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Archive for January, 2009

Gluten-Wheat Sensitivity

31 Jan



In her mid-forties and enjoying a good career in real estate, Deirdre came to my office suffering from fatigue. She had been feeling sluggish, anxious, and prone to mood swings in addition to having diarrhea, nausea, and heartburn. She had also been wheezing and was taking a medication for nasal stuffiness. She had pursued many health avenues and programs, including allopathic medicine for relief of her symptoms, but nothing helped.

When a friend of hers suggested that she might be allergic to gluten and should consider seeing a holistic chiropractor, Deirdre was extremely resistant. Her faith in the medical profession was severely impaired and the thought of being examined by yet another doctor, even a holistic practitioner, made her want to run. But she continued to suffer and became so miserable that she decided to try an alternative route. Out of desperation, she came to my office. Taking all of her symptoms into account and noticing a rash on her skin, I assessed that the problem truly was related to celiac disease, an allergy to gluten.

Like most Westerners, Deirdre’s diet included muffins, bread, pasta, cereals, pizza and other wheat-containing foods. If she continued to eat foods that she was allergic to, she would continue to have symptoms, but with the simple natural holistic treatment steps I offered, her wheat-gluten-grain allergy was eliminated by the sixth session. This wasn’t an easy task because Deirdre was reluctant and doubtful. Dealing with her allergies had become part of her life and she had a hard time letting go and making changes.

I had her hold her arm up and affirm, “I am okay with letting go of my allergies.” Deirdre could not hold her arm up while speaking this statement, so I concluded that Deirdre had an underlying emotional connection associated with food. Through a holistic technique, she was able to access the memory of John Kennedy’s assassination. It seems she was so distraught over his death when she was eleven years old, that it affected everything she ate that day (mostly grains). Her memory in combination with her present day eating was the source of her hostile food reactions. Rationally, she said, it made no sense, but she took my advice.

A list of products that contain wheat or gluten:

Many of us don’t know why we feel fatigued, cranky, stuffy, or irritated. It is often because of the foods we eat-especially wheat grains.

The more obvious products that contain gluten are baked goods, bagels, biscuits, bread, cereal, cake, cookies, dinner rolls, doughnuts, crackers, dumplings, muffins, pancakes, pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, lasagna, etc.) pies, pizza, stuffing, and waffles. Less obvious are coffee substitutes, deep-fried or battered foods, ice cream cones, gravy or sauces that have been thickened, hamburgers, hot dogs, luncheon meats, malt, salad dressing, soy sauce, and soups.
Always read the ingredients on a product label to be sure they don’t contain flour, bran, wheat germ, wheat starch, gluten or any other substance you are allergic or sensitive to.

 
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Posted in Allergy And Sinus

 

Can My Dog Get the Flu?

30 Jan



Traditionally, the answer to the question of whether a dog can “catch” a cold flu has been no. While the most common symptoms of cold flu seen in humans can also appear in dogs, the source of sneezing, tearing and coughing was most frequently due to allergies. Allergic reactions to dust, plants, foods and other sources continue to be the primary reason that dogs cough, sneeze or have runny noses.

Recent diagnoses of a new virus categorized as dog cold flu have been made in the United States. Initial symptoms include cough and may progress to a fever and runny nose. Dog flu cases have been traced to exposure with other infected dogs in kennels, parks, veterinarian clinics or other locations where dogs visit in high numbers. Due to the novelty of dog cold flu, most dogs may lack antibodies necessary to resist the illness once exposed and thus acquire it readily. Just as in humans, dog cold flu is more contagious in those animals with suppressed immune systems due to recent illness or other disease states. In these animals, the progression of the disease to pneumonia, secondary infection or longer recovery periods are seen.

Dog cold flu should not be confused with the highly contagious “kennel” cough or bordetella. Unlike the viral cold flu, bordetella is caused by a bacteria and requires the use of antibiotics to resolve the associated persistent cough and fever.

