Health Articles

As a suburban Optometrist performing eye exams every day, you see a lot of normal healthy eyes. And then someone will come along that shakes you up a bit and reminds us all of the value of regular checkups.

Case 1: A 46 year old lady came in to have her children’s eyes tested. After a little persuasion, she had her eyes examined too. She wasn’t going to because she felt fine, nothing was bothering her about her vision and gee, life is busy! It had been three years since her last eye examination with me.

The glasses examination (refraction) was all very straight forward. She did have great vision on the letter chart. However, when I looked inside her eyes I noticed a classic pattern on her retinas that indicates loss of neural tissue.

We did a computerised Visual Field Analysis to confirm that she has already lost up to 15% of her peripheral vision to Glaucoma. Remember that she felt fine and hadn’t noticed anything wrong. Glaucoma is insidious in this way. You have to lose a lot of vision before you can tell anything is out of the ordinary.

An eye exam will detect these changes much earlier and help you to save your vision. Glaucoma is treatable, loss of vision is preventable.

Case 2: A 78 year old woman was brought in by her daughter for an eye exam after breaking her glasses. No-one was quite sure when her last checkup was and she insisted the old glasses were fine, they just needed fixing.

On covering her right eye, she kept moving her head away from the occluder paddle to see around it. She had no vision in her right eye and she had not noticed.

How does that happen? Most people usually use both eyes together and wouldn’t even think to check their vision in each eye separately. She had advanced cataract in the right eye and a medium level in the left eye. Fixing her glasses was unfortunately not going to help anything!

I referred her for cataract surgery to a local Ophthalmologist and now she has her vision back. She can read, watch tv and do the crosswords. What a difference! Why go blind when it can be so easily helped?

Case 3: A 42 year old man came in for a checkup and to get some reading glasses for the first time to help with seeing the fine print and on the computer.

During the examination, I noticed an interesting colored lump at the far edge of his iris (colored part of the eye). With a sinking feeling, the thought in my head was “Melanoma” Oh no.

Melanoma is a very active type of skin cancer that you can also get within the eye, at the front or at the back on the retina. As these lesions are usually detected quite late, it often means the eye needs to be removed.

I referred him for an ultrasound and photography of the lesion. We were both so pleased when it came back that it was only a mole. Just like moles on the skin, they require monitoring for changes to detect it quickly if it does turn cancerous. He now has annual eye exams to “keep an eye on it” and to keep his eye.

The practice of going to spa may have started during the ancient times when an ailing family member is travelled to hot springs or ancient towns famous for mineral waters believed to cure some illnesses. Today, modern day spa is believed to have rooted from the practices of people dating back from the early nineteenth century.

The magnitude as to the benefits of spa to mankind is insurmountable. As the ancient Chinese have their form of Chinese medicine, the modern day medicine also believes in the therapeutic value of spa. As the arrival of the20th century was welcomed with great approval, the amounting stress was faced with great disdain.

A working mother with an 8 to 5 job does not end working after office hours as her job being a full-time mother starts the moment she goes home. Despite having aching leg muscles, she tirelessly goes around to manage and prepare her household for her family. With all the unending sacrifices she does, it is only fair enough to pamper her once in a while with the luxury of going to a spa.

Time has proven that going to spa improves emotional well-being. Aromatherapy recipes which are combinations of many different fruits, herbs, flowers and essential oils such as chamomile, jojoba, lavender, grapefruit, lemon and others are used and incorporated in various relaxation techniques and procedures to alleviate stress physically and mentally. Lavender oil, which has long been used in perfumery, has a calming effect that aids in stress reduction and alleviation of anxiety. Chamomile, Russia’s national flower, when made into a tea, served with lemon or honey, is believed to induce sleep and is commonly served after a massage session.

Aromatherapy alleviates a number of physical symptoms such as arthritis, menstrual cramps, minor bruises, stuffy nose and among others. Chamomile, for example, known for its anti-inflammatory, sedative, antimicrobial and healing effects alleviate arthritic pains while eucalyptus is used to relieve nasal congestion and primarily used in making cough medicines because of its antitussive effects and cooling effects.

