Tips For Healthy Lifestyle

Archive for March, 2011

Using your ED meds right

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Erectile dysfunction medications are all over the place these days. You see ads in magazines, on TV and get tons of spam in your inbox. Such an aggressive advertising strategy makes most people believe that these drugs are actual remedies for any type of sexual problems in men, and buy them without even knowing what these medications are used for. And once they get these drugs and start using them, a lot of men discover that they aren’t getting the effects they were promised with. This leads to a lot of frustration and criticism towards popular ED meds you get to hear a lot online. But all it takes in the first place is actually learning how to use erectile dysfunction medications right.

First of all you’ll have to make sure that you actually need the drug. A lot of men have occasional problems with erection which they mistake for impotence. There’s nothing tragic about having weak erection from time to time as it’s normal in any age. A real cause for concern is when 1 in 4 attempts of having an erection fail for a long period of time (couple of months). That’s when the condition can be called erectile dysfunction and requires actual medical attention.

Next stop is identifying the actual cause behind the problem. This is best done with the help of a doctor. Sure, some men tend to get very defensive when it comes to discussing their sexual problems with someone else but keep in mind that your doctor is a professional and only he can help you find out the actual cause behind ED and choose the right treatment. Once you go through all the exams and checks, and have the results on your hands it’ll be much easier to choose the exact treatment option for your case. In most cases drugs like Viagra and Levitra really do help. But they are only effective in situations where erectile problems are caused by physiological conditions. If the problems are psychological there is no use in taking Viagra since it won’t make the problems go away and will only increase frustration with ineffective treatment. Let your doctor make the decisions, since only a professional physician knows how to set the exact dosage.

Next stop – taking the drug. The effectiveness of Viagra and other similar drugs heavily relies on the way you take them. Unlike most other prescription medications you don’t have to take ED drugs on a regular basis every time each day. These drugs are meant to be used only when you want to enjoy sexual activity. Take them according to the prescribed dosage in about 15-30 minutes before engaging into a sexual act and you will experience hard and durable erection for as long as you need to complete it. It is strongly advised to avoid taking alcohol or any recreational drugs in order to avoid any side effects or drug interactions. A heavy fatty meal will also block some of the ingredients to be absorbed properly so don’t get too active with the fork if you’re looking forward to have sex.

By following these simple guidelines you will certainly benefit from taking erectile dysfunction medications. That is, if you really want to use them in the first place.

Pain Relievers and Hepatitis C

Thursday, March 31st, 2011




Chronic or recurring pain plagues nearly one out of every two Americans. In addition to common and everyday body aches that many people experience, Hepatitis C patients also suffer from the virus’s discomforting symptoms, such as headaches, liver pain and joint pain. While there are a variety of over-the-counter pain medications available, including Tylenol, Anacin 3, Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, Bayer, Anacin and Excedrin, individuals with HCV are still limited in their pain relief options. Since chronic Hepatitis C patients are susceptible to liver inflammation, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer, and the abovementioned pain relievers can possibly damage even a healthy liver, choosing one can be challenging.

The three chief components found in most over-the-counter painkillers, also known as analgesics, are acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin. While all three drugs work as fever reducers, both ibuprofen and aspirin also act as an anti-inflammatory. These analgesics all have the potential to negatively impact the liver, though damage will most likely occur when taken in excess. For example, ibuprofen increases one’s risk for gastrointestinal bleeding.

Prior to attempting pain management on your own, it is imperative that you discuss your symptoms and available options with your doctor. A knowledgeable physician will be able to give sound advice in regard to which analgesic may be best for you. The manufacturer, as well as a doctor, can provide appropriate dosing recommendations.

Rather then self-treating pain with over-the-counter medications and possibly harming an already overexerted liver, many Hepatitis C patients instead turn to non-medication options. Massage therapy, heat packs, topical pain relievers, and gentle stretching are some safe alternatives for pain management. Getting enough sleep is yet another safe way to aid in pain reduction.

To read this entire article and learn detailed precautions related to over-the-counter pain relievers, as well as more suggestions to safely alleviate pain, click here.

