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Laser hair removal information

At present, laser treatment is the most popular hair removal method in the market providing incredibly convenient, safe and painless solutions to millions of people who are experiencing unwanted hair growth. However, laser treatment is a medical procedure that is accompanied by certain significant hair removal dangers and side effects.

The biggest danger associated with laser treatment is self injection or application of topical anesthesia. The patient must be anesthetized during laser treatment and this procedure must be accomplished only by a trained medical professional. Or else, results can be fatal. An overdose of anesthesia can result in medical complications such as blurred vision, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, seizures and cardiac arrest. Another danger is getting exposed to sun before the skin recovers from the treatment. Many people tend to expose themselves to the sun immediately or a week after treatment. This can result in swelling and skin burns. Apart from these, there are certain hair removal dangers with laser treatment if the treatment is not done in a proper way. Improperly performed laser treatment can result in the skin absorbing the laser energy, this resulting in skin burns and hyperpigmentation. In certain cases, improper laser treatment inhibits melanin production, resulting in hypopigmentation.

More laser hair removal information at this site.

Jul 15 2008 08:59 am | Health + More and Medical + More and Style of Life | Comments Off

Healthy Weight Loss: Start Right Away

In order to consistently keep your weight under control, it is advisable to walk about 10,000 steps daily. It is the easiest activity among all the exercise programs and does not involve stress to the body. Apart from the activity of walking, a systematic dietary pattern should be followed so that you are always free from the obesity symptoms.

Generally people, who are overweight, are usually not interested in physical activities. They prefer doing any type of work but without moving from one place to another. They usually enjoy watching TV and having something to eat. For this category, fixing a program like aerobics or floor exercises would require great efforts. Therefore walking is the most recommended form of exercise. For the beginners it is ideal to walk for 15-20 minutes daily. Gradually, the time can be extended daily until they are capable of walking 60 minutes a day.

When the doctors prescribe pills for the patients, they advice the patients to spend some time walking around. The tablets are effective only when combined with the healthy dietary patterns and a daily exercise activity. Losing weight is a difficult task, and people who are disciplined and take exercise seriously, would lose weight. So take your exercise activity seriously and be active throughout the day.

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Jul 09 2008 07:20 pm | Medical + More | Comments Off

Do You Believe These Six Common Diet Myths?

The diet industry has grown into a multi billion pound industry and with this growth, diet myths abound.

Diet myths lead to unrealistic expectations and can also be bad for your overall health.

Here are 6 common diet myths to avoid:

Myth 1. Crash dieting or fasting makes you lose weight

This is one of the most common diet myths - it can be true in the short term but losing weight over the long term involves burning off fat.

Crash dieting not only removes fat but also lean muscle and tissue. It can also make you weak and unhealthy.

It’s much better to try for long-term weight loss, as short-term weight loss can be traumatic and unhealthy.

Myth 2. Cholesterol is bad for you, low or zero-fat diets are good for you.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is made mostly by the liver and we all need some blood cholesterol as it’s used to build cells and form vital hormones.

There is in fact good and bad cholesterol.

Saturated fats found in food like meat, cheese, cream, butter and processed help raise LDL (low density lipoprotein) ‘bad’ cholesterol, this then delivers cholesterol to the arteries.

HDL (high density lipoprotein) - or ‘good’ cholesterol - transports cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver.

Myth 3. Certain food groups should be eliminated

Many fad diets emphasize the elimination of certain food groups or eating primarily only one or two food groups.

Your body is designed to use a combination of water, vitamins, protein, fat, minerals, carbohydrates, fiber, and oxygen and none should be omitted.

Myth 4. Cutting fat from your diet will help weight loss

Eating things like whole grains, fruits, vegetables and skim milk, which provide lots of volume and relatively few calories can achieve this, but many processed fat-free and low-fat foods, such as cookies and frozen desserts, are actually very high in calories.

You can also gain weight if you consume lots of low-fat, carbohydrate-rich foods like pasta and bread. Always consider portion size and number of calories when looking to control weight.

Myth 5. Cutting carbohydrates helps you lose weight.

Carbs are now what fats were in the recent past, the enemy of weight loss. Fact is however; you need them for energy and vitality.

Like fats, some are better than others. Experts suggest a minimum of 130 grams of carbs day - much more than a typical low-carb diet that states 20 grams or less.

Short-term effects of low-carb diets include fatigue, constipation and irritability; long term, you could be putting yourself at risk from heart disease and colon cancer.

What matters most is how refined the carbohydrates are.

The best idea is to cut back on refined carbs such as soda and foods made with white flour, while increasing healthier carbs like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Myth 6. Dairy products make you fat.

Combined with calorie control, a dairy-rich diet can nearly double body-fat reduction and weight loss and actually help prevent weight gain.

Part of the reason is the hormone calcitriol, which helps conserve calcium for stronger bones while telling fat cells to convert less sugar to fat and burn more body fat. The result is leaner fat cells and a slimmer you.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

Jun 30 2008 10:21 pm | Medical + More | Comments Off

Protect Your Liver With Artichoke Extract

The artichoke is a member of the milk thistle family and first came to the attention of researchers in 1966 (in a study that supported its effect on liver regeneration in rats). Artichoke leaf extracts have demonstrated great benefits and potential as an antioxidant and hepatoprotective. The extracts have also exhibited immense advantages in regard to the gallbladder with the ability to stimulate the secretion of bile in the liver.

Akin to milk thistle, artichoke extract is also able to stimulate regeneration of damaged liver tissue. The value of artichoke for preventing or reducing buildup of fat in the liver from chronic alcohol consumption is significant. Cynarin, which is a caffeoylquinic acid and a chief constituent of the extract, was discovered to be responsible for the main cell-protective action. The investigations of hepatoprotective action in the U.S. have been done only in animals, as the normal procedure involves exposure to toxins. The central research method for this type of investigation is to administer the test substance (in this case the artichoke leaf extract) to the animal just before or simultaneously with administration of a toxic substance and observe the results. A study done in 1987 by Adzet used carbon tetrachloride as the toxin. The use of artichoke leaf extract clearly indicated an apparent reduction of liver injury.

Recognizing the significance of adequate bile flow for health, German researchers set out to verify the earlier findings of bile promoting effects of the artichoke plant in a controlled double-blind study on healthy volunteers. The participants were provided a one-time dose of artichoke extract or a placebo, and their bile discharge was measured over the course of several hours. The bile secretion was found to be sizably higher in the group that received the artichoke extract. An additional open label study was done on 417 volunteers with liver or bile duct disease. The majority of these participants had longstanding symptoms, some for countless years. They were all given artichoke leaf extract for approximately four weeks.

Following a one week period, 70% of the patients experienced improvement of their symptoms, and the percentage went up to 85% three weeks later. Artichoke leaf extract has demonstrated to be a safe and natural way to preserve and improve general health due to its numerous applications to essential physiological functions. In addition, as a nutritional supplement and antioxidant, it can safely be used.

As a rule, the majority of the research on artichoke has been done with a German extract that contains 3% caffeylquinic acids. A recent and even more potent extract of 15% caffeoylquinic acids-calculated as chlorogenic acid is now available on the American market. Researchers all over the world are investigating it for applications in areas such as diabetes, cancer and HIV. Artichoke leaf extract has demonstrated to be a safe and natural method to help your liver and can be used harmlessly as an addition to conventional therapies.

Judy Phillips is the founder of Jash Botanicals Herbal Extracts, a manufacturer of physicians grade herbal extracts and medicinals. A naturopath and herbalist with over 25 years of experience, her passion for producing herbal formulas of exceptional purity and strength grew from a dissatisfaction with mainstream herbal products. She is an author of various natural health topics, from detoxification to dietary modification, and works to assist the expansion of knowledge to individuals in search of natural treatments. JashBotanicals.com offers a wide range of informative articles, including a monthly newsletter and a natural health blog.

Jun 20 2008 10:00 pm | Medical + More | Comments Off

A helpful solution for an epicondylitis lateralis is in your reach

Therefore, if the contractile tissue is affected it would also be expected to affect the force generating capacity in 3 weeks.

Nevertheless, the finding of a well preserved force capacity in the muscle indicating unaffected contractile tissue was corroborated by the results from the ultrasound grey-scale analysis for 2 days.

However, it may be speculated that in addition to changes in 2 months in the tendon also muscular changes may be detectable. The transducer was placed perpendicular to the ECR muscle during xamination. Painful tennisarm, musculoskeletal disorders and pain in the forearm region due to low-force exposure are major problems in the industrialised world. Indeed, by the use of biopsy technique, morphological changes in the forearm muscle have been identified in patients diagnosed with annoying tennisarm. An ultrasound scanner fitted with a 78 MHz linear matrix transducer was used for the first 8 hours.

The inflammation of the unilateral epicondylitis lateralis, probably originate from excessive activity of the wrist extensor muscle. Further, the pathophysiology is poorly understood for the gone 4 minutes.

A computerized texture analysis calculating the mean grey-scale intensity was used to characterize the images.

Each image consisted of pixels with greyscale values ranging from 232 to 423. Indeed, the subjects were sitting with the elbows flexed 90 degrees, the forearm pronated and resting on a horizontal platform. Moment arm was measured and the wrist extension torque was calculated for 4 years. Results are presented as mean. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences after 4 hours.

B-mode ultrasonography was performed bilaterally at the middle part and proximal part of the extensor carpi radialis on three patients with unilateral tennisarm injury. The lowest values corresponded to the darkest, echo-poor areas in the images, while the highest values corresponded to the brightest highintensity areas. Next 8 minutes, the muscular tenderness, measured as pressure pain threshold was determined with an electronic pressure algometer. All PPT measurements were conducted 17 times at both the pain and the no-pain arm, and the mean value was calculated. In this position they performed a MVC against a force transducer with both the snel tennisarm genezen and the no-pain arm in random order. Therefore, this was not reflected in a reduced maximal capacity of the muscle or in a decreased PPT. Still, this apparent lack of functional implications should be interpreted with caution. The diameter of the contact area was 987 mm and the pressure was applied perpendicularly to the skin at the middle part of ECR and with a speed of 571 kPa/s. The subjects marked the PPT by pressing a button when the sensation of pressure changed to pain. For 7 days gain settings were standardized and kept constant.

Jun 18 2008 02:47 am | Health + More and Life Of Sports and Medical + More | Comments Off

Bariatric surgery & early death

Weight loss surgeries have witnessed huge popularity in recent times. The number of stomach-shrinking operations, a type of bariatric surgery meant for severely obese people has skyrocketed in recent years. Few celebrities of Hollywood have also opted for this form of surgery to curtail obesity.

But there are various risks associated with these surgeries especially for elderly people and those suffering from heart disease. At times, it can result in early death. Patients aged 65 or older face a nearly threefold increase in the risk of early mortality according to latest findings. It has been found that men are nearly twice as likely to die following such procedures as opposed to women. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, more than 5% of men and nearly 3% of women aged 35 to 44 years were dead within a year of having the surgery and a slightly higher rate were found in patients aged between 45 to 54.

Bariatric surgery is a complicated procedure therefore a surgeon requires prior experience to perform it properly. Patients whose surgeons had performed fewer than 20 procedures were nearly five times as likely to die within 30 days after the operation as compared to others. Despite the greater risk associated with it, bariatric surgery can be a safe and effective tool for morbidly obese people, who face serious health problems if they don’t lose weight.

Things you need to know about bariatric surgery
1.Bariatric surgery is not an easy option for obesity sufferers as it carries the usual pain and risks of any major gastrointestinal surgical operation.
2.Bariatric surgery requires changes in eating habits therefore after having bariatric surgery; patients remain at a lifelong risk of nutritional deficiencies.
3.Bariatric Surgery is best suited for morbidly obese people.
4.High amount of motivation is required to make the surgery a success.
5.This procedure is costly as compared to other weight loss techniques.
Therefore, be well informed about the surgery you want to opt for as it can make weight loss an easy and safe affair for you.

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Jun 10 2008 03:16 pm | Medical + More | Comments Off

The Secret Weapon To Beat SARS Is In Your Head

Just when you thought you had all the fun you could possibly handle with Saddam Hussein, North Korea, Al Quaeda and the winter that just won’t die, along comes SARS - severe-acute respiratory syndrome.

I recently fielded a call on this subject from one of my biggest fans: “You moron. What do you mean we can fight SARS with our heads? Can’t you see? We are all going to die. Die. Die, I tell you.”

“Please, mother. Don’t panic. Panicking will only make it worse.”

“What do you mean make it worse? How can it be any worse? People are dying all over the place. It’s all over the news. Every day. This is just horrible.”

“So far, out of six billion people on earth, only about a hundred have died. Most of those are on the other side of the planet. That’s not good for them, but the risk for us is way smaller than it seems.”

“Then why does it seem like it’s everywhere? Why won’t the TV people stop talking about it?”

“Well, the TV people have all sworn a secret oath. They are to maintain high professional standards, report the news as objectively as possible and do whatever is necessary to scare people to death. See? It’s simple.”

“I don’t know …”

“Sure, mother. Why do you think that if somebody walks into a McDonald’s and blows away a table of nuns, it makes the headlines all over the country, but when 500 thousand people walk into McDonald’s and order Big Macs that same day, there’s not a peep out of the media.”

“I don’t know dear.”

“Why do you think we always hear about airplanes crashing to the ground, but never about airplanes taking off safely? Three hours late, mind you, but safely nonetheless.”

“Well …”

“And why do you think that the media focus on the handful of politicians involved in bribery, corruption, sex, violence, nepotism, pick-pocketing, slander, lying, demagoguery and falsifying their resumes, when they could probably find a handful of upstanding, honest politicians?”

“OK, dear. Perhaps you are right. Perhaps the media is blowing this politician thing out of proportion. But what about SARS?”

“SARS is simple. We all fight disease best when we are less stressed. So everybody should take a vacation and relax on a Mexican beach. Then SARS would be defeated.”

“But dear, do you really think six billion of us can fit onto a Mexican beach?”

“I suppose not. Which means we must take other measures to avoid stress. We can start by avoiding stressful situations, such as malicious colleagues, cantankerous in-laws and violent movies.”

“OK, I’m taking notes.”

“Make sure you get plenty of sleep.”

“Why? Does SARS leave people alone while they sleep?”

“No, but well-rested people fight off diseases better than worn-down, tired people.”

“OK, what else?”

“Keep fit. Eat nutritious meals and get plenty of exercise.”

“But won’t exercise just wear me down? Then I’ll be a sitting duck for disease.”

“Don’t exercise THAT much. Just enough to keep fit. And pray.

“I can do that.”

“And don’t pick on people with slanted eyes. Believe it or not, people are keeping clear of anybody who looks Chinese. I know many people of Chinese ancestry who have never even been to China. I know people born in China who have not been there for years. Why avoid people based on their ancestry, when SARS began just a few months ago?”

“I make decisions based on ancestry all the time, dear.”

“You do, mother?”

“Sure, why do you think I am your biggest fan?”

David Leonhardt - EzineArticles Expert Author

About The Author

David Leonhardt is the Happy Guy, author of “Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness”. Sign up for your free “Daily Dose of Happiness” at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html, or visit the Self-actualization Resource Center at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articles.html.

info@thehappyguy.com

May 23 2008 07:58 pm | Medical + More | Comments Off

Breast Cancer - Paget’s Disease

One of the rare types of Breast Cancer is Paget’s disease of the nipple, which can appear as a rash on the nipple. The rash or other changes in the nipple can indicate a cancer in the breast ducts, many times located under the nipple, which has then extended itself onto the surface of the nipple.