Aside from improving emotional and physical well-being, enhancing beauty and promoting hygiene and skin care, aromatherapy recipes are also uses in various household chores. Combined with the right ingredients, herbs and essential oils can be made into different fragrances as air fresheners, deodorizers, potpourris and others. Vinegars, for example are used as deodorizers and fabric softeners while lavender, ylang ylang and chamomile are best as sprays for beddings and carpets.

Aromatherapy, thus, does not only serve to make you beautiful in and out but also contribute to an orderly and peaceful leaving. As the condition of your mind is reflected through your physical appearance and the way you deal with the people around you, it is best that you pamper yourself to promote your inner beauty because beauty comes from within.

A lot of individuals have difficulties with grinding their enamel and they do not understand it until a dentist points out to them how damaged their enamel have grow to be. You are able to grind your tooth whilst you might be sleeping as well as whilst you might be awake and it frequently a lengthy and unconscious habit. There is not a singular trigger for it–we is going to be looking at some of the numerous leads to in this article.

A lot of children begin to show signs of tooth grinding when they’re young and, if you do not catch it, they’re probably to continue doing it when they’re adults. Youngsters who suffer from issues like hyperactivity and ADD are more probably than “normal” youngsters to create enamel grinding. This could possibly be simply because they’ve too much nervous energy. Occasionally, nevertheless; it may be the medication prescribed to these children for these issues that brings about them to begin enamel grinding. Some medications, such as drugs generally given to children with ADD, for instance Ritalin, are identified to trigger tooth grinding. Even professionals aren’t often positive what brings about tooth grinding in each case, but if your child has this habit, it’s best to attempt to locate a method to treat it so he or she does not create dental difficulties from it. You will find some experts within the healthcare field who think that having deficiencies of vitamin can contribute to enamel grinding. It has been shown that calcium deficiency and magnesium deficiency can result in enamel grinding. Whilst this hasn’t been proven by professionals, it’s nevertheless true that your diet affects your dental wellness so it could nonetheless be achievable. Furthermore, it really is nicely identified that anxiety is really a significant factor in enamel grinding and that not having correct diet can lead to emotional issues and raised tension levels so it follows that improving your diet can cut down on your anxiety and your enamel grinding. You are able to improve your vitamin and mineral intake both from food and supplements if you believe this really is contributing to your tooth grinding but it really is best to talk to your physician about your nutritional requirements.

As soon as in a whilst enamel grinding could be caused by worms like pinworms and intestinal parasites. This occurs more frequently in countries where there is not a great deal of great drinking water however it may also take place elsewhere. In reality, some alternative well being practitioners think that parasites are far more prevalent than is generally believed, and this can result in a range of symptoms, aside from enamel grinding. You will find plenty of tests that will be done to tell you regardless of whether or not this will be the trigger of your enamel grinding and if you know someone who has this issue (particularly if you are their relative) you ought to get the tests done on your self as well. Although parasites can trigger a lot of issues, you will find also plenty of techniques to get rid of them as soon as they’ve been identified.

Enamel grinding can have an array of determinants and may be linked to physical or emotional matters. The essential thing would be to attempt to identify why you’re doing it and then come up with an successful plan of treatment. The suggestions mentioned above, which pertain to the determinants of tooth grinding can aid you in discovering out why you’ve got this condition.

This well-famed alternative and complementary type of medicine known as reflexologist was already being established way back then. Indeed it had made its line of antiquity. It was performed in various countries before with the same belief that the process can induce a healing power. It could be stipulated that this is repeatedly practiced for more than a thousand of years. There are also people who have leaded the way, developed and erected a firm groundwork for the alternative science of reflexology as we have acknowledged in the present day.

Time line of reflexology

Have you ever wondered where the alternative science of reflexology even started? Have you yet asked how it was discovered and how it was laid into practice? Have you queried how it was popularized?

