Activity-Linked Heat Illness Needs Prompt Attention

(HealthDay News) -- As the mercury continues to rise, people of all ages should take precautions to ward off heat-related illness while exercising, playing or taking part in any kind of physical activity outside.

"Many cases of heat illness are preventable and can be successfully treated if such conditions are properly recognized and appropriate care is provided in a timely manner," Brendon McDermott, a certified athletic trainer with the University of Connecticut, said in a prepared statement. "We're hoping to educate athletes, coaches, parents and health care providers about what can be done to prevent and treat heat illnesses."

The National Athletic Trainers' Association (NATA) recently issued recommendations to help guard against illness related to warm-weather activity:

• Don't start at full tilt. Gradually increasing the intensity and duration of activity helps ready your body for the heat.
• Take rest breaks. Add them to the activity and get adequate rest between bouts of exercise. Good sleeping habits also cut your risk of heat-related trouble.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water or sports drinks well before and throughout physical activity in the heat. If your urine turns a darker color -- more like apple juice than lemonade - that's a quick indicator of dehydration.
• Timing helps. When possible, exercise during the cooler portions of the day -- early morning or late evening.

Back off at signs of trouble. If you don't feel well, reduce the intensity or length of your activity, for example, walk instead of run. If you have symptoms of an illness (e.g., fever, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, etc.) don't exercise at all. These conditions can decrease your body's tolerance for heat and increase your risk of a heat illness.

Even if you think you are prepared, always listen to your body. If you start to feel ill or strange, stop immediately and seek medical attention.

Here are some heat-related ailments to watch for in yourself and others when working or playing in the warm weather:

Exertional heat stroke can result in death unless quickly recognized and properly treated. Watch for an increase in core body temperature (usually above 104 degrees F/40 degrees C); altered consciousness, seizures, confusion, emotional instability, irrational behavior or decreased mental acuity, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea; headache, dizziness, or weakness; increased heart rate; decreased blood pressure or fast breathing; dehydration; and combativeness. Seek emergency medical treatment immediately; if you are waiting for medical help to arrive try immediate whole-body cooling, preferably through immersion in cold water.

Heat exhaustion is moderately serious, usually resulting from fluid or sodium loss in the heat. Loss of coordination; dizziness or fainting; profuse sweating or pale skin; headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; stomach/intestinal cramps or persistent muscle cramps are its signs. Heat exhaustion patients need to move to a cool, shaded environment, with feet elevated, and be given fluids. If their condition worsens or does not improve shortly, get them to an emergency room. Even if the patient does improve, NATA recommends having a doctor evaluate them.

Heat cramps often occur in people who perform strenuous exercise in the heat. Signs and symptoms include intense pain (not associated with pulling or straining a muscle) and persistent muscle contractions that continue during and after exercise. When heat cramps occur, stop activity immediately, eat salty food, consume a sports drink and stretch the affected muscle. If cramping getting worse or spreads, head to the emergency room.

Hyponatremia happens when a person's blood sodium levels decrease to a potentially fatal level. Over-hydration, inadequate sodium intake or both can cause it, with the result possibly being cerebral and/or pulmonary edema. Signs and symptoms include excessive fluid consumption to the point of weight gain during activity; increasing headache; nausea and vomiting; and swelling of the hands and feet. If the condition involves mental confusion and intense headache, see a doctor. A doctor should also be consulted before resuming outdoor activity in the heat.

More information

Watch your blood pressure if you buy Sony products i.e. in Thailand

SONY Customer Service Sucks

Why?

Dear Sirs, I bought a laptop in your Sony outlet here in Chiang Mai; since I bought them I have only problems. 2 times was the charger broken, 1 time the changed the main board; after the changed the main board I received the laptop back in an unfinished status.. I gave it back and they send it again to Bangkok with the promise to fix this in one week. Now impossible, because they have to order some spare parts from Singapore. What I bought was a new laptop for THB 70.000; and what I got is a crisis of reparation. I can't accept and will inform the customer protection organization of Thailand about my experience with my buy of a sony laptop. Sincerely, Dr. Bettermann

The blood pressure is going up, but still under control.

Dear Dr. Bettermann,
We are sorry to learn of you disappointment regarding the VAIO. We investigated with concerned Department and would like to inform that:
On October 28, 2006, The VAIO model VGN-SZ31SP/B, Serial no. 7000119 was purchased from Chi Chang Computer, Chiangmai.

On May 5, 2007, you sent the battery model VGP-BPS2C to be checked at Chiangmai service center without notebook VAIO. The symptom was "Could not charge the battery" Technician had checked and replaced the new battery.

On December 7, 2007, you sent VAIO and battery to be repaired at Chi Chang Computer with the same symptom. After checked, technician replaced the Main board and Battery. The set was finished on December 7, 2007 On January 1, 2008, the set was sent to Chi Chang Computer once as the cover keyboard did not closeness after repaired. We would like to apologize for this repairing. Currently, your set was checked and very strict quality control by Technician Supervisor and your set has been repaired, and is being delivered to Chi Chang Computer.

Pertaining to cover keyboard did not closeness, kindly be ensure that necessary action will be taken to prevent similar case from happening again. Please wait Chi Chang Computer contact you for receipt.

Again, we do really regret for all the inconveniences you received and apologize regarding repair service. Please kindly accept my sincere apology for the late reply.

However we are indeed very appreciative of your valuable feedback, as it will help us to identify areas of improvement we need to focus on.

For more information, please contact VAIO HelpDesk on 0-2715-6111.

Dear valuable Sony Support Service,

Its seems this Odyssey is not finish.
You have again in your Repair Center my laptop and nobody seems to know what is wrong with it. This is now After 2 weeks.

I called today Sony and asked to get a new laptop that this night mare ended. The answer is no.
After my experience with your service I checked in the internet and there thousand's more out with the same complains and are very unhappy with your company.

So what else you can tell me about your high tech products and your service?
When I get a laptop back what I purchased for THB 7o.000 who works no longer then 3 month?
Your desperate and disappointed Costumer.

What should I do to bring the blood pressure down with my Sony Vaio??

For all disappointned Sony Customer here some advice:

Severe Menopause Symptoms Raise Heart Risks

(HealthDay News) -- Women who have the most severe menopausal symptoms may also be at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests.

Dutch researchers surveyed 5,648 women, aged 46 to 57, about their menopausal complaints and collected data on other health information such as their cholesterol and blood pressure.

Night sweats were reported by 38 percent of women; flushing by 39 percent.

Those with flushing had higher cholesterol levels than those without the symptom. They also had higher blood pressure, higher body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height) and a slightly higher chance of developing heart disease over the next decade. The women with night sweats had comparable results.

The researchers, from the University Medical Center Utrecht, conclude that the connection between severity of symptoms and heart disease risk may be the result of reduced beneficial effects of estrogen on the functioning of blood vessel walls, as estrogen declines during menopause.

