About Eczema: Conventional Versus Natural Treatment

Eczema is an inflammation of the skin frequently seen in association with allergic conditions such as asthma and hay fever. The parts affected by eczema, develop lesions which will often appear as patches, blisters and/or scratches. The vicinities affected by eczema are very itchy and uncomfortable. The affected areas may become abnormally thick. Thickening of the skin can be brought through trauma to the patches from scratching and rubbing. The affected spots will be typically dry in comparison to unaffected areas. The face, elbows, behind the knees, wrists are more likely to develop eczema than other body parts.

One of the major causes of eczema is the imbalance in a person’s immune function and is probably a form of response to the environmental substances such as dust, pollution, yeast, cosmetic products, chemicals such as: detergents, oils, greases, solvents at home or in the work place. In addition, stress can cause a depletion of certain body nutrients (vitamins and minerals), which ultimately leads to a sensitivity towards eczema.

Corticoid creams containing hydrocortisone are the most common conventional treatment for eczema. Hydrocortisone is similar to a natural hormone secreted by adrenal gland, which controls the inflammation process and actively participates in the ionic body balance. The hydrocortisone creams are effective for reducing inflammation, swelling, redness and itching thereby allowing the affected area to heal. In spite of temporarily reducing the effects of eczema, these creams can lead to skin thinning and damaging. At high doses or at low doses for extended time the hydrocortisone can accumulate through the body and induce metabolic changes in salt and water balance, potassium and calcium balance and increases the blood sugar level. The reasons for accumulation are multiple. One important cause is the competition between the naturally secreted hormone and the topical hydrocortisone for the same receptors, which can raise the uncoupled hormone level. Another important cause is the steroid structure of the hormone, which makes elimination through the kidney difficult. The corticosteroid creams have to be used with a low dose of hormone and for short period of time as sometimes indicated on the label. On the other hand, sudden discontinuation of the corticosteroid cream can lead to the worsening of the eczema.

Herbal therapy is a mild but long lasting alternative for eczema treatment. Many herbs are known for their beneficial qualities in the treatment of eczema such as: Burdock, Calendula, St. John Wort, Chamomile, Chickweed, Yarrow, Nettle, Licorice. They can be used as teas, tinctures or for topical treatment.

Since eczema is a complex skin disease one single herb is not enough to relieve the symptoms of the eczema or eradicate the disease. A complex mixture of beneficial herbs is more likely to succeed in the treatment.

The antioxidant therapy has been successfully used in the prevention and treatment of different skin diseases, which usually are characterized by a high percentage of free radicals at the site of the affected areas. A good example of natural antioxidants is Sea Buckthorn and Grape seed oils. They contain a wide range of antioxidants such as vitamin E, A, C, selenium, beta carotene, anthocyanidins, which can be beneficial in the case of eczema and other skin disorders.

In conclusion: Natural alternative may be longer than the conventional solution for eczema treatment but much safer for the skin and health in general.


Tags: eczema, skin ailment, natural remedy, antioxidant, healing herbs

About Contact Lenses

Working population of today's times have the buying capacity in their hands. They prefer looking good and like to be admired by others. Simplicity itself is no more simple and emerging trends in the fashion world have proved the same. Mixing and matching the eye color with the clothes worn or increasing the face value by changing the tone of eyes in accordance to skin are the latest style statements. Women today are no more afraid to try different shades of eyes like Grey, Blue, Green, Orange and many others. For them different eye colors reflect boldness and carefree attitude that could be easily flaunted.

The most important and probably the most tedious work is that of cleaning the contact lenses. Thanks to manufacturers today cleaning them have become easier with the help of new cleaning solutions flooding the market. But this in any circumstance does not refer to you being careless towards handling of your lenses. Eye is a sensitive region and thus it becomes mandatory to be careful about anything and everything that is associated with them. For women who wear eye makeup the task of cleaning and protecting the lenses becomes even more daunting.

Women who wear eye makeup must be careful about certain things. Here are few tips to make your eyes feel and look good without sticking the makeup in your lenses. Before you put contact lenses in your eyes make sure you have washed your hands thoroughly. This would help you avoid transfer any dirt and germs to the contact lens. You must wear your lenses before applying eye make up this helps avoiding the transfer of any creams, oils and lotions to the lens. Try using non-allergic makeup. There are several brands in market offering eye friendly products. It is better to use cream eye shadow than powder as former would not fall into eyes as compared to latter. However, even creams can be irritating if they make it to your eyes. It is better to make use of water based creams than oil based ones. But if you still have to use powder then close your eyes and brush the excess powder off before opening the eyes. This way you would be able to keep it out of your eyes & protect your lenses. Eye liner must be applied to exterior of eyes than interior while using contact lenses. Avoid mascara however if you wish to apply the same make sure you do it carefully over your eye lashes and not bump the brush in your contact lenses. For removing eye makeup wash your hands throughly and carefully remove the contact lenses without touching any makeup. Now use your eye makeup remover to get rid of it.


Tags: Contact Lenses

A Sure Way To Get Rid Of Your Back-Ache Problem

I know how terrible it can be for you at nights and even when you wake up. The burning back pain you experience can be a terrible problem.

I know that because of this burning pain, you hardly get all the sleep you need at nights.

You are not alone... and thankfully there are workable solutions that you can use to not only prevent future causes, but also solve the present back pain you are experiencing.

Experts have agreed that the kind of mattress you sleep on plays a very important role in back pains suffered by most people.

There are some mattresses that do you a lot of harm when you sleep on them. And the fact that you spend many hours EVERYDAY on such mattresses will only mean one thing!

You are only spending more time hurting your back...without your knowledge.

To solve this problem you should check the kind of mattress you are sleeping on. By simply changing the mattress for a better type, like a memory foam mattress, you can help to completely eliminate the problem of back-pain from your life.

Over 20 years ago when they were invented by NASA, memory foam mattresses have stood the test of time. Today, many people like you with back problems use memory foam mattresses and it helps them when they sleep.

Memory foam mattresses work by giving you a natural position when you sleep, so that you don't experience any pressure points. Back pains are mostly a result of sleeping at the wrong position at night, either due to the poor quality of the mattress or due to your wrong sleeping position.

Memory foam mattresses handle both of these problems.

So, if you want to end your back pain nightmare, you should try a memory foam mattress.


Tags: memory foam, mattress, pillow, memory foam mattress, memory foam pillow, sleep, foam

A Remedy For Seasonal Allergies

Are you one of the millions that suffer from allergies? Are you looking for information on allergy remedies? If you are a chronic victim of the distressing effects of allergies then it’s high time you found an effective allergy remedy. There are several allergy remedy medications available on the market.

In order to effectively treat your allergies, you need to find the allergy remedy most aligned with your symptoms and needs. You have several avenues to choose from when searching for an allergy remedy. These avenues include: home remedies, allergy medication, environmental modifications, and a consultation with an Allergist.

Let’s start with home remedies. Home allergy remedies were used before allergy medications surfaced on the medical scene. Be wary of many home remedies. Many of these remedies are based on “old wives tales”.

However, there are some steps you can take at home that do work. For example, if you have an allergy to pollen you can minimize its effects by washing your clothing and hair when come home. Make sure to do this before you go to bed, so that you won’t spread any of the pollen onto your bedding.

Allergy medications are a wonderful allergy remedy. You can use over the counter antihistamine pills, lotions, and ointments. If you have a chronic allergy you can consult your physician for a stronger prescription allergy remedy. Nasal sprays are also a great tool against allergies. They act as a direct allergy remedy to your nasal passageways.

