How Many Glasses of Water Do You Consume?

Lack of intake of water has its own negative effects. Fat inside your body could build up. You might end up with poor muscle tone, muscle soreness, digestive complications and even water retention.

To keep the body functioning a lot water is needed for hydration to take place. A person�s body is around seventy percent water and although we could last for months without eating any food, we won�t last a week without drinking water.

Do you know why water is essential for our body to function well? The kidneys can only remove urea and uric acid if they were dissolved in water. Otherwise, the waste would build up and eventually poison us to death. If there is a shortage of water in our body, removal of waste would be ineffective and kidney stones might be formed. Water also carries nutrients and cells through the blood. Perspiration also helps cool out our body. Our joints are also lubricated by water.

The lungs need moisture to be able to take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide. We lose a pint of liquid each day just exhaling.

Water retention may occur if we do not drink adequate fluids. This is our body�s way of compensating for the lack of liquids. It collects water inside and minimizes the it’s flow outside the body. By drinking more of it, we actually eliminate fluid retention.

If you want to lose weight, it is important that you realize that water intake is essential in slimming down. By not drinking water, we wouldn�t be able to metabolize the stored fat inside our bodies.

The adequate amount is eight to ten eight-ounce glasses of water to be drunk per day. We need more if we plan on exercising or we live somewhere where it�s hot. All overweight people should add 1 glass of water for every 25 lbs they are overweight.

Pain Relief and Ancient Acupuncture

The sight of piercing needles through the skin in specific areas of the body may appear to be painful, but acupuncture is actually an ancient form of pain relief treatment that improves the flow of energy throughout the body. Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and is still being practiced until now. The National Institutes of Health has sponsored several studies on the effects of acupuncture as pain relief treatment for conditions such as arthritis and other ailments that produce chronic pain. While western scientists suspect that acupuncture may stimulate the release of chemicals to soothe pain or prompt the body’s natural healing abilities, the patient’s faith or belief in acupuncture is a big factor in the procedure’s success.
According to Dr. Hayes Wilson, chief rheumatologist at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta and national medical adviser to the Arthritis Foundation, says that acupuncture can work for anybody. However, he said that,”…it’s going to work for the people who believe in it.” Many pain relief treatments are effective because of the patient’s belief in them. People who don’t believe that they’re going to get better are less likely to get through.
Since the procedure involves risks inherent in needle use, however, there are some conditions where acupuncture is not recommended, such as those with bleeding disorders as well as people who are taking blood-thinning medications. There is also a high risk of spreading infectious disease, accidental piercing of organs, minor bleeding and broken or forgotten needles.
According to Dennis Turk, professor of anesthesiology and pain research at the University of Washington School of Medicine, people make sense out of noxious sensations and determine how bothersome they really are with the help of the brain. Several factors can affect how people perceive sensations, what they decide to do about them, and how they interact with respect to their environment.
One psychological factor that can intensify pain perception is stress. Muscles tend to become tense and may affect tissues that are already tender. Emotionally, the pressure may amplify pain perception. People who are distressed may interpret situations to be more difficult and may lead them to avoid certain types of activities because they are afraid that it will make their pain become worse.
A change in the source of stress can help alleviate the pressure. In the case of a frequent nagging from your spouse, try to find a way to sit down and discuss the problem with open communication. If changing the source of tension is not possible, consider wholesome and positive distraction such as watching a movie, listening to music, or spending time with friends. Pleasurable activities can shift the focus away from the pain temporarily.
Relaxation is another pain relief treatment. Meditation, yoga, deep breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, massage, Tai Chi, and visualization have been proven to be effective pain relief treatment.
Joining support groups or getting individual counseling also help in coping with stress or ailment. However, while there is enough evidence to prove that people who join support groups experience dramatic improvements in their physical and emotional well-being, nevertheless, people who are not open in discussing about their problems may not benefit from this type of stress-management strategy. Different techniques apply for different people.

Dealing With the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity

A child that suffers from overweight or obesity is one that should regarded as having a temporary disease, the obesity condition is dangerous for the child heath and has effect on his social life, self esteem and confidence. When you decide that you want to fight, and beat childhood obesity you should think carefully or a plan and a tactic you will use to fight this condition.