The viral cold flu seen in dogs should be treated much like human cases with plenty of rest, fluids, proper nutrition and symptomatic support. Care should be taken to isolate the dog from other dogs to reduce cross infection to healthy animals as well as protect the sick dog from other diseases while the immune system is fighting the dog cold flu. Your veterinarian should be consulted for illness lasting more than a few days.

 
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Benefits of Royal Jelly – Natural Facelift in a Jar

30 Jan



The benefits of Royal Jelly are illustrious, including improving the conditions of arthritis, osteoporosis, high cholesterol, depression, weak kidneys, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, and maybe even reduces our risk of developing cancer. But, one of the most appealing benefits of Royal Jelly may be more a matter of vanity than health: the revival of youthful skin. This is not just youthful looking skin, which are the results of wrinkle injections or chemical scrubs. But instead, the benefits of Royal Jelly actually gives you youthful skin.

Over the past several decades, people have noticed the almost miraculous benefits of Royal Jelly on bees themselves. After all, the Queen lives 60 times as long as a worker bee and is 2 – 3 times as big. And the only difference between the two is that the Queen is fed Royal Jelly exclusively for her entire life, whereas the workers get it for only the first couple of days of their larva-hood, after which their diet becomes honey and pollen.

The Fountain of Youth?

In conducting research for more than a decade, the German Medical Association’s Dr. H.W. Schmidt concluded that the benefits of Royal Jelly were extremely helpful in rejuvenating the body’s cells. One of Dr. Schmidt’s most intriguing discoveries, especially in this era of aging baby-boomers, was that Royal Jelly rejuvenated tissue cells in elderly patients.

Royal Jelly is incredibly rich in collagen, a powerful anti-aging element that helps preserve the youth of the body, particularly the skin. The nucleic acids in the jelly have been shown to have an almost immediate and significant impact on wrinkles.

Youth Is More than Skin Deep

Honey in general, and Royal Jelly in particular, have been praised for decades for their healing success when treating a wide variety of rashes and skin-disorders, such as
hives, erythmatosis, seborrhea, and eczema. Some researchers claim that using Royal Jelly accelerates the healing process of burns, cuts, scrapes and infections, to half the normal time. Many doctors in the less-developed countries have been using honey-soaked gauze as wound dressings for decades.

Obviously, when an anti-aging discovery is made, it will excite a legion of graying baby boomers clamoring for it. Royal Jelly is no exception. Scientific and anecdotal evidence shows that the very same biological processes which bestow a measure of immortality on the Queen bee also work their magic on human cells, especially skin cells.

Of course, it’s probably too much to hope that we humans can enjoy the long life experience of Queen bees no matter how much Royal Jelly we consume (imagine 60 times a normal human life – 3,000 YEARS!), but the results are piling up that Royal Jelly helps us in the right direction.
Benefits of Royal Jelly from the Inside Out

Healthy skin is critical to our bodies. It is the first line of defense against infection. It is the bell-weather mechanism that alerts us to toxins and pollutants in our environment (that’s why we get rashes and such). Our skin shields us from radiation and heat. It covers all the muscles, blood vessels, bones and nerve tissue that are required for life itself. Just think how many times in a year you cut your finger or burn yourself. If you didn’t have a collagen-based bio-suit covering your body, those little injuries might be damaging to arteries or nerve tissue.

Therefore, having healthy skin is not just a great asset when it comes to looking younger, but it’s critical in helping us live healthy, disease-free lives. The benefits of Royal Jelly not only improve the youthful vigor of your skin, but works to strengthen your underlying health.

 
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Posted in Arthritis

 

Exercise Will Help Those Who Suffer From Arthritis

30 Jan



Arthritis is an ailment common to adults over 50, however, there are also cases when it afflicts even the younger generation. There are several forms of arthritis but one thing is common of them, they are diseases which cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons and bones.

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation caused by tissue injury or disease. And while many people use the term to refer to all rheumatic disease, arthritis is a condition on its own. For sufferers of arthritis, attacks will come frequent during cold weather and almost always, when it strikes, the sufferer wails in pain and becomes immobile until a temporary treatment is applied.