The Dutch researchers were scheduled to present their findings Friday at the American Heart Association's Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Conference, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

"The implication is the women with the worst symptoms may be at higher risk, clinically, for heart disease," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women & heart disease, at the Heart & Vascular Institute at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York City.

But the American Heart Association does not advise postmenopausal women to take hormone therapy to reduce heart disease or stroke risk, due to clinical trials that show the hormones, over time, actually increase cardiovascular risks. Hormone therapy is only recommended to relieve very severe symptoms of menopause, and only for the shortest possible period.

The take-home point from this study for the general population, according to Steinbaum, is to pay close attention to improvement in lifestyle habits before menopause and before estrogen levels decline. "One of the things I talk about is lifestyle management to control high blood pressure, high cholesterol," she explained.

If women keep in check the risk factors of heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, by eating healthfully and exercising often before menopause, the transition "doesn't have to be as terrible" as many women fear it will be.

Among her suggestions: Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes three to five days a week, and eat a diet filled with fiber, vegetables, fruits, multi-grains, legumes and omega-3 fatty acids.

In a second study, also scheduled to be presented Friday at the conference, French researchers found the type of hormone delivery method affects the risk of blood clots in postmenopausal women.

Researchers from Paul Brousse Hospital in Villejuif, France, compared women who did not use hormones with those who used estrogen, taking it either orally or transdermally with a patch. Some women took only estrogen, others took estrogen plus progesterone, pregnane, norpregnane or nortestosterone.

The researchers found that transdermal estrogen alone or in combination with progesterone or pregnane derivatives did not raise the risk for blood clots, while other delivery systems did.

They looked at a population of nearly 86,000 French women -- including 984 with blood clots -- who were followed for more than 10 years.

"This [study] is one more piece of the puzzle," said Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. When women take hormones orally, she said, the metabolism involves much more processing through the liver, for instance.

While the study concluded that the patch delivery is less risky when it comes to blood clots, Wu said "the indications remain the same" for hormone therapy. It should be used only for very severe menopausal symptoms interfering with daily life, for the shortest possible time.

More information
To learn more about menopause and heart disease risks, visit the American Heart Association.

Balancing Your Hormones Without Drugs... You Can Feel Good Again $19.95 [ learn more ] Hormone imbalance can be reversed! Look and feel better than ever, just take the time to learn about yourself and read the information contained in this just released e-book about reversing hormone imbalance. Are you ready to finally look and feel great? If so... read on... - E-Book Version.(BH)

New Stroke Therapies Show Promise

(HealthDay News) -- Several new studies point to the promise of new ways to treat different types of stroke.

The research was presented during a teleconference Friday at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference in New Orleans.

The first trial found some benefit when tPA, the only approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke, was given outside the usual three-hour treatment window. Patients in this Australian trial who were given tPA three to six hours after having a stroke had increased restoration of blood flow and a smaller area of the brain was deprived of blood. The study was expected to be published in the April issue of The Lancet Neurology, but was released Friday to coincide with the meeting presentation.

Ischemic stroke involves an obstruction in one of the vessels supplying blood to the brain. Currently, "clot busters" are only considered effective for the first three hours after a stroke.

"The issue is that we've got a three-hour label, and can we extend that to six hours," said study author Dr. Stephen M. Davis, of Royal Melbourne Hospital. "Based on our results, it gives a lot of encouragement that you can enrich that population. A lot of people arrive too late, and these are ones we would be targeting."

The findings are enough to warrant further trials but not to change current clinical guidelines just yet.

"This should be viewed as very encouraging, as an intermediate step that's leading to the formation hopefully of a larger study that can be more definitive and that could impact our guidelines significantly," said Dr. Philip Gorelick, moderator of the teleconference and head of the department of neurology and rehabilitation at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

A second study looked at patients in China, South Korea and Australia with acute cerebral hemorrhage, the most serious form of stroke.

"High blood pressure is a cause of intercerebral hemorrhage and is also very common at [the] acute state, and we don't know what to do about it," said study author Dr. Craig Anderson, from the University of Sydney in Australia. "We believe that having high blood pressure causes extra bleeding and expansion of blood in the brain. If we can bring blood pressure down, we may be able to arrest bleeding in the brain and bring it under control."

In fact, intensive lowering of blood pressure arrested about half a teaspoon of blood and, Anderson said, "in real life, it might have a bigger treatment effect."

Again, the authors hope the findings will lead to funding for larger trials.

A third trial found that reducing blood pressure in the 60 percent to 70 percent of patients who have elevated levels following acute stroke resulted in reduced dysphasia (communication problems) and some mortality benefits.

"These are very small numbers, and I don't want to hang too much on those results, but I think it's very encouraging, so we can probably go forward and do a much larger phase 3 study," said British study author Dr. John Potter.

For now, Gorelick said, "we continue to recommend that physicians follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association guidelines. The blood pressure [issue] has not been resolved, and there are important questions of what to do with blood pressure. . . [although] it would be nice to have a definitive plan here and get people on blood pressure-lowering medicine."

Other studies being presented at the conference found that:

• The recently approved Penumbra device, a "vacuum cleaner" which sucks clots out of the brain, was effective for eight hours after the onset of a stroke, adding five hours to a patient's treatment window.
• Aricept (donepezil) improved several measures of executive function and processing speed in patients with a subcortical form of vascular dementia but did not improve overall cognitive scores, according to researchers from the University of Muenchen in Muenchen, Germany.
• Certain chromosomal regions may harbor genes important in assessing individuals at risk for aneurysms. "This is a critical first step if you want to find genes," said study author Dr. Tatiana Foroud, of Medical & Molecular Genetics in Indianapolis. "The ultimate goal is a genetic test to identify individuals at higher risk for aneurysm, and those individuals could have targeted and more costly screening pursued on a regular basis."

More information
Visit the American Stroke Association for more on different types of stroke.

Chemotherapy After Breast Cancer Surgery Effective for Older Women, Too

HealthDay News) -- It's clear that chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery increases survival rates. But many older women aren't being offered this potentially lifesaving treatment.
But, age shouldn't be a deciding factor -- an older woman's general health appears to be a better predictor of positive results after chemotherapy, according to a study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Age alone should not be a contraindication to the use of optimal chemotherapy regimens in older women who are in good general health," the study authors said.

About half of all breast cancers in the United States occur in women older than 65. Past studies have shown that chemotherapy after breast cancer surgery increases the odds of disease-free survival in women between the ages of 50 and 69. But little information has been available for treating women over 70, the study authors said.

One important concern is that older women may experience more toxic side effects from chemotherapy. That's because the kidneys often function less effectively with age, and there's not as great a bone marrow reserve for generating new blood cells in older people.

"There's always been a concern that older women with breast cancer might be under-treated," said Dr. Yelena Novik, an oncologist at New York University Medical Center in New York City. "In clinical trials, the proportion of women over 70, and especially over 75, is very small, so it's hard to know the benefits and the risks. It's understood that older women are more likely to have other medical problems, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes, so the question is, should they be offered the same treatment as younger women?"