Three Alternative Skin Cancer Treatment Options

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011




The first thought that many people have when they are diagnosed with cancer is a worrying about chemotherapy. Chemotherapy has proven itself to be an effective killer of cancer cells, but it also has many negative side effects that cause some people to forgo chemo altogether, and take their chances with battling cancer themselves. If those were your only two options, cancer could seem like an automatic death sentence. Luckily, there are many alternative options to chemotherapy. Here are a few alternative skin cancer treatment options that you should look into before you start your chemotherapy.

The most important thing that you can do if you are diagnosed with cancer is to start eating an anti-cancer diet. Cancer needs you to feed it. It is a disease that feeds off of the sugars in the body. One way to slow the spread of cancer is to give it less to eat. The best way to do this is by eliminating sugar and carbohydrates in your diet. If you do not consume these natural sugars, than the cancer will have less to feed on. You want to concentrate your diet on all natural fruits and grains. There have been many studies that show the benefits of eating raw foods against cancer.

Many people will also turn to holistic medicines before they turn to chemotherapy. This method has been effective for some people, but there isn’t much documentation to back up these alternative skin cancer treatment options. Still, you should do your research and talk to your doctor about taking herbs and practicing acupuncture. You might find that it is your best option.

The most popular form of alternative skin cancer treatment is actually a treatment method that utilizes chemotherapy. IPT uses insulin to make cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy. Because the cells become more vulnerable during IPT treatment, patients can use 1/10 of the amount of radiation that they would normal undergo during typical chemotherapy. This can greatly reduce the side effects of radiation, while still providing a high level of effectiveness. This method is becoming more and more popular. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, make sure that you talk to your doctor about this treatment option.

There are, of course, many other alternative skin cancer treatment options. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you have to realize that your best weapon is information. Take your time to research your disease and find out the best way to treat it.

Home Instructions for the Common Cold: Relieve Symptoms and Shorten Recovery Time

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011




Complete home instructions for the common cold should include how to prevent the spread of the virus to other family members, how to shorten the duration of symptoms, foods and other products that relieve symptoms and how to strengthen the immune system, so that you and your family will have fewer colds next year.

The stages of the common cold vary. Some people experience no symptoms at all, while some experience a full range of frustrating ailments; from fever to body aches to coughing, sneezing and runny nose. Unlike influenza, which typically begins with a relatively high fever, most adults do not experience any fever at all. In children and infants, temperature can climb to 102 degrees farenheit.

A large number of different viruses can cause the common cold, but scientists know the most about the rhinovirus. It is a very common virus and can be grown easily in a laboratory setting. Research indicates that the beginning stages of the common cold usually occur two or three days after exposure to the rhinovirus. The most active viruses are present in nasal secretions during the first four days of infection. Thus, the first step in home instructions for the common cold is to try to keep those who have begun to show symptoms away from those who are not infected, at least for the first few days.

Parents who are caring for a sick child should wash their hands well and often, particularly before touching their own face or another family member. Disinfectants may help to remove the virus from surfaces, but it is believed that the rubbing action is what removes viruses. Anti-bacterial hand soaps and cleaners have no effect on viruses, but the hand washing action rubs them off. The rhinovirus has been shown to be active for as long as three hours on skin and surfaces.

The next step in our home instructions for the common cold covers shortening the duration of symptoms. Most research about common cold treatment is geared towards shortening symptoms, since curing the infection is not possible. First, let’s look at what does not work. Regardless of what stages of the common cold a person is currently suffering from, an antibiotic is not effective. Antibiotics neither kill viruses, nor shorten the duration of viral infections. They are only effective against bacterial infections. If symptoms last for more than two weeks, a bacterial infection may be present and a visit to the doctor is appropriate. There is no indication that inhaling steam is an effective treatment. Steam may temporarily relieve congestion, but will not shorten duration of symptoms.

While cold weather does not cause the common cold (as mentioned, it is caused by a virus), staying comfortably warm and dry will make you feel better. Getting out in rainy, wet or cold conditions often cause symptoms to worsen temporarily. When stages of the common cold experienced include fever, chills are often present. There is no reason to avoid bundling up when chills are present, but there is no indication that “sweating it out” is an effective treatment. Sweating may actually increase dehydration and experts agree that staying well-hydrated is particular important during a cold.

