September 04 2008

The Health Benefits Of Massage Therapy

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Massage is all a matter of touch. We are all sensual beings and as a result our bodies respond well to massage and human contact. When there is touch, more healing takes place.

These are some of known health benefits of Massage Therapy:

Improves blood circulation, thus allowing increased oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to treated areas including areas that have been injured or have experienced overexertion.

  • Helps to lower blood pressure. 
  • Aids in detoxification by propelling toxic waste products through the lymphatic system. 
  • Relieves stress and promote sense of well being. 
  • Relaxes injured muscles, reducing cramps, and muscle spasms 
  • Stimulates the release of the bodies’ natural endorphins which may aid in pain control. 
  • Provides increased exercise stretching for atrophied muscles. 

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September 04 2008

Help With Hemorrhoids

Most of us over the age of 30 have at some point in time suffered from hemorrhoids. They are one of the most common medical ailments suffered by both men and women. Generally 80% of those who suffer with hemorrhoids are able to treat them with over the counter preparations and a few lifestyle changes. For others who suffer with external hemorrhoids surgery may be needed.

Internal hemorrhoids are generally symptom free. The most common symptom is blood seen covering the stool or on toilet paper. It is when these internal hemorrhoids prolapse to the outside of the anus that they become extremely painful and troublesome.

Depending on the severity of your hemorrhoids you may be able to obtain relief with the following methods: A sitz bath. Sit in a few inches of warm water for fifteen minutes two to three times a day. When you wipe do not use toilet paper, use a pad or cotton ball moistened with witch hazel. You can purchase pre moistened pads in the drug store. You can use an over the counter cream to help lessen the burning and itching. Do not use it over the time specified by the manufacturer.

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September 04 2008

Hemorrhoid Facts And Treatments

In the medical world a hemorrhoid is described as an enlarged or swollen vein. Hemorrhoids are somewhat similar to varicose veins that develop in the legs, except that hemorrhoids are veins located in the anus. These veins cushion and protect the anal canal. Pain and problems occur when these veins are stretched and tear under pressure.

Hemorrhoids are a very common medical problem seen in both men and women, usually over the age of 30, with most suffering from hemorrhoids between the ages of 45 and 65 years old. It is estimated that more than a half million people seek treatment for symptomatic hemorrhoids each year in the United States. Of this half million hemorrhoid suffers, 10 to 20 percent will need surgical treatment.

Most medical professionals blame the formation of hemorrhoids on prolonged sitting on the toilet and chronic straining due to constipation. Hemorrhoids are also very common during pregnancy, due to the strain from carrying the excess weight of the baby.

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September 01 2008

Plantar Faciitis And Heel Pain Causes

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Plantar faciitis and heel pain causes are related to several possible reasons. Plantar faciitis is the tearing and subsequent inflammation of the plantar fascia ligaments on the bottom of the foot, which in turn causes foot pain. Or when repeated stress and strain occur on the heel bone and surrounding soft tissue, the body tries to protect itself by forming a bone spur.

Plantar faciitis pain is often felt at the front part of the heel on the bottom of the foot. The pain spreads along the bottom of the foot towards the toes. If the ligaments of the foot bottom have tightened up overnight due to inflammation, putting your weight on your foot to walk as you get out of bed in the morning becomes painful. The foot area that is tight is stretched as you put your weight on your foot, which causes a ‘hot’ pain that runs along the heel toward the toes. Or you may find that heel pain is only a problem after being stationary for a while, or late in the day or while doing certain kinds of activity.

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September 01 2008

Health, Vitality, and Courage

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During the dark years that followed my diving accident, I deviated from my wholesome eating habits. This deviation was partly due to my limited control over my diet, as I lived in a hospital or a group home. It was also due to my reduced health-consciousness. Largely disgusted with life, I was proportionally hedonistic and suicidal. I sought consolation in gustatory pleasure at the risk of undermining my health. To be more precise, I often overindulged my fondness for fatty and savory foods or sweet ones, with the result that I gained weight and lost my edge, that is, part of my vitality. This loss was ominous. It took a wealth of vitality to accept and overcome the difficulty of attaining happiness. The more I was devitalized and consequently weak, the more I was likely to be daunted by this difficulty.