The three major keys in losing weight and having a successful diet plan are regular physical activity, performed on a set schedule and without exception the physical activity will encourage the child to get better and hopefully cause him or her to focus on activity rather than on food or the discomforts of the diet.

The next key to fighting childhood obesity is naturally a diet, making a diet plan should be done after advising with a diet professional that has all the tools and information about your child and his or her needs. making a realistic plan that will take a long time to complete you will gradually adapt new eating habits, showing the child that there are different kinds of foods and that making the child conscience of the things they eat and their effect on weight and the body. Increasing the awareness to the effect of different foods is a very important thing since it clearly identifies the cause and effect relationship to the child.

The last key for beating childhood obesity is as important and as natural as the first two, it is slowly and gradually changing the behavior of the child, and sometimes of the whole family, the new behavior patterns can be treated as rules first, make sure you explain why it is not good to eat candies, and more impotently you should make sure that your child knows that from time to time he or she are allowed to make an exception and have a candy, do not delete and block sweets from their lives completely since this usually has the opposite effect on kids.

The behavior change is a major one and if effects all the rest of the keys mentioned here, you should try and set rules in the beginning, if you can have a family meeting and set those rules it will be beneficial for everyone, making the children feel that they are setting these rules, you should encourage your kids to set rules and live by them, when you first start you can also join their activities to show them they are not alone, and from time to time you could explain how important it is to follow the rules and the benefits that are waiting in the end of the road.

A technique I have heard about some time ago uses imagination and positive thinking to encourage obese children to maintain a diet and physical activity routine. The parents have a weekly talk with the child and they go over all the last week events, good and bad, trying to explain what happened and why, not forgetting to compliment the child on his or her achievements. Once the events have been reviewed and points made clear the parent and the child close their eyes and imagine how it would be like in a month or two ahead, with more weight loss and better fitness and daily routine, talk about all the benefits of losing weight, like nicer clothes, better feeling, more energy, social admiration and so on, just make sure that the goals are realistic and can be achieved in a month or two of hard work, when your child achieves this you should mention the talk to him or her and demonstrate how belief and will power has real effect on life.

The Breaking Point: What Leads to Insanity

What can drive someone to insanity? Certainly, insanity is something that is commonly understood (or misunderstood) and usually carries some sort of stigma in the popular consciousness. If you believe in modern psychology and psychiatry, there are literally thousands of forms of insanity that a person can end up developing over a lifetime. Some of them, like depression, are temporary, while others, like social anxiety, require more work for a person to get through. However, there appears to be some commonality as to what actually brings about most of the forms of insanity that people go through. Which brings the question to bear: is there a common, underlying trigger that compromises the stability of a person’s mental health?

Things like stress and anxiety are often cited, as most of the common (and several uncommon) mental health issues are triggered by one of the two. Continued exposure to stress can eventually push someone beyond their “breaking point,” with the form of insanity afterwards being affected by external factors. This is often a long, strenuous process because most people have some level of resistance to such things, allowing them to at least survive the stressful period with their sanity intact. Additionally, the process may not even really result in insanity, with most of the population serving as proof of this theory. Prolonged stress can affect a person’s behavior and outlook, but it is also known that several other factors can increase or reduce the impact of this. In some cases, stress and anxiety can merely even have the opposite effect, depending on the person’s personal outlook.

Emotions are also said to play a critical role in driving or pushing people into insanity, with feelings being so closely tied to mental health. A person’s emotional state can often be a reflection of a person’s relative state of mental stability, but may also become an effect of fractured sanity. There is no doubting that emotions can disrupt and affect a person’s thought processes and make them do things that they normally would not do. It has also been noted that extremely emotional situations and heavy emotional trauma can permanently affect a person’s mind, often resulting in a condition that requires therapy to eventually overcome. However, it is rather arguable that emotions are merely augmenting the effects of stress and pressure, not a factor in itself.