When asked about home instructions for the common cold, most doctors will recommend that you get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids and take acetaminophen for headache, body aches and fever. Parents should not give children aspirin or aspirin containing products, as it has been associated with Reye’s Syndrome, a rare, but life threatening illness that sometimes follows chicken pox, influenza and other viral infections. Some doctors may recommend zinc tablets to shorten the duration of symptoms, if used in the early stages of the common cold. There is a bit of controversy surrounding the use of zinc nasal gels or sprays. Some studies have shown that they shorten the duration of symptoms, while others conclude that they are not effective and should not be used, because they can cause permanent loss of the sense of smell. In order to have any positive effect, they must be used in the early stages of the common cold, within in the first two days.

Taking supplements of vitamin C, E, A or zinc may be helpful home instructions. For the common cold treatment, some experts recommend them. It is always important to follow the manufacturers recommended dosage. High dosages of vitamin C can cause diarrhea; zinc can cause anemia; A can cause irritability and painful joints; E can have an anticoagulant effect. The better health supplements take all of this into consideration when creating products for use during viral infections or as a preventative of viral infections.

Sometimes over-the-counter multi-symptom cold relievers are included in home instructions for the common cold. If you choose to use these, it is important to read the directions and ingredients. Some products contain aspirin. Others contain alcohol. Some cause drowsiness and should not be used when driving or operating dangerous equipment. Studies have shown that many are ineffective on common cold symptoms and most should not be used by children.

Home instructions for the common cold would not be complete without listing a few home remedies. These can make you feel better, relieve symptoms temporarily and are safe for use by most people, since they are common food products. Chicken soup contains selenium, a trace element necessary for proper immune system function. If you can make your own, then add garlic, onions, black pepper and/or ginger. These are helpful to the immune system and taste good. If you must buy canned soup, choose the low-salt versions. Warm mullein or other herbal teas are soothing to the throat. Green tea can increase energy and boost the immune system. Studies have shown that during early stages of the common cold, vitamin C in the blood stream depletes very quickly, so fruit juices can help the body get the vitamin C that it needs to fight the infection.

Many researchers believe that year round vitamin supplementation can reduce the number of colds that a person has per year. In addition, certain herbs and other plant components have been shown to improve immune system function. To learn more about these, visit the Immune System Booster Guide. This is the final step in our home instructions for the common cold, you can start taking immune system boosters during a cold to reduce the duration of symptoms and continue to take them year round for protection from the common cold viruses.

Propecia and vitamins for hair loss

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Vitamins are a crucial part in maintaining a healthy condition of your hair. It’s a well established fact that the right vitamin regimen helps stop hair loss and significantly improves the over condition of hair.

Vitamins, in general, are a crucial part of maintaining good health condition. And the main source of vitamins is of course the food. And if the diet is poor on vitamins, it’s evident that the hair condition will be affected by your dietary choices. The statement “you are what you eat” applies here as well, and if there are certain deficiencies you will certainly observe their effects over some time.

So it’s logic that by adjusting your daily regimen and introducing more vitamins it will be easier to stop and reverse most forms of hair problems. It all takes a delicate balance of vitamins and minerals you should consume every day with your food.

But you have to understand that by taking only a single vitamin you won’t be able to stop hair loss. It requires all vitamins responsible for hair condition to be taken at the right dosage in order to gain any results. Besides, taking any vitamins in excess may also harm your health and worsen the hair condition. It’s a matter of taking the right amounts all the time. So you’ll definitely want to consult with your doctor or dietary specialist regarding the recommended daily dosage of all the right substances.

Virtually all vitamins of the A to E range have their own contribution to the healthy hair condition and if taken in right amounts will help stop and reverse hair loss just as effectively as drugs like Propecia.

However, in most cases hair loss takes place when there’s a deficiency of vitamins from the B group, including B6, inositol, biotin and folic acid. Vitamins B, B5 and B3 are also very crucial for maintaining good hair growth.

