Archive for August, 2007

Depression - Reasons, Symptoms - What Can You Do?

Depression is a state of mind in which a person goes into extreme sadness for longer time and becomes very unstable. The person suffering from depression may feel really low and depressed all the time. There are many reasons due to which a person develops such a state of mind. Anyone suffering from depression need to have very warm any loving atmosphere around. It is a serious illness that can have affects for a longer time. Such an illness can affect the daily life of the sufferer. Depression is a common illness found in our country. The number of women suffering from depression is more than the number of men suffering from this disease. Depression can affect people of any age, including children. It is also considered as hereditary illness. It is very important to cope up with this illness. The family and friends of the sufferer has to provide with good and loving atmosphere around so that the patient is free to express his feeling with others. Psychiatrist should be consulted and proper medication should be given to the patient so that he/she can cope up with depression.

There are different stages of depression such as mild depression, moderate depression and severe depression. It is good to cure the illness at early stage. Mild depression is a stage in which the sufferer can cure himself without any outside help by reading good book. In the second stage i.e moderate depression one can talk about it with friends and family and can be cured. Severe depression is the worst kind of all, as it takes longer to get cured. Special effort are made to get a patient out of severe depression. At times the patient tries to commit suicide in this stage. The person suffering from severe depression should consult a psychiatrist as soon as possible. When the number of symptoms are more it means that a person is suffering from severe depression.

Mild Asthma

This is asthma that does not drastically affect the quality of one’s life. The symptoms are not severe. Mild asthma attacks are also not so intense and the duration between the attacks is quite long. People with this type of asthma can go on with their lives without a lot of concern about their condition. Due care should also be taken as the condition can turn to be chronic if they do not treat it.

The symptoms of mild asthma are the same as those of chronic asthma. The only difference is the intensity and severity. These symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest cavity. The asthma symptoms usually last for a minute or two. The maximum time given is five minutes. Sometimes medication is given to relieve the symptoms.

The most common causes of asthma are allergies. These allergies differ in different people. The most common ones are to animals, pollen, house dust mites, weather, air pollutants, fungi and mold. One should know what they are allergic to and try to avoid it. This way, you reduce chances of having an attack.

Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse

You should be on the lookout of warning signs of drug abuse in your teen. If you do see six or more warning signs, you should not ignore them. Instead talk to your teen about his drug addiction and then ensure that you seek professional help to assist your teen in overcoming his addiction.

Here are the warning signs of teenage drug abuse that you should be looking out for.

Signs in the Home:
• Losing interest in family activities
• Showing disregard for family rules
• Withdrawing from his responsibilities
• Becoming verbally or physically abusive
• Sudden decrease or increase in appetite
• Not coming home on time
• Not telling you where he is going
• You suddenly find valuables and money missing from home
• Making excuses for his behavior
• Prefers spending time alone in his bedroom
• Lies about where he was and what he was doing
• You find cigarette rolling paper, pipes, small glass vials, plastic baggies or roach clips in his room or his pant pockets

Making Fish and Seafood Part of a Healthy Diet

Maximizing protein content while minimizing fat and calories is a goal of many people who are trying to lose weight, gain fitness or just enjoy a healthier diet. There are few foods that combine low fat, low calories and high protein the way fish and seafood do.

In addition, the protective oils in many cold water fish are being studied for their possible role in preventing heart disease and lowering levels of cholesterol in the bloods.

In addition, fish dishes are delicious, easy to prepare and often inexpensive. Many people have avoided buying more fish because they were unsure of how to cook and prepare it. While fish dishes can sometimes be a challenge, there are many recipes, both online and in cookbooks, that make it easier than ever to prepare fresh fish for yourself and your family.

Diabetes and Bad Breath

There is a commonly held association between diabetes and bad breath; however, the breath odor directly caused by diabetes is not the same as halitosis in the usual sense. Diabetics experience an unusual odor, often described as a sweet or fruity odor, on the breath when they are suffering from ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a severe life threatening condition that requires immediate medical attention.

In an undiagnosed diabetic child bad breath caused by ketoacidosis may be the first sign of serious disease. Ketoacidosis is most often seen in Type I diabetics, individuals whose pancreas does not produce enough insulin to allow their cells to take in glucose for metabolism (also the most common form of childhood diabetes). When cells need energy but cannot get it because of lack of insulin, the body attempts to rectify the situation by breaking down fat instead. The metabolism of fat produces acidic ketones, which build up in the bloodstream making it more and more acidic. The body tries to get rid of some of the ketones by expelling them in the urine and in the breath. This is what gives rise to the association between diabetes and bad breath.

Eating Disorders - Busting the Myths

There are many myths and half-truths surrounding eating disorders. Which of these are true and which are just myths? Listed here are some of the more popular myths about eating disorders.

Myth #1. Only teenage girls suffer from eating disorders.

For several years, it was believed t that only teenage girls are afflicted by eating disorders. However, studies prove that even though the problem may start during puberty, teenage girls are not the only ones who may suffer from this condition. It was proven that even children, older women and men can easily fall prey to this terrible disorder.

Myth #2. Once afflicted, you can never recover from an eating disorder.

Although eating disorders may require long-term treatment, recovery from the disorder is not far from possible. However, your willingness to recover, unquestioning dedication and the proper treatment are the keys to achieving your goal.

Myth #3. Straight men cannot have eating disorders.

It was believed that only men who are gay can “catch” the malady. This again is a false statement. One’s sexual preference has no bearing on the development of eating disorders.

Myth #4. Eating disorders are a problem with food.

Birth Control Use and Heart Attacks

Heart attacks have been known as the undertakers of men who are not careful with their food intake or are abusive with their bodies. Women are also prone to heart attacks but the risk is not as high as those occurring in men. Do you happen to know that recent FDA news have shown that women who are taking birth control pills are also at risk of heart attacks?

This may come as a surprise, especially to those who have been using oral contraceptives for years already. If you happen to be using birth control pills, then it is time that you must be aware of this fact and also with some of these pills that would give you a much higher risk of a heart attack.

In 1960’s, when birth control pills came about, drug companies tried hard to lower down its potency. This brought about the “low-dose” oral contraceptives which proved to be detrimental for women because it doubles the risk of a heart attack. The risk returned to the normal level when the women stopped using the pills.

Proud Bald Men

Bald men have become increasingly popular in the mainstream media. The stars are bright AND bald! It’s true. Celebrities increasingly remind the common man that hair loss is not taboo.

Below, you will find an extensive list of famous men who