However, following an exercise program strictly designed for people with arthritis will lessen the pain and improve the condition of those afflicted with arthritis. Generally, exercise increases flexibility, endurance and muscle strength and reduces joint pain and stiffness. It also aids in weight reduction and contributes to the overall well being of a person.

People with arthritis are required to follow a comprehensive arthritis treatment plan. A treatment plan can include rest and relaxation, change in diet, intake of medication, exercise, information regarding the proper use of joints as well as ways to conserve energy, and the use of temporary pain relief methods.

Because not everyone suffers from the same kind of arthritis, it is best to consult a medical professional for advice on the type of exercises one should do with regards to his condition. This is so because an exercise program may not work with a particular type of arthritis, thus, a diagnosis still has to be made to ensure appropriateness.

How much an individual is required to do and what specific exercises should be done really depends on the joints that are affected. Also considered by medical experts before recommending an exercise program is the amount of inflammation, joint stability and joint history.

There are three major types of exercise that a person with arthritis can be required to do. The first of which is the range-of-motion exercises which maintain normal joint movements. It should be done daily to increase flexibility and relieve stiffness. Examples of this type of exercise is stretching and dancing.

The second type of exercise is called strengthening exercises. These exercises maintain or increase muscle strength. Having strong muscles is vital because it helps support and protects joints affected by arthritis. Ideally, strengthening exercises should be done every other day unless swelling is experienced. Strength training program varies for everyone depending on the type of arthritis involved, personal preference, and presence of inflammation. When doing strength training, correct positioning is critical to avoid further pain, swelling and possible muscle tears.

The third form of exercise is called endurance exercises. These exercises improve cardiovascular fitness, control weight and improve a person’s overall well being. These exercises must be done thrice a week for 20 to 30 minutes unless when one experiences pain.

Indeed, exercise will help people suffering from arthritis to cope with their condition.

 
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The Best Relief From Arthritis Pain

29 Jan



Arthritis means inflammation in the joints. Inflammation gives rise to pain, swelling, redness and increase in the temperature of the local area. This is of several types.

Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Gouty arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), Arthritis after Rheumatic fever- to name a few.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common arthritic disorder involving human being. By default, arthritis is referred to Osteoarthritis.

Knee or hip arthritis has affected more than 100,000 persons in the United States leading to so disablement that they are unable to move across the rooms. Even they are not capable to go to toilet. The basic reason behind OA is destruction of the articular cartilage of the joint spaces (the cartilaginous material that covers two ends of the bones forming a joint).

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs after bodily response to certain types of infection. It is a host-infection type reaction. RA (Rheumatoid arthritis ) factor gets increased in the body. The joints are mostly affected giving rise to pain and deformity.

There is deposition of Uric acid crystals in the joint spaces in Gout.

All the types of arthritis cause pain in the joint. And to get relief from arthritis pain, the following procedures are followed by the doctors. In the infants and adolescents, the specific type of arthritis occurs what is called JRA. JRA is genetically determined. Rheumatic fever also causes some specific types of joint deformity.

Reduction of weight- Osteoarthritis causes destruction of the articular cartilages. And if the person suffering is overweight, there will be more loss of cartilaginous tissues.

So the first and foremost criterion in virtually any kind of arthritis is reduction in the load of the joint. Weight reduction by various methods is very much helpful to achieve this. Only 24% of the patients suffering from the report that they are involved in some kind of physical activity. But sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk of other diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, and Coronary Artery Disease etc.

For this reason, doctors prescribe some form of free hand exercise initially to reduce weight in the patients suffering from Arthritis. Gradually, the amount and the magnitude are increased.

Pain relief from arthritis [http://www.arthritissymptoms.org/arthritis-pain-relief.htm] with Thermal modalities- hot fomentation is one of the commonest and age old treatment modalities. Various forms of hot fomentation techniques are available in the market. Hot water bath is the best method in regard to patient compliance.

Patient education- for effective pain control among the patients suffering from Arthritis, reassurance, encouragement, proper guidance towards useful pain relief and recommendations regarding actions to unload the arthritic joint may become fruitful in a comprehensive pain relief from it.