Devitalization was the worst form of impoverishment. In a state of weakness, it was tempting to deny that happiness was possible or worth the effort and choose the easy option: idleness and carelessness or death. I never gave in to this morbid temptation, but my overindulgence in fatty and savory foods or sweet ones caused my vitality to lessen and my depression to worsen, thereby reinforcing my hedonistic and suicidal tendencies. I had entered a vicious circle, or rather a downward spiral that led to hell.

Fortunately, before it was too late, I became disgusted with my way of life, as opposed to life itself. I was less a victim of circumstances than a fool who brought about his own misery, on account of his negative attitude and self-destructive behavior. I began my uphill journey to wisdom and health.

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August 31 2008

Is Bad Breath A Sure Sign Of Gum Disease?

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The answer is no! While bad breath is a possible sign of gum disease, other common causes crop up as well. For example, tonsil stones can cause bad breath. Tonsil stones are created when decaying food debris collects in the crevices of the tonsils and becomes compacted into what are referred to as “stones.” You can have bad breath from tonsil stones without having any gum disease at all.

Post-nasal drip can also cause bad breath, as the discharged mucous provides a rich food for the anaerobic bacteria that cause bad breath, helping them to multiply rapidly. Again, this sort of bad breath isn’t by itself a sign of gum disease.

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August 31 2008

Skin Allergies

A skin allergy, or what is correctly called contact dermatitis, occurs when your skin comes in contact with something it is allergic to. There are many things that can cause contact dermatitis such as latex, hair dye, perfumes, make ups, bath powders and some household cleaning products. Latex skin allergies are becoming more common as latex is used in many products such as condoms, rubber bands, bathing suits and some toys. It is extremely important if you are allergic to latex that you advise your physician, dentist or any other healthcare worker so they do not use any latex based products on you. The most common skin allergens are poison ivy and poison oak. We all know someone who has come in contact with these in the garden at some point who have developed the painful and itching weeping blisters that accompany it.

Eczema is also considered a skin allergy. Eczema is generally an inherited trait and it usually starts in childhood. A eczema sufferer will have skin that is dry and itchy. There is sometimes also flaking and scaling of the skin and weeping blisters. Children who suffer from eczema are usually found to suffer from hay fever and asthma too.

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August 30 2008

UV Air Purifiers - The Complimentary Air Cleaning System

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UV air purifiers utilize a type of technology that is most effectively used in combination with other types of air purification systems. Ultra violet air purifiers are not air cleaning filters, in that they do not harvest harmful particulates from the air, like the HEPA or electronic systems. UV air purifiers are, however, an extremely useful addition to a more comprehensive air cleaning system.

UV air purifiers use certain types of ultra violet light to neutralize and destroy microorganisms that live in our environment, such as bacteria and viruses, which can potentially be very harmful, particularly to young children or older people, or family members who have already been compromised by another illness. UV air purifiers are also effective in dealing with mold, and the tiny toxins that mold spores release.

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August 30 2008

Ozone Air Purifiers - Damaging to Your Health

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Ozone air purifiers have been the cause of much recent controversy. Put forth by many manufacturers as a safe and effective way to remove odors from your home, many brands, including Prozone air purifiers, have come under fire from other authorities on indoor air cleaners, who claim that ozone is unsafe. And, unfortunately for the manufacturers of these ozone air purifiers, it would seem that the evidence piling up against them is rather weighty.

While many of us might not understand the workings of an ozone air purifier, we are all familiar with the term from environmentalists, who have been urging us for years to take steps against the depletion of the earth’s natural protective shield, the ozone layer. But because this substance is an important part of our planet’s outer atmosphere, this does not necessarily mean it is suitable for human exposure. And an increasing amount of evidence suggests that this is an argument in which ozone air purifiers should lose.

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August 30 2008

De-Stress Yourself With Oxygen, Water And Sunlight!

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Oxygen, water and sunlight are the most basic life giving elements on this earth. Without them we have no existence here, but our current lifestyles being so hectic, we seem to take it all for granted and not much thought goes into the fact that we need these elements daily to survive properly.

Our bodies are 70% water and we extract water from what we eat and drink. No doubt you’ve heard that you should drink eight glasses of water per day. This is true although some people may need even more than that. Water is what hydrates you. Drinks like coffee, sodas and alcohol will dehydrate you. Not to say that you should never drink them, but if you do, then drink extra water to make up for it.

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