To answer that question, researchers from cancer centers around the country reviewed data from four previous trials that included almost 6,500 women with lymph-node positive breast cancer. Five hundred and forty-two of the women in the studies were over 65, and 159 were over age 70.

Each of the studies looked at various doses and regimens of chemotherapy, including regimens considered to be potentially more toxic than the others.

A number of factors influenced survival rates, including smaller tumor size, fewer positive lymph nodes, having more chemotherapy, and using the breast cancer drug tamoxifen. Age alone, however, didn't appear to influence survival rates, the study authors found.

Women over 65 were more likely to die of causes other than breast cancer. And they were slightly more likely to die as a result of the treatment than younger women were. Overall treatment-related mortality was 0.5 percent, and 1.5 percent for those women over 65.
"What this study basically showed is that we shouldn't prejudice our treatment decisions based on chronological age," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology and oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rouge, La. "We have a lot of very healthy, older individuals, and to simply preclude someone from taking potentially lifesaving therapy because they've reached some chronological age is just wrong. Would you tell someone who's 68 with coronary vessel disease not to get a bypass?"

Both Novik and Brooks said that recent advances in tailoring breast cancer treatments to the individual patient have likely made the age disparity less of an issue.

"We're hopefully getting smarter in understanding cancer behaviors, which gives us better insight into which drugs to use," Novik said.

Brooks advised older women with breast cancer to "sit down and talk with their doctor about what their individualized risk of recurrence is. We have good tools to offer individualized treatment options, whatever your age."

More information
To learn more about chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.

Most With High Blood Pressure Don't Follow Recommended Diet

(HealthDay News) -- Few people with high blood pressure follow recommended dietary guidelines that help control the disease, a new study says.

In fact, people with hypertension actually appear to be eating worse than before the government-approved guidelines were introduced, according to the report published in the Feb.
11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study said young people, blacks and the obese fared the worst in their dietary habits.

A diet high in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products has been shown to help significantly lower blood pressure, according to background information in the article. This Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) method, first published in 1997, complements other lifestyle changes, such as reducing sodium and losing weight, and can also help lower cholesterol levels, previous studies have shown.

The DASH diet is recommended by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection and Treatment of High Blood Pressure for all patients with hypertension.

The study analyzed dietary, health and personal data of adults collected in surveys done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1988 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2004.

Using the DASH guidelines, researchers identified goals for eight target nutrients and calculated scores ranging from zero to nine for individuals with and without hypertension from the surveys; those who scored a 4.5 or higher were considered to be following the diet.

Dr. Philip B. Mellen, of the Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, Miss., and his colleagues found that among individuals surveyed from 1999 to 2004, 28 percent had been diagnosed with hypertension. These individuals had an average DASH score of 2.92 (compared with 3.12 among those without high blood pressure), and only 19.4 percent followed the diet. Compared with those surveyed in 1988 to 1994, 7.3 percent fewer individuals with hypertension followed the DASH diet, reflecting fewer patients who consumed target levels of total fat, fiber and magnesium.

The findings suggest that the diet of Americans with hypertension has not been greatly influenced by the recommendations emerging from the DASH trial and instead reflect secular trends in the dietary patterns of the overall population, the authors wrote. Moreover, the DASH score was lower in subgroups likely to receive the greatest benefit from the DASH diet -- blacks and obese individuals.

More information
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has more about high blood pressure and how to control it.

'Easy Does It' Eases Holiday Stress

(HealthDay News) -- It's supposed to be the happiest time of the year, but don't tell that to the patients who mob the offices of San Diego cardiologist Dr. Mimi Guarneri between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Some complain of what doctors call "holiday heart" -- skipped beats, high blood pressure and angina due to stress or overindulgence. Others feel physically and emotionally overwhelmed, distracted by thoughts of difficult relatives or missing loved ones.

Guarneri, medical director of the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, has different advice for her patients, depending on their situations. But she's always sure to emphasize one theme: relaxation.

"The one thing is do is to take time out, take a deep breath, connect your mind with your body by simple breathing," she said. "And remember to not sweat the small stuff."

Easier said than done, of course. But when it comes to crippling holiday stress, specialists say the simplest pieces of advice are also the best.

Dr. Redford Williams, director of the Behavioral Medicine Research Center at Duke University in Durham, N.C., advises people to be reasonable with their expectations from the season, and to anticipate trouble -- ranging from long lines at stores and airports, to bouts of sadness when images of absent loved ones come to mind.

By readying yourself for these moments, "they won't come as a shock when you realize, 'I'm getting ready to honk my horn or get steamed over this person who just pulled in front of me.' If you can do that, you can probably head off some of it," Williams explained.

He said it's not clear how many people get the blues around the holidays, but it's probably not uncommon. "It's perfectly normal to get a little bit depressed or a little sad during the holidays at one point or another," Williams said.

However, it may not be as bad as some might assume. In recent years, American researchers have looked at local statistics and debunked the long-held assumption that suicide rates shoot up around the holidays.

Not every episode of Christmastime depression is minor, however. If you find yourself early in the new year having trouble with sleeping or eating -- doing either one too much or too little -- it's possible that you've fallen into a clinical depression.

If that might be the case, "You should seek some professional evaluation and possibly treatment," Williams said.

In other cases, a little self-help can be key. "In the grand scheme of life, we say, 'Don't sweat the small stuff,'" Guarneri said. "We have to realize that a lot of stress is what we put on ourselves, not what other people are putting on us."

If you're alone and feeling isolated, she said, "get out and do service work, which brings joy to people." And, if you have the opposite problem -- too much to do and too many people to worry about pleasing -- learn to do less. "None of this is worth dying for," she said.

More information
Learn more about holiday stress from the American Psychological Association.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Moderate Exercise Cuts Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

(HealthDay News) -- A brisk 30-minute walk most days of the week is enough to undo metabolic syndrome, a health condition that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and stroke, a new study suggests.

"What we found was a modest amount of moderate intensity exercise was very effective in improving metabolic syndrome risk," said study author Johanna L. Johnson, a clinical researcher at Duke University Medical Center's department of medicine.

At the start of the study, 41 percent of the 171 participants had metabolic syndrome; at the end, just 27 percent did. The study was published in the Dec. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.

About one-quarter of all U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome, a collection of risk factors that can eventually set you up for more serious health problems. While some experts debate the validity of considering metabolic syndrome a disease unto itself, the risk factors are potentially dangerous. They include a large waist circumference; high blood pressure; high levels of triglycerides; low levels of good (HDL) cholesterol; and high blood sugar. If you have three or more of the five risk factors, you have metabolic syndrome.

Johnson and her colleagues looked at the effects of different amounts and intensities of exercise.
The researchers assigned the 171 men and women to one of four groups. One was a control group, whose members continued to be sedentary. The other three groups included:

• A low amount/moderate intensity group. They did brisk walking three to five days a week, aiming for about 11 miles, and typically putting in about three hours a week.