There are a few environmental modifications you can make as an allergy remedy. Wash bedding in hot water to remove dust mites. Use mattress and pillow covers to fight against dust mites. Keep your home clean and carpets vacuumed.

If you have severe allergies that can’t be managed with basic allergy remedies then head to your physician or allergist. They can take you through a series of allergy testing and provide the best treatment options for your situation. This may involve removing the allergy culprit from your environment, food plate, or clothing drawer. They can provide prescription allergy medication to knock your allergy out cold.


Tags: allergy

A New Direction In Weight Control - Gastric Bypass Surgery

Surgery may be a weight-loss option for patients who are severely obese and suffer from serious medical complications due to weight. There are two accepted surgical procedures for reducing body weight: gastroplasty and gastric bypass. Although these two procedures use different surgical methods, they both reduce the stomach to a pouch that is smaller than a chicken’s egg, drastically limiting the amount of food that can be consumed at one time. Surgery produces 25 to 35 percent reductions in weight over the first year and most of this weight loss is maintained five years after surgery. More importantly, the serious medical conditions that accompany extreme obesity improve significantly. Surgery is not without risk and should be performed by skilled surgeons who also provide patients with a comprehensive program for long-term weight control.

Limited gastric capacity and a narrow anastomotic gastrointestinal stoma necessitate certain dietary modifications particularly in the early post-operative period. Diet progression varies amongst health care professionals. A standardized GBP diet does not exist. Generally, most patients begin with a liquid diet due to the small, edematous gastric outlet. This phase of the diet may range from one day up to 6 weeks. Afterwards, pureed textures are introduced and the diet is slowly advanced to soft-textured foods by about 12 weeks. Small, frequent meals rich in protein are emphasized. Liquids are usually consumed between meals to allow greater intake of calories and protein with solid foods. Carbonated drinks may cause distension and discomfort from the carbon dioxide. Red meats, tough meats, breads and milk products may be difficult for some patients to tolerate. Until solid food intake is adequate, high protein liquid supplements such as sugar free Carnation Instant Breakfast (mixed with low lactose milk if necessary) are often recommended.

During the first six to 12 months after surgery, patients generally consume 900 to 1000 calories. Calorie consumption slowly increases due to a change in the pouch size and stoma size, gastric emptying rate and intake of solid food. Sugar and concentrated sweets are discouraged in order to prevent dumping syndrome. Because the pyloric sphincter is bypassed, simple sugar is dumped into the small intestine causing an increase in the osmotic load, thereby drawing fluid into the intestine leading to diarrhea, nausea, diaphoresis and abdominal cramps. The shunting of blood to the intestines and the perceived decrease in blood volume 30 minutes to one hour after a meal prompts many patients to lie down in an effort to improve cardiac output.

Gastric bypass patients generally lose 50%–75% of excess body weight and are usually successful with weight maintenance.

The obese population, especially the morbidly obese, is increasing at an alarming rate in the United States. Weight loss programs have been found ineffective in this group. In an effort to improve the quality of life and decrease comorbidities associated with this patient population, gastric bypass surgery may be an option.


Tags: weight loss, gastric bypass, dumping syndrome, diarrhea, nausea, diaphoresis, gastric bypass surgery

A Look At Free Snoring Treatments

If you are on a budget, or simply don’t want to spend money without knowing if a product will be effective, free snoring treatments may be the answer you have been looking for. Free snoring treatments range from remedies that you can try at home to experimental sleep studies.

One of the best free snoring treatments that you can undergo is simply a change in your sleeping position. Rather than sleeping on your back, which is believed to be a leading cause of snoring, try sleeping on your side instead.

This is not only one of the best free snoring treatments, but also one of the quickest result producers. In fact, it may work on the first night. In addition, try sleeping on two pillows instead of one. The additional height may help to keep your air passages open, which is necessary if you want to eliminate snoring.

Weight loss is among the most healthy and free snoring treatments. Obesity is one of the leading causes of snoring and, as such, has an active role in it’s cure.

If you are overweight, or have been diagnosed with obesity, a diet and exercise program will help to prevent snoring and other medical illnesses. Weight loss is one of the healthiest free snoring treatments, which is beneficial in more ways that one.

If you have allergies, consider the possibility that you may be breathing airborne allergens that may be a cause of snoring. Why? Breathing results when airways are restricted, which is very common among allergy sufferers.

One of the best free snoring treatments available is simply the act of ridding your home of cigarette smoke, dust and pet hair. The regular use of air filtration units in every room will help to eliminate many unseen allergens.

If you have attempted home snoring remedies without success, consider a sleep study. This is an experimental study, which is often conducted by medical students and researchers, which is one of the best ways to receive free snoring treatments.

Sleep studies, when ordered by a physician, can be expensive. But, if you are fortunate enough to learn of free snoring treatments or sleep studies in your area, sign up and receive an evaluation at no cost.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as, or in place of, professional medical advice. Before beginning any treatment for snoring, please consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and remedy.


Tags: apnea, sleeping disorder, sleeping problems, snoring treatment

A Look at Discount Stethoscopes

Stethoscopes are one of the most commonly used tools in the medical profession. Nearly every doctor, nurse, paramedic, and veterinarian uses a stethoscope throughout the course of a normal workday. Some doctors or hospitals choose to purchase their stethoscopes from discount sources. Shoppers can find nearly any type of stethoscope at discount prices. There are a number of ways to get discount stethoscopes. Many retailers sell older stethoscope models at low prices in order to make room for newer models. Many medical wholesalers sell large quantities of stethoscopes at discount prices. Often, it is possible to purchase stethoscopes directly from the manufacturers without paying the markup charged by retailers.

Stethoscopes can become out of date fairly quickly. With the recent advances in electronic stethoscope technology, there are always new features available. While many doctors want to have the newest and most advanced stethoscopes, many other doctors realize that older stethoscopes still work well. It is pretty common to find stethoscope dealers that sell older models at discounts in order to make room in their inventories for the newest models. For example, since electronic stethoscopes have gained in popularity, it is easy to find high-end acoustic stethoscopes for lower prices.

Medical wholesale companies supply hospitals and clinics with large quantities of stethoscopes at a discount. These sellers realize that they can make more money by selling a large number of discounted stethoscopes rather than selling fewer stethoscopes at a higher price.

Many stethoscope manufacturers sell their products directly to healthcare professionals. This allows buyers to avoid purchasing from retailers who mark up the prices to make more profit, and it lets stethoscope manufacturers build a word of mouth reputation for their products.

Discount stethoscopes are as reliable and accurate as more expensive models. There is no reason to think that discount stethoscopes are of lower quality than those purchased at full price.


Tags: Stethoscopes, Littman Stethoscopes, Stethoscope Covers, Electric Stethoscopes

A Look At Allergy Products

Do allergy products really make a difference? Plenty of specialty products exist, and if you are looking, you can you find products for every room in the home and practically every part of your body. HEPA air filters and filters for your vacuum cleaner; 100% pure cotton bedding and pillows; masks that you can wear at work, at play and at home; cleaning supplies; cases to stuff your mattresses in; throat moisturizers; cosmetics; dehumidifiers; toys that can be washed; the list goes on and on.

Take a peek on the Internet and you’ll find pages of websites offering allergy products of all sorts and all price ranges. Allergy products are big business and to allergy sufferers, these products look to be the answer to all of their suffering.

