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Common Foot Health Advice

July 30th, 2009

Foot health advice gives tips on proper foot care for healthy feet. Foot health advice can be on a variety of foot care topics like buying shoes, routine foot care, and identifying foot problems.

The proper fit of shoes is more important than most people realize. Footwear that does not fit properly can cause some foot health problems. Ill-fitting footwear can cause bunions and other foot health problems.

Shoes that are too tight or too narrow can alter the alignment of the bones of the foot. The pushing of the bones along the outside of the ball of the foot can form bunions. Shoes that do not fit well can also cause blisters and corns.

Regular foot washing helps foot health by removing bacteria, cleaning off dirt, and preparing the feet for the most effective moisturizing. Every part of the foot, including the areas between the toes, needs to be dried thoroughly after washing.

Bathing or soaking the feet adds moisture to the skin of the feet. By using moisturizer or foot lotion after soaking or washing the feet, the moisturizing product can lock in some of this moisture. Lotions, creams, and moisturizers should not be applied between the toes.

Trimming toenails too short can cause ingrown toenails. A toenail that is cut too short may cut the skin as it grows.

To treat an ingrown toenail, the person should place a thin, small piece of sterile gauze between the toenail and the skin. This gauze needs to be replaced with clean, sterile gauze at least once a day. If a person with diabetes develops an ingrown toenail, the diabetic patient should seek medical treatment.

People with diabetes have special foot concerns since diabetes can cause complications, such as nerve damage and damage to the circulatory system, that may cause foot health problems. A person with diabetes may not feel an injury to the foot which could go undetected and become infected.

Infection can result from undetected foot injuries. Many diabetic patients have difficulty fighting infection. The infection can become serious and develop gangrene which often requires amputation.

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Disease & Illness

How To Cure Cold Sores - Real Cold Sore Treatment

February 3rd, 2009

Want to know how to cure cold sores? Be sure to read this quick article. In it you will discover the main causes of cold sores and what you can do to heal and prevent them.

Stress or illness causes most cold sores. Stress includes anxiety about a wedding, job interview or a big date - frequent cold sore causes.

Stress will always affect your health, pH balance and immune function.

The herpes simplex virus makes its home in your nerve fibers. Because of this it can quickly sense any change in your body such as temperature, pH or stress levels.

The herpes virus will continually watch for the perfect opportunity to replicate new virus. Then it quickly moves to the surface, infects the cells and starts the virus creation process. This destructive procedure causes your cold sore.

Your body can cure cold sores without any outside cold sore treatment. But this slow process can take 21 to 28 days.

You do not want to suffer a cold sore for that length of time. The faster you can cure cold your cold sores, the less damage and the quicker you get your life back.

Listed next are the three main conditions that must be present for the appearance of an oral herpes cold sore. And you will see how you can prevent or heal a cold sore easily.

1. TOO MUCH ARGININE PROTEIN.

Arginine is the main protein (amino acid) needed to construct new herpes virus.

Another similar amino acid (protein) is lysine. Lysine is a very good cold sore treatment because it forces stored arginine out of the cells. Without arginine the herpes virus cannot build new virus and cause your cold sore.

Should the herpes simplex virus get to the surface and discover a shortage of arginine, it will usually just retreat back and become dormant again - watching for a future opportunity.

You can increase your lysine levels by eating high lysine foods and reducing arginine foods in your diet.

Nuts, seeds, grains and chocolate are high in arginine. Dairy products, cheese, chicken and fish are high in lysine. If you have a lot of cold sore trouble, more lysine and less arginine is your goal.

Most people, however, take the most convenient approach and use lysine supplements. They are easy to find at the stores and quite cheap. 3000 to 5000 milligrams per day during an event is a common dosage.

2. MOIST WARMTH ENCOURAGES VIRUS GROWTH.

The herpes simplex virus likes a warm environment for effective replication. Cold reduces the ability of the virus to actively replicate.