• A low amount/vigorous intensity group. They did the same 11 or so miles but at a jogging pace, so they ended up getting about two hours of exercise a week.


• A high amount/vigorous intensity group. They jogged at a vigorous pace about 17 miles a week, putting in about three hours.

What was a bit surprising, Johnson said, was the benefits conferred to each group.
"What we found was that modest amounts of moderate intensity exercise [the low/moderate group] were very effective in improving metabolic syndrome," she said. Those who exercised the most, jogging 17 miles a week, gained a bit more benefit in terms of lowered metabolic syndrome scores, she said.

Those in the low amount/vigorous intensity group didn't improve their scores as much as those who did less-intense exercise for a longer period of time, the low amount/moderate intensity group.

Moderate intensity activity every day, or almost every day, may be better for metabolic syndrome risk reduction than more vigorous activity a few days a week, the researchers suggested.

All three groups of exercisers did have a reduction in their waistline circumference. Waist circumferences above 34.6 inches in women and 40.2 in men are a risk factor for metabolic syndrome, the researchers said.

The high amount/vigorous intensity group had the best reduction in body mass index (BMI, a ratio of weight to height). It went from an average of 29.2 to 28.4. A BMI of 30 and higher is termed obese.

So, the bottom line for middle-age, sedentary, overweight people? "If you tell them to go out for a brisk walk 30 minutes on most days of the week, they are highly likely to improve health and metabolic syndrome risk," Johnson said.

The new research confirms advice on exercise from the American College of Sports Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she added.

"It confirms that exercise is beneficial," said Kerry Stewart, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who also has done research on the topic.

"It confirms the benefit of exercise for reducing metabolic syndrome and all the risk factors that make up metabolic syndrome," he said. The surprise, he agreed, was that moderate activity may be enough.

More information
To learn more about metabolic syndrome, visit the American Heart Association.

Sleep Problems Plague the Older Set

(HealthDay News) -- Older Americans often have difficulty getting a good night's rest. It's a huge quality-of-life problem, experts say, because contrary to popular belief, seniors require about the same amount of sleep as younger adults.

"Sleep problems and sleep disorders are not an inherent part of aging," said Dr. Harrison G. Bloom, a senior associate at the International Longevity Center-USA and associate clinical professor of geriatrics and medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

"It's pretty much of a myth that older people need less sleep than younger people."

Yet, in a study published recently in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that more than half of older Americans have problems getting the shuteye they need.

Older people tend to have "sleep fragmentation," meaning they wake up more often during the night, said study author Dr. Julie Gammack, an assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Geriatric Medicine at St. Louis University.

They also seem to get less "REM" sleep, the type of sleep during which rapid eye movement occurs, Bloom added.

It's unclear what role these naturally occurring changes in sleep patterns have on a person's quality of life, Bloom said. "What is important, though, is that older people often have actual sleep disorders and problems with sleep," he said.

And, experts say, there is usually more than one cause.

"Sleep disturbance in older adults is typically associated with acute and chronic illnesses, including specific sleep disorders like sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome that appear with greater frequency in older populations," said Michael V. Vitiello, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate director of the University of Washington's Northwest Geriatric Education Center.

As people age, they typically develop more diseases and suffer from aches and pains. "These things can disrupt sleep, so what they may perceive as a sleep disorder may actually relate to the effects of some of their other medical problems," Gammack noted.

Taking multiple medications, as many older people do, can also lead to fatigue and "hypersomnia," or being tired all the time, Bloom added.

Another big problem, he noted, is depression and anxiety. "Those are very commonly associated with sleep problems."

Despite the prevalence of sleep difficulties in older adults, many patients aren't getting the help they need.

"The average physician receives very little training about sleep disorders and typically does not routinely screen patients for them," said Vitiello, who serves on the board of directors of the National Sleep Foundation. This may be due to a lack of time or training or the belief that there is little that can be done to improve sleep, he explained.

As a result, problems like insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and circadian rhythm disorders are underdiagnosed and undertreated, Bloom said.

To rectify the problem, a national coalition of aging, geriatric medicine and sleep organizations is currently developing guidelines to promote prevention, diagnosis and treatment of sleep problems in older adults. The National Coalition for Sleep Disorders in Older People expects to publish its recommendations by mid-2008.

"The reason we're concerned with these [problems], besides a major issue on quality of life and being tired the next day and not functioning properly, is that these sleep disorders are associated with hypertension, diabetes, pulmonary disease, heart disease, depression and anxiety," said Bloom, chairman of coalition's expert task force.

A cause-and-effect relationship has yet to be established between sleep disorders and these chronic health problems, but Bloom suspects they at least contribute to each other. And he believes a causal relationship may be found in years to come.

"This is very, very much a tip-of-the-iceberg problem," he said.

More information
For tips on better sleep, visit the National Sleep Foundation.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Older Patients Can Do Well With Kidney Transplant

(HealthDay News) -- Age shouldn't be a barrier to receiving a kidney transplant, researchers say, and using donated kidneys that would normally be discarded may help ease a shortage of available organs.

"In the recent past, chronological age has been considered a barrier for both organ donation and transplantation. Our experience suggests that by transplanting organs that are considered higher-risk into carefully selected elderly patients, waiting times can be reduced and survival is similar, compared to standard-organ transplants," study lead author Dr. Phillip Moore, of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, said in a prepared statement.

He and his colleagues studied 356 kidney transplant patients for almost six years. Nearly of third of them were over age 60, and 54 percent of those older patients received kidneys from expanded criteria donors (ECD). They include organs from deceased donors, donors over age 60, or donors over age 50 with health conditions such as hypertension, stroke or elevated levels of a protein called creatinine.

Patient and organ survival rates were similar among all age groups and among patients who received an ECD or standard-criteria kidney. The mean transplant waiting time for patients over age 60 receiving ECD kidneys was 18 months, compared with 25 months for those receiving standard-criteria kidneys.

At a follow-up of 27 months, survival among patients older than 60 was 91 percent, compared to 95 percent for those younger than 60. Survival rates of transplanted kidneys were 82 percent among patients older than 60, 83 percent among patients ages 40 to 59, and 87 percent among patients ages 19 to 39.

The survival rate for patients who received ECD kidneys was 93 percent, compared to 89 percent for those who received standard-criteria kidneys. Kidney survival rates were 82 percent for ECD kidneys and 81 percent for standard-criteria kidneys.

The study was published in the journal Surgery.

More information
The National Kidney Foundation has more about kidney transplant.

Energy Drinks Could Pose Blood Pressure Risks

(HealthDay News) -- Energy drinks boost blood pressure and heart rate and could pose risks to people with hypertension and heart disease, say Wayne State University researchers.

They found that drinking two cans of a popular energy drink increased blood pressure and heart rate in 15 healthy adults, average age 26.

Within a few hours of having the energy drinks, the volunteers' systolic blood pressure (top number) increased by as much as 9.6 percent, and diastolic blood pressure increased by as much as 7.8 percent. Heart rate increased by as much as 11 percent.

