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Monday, February 28, 2011

What are Piriton Allergy Tablets?


Piriton Allergy Tablets


What are Piriton Allergy Tablets?
Piriton Allergy Tablets are round, yellow tablets engraved on one side with a P above the break line. Each tablet contains the active ingredient chlorphenamine maleate 4 mg. The tablets also contain lactose, maize starch, yellow iron oxide (E172), magnesium stearate and water. The tablets come in a pack containing 30 or 60 tablets.


What Do The Tablets Do?
Chlorphenamine belongs to a group of drugs called antihistamines which help relieve the symptoms of some allergies and itchy skin rashes.
The tablets are used to treat the allergic symptoms (runny or itchy nose with or without stuffiness) caused by hay fever and other allergies e.g. pet and house dust mite allergies. They relieve itchiness, redness, swelling, tenderness and irritation associated with many allergic skin problems. You can take the tablets for things like:
• Hay fever and other allergies e.g. pet, house dust mite and mould spore allergies

• nettle rash and hives
• skin allergies and dermatitis
• prickly heat and heat rash
• allergic reactions to food, food additives or medicines
• insect bites and stings
• the itchy rash of chickenpox


How to Use

Do not take these tablets if you:

• Are allergic to antihistamines or to any of the ingredients listed above.

• Have taken drugs for depression called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) within the last 14 days.

Please see your doctor before you take these tablets if you:

• Have epilepsy, glaucoma, an enlarged prostate, an overactive thyroid, very high blood pressure, or heart, liver or lung disease.

• Are taking drugs to treat anxiety or to help you sleep.
• Are taking any medicine containing phenytoin for epilepsy.

Taking this medicine with food and drink:

• As with other antihistamines the effects of alcohol may be increased.

Pregnancy and breast feeding:

• Medicines should not be used during pregnancy, or breast feeding, without seeking advice from a doctor
.
Driving and using machines

• These tablets may cause drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision and loss of co-ordination. If you experience any of these effects do not drive or operate machinery.

Important information about some of the ingredients of the tablets:

• This medicine contains lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking.

Piriton Allergy Tablets


Dose

For oral use.
  1. Adults (including the elderly) and children aged over 12 years: Take one tablet every 4 to 6 hours. Do not take more than 6 tablets in 24 hours.
  2. Children aged 6 to 12 years: Give 1/2 tablet every 4 to 6 hours. Do not give more than 6 half tablets in 24 hours.
  3. Do not give to children under 6 years of age.
  4. If symptoms persist consult your doctor.
  5. If you take more tablets than you should:
  6. If you (or someone else) swallow a lot of the tablets all together, or if you think a child has accidentally swallowed any of the tablets, contact your nearest hospital casualty department or your doctor immediately. Do not drive if it is you who has taken too many tablets. Take these tablets with you so that the doctor can see what has been taken.
  7. If you forget to take the tablets:
  8. If you forget to take a tablet, take one as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time to take the next one. Never take two doses together. Take the remaining doses at the correct time.
Possible Side Effects

Most people taking the tablets find they cause them no problems. Children and the elderly are more prone to side effects. The most common side effect is drowsiness. This drowsiness can be helpful if symptoms are particularly troublesome at night.

Occasionally some people may have difficulty concentrating; blurred vision; loss of appetite, indigestion or upset stomach, feeling or being sick; diarrhoea, tummy pain; liver inflammation (which may make you feel weak, sick and turn yellow); difficulty in passing water; headaches; dry mouth; dizziness, palpitations (feeling your heart beat), fast or irregular heart beat, low blood pressure (you may feel faint), chest tightness; thickening of phlegm; blood disorders (anemia); allergic reactions including itchy rash, skin peeling, and sensitivity to the sun; twitching, muscular weakness and inco-ordination; ringing in the ears; depression (low mood); irritability or nightmares; children may become excited and the elderly may become very confused.
If you are concerned about these effects, or if the tablets affect you in any other way, stop taking them and talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Piriton Allergy Tablets

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Fast-Fighting Fever with Medication Not Always Beneficial For Children

Fast-Fighting Fever with Medication Not Always Beneficial For ChildrenParents often reach for medication too quickly when their children develop fever. A new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently published in the journal Pediatricssuggests that intervention is not necessary for fevers alone. 
According to lead author Dr. Janice Sullivan, “The focus should be on comfort and not on absolute temperature.” The onset of fever is the body’s way of fighting off illness by jump-starting the immune system and slowing the progression of bacteria and virus growth. Sullivan acknowledged that these benefits provided by fever “may shorten the time that your child remains ill.” Parents need to be aware that although fever is an indication that a child is ill, a visit to the family doctor may not be necessary unless there are accompanying symptoms such as lethargy, pain or dehydration.

The report included the first guidelines to be released by the AAP for the treatment of fever with over-the-counter medications. The authors emphasized that the primary goal in treating fever is to improve overall comfort level comfort level of the child.

According to the guidelines, this is best achieved with the use of fever-reducing drugs such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin and Advil). The recommended dosage for acetaminophen is 10 to 15 mg/kg every 4 to 6 hours, and 10 mg/kg for ibuprofen.

The researchers pointed out that existing evidence shows no difference in effectiveness between ibuprofen and acetaminophen for the reduction of fever symptoms, although some evidence shows that a combination of the two products given in alternate doses may be beneficial. However, the researchers warned that adverse effects may be associated with this regimen and that it is more confusing for parents to administer.

Caution is advised even when given separately, as both drugs are known to have rare side effects. Ibuprofen may carry a risk of being toxic to kidney cells (nephrotoxicity), particularly among children suffering from dehydration or complex medical illnesses. Similarly, acetaminophen can cause chemical-driven liver damage (Hepatotoxicity) in association with acute overdose. Hepatitis may also develop from chronic overdose stemming from a build up of the medication in the body due to regular dosages given over long periods of time.

To avoid overdosing children with fever-reducing medications, the guidelines remind parents to use proper dosing techniques. Dosage is determined by weight, not age or height. In addition, when giving a child fever-reducing medication, use the correct dosing devices, and not kitchen teaspoons, since they vary widely in size, and can lead to both over-treatment and under-treatment.

Parents are also advised not to wake children to administer medication. Sullivan said, “We discourage parents from waking their children to give them antipyretics (fever-reducing medications), because if their child is sleeping, there's no sign of discomfort.”

Parents are encouraged not to give their children cough or cold medicine that includes acetaminophen or ibuprofen in addition to administering fever-reducing medications. Sullivan noted that parents are often unaware that the drugs are among the ingredients in cough syrups, and wind up double-dosing their children with fever reducer. As an alternative to the use of drugs for the reduction of fever, parents can also try treating childhood fevers naturally.

Although fever alone need not be cause for alarm, parents are advised to closely monitor their children for signs of serious illness, and to be sure to keep their children properly hydrated. If your child continues to worsen, contact your pediatrician.


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5 Best Bicep Exercises

At the beginning of each class I teach, I ask my clients if they have any requests. While it usually takes a moment for everyone to think about what they really want to work, I know that once I hear someone call out “biceps!!” I’ll hear a lot of questions about how to tone and strengthen the arms. I’ve found that both men and women are seeking ways to build their biceps beyond the traditional moves, like bicep curls. If you’re seeking a more creative workout that will challenge and define your biceps, read on.

5 Best Bicep Exercises

1. Bowling: With medium weights in each hand, begin with your arms at your sides, palms up, elbows slightly bent. Slowly press your arms up to shoulder height, and lower them back down to the starting position (think of the movement you would use while bowling). Remember to keep the arms as wide as your shoulders, and slightly bent. Raise and lower the weights at the same pace.

2. Serving the Tray: Use medium-heavy free weights, one in each hand. Begin with your elbows in at your sides, arms bent at 90 degrees, palms up. Imagine holding a heavy tray stacked high with glasses. Slowly press your imaginary tray a few inches out in front of your body, keeping the elbows bent. Pause briefly, focus on the biceps, and pull the tray back in. Repeat the forwards and backwards movement, remembering to keep the elbows bent and the pace consistent.

3. Bicep Rotations: This is a new twist on the classic bicep curl. Begin with moderate to heavy weights in each hand, arms straight down at your sides, palms up. Slowly raise the weights as you would with a bicep curl. When you get to the halfway point, rotate the weights so that your palms are facing one another as you bring the weights all the way up. Lower the weights, reversing the motion. This is a great way to work the outer and inner biceps. Remember not to use your wrists to rotate, and to focus on flexing your biceps to power this movement.

4. Crazy 8’s: Begin with heavy weights in each hand, elbows at your sides, palms up. Raise the weights halfway up and lower down to the starting position 8 times. Next, begin with the weights at the halfway point (arms bent at 90 degrees) and raise them up towards your shoulders, lowering them only halfway down. Finish the set with full bicep curls, all the way up towards your shoulders, and all the way down towards your thighs, being aware of your pace and repeating each rep with a full range of motion.

5. Medicine Ball Toss: Hold a medicine ball with both hands, and quickly throw the ball up and catch it for 30 second sets. Experiment with different hand placement to find which feels most comfortable for your wrists and actively engages the biceps. Tip: Try to throw the ball as high as you can with your arms slightly bent, palms up, and slowly catch and lower the ball.

5 Best Bicep Exercises

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Top 10 Reasons to Try Group Fitness

Fitness Class

A recent study found that in addition to women, more and more men are participating in group fitness classes. By offering a variety of different training techniques, environments, and challenging workouts for all fitness levels, group fitness classes are on the rise. Here are ten reasons to rethink your workout and join the crowd!

1. More Cost-Effective: Perhaps the most convincing argument in favor of the group experience is cost. Personal training sessions are roughly three times the cost of a single group fitness class, and many studios offer discounted rates for packages, making the experience even easier on your budget.

2. Efficient and Fast-Paced: Group Fitness Classes tend to feel as if they go by quickly. By changing up the pace, routine and exercises, you’ll be so focused on following the instructor, you’ll find yourself forgetting to watch the clock.

3. Social: Made up of similarly motivated individuals, group fitness classes can be a great way to bond with others over your common goals and experiences.

4. You Can Choose Your Environment: Group fitness comes in a variety of environments, allowing you to choose what best motivates you. Whether you prefer a small local studio or an outdoor adventure in a local park, you can find something that works for you.

5. Motivating: The group experience can help motivate people to work harder. In addition to being lead and challenged by the instructor, working with others offers an additional level of competition and camaraderie.

6. Challenging: Being motivated to keep pace with the group means that you’ll be challenged to work harder. Working out on our own is great, but most of us tend not to work as hard as we can when we’re alone. Exercising with others and having a leader guide the group provides a boost to the workout, making us work harder and push ourselves more.

7. Variety: Group fitness offers so many different options; bootcamp, spinning, boxing, pilates, yoga, running clubs and hiking groups. The newest trend in group fitness are classes that offer a variety of options, like Burn SF in San Francisco, which offers a mix of Pilates, cardio, and weight training, or Burn60 in Los Angeles, which focuses on cardio and strength training combinations.

8. Educational: A good class will not only challenge and motivate, it will teach you new moves and show you how to do them properly. Trying something different is a great way to exercise your mind and your body. 

9. Safety: When beginning a new or different fitness routine, it’s especially important that you do so in a safe manner. The right instructor will be able to help explain what you’re doing, how to do it, and what you should be feeling. Instructors are able to model exercises and use tactile cues to help ensure the safe execution of their routines. Be sure to ask questions or as for alternative exercises if you need additional assistance. 

10. You Can Go at Your Own Pace: An experienced group fitness instructor will be able to offer modifications that allow for different fitness levels among the participants. Most classes will offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercise options. If you’re concerned, be sure to show up a few minutes prior to class and chat with the instructor and ask for advice. Developing a relationship with your instructor is key to finding the workout that will challenge you in a safe manner.

Fitness Class

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Botox For Your Bits? Shot May Smooth Over Sex Problems

Botox For Your Bits? Shot May Smooth Over Sex ProblemsWrinkle-busting Botox has long been used to rev up the sex lives of women who blame waning allure on facial lines and creases, but doctors now say the injections can help smooth problems below the belt as well.

The newest use for botulin um Toxin A, the active ingredient in drugs such as Botox or Dysport, is to help ease painful vaginal conditions that plague women with excruciating burning sensations or constrict their muscles so tightly that sex is all but impossible.

“Almost to a patient, they say it’s like hitting a brick wall,” said Dr. Peter T.Pacik, a New Hampshire plastic surgeon who is conducting an FDA-approved clinical trial testing the use of Botox on severe cases of vaginismus. “Most patients I treat are unable to consummate, unable to have a family.”

Such patients – perhaps as many as 6 percent of all women worldwide – suffer from what Pacik describes as a reflex reaction to sexual penetration that causes their muscles to spasm. The problem is often rooted in fear caused by sexual abuse or a rigid upbringing, but it becomes unmistakably physical.

“It’s uncontrollable and involuntary,” said Pacik, the author of “When Sex Seems Impossible: Stories of Vaginismus & How You Can Achieve Intimacy.”

To treat the problem, Pacik injects the muscles at the entrance of the vagina with Botox, which works as it does in the face, interrupting nerve impulses and allowing the muscles to relax.

“When I inject them, I put them asleep,” he said. “You would not be able to approach these people with a needle.”

When they wake up, the women find that they are relaxed enough to allow penetration and, soon, to have normal sex with their husbands or partners. Pacik has treated 78 patients so far and all but one have virtually been cured after a single session, he said.

His work was echoed this week by a new report in the journal Archives of Dermatology that said a 26-year-old woman was cured of vulvodynia, an excruciating, persistent burning vaginal pain, with the use of botulinum Toxin A injections.

And it was confirmed by Patti Dyer, a 59-year-old Maine nurse who said she has suffered from vaginismus for more than 30 years. Despite having three children, all delivered by cesarean section, Dyer said sex has always been painful to the point of tears. She and her husband, Bill, toughed it out because of their love for each other, she said. But when she heard about Pacik’s work, she had to try it.

On Jan. 10, Dyer had the $6,300 Botox treatment. Within two weeks, she said, she and her husband were able to have sex for the first time in a dozen years. With a month, they were catching up on lost time.

“We’re like honeymooners,” she said. “This is so exciting. This is what it should have been 30 years ago.”

Dyer would recommend Botox down below to anyone suffering like she was. But when it comes to using the drug in her face, she draws the line.

“Oh, no,” she said. “I’m not that vain. It’s just for the part that needs it.”


Family Doctor | Health Tips
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The easy ways to build muscle fast

Get back into Body shape, now. Use this everyday whenever you want to build muscle speedy.

We all misplace our way. We fall for the newest exercise gimmick or try some New Age workout with disappointing results.


This agenda will help you get back on track fast, producing gains correct out of the box. Call it the "Go-To Workout." 

Whenever you need to build quick progress or rebound into shape after some lesser routine wasted your time, do it and begin growing again.

HOW IT WORKS :

The first exercise in each exercise is a heavy or explosive movement, providing the majority of your gains. 

The remaining exercises hold that primary lift. To keep it testing, add weight to each exercise as often as you can. 

After that, eat as much lean protein and carb dense foods as you can to support growth. You will gain muscle for six weeks instantly.

DIRECTIONS : 

The entire each workout day (I, II, III, and IV) once per week for six weeks. Some of the exercises, sets, and reps will change weekly to keep your body guessing.

Full story

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Visit : Health N Fitness , Amazing World Atlas , Oil painting , Gemstones and Diamonds

The easy ways to build muscle fast

Get back into Body shape, now. Use this everyday whenever you want to build muscle speedy.

We all misplace our way. We fall for the newest exercise gimmick or try some New Age workout with disappointing results.


This agenda will help you get back on track fast, producing gains correct out of the box. Call it the "Go-To Workout." 

Whenever you need to build quick progress or rebound into shape after some lesser routine wasted your time, do it and begin growing again.

HOW IT WORKS :

The first exercise in each exercise is a heavy or explosive movement, providing the majority of your gains. 

The remaining exercises hold that primary lift. To keep it testing, add weight to each exercise as often as you can. 

After that, eat as much lean protein and carb dense foods as you can to support growth. You will gain muscle for six weeks instantly.

DIRECTIONS : 

The entire each workout day (I, II, III, and IV) once per week for six weeks. Some of the exercises, sets, and reps will change weekly to keep your body guessing.

Full story

You Might Like this :
Visit : Health N Fitness , Amazing World Atlas , Oil painting , Gemstones and Diamonds

The easy ways to build muscle fast

Get back into Body shape, now. Use this everyday whenever you want to build muscle speedy.

We all misplace our way. We fall for the newest exercise gimmick or try some New Age workout with disappointing results.


This agenda will help you get back on track fast, producing gains correct out of the box. Call it the "Go-To Workout." 

Whenever you need to build quick progress or rebound into shape after some lesser routine wasted your time, do it and begin growing again.

HOW IT WORKS :

The first exercise in each exercise is a heavy or explosive movement, providing the majority of your gains. 

The remaining exercises hold that primary lift. To keep it testing, add weight to each exercise as often as you can. 

After that, eat as much lean protein and carb dense foods as you can to support growth. You will gain muscle for six weeks instantly.

DIRECTIONS : 

The entire each workout day (I, II, III, and IV) once per week for six weeks. Some of the exercises, sets, and reps will change weekly to keep your body guessing.

Full story

You Might Like this :
Visit : Health N Fitness , Amazing World Atlas , Oil painting , Gemstones and Diamonds
Sunday, February 27, 2011

Goal For Good Health

Health is a dynamic quality, changing from day to day. Even if you are in good health most of the time, you will have days when a cold, allergic, or other problems will make you feel not quite so well. But in general, good health would mean most of the following things for most people.

1. A Health Promoting Lifestyle
An extensive study has shown that people whose lifestyles include the following
Saturday, February 26, 2011

Health Care System Pays A Heavy Price For Adverse Drug Events

Health
The most costly ED (emergency department) patients are those with adverse events due to misuse or use of medications, according to doctors and researchers at Vancouver General Hospital and UBC.

In an article published inAnnals of Emergency Medicine, the authors write that their study is the first to look at the health outcomes and patient care costs for individuals coming into EDs with adverse drug events.

Dr. Corinne Hohl and team set out to determine what the health outcomes might be for those who presented to the ED with an adverse drug event. They were compared to patients who came in with other problems.

An adverse drug event is an unwanted and unintended medical event related to the use of medications. 

After adjustment for baseline differences between patient groups, researchers found no difference in the mortality rate of the patients they studied, but those presenting with an adverse drug event had a 50% greater risk of spending additional days in hospital, as well as a 20 % higher rate of outpatient health care needs. The team followed 1,000 emergency department patients from Vancouver General Hospital for six months. 

This new research builds on a 2008 study, published in the Canadian Medical Journal, which showed more than one in nine emergency department visits are due to medication-related problems. 

"What we are finding is that these incidents are common and costly, both in terms of patient health and utilization of health care dollars," says Dr. Corinne Hohl. "We also know that these events are hard for physicians to recognize, and that nearly 70 percent of these incidents are preventable." 

In BC alone, hospital emergency departments treat an estimated 210,000 patients each year for adverse drug events. The most common reasons for them are adverse drug reactions or side effects to medication, non adherence, and the wrong or suboptimal use of medication. The research team estimates that the cost of treating these patients is 90% greater than the cost of treating other patients after adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics. The added cost could be as much as $49 million annually. 

The research team has been developing screening tools to better assist health care providers in the emergency department in recognizing patients at high risk for adverse drug events, as well as developing an evaluation platform that will help inform prescribing practices for physicians in the community 

"We anticipate the development of a screening tool will be able to increase the recognition rate of these adverse drug events from 60 to over 90 percent, and we will be able to treat the patient effectively and rapidly, improving his or her care," says Dr. Hohl. 

"Right now we spend a lot of time trying to diagnose what is wrong with the patient, yet often miss the fact that there is a medication-related problem. This means that patients often go home still on a medication which may be causing harm." We are also using the data from this research project to help develop a new drug evaluation platform to inform prescribing practices for physicians in the community. The hope is to prevent many of these adverse events from even taking place." 

Funding support for this research is through Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the Department of Surgery at the University of British Columbia.


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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Guidelines for Smoking Cessation During Pregnancy

GuidelinesWhen President Obama signed the Tobacco Control Act into law on June 22, 2009, he called attention to the importance of smoking cessation in Americans. Smoking results in more than 400,000 deaths annually in the United States from cancer, emphysema and other respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and spontaneous abortions or miscarriages during pregnancy. In the United States, there is an increased risk for premature birth in the fetus of pregnant women if the mother smokes, as well as growth retardation of the fetus. Over 1,000 infants die annually because the mother smokes. 

Because of this, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has been active in evaluating the interventions appropriate to preventing tobacco use and tobacco related diseases in adults and now especially in pregnant women. The results of their recommendations were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Volume 150, page 551, 2009). The task force evaluated all prior publications on smoking cessation and has determined what is the standard of care in the United States.

You can discuss each of these recommendations with your physician to make certain that if you or a family member or friend is smoking, you can use the most important components of these recommendations to be certain all possible help is being given.

The task force indicated that the most important support for an individual is counseling. This counseling consists of five steps: 1. The physician should ask you about your use of tobacco, and you should be telling your physician that you smoke. 2. You should receive a clear message from the physician that advises you to quit smoking. 3. You should express a willingness to stop your smoking. 4. The physician and the physician’s office should tell you how they are going to assist you in quitting your smoking addiction. 5. The office should be certain that it arranges a follow-up visit for you to be certain that your smoking is stopped or reduced, and continued support and follow-up visits need to be scheduled.

In addition, if a person is not pregnant, additional smoking interventions in addition to counseling are important and more effective than counseling or using medications alone. Medications include: nicotine patches, nicotine inhalers, nicotine gum, anti-depression medication such as bupropion, and smoking drive reducers such as varenicline. 

However, if a woman is pregnant, use of medications may be questionable. The task force in looking at pregnant women, regardless of age, strongly recommended counseling with a physician, but did not find adequate studies to determine the safety of medications during the course of a pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women who smoke particularly need more intensive counseling by their physician and more intensive support by their family. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has suggested standards for gynecologists which are available through their website. 

If you are pregnant, smoking cessation is important to reduce risks to your developing infant. Not only should you not smoke, but you should not be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Take every step with your obstetrician to reduce smoking.

If you are a smoker of any age and not pregnant, be certain to engage your physician in helping you to stop smoking. Smoking is a danger to American men and women, and to the infants of pregnant women.


Family Doctor | Health Tips

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Allergy Sufferers Face Longer Season of Misery Due to Climate Change

Allergy Sufferers Face Longer Season of Misery Due to Climate Change If you suffer from seasonal ragweed allergies, you may have noticed that your allergy symptoms are lasting longer each year, especially if you live within the northern climates of the U.S. and into Canada. According to a new study, your imagination is not the culprit, but a change in climate that’s extending your season of misery. The findings of the study were recently published in the online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The new research suggests that ragweed season has grown longer by more than two weeks for people who reside in areas of the northern U.S., while for those who live in certain areas of Canada, the suffering season has been extended by almost a full month. According to the study background information, ragweed pollen sensitivity is very common among U.S. allergy sufferers, with at least one in ten Americans being affected. In fact, about 27 percent of Americans who suffer from allergies are sensitive to ragweed.

Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop system and global change laboratory, and his colleagues set out to discover why there has been a continuous increase in allergic disease occuring within the U.S. over the past three decades. Experts have theorized that the increase is due to an extended exposure to allergens linked to longer pollen seasons caused by global climate changes.

The research team analyzed data from both the U.S. and Canada regarding ragweed and daily temperatures. Their findings showed that between 1995 and 2009, the number of days in the ragweed pollen season increased in eight of the 10 latitudes examined, including all seven of those analyzed that were north of 40 degrees latitude. The length of the season increased as the location moved further north, with the exception of the Oklahoma City area.

Results of the study showed that in Canada, Winnipeg had 25 days longer of misery for allergy sufferers, and in Saskatoon, it was 27 days longer. Northernmost areas of the U.S. examined included Minneapolis, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota found to have a 13-day extension of ragweed season, while LaCrosse, Wisconsin had an additional 13 days, and Madison, Wisconsin had an additional 12 days, followed closely by Papillion, Nebraska having 11 additional days. Southernmost areas studied showed an actual 3-day decrease in the allergy season for Rogers, Arkansas, and a 4-day decrease in Georgetown, Texas, while Oklahoma City had only a 1-day decrease.

Regarding the outcome of the analysis, Ziska acknowledged, “This study is a confirmation of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been projecting. We’ve gone from a theoretical projection of changes in the timing of ragweed season, to boots on the ground starting to see it happen.” He then warned, “This is a caution light. Pollen seasons may be getting longer, and climate change may have health implications as well.”

What allergy sufferers can do to to arm themselves against the onslaught of the ever-increasing allergy season, is to keep a close eye on their local pollen conditions before planning to spend time outdoors. After spending time outside, take a shower, wash your hair, and change into fresh clothing to shed the pollen you may bring indoors with you. In addition, wash your bedding often to minimize pollen contact.

However, don’t go overboard and turn into a couch potato during allergy season while trying to avoid the outdoor allergens. Keeping fit can go a long way to maintaining the good health necessary to battle those allergy symptoms. Visit the gym, workout with the Wii, jump on the treadmill, or clean the house.


Family Doctor | Health Tips

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Allergy Sufferers Face Longer Season of Misery Due to Climate Change

Allergy Sufferers Face Longer Season of Misery Due to Climate Change If you suffer from seasonal ragweed allergies, you may have noticed that your allergy symptoms are lasting longer each year, especially if you live within the northern climates of the U.S. and into Canada. According to a new study, your imagination is not the culprit, but a change in climate that’s extending your season of misery. The findings of the study were recently published in the online issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The new research suggests that ragweed season has grown longer by more than two weeks for people who reside in areas of the northern U.S., while for those who live in certain areas of Canada, the suffering season has been extended by almost a full month. According to the study background information, ragweed pollen sensitivity is very common among U.S. allergy sufferers, with at least one in ten Americans being affected. In fact, about 27 percent of Americans who suffer from allergies are sensitive to ragweed.

Lewis Ziska, a plant physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop system and global change laboratory, and his colleagues set out to discover why there has been a continuous increase in allergic disease occuring within the U.S. over the past three decades. Experts have theorized that the increase is due to an extended exposure to allergens linked to longer pollen seasons caused by global climate changes.

The research team analyzed data from both the U.S. and Canada regarding ragweed and daily temperatures. Their findings showed that between 1995 and 2009, the number of days in the ragweed pollen season increased in eight of the 10 latitudes examined, including all seven of those analyzed that were north of 40 degrees latitude. The length of the season increased as the location moved further north, with the exception of the Oklahoma City area.

Results of the study showed that in Canada, Winnipeg had 25 days longer of misery for allergy sufferers, and in Saskatoon, it was 27 days longer. Northernmost areas of the U.S. examined included Minneapolis, Minnesota and Fargo, North Dakota found to have a 13-day extension of ragweed season, while LaCrosse, Wisconsin had an additional 13 days, and Madison, Wisconsin had an additional 12 days, followed closely by Papillion, Nebraska having 11 additional days. Southernmost areas studied showed an actual 3-day decrease in the allergy season for Rogers, Arkansas, and a 4-day decrease in Georgetown, Texas, while Oklahoma City had only a 1-day decrease.

Regarding the outcome of the analysis, Ziska acknowledged, “This study is a confirmation of what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been projecting. We’ve gone from a theoretical projection of changes in the timing of ragweed season, to boots on the ground starting to see it happen.” He then warned, “This is a caution light. Pollen seasons may be getting longer, and climate change may have health implications as well.”

What allergy sufferers can do to to arm themselves against the onslaught of the ever-increasing allergy season, is to keep a close eye on their local pollen conditions before planning to spend time outdoors. After spending time outside, take a shower, wash your hair, and change into fresh clothing to shed the pollen you may bring indoors with you. In addition, wash your bedding often to minimize pollen contact.

However, don’t go overboard and turn into a couch potato during allergy season while trying to avoid the outdoor allergens. Keeping fit can go a long way to maintaining the good health necessary to battle those allergy symptoms. Visit the gym, workout with the Wii, jump on the treadmill, or clean the house.


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Weight Loss Surgery With the Best Results: Gastric Bypass

Gastric BypassWeight loss surgery is the most consistent, effective means of weight loss in the long term, beating out diet, exercise, or any type of pharmaceutical intervention. But not all of the surgical options produce the same results, and while much is dependent on the patient and their behavior, there is one procedure that is head and shoulders above the rest in eliminating pounds and type 2 diabetes.

A study, published in the February issue of the Archives of Surgery, compared 100 patients who had undergone gastric bypass against 100 who had the lap band procedure. Gastric bypass produced a weight loss average of 64 percent of excess weight, while the lap band group lost 36 percent. Also of benefit was the improvement in the participants’ diabetes. Seventy-five percent of the gastric bypass patients had an improvement or elimination of the disease, while the figure was around 50 percent for the lap band patients.

Gastric bypass surgery, first performed in 1966, has for years, been the most popular form of weight loss surgery. Gastric bypass is done laparoscopically, requires a three- or four-day hospital stay, and reversing it can be difficult and is usually only done in cases of medical necessity. Lap bands, also done laparoscopically, require only an overnight stay and are easily reversible. Success rates for both are high, while mortality risk is less than 1 percent.

The surgery is not for everyone. Only people morbidly obese are normally considered candidates for the surgery. The surgeries reduce the size of the “working” stomach. In the case of bypass surgery the “working” stomach is reduced from about the size of quart to about the size of a walnut. After gastric bypass surgery people eat less; but feel full. Gone is the constant nagging hunger. The weight comes off fast, very fast.

Insurance companies typically pay for the surgery only after several other avenues of medically supervised help have been exhausted since bypass surgery is costly, the surgery can pay for itself within a few years by helping to reduce insurance claims resulting from medical conditions that obese people can develop.

Gastric bypass surgery also increases survival rates for the morbidly obese. Two long-term studies, published in the New England Journal of medicine, found that obese people who had the surgery cut their risk of dying within 7 to 10 years by 30 to 40 percent over those who did not have the surgery.


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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Simple Tips To Stop Snoring


No doubt, a person that snores will feel a certain sense of guilt about his habit and would thus welcome any tips to stop snoring.

You need not worry too much as there is plenty of information available on getting tips to stop snoring. The internet is a storehouse of information and all you need to do is search for ‘tips to stop snoring’ and you will find many possible solutions. There is sure to be much useful information that will start you on the road to having better sleep at night.


Pillows
Of course, how you use these tips to stop snoring will also determine their effectiveness as success will vary from individual to individual. Perhaps the simplest tip to stop snoring is to keep your head elevated while sleeping, and this can be achieved by sleeping with many pillows, or using thick pillows. You may also want to sleep on your side rather than on your back as this simple tip to stop snoring will prove it effective in preventing you from snoring.

Drugs
Another tip to stop snoring that is to your advantage, but it may not be to your liking is to reduce the amount of alcohol that you consume, especially before sleep time. In addition, you should also abstain from taking sleeping pills, tranquilizers as well as antihistamines immediately prior to turning in for the night. These preventive measures will help prevent your muscles from relaxing and thus not cause your air passage to be constrained.

Dairy
If these tips to stop snoring are not enough, you should try another tip which advises against your consuming dairy products immediately prior to going to bed as they are a source for building up of mucus, which will result in your snoring at night.

Since there are so many tips to stop snoring, it is no surprise how it has become such a big industry that caters to the millions of snorers in all parts of the world. There are anti-snoring pills as well as professionals who can be consulted to overcome this problem. Your best bet would be to experiment with the various pieces of advice that come your way and settle for the one that best suits your needs as well as puts an end to your snoring in an effective as well as economical manner.

Arthritis

Arthritis
The statement 'arthritis' means 'irritation of the joints'. It resulted from two Greek words: athron, meaning joints; and meaning of itis is inflammation. It is, normally, a chronic sickness process. Arthritis occurs in a variety of forms, the most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint ailment which habitually occurs in the older age-group. Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe disease which affects not simply the joints of the fingers, wrists, hips, knees, and feet, but too the muscles, tendons and further tissues of the body. Click Here for more information on Triple Complex HaliTonic for natural relief of Halitosis (Bad Breath).

Arthritis symptoms
Ache and inflexibility in the joints, anaemia, colitis

The main symptoms of osteoarthritis are ache and firmness in the joints. The pain frequently increases after work out. Rheumatoid arthritis is often called the 'cooked food ailment'. lt regularly develops gradually over several months, with persistent pain and stiffness in one or additional joints. Finally the whole body is affected. Symptoms contain anaemia, colitis, constipation, deformed hands and feet.

Root of Arthritis
Structural changes in articular cartilage in the joint

Osteoarthritis results from structural changes in the articular cartilage in the joints, frequently those which are weight-bearing, such as the spine and knees.

Hormonal disparity, physical and emotional strain

Rheumatoid arthritis is due to an soreness of the synovium or lining of the joints. This is accompanied by puffiness and eventually leads to irregularity. The situation may be caused by hormonal disparity, physical and emotional stress, infection, cruel fright, shock, and injury.

Genetics

Family factors may also be responsible for the onset of this disease

Home Remedies for Arthritis
Arthritis treatment by means of Potato Juice: Home Remedy for Arthritis

The raw potato juice treatment is considered one of the most victorious biological treatments for rheumatic and arthritic situations. It has been used in folk medicine for over centuries. The conventional technique of preparing potato juice is to cut a medium-sized potato into thin slices, without peeling the skin, and put the slices overnight in a big glass filled with cold water. The water should be drunk in the sunrise on an empty stomach.. A medium-sized potato must be diluted with a cup of water and drunk first thing in the morning. One of the good and well liked home remedies for arthritis

Arthritis treatment with Other Raw Juices: Home Remedy for Arthritis

One cup of green juice, extracted from any green leafy vegetable, diverse in equal size with carrot, celery, and red beet juices is superior for arthritis. The alkaline action of raw juices dissolves the gathering of deposits around the joints and in extra tissues. A cup of fresh pineapple juice is also precious, as the enzyme bromelain in fresh pineapple juice reduces swelling and inflammation in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis treatment via Sesame Seeds

A teaspoon of black sesame seeds, drenched in a quarter cup of water and kept overnight, has been found to be efficient in preventing frequent joint pains. The water in which the seeds are soaked must also be taken along with the seeds first thing in the morning. One of the best home remedies for arthritis
Arthritis treatment by means of Copper: Home Remedy for Arthritis

Drinking water kept overnight in a copper container accumulates traces of copper, which is said to build up the muscular system. A copper ring or bracelet is worn for the same cause.

Arthritis treatment with Calcium

Studies have exposed that calcium can help arthritis. Several patients have discovered that joint pains have either been reassured or have disappeared entirely after taking calcium. This mineral must be taken in the form of calcium lactate. Two teaspoons of calcium lactate, each teaspoon providing 400 mg of absorbable calcium, may be taken three times each day in water, before meals for at least four months.

Arthritis treatment via Garlic: Home Remedy for Arthritis

Garlic is an additional successful remedy for arthritis. It contains an anti-inflammatory property, which accounts for its efficiency in the treatment of this disease. Garlic may be taken raw or cooked according to person preference. One of the effective home remedies for arthritis

Arthritis treatment via Bananas: Home Remedy for Arthritis

Bananas, being a rich source of vitamin B6, have proved helpful in the treatment of arthritis. A diet of merely bananas for three or four days is advised in treating this situation. The patient may eat eight or nine bananas daily throughout this period and nothing else.

Arthritis treatment with Lime

Lime has also been found useful as a home remedy for arthritis. The citric acid found in lime is a solvent of uric acid, which is the chief cause of some types of arthritis. The juice of one lime, diluted with water, may be taken once a day, if possible first thing in the morning.

Arthritis treatment with Alfalfa: Home Remedy for Arthritis

A tea made from the herb alfalfa, particularly from its seeds, has shown useful results in the treatment of arthritis. One teaspoon of alfalfa seeds might be added to one cup of water. Three to four cups of this tea must be taken daily by arthritics for at least two weeks. One of the safe home remedies for arthritis

Arthritis treatment by means of Green Gram Soup

Another home remedy found helpful in relieving pains in the joints is the use of green gram soup. This soup must be prepared by mixing a tablespoon of green gram in a cup of water, with two crushed garlic cloves. It must be taken two times a day

Arthritis treatment via Castor Oil: Home Remedy for Arthritis

Treatment with castor oil has been found helpful in arthritis. The process, as prescribed by a Spanish doctor, is to boil two tablespoons of castor oil over a stove burner. The oil must then be poured into a glass of fresh orange juice and taken before breakfast each day till the disease is cured. It was advised to patients to take it for three weeks, stay for another three weeks and then do it again for another three weeks. It is, though, essential that the patient must take an alkaline diet while adopting this form of treatment otherwise the value of the treatment will be gone. One of the well liked home remedies for arthritis

Arthritis treatment via Coconut or Mustard Oil

Warm coconut oil or mustard oil, mixed with two or three pieces of camphor must be massaged on rigid and aching joints. It will amplify blood supply, and decrease inflammation and stiffness with the calm warmth produced while massaging.

More Home Remedies for Arthritis

Mix two teaspoons of lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey in a cup of warm water and take it twice in day for curing arthritis.

Eat half a teaspoon of guggulu twice a day after meals with warm water as guggulu(it is a herb) is helpful in curing arthritis.

Make a paste of 1 teaspoon red chilies and fresh ginger in half a cup of sesame oil and strain. Gently rub this oil on the painful joints.

Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to one tablespoon of honey and take it every morning on empty stomach. Repeat this daily for one month.

Arthritis diet
Take fruits and vegetables in the shape of salads: Home Remedy for Arthritis

The diet of an arthritis patient must be designed so as to create alkalinity in the blood. It must comprise fruits and vegetables in the form of salads, and, at least, two cooked vegetables. In difficult cases, it would be desirable to put the patient on raw vegetable juice treatment three times a day, for about a week. Recurring juice fasts are suggested at intervals of every two months.

Additional Arthritis treatments
Stay body warm, don't bandage joints

The body must be kept warm at all times. Joints must not be bandaged strongly as this limits movement and interferes with the free movement of blood

Get rest, must have abundance of indirect ventilation

There must be plenty of not direct ventilation in the bedroom. Rest is advised when there is sharp inflammation in the joints.


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