What Is Candida?
September 30, 2008
What Is Candida?
by: Gray Rollins
Candida is yeast, considered a normal part of our bowel flora, generally found in the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. Its purpose is to fight off harmful bacteria that it encounters in the body.
Its presence in the body, then, is not problematic and is balanced by a well-functioning immune system and friendly bacteria. If the immune system ceases to function properly, or the level of friendly bacteria in the body becomes too low - as can happen when too many antibiotics are introduced to the body - then Candida overgrowth may occur. Other things that contribute to Candida overgrowth are toxic metals - such as mercury found in dental amalgams; genetic disorders; hormonal imbalance brought on by pregnancy, birth control pills or thyroid disorder; and even drinking too much alcohol which kills the friendly bacteria and allows Candida to grow.
The Non-Diet Diet
September 29, 2008
Diets don’t work. If they did the U.S. of A. would be the thinnest, trimmest nation in the world, with over 40 million Americans spending billions each year on weight loss products. In fact, the opposite is true. The Center for Disease Control claims that at least 65% of adults are overweight or obese. With the growing list of woes associated with obesity, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the weight problem in America has become a serious concern. Yet we continue to look to fad diets as the answer to this serious problem - as if living on bacon and eggs, cabbage soup, or low-calorie meal replacement drinks could ever be construed as a healthy solution.
A review of popular diet programs conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, stated that most weight loss programs offered little or no proof that participants were successful in loosing weight or keeping weight off in the long run. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has stated that of the millions of people that diet, less than 5% of those who actually loose weight will be able to keep it off in the years to come. It has been surmised that a dieter may shed approximately 100 pounds in the course of a lifetime, but gain back 120 lbs. One benefit of weight loss organizations, however, was group support. Dieters who joined support groups appeared to loose more weight than those who decided to go it alone.
Your Skin Deserves A Break
September 28, 2008
Your Skin Deserves A Break
by: Alayna A. Fries
You don’t need to run to the cosmetic counter every time you get a pimple. Let me suggest you consider educating yourself so that you know what you should be feeding your skin. Why is it that we feed our bodies and organs what we think they need to maintain their balance and turn around and upset the natural balance of our own skin?
Your skin is the largest organ of your body and by piling on the products that contain harsh ingredients and lack nutrients, is not the way to treat your skin. Your goal should be to not only use different skin products, but should be working towards maintaining a balance throughout your body to ultimately achieve amazing skin. What you choose and allow to enter your body as well as eating the right foods, can help the skin do its job.
Maybe you have given nourishment to every other organ in your body, but then turn around and run to the store for products that mostly contain harsh ingredients and lack nutrients. Perhaps it’s time for you to consider taking care of the largest organ of your body, your skin. You may need the necessary skin products that are nourishing to help maintain the balance of the skin.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And How To Avoid It
September 27, 2008
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome And How To Avoid It
by: Mila Sidman
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve disorder of the wrist and hand. It can cause pain, numbness and tingling. It’s caused by doing repetitive hand motions, such as typing.
Medical transcriptionists are especially at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome due to the amount of typing they do.
Although, there is no way of avoiding typing if you’re a transcriptionist there are a few things you can do to alleviate or avoid carpal tunnel altogether.
1. Set up a comfortable work area. Make sure you have plenty of room to use the mouse comfortably and position your keyboard to elbow level.
2. Keep your wrists and hands parallel to the floor as you type. Do not rest your wrists on the keyboard unless it has a specifically designed wrist rest on it (these let you rest your wrist while keeping them straight).
3. Stretch your hands and arms before and after typing. Make a tight fist with your hand, hold for a few seconds then slowly release. This will help alleviate any tension in the hands and wrists.
Kegal Exercises During Pregnancy
September 26, 2008
You probably became familiar with Kegel exercises during your pregnancy. Kegel exercises are equally important after pregnancy to help restore the tone and strength of your vaginal wall.
Kegel exercises help strengthen your pelvic muscles, which weaken during childbirth. Why would you want to strengthen these muscles? If they are weak, you could have bladder control problems. You may also find that intercourse is more fulfilling when you have control of your kegel muscles.
Not sure how to do your Kegel’s? Pretend that you are trying to stop the flow of urine the next time you are sitting on the toilet (or anywhere for that matter). Those are the very muscles you need to contract in order to do your Kegels. You can also insert a finger into your vagina and try squeezing just like you are trying to stop the flow of urine. If you feel tightness around your finger, you are performing the exercise correctly.
Be sure when you are doing your Kegel’s that you concentrate on the pelvic floor muscles specifically; try not to do any other exercises. You should squeeze for about 15 seconds several times per day.