"This occurred while participants were sitting in chairs watching movies," study leader James Kalus noted in a prepared statement. "The increase in heart rate and blood pressure weren't enough for something to happen acutely, but a person on hypertension medication or who has a cardiovascular disease may not respond as well."

"While energy drinks increase concentration and wakefulness, people with risk factors for heart disease could have a bad reaction. The subjects in this study were healthy with low blood pressure," Kalus added.

He and his colleagues noted that most energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and an amino acid called taurine, both of which have been shown to have effects on heart function and blood pressure. The researchers emphasized that energy drinks are different from sports drinks, which don't contain ingredients designed to heighten alertness.

The study was expected to be presented Nov. 6 at the American Heart Association annual meeting, in Orlando, Fla.

More information
The Nemours Foundation has more about energy drinks and food bars.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Oxy-Powder® Complete Cleansing System $147.75 [ learn more ] Complete Cleansing System with Livatrex™, Oxy-Powder®, Latero-Flora™, and two bottles of ParaTrex®.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Alcohol Intake on Cardiovascular Health Reviewed

News Author: Laurie Barclay, MD
CME Author: Charles Vega, MD

The latest American Heart Association guidelines caution people not to start drinking alcohol if they do not already drink alcohol, according to a review of the advantages and disadvantages of alcohol intake on cardiovascular health published in the August 23 Online First issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"Accumulating scientific evidence indicates that light to moderate drinking done on a daily basis may significantly reduce the risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) and all-cause mortality," write James H. O'Keefe, MD, FACC, and colleagues from the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri. "In contrast, excessive alcohol intake and binge drinking are toxic to both the heart and overall health and are the third leading cause of premature death among Americans.

The purpose of the present review is to:
1) outline the specific benefits and risks of alcohol, and the threshold of intake at which drinking becomes a health danger rather than an advantage;
2) detail the mechanisms whereby alcohol confers cardioprotection; and
3) discuss the ideal quantities, drinking patterns, and beverages, and which individuals are most likely to benefit."

Research to date has shown J-shaped relationships between alcohol consumption and several adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, CHD, diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, and Raynaud's phenomenon.

Some cardioprotective benefits have been demonstrated for light to moderate alcohol consumption (up to 1 drink daily for women and 1 or 2 drinks daily for men). Most studies have shown that light to moderate drinking is associated with risk reductions for CHD of approximately 30% to 35%.

Alcohol consumed in moderation seems to have an antiatherosclerotic effect, with decreased incidence of peripheral arterial disease and decreased atherosclerotic burden shown by coronary angiography, computerized tomography-detected coronary calcium, and carotid ultrasound.
Like exercise, alcohol consumption seems to be most cardioprotective when done daily and in moderation. However, increasingly excessive consumption is associated with proportional worsening of outcomes.

Because of the beneficial effects on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, insulin action, and inflammation, light to moderate alcohol intake may be particularly helpful for patients with abnormal glucose metabolism and/or insulin resistance. Light to moderate alcohol intake may be associated with reductions in the prevalence and incidence of diabetes, and a large meta-analysis with 12-year follow-up showed a 30% reduction in new diabetes in those who consumed 1 to 2 drinks daily.

The cardiovascular benefits associated with alcohol consumption protection are thought to be mediated by improvements in insulin sensitivity and HDL cholesterol. The major protective component seems to be the ethanol itself, and not the other ingredients found in different types of alcoholic beverages.

In a meta-analysis incorporating data from more than 1 million participants, consumption of 1 drink daily by women and 1 or 2 drinks daily by men was associated with an 18% reduction in total mortality, but daily intakes of more than 2 drinks in women and 3 drinks in men were associated with dose-dependent increased mortality.

Although low-dose, daily alcohol consumption has been linked to better health than less frequent use, binge drinking increases cardiovascular events and mortality, even in otherwise light drinkers.

"Alcohol should not be universally prescribed for health enhancement to nondrinking individuals owing to the lack of randomized outcome data and the potential for problem drinking," the study authors note. "Alcohol (ethanol) consumption is analogous to the proverbial double-edged sword, and perhaps no other factor in cardiovascular (CV) health is capable of cutting so deeply in either direction depending on how it is used."

Guidelines from the United Kingdom suggest that middle-aged or elderly men and postmenopausal women who drink seldom or never might consider the possibility that light drinking would benefit their health. On occasion, the reviewers have made a similar recommendation to patients who do not smoke and who have no personal or family history of substance abuse and no history of depression or bipolar disorder. However, they argue that light to moderate drinking should not be universally recommended to the general public or even to patients with cardiovascular disease.

As an analogy, they point out that observational data and findings from randomized trials using surrogate endpoints suggested that hormone replacement therapy for women and antioxidant vitamins improved cardiovascular outcomes, whereas later randomized trials with larger samples led to the opposite conclusions. They note that no randomized trials of alcohol for improving clinical outcomes have yet been performed. In observational studies, residual unmeasured confounding factors could be contributing to apparent benefits that seem to be associated with light to moderate drinking.

The investigators further note that heavy drinking has caused significant individual and societal problems and morbidity. In the past 15 years, the rates of alcohol abuse and binge drinking have been increasing, according to the findings of some studies. Alcohol abuse causes 100,000 deaths each year in the United States, and it has been deemed the third largest preventable cause of death.

Excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with increased risks for all-cause mortality, motor vehicle crashes, stroke, cardiomyopathy, cardiac dysrhythmia, sudden cardiac arrest, suicide, cancer (particularly of the breast and gastrointestinal tract), cirrhosis, fetal alcohol syndrome and sleep apnea.

"Sobering statistics warn that moderate daily drinking is a slippery slope that many individuals cannot safely navigate," the study authors conclude. "The latest American Heart Association guidelines caution people not to start drinking if they do not already drink alcohol, because it is not possible to predict in which people alcohol abuse will become a problem. Until we have more randomized outcome data, and tools for predicting susceptibility to problem drinking, it would seem prudent to encourage physicians and patients to focus on more innocuous interventions to prevent CHD."

J Am Coll Cardiol. Published online August 23, 2007.
2007;50:1009-1014.

High Co-Pays Cause Seniors to Go Without Meds

(HealthDay News) -- Seniors enrolled in Medicare plans that charge higher co-pays for brand name or non-preferred medications fill almost 15 percent fewer prescriptions than their peers who have a flat co-pay for all prescription medications, a new study finds.

The data highlights a tough decision for older Americans: Spend more or skip some of their medicines, including those for chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

"Consumers are sensitive to price. When they have to pay more, they tend to consume less," senior researcher Boyd Gilman said in a prepared statement.

Gilman and colleagues at Cambridge, Mass.-based Mathematica Policy Research Inc, analyzed spending on prescription drugs among almost 353,000 Medicare beneficiaries with employer-sponsored retiree drug coverage.