As soon as you feel the first inkling of a cold sore, get some ice on it. A cold can of soda or beer works great also. The sooner you react, the better. You can actually stop or delay the virus from replicating.

Ice is a great cure for cold sores if used soon and often. Even if you just delay the sore from appearing, it may be just enough time to get through that special event.

3. YOUR BODY IS ACID.

The herpes simplex virus primarily watches for your body to have an acid pH.

Your body pH is a measure of acidity or alkalinity of your body cells. For perfect health your pH should be around 7.4 - slightly alkaline. This causes maximum oxygen saturation of your cells.

Your body can drop into the acid zone due to stress, illness, fever, sun exposure or winter weather. This reduces oxygen levels and immunity - opening the door to another cold sore outbreak.

Keep your body more alkaline by avoiding acid products such as carbonated drinks, vinegar, sugar and white flour. Eat more alkaline foods such as cabbage, broccoli, and asparagus.

Also, get a vitamin supplement with 1000 milligrams of calcium or higher. And the B vitamins - also know as the stress vitamins - are very important. Calcium is the main mineral your body needs to remain alkaline.

You have just learned the basics as to how to cure cold sores. Remember too - any good cold sore treatment plan includes constant cleansing of the wound with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Brandy or wine works great too.

You are a unique person. No one is quite like you or has the same needs. You must try other cold sore treatment programs until you discover the ones that are perfect for you.

With your own testing, and the information you have just learned, you should certainly now know how to cure cold sores for good.

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Disease & Illness

How To Live With Allergic Asthma

February 3rd, 2009

When allergy strikes, in more than half of the cases it doesn’t come alone, but together with allergic asthma. Being incurable diseases, the only hope for the sufferers is the symptomatic medication, like antihistamines, which helps them live a normal life and keep the ailment under control.

When you are diagnosed with allergic asthma, it is very important that you keep yourself away from getting in touch with the substances which trigger your respiratory allergic reaction. These substances, called allergens, can be anything from dust to feathers, latex gloves or even foods.

An efficient prevention requires that you know precisely what are the allergens your body’s immune system reacts to. There are standard tests such as the Rast and the Eliza, which indicate accurately enough the most active allergens for your situation. Tests are not painful and they are rather cheap. Check with your doctor and maybe he’ll tell you more about that.

If you are allergic to pollens, try to stay inside your house during allergy peak seasons. Watch the daily pollen bulletins and try to manage all your businesses in the first part of the day. Afternoons are the most dangerous for pollen allergy sufferers. Mornings are better, because the humidity is higher.

When you are allergic to a specific food, don’t eat it ever again. Moreover, try also not to touch it. You should be careful especially when you eat out. Not all waiters would disclose what their chefs put in the cooked foods, so you risk to eat something you are allergic to. It is better to have only a few trusted restaurants where to go dining with your friends.

Don’t give away your dog or your cat when you find out that you are allergic to animals. Keep them in the house, but maintain a very strict hygiene, with daily vacuming and steam cleaning. Throw away your carpets and do not clean the pet yourself. Somebody else should do this. Do not kiss your lovely pet and try not to pet it too often. Just enjoy its presence and that’s all.

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Disease & Illness

An Overview of the Treatment Options and Symptoms of Bipolar 2

February 2nd, 2009

The classifications within the broader term of bipolar disorder have narrowed due to the increased number of studies and diagnosis done over a number of years. One of these narrowing classifications that have helped to identify the various types and kinds of bipolar is bipolar 2. People who suffer from bipolar 2 often experience symptoms such as swinging from depressed to hypo manic states without the manic states or manic depression that is found in bipolar 1.

Identifying the Signs of Bipolar and Bipolar 2

Recognizing the symptoms of the individual types of bipolar is more difficult than that of manic depression in general. The distinctions between the various types, in some cases, can be difficult to recognize and subtle. Recognizing another type of mild bipolar known as hypomania, is essential in identifying if a person has bipolar 2. Hypomania is one of the symptom sets of this type of bipolar disease.