An evidence of its root is being stipulated in the discovery of the Egyptian tomb way back 2300 B.C. During those times, reflexology is being practiced in the way of massaging, stimulating, touching and applying pressure on the feet. This practice was seen through an image in a physician’s tomb. The evidences were seen and proven real in the inscriptions located in the physician’s tomb. It was purely hieroglyphics that when decoded is says, “Do not hurt me”. And the retort of the medical practitioner was, “I shall act so you praise me.”

Chinese men has also been practicing this maneuver even before. They believe that there are blockages in the human body that impedes the free flow of energy that gives vigor to life. Their remedy is reflexology.

In recent times, researches and studies concerning the scientific foundation of reflexology started in the 1990’s mutually in Europe together with Russia. The famous Ivan Pavlov was granted with a Nobel award due to his discovery on the science behind reflex remedy. He discovered that any pressure or stimulus on a certain body area can influence the vigor of another. He further contended that there is a common connection between the function of the brain and organs internally. Pavlov’s discovery gave birth to another theory of a great weight on science. It is said that there are messages being radiated from the brain towards the body organs that could lead to a dysfunction or impediment in the vigor and health of an individual.

How “Reflexology” Came to Existence?

• Another theorist, Vladimir Bekterev coined in the term reflexology way back in 1917. This is to improve the practice through the experimentation of different reflex reactions. He contested the fact that there are energy fields in the human body that are being radiated thereby creating specific positive responses on the health when the pressure points are stimulated.
• In the United States of America, the fame of reflexology is owed to Eunice Ingham. She is a good psychotherapist in the period of 1950s. Due to the fact that they were devoid of formal schooling and licensing to be able to perform this complementary alternative medicine, queries have been boiled up asking the issue of whether or not reflexology is a legitimate and scientifically approved method of healing.

In these modern days, reflexologist could be found to render massage and acupressure services. They are employed in spas, wellness and health care centers as well as hospitals and small clinics. Indeed, with reflexology, one can achieve full relaxation with an addition of a bunch of health benefits to improve your vigor and strength.

The numbers are alarming – nine out of ten Americans have headaches. Whether they present themselves with throbbing insistence or a dull ache, headaches may also prompt nausea and pain. For many people, the pain can be so excruciating that it may interfere with their daily lives.

In trying to cope with the pounding headache, some people just lie down, pop a pill and grin and bear it until the pain stops. All they hope for is pain relief. Yet, there really is a better alternative. After all, the pain is likely to return once the medication wears off.

Research findings show that spinal manipulation, as provided by doctors of chiropractic, is an effective treatment for tension headaches and those headaches that have their origin in the neck. Spinal manipulation is able to provide significant, long-term improvement for headaches that originate in the neck, with little or no side effects. When compared with the results of commonly prescribed medication, the long-term results of spinal manipulation are even more encouraging.

Study after study corroborates the employment of spinal manipulation as an effective treatment for tension headaches. After a mere four weeks of chiropractic care, headache sufferers report sustained therapeutic benefit – a benefit that stands in stark contrast with the temporary results of medication-based care.

The Causes of Headaches
There are many triggers that can induce a headache. Environmental factors such sounds, stress, and off-putting lights can be triggers for some and allergic reactions to certain types of foods may affect someone else. Other triggers can stem from everything from insomnia, too much exercise, or blood sugar fluctuations. Of all headaches, around 5 percent of them are indications of some other physical problem.

The majority of headaches are known as primary headaches, which are not disease-related. That is, they can be tension, migraine, or cluster headache. In these cases, the headache itself is the problem. Most primary headaches are linked with muscle tension in the neck region. As a result of sedentary activities and lifestyles, more hours are spent in fixed postures and/or positions. As such, joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp may occur. This leads to the type of headaches most people experience.