They compared spending by those in single-tiered plans to those in three-tiered prescription drug plans. Three-tiered plans charged retirees higher co-pays for using drugs that were not generic or preferred name brands, or that were less obviously medically necessary, whereas single-tier plans charged a flat $5 or $10 co-pay for all prescribed medications.

Writing in the online September issue of Health Services Research, the researchers reported that people enrolled in three-tiered plans spent 14.3 percent less on prescriptions and filled 14.6 percent fewer prescriptions compared to their peers with single-tier plans. Those in three-tiered plans typically relied on generics when they purchased medications, reported Gilman.

The data also showed that people with three-tiered plans had 57.6 percent higher out-of-pocket costs and filled 11.5 percent fewer prescriptions for ongoing medical needs such as diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure.

"The use of prescription medications is fairly predictable. People know what drugs they need, and they can find out whether their drugs are covered by a plan, and -- if they are covered -- whether they belong to a lower-cost tier or a higher-cost tier," Gilman said.

More information
To learn more about choosing a Medicare drug plan visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Child Maltreatment Rises in Homes of Soldiers Sent to War

(HealthDay News) -- A U.S. Army-sponsored study finds that children of enlisted soldiers are more likely to be abused or neglected when a parent is deployed to a combat zone.

The findings point to the need for more support services at home, the study authors said.

"The practical implication is that child maltreatment incidents are much more likely to occur during soldier deployments than during other times, and this really underlines the necessity of formal and informal support for parents who are going through this," said Deborah A. Gibbs, lead author of the study and a senior analyst with the Children and Families Program at RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C. "Our findings really put a number on the extent of the problem and suggest the areas in which supports are most necessary."

The study is published in the Aug. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on violence and human rights.

U.S. Army support of the study should give the issue of child abuse in general even more of a spotlight, experts said.

"The fact that the military is taking an interest is going to be helpful for the whole nation," said Dr. Rachel Bramson, associate professor of family and community medicine with the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and the Scott & White Clinic in College Station, Texas. "A lot of times if you have an organization of complexity with the degree of resources and the appropriate interest in their employee and family health, then you can bring about greater social change," she added.

U.S. Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ben Clark is deputy director of family programs, Family Advocacy Program, Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command. Responding to the study, he said, "What they [the researchers] see is pretty consistent with what we see.

We see an increase of neglect cases when we have large deployments. We're getting resources to help with that."

Deployment of a parent results in added stress, particularly to the parent left behind. Stress, in turn, is thought to play a role in child maltreatment, including neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.

In 2004, there were more than 1.1 million American military families with children younger than 18.

Although there is not a long history of research in this field, previous studies have found that children of parents in the U.S. military serving in Iraq and elsewhere have higher blood pressure, heart rates and stress levels than other youngsters, and that children from military families are twice as likely to die from severe abuse as other children are.

Gibbs and her colleagues looked at confirmed incidents of child maltreatment by a parent in 1,771 families of enlisted U.S. Army soldiers who had been deployed to combat at least once between September 2001 and December 2004.

In total, 1,858 parents in these families had maltreated their children. The overall rate of child maltreatment was 42 percent higher during the times when the soldier-parents were deployed, compared to when they weren't deployed.

Moderate or severe maltreatment was 61 percent higher during deployment periods as compared to non-deployment periods.

While rates of child neglect were nearly double during deployment, the rate of physical abuse was less.

The rate of maltreatment by female civilian spouses was more than triple during times of deployment. Male civilians had a higher rate of maltreatment during these periods, but not significantly so, the study found.

The rate of child neglect by civilian female spouses was nearly four times the rate at other times.

"When people are stressed, there's a much higher likelihood of abuse. It's true of any situation," Bramson said. "Also, most abusers were themselves abused. The key is preventing abuse, so you don't raise kids who are going to go on to be abusers. Luckily, there's more interest in trying to create community interventions. One of the major things is awareness, and that's why I'm excited about this coming from the military. That's going to get some attention."

Among the themed issue's other reports:
Almost 40 percent of Nepalese sex-trafficked girls and women, many forced into prostitution, who were repatriated tested positive for HIV infection.

Group psychotherapy helped reduce depression among displaced adolescent girls who had survived war in northern Uganda. The interventions were less effective among adolescent boys.
Former Ugandan and Congolese child soldiers who have more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are less likely to be open to reconciliation and are more likely to have feelings of revenge.

Adults displaced by war in northern Uganda have high rates of PTSD and depression. They are also more likely to favor violent means to end the conflict, compared to people without comparable symptoms.

More information
Visit Prevent Child Abuse America for more on this issue.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Health Tip: Causes of Fainting

(HealthDay News) -- Fainting occurs due to a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain, resulting in brief loss of consciousness. Fainting can be accompanied by dizziness or nausea.
Here are some common triggers, courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine:

• Straining during urination or a bowel movement.
• Excessive coughing.
• Standing for too long in the same position, or quickly standing up from a lying position.
• Severe pain, stress, fear or emotional distress.
• Excessive bleeding or dehydration.
• Medications used to treat conditions like high blood pressure, anxiety, allergies and nasal congestion.
• Use of drugs or alcohol.
• Low blood sugar.

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Steam & Sauna Bathing Offers Multiple Rejuvenating & Healing Benefits

Written by The International Steam Therapy Association

Part 1
Most people laugh when they hear that the Finnish Olympic team lugs a portable sauna with them wherever they go. However, the fair-haired Nordic athletes might be doing more than simply acting out a home-sick longing for the slender birch trees and island dotted lakes of the homeland. They could be on to a secret, non-drug-induced means of giving themselves an edge in the fierce competition of modern-day Olympics.

Although most people simply consider it a pleasant means of relaxation, sweat therapy might in fact have powerful heath-enhancing effects.

In the test of time is any measure, steam bathing has certainly withstood it. For thousands of years people of all cultures have indulged in the soothing warmth of sweat baths. The Romans are well-known for their elaborate baths. The wealthy of 200 B.C. India did not consider their mansion complete unless it included a bathhouse with a steam room. The Muslim Hamman, or bathhouse, with its domed, central steam chamber is stall an integral part of life in Muslim countries. A derivation of the Hamman, the Turkish bath, has been popular in Europe for centuries.

Today, steam and sauna facilities are an integral part of the hydrotherapeutic offerings at European and American spas, and steam rooms and saunas are a common feature of health clubs and public pools. Yet, there is surprisingly little awareness of the wide ranging benefits of steam and sauna bathing. There is evidence that these sweat-inducing treatments stimulate the immune system, improve circulation, and help the body to purge itself of impurities.
Hippocrates, the founder of Western medicine more than two-thousand years ago said, "Give me the power to create a fever, and I shall cure any disease."

Although often misunderstood as a symptom of disease, fever actually is a part of the body's natural healing response. Steam baths, sauna, and other heat-inducing treatments elicit similar healing responses in the body, and consequently are often called "artificial fevers".