If you suffer from allergies, you too might be tempted to jump on the allergy products bandwagon. Before you do, it’s important to realize that the answer to whether any of these products work or not is a bit more complicated than it seems on the surface.

Several allergy-related issues need to be addressed before you whip out your credit card. Otherwise the allergy products you select might not be the great deal you had expected. First of all, be certain you know what it is you are allergic to. Are you allergic to pet dander, dust mites, food, grass, or what? If you know, that’s great. If you don’t, you might want to first go through a round of allergy tests to determine your nemesis.

Once you know what it is you are allergic to you then need to spend some time reading the descriptions of the allergy products before you purchase any. Why? Because the allergy products you may be interested in might not be designed to alleviate the allergens that cause your problems. For example, the purpose of an air filter is to remove airborne allergens, the ones that spend the majority of their time suspended in air, like pet dander.

Dust mite droppings are only in the air a short time, when they’re first released or when a vacuum cleaner stirs them up from their resting place on the ground. An expensive air filter won’t benefit you if you are sensitive to dust mites. However, a casing to enclose your mattress or your pillows will, as these are designed to keep the allergens from coming into contact with you.

Getting back to air filters, most are not effective for dealing with plant-based allergens, even though these are considered airborne allergens. In the case of ragweed, grass clippings and other such irritants, it is better to keep these from entering the home in the first place by closing doors and windows and running an air conditioner.

Are you beginning to understand what is involved with selecting the right allergy products? When in doubt, the best advice is to discuss the subject of allergy products with your allergist. You’re more likely to get an accurate, unbiased answer to your questions about allergy products.


Tags: allergies, allergy products, antihistamine

A Day At The Doctor's Office

Do you ever wonder when you go to the doctor each time the receptionist ask you for your insurance card? I sure do. I went to the same doctor for 10 years seems they would know me by now or have made a copy of my insurance card. Have you ever read the sign that says payment due when services rendered, just to hear the lady ask you for your co-payment before you've even had the chance to sit down? Or how about after sitting for a long time in the waiting room, they call you back just to take your blood pressure than send you back out in the waiting room again. Or they call you back just to have you wait in another area.

I have always felt this was a tactic to make you feel like your getting somewhere when your really not. How about while waiting, your Doctor happens to see you, and he does all he can do not to make eye contact with you, or if you do they act like your a perfect stranger. How about that study I heard where the average time actually spent with the doctor is about three minutes. I then have to ask myself the question, why am I waiting so long in the waiting room. Or how about the one when the pharmaceutical rep just walks in asking for the Doctor and they tell them to come on back. I guess those free game tickets, or the free day at the spa is really more important than my health. These are just some of the mysteries I have never figured out when going to the doctor.

Those days are history. Knowing what medications I need each month, knowing already my diagnosis, obtaining prescription medications online is the wave of the future. If I need to get my pain medication, I have a consultation with a U.S Physician. I receive a 90 day supply of pain medication. You get the initial scipt filled, plus two refills which can be filled on the 25th day. Same goes for my treatment of my anxiety. All medications are written by U.S Physicians and filled by U.S. Pharmacies. Such medications as Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, Xanax are available. When receiving other non controlled medicatons for my migraine headaches, high cholestoral, ocassional depression, and a few other meds, I receive a free conslultation from a U.S. Physician and filled again by a U.S. Pharmacy.

These medications are shipped usually by overnight delivery. With this type of service available, more and more people are turning to the internet for their medication needs. Why wait hours in a doctors office, why pay the outrageous office visit fees, why feel treated like a number and not a person, when you can get the meds you need delivered to your door at a great low price. With so many people losing their healthcare benefits, losing their insurance, more people will be getting their medication online. So days at the doctors office to get your prescriptions are numbered. I hope this article has given you


Tags: hydrocodone, vicodin, lortab, xanax, hydrocodone online, vicodin online, lortab online, xanax online

A Cure for Near Sightedness - Radial Keratotomy

Radial keratotomy (RK) is a refractive surgical procedure employed to correct myopia or nearsightedness. Radial Keratotomy came into existence by accident rather than through meticulous research. The procedure was discovered by Dr. Svyatoslav Fyodorov when he operated one of his patients who had met with a bicycle accident. The boy wore eyeglasses, which broke on impact, and the glass splinters lodged into his eyes. The doctor had to make several radial incisions in the corneal tissue in order to extract the glass. When the cornea healed, the doctor found that the boy’s eyesight was significantly improved.

In radial keratotomy (RK), a series of micro-fine incisions are made in the outer portion of the cornea with the aid of a high-precision calibrated diamond knife. The surgeon administers a local anesthetic, since the incisions are superficial and the procedure is fairly painless. The corneal thickness of the patient’s eye is measured prior to the surgery. Before the incisions are made, the diamond-edged cutting instrument is precisely set under the operating microscope. Thus by flattening the curvature of the cornea in such a manner, RK can easily correct myopia or nearsightedness.

Radial keratotomy was first introduced in the United States in the 1980s. Initially it was much of an investigational procedure, with doctors operating only one eye at a time and waiting for at least 3 months to observe the results, before operating on the other eye. But the surgeons gained experience over time and now they could well operate both eyes simultaneously. Now, radial keratotomy is a minor surgery that takes about 15 to 20 minutes for each eye.

Radial keratotomy is constantly improving, owing much to the rapid advances in technology, and the fact that a number of such procedures have already been performed successfully. However, RK is not as precise as LASIK and PRK. Since, RK is less predictable, only a few surgeons now perform this procedure.


Tags: lasik, laser eye surgery, eye surgery, lasek, eye, vision

A Brief Ovierview Of Lasik Eye Surgery

LASIK, an acronym for Laser-assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, is a form of refractive laser eye surgery procedure performed by ophthalmologists intended for correcting vision. The procedure is usually a preferred alternative to photorefractive keratectomy, PRK, as it requires less time for full recovery, and the patient experiences less pain overall.

The LASIK technique was made possible by Dr Jose Barraquer (Colombia), who around 1960 developed the first microkeratome, used to cut thin flaps in the cornea and alter its shape, in a procedure called keratomileusis. This procedure was developed and pioneered by the world leading Barraquer Clinic, based in Bogota, Colombia.

LASIK surgery was developed in 1990 by Dr. Lucio Buratto (Italy) and Dr. Ioannis Pallikaris (Greece) as a melding of two prior techniques, keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy. It quickly became popular because of its greater precision and lower frequency of complications in comparison with these former two techniques.

In 1991, LASIK was performed for the first time in the United States by Drs. Stephen Brint and Stephen Slade. The same year, Drs. Thomas and Tobias Neuhann successfully treated the first German LASIK patients with an automated microkeratome.

Patients wearing soft contact lenses typically are instructed to stop wearing them approximately 7 to 10 days before surgery. One industry body recommends that patients wearing hard contact lenses should stop wearing them for a minimum of six weeks plus another six weeks for every three years the hard contacts had been worn.

Before the surgery, the surfaces of the patient's corneas are examined with a computer-controlled scanning device to determine their exact shape. Using low-power lasers, it creates a topographic map of the cornea.

This process also detects astigmatism and other irregularities in the shape of the cornea. Using this information, the surgeon calculates the amount and locations of corneal tissue to be removed during the operation. The patient typically is prescribed an antibiotic to start taking beforehand, to minimize the risk of infection after the procedure.

The operation is performed with the patient awake and mobile; however, the patient typically is given a mild sedative (such as Valium or diazepam) and anesthetic eye drops.