Medication- first line drug for any type of pain in the body is NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug). Drug therapy for arthritis is only palliative. Arrays of NSAIDs are available in the market. Still the first generations Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Diclofenac or the combination of these are prescribed by the doctors.

Modern Selective COX-2 selective inhibitors have proved their efficacy for successful pain control. Intra-articular injection of steroids is helpful to suppress the arthritic pain for a prolonged period of time although this is an invasive procedure.

Intra-articular injection of Hyaluroran is beneficial to relieve Osteoarthritis.

 
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An Introduction to Hearing Aids

26 Jan



Hearings aids have been around for centuries, in some form or another. They have provided relief for older people who have lost the ability to hear as clearly as when they were younger. Hearing aids also assist people who may have a hearing problem because of underlying medical issues. Hearing aids have a rich history, and have truly seen amazing advances over the past two centuries.

The first version of a hearing aid was invented in the early 1500′s. These early devices were crafted from wood and designed to look like the ears of animals known for excellent auditory perception. It was not until 1800, however, that hearing aids became a consumer product. Manufacturers then created trumpet hearing aids, but they only produced them on a very small scale. By the end of the 19th century, hearing aids were mass produced and very large in size. The first well-known product was a tabletop model and cost somewhere in the $400 range. Obviously, only the affluent in society could afford the model during this period.

Hearing aids amplify sounds, especially voice and speech, effectively so that the person has a better sense of what is being said to them. Although hearing aids have seen tremendous transformations over the years, the concept has remained the same. Most hearing aids still utilize basic principles to help the hard-of-hearing.

The three basic components of a hearing aid are microphone, amplifier and the receiver. The microphone serves as the reception device that captures sound waves. The microphone is responsible for taking auditory sounds (sounds that humans can hear) and converting them into electronic sounds that are detected by the amplifier. The amplifier takes the sounds transmitted from the microphone and makes them louder. Hearing aids are often designed for specific hearing needs; this is because amplifiers can “choose” which sounds to augment. In modern hearing aids, precision amplifiers often eliminate background noise. The receiver simply serves as a speaker function and converts sound waves from auditory to electronic.

 
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Various Types of Arthritis

23 Jan



Arthritis is a disease that causes pain and loss of movement of the joints. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), abnormal metabolism (such as gout and pseudogout), inheritance, infections, and for unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus). There are many forms of arthritis .There are about 200 different kinds of arthritis. The most common type is osteoarthritis (or degenerative arthritis), where the cartilage that protects the bones gets worn away. This makes joints stiff, painful and creaky. About 5 million people in the UK have osteoarthritis. OA is a chronic degenerative arthropathy that frequently leads to chronic pain and disability. With the aging of our population, this condition is becoming increasing prevalent and its treatment increasingly financially burdensome. Using radiographic criteria, the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints of the hand have been identified as the joints most commonly affected by OA, but they are the least likely to be symptomatic. Age is the most consistently identified risk factor for OA, regardless of the joint being studied. Prevalence rates for both radiographic OA and, to a lesser extent, symptomatic OA rise steeply after age 50 in men and age 40 in women. Occupation-related repetitive injury and physical trauma contribute to the development of secondary (non-idiopathic) OA, sometimes occurring in joints that are not affected by primary (idiopathic) OA, such as the metacarpophalangeal joints, wrists and ankles.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body’s defence mechanisms go into action when there’s no threat and start attacking the joints and sometimes other parts of the body. RA affects 2.1 million Americans, or about 1% of the adult population in the United States. This disease is 2 to 3 times more common in women than in men, and generally affects people between the ages of 20 and 50. However, young children can develop a form of RA called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Two of the 100 types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. There are specific symptoms, distinguishing characteristics, as well as overlapping symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. Rheumatoid arthritis is an additive polyarthritis, with the sequential addition of involved joints, in contrast to the migratory or evanescent arthritis of systemic lupus erythematosus or the episodic arthritis of gout. Occasionally, patients experience an explosive polyarticular onset occurring over 24 to 48 hours. Morning stiffness, persisting more than one hour but often lasting several hours, may be a feature of any inflammatory arthritis but is especially characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. Its duration is a useful gauge of the inflammatory activity of the disease.

