the sensitive covering of the eyes.
Acne Myths: Discover 9 Ugly Lies About Acne Causes and Treatments
December 5, 2008
Acne Myths: Discover 9 Ugly Lies About Acne Causes and Treatments
by: Emily Clark
It’s unbelievable … What if I told you that most of the popular beliefs about acne, are in fact myths?
Let’s take a look at some popular beliefs about acne to dispel any other rumors …
Myth #1: Is it true that increased stress spreads acne?
Not exactly. What is true is that ultimately stress can have a very minimal or minor influence all by itself. It cannot actually cause acne, but it can influence reoccurrences of acne as stress increases the body’s creation of a substance called cortisol that in turn causes your sebaceous glands to produce increased amounts of sebum oil that can be blocked in pores. Note, however, that some medications people take when trying to deal with or treat stress can have a large influence on acne as the result of medication side effects.
Myth #2: Acne is contagious, true or false?
Not! No one can “catch” acne; it is non-communicable.
Myth #3:You’ll outgrow acne, so just leave it alone - myth or truth?
This is false. Acne strikes all ages and is treatable, but shouldn’t be left alone to possibly worsen.
BPH (Prostate Enlargement) - What Is It and How Can It Be Treated?
December 5, 2008
BPH (Prostate Enlargement) - What Is It and How Can It Be Treated?
by: Wendy Owen
BPH is the enlargement of the male prostate gland. It can have many associated problems including the need to urinate frequently, difficulty in urinating and inability to completely empty the bladder.
The main cause of BPH is age. It’s a very common complaint in older men - indeed over 50% of males 55 years old and over are thought to be suffering with BPH.
It’s important for BPH to be properly diagnosed, mainly to assess treatment options and to rule out other more serious problems such as prostate cancer.
The difficulty here is many males are embarrassed to seek treatment and indeed some will put up with annoying symptoms for years rather than admit to any problems in this sensitive area!
Still others fear being diagnosed with prostate cancer and will spend years worrying about the possibility while being too afraid to know.
All this, while quite understandable, coupled with a natural male reluctance to admit to any weakness is counter productive. Why suffer when it’s not necessary?