To prevent headaches before they even start, here are a few tips:

If you spend a good amount of time in front of a computer, driving, or generally sitting down for extended periods (i.e. in a fixed position);

• Make sure to stretch every half an hour or so. These stretches should include turning your head in various positions.
• Make sure to exercise, but avoid overdoing it. Low-impact types of exercise are helpful because they relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. Heavy exercise routines, however, can worsen dull, throbbing headaches. Low-impact activities such as walking and moderate aerobics are especially recommended.
• Do not clench your teeth! Unless you are swallowing, your upper teeth should never touch your lower one. Gritting your teeth brings stress to the temporomandibular joints (TMJ). These two joints connect the jaw to the skull. When they are stressed, the TMJ may become irritated, prompting an onset of a tension headache.
• Make sure to drink at least eight glasses of water (8-ounce glasses) per day. This helps prevent dehydration, which is also known to cause headaches.
• Refrain from slouching, reading with a bent neck, and working on the computer for prolonged periods without breaks. Instead, take frequent breaks from sitting down, keep your computer or reading material at eye level, and watch your posture.
• Eat a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet. Studies show that these diets can lower the intensity and frequency of migraine headaches.
• Stretch your neck as often possible.

The Role of Chiropractic Care

If you suffer from primary headaches on a recurring basis, your doctor of chiropractic may do the following:

• Perform chiropractic adjustments (spinal manipulation) to help improve spinal function and reduce the overall stress on your system.
• Offer tailor-made nutritional advice, with dietary recommendations. Taking B complex vitamins may also be helpful.
• Provide you with a gamut of precise tips on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercise, and relaxation. This should help reduce joint irritation and tension in the upper back and neck muscles.

Doctors of chiropractic are trained experts. Their range of expertise gives them ample knowledge on how spine tension relates to problems in other parts of the body. Chiropractic doctors also have the knowledge tools to relieve those problems.

The temporary users of wheelchairs are generally patients nursing an accident injury. They cannot let the injury come in the way or work, if it takes longer duration to heal. Hence they may have to traverse the work place in wheelchairs and may have to use the accessories like the lifts and ramps. The other scenario wherein a wheelchair user might want to visit your house calls for the arrangement of ramp and the user may not be carrying one. The availability of the second user market, for the various accessories and wheelchairs, offers the convenience to rent the ramp for such situations.

Finding the dealer in the used ramps is no difficult task now-a-days. One can find many ads in the newspapers. The internet users have the convenience of browsing the required information from the comfort their wheel chairs. Many online sellers offer discounts, warranty and other features. Hence the harrowing task of identifying the necessary ramp becomes easy with the internet. Before choosing the rental company, one must decide the model of ramp required.

The type required might depend on the usability of it. If it need not be moved anywhere, then the stationery ramps are a good choice. If the portability of the ramp is sought, then one can go for the suitcase wheel chair ramps. There are also the other types available called the pathway and modular ramps. The details like the functionality and usability of the different types can be had on the internet very easily. Hence choosing the type required is also not a difficult task now.

One can order online, or call and place an order for the wheelchair. One must not forget to give the necessary information like address, the date by which the ramp is needed, the type of payment mode you are choosing and the likes. The charge may vary for each type of ramp, depending on the size of it. Some companies provide quick service and get it installed within few hours. It generally takes 24 hours to service the request. When the purpose of it has been served, one can request for the company to pick it from the place of residence or the use of it. They might send a contractor to uninstall the same and take it away. The ones who cannot afford to rent them can contact the insurance company to locate a Medicaid or Medicare representative

There are many types of acne and they can be a major problem that affects people all over the world from teenagers to grown ups. It is more common during adolescence and affects more than 90% of the teenage population which some of us carry into adult life. It affects a particular gland which is sensitive to oil or waxy rich areas of the skin, this gland becomes blocked which in turn causes blackheads, white-heads, pimples and can cause scarring, It affects mostly the skin which has the most density of oil or wax in the follicles which happens to include areas of the face and upper body.

In adolescence acne is often caused by and increase in sex hormones which both male and female genders get during puberty. For most of us skin acne will diminish over a period of time and will tend to disappear or decrease after we reach our early twenties, but there is no way of telling how long it can take to clear entirely and some people can carry acne vulgaris well into the thirties, forties or even beyond. Skin acne can make you feel embarrassed by the ugly spots, blemishes and the red itchy skin which then makes you want to scratch or squeeze which will then could in turn cause scarring and leave side effects that are psychological causing you to lose your self-esteem and in some cases depression or even worse suicide. Acne usually appears in our teenage years when we are at our most insecure, early and maybe over aggressive treatments can be taken by some people to try to lessen the overall impact that the condition causes when individuals find themselves affected.