Psoriatic arthritis is related to the skin condition psoriasis. It occurs more commonly in patients with tissue type HLA-B27. There are five clinical patterns of psoriatic arthritis. First is Asymmetrical mono- and oligoarticular arthritis (30-50% of cases) is the most common presentation of psoriatic arthritis. Second is symmetrical polyarticular arthritis (30-50% of cases) is ultimately the most common form of psoriatic arthritis. Third is distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint involvement (25% of cases) is nearly always associated with nail manifestationsm. Fourth is Arthritis mutilans is affects less than 5% of patients and is a severe, deforming and destructive arthritis. This condition can progress over months or years causing severe joint damage. Fifth is Axial arthritis (30-35% of cases) may be different in character from ankylosing spondylitis, the prototypical HLA-B27-associated spondyloarthropathy. It may present as sacro-iliitis, which may be asymmetrical and asymptomatic, or spondylitis, which may occur without sacro-iliitis and may affect any level of the spine in “skip” fashion. Genetic factors appear to play an important role. There is a 70% concordance for psoriasis in monozygotic twins. There is a 50-fold increased risk of developing psoriatic arthritis in first-degree relatives of patients with the disease. Environmental factors have been implicated. Streptococcal infection can precipitate the development of guttate psoriasis. HIV infection can present with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as worsen existing disease.

Gout is one of the most painful types of arthritis. Gout was once incorrectly thought to be a disease of the rich and famous, caused by consuming too much rich food and fine wine. Gout is a disease due to a congenital disorder of uric acid metabolism. Uric acid is produced when purines are broken down by enzymes in the liver. Purines can be generated by the body itself (via the breakdown of cells in normal cellular turnover) or can be ingested in purine-rich foods (e.g. seafood, beer). Gout usually attacks the big toe (approximately 75% of first attacks), however it can also affect other joints such as the ankle, heel, instep, knee, wrist, elbow, fingers, and spine. In some cases the condition may appear in the joints of the small toes which have become immobile due to impact injury earlier in life, causing poor blood circulation that leads to gout. Chronic gout can lead to deposits of hard lumps of uric acid in and around the joints, decreased kidney function, and kidney stones. An acute attack of gout is a highly inflammatory arthritis often with intense swelling, redness and warmth surrounding the joint. The inflammatory component is so intense, an acute attack of gout is often mistaken for a bacterial cellulitis. Gout is mainly treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. Corticosteroids (also called steroids), may be prescribed for people who cannot take NSAIDs. Steroids also work by decreasing inflammation. Steroids can be injected into the affected joint or given as pills. Colchicine is often used to treat gout and usually begins working within a few hours of taking it.

Septic arthritis also known is Pyogenic arthritis. Septic arthritis is infection, usually bacterial, in the joint cavity. Septic arthritis usually affects just one joint, though occasionally it may occur in more than one joint at a time. It is the most dangerous form of acute arthritis. The joint cavity is usually a sterile space, with synovial fluid and cellular matter including a few white blood cells. Many different types of bacteria (germs) can cause septic arthritis. Infection with a bacterium called Staph. aureus is the most common cause. Septic arthritis is inflammation of a synovial membrane with purulent effusion into the joint capsule, usually due to bacterial infection. This disease entity also is referred to in the literature as bacterial, suppurative, purulent, or infectious arthritis. The most common bacterial isolates in native joints include gram-positive cocci, with S. aureus found in 40% to 50% of the cases. Septic arthritis is uncommon from age 3 to adolescence. Children with septic arthritis are more likely than adults to be infected with group B streptococcus and Haemophilus influenza. Young children and older adults are most likely to develop septic arthritis. As the population ages, doctors are finding that septic arthritis is becoming more common. Symptoms of septic arthritis occur suddenly and are characterized by severe pain, swelling in the affected joint along with acute pain. Chills and fever are also common symptoms. Chronic septic arthritis (which occurs less frequently) is caused by organisms such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Candida albicans. The knee and the hip are the most commonly infected joints.