Trauma is also frequently cited as having drastic effects on a person’s sanity, particularly if it occurs during the formative years. The extreme psychological and emotional impact that trauma victims have to endure can often force some past the breaking point, having permanent effects on their mental health. However, it should be noted that trauma tends to be little more than a combination of stressful and emotional factors, usually mixed in with extreme circumstances. The vulnerability of the person’s psyche plays a larger role here than in other potential causes of insanity, which explains why trauma encountered later on in life does not have the same general effect as similar events encountered during childhood.

Ultimately, insanity is something that, like sanity, must be defined on an individual basis. What is sane for one person in a given society may not be considered such by a different person within the same society. Insanity is a matter of context in this case, which is the assumption that some psychological texts make.

A Summary of Common Pneumonia Symptoms

Pneumonia is inflammation and often infection of the lungs. Although some forms of pneumonia are mild and don’t require medical treatment, other forms of the disease can be severe and need prompt medical intervention. Statistics indicate that over 3 million people in the United States are diagnosed with pneumonia each year, and many of them require hospitalization. When pneumonia is caused by infectious agents, the disease is very contagious and it can be easily transmitted through sneezing, cough or physical contact. Therefore, many patients are not hospitalized for the seriousness of their disease, but to prevent them from spreading pneumonia to other people.

There are many forms of pneumonia and some are not caused by infection with microorganisms. Aspiration pneumonia is common in very small children and elderly people, but it can also occur in adults. This form of pneumonia is caused by inhalation of foreign matters: fluids, dust, chemicals or other irritants. This condition is mostly common in small children due to inhalation of vomit or food. Aspiration pneumonia symptoms are usually not very intense and they ameliorate within a few days. Aspiration pneumonia symptoms are: dry cough, chest soreness and pain, wheezing, difficult breathing. Although medical treatment is not required for overcoming this form of pneumonia, it is best to see a doctor as soon as you spot its symptoms.

Infectious forms of pneumonia can be either caused by viruses, bacteria and mycoplasmas. Viral and mycoplasma pneumonia are usually milder than bacterial forms of the disease and they rarely require medical treatment.

Viral pneumonia is very common in children, teenagers and elderly people and it can be mistaken for flu or cold. Viral pneumonia symptoms are: throat inflammation, cough, swelling of the lymph nodes, chest discomfort when breathing, headache and a generalized state of fatigue. The cough can sometimes produce small amounts of mucus. Mild fever and chills may accompany viral pneumonia symptoms in the early stages of the disease. Viral pneumonia symptoms usually ameliorate within a few days and the infection completely clears up on itself in a few weeks.

Bacterial pneumonia can be severe and therefore, it can produce more intense symptoms. Bacterial forms of pneumonia are more common in adults and people with weak immune system. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms are: high fever, excessive sweating, mucus-producing cough, shortness of breath, chest pain and soreness when breathing, abdominal pain, nausea, muscle pain, pronounced body weakness. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms can also include cyanosis (due to lack of blood oxygenation) and brown-colored mucus producing cough. If the disease is severe, the cough may contain traces of blood.

Mycoplasma pneumonia can be developed by anyone, regardless of health condition and age. However, this form of pneumonia is usually mild and doesn’t require any medical treatment. Mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms are: mucus producing cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing, headache, fatigue. Other mycoplasma pneumonia symptoms are: moderate fever, chills, abdominal pain and discomfort, nausea and vomiting. This form of pneumonia develops slowly and its symptoms may only be perceived after several weeks from catching the disease. Although mycoplasma pneumonia is not considered to be serious, it is advised to see a doctor as soon as you spot its first symptoms.

Cyberspace: The Key to Getting Your Medications Hassle-Free

Lately, a lot of spam and pop-up ads have been flying around cyberspace, promoting different pharmacies on the web. And with the ongoing advancement in technology, it isn’t surprising that most transactions can be done over the Internet. But what sets online drugstores different from the conventional land-based pharmacy?

The first bragging point of an online drugstore is convenience. It offers a hassle-free way of getting your prescriptions without having to leave the comfort of your house. Since ordering is done over the net, all you need is a good computer, a steady Internet connection, and a credit card. With just a few clicks of the mouse, your order is placed and you just have to wait for you package to arrive at your doorstep. Now you can do away with having to leave the house just to visit a pharmacy to buy your needed medications.