A person that suffers from hypomania runs in cycles between the productive manic phase and a baseline or normal phase. These people rarely become depressed and rarely have manic episodes. What this means for those with bipolar is that they do not extend far enough into the manic portion of the cycle to have a true manic episode. However, they will they will cycle back to normal and then down into depression before returning to complete the cycle

This has to be one of the main differences between bipolar manic depression and this form of bipolar. Symptoms of depression are associated with people who have bipolar 2. In some cases, they will cycle upwards rapidly to normal behavior and than into the hypo manic phase.

It is usually characterized by high energy but very rarely has excessively dangerous activities. For instance, a person maybe talkative, hyper, even up to the stage of cleaning their home to an extensive degree. They may also be highly productive on a project or may even spend excessively though they rarely spend to the point of endangering finances.

Treatment Options

Anti depressants is the usual treatment for normal bipolar manic depressions. It works well but can actually cause problems for people with other types of bipolar. Mild doses of antidepressants or even anticonvulsants which often have mood stabilizing properties can provide benefits without creating negative side effects. Therapy is also another option for people with Bipolar 2.

There are numerous treatment options available for people with bipolar that can help you lead a complete and normal life. It is essential that you get diagnosed and help. This ensures that you are able to lead an active and normal life. There are a good number of people who shy away from seeking the help of mental health professionals. Having the bipolar affective disorder can affect not only your home life but also your ability to hold a job and provide for your family.

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Disease & Illness

Treating A Cold Sore Effectively

February 2nd, 2009

Treating a cold sore correctly is the key to the fast relief of your pain and embarrassment. If you will let me, in this short article I would like to share with you some time-proven ways of treating a cold sore.

Treating a cold sore is not anyone’s favorite chore. Cold sores are such a pain and bother in your social life even with the best treatment tactics.

But you can greatly shorten the healing time and gain freedom much sooner by treating a cold sore quickly and correctly. Yes, your body will heal it but it takes too long that way.

Fortunately the cold sores always appear on the surface where you can easily treat them.

Each stage of a cold sore calls for a slightly different treatment strategy for best results. Here are the different stages you will encounter.

WARNING STAGE OF YOUR COLD SORES.

The herpes simplex virus is normally dormant in the root area of your nerves. When activated, it will wiggle to the surface along a nerve fiber. You feel this as an itching or tingling feeling in the target area.

As soon as you suspect this virus movement, cool the target area down with ice. The herpes virus hates cold and treating a cold sore this way will often delay - if not prevent - development of your cold sores.

Lysine supplements can be very helpful in stopping cold sores fast. Start taking them now through final healing.

FORMATION OF YOUR COLD SORES.

Once the virus enters the surface nerve cells, your cold sore begins to develop. Painful red bumps appear, and then further swelling.

The use of ice is still a good choice for treating a cold sore in this stage of development. It will give you some relief from pain and swelling and helps discourage the herpes virus from more damage.

One very powerful way for treating a cold sore is with garlic oil. Fresh garlic is the best. Garlic oil is very anti-virus and penetrates right through the skin almost immediately.

HEALING PHASE OF YOUR COLD SORES.

The herpes virus has completed the damage once the sore bursts open. From now on your body will be repairing the damaged skin and nerve cells.

Ice will slow down the healing process now, so discontinue it. Keep taking the lysine orally and continue the use of garlic.

Now is the time to start applying heat to the wound. It will bring more blood to the area for quick repair of the damage. The preferred choice for treating a cold sore this way is with the use of warm tea bags.

Do not use the microwave to heat up the tea bags as it destroys the nutrients in the tea. You can also drink some tea for internal benefits.

Keep the wound as sterile as possible by cleansing with alcohol or peroxide. After a good cleansing, apply the garlic and then the heat for about 12 minutes.

After a heat session, applying aloe vera gel to the wound can really help speed the healing process. It helps skin grow back amazingly fast.

Your best choice for aloe vera gel is not from a bottle. You want fresh, active gel from a live plant. Many folks grow this plant in their home. You should too.

PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS.

In treating a cold sore, you need to be careful not to spread the virus to other parts of your body. People often create cold sores all around their lips by spreading the virus from one initial outbreak.

The most dangerous risk is getting the herpes virus in you eyes. These eye cold sores usually cause permanent damage to the cornea.

While treating your cold sore, keep the area as sterile as possible and wash your hands thoroughly after each session. Keep in mind this is a contact virus that cannot spread by itself.

For additional pain relief during the cold sore event, you may wish to use a drug store cold sore treatment. Many of these have numbing agents - like benzocaine - that help give additional comfort to the damaged nerves.

Treating a cold sore does not have to be complicated. Simply use cold to slow the sore and heat to heal it quickly. And to prevent new infection sites, wash your hands regularly when you are treating a cold sore.

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Disease & Illness

Diet can help your gout pain

January 31st, 2009

If you suffer with gout then you should be changing your diet right now. Your diet, including your intake of fluids (alcoholic and non alcoholic), is affecting every part of your body including your joints where the gout pain appears.

When you have to much uric acid in your body it will crystallize around your joints and cause them to become inflamed and painful, this condition is known as gout. If your diet is high in purines and protein then there is a good chance that you will have an attack of gout at some point.

It is therefore important that a person who suffers from gout avoids any foods that contain high levels of protein or purines within them. If you eat foods with too much protein or purine in them they will then increase the levels of uric acid in the body, which can further exacerbate the condition.

When looking at your dietary requirements if you suffer from gout the first thing that you should be doing is increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables you are consuming. At least you should be eating no less than five servings of these each day. Ideally if you can to ensure that you get maximum benefit from these you either eat or drink them in a raw state or you just lightly steam them.

However there are certain vegetables which it is best that you do not need eat too much of. These include peas, corn and potatoes and you should aim to either decrease your consumption of these to no more than two servings each week. If you can also try not to eat them together.

All liquids are not created equal in terms of the effect they will have on your gout. Beer is the worst item for someone with gout to consume, while any alcohol is not ideal. Most of us don’t drink enough water , this affects all of us but especially someone with gout. Gout sufferers should try to drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Drinking 8 glasses of water a day will cause your system to flush out more of the purines which if left in your system will break down and become uric acid. While it can be tempting not to drink lots of water (who wants to be going to the bathroom every half hour) the benefits of consuming lots of water are a reduction in gout attacks and the severity of the attacks you do have.

By making changes to your dietary habits and using a gout diet for which you can find plenty of advice on the internet about, you will discover that you are better able to control the condition. Certainly over time not only will the symptoms and attacks associated with this condition be greatly reduced, but you will feel much better in yourself as well.

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Disease & Illness

Untreated Yeast Infection - Why It Happens

January 31st, 2009

Yeast infection can happen in men, not just women

Without proper treatment, an untreated yeast infection can become a major illness. It is always best to find a cure and avoid a more serious problem.

More than 50 percent of women have had a yeast infection. Most of those women let a yeast infection go untreated for a number of reasons. Cost, shyness and ignorance being three of the most common reasons.

With cost being the main reason, many women ignore the signs of a yeast infection. If you do not have the money or financing and can’t afford doctors appointments, your infection could become worse.

When you hear shyness, you may wonder why exactly a person would be shy. Well most yeast infections are an infection in the genital area. Some women may be to afraid to talk to their doctors about it, forgoing necessary exams needed to determine the infection.

The last reason is ignorance. Many people don’t realize they have yeast infection, leaving it to get worse. If you leave it to get worse, it will allow for the severity of the symptoms to increase and become a more serious health issue.

It is possible to have the illness become a major health problem, but this is rare. If you are one of those rare people, you could get health problems such as Sepsis. Sepsis is a deadly condition of the blood stream that results from the spread of bacteria. Or you could also get Vulvovaginal Candidas, a condition in which you have three or more yeast infections in a period of one year.