 
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The Benefits of Aloe in Pain Relief For Arthritis

23 Jan



Although arthritis won’t really kill you, it can literally cripple you. Arthritis causes a lot of limitations and cuts back even the most undemanding activities such as bathing, walking or dressing up. Because of intense pain in the joints, arthritis can be quite debilitating. Added to that, it’s also a recurring disease.

Arthritis affects many thousands of people every year and statistics show that one in every three adults over 40 suffer or will suffer from arthritis as they age. Arthritis has no specified age or gender parameter since arthritis can develop even in infants, but most sufferers begin to experience symptoms when they near their fifties, with more than 50% occurring before the age of 65. The sad thing about arthritis is that it can be debilitating both to the body and to one’s finances. It is estimated that arthritis can cost a single person a whopping $150,000 in medical or support treatment and lost wages during his or her lifetime.

The two most common types of arthritis that afflict the greater percentage of the population are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a condition that results from normal wear and tear of the knees, hips, or ankles since they bear much of the weight in the body. Arthritis also invades the shoulders and other highly mobile joints in the cervical and lumbar spinal regions. Like grease on joints and gears in a mechanical structure, synovial fluid maintains lubrication and ease of movement within our joints. It is also responsible for the overall health of the cartilage surrounding the bone interface. Synovial fluid inevitably shrinks with age and cartilage undergoes wear and tear with heavy use, eventually causing the bones to grind against each other. This grinding action is what causes arthritis pain and the difficulty in movements.

Rheumatoid Arthritis on the other hand is a condition brought about by the assault of anti-bodies on the synovial lining of the joints. Although these anti-bodies are produced by our own immune system, genetics, certain infections or environmental factors can trigger immune system upsets and cause destruction of the synovial membrane and the cartilage. Inflammatory conditions such as swelling, stiffness and pain manifest as a result of this. Rheumatoid Arthritis affects any age group, and this type of immunologically induced arthritis is also prevalent in other systemic illnesses such as Lupus and Scleroderma.

Symptoms of arthritis are not permanent – the disease is said to be active when inflammation is present and that period is known as a “flare”. When the symptoms go away, it is said that the disease is “in remission”. Remission can be accomplished through treatment or may occur spontaneously and may last for months or even years.

Conventional treatments for arthritis include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to relieve its painful effects. Typically, these come in the form of cortisone injections or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or what is commonly known as NSAIDs. These types of treatment bring pain relief, unfortunately they don’t repair the damaged tissues – hence relief is said to be merely symptomatic.

NSAIDs and steroids are also known to produce adverse effects. Most prominent of these are osteoporosis and some thinning of the skin. NSAIDs are also observed to increase the incidence of stomach ulcers.

No cure for arthritis has been discovered yet, but there is growing evidence that tissue repair and replacement can delay disease progression. In fact, this has been the focus of controversial stem cell replacement studies over the years. Whether or not stem cell replacement will eventually emerge as the cure for arthritis, it is a welcome relief to know that natural substances are available to relieve arthritis pain and discomfort, and slow progression of the disease – without the side effects.

One of the best known natural substances for its anti-inflammatory properties is Aloe Vera. Aloe generally provides analgesic relief and it has demonstrated positive results at immune system stimulation to speed up cell replacement and growth. Aloe Vera contains basic sugars which are also found in every cell of the body – it is rich in nutrients that include vitamins E, C, and the B series, as well as iron, manganese, calcium and zinc. Aloe Vera also contains essential amino and fatty acids needed by the body.

Possibly more than its nutritional benefits is the ability of Aloe Vera to help the body regenerate cells and repair damaged tissue. A breakthrough formulation combines aloe with glucosamine and chondroitin, two joint supplements that are building blocks of cartilage found within joints. Glucosamine increases fluid maintenance in the cartilage, while chondroitin, an ingredient of cartilage tissue, takes charge of drawing in fluids and nutrients. As we age, the body’s capacity to produce these natural elements of healthy cartilage is diminished, thus leading to painful joint conditions. Combined with Aloe Vera which aids in tissue repair and cell regeneration, natural relief for arthritis without the side effects may simply be found in a glass of naturally occurring substances!