Another selling point of Internet-based pharmacies is the price of the medicine they sell. Prescription medications that usually come expensive in land-based drugstores are sold at low, affordable prices. At times, prescription drugs are sold at discounted prices when bought in bulk amounts.

Using web-based drugstores presents its customers a change to save money. Not only will the consumers be able to save a few extra dollars from the cheaper cost of the prescription drugs, but they can also cut down on traveling costs of going to the pharmacy and back.

Some web-based pharmacies offer to sell prescription medications even to buyers who do not have a valid prescription note. Although beneficial for people who do not have enough money to seek medical consultation from a physician, this service often raises eyebrows. This is due to the fact that people have been reported to have had overdoses on controlled narcotics that were ordered from Internet pharmacies.

Sorting out the legitimate Internet pharmacies from the illegal ones can be difficult because of the huge number of existing online drugstores. But here are some helpful advices to make looking for a legitimate Internet pharmacy easier:

l Look for a local-based online drugstore. Buy only choose Internet-based pharmacies that are located within the United States and are licensed to operate or dispense prescription medicine in your state.
l Look for an accredited website of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Visit the NABP website to check out the list of online pharmacies that have passed the certification to become one of the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS).
l Look for a website that asks for a valid prescription before selling you prescription drugs. The prescription note confirms that you’ve consulted a physician and has been prescribed the appropriate medication to help you with your condition.
l Look for a website that protects your right to privacy and security. Read and understand the company’s privacy policy to ensure that your information is safeguarded and that it will not be used for other purposes except for the reason it was collected.
l Never give out any of your private information such as personal and financial data unless you have checked the credibility and legality of the online pharmacy.

You too can help protect the World Wide Web from fake online drugstores whose only aim is to take advantage of people. If you’ve come across a suspicious Internet-based pharmacy, report it to the proper authorities.

Make Positive Life Changes! Tips For Living a Healthy, More Enjoyable Life!

Life expectancy for Americans has risen dramatically in the last century. Now we can expect to live 77 years, which is 30 years longer than formerly. By taking care of our bodies we could easily live a long, healthy life.

People are Living Longer

There are more people in the United States over 100 years old than ever before, approximately 50,000. There are three times as many centenarians as there were 20 years ago. Since all of these people are not related, they do not have the same genes. Some have thought that was a big factor in longevity, but it only plays a small part. Other factors that play a big part in our life are environment, jobs, exercise, family relationships, social contacts and emotional health. Of course, living longer does not always mean a healthy, happy life.

Make Some Positive Life Changes

There are no pills to make us live longer, or guaranteed treatments. For many people, the way their body ages is up to them. There are practical steps you can take to make yourself feel better as well as live longer. People who age gracefully are not just lucky - they work at staying healthy! You must have the motivation to take these steps and be consistent.

Many times people wait until they are past middle age and in a health crisis before taking steps to insure a healthier life. For some, this is too late. Others can benefit from a drastic change and give themselves a chance to enjoy the golden years. Alternative medicines are also available to help combat many common illnesses.

Practical Steps for Everyone

Doctors have told us for years to exercise. As a whole we do not get enough exercise because of higher technology and improvements in all aspects of work. For better health, it is recommended to have 30 minutes of exercise a day. This helps with many health issues such as keeping weight down and strengthening the heart and other areas of the body. If you don’t like to exercise alone, get a friend to walk or go to the gym with you.

Eating the right foods, high fiber, low fat with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables has been a big factor in civilizations where people have a longer life span. Don’t smoke, or stop smoking if you do to prevent diseases caused by tobacco. Drink plenty of water and less soft drinks or alcohol.

Mental and emotional health contributes to general health too. People with large extended families or many social contacts don’t have much time to feel alone or hopeless. Others volunteer their time or service somewhere to feel useful and productive. Someone who is always looking for new things to learn will be active and more likely to stay involved in life. People with a sense of fulfillment and purpose are generally healthier and happier.