The following are the recommended daily dosages of vitamins that are important for healthy hair growth:

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is usually found in products like carrots, peas, beans, nuts, bran, soy beans, and eggs.

Vitamin B3 – 50 mg 3 times per day.
Vitamin B5 – 100 mg 3 times per day.
Vitamin B6 – 50 mg 3 times per day.

Biotin

Biotin can be consumed with foods like green peas, lentils, bulgur, brown rice, sunflower seeds, walnuts and brewer’s yeast.

Biotin – 50 mg 3 times per day.

Inositol

Inositol is important for healthy hair as well.

Dosage – 100 mg twice per day.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is usually found in citrus fruits such as oranges, lemon and grapefruit.

Dosage – 3,000 – 10,000 mg per day.

Vitamin E

Dosage: 400 IU at first and gradually increased to 800-1,000 IU per day.

Zinc

Dosage – 50 – 100 mg per day. Exceeding the dosage can be dangerous.

By maintaining a healthy balance of vitamins in your body you’ll definitely enjoy having healthy hair and skin. Besides, vitamins will also help regulate the internal functions of your body, which is beneficial for health in general. So it’s a good option to review your vitamin intake if you don’t want to start using Propecia for hair loss.

Types of heartburn

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

When it comes to heartburn you probably have already read and tried dome of the possible solutions, which range from simple dietary choices to prescription medications. Each person chooses the method they like the most and feel comfortable about. And of course, it also depends on the actual cause behind the unpleasant sensations in the chest. However, most people think that all heartburn is the same and there’s no big deal about when or how you experience it. But in fact, there is, and depending on the actual type of heartburn you will need different methods of heartburn relief to calm down the burning in your chest. So the next time you experience the unpleasant burning sensations ask yourself to which of the following type of heartburn it belongs to:

Summer heartburn

It may come as a surprise, but heartburn actually has a seasonal character among the majority of people experiencing it. This is especially common for regions with a substantial difference in seasons. Typical picnics, lazy days during the vacation, hot humid air, fatty and fast foods you eat instead of spending time in the kitchen – this all raises the likelihood of experiencing heartburn attacks. Of course, banning summer is not the best idea to avoid heartburn during this season, but you shout be more picky when choosing your foods if you don’t want to feel the heat in your esophagus as well.

Pregnancy heartburn

Pregnant women often complain about having heartburn. While pregnancy is certainly a wonderful time for any woman, it puts additional pressure on the female body and makes some systems work not as effectively as normally. In normal conditions, the muscle connecting the stomach to the esophagus known as LES (lower esophageal sphincter) prevents the food from being re-fluxed into the esophagus by the additional efforts of the diaphragm, which lies within the same plane as the LES. However, in pregnant women the enlarged uterus makes the LES move up a bit and place it out of line with the diaphragm, weakening its functions. So it is easier for the food to flow back into the esophagus and damage it with stomach acid – the direct cause for heartburn.

When it comes to relieving this form of heartburn the patient should be very cautious, especially when dealing with such potent drugs as Nexium. Remember that not all drugs are good for your baby, and any medical decision should be first discussed with your doctor. So it’s better to prevent heartburn in the first place rather than look for a cure afterwards. Eat in small portions, avoid foods rich with salt, acid and saturated fats. Don’t drink too much coffee, caffeined drinks or eat too much chocolate. Avoid eating in less than three hours before going to bed. This way it will be less likely for you to suffer from heartburn.

Nighttime heartburn

This is probably the most unpleasant of all types of heartburn. Besides the usual burning feeling, it seriously affects the quality of sleep and can also cause insomnia. The best solution to it would be avoiding any dinner before bedtime (at least 3 hours before going to bed) and keeping your chest slightly higher above your stomach in order to prevent natural food reflux. Using drugs like Nexium will also help.

Chronic heartburn

Sometime heartburn becomes a permanent problem. If you have constant heartburn that won’t settle for more than two weeks, it’s a case of chronic heartburn. This type of heartburn usually indicates serious underlying problems and can be a symptom of GERD and even certain types of cancer.