 
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Understanding Psoriatic Arthritis

21 Jan



It is estimated that about 2 percent of all the Caucasian population in the United States suffer from a skin disease called psoriasis. An area of inflammation that appears raised, red and scaly characterizes psoriasis. The areas commonly affected with psoriasis are the scalp, tips of elbows and knees. This could also appear around the areas of the anus and genital areas. It is observed that 10 percent of people with psoriasis develop the associated joint disease commonly known as psoriatic arthritis. Additionally, about 30 percent of people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis similarly exhibits the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. However, this type of arthritis is related with the psoriasis of adjacent skin and nails. The symptoms of psoriatic arthritis are clinically similar with rheumatoid arthritis sans the rheumatoid nodules. Psoriatic arthritis often exhibits mild and irregular flare-ups with very little chances of developing into a crippling form of arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis doesn’t have sexual predilection as this equally affects both male and female between the ages 30 and 35.

Heredity plays an important role in a person’s predisposition to psoriatic arthritis. Yet, psoriatic arthritis starts when there is streptococcal infection, or trauma. Most often a psoriatic lesion paves the way for the development of the arthritic component. Joint and skin lesions often come back concurrently once the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis have come out completely. Symptoms include swelling, warmth, tenderness and limited movement. Psoriatic arthritis may affect a single joint or this can affect several joints in symmetrical manner. This is commonly seen in hand joints in association with psoriasis of the nails. The affected nails may appear discolored more often yellowish in appearance with pitting, traverse ridge and keratosis. The nail may be entire destroyed by the disease. During the later stages of psoriatic arthritis, patients may experience low back pain and spondylitis. Frequently, a psoriatic lesion is often found near the affected joint. Sometimes, these lesions may be hidden in such as the areas in the scalp and navel.

Most often, doctors give a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis to patients with psoriatic lesions and are suffering from inflammatory arthritis. Diagnosis is often backed up by X-ray results and blood tests. Psoriatic arthritis should be differentiated from gout by synovial fluid examination. Psoriatic arthritis lesions should not show any white crystals like gout does. Furthermore, it should be differentiated from septic arthritis by culturing synovial fluid for microorganisms.

Finally, patients with mild psoriatic arthritis should minimize mobility though complete bed rest. Heat therapy or hot baths will also be beneficial. Inflammatory drugs will help ease the inflammation. Patients with this type of arthritis should be reassured by the doctor that the psoriatic plaques are not contagious because these might keep him from going out with people. People around patients with psoriatic plaques should not show signs of repulsion, as these will only trigger the patient’s fear of being rejected. Skin care products are important and the patient should learn how to apply these medications to the skin correctly. However, these skin care products do have side effects and the doctor should be able to explain all these to the patient. The patient should take adequate rest and properly protect the affected joints. Moderate and regular exposure to the sun is also beneficial to patients with psoriatic arthritis.

 
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Where You Can Find Golf Training Aids?

21 Jan

Where can I find best golf aids? This is the most common question asked by the golfers. In this article you will find enough information about golf training aids. Your fellow golfers can tell you a lot about the best aids available in the market. It is a good idea to consult friends before buying something related to the game.

You can spend some time with golf pros as they know a lot about modern tips and techniques. You can subscribe to a popular golf magazine. In these magazines you can find articles written by the professionals. Best golf aids can be found online. On the internet you can find many stores selling golf aids. You can also go through some e-books written by professionals. There are many catalogues which can give information about best training aids. Sometimes best golf aids are available in the form of videos. Golf videos are very easy to understand. These videos can bring your game to a new level.

It is a good idea to discuss everything with your friends before buying anything new. Not all the products are effective. Always look for a reputed and old online store. For improving your game you should stick to a nutritious diet. Your diet should contain vitamins, minerals and fiber. In addition to nutritious diet you should work out regularly. A proper combination of exercise and diet can improve your performance in some days.

Regular practice is the key to better golf performance. A golf player should be strong physically and mentally.

 
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