To figure out if you could have a health problem watch and see if the infection is occasional, easily treatable, or reoccurring. Also, if you have diabetes you are more likely to have yeast infection and not be aware of it. Many people with diabetes think the symptoms they are experiencing are part of their disease. This is not the case.

Yeast cells can not live in a pH environment and therefore your body generally takes care of the infection. Blood in your body raises the pH level therefore killing the yeast cells.

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Disease & Illness

Replacement Surgery For Arthritis

January 28th, 2009

Arthritis is a disease that manifests with inflammations in the human body’s articulations or joints. The hips, elbows, fingers and knees are the most common areas affected by this disease.

Kinds of Arthritis

Arthritis has various types. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common kind of arthritis, is triggered chiefly by the aging process, but can also appear in response to a variety of malformations, lesions, or infections, of your knee. Less common but just as debilitating forms of arthritis are as follows: gouty arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment

Several modes of treatment are available for arthritis symptom management. These may vary from physical therapy, drug therapy, to arthritis-specific surgical procedures.

The latter, collectively called as arthritis knee surgery, has a number of more specialized types - for instance, knee replacement surgery, arthroscopy, and knee osteotomy. The particular type of arthritis surgery will depend on several factors, including the severity and extent of the condition.

Knee Arthritis Surgery

Based on the state of the arthritis pain, the most recommended option for treatment is frequently arthritis knee surgery.

This disease often progresses in parts, slowly damaging the cartilage tissues in the joints. In the early part of the disease, anti-inflammation therapies and physical exercise programs are the main treatment modes. However, as the disease deteriorates, the surgical route turns into a pressing and vital need.

A Less Invasive Option: Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is considered as a less invasive surgical option in arthritis treatment. This procedure consists of repairing cartilage tissue and ligament damage in your knee as well as your other joints. At some stage in an arthroscopy, a small device resembling an endoscope will be inserted in the affected articulation through a little cut.

While the efficacy of this type of surgery is still a debatable issue, many proponents attest to the benefits efficiency of arthroscopy when done in appropriate scenarios.

Indications that an individual has to undergo arthroscopy of the knee are as follows: unbearable popping of the knee, unstable knee joint or wobbling knees, a prickling feeling when moving the knee joint, and enlargement or inflammation of the afflicted areas.

Better Option for Younger Patients: Knee Osteotomy

In the case of younger individuals, these arthritis sufferers only commonly experience degradation of just one area of the knee joint. For this reason, they are not encouraged to undergo complete knee replacement surgery.

Sometimes, arthritis also manifests through knock-legged or bow-legged aspects, which are characterized by a joint reorientation, such that the joint’s weight center is transferred from the damaged region to its healthy area. In these instances, osteotomy is often the best course of action.

What is Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

Considered a “hybrid” of both complete knee replacement surgery and osteotomy, partial knee replacement surgery is significantly less invasive than complete knee replacement surgery. This surgery is executed through the replacement of the degraded area of the affected joint with prosthetics, as the healthy areas are left in place to allow for healing. Partial knee replacement surgery is encouraged for severe arthritis cases restricted to certain areas of articulation. In comparison to complete knee replacement, this type of surgery needs more tiny incisions and calls for more rapid recovery.

Complete Knee Replacement Surgery: A Practical Option

For most arthritis sufferers, the best recourse is complete knee replacement surgery. This type of procedure consists of the complete removal and replacement of the degraded joint tissue with metal or plastic prosthetic implants.

Associated Risks: Arthritis Knee Surgery

Similar to a good number pf major surgeries, patients who have undergone arthritis knee surgery are vulnerable to thrombosis, nerve damage, infections and some anesthesia risks.

Additionally, this procedure includes certain post-surgery risks, such as instability of the affected joint, kneecap dislocation/fracture, and even decreased mobility or reduced range of motion.