During a fever, the functioning of the immune system is stimulated, while the growth of bacteria and virus is forced to slow down. The production of white blood cells, the primary agents of the immune system, is increased, as is the rate of their release into the blood stream. The generation of antibodies speeds up, as does the production of interferon, an anti viral protein that also has powerful cancer-fighting properties.

Apart from stimulating the immune system, fever slows down the proliferation of invading organisms by creating an inhospitable environment. At 104 degrees F., for example, the growth rate of the polio virus is reduced up to 250 times; at 106 degrees pneumococcus, a bacterium responsible for pneumonia, dies.

Part 2
Before the advent of antibiotics, syphilitics were often infected with malaria to prevent the spread of the disease. In addition, there is evidence that the frequent fevers of malaria might function as a cancer-protecting factor. Dr. Paavo Airola in his book, Worldwide Secrets of Staying Young relates the story of the Pontine swamps near Rome in Italy, which, until a few decades ago, were a breeding ground for malaria-carrying mosquitoes. The swamps were dried out, and the malaria disappeared. However, during the next decades, that area, which had before been almost free of cancer, saw an increase in cancerous diseases. After a generation, the cancer incidence level of that area had reached the level of the rest of Italy.

Malignant cells are selectively destroyed at temperatures of 106 to 110 degrees F., so the frequent fever attacks of people in the malaria-infected area might have mobilized the body's own defenses too frequently for a cancer to take hold.

Although the artificial fever induced by sweat therapy does not have the comprehensive effect of real fever, it still produces a striking effect on a number of bodily processes.

There is evidence that artificial fever works as an immune system stimulant by increasing the number of white blood cells in the body. In a 1959-review of studies on the effects of heat treatments, Mayo Clinic researcher Dr. Wakim and colleagues cite findings indicating that the number of white blood cells in the blood increased by an average of 58% during artificially induced fever. Researchers also have found increases in the activity of the white blood cells during induced fever.

In addition, as in the case of bodily induced fever, the raised temperature during the artificial fever reduces the growth rate of most bacteria and viruses, giving the immune system time to mobilize its own forces. Indeed, many regular steam or sauna bathers have experienced that a good, long sweat bath at the early onset of a cold or flu can help ward off the disease before in manifests as actual symptoms.

Apart from the immune system-stimulating effects of sweat therapy, many thought it as one of the most effective and painless detoxifying treatments available.

Dr. Veronica Butler, medical co-director at the Raj, a health center based on principles of Ayurveda, recommends herbalized steam baths, called swedenas, to clients as part of the ancient Ayurvedic purification treatment, known as panchakarma.

According to the classical Ayurvedic texts, for maximum results, a swedena or steam bath should be given while keeping the head cool and the client supine.

"A swedena clears the shrotas, the channels through which the biological intelligence flows," says Dr. Butler. "If impurities clog these channels, the flow of intelligence in the body becomes more susceptible to disease."

Part 3
Heat speeds up the chemical processes in the body, making steam and sauna bathing one of the simplest and most comfortable ways to rid the body of accumulated toxins. As the pores open up and the million of sweat glands start to excrete, the body rids itself of metabolic and other waste products. Sweat contains almost the same elements as urine, and for this reason, the skin is sometimes called the third kidney. It is estimated that as much as 30% of bodily wastes are eliminated by way of perspiration.

However, more than common metabolic waste products are secreted through the skin. Natural health practitioners often notice that when heavy smokers get a steam bath for a body wrap (where the body 'simmers' for up to 45 min. Under hot covers), they will leave a yellow residue on the towels. Reino Tarkianinen, President of Finlandia Sauna, reports that when the company replaces sauna benches from public baths, a thick, black layer of accumulated tar can be found underneath the benches.

In Finland, research is being done on the use of sweat therapy in the treatment of people who are chemically affected. The purifying effects of perspiration could also be behind claims that steam and sauna treatments can help cur or control such ailments as acne and arthritis.

Last but not least, steam and sauna bathing produces powerful therapeutic effects simply by increasing circulation. As the carrier of the rebuilding forces of the nutrients to all parts of the body, the bloodstream plays a crucial role in the maintenance of health.

Steam and sauna treatments have a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system. The pulse rate increases from 75 beats per minute to between 100-150 beats per minute during a 15-20 minute treatment. This increases blood circulation, but not blood pressure, since the heat also causes the tiny blood vessel in the skin to expand, accommodating the increased blood flow. The dilation of the capillary vessels enables the bloodstream to carry great amounts of nutrients to the skin, enhancing the nutritive status of the skin. The flushed, youthful look that steam and sauna bathers maintain for up to several hours after treatment is due to this effect.

Which is the best way of taking a steam or sauna treatment?
First of all, it is good to be aware of the distinction between the two. Most people think of the heat of a sauna as dry heat and the heat of a steam room as wet, humid heat. This distinction is only partially correct. Sauna bathers in Finland splash water on the heated stones in the sauna, raising the humidity level to as much as 40%. Without that, the hot, dry sauna air can irritate the mucus membranes.

Part 4
In the hydrotherapeutic tradition used at European and America spas, sweat therapy is used in preparation for massage as a means of increasing the suppleness of the muscles and creating a deep sense of relaxation in body and mind. In the Ayurvedic tradition of India, which has gained popularity in the U.S. in recent years, steam treatments are part of the traditional purification treatment panchakarma, where they are used after massage to help the body get rid of toxins dislodged during the treatment.

Sweat treatments can also be enjoyed on their own, as a workout for the cardiovascular system, a deep-cleansing treat for the body, an immune system booster, and a soothing and invigorating refreshment for the mind.

There are a few precautions to keep in mind. Because of the increase in cardiovascular activity caused by the high heat, sweat therapy is not recommended for people with heart disease or other cardiovascular problems. Individuals with high blood pressure pressure should first consult their doctor.

In addition, the treatment is not advised for pregnant women, small children, or the elderly. Do not take a sweat treatment if you have a fever or an open wound. If you have been working out, be sure that your body has had time to cool down before exposing it to the heat of a sweat bath.

Limit treatment time to 10 to 15 minutes. Drink plenty of water of herbal tea before and after the sweat bath to replace fluids lost during the treatment. The sweat glands can secrete up to 30 grams of sweat per minute, or almost one pint per 15 minutes, so dehydration is a very real possibility, if you are not careful. Fatigue and other indications of dehydration can occur with as little as 1 to 2% loss in body weight.

The main thing to keep in mind is to enjoy the process. Do not push your body beyond its comfort level; the point is not to sweat it out the longest, but to allow your mind and body to luxuriate in this health-enhancing and invigorating miniature spa treatment.

Working up a sweat is one of our oldest folk remedies. "Give me an opportunity to create fever and I will cure any illness," said the Greek physician Paramenides two thousand years ago.

Today, besides creating a relaxing sense of well-being, relaxes and loosens muscles tissue, reducing daily buildup of tension and increasing muscle flexibility:
-boosts blood circulation, which helps aching and injured muscles to recover faster, because the stronger the flow of blood, the faster metabolic waste products are carried off. -stimulates vasodilatation of peripheral blood vessels, which relives pain and speeds healing of sprains and strains; -speeds up the metabolic processes of vital organs and endocrine glands resulting in a calorie loss of between 200 and 450 in a 20 minute session.