Lasik is performed in two steps. The initial step is to create a flap of corneal tissue. This process is achieved with a mechanical microkeratome using a metal blade, or a femtosecond laser microkeratome that creates a series of tiny closely arranged bubbles within the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back, revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea. The process of lifting and folding back the flap can be uncomfortable.

The second step of the procedure is to use an excimer laser (193 nm) to remodel the corneal stroma. The laser vaporizes tissue in a finely controlled manner without damaging adjacent stroma by releasing the molecular bonds that hold the cells together. No burning with heat or actual cutting is required to ablate the tissue. The layers of tissue removed are tens of micrometers thick.

During the second step, the patient's vision will become very blurry once the flap is lifted. He or she will be able to see only white light surrounding the orange light of the laser. This can be disorienting.

Currently manufactured excimer lasers use a computer system that tracks the patient's eye position up to 4,000 times per second, redirecting laser pulses for precise placement. After the laser has reshaped the cornea, the Lasik flap is repositioned over the treatment area by the surgeon. The flap remains in position by natural adhesion until healing is completed.

Performing the laser ablation in the deeper corneal stroma typically provides for more rapid visual recovery and less pain.


Tags: Lasik eye surgery, lasik, eye surgery

A Brief History Of Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement is a medical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a synthetic implant. It is the most successful, cheapest and safest form of joint replacement surgery. The earliest recorded attempts at hip replacement, which were carried out in Germany, used ivory to replace the femoral head.
Use of artificial hips became more widespread in the 1930s; the artificial joints were made of steel or chrome. They were considered to be better than arthritis but had a number of drawbacks. The main problem was that the articulating surfaces could not be lubricated by the body, leading to wear and loosening and hence the need to replace the joint again (known as revision operations).

Attempts to use teflon produced joints that caused osteolysis and wore out within two years. Another significant problem was infection. Before the advent of antibiotics, surgery on the joints carried a high risk of infection. Even with antibiotic treatments, infection is still a cause for some revision operations. Such infections are not necessarily caused at surgery; they can also be the result of bacteria entering the bloodstream during dental treatment.

The modern artificial joint owes much to the work of John Charnley at the Manchester Royal Infirmary; his work in the field of tribology resulted in a design that completely replaced the other designs by the 1970s. Charnley's design consisted of 3 parts – (1) a metal (originally Stainless Steel) femoral component, (2) an Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene acetabular component, both of which were fixed to the bone using (3) special bone cement. The replacement joint, which was known as the Low Friction Arthroplasty, was lubricated with synovial fluid.

The small femoral head (22.25mm) produced wear issues which made it suitable only for sedentary patients, but - on the plus side - a huge reduction in resulting friction led to excellent clinical results. For over two decades, the Charnley Low Friction Arthroplasty design was the most used system in the world, far surpassing the other available options (like McKee and Ring).

In 1960 a Burmese orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. San Baw (29 June 1922 – 7 December 1984), pioneered the use of ivory hip prostheses to replace ununited fractures of the neck of femur ('hip bones'), when he first used an ivory prosthesis to replace the fractured hip bone of an 83 year old Burmese Buddhist nun, Daw Punya. This was done while Dr San Baw was the chief of orthopeadic surgery at Mandalay General Hospital in Manadalay, Burma. Dr San Baw used over 300 ivory hip replacements from the 1960s to 1980s.

He presented a paper entitled 'Ivory hip replacements for ununited fractures of the neck of femur' at the conference of the British Orthopeadic Association held in London in September 1969. An 88% success rate was discerned in that Dr San Baw's patients ranging from the ages of 24 to 87 were able to walk, squat, ride the bicycle and play football a few weeks after their fractured hip bones were replaced with ivory prostheses. Dr San Baw's use of ivory was, at least in Burma during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s (before the illicit ivory trade became rampant starting around the early 1990s) cheaper than metal. Moreover, due to the physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological qualities of ivory, it was found that there was a better 'biological bonding' of ivory with the human tissues nearby the ivory prostheses. An extract from Dr San Baw's paper, which he presented at the British Orthopeadic Association's Conference in 1969, is published in Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (British edition), February 1970.

In the last decade, several evolutionary improvements have been made in the total hip replacement procedure and prosthesis. Many hip implants are made of a ceramic material rather than polyethylene, which some research indicates dramatically reduces joint wear. Metal-on-metal implants are also gaining popularity. Some implants are joined without cement; the prosthesis is given a porous texture into which bone grows. This has been shown to reduce the need for revision of the acetabular component. Surgeons still frequently use bone cement for the femoral component, however, which has proven very successful after 35 years of clinical experience.

The latest developments are several competing Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) approaches, which may result in far less soft tissue damage and a quicker recovery. C.A.O.S (Computer assisted orthopedic surgery) is also being marketed heavily by the implant manufacturers, though its value remains largely unproven.. Computer assisted surgery is said to better navigate prosthetic implantation.

An alternative to total hip replacement (THR) is hip surface replacement (HSR), also referred to as hip resurfacing. With both THR and HSR, a prosthetic socket is pressed into the pelvis. With THR, the end of the femur is amputated, a metal shank is inserted into the femur, and the shank holds a ball which mates with the socket. With resurfacing, the end of the femur is not amputated; the outer surface of the femoral ball is replaced with a cylindrical metal cap. Resurfacing eliminates the common THR problem of the metal shaft loosening from the femur. Resurfacing preserves bone stock if a revision is ever needed. A larger diameter ball and socket more closely mimic the natural joint structure, reducing the risk of dislocation and improving range of motion. There has been no published clinical evidence to show that today’s CoCr metal-on-metal articulating surfaces have the osteolytic effect on bone that earlier polyethylene devices had. Ten year success rates of hip resurfacing from studies in England report success equal to or greater than standard total hip replacement, in age-matched patients. In the United States, the first modern resurfacing device received FDA approval in May 2006, while some 90,000 resurfacings have been performed world-wide.

Patients need to be aware of all surgical options before hip replacement surgery. Hip surgeons have different surgical techniques and surgical outcomes. Currently, there are several different incisions used to access your hip joint. The posterior approach (widely used by the majority of orthopedic surgeons) separates the gluteus maximus muscle in line with the muscle fibers to access the hip joint. Other methods access the hip from the lateral side of the hip joint. In contrast to the posterior approach and lateral approach, the anterior approach uses a natural interval between soft tissue to gain access to the hip joint. Its main disadvantages are that it risks damage to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, and it is not widely available to the public because fewer surgeons have been trained in this technique.