The Pros and Cons of Arthritis Knee Surgery

Regardless of the potential risks associated to the surgery, arthritis knee surgery offers a lot of pros that may benefit arthritis sufferers. The primary advantages are, to name a few, significant pain relief, increased mobility, plus a significant betterment of the patient’s overall wellbeing. Additionally, in a period of six months after the surgery, the formerly affected joint can most likely recover fully.

On the other hand, this type of surgical procedure also includes a few noticeable drawbacks. For example, post-surgery patients may feel some pain and discomfort in the time after the procedure. Additionally, using a prosthetic joint can be noisy and may draw some attention. Sometimes, difficulties in movement may possibly develop. Plus, depending on the kind of prosthetics used, the prosthetic knee can have restricted usability, such as only ten to fifteen years before it needs to be replaced again.

All things considered, however, if we evaluate the pain and discomfort manifested in isolated patients against the immense potential for positive results, it is easy to conclude that the pros of this type of procedure definitely outweigh its cons.

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Disease & Illness

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer - What to Look Out For

January 28th, 2009

Early detection of this disease means early treatment. But the symptoms of prostate cancer in the early stages are often non-existent if not altogether absent

For both benign and malignant cells the initial signs are similar and usually exhibit urinary problems. Benign tumors are normally easy to treat and eliminate.

It is important to be tested to be sure that there is the presence of cancer and to know how advanced it is.

Symptoms of prostate cancer are:

– passing urine often

– incontinence and starting urination with difficulty

– pain or even a burning sensation in urination

– weakened flow of urine

– blood in the urine or semen

– impotence

– pain when ejaculating

– discomfort in the pelvis and legs

– lower back pain with stiffness

– losing weight

By careful screening the doctor will be able to advice on the patient’s exact status.

To check the spread of the cancer, and to determine the course of treatment, after the above symptoms, the prostate cancer need testing because early detection could mean the disease can be successfully cured.

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Prostate Cancer

An Introduction To The Mystery Of Breast Cancer

January 28th, 2009

Breast cancer is the commonest form of cancer that occurs in women and, following lung cancer, it is the second major cause of cancer death among females. In 2004 some 186,772 new breast cancer cases were reported according to the American Cancer Society and this figure would seem to be going up on a yearly basis.

It is also worthy of note that breast cancer is not confined only to women and that more than 1,800 men contracted the disease in 2004 and that 362 men died of breast cancer that year.

The breasts in women are complicated pieces of machinery comprising glands, fat and connective fibrous tissue. Each breast has numerous lobes which are divided into lobules and end in the milk glands and there are also a large number of tiny ducts from the milk glands that join together and end in the nipple.

Eight out of ten breast cancer cases start in these ducts in a condition referred to as infiltrating ductal cancer. It is also reasonably common for breast cancer to occur in the lobules where it is called lobular cancer. Other forms of cancer are simply called inflammatory breast cancer.

Pre-cancerous changes (referred to as ‘in situ’) are also common in women and are changes that have not spread from the place in the breast where they were originally spotted. When these changes occur within the ducts then the condition is called ductal carcinoma in situ or DCIS and if changes occur in the lobules they are referred to as lobular carcinomas in situ or LCIS.

The most serious form of breast cancer is known as metastatic cancer which involves the spread of a cancer from the place where it began. Breast cancer most frequently metastasizes into the lymph nodes above the collarbone or under the arms on the same side of the body as the cancer which results in pain and swelling as the lymphatic drainage system is compromised. Other relatively common sites of breast cancer metastasis include the brain, liver and the bones.

Besides the clear factor of gender, age is a very important factor when looking at the risk of contracting breast cancer. Although breast cancer can and does arise at just about any age the risk of getting it increases as you get older. A healthy woman aged 30 will usually have a 1 in 280 chance of getting breast cancer by the time she reaches 40 years of age. However, this risk then increases to a probable 1 in 70 chance of developing breast cancer when that same women reaches her forties.

Family history is also an important risk factor for breast cancer with the risk being at its highest when you have a close relative (like a mother or aunt) who has suffered from cancer of the breast at a young age.

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Breast Cancer