Part 5
According to Michael Marino, research associate at Lennox Hill Hospital's Institute of Sports Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York City:
"….. heat exposure stimulates the hypothalamus, the gland that normally maintains and stabilizes body temperature to dissipate the excess heat. Heart rate increases as more blood flow is diverted from the inner organs towards the extremities of the skin. This automatic "cooling" reaction is actually a form of beneficial stress, a passive kind of cardiovascular exercise that helps to keep the body's system alert and functioning well."

The beneficial stress of heat on the heart is confirmed by physical fitness expert Bernard Gutin, Professor of Applied Physiology and Education at Teacher's College, Columbia University:
"Heat acts as a form of mostly beneficial stress on the body that produces physiological changes in heightened blood pressure, stepped-up heart rate and an increase in stress hormones."
According to Dr. Paavo Aviola, an author in health matters:

"The sauna increases the eliminative, detoxifying and cleansing capacity of the skin by stimulation of sweat glands. A steam bath provides a mild cleansing process for the skin as certain body fluids are released through the skin. It also promotes healthy skin tone and texture due to increased blood circulation."

more info at:

ozone_oxygen

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum

Back Pain Constipation

Defining Constipation

Constipation is a term used to describe infrequent bowel movements and affects many people every year.

However, surpassed only by cold and flu symptoms as “motivators,” having a sore back is the second most common reason people visit their doctors.

While the most obvious symptom of constipation is difficulty in having regular bowel movements, another prevalent symptom is back pain.

Most of us will experience some sort of pain or discomfort in our backs at some point in our lives, and constipation could be the cause.

Structure and Function of the Back

The back has many muscles attached to, intersecting, or covering the spine. The spine itself is made up of an elongated, curved stack of bones called vertebrae. These vertebrae are basically round and between each of them is a special disc.

These discs are composed of rubber-like tissue and provide flexibility of the spine. Without this flexibility, we wouldn’t be able to bend over, twist, sit, or walk. However, we wouldn’t want to be as flexible as a snake either. Along with the discs, we have strong ligaments spanning from vertebrae to vertebrae for more support.

The spine also has the critical job of protecting the spinal cord, which sends messages back and forth to the body and the brain, so we can see the logic of having spinal “armor” shielding it.

It’s no wonder people end up with sore back muscles, “slipped discs,” and other lower back problems because we have so many different parts to twist, pull, tear, and strain!

Back pain can be caused by lifting something too heavy, twisting too suddenly, or even sleeping in an awkward position and it can even be related to something unusual like constipation. The lower back also feels impact from walking, running, and many other everyday motions.

Constipation only worsens the situation as the lower back feels greater strain when natural movement is obstructed or hindered by an over-full or impacted colon.

Incredibly, even children can experience back pain constipation. You see—constipation is really just the body not getting rid of waste often enough. If waste remains in the colon too long, the body can reabsorb the water and thus the stool becomes too dry.

If a child is trying to pass a stool that is hard, dry, or very large, they have to strain to manipulate the intestinal muscles. As a result, they may experience lower back pain from all that extra effort. Children may experience additional pain in the anus from it getting stretched open for the large, dry stool to get pushed out.

When to See a Doctor

People with severe or chronic constipation can also develop a condition known as fecal impaction. This occurs when the rectum is blocked by a hardened bowel movement and it can lead to back pain and cramps, bloating, and even feelings of lethargy from the waste remaining inside the body too long.

Most people endure these types of problems without realizing a solution can be obtained; they find ways to work around any lower back pain they might be experiencing and just trudge along with the added difficulty. Nonetheless, it can be a sign that something else is wrong. If you have any of the following symptoms, consult a qualified physician:

The pain is constant and doesn’t improve by resting your back or lying down.
The pain developed suddenly and you are under 20 years old or over 55 years old.
The pain travels up the back and into the chest area.
The pain came on slowly and gradually became worse (most back pain comes on quickly from some injury or stress).

Recurrent nausea or loss of appetite affects your normal diet patterns.
You experience weakness or numbness in your legs or feet or any part of your buttock region.
You are also experiencing problems with your bladder or bowel function.

Of course, if you’re experiencing back pain constipation, once you begin having regular bowel movements again the pain should subside. But what if you’ve had back pain recently, and it feels better now, yet you are still constipated? Surprisingly, back pain constipation can also be related to medications you're taking such as painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs.

Medications and Constipation

Stronger painkillers, like Codeine, have a tendency to constipate, as do non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Here are some medications or drugs you may not recognize as potential causes of constipation:

Antacids containing aluminum hydroxide
Anti-depressants
Anti-diarrhea products
Anti-spasmodic drugs
Diuretics
Medications for Parkinson’s disease
Iron supplements
Calcium channel blockers (high blood pressure treatments)
Decongestants and anti-histamines
Pain Relief

Helpful Hints for Reducing Back Pain Constipation

Some people are surprised to learn constipation could be causing lower back pain, but the truth is—constipation can cause all sorts of aches, pains, and general malaise. Abdominal pain pain and nausea are common symptoms, as well as a loss of appetite.

If there is fecal impaction associated with your back pain constipation, it can cause rectal cramps. Fecal impaction may occur in the elderly; and because liquid stool tends to ooze out around blockages, it can often be mistaken for diarrhea.

If you are suffering from the discomfort of back pain constipation here are some resolutions you can try:

Dehydration can be a major cause of back pain constipation. Drink lots of water, or hot teas and broths.

Begin exercising more. Easy, relaxed swimming or walking are excellent choices.

Cut back on eating refined foods and get back to the healthful basics such as fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables.

Raise your feet with a footstool when you are sitting on the toilet. It puts the bowel at a better angle for passing the stool more easily.

Try using a natural oxygen-based intestinal cleanser, like Oxy-Powder®.

Take the time to thoroughly research your sleeping conditions. Invest in not just an “okay” bed but the best one you can afford. Getting a great night’s rest is critical to keeping the body in proper working order.

Back pain constipation is a detriment to health we may all have to face someday. If you find it’s happening more often, it's probably a good time to change your routine.

Focus on exercises strengthening both stomach and back muscles such as good old-fashioned sit-ups, rowing, back extensions, leg lifts, or the afore-mentioned aquatic activities. Be aware of potential side effects from any medication you are taking. Make sure you're sleeping well on a comfortable mattress;

some people prefer firmer and some prefer softer, but everyone should feel refreshed in the morning. And, perhaps most beneficial, begin eating a healthful, well-balanced diet with plenty of fruit, whole grains (for fiber), and vegetables.

Back pain constipation can be a debilitating, painful condition but can be alleviated with a little common sense and preventative measures. Be good to your back—it’s really the foundation of a body’s strength and must be maintained for overall good health.

more info at: oxypowder

more discussion: Forum
· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum