Archive for January, 2010

Fighting With Depression

Posted in Health & Fitness on January 9th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment

Author: Tanya Jain
Source: articledashboard.com

Depression is a medical condition, which cannot be ignored, and it has to be considered seriously. It is caused due to chemical changes and imbalances in the brain. These changes may be caused due to several factors.

Many people may not know the actual reason for depression. Depression can be debilitating but now treatment is available to cope up with this condition. It has to be diagnosed properly in the initial stages.

These treatments help to stabilize the chemical imbalances in the brain and makes sure that the brain functions normally. In order to fight against depression you need to find out the reason for it and understand how it affects your normal life.

Then you can go for the different treatment methods that are available nowadays and select the one, which suits and treats the condition, the best. There are different approaches for treatment of depression like medications, psychotherapy, talk therapy, meditation, Aromatherapy etc.

The common symptom seen in a person suffering from depression are feelings of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, weight loss, feelings of sadness, extreme pessimism, lack of sleep, loss of interest in activities, feelings of loneliness and sadness etc.

Depression can also cause severe mood disorders. Some women suffer from depression during the post partum period. They will not be able to bond with the new born baby. They have to be treated with the help of the doctor. They need support and medical attention to overcome this phase.

Another type of depression is the bipolar disorder where the patient suffers from extreme mood swings such as intense highs and crippling lows. For them life seems to be a roller coaster ride.

There are several medications available to treat such conditions. Depression can be managed just like any other medical disorder of the body like diabetes, high blood pressure etc. All that you need is the positive attitude and the will power and determination to fight it. Besides medications you can also choose different holistic approaches to fight depression.

You can join some activities such as a laughter club, where you can divert your mind and get your mind involved in some soothing activities. Sometimes you may have to change your entire life style or move to a different place in order to fight out depression.

You cannot expect a change overnight but with course of time, and the right type of treatment you can fight depression and get it out of your life.

Symptoms of depression may be aggravated due to teenage problems such as acne, use of drugs, loss of job, loss of loved ones, etc.

In order to fight depression, you need to understand the basic cause or reason, which has triggered such a condition. Once you find out the reason, then find out effective options for solving this problem. You must always keep in mind that will power or the power of mind is very important to fight out depression.

Positive thinking can help you to fight out depression without any medical support. You can fight out depression by clearing your mind and empowering it with positive thought or affirmations.

Teen Hair Loss

Posted in Health & Fitness on January 9th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment

Author: Janice Yule
Source: ezinearticles.com

Starting to lose your hair when you’re young and fit can be worrying. That just happens to older people, right? There are many reasons for hair loss, even in young people. It can be due to poor diet (lack of protein, vitamins and minerals) and not enough exercise. Other causes are hormone imbalances, diseases and stress. Also, some medication can have an affect, such as acne medicine and diet pills.

If you’re worried about hair loss, you can do something about it:

1) See a doctor, to rule out any medical conditions. Also, to check that any medication you’re currently taking is not the cause.

2) See if you can improve your diet and exercise more.

3) Find ways to reduce stress.

4) Change your hair care products. Some shampoos can be harsh on your hair. Using too much styling product could be damaging your hair.

5) Reduce the use of hairdryers and other styling equipment. The heat could be damaging your hair.

Generally, the most common cause of hair loss is called adrogenetic alopecia, to give it it’s medical term. Adrogenetic refers to the influence of androgens (male hormones). Both men and women produce these hormones. The most common one is DHT ( dihydrotestosterone, androsteinedione, testosterone). In men, it is produced in the testicles and adrenal glands. In women, it’s produced in the overies and the adrenal glands. These hormones are important for both sexes, though men produce a higher quantity than women.

In a person who is susceptible to adrogenetic alopecia, over a period of time, exposure of the hair follicles to the hormone DHT, leads to baldness. The process can be slow or rapid, and there is no exact age for it to occur, though it usually starts at late teens. Genetics can be the reason for some people being more susceptible than others, hence the term hereditary hair loss. Even if any family members are balding, it is not enough to predict that you will also become bald. It is very hard to predict.

However, if you were to discover that you were one of the millions of people who suffer from hereditary hair loss, there is no reason to despair. There are many products and treatments available to help. Some of these products actually help you to re-grow your own hair.

I hope you found this useful. For more information visit:

http://www.return-of-the-hair.com

Low Calorie Diet The Natural Way

Posted in Health & Fitness on January 8th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment

Author: kane
Source: articledashboard.com

Please, just because you want to lose weight, don’t dump your nutritious foods and live on celery sticks and diet sodas. It will hurt you in the long run by depriving you of needed nutrition and fiber.

Instead replace some of your unhealthy foods with healthy foods. You can start a better diet and it will be a low calorie diet compared to what many people have been eating.

Focus on more vegetables in your diet. Especially the leafy green vegetables. Eat 7 or more half-cup servings of vegetables a day. This would mean two or three different servings of vegetables per meal.

Eat a variety of vegetables, with a variety of colors each day. This creates visual appeal, different textures and the good nutrition that you need.

Don’t cut them out, but don’t use as much of the root vegetables because they are more starchy. Example: potatoes, sweet potatoes.

Drink water instead of soft drinks and fruit juices. This will lower your calories and provide you with the fluids you need for health and weight loss. Yes, water and plenty of it will help you lose weight.

I saw a show in which an obese teenager did not have a clue about calories or nutrition, but she was very willing to learn. Dr. Phil told her that cutting out the sodas the teenager was drinking would allow her to lose 50 pounds of fat in a year. This may apply to you as well, if you drink a lot of sodas.

Be ready ahead of time for snacks. Don’t reach for the nearest goodie or candy bar, instead get out the snack you thought about ahead of time. Maybe a little cheese and apple, a piece of fruit, or some cottage cheese with mixed fruit. Keep the serving small – it is not a meal, just a snack.

All of these suggestions give you an idea of how to have a low calorie diet without depriving you of needed nutrition.

Get Rid of Cold Sores in 5 Simple Steps

Posted in Health & Fitness on January 8th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment

Author: Andrew Kawaski
Source: ezinearticles.com

Quick Background Information About Cold Sore Infections.
A cold sore is the outward symptom of an outbreak of the herpes simplex virus (sometimes simply called “HSV”), probably the type-1 strain of the virus (HSV-1)–HSV-2 is the strain that’s typically responsible for genital herpes. Although, both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can cause either oral or genital herpes, it just so happens that each one is more likely to cause a specific condition than the other.

Oral herpes (cold sores) is the most common form of herpes, the second most common is genital herpes, and there are many other types of disorders that can be caused by HSV such as ocular herpes (herpes keratitis–this is when it gets in your eye), herpetic whitlow, and herpes zoster (shingles).

You most likely contracted it from being kissed by a close relative as a child who was also infected with the virus and likely had an active outbreak at the time (gee, thanks grandma), regrettably there is no cure for herpes and once you’ve got it you’re stuck with it for life, condemned to suffer from the occasional cold sore a few times a year (more often, possibly, if you’ve just recently been infected).

Although, there are several vaccines that are currently in Phase III trials with the NIH (National Institute of Health–Search for “herpevac” for more information ). This vaccine is specifically for women and is only designed to prevent genital herpes, but the scientists who developed it believe it can easily be adapted to prevent cold sores.

A 5-Step Home Treatment Procedure to Get Rid of a Cold Sore

1. Sterilize a needle with alcohol, carefully puncture the cold sore, and drain all of the fluid out of it, using a kleenex to blot it up. Basically, do with it what you would’ve done with a zit when you were a teenager, if you get the idea.

2. Wash the cold sore once every 2 hours with a damp washcloth and soap, being sure to use a new washcloth each time to keep from spreading the virus elsewhere on your face.

3. Apply benzyl alcohol (aka “Zilactin”) with a q-tip each time immediately after you wash it. If you can’t find benzyl alcohol then isopropyl rubbing alcohol will do.

4. Apply some benzyl peroxide based acne cream (like Clearasil) to the cold sore with a new q-tip, this will keep it completely dry over the next 2 hours until you wash it again. You can also use nail polish remover, this is at least as effective (some say even more so).

5. Start taking l-lysine, it’s an over-the-counter supplement and has been shown to significantly reduce the duration and severity of cold sore outbreaks by interfering with the replication of the virus. (Source: Department of Medicine, Indiana Univeristy: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3115841?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=1&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed ). I’d personally recommend 1000mg of lysine 3 times a day while you have an active outbreak.

Also, taking Vitamin C to help boost your immune system will definitely help, and if you don’t yet have a cold sore but you’re just starting to get the tingle and you execute this same 5-step procedure (minus the first step), it will often prevent the cold sore from ever emerging in the first place. Also, some people (see: Get Rid of Cold Sore in 24 Hours) have found that Witch Hazel is very effective in getting rid of their cold sore.

To see an much more detailed review of various home remedies and plenty of information on how to get rid of cold sores, I suggest you click the previous link and see my friend’s blog where she and her friends have personally tested and review a great many various home treatments and remedies for cold sores.

Home Remedies For Acne – The Natural Way to Clear Your Skin and Feel Better

Posted in Health & Fitness on January 8th, 2010 by admin – Be the first to comment

Author: Jane L Green
Source: ezinearticles.com

As someone who suffered from acne during my teenage years and into adult life I know how stressful it can be to always feel self-conscious and unable to relax. Acne can be a real pressure for so many people and sometimes it can lead to very low self-esteem.

For this reason it is important to find out the reason for blotches and blemishes appearing and attempting to cure the problem permanently. It is also important to realize that acne is caused by hormonal imbalance rather than some of the other reasons you may hear. There are other factors that can lead to poor skin condition but excessive sebum which blocks your pores is the major factor in acne.

In order to deal with this there are a number of natural things you can do to start the process of clearing your skin. Firstly you need to be drinking plenty of water each day. The recommended amount is six to eight glasses so aim for this amount if you can.

You should also aim to get plenty of sleep. If you are lacking sleep your body feels stressed and your hormones will be affected. You will naturally function at your best when you are fully rested so try and make sure you get a good nights sleep to prepare for the next day.

You should also try to eat fruit and vegetables along with a complete balanced diet. This will make certain you receive all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to give you a natural glow and clear skin. Eating poor food and missing out on valuable greens will leave you looking and feeling unhealthy.

Start to implement these things into your daily routine and you should see the benefits very soon. They are an important start to clearing up your acne.

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