Be Healthy Now

Watch for signs of health problems. If you are having a problem, go to the doctor and have it checked. If you let something go you will have less chance of a cure. Have regular checkups so issues can be dealt with early. Start changing your habits now - don’t wait. If you are overweight, change your diet. If you do not get any exercise, make yourself start exercising.

If you have a health issue, see a doctor and get treatment. If you are lonely find a way to meet or help people. If you have bad habits, start changing them today. Someday you might be able to join the other centenarians as they enjoy a long, healthy, fulfilled life!

Mind Tripping: Common Psychoactive Medications Used in the Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Among the sub-disciplines under the fields of medicine and science, the most dynamic areas include the studies on “diseases of the mind.” This is not so much caused by neglect, but by a lack of true understanding of the basic goings-on of the brain and the central nervous system. Modern medical science has come a long way in this field, however, with the introduction of psychology and psychoactive medication. We now have a better understanding of how the mind works and what can happen when it doesn’t. With scientific approaches, it is no longer acceptable to just thoughtlessly assume that people are possessed by demons or used as mouthpieces of the gods.

At the moment, there are several common psychological problems that can be treated or alleviated by using the right psychoactive medication. Anxiety, for example, is often treated with a variety of medications available via prescription. Among the more prominent types are chemicals from the benzodiazepine family of compounds, which has also been used as components in the production of tranquilizers and muscle relaxants. They act by “depressing” the central nervous system, triggering a release of biochemicals that cause sedation and relaxation. This alleviates both the mental and physical symptoms of an anxiety attack. Aside from anxiety, benzodiazepine compounds can also be used to treat problems like insomnia.

Serotonin, which is often linked to depression, has also been targeted by psychoactive drugs. Generally, serotonin uptake inhibitors are used to help alleviate clinical depression. Fluoxetine and setraline are widely used for this purpose, which are by no means the only ones that are available. Antidepressant drugs, regardless of the core ingredient, tend to be slow-acting. This is mainly because they need time to break down the chemicals being produced by the brain that cause the disorder. The process can often take hours, so antidepressants need to be taken during certain intervals, rather than being taken on an as-needed basis. It is not unusual for the initial dose to have appreciable and observable effects only after several days have passed, with the full brunt of the medication only being apparent after several weeks.

Based on statistics, there has been a sharp rise in the number of cases of psychosis. The precise cause of this condition is currently unknown but stress, environmental factors, hereditary traits, and cranial injury have all been speculated. Phenothiazines are the class of medications often used as anti-psychotic drugs, with the “relief” the drugs are able to provide tending to vary. Unlike most of the other medications listed here, anti-psychotic medications focus more on blocking the receptors in the brain rather than breaking down or preventing the productions of the biochemical “messengers.”

Generally, any medication that makes it to the market has been thoroughly tested and is unlikely to cause a large amount of dangerous effects. However, there will still be other things to be considered when dealing with drugs of this nature. Due to the effects they have on the brain and the lack of concrete knowledge on how some of them actually function, it is advisable to use them with caution. Most of these drugs would be prescribed with a specific schedule of when the doses should be taken. These schedules are made for a reason and should be followed near-religiously.

Identifying Social Anxiety in Teens

Often regarded as the most unrecognized mental disorder in teens, social anxiety disorder can take many forms and manifest itself differently per person. Most parents and adults dismiss symptoms as merely shyness or teen angst that their children will eventually outgrow. However, social phobia, as the disorder is sometimes called, can grow worse if left untreated and be debilitating over time. Recognizing social phobia in teens is crucial for their transition to adulthood and you, as adults and parents, have the responsibility of ensuring that they get help. Here are several ways of recognizing symptoms of social phobia in teens:

1. Look out for extreme shyness or discomfort in your child when put in the center of attention.

First-time performers normally get stage fright but excessive discomfort, passivity, or inactivity when put on the spotlight should merit further investigation. Although most people will attribute this situation to most teenagers’ fear of embarrassing themselves in front of their peers, do not be complacent. Talk to your child about why he or she was unable to perform. Just remember to avoid using an accusatory tone to prevent putting your child on the defensive.

2. Observe your child’s academic performance.

When your straight-A child starts bringing home B or C-graded homework and exams, you immediately worry that something is wrong. But social phobia is not that obvious. In fact, social phobia leaves little clues like hesitance to recite in class, fear of being asked to report, or even downright refusing to be part of class activities. If possible, talk to your child’s teacher about these matters and ask him or her to inform you if your child exhibits these behaviors.

3. Keep track of your child’s friends or lack thereof.

You know it; teens will spend hours on the phone, go to parties, or hang out after school. Most teens will be part of a large group or at least have a couple of friends. But teens with social phobia often isolate themselves from other people or minimize contact. They would rather attend class without homework than ask a classmate about it. They often have trouble making eye contact, initiating or joining conversations, and being part of school organizations.

4. Check your child’s confidence level.

Most teens suffering from social phobia often doubt if they are good enough for other people or worry excessively about how others see them. Their fear of being ridiculed, boring, or rejected are basic in their minds and they often look for signs of negative perception in others. This negative attitude towards meeting other people are so pervasive in their minds that it can lead to low self-esteem and inferiority complex.

5. Take note of your child’s reaction to social situations.

People suffering from social phobia exhibit physical symptoms as well, especially if they are in a social situation like family gatherings or school functions. Signs to look out for include diarrhea, nausea, excessive sweating, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. If your teen experiences any of these symptoms during or prior to a social event, he or she may be reacting to social phobia.

If your teen exhibit all or any of these symptoms, take him or her to a psychologist for a consultation and thorough examination. Chances are high that your child knows that his or her reactions to social activities are irrational but does not know where to ask for help.

The Everyday Battle Against Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is derived from the Greek words arthro- for joint, and -itis, which means inflammation. As the name implies, it is a medical condition that affects the joints, with inflammation as its primary manifestation. Inflammation is usually followed by joint pain which is commonly referred to as arthralgia.

Arthritis appears in many different forms. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative disc disease. This appears as a result of aging, joint trauma, or joing infection. Other forms of arthritis include: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis. These two are considered auto-immune conditions wherein the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis comes as a result of joint infection. Gouty arthritis and pseudogout are both result of mineral formation in the joint, thereby causing inflammation.

Arthritis may manifest more symptoms after the initial inflammation and pain on the joint areas. The inflammation itself is characterized by stiffness, swelling, redness, warmth, and tenderness of the affected area. For other types of arthritis that are autoimmune in nature, sufferers may also experience fever, gland swelling, weight loss, fatigue, and develop abnormalities of vital organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys.

For the most part, dealing with the joint pain is the most difficult thing that arthritis sufferers have to bear with. It can prove disabling, especially for people whose nature of work involves constant travelling. It is because of these people that we keep looking for the best treatment that can provide arthritis pain relief. Treatment depends on the following factors: the doctor’s diagnosis, the severity of the disease, and a patient’s reponse to previous treatment.

For mild to moderate pain, various over-the-counter and prescription creams and gels designed to provide arthritis pain relief are available in the market. These topical medications are applied directly over the skin to soothe the pain you feel from arthritis. There are applications that make the skin feel either hot or cold. These products may contain counterirritants that help distract the main from the arthritic pain, giving you temporary arthritis pain relief. Another kind of topical medication are aspirin-like pain rubs. These are topical analgesics that not only reduces joint pain, it also reduces swelling once absorbed by the skin. Lastly, are creams made from chili pepper seeds. These seeds contain capsaicin that produces the burning sensation associated with peppers. It is most effective for arthritic pain in joints that are near the skin, like your fingers, knees, and elbows. These over the counter topical medications are more affordable and accessible than its prescription medications or applications counterpart, but offer only temporary arthritis pain relief.

These medications are best paired with a change in one’s diet and lifestyle, an ample amount of rest, enough exercise, and joint protection. This allows for better arthritis pain relief, reduced inflammation, retardation of the progression of the disease, reduced chances of requiring therapy, and regain functional independence.

Living with arthritis is difficult. The rising cost of medication and therapy should be enough to make you want to avoid ever contracting the condition in the first place. So take care of your body because it is the only one you have.

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