Sometimes this sign of breast cancer indicates a small ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is a very early breast cancer that has not yet left the duct. Other times, Paget’s disease of the nipple may indicate an invasive cancer somewhere else in the breast. In some cases, a woman who shows signs of Paget’s disease of the nipple will additionally have an abnormal mammogram or have lump in her breast.

Before we move on I want to clarify that Paget’s disease of the nipple is not the same as Paget’s disease of the bone, which is a severe bone disease. Sir James Paget, a British surgeon and physiologist, discovered both conditions which were first documented by him, but they are completely unrelated diseases. Paget’s disease of the nipple can also affect men, although it is rare.

Paget’s disease of the nipple is often first noticed when physical signs of the disease appear. Signs of Paget’s disease usually only occur on one nipple and can include persistent crustiness, scaliness, or redness of the nipple, itching or burning of the nipple and surrounding areola and bleeding or oozing from the nipple and areola.

Paget’s disease can often be confused with other skin conditions, such as breast eczema. Breast Eczema is a highly treatable condition which can be characterized by red, itchy patches or weeping blisters around the nipple which reoccur, but clear up with proper treatment. Paget’s disease does not clear up with routine treatment for eczema or infection and usually only affects one nipple.

A mammogram is the next step to check for cancer in the actual breast. Sometimes any underlying abnormal breast mass will not be present on a mammogram. A clean mammogram combined with an abnormal nipple finding requires further investigation.

A biopsy of the nipple tissue will need to be performed. Usually this consists of a “punch biopsy” that removes a small amount of tissue to check for cancer. If the mammogram indicates other areas of concern within the breast, biopsies of those areas should be performed.

If Paget’s disease is caught early while it is still confined to the nipple and underlying breast ducts, the patient typically has an excellent prognosis. However, if Paget’s disease of the nipple is associated with an invasive breast cancer or if the cancer has spread out of the breast to other areas of the body (metastatic disease), the survival rate can be lower.

Treatment of Paget’s disease of the nipple involves surgery, radiation treatment and Chemotherapy or drug therapy (such as tamoxifen). Like other types of breast cancer, the location of the cancer will determine which type of surgery is done - a lumpectomy or mastectomy. Radiation therapy usually follows a lumpectomy.

A recent development in surgical treatment involves removing only the nipple and areola (sometimes followed by radiation therapy) in patients whose Paget’s disease has no other underlying breast cancer, thus allowing the woman to keep her breast. Following treatment, an artificial nipple can be recreated using skin grafts and tattooing.

Michael Russell - EzineArticles Expert Author

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Breast Cancer

May 06 2008 09:56 am | Medical + More | Comments Off

4d and 3d scans - baby ultrasound.co.uk

The method know as 3d ultrasound scanning is used during early pregnancy, providing 3 d pictures of the fetus. Most of the time the ultrasound pictures are rapidly captured and joined together and animated to created a 4d scan.

Three dimensional scanning works in the same way to the normal ultrasound scanning methods except that the ultrasound scanning pulses are directed from multiple directions. The ultrasound pulses can be redirected back then captured to provide information to construct a 3d picture in much the same way as 3d movies. 3 dimesional ultasound scanning was first developed by olaf von ramm and stephen smith in america.

It is important to understand that sonologists all over the world have always pictured three-dimensional images of anatomy or pathology in their minds while doing their 2d scans. However, until recently it was very difficult to do this kind of reconstruction on patient data acquired using ultasound scanning. With the advent of baby scans for the first time allowed us a view into the thinking of a sonologist and hence letting us see the images on the ultrasound machine.

The 3d/4d ultrasound image should utilize ultrasound energy following the same limits as conventional 2d ultrasound to create the 3d images. There is no data to suggest any harm due to 3d ultrasound, its use in none medical situations should be undertaken with an understanding of the risks that exist.

Apr 17 2008 04:32 am | Health + More and Medical + More | Comments Off