Tags: hip replacement, hip replacement surgery, hip, hip joint

A Brief History of Anesthetics

Anesthetics have been used for thousands of years. In fact, the first recorded use of anesthetics was actually in the 'pre-history' era, an era of human history predating written text. Early Uses of Herbal Anesthetics In the pre-history era, anesthetics were herbal in nature. Opium poppies are known to have been harvested as early as 4200 BC, and these plants were farmed first in the Sumerian Empire. The first recorded uses of anesthetics containing opium preparations was in 1500 BC, and by 1100 BC, civilizations in Cyprus and other locations were farming and harvesting the plants. Opium poppies were introduced to India and China in 330 BC and 600 to 1200 AD, respectively. Other types of herbal anesthetics were in use in China during this era as well. In the second century, the Chinese physician Hua Tuo is known to have used an anesthetic derived from cannabis to perform abdominal surgery. In Europe, Asia, and the Americas, several other 'solanum' plant species were used as anesthetics, including mandrake, henbane, and several datura species. Each of these contains a potent tropane alkaloid. In the classical Greek and Roman eras, prominent figures such as Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder noted the uses of opium and solanum-containing plants. In the Americas, the leaves of the coca plant (from which cocaine is derived) were an often-used anesthetic. This was applied by Incan shamans who would chew coca leaves and then spit the leaves into wounds to administer a local anesthetic. Herbal anesthetics of these types were widely used for several centuries; however they were not without drawbacks. One of the main problems with the use of herbal anesthetics was in administering the right dosage-too little would have no effect, and too much often killed the patient. Standardization of anesthetics was difficult, but was achieved to a certain degree prior to the nineteenth century by categorizing anesthetics according to the location in which anesthetic plants were grown. The Discovery of Morphine In 1804, a German pharmacist named Friedrich Wilhelm extracted morphine from the opium poppy, and named the compound 'morphium', for the Greek god of sleep and dreams. However, morphine was not widely used for nearly fifty years. In 1853, the hypodermic needle was developed, and thanks to this new method of administration, the use of morphine increased substantially. Morphine was then widely used as an anesthetic. In 1874, a morphine derivative called diacetylmorphine-commonly known as heroin-was developed. Nearly twice as potent as morphine, heroin was marketed for a short time by Bayer, starting in 1898. However, it was just 16 years later in 1914 that the possession of morphine, heroin, and cocaine without a prescription was outlawed in the US due to the highly addictive nature of these substances. Development of Inhalant Anesthetics Oral and inhalant anesthetics were utilized historically by Muslim anesthesiologists, and the use of these preparations was well known in the Islamic Empire. Several hundred surgical operations were performed which used sponges soaked in narcotic preparations, placed over the face of the individual undergoing surgery. In the Western world, the development of inhalant anesthetics, along with the use of sterile surgical techniques developed by Joseph Lister, was one of the main keys to performing successful surgery in the nineteenth century. During the nineteenth century, both carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide were used in experimental surgical procedures. While the use of carbon dioxide as an anesthetic never became popular, nitrous oxide did in fact become very widely used. The anesthetic properties of nitrous oxide were first noted by Humphry Davy, a British chemist, in a paper published in 1800. However, it was not until several decades later in the 1840s that nitrous oxide became more widely used. One of the first successful uses of the gas for painless tooth extraction was carried out by American dentist William Thomas Green Morton, in 1846. During the same decade, an inhalant anesthetic called diethyl ether was also used for tooth extraction. Diethyl ether was originally synthesized by German physician Valerius Cordus in 1540; however it was not until the 1840s that the first public demonstration of the use of ether occurred. A decade earlier, in the 1830s, chloroform had also been developed. This became more popular in Britain, but even so the dangers of both ether and chloroform were well-noted. Modern Anesthetics Modern anesthetics are of two types: general and local anesthetics. Local anesthetics include substances such as lidocaine and procaine. These work by preventing transmission of nerve impulses in the area where the anesthetic is administered. General anesthetics, on the other hand, are more similar in nature to nitrous oxide in their method of delivery, and in fact this inhalant anesthetic is still in use. Inhalation anesthetics are usually fluorochemicals (isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane) that have much lower flammability than diethyl ether, thus they are much safer to use in the operating room.

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26 percent of Americans use the Web to search p. drugs

While 26 percent of Americans has used a Search Engine for finding drug information online, still only a few are venturing into the online prescription drug marketplace.

The prescription drug market is enormous and includes millions of Americans who go online to get information about the medicines they consume.

According to the new Pew Internet & American Life Project "Prescription Drugs Online" report, 64% of American households contain a regular user of prescription drugs, and one in four Americans (26%) has used the Internet to look for information about prescription drugs.

However, just 4% of Americans have purchased prescription drugs online, because, simply, most Americans do not fully trust the online prescription drug marketplace.

While 62% of Americans think purchasing prescription drugs online is less safe than purchasing them at a local pharmacy, only 20% think online purchases are as safe as local purchases. The remaining 18% responded that they did not know or that it depends on the situation.

In fact, even though one in five said online drug purchases are safe, only a fraction have ever bought prescription drugs online. The survey found a mere 4% of Americans have ever actually purchased prescription drugs on the Internet. To put that in actual numbers, of the 2,200 American adults surveyed just 93 people said they had purchased prescription drugs online.

When it comes to why people purchase drugs online, even though the sample size was small, Americans who have ordered prescription drugs online cited convenience and cost savings as the main reasons why they decided to take the leap. Privacy was the least likely factor of the choices offered in the survey.

When asked about the last time they purchased prescription drugs online, the majority of Rx purchasers said they visited a site that was based in the United States, and only a few visited a site based in another country. In addition:

-- Three-quarters of Rx purchasers said the last time they purchased prescription drugs online, they bought a drug for a chronic medical condition such as high blood pressure or arthritis.

-- One-quarter said their last purchase at an online pharmacy was to aid weight loss or sexual performance.

-- Most were satisfied with their last contact with an online pharmacy and plan to order prescription drugs online in the future.

All in all, the survey was upbeat about the future of the online drug market, stating that "Ignorance and mistrust of the online prescription drug market may be dispelled by further research and good experiences," and indicating that many Americans may soon change their minds about the safety of online prescription drug purchases.

Drawing an analogy to the growth in another large online category, the report stated: "[Prescription drug purchasers] who research a product online often become customers.

Convenience is the number one reason why banking became the fastest-growing activity between 2000 and 2002 — and it is the main reason why current Rx purchasers made the switch from offline to online ordering."


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17 Tips And Remedies For The Flu

The “best” flu remedy seems to vary by who you talk to. Some people think that certain over-the-counter medications are the best way to get relief. Others feel homeopathic remedies work the best. Still others feel that only their doctor can help make them make the appropriate choice.

If you talked to my husband he would tell you the best flu remedy is to not get the flu (he’s not always the most helpful person). He talks smart because he hardly ever gets sick. I’m very jealous of him. I think his genes must be better than mine because he doesn’t eat healthier or exercise any more than I do yet I get sick a lot more often than he does.

I catch the flu nearly every year. I’ve tried over-the-counter medications, some homeopathic remedies, and have gone to my doctor when I’ve gotten bad cases of the flu.

Below I’ve listed some common, and some not so common remedies for the flu. Some of the remedies are homeopathic; others involve taking over-the counter medications; while others are prescription.

1) This first item is more of a suggestion to keep yourself from getting sick again rather than a remedy but I think it’s a really good tip. Put your toothbrush in a cup with hydrogen peroxide in it to prevent you from re-infecting yourself (especially if you have a cold). Toothbrushes are a haven for germs and the hydrogen peroxide will kill the bacteria on your toothbrush. You may decide to put your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide every day to kill the bacteria that accumulate.

2) In addition to putting your toothbrush in a cup of hydrogen peroxide you may want to put a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in your ears. It can help kill flu (or cold) germs. Sometimes the hydrogen peroxide will sting a little. The process is to put a few drops in one ear with a cotton ball or a Q-tip. After a few minutes drain the excess fluid out onto a Kleenex or paper towel. Then do the same thing in the other ear. Repeat the process after an hour or two. Continue to repeat until the hydrogen peroxide doesn’t bubble when it’s put into the ear (usually after 2 or 3 times). The hydrogen peroxide is said to be most effective if it’s used as soon as possible after getting sick.

3) Elderberry extract can lessen the duration of the flu according to studies done in Israel. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or herbalist for advice on how much and how often to take it, and also to make sure it will not interfere with any other medications or supplements you may already be taking.

4) Boneset is another herb said to help lessen the intensity and duration of the flu. It is usually added to boiled water, along with honey and lemon (to make it easier to drink) and then sipped. Again, consult with your doctor, pharmacist or herbalist for the recommended dosage.

5) Oscillococcinum is a popular homeopathic/natural product taken to help with the flu symptoms of body aches and pains, fever, and chills. One of the reasons it is so popular is that it does not cause drowsiness.

6) Naturoksinum is another natural flu remedy available. It is touted as being able to cut the severity of flu symptoms in half. It is one of the most popular flu remedies in France and is available for purchase in the United States.

7) Echinacea is another popular natural remedy for the
flu. Again, because it is an herbal product, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or herbalist to make sure it is safe for you to take and that it does not interfere with any other medications or supplements you are currently taking.

8) Tamiflu and Relenza are two prescription medications available for treating the flu. For either medication to work best it should be taken with two days of the onset of flu symptoms. Both Tamiflu and Relenza work by preventing the flu virus from infecting cells in the body that are still healthy, and they both work against influenza A and B.

9) Drink health juices such as mangosteen, noni, goji, aloe vera, or acai berry. They are not only great juices to drink if you get the flu, but they can also help prevent it because the juices are good at boosting a person’s immune system. My personal health juice of choice is a mangosteen juice. It tastes great and helps me feel better overall.

10) There are several products available to use in your bath or even your shower to help with the symptoms of the flu. Abra Bath for colds and the flu is a product you add to bath water. It is said to help relieve congestion, reduce body aches, and help relieve the chills associated with the flu. The makers of Sudafed offer a product called Sudacare Shower Soothers. They are tablets that react with warm shower water to create vapors of eucalyptus, menthol, and camphor to help with congestion.

11) Nasal sprays to help relieve flu symptoms are available over the counter. One product is called Flu Relief. Nasal sprays aren’t as popular as most other remedies though because many people dislike using nasal sprays.

12) Fever, headaches, and aching muscles are common symptoms of the flu. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen, both available over the counter can help lessen the pain.

13) A persistent cough may be present when a person has the flu (http://www.microflu.com/flusymptoms/). There are many over the counter cough medicines, such as Robitussin (which has specific formulas of its products for helping with flu symptoms), to help quiet a cough associated with the flu.

14) Congestion is another symptom that a person may get with the flu. An oral decongestant can help loosen the congestion. Again there are many over the counter products available to fight flu symptoms such as congestion. Vick’s vapor rub can also help ease congestion.

15) A sore throat can be another bothersome symptom of the flu. Throat lozenges or sprays can help with the pain. I gargle with warm salt water every hour when my throat is sore. It’s a remedy my Mom used when I was little. It worked for me then and it still works for me now.

16) Rest is a very important part of fighting the flu. Your body needs rest to help it fight the infection in your body. So give in to that urge to cuddle up under the covers and rest. You’re likely to feel better faster if you do.

17) Drink as many fluids are you can when you have the flu. Avoid drinks with caffeine because caffeinated drinks act as mild diuretics. Water is the best liquid but can be hard for someone who feels sick to drink enough of. Other good choices of liquid are clear juices, Gatorade (or any of the other sports drinks available) as well as flavored water and Pedialyte. When I was a child and had the flu my Mom always gave me 7-up to drink. I could drink it without feeling sick to my stomach and it tasted good so I was able to drink enough of it to keep myself from getting dehydrated.

Always remember that the flu (depending on what strain you have contracted) can be a life-threatening illness if not treated properly. Don’t be afraid to contact your doctor if your symptoms don’t start to get better in a few days or if they are very severe.

Another thing to remember when you have the flu (or are sick with anything else) is to only treat the symptoms you have. There are lots of over-the-counter products available to treat flu symptoms. Many of those products relieve multiple symptoms. But sometimes you don’t have all the symptoms that particular medication treats. Look for products that treat the symptoms you have, but nothing more. You don’t want to over-medicate yourself.

Disclaimer: this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat illness and disease; nor is it intended as dispensation of medical advice.


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10 Tips To Put Your Insomnia To A Rest

Do you feel tired and un-refreshed on waking in the morning?

Do you stay that way throughout the day?

Do you have difficulty concentrating during the day?

The World Health Organization says that one-third of the world's population experience insomnia at some stage in their lives, with approximately five per cent needing medical treatment!

To avoid medical intervention, try these natural techniques and remedies, and help put your insomnia to rest.

1. Relaxation
Relax before going to bed. Do some deep breathing, listen to soft music. According to Dr. Timothy Sharp from Sydney University, avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine will also help.

2. Bedtime routine
Develop a bedtime routine so your body knows it's time to go to sleep. By winding down your physical activities and following a set routine prior to bed, your body will start to associate some of these actions with going to sleep. Start with a cup of hot milk. Milk contains a protein called tryptophan, which helps to promote sleep. This can be substituted with chamomile tea, which is known to calm the nerves. Follow this with a hot bath or shower, the heat will help to lower your internal body temperature, again telling your body to go to sleep.

3. Your bedroom is for sleeping only
Make your bedroom your sleep-room. Turn the lights off as soon as you get into bed. Don't read, eat or watch television in your bedroom, or do any activity that is not sleep related. Make sure the room is dark and cozy; include extra pillows on the bed and even some teddy bears. Make your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary, a room that you will instantly feel secure and comfortable in, and best of all, a room that you will crave to sleep in.

4. Calm down and clear your mind
Clear your mind of the day's activities or things that are due to be done tomorrow. Write a 'to do' list for the following day. Organize uniforms, lunches, etc ... the night before. Make arrangements earlier than usual so you don't worry.

5. Give time back to yourself
Instead of trying to cram as much as you can into the day then find you haven't left much time to sleep, try to find short cuts or solutions to give a little time back to yourself. Make a double casserole and freeze half for another night. Spot clean the house as you go. Have more barbecues, using paper plates (less washing-up). Offer to pay the kids, or the neighbour's kids, to do some extra chores.

6. A balanced diet helps to make a balanced mind
If you're lacking in essential vitamins and minerals your body cannot operate at its best. Throw out the junk food and fizzy drinks, and make a new start to good physical and mental health. Add in some regular exercise and watch your body respond with some improved sleep.

7. Don't lie in bed if you can't sleep
If you don't feel sleepy enough to drift off, your mind will probably anguish over the fact that you can't get to sleep. This will only make it harder to get to sleep each time you experience this. Get out of bed and go into a different room. Do something to distract yourself until you do start to feel sleepy and then try to sleep again later.

8. Medications may interfere with your sleep
It has been shown that some of the medications below may cause sleep problems. Check with your doctor if you are experiencing insomnia and are also taking any of these medications - amphetamines (diet pills), antidepressants, beta blockers (heart and blood pressure), cimetidine (ulcers), clonidine (blood pressure), cortisone, diuretics (fluid), levodopa (parkinsons), methyldopa (blood pressure) and ventolin (asthma).

9. Above all: de-stress
Sharp says that stress is the worst cause of insomnia. Use some of the techniques above and try to remove as much stress out of your life as possible, and finally put your insomnia to rest.
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10 Things You Absolutely Must Consider Before Buying Your Massage Chair (Part I)

The massage chair recliner has fast become a great substitute for traditional therapy that most folks will consider when suffering from back pain, neck pain, buttock pain, headaches, and even leg pain and stress.

The vast majority of folks that are looking for a massage chair are experiencing all or some of these symptoms. Massage chairs have been proven to do wonders for each one of these conditions. As a matter of fact, many of my patients that have purchased a massage chair have needed our clinic less and less for treatment of these common maladies.

Some folks just want a nice massage chair that looks good in their living room or office so that they can relax and just listen to their surround sound movie or music system. That's great too!

But if you are considering investing in a massage chair recliner, there are some things you need to consider before buying. What I'm about to tell you will give you exactly what you need and want to know. It's not just as simple as sitting in a chair to know if a model is good or not. There are a lot of "behind the scenes" things that this report will point out to you that will help make your buying decision easier. You've thought of some of them, like price and looks, but I will cover a bunch of things that have probably never occurred to you. This article is designed to make things clearer for you before shelling out your hard-earned money.

So, what do you absolutely need to know before buying a chair? Since they cover quite a lot of information, we will only discuss the first 2 things that you will need to consider. #3-10 will be discussed in Part II of this topic.

#1. Features - The old massage chairs only provided vibration. Well, today's chairs should offer the following:

Kneading – also known as "shiatsu", kneading rolls outward from the spine and feels much like 2 hands alternately rubbing your back. This is why it is said that massage chairs mimic the hands of a licensed massage therapist…kneading is the reason for the comparison.

Percussion/Tapping – this is the light "karate chopping" on a client's back that you’ve probably seen before on TV. Well, that's what this feature imitates. Increased blood flow and muscle stiffness relief is the benefit gained. It feels wonderful.

Rolling - in our clinic, we have a $2800.00 table that patients lie on, called a "roller table." Basically, wheels just roll up and down the muscles on either side of your spine. Here are the benefits: 1.) gentle moving of the spinal bones, and 2.) stretching of the spine and the muscles around it. Patients love it...and the roller table only rolls! Your massage chair should do so much more than just roll (and for a lot less money!).

Foot and calf massager - many of the new chairs have an attached ottoman that has a calf and foot massage feature administered by an airbag system. This feature is a real "must", especially if you spend a good portion of your day on your feet.

Full recliner – if you want your massage to be as deep as possible, you need to get a chair that has a reclining feature. And the further back the recline, the greater the intensity of the massage. The reclining uses your body weight to make the massage deeper. A lot of chairs don't recline much farther than 135บ. You will want 170 degrees or more for the more intense massage option (by the way, the further back your chair reclines, men, the more it imitates a bed...especially important if you're ever forced to sleep on the couch!!).

#2. Durability – a well built chair should give you many, many years of wonderful problem-free pleasure. Even though you most likely can't know how good a motor is or how well built the chair really is, there are some other ways to know if a chair is a workhorse and is going to last a while:

Warranty – a longer warranty will give you greater confidence initially when looking for a chair. You want a company that stands behind their chairs and what greater way to show that than by a warranty. But, beware of long warranties that are so limited that if anything goes wrong there are so many loopholes to not cover your chair that it is as if you had not warranty at all.

Reputation – is the manufacturer of the chair well-known? Are they easily accessible if there ever is a problem? How can you tell? A toll-free customer service phone number to the manufacturer would be great. The length of time in business is probably a good indicator of how good the manufacturer is. Does the chair/company have any professional endorsements?

New vs. Used - there are a lot of used chairs out there, but just like a used car, you never quite know what you are getting. You can bet the warranty has expired, but you have no idea how the previous owner treated the chair. Who knows...maybe it was in a home that had kids jumping on it like a trampoline (that's exactly what happens in my home!).

In Part II, we will discuss items #3-10.


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10 Reasons For Eye Surgery Lasik!

There is no "best" method for correcting vision errors. The most appropriate correction for you depends on your eyes and your lifestyle. You should discuss you situation with your ophthalmologist or eye doctor to decide which correction will be most effective for you.

10 Reasons for Lasik!

1. Nothing is as sweet as the freedom from the hassles and inconveniences of contacts or glasses.

2. You save money! Over the years, the costs of lenses, solutions and glasses amounts to thousands of dollars.

3. You save time! In one year, the average contact lens wearer spends nearly 60 hours wetting, soaking, rubbing, cleaning and otherwise maintaining them. This is about 2.5 whole days!

4. Imagine waking up in the morning, and being able to see the clock!

5. You get to go swimming, scuba diving and be able to see things!

6. You are able to spontaneously go camping or stay overnight.

7. You are able to take a nap when the mood strikes without first having to remove lenses. Imagine the hassle saved!

8. You will be able to see while putting on makeup or shaving, no more squinting!

9. You will be able to participate in outdoor sports without glasses that fog or get splashed with rain or lenses that dry out in the wind.

10. And most important of all, you w ill be able to avoid the negative consequences of long term contact lens wear!

Clinicians wishing to undertake laser eye surgery should ensure that patients understand the benefits and potential risks of the procedure. So the better you understand your LASIK surgery, and what happens after your surgery, the better prepared you'll be for your surgery. Patients should be counseled on the potential risks and benefits of LASIK, then make an informed decision. No matter what your motivation may be, the decision to have eye improvement surgery is no small task and it should be considered carefully. If you decide Lasik surgery is for you, consulting your eye doctor is critical to making an informed decision.


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7 Things You Can Do Today To Get Rid Of A Beer Gut

There is much hype and misinformation surrounding the subject of how to get rid of a beer gut. If you can get past the infomercials selling their ab machines, diet supplements and magic pills you'll have a much better chance of actually seeing some proper results and holding on to the money in your pocket.

Like anything in life that involves hard work and desirable results there are no shortcuts. A task such as this requires some fundamental changes in how you live your life and exchanging bad habits for good ones.

Here are 7 small life changes you can make to your every day routine to help to get rid of a beer gut:

1. Park the car a few blocks from work forcing you to walk the rest of the journey every day to incorporate some exercise into your daily routine. If you take the bus or train try and get off a stop or 2 early (take a change of shoes for this).

2. Try and avoid taking lifts and escalators if there are stairs you can take instead.

3. Swap coffee for green tea.

4. Split your meals up into 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day, this will increase your metabolism and therefore burn more fat.

5. Drink lots of water, particularly when you get up and before you go to bed.

6. Eat larger meals earlier in the day when you need the energy and smaller ones in the evening when extra energy will only end up being stored as fat. Remember this expression;- "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and sup like a pauper" but try and split this into 5 or 6 meals instead of the usual 3.

7. Be conscious of how you sit at your desk or how you hold yourself during your day to day routine. One of the best ways to develop a flat tummy is to exercise your transverse abdominus. You do this by holding in your stomach (without holding your breath). Aim to see how long you can hold it in for and better your time every day.

Drawing your belly button into your spine is sometimes referred to as 'activating your core'. If you work at a computer set a calendar reminder to 'activate your core' several times a day. If you don't work at a computer set your watch or phone alarm to remind you to do this. Tensing your stomach muscles and drawing your naval into your spine is something you can do sitting or standing and in almost any situation.

These 7 tips can make a world of difference to helping you get rid of a beer gut if you add them to your daily routine. Proper diet and exercise play an important part as well, however it is possible to ‘multitask’ and lose your beer gut when you’re at work and even at play.

If you combine these routine changes with a solid exercise and diet system you’ll start seeing results a lot quicker than you thought possible. Of course you’ll want to make sure you’re using the right diet and exercise system.

For more every day diet and exercise tips be sure to check out my site for in depth info on how to most effectively get rid of a beer gut and develop rock hard 6-pack abs.


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7 Reasons You Want A Holistic Dentist To Take Care of Your Teeth

Use of Bio-Compatible Dental Materials: Let's face it, we live in a toxic world; so you don't want to add to your toxic load or create more stress for your immune system through your dentistry. Studies indicate that at some point at least twenty per cent of dental patients develop sensitivity to dental material. Your holistic dentist will have different forms of testing available to ascertain which materials are suitable for you.

Non-Painful and Natural Treatment of Gum Diseases: In dentistry, the only condition that can strictly speaking be called a disease is periodontal (gum) disease. The media has drawn a lot of attention recently to research showing that bacteria causing gum disease is not only found in the mouth. The same bacteria can be found in the blood stream when a patient has gum disease and may also be present in instances of heart disease. The mouth is the gateway to the body and a sound oral environment is a necessary support for a strong heart in a healthy body. Your gums are the foundation for any dental treatment. A holistic dentist will always try to implement a balanced and progressive program for preserving your gums before recommending a more aggressive approach to your periodontal care.

Safe Removal of Metal Fillings: It is vital that a strict protocol be followed whenever metal fillings need to be replaced. This includes tooth isolation so that no metal particles find themselves in your mouth or, worse yet, are swallowed. Clean air and oxygen should be provided for you to breathe, along with any special filtration and a custom high speed vacuum unit.

Ideally your holistic dentist will also have a filter that will prevent the metal that has been removed from getting into the public water system. In our oceans, fourteen per cent of the pollution is caused by dental metals. Bay Area dentists are actually required to implement this type of filtration to protect the waters of San Francisco Bay.

Prevention and Effective Treatment of Bite Problems and TMJ Problems: Your holistic dentist knows that your mouth is the gateway to your body, not just internally but structurally as well. The patient's bite alignment must always be factored into the total picture of dental treatment, along with specific concerns like problems with the jaw joint (TMJ). Bite assessment is important for treatment, not just for the head and jaw but for the structure of the body as a whole.

Measures to take for bite correction include use of splints designed with state of the art materials, as well as muscular adjustments within the mouth. Sometimes your holistic dentist may coordinate treatment directly with a chiropractor in order to give you the most positive results.

Your bite must be at its best for the successful outcome to your dental treatment: a relaxed and beautiful smile.

Adjunctive Support: Traditionally, dentists have always stressed the importance of regular brushing and flossing, particularly after eating sweets, for the maintenance of dental health. Your holistic dentist may put even more emphasis on the importance of good dietary habits.

For example, an alkaline, sugar-free diet is an important adjunct to preventive oral health. It is well known that sugar contributes to tooth decay. This is because the bacteria that cause decay easily feed and grow on intake of sugar. An alkaline diet is also helpful in that the stresses of our world tend to cause acidity of the saliva, which affects the health of both teeth and gums. An alkaline diet keeps the ph of saliva at the proper balance so that the digestive processes beginning with the mouth will function optimally. Following some simple dietary guidelines can minimize and actually eliminate sugar cravings.

Your holistic dentist may also use aids like homeopathics, which are a powerful support to oral health and dental treatment. Homeopathic pellets of Aconitum Napellus can be administered to calm anxiety before treatment. Homeopathic gels can be used topically after procedures to dissipate the effects of anesthetics. Others, such as Arnica and Traumeel, can be applied topically to sore gum tissue.

Cosmetic Bonding for Preservation of Tooth Structure: Metal fillings that are 15-20 years old can create cracks in your teeth that eventually grow to become fractures. It is not uncommon to have old fillings stay intact while the tooth structure crumbles around it. In addition to metal fillings weakening tooth structure, they stain the underlying tooth black. It is best to remove old fillings before the tooth breaks, risking root canals or crowns and caps.

Through bonding techniques caps or crowns are sometimes unnecessary, since bonding helps to hold the tooth together rather than wedge it apart. This strengthening through bonding allows us to be more conservative and remove less tooth structure. There are many durable tooth-colored filling materials available today that support the tooth and look natural and beautiful.

Products and Education for Eliminating Toxicity from Your Dental Treatment, Dental Products, Your Home and Your Environment: Today limiting the damage caused by toxicity is a hidden determinant to good health. Limiting toxicity may present as big a challenge as getting proper nutrition. Your body has the wisdom to convert whatever you feed it into nutrients it can use, but over time the immune system and organs of the body may respond to cumulative toxicity by breaking down.

It is important for patients to know about the ingredients to avoid in toothpaste and mouthwash. There is more and more availability of organic, effective, good-tasting alternatives for home dental care. Your holistic dentist can educate you in the many ways that toxic ingredients can be found in personal care and cleaning products and even food and medicine.

Learning which ingredients are best avoided and taking the time to read labels are two ways that we can empower ourselves and our families to strive for good oral health and overall well being. Educating and influencing patients to have a more balanced lifestyle is another of the reasons why your holistic dentist provides important service to your community.


Tags: San Diego cosmetic dentist, beautiful smile, dds, tooth crown, teeth, pain, holistic, metal fillings

7 Proven Tips To Stop Snoring

1. Honey, please roll over.

Sound familiar? If you snore, it probably does. The next time your husband or wife wakes you in the night and asks you to roll over, he/she may just be onto something.

Experts believe that individuals who sleep on their side, instead of their back, are less likely to snore. This is one of the best tips to stop snoring and, even better, it’s free and works immediately.

2. Elevation may help

If you sleep on one pillow, try using two instead. By elevating your head, even a few inches, you may help to improve air passages and prevent snoring.

3. Diet & exercise.

Did you know that obesity is one of the leading causes of snoring? If you are overweight, it may be time to consider a well-balanced diet and exercise regimen. In addition to being one of the best tips to stop snoring, weight loss may help to avoid future medical problems.

4. Let the Sleep Genie grant your wish.

The Sleep Genie is an anti-snoring device that comfortably supports the wearer’s jaw while keeping their mouth closed through the night. It’s blend of nylon and lycra ensure it’s comfort while it’s sleek design does not hinder the ability to sleep.

Typically working during the first use, the Sleep Genie is doctor recommended. One of the best tips to stop snoring is to select a product that is doctor recommended.

5. Tissue, anyone? Do you sneeze often? Are you always congested? Have you been diagnosed with allergies?

If so, this could have a big impact on your snoring habits. Snoring is often a result of airways becoming blocked, which is even more common among allergy sufferers. By ridding your home of allergens, with the help of air filtration units, you may be ridding yourself of snoring in the process. In addition to being one of the most effective tips to stop snoring, removing allergens from your home is just a good idea overall.

6. Just breathe.

If you have allergies, sinus infections, a cold or the flu, try running hot water in the sink. Inhale the steam from the running water and you may find that your nasal passages open up and improve your breathing. This will help you to have a better night’s sleep.

7. Get rid of bad habits.

If you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol, your snoring may be directly linked. These factors are leading causes of snoring so, if they are a part of your life, there is no better time to stop.

All of these tips to stop snoring are a terrific way to regain control over your nights. If these methods do not prove successful, or if you begin to notice shortness of breath during the night, you may have a condition known as Sleep Apnea, which often requires medical attention.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as, or in place of, professional medical advice. Before beginning any treatment for snoring, please consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and remedy.

Tags: anti snoring, stop snoring, sleep apnea, snoring problem, snoring solution