There are many different types of acne.

The first symptoms are tiny, tender little red spots that can later turn into pimples which contain fatty acids; it may disappear over a short period, or may last a few days to a few weeks depending on how severe the condition affects a person. Work situations such as working in a damp environment or a place with oil, grease and other certain chemicals will further exacerbate the problem. Squeezing the spots or picking at the pimples will also aggravate the skin and can intensify the situation. There are hundreds of acne solutions or skin care products out there which can cost a lot of money and don’t always do what they say. Most of them will have some form of chemical in them, which can worsen the acne and blemishes. There are plenty of old wives tales about what can cause this skin condition, eating the wrong sort of foods such as chocolate or greasy foods, but lots of people eat these and they don’t get spots, research shows that no foods actually cause people to have acne but choosing the foods you eat and drink carefully can ease the symptoms.

Another one is that having dirty skin causes it, but there has been various researches done which shows this to be untrue, however people who already have this skin condition report that being stressed can actually make it worse. There are many different types of acne and many solutions on how to cure acne but it is accepted that we can only ever treat its condition and effects as the condition will be manifesting itself for many years to come.

People that suffer from allergies always get to pay more attention to what they eat what they use for cleaning or even stay away from flowers. Since modern technology has evolved a lot, allergy is not that much a problem these days.

However, choosing the best allergy relief is not so easy. Whether the it comes in a spray, nose drops or pills, it has to be easy to be carried around and very efficient. In other terms, it has to work in just 10 minutes after taking. An allergy treatment that is very efficient can’t be only made from natural ingredients. This is why in choosing the best one must consider the other substances used to treat his allergy.

In some cases, the allergy has no particular treatment, so the patient has to constantly be alert and protect his body from harmful factors.

Since the allergy can be caused by high levels of toxic substances in the body, such as resulted from a bad diet, a good relief can refer to a detoxification diet and life style. In such cases, it is significantly reduced and can even be cured.

The important thing is though for the person to maintain the same healthy life style or the allergy might return. Allergy relief treatments can sometimes have a curative effect too, but only if the manifested allergy is mild and kept under observation. Any allergy manifest is a way of the body to show that something is not right. All this signals should not be first blocked with an allergy treatment, but should be investigated by a doctor. Many people just presume that they have allergy to something and buy an allergy relief even if they don’t need it. The most dangerous thing about this practice is the fact that the body can develop immunity to the medicine.

If the allergy was in its early stages of development, and a particular allergy treatment could have stopped it, the patient will no longer recover because its body had already acknowledged the substance and thus, the allergy relief will lose its effect. As so, the best way to get any type of allergy symptom treated is by checking in with a doctor first. This is the only person that can prescribe an allergy relief or an allergy treatment for you. Even in cases of mild allergy, the allergy treatment you are willing to take has to be first looked up by a doctor.

Comparing medical files and medical problems that you had in the past can be a very important factor in choosing the correct allergy treatment. Obviously, you cannot do this, so it’s best to let the doctor decide. The medicine market is packed will all sorts of allergy relief drugs. In such a variety, only authorized personnel can tell you what’s best for your body. Thus an allergy treatment has to be chosen by a doctor, according to your special needs and of course taking into consideration other medicine that you take.

Congratulations. You have started your fitness program. It’s new, challenging, and exciting. You feel like the decision is a step in the right direction. Here are a few smart nutrition tips to help guide the eating process in your fitness program.