What Causes Osteoporosis?
September 26, 2008
What Causes Osteoporosis?
by: Gray Rollins
According to the U.S. News & World Report Health Center, “Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Literally meaning ‘porous bone,’ it results in an increased loss of bone mass and strength.” Osteoporosis debilitates millions of people every year, but there is good news - prevention is possible!
The skeletal structure of the body provides support for our muscles and protection for our vital organs; our bones are also a storehouse of calcium and other minerals. More than 99 percent of the body’s calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, the other 1 percent travels throughout our body in our blood. Calcium is vital for heart and muscle function.
Our skeletons are made up of a smooth, tough outer layer of dense bone, a spongier mid section and a soft core of marrow where new cells are made to rebuild our bones. Our bones are constantly changing because our bodies depend on a steady supply of calcium to function properly. When we don’t get enough calcium from our regular diet our bodies break down and rebuild bone to meet our needs. This is called “bone remodeling.”
A Diet To Rid Your Body Of Candida
September 25, 2008
A Diet To Rid Your Body Of Candida
by: Gray Rollins
Candida is naturally occurring yeast in the body generally found in the mouth, throat, intestines and genitourinary tract. When friendly bacteria and properly functioning immune system are not present, balance of the system may be lost and Candida overgrowth may occur, but you can help yourself by paying closer attention to your diet.
Someone with an overgrowth of yeast can experience any number of unpleasant symptoms such as a yeast infection, fatigue, rash, depression and anxiety. The symptoms of Candida overgrowth are frequently treated with anti-fungal remedies. Even with these remedies, however, if your diet is not changed to create an environment within the body to prohibit the overgrowth of Candida, relief is sure to be temporary, and problem symptoms will return.
Alleviate Back Pain for Restful Sleep
September 24, 2008
Alleviate Back Pain for Restful Sleep
by: Chris Robertson
Although the common wisdom is that we spend a third of our lives sleeping, many of us don’t get the quantity or the quality of sleep we need. Our hectic lifestyles and the 24-7-365 availability of distractions such as cable television and the Internet can cause us to cut back on the seven to nine hours of sleep that experts recommend we get each night. But even if we shoot for an adequate quantity of sleep, back pain and other problems can prevent us from getting the quality of sleep we need.
When lower back pain, neck pain, snoring, or a sleep disorder prevents us from getting the sleep we need, we accumulate what experts term a “sleep debt.” One or two nights of restless or inadequate sleep won’t harm us, but a pattern of sleep disruptions can have serious repercussions on our health, ranging from mental fuzziness and mood swings to cessations of breathing and even death. According to the National Sleep Foundation, “Sleep deprivation has been linked to health problems such as obesity and high blood pressure, negative mood and behavior, decreased productivity, and safety issues in the home, on the job, and on the road.”
Sugar Lovers Beware
September 23, 2008
It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on the planet loves sugar and sweet foods. Processed sugar is in many products and is a key ingredient for baking. It seems that everyone has a sweet tooth for some sugar food in one way or another. Most people know to limit their intake of processed sugar, however, what most people don’t know is that sugar is one of the worst ingredients to put into your body. The chemical reaction of sugar in the body acts as a poison. Studies show that sugar has drug like effects in the body.
Processed sugar has many harmful effects throughout the body and can cause major imbalances in the organ systems. You could say that sugar tends to throw off the homeostatic balance of the whole body by increasing the production of adrenaline by many times. In essence, sugar stimulates the nervous system by inducing a flight or fight response.
This is obviously not a healthy process. This intense reaction of the body increases the production of cortisone, which suppresses immune function and can lead to other health disorders.
What Is Parkinson Disease
September 22, 2008
What Is Parkinson Disease
by: Gray Rollins
Parkinson disease is a brain disorder that affects nearly 1.5 million Americans and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. There is no known cure but with research and medication there is hope.
A British physician, Dr. James Parkinson, first described the disease in 1817. It is characterized by slowness, tremors, stiffness and a loss of balance. Only two of these symptoms need to be present, especially if they are more apparent on one side of the body over the other, for a diagnosis of the condition to be made.
Brain cells called neurons are responsible for passing along electrical impulses throughout the brain, from one cell to the next, allowing the brain to function normally. In Parkinson disease, cells in a certain part of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to die or become impaired. These cells are particularly important because they produce a chemical called dopamine. This chemical is responsible for smooth and coordinated movement of the body’s muscles. According to the National Parkinson Foundation, “When approximately 80% of the dopamine-producing cells are damaged, the symptoms of Parkinson disease appear.”