• Drink Water. Drinking water can never be overstated. Water assists in the removing of waste products from the kidneys. It also plays a role in burning fat. Use water as a food suppressant strategy before meals. If you drink a glass of water 30 minutes before your meal, you may eat less because water makes you feel full. Water can be abused. Make sure you drink sensibly. Try taking a water bottle with you and sipping on it throughout the day. Shoot for a goal of drinking half your body weight in ounces as a guideline.
• Eat 4-5 small meals. Eating 4-5 meals a day gives your body a few advantages. Spreading those meals out over a 2.5 – 3 hour period provides nourishment to your body over short scheduled time frames. Eating along this type of schedule increases your metabolism as it causes your digestive system to work to digest food intake. Eating 4-5 small meals is particularly beneficial for ensuring that your blood sugar is in balance. Not eating for long periods of time causes the body to reach for its protein stores as opposed to its fat stores to feed upon. This greatly hinders the weight loss and the process of building muscle.

• Eat healthy fats. Eating healthy fats such as flax seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, and walnut oil, provide you with omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 is known for its ability to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, inflammation, and depression. Adding 1-2 servings of salmon, mackerel, or few eggs to your diet can provide you with this valuable unsaturated fatty acid.
• Eat 1-2 fruits daily Fruits play a vital role in our diets. Fruits have fiber. The benefits associated with are many. Fiber helps us to regulate blood sugar and our waste products. It is also been effective with cholesterol and triglycerides that can lead to heart disease. There are more benefits, but these 3 alone highlight the value of adding fiber to your diet.
• Drink 1-2 shakes While the preferred method of ingesting calories is to have “real food”, the reality is that some situations are not conducive to sitting at a table and eating a regular meal. One effective solution to this dilemma is to use 1-2 meal replacement shakes. This method provides you with a few advantages. The first advantage is convenience. The shakes come in packets or in a container where calorie and nutrients are already prefigured in a scoop serving. Second, it takes away the need to sit down and have a formal meal. While it may be less appealing than preparing a meal, it is an effective substitute in curbing hunger.Starting a new fitness regimen doesn’t have to be difficult. Incorporating these smart nutrition tips can provide you with a valuable consumption guideline to complement your overall fitness objectives.

Bicycling has forever been considered as a superior exercise form. It gives you a workout by your wants, and carries you where you wish: the wood trails, the community park, or just about the block. As such, you get to enjoy the new sight as you cycle by. But when you want exercise yet is not able to leave home for whatever grounds, there is always the stationary bike. The exercise bike would give you as effective a workout as a regular bike, and as for the novel views, there is always the teevee or DVD player. The question now is which is the best alternative: an erect or a lounging bike.

How they compare
Apart from having only one wheel, an upright stationary exercise bike is formed similar to a regular bike. The rider sits erect as on a regular bicycle saddle, holding onto the handlebar, leaning a little forward. In contrast, with a reclining bike, the rider sits on a more comfortable, bigger and normally bucket-shaped seat situated after the wheel, while sprawled back. Here the seating pose and level usually are modifiable to match the rider’s bodily dimensions.

Concerning the effects
When driving in a regular bike and sitting on the saddle, the rider’s pose is a spot bent as the handlebar is forward. Hence the vertebrae is curved while its position is unusual, and the torso’s weight is set on the buttocks. Also, if he should arise to pedal better, the torso’s weight gets placed on the knee joints, adding stress and at times, pain.

These atypical positions are not taken up in exercising on a recumbent exercise bike. In pedaling, the rider employs just the muscles of his legs to exercise on the bike, and the trunk is supported by the reclining backrest and wide seat. This posture is apt for people with back difficulties, knee injuries, and obese persons just initiating their exercise program.

Which muscles get strengthened
While the upright and recumbent biking systems burn off calories and develop muscles, they differ a little in both issues. In the standard and upright exercise bike, the rider builds up usually only the quadriceps or the muscles in front of the upper legs, and the calves, those back of the lower legs, that he typically utilize to work the pedals.

Meanwhile, riding the recumbent exercise bike develops the same muscles as those improved by the upright bike, but also the hamstrings (back of the thighs), the stomach muscles if the position is fine-tuned accordingly, and the muscles in the buttocks.

The two methods of fixed exercise bikes vary only in minute ways, but they vary. Thus if you are planning to acquire one you could discover it is difficult to form a conclusion. So it is wise and prudent to check each form in a gym ahead of buying either, only to know which is more apt. But do not be surprised if you find you like the recumbent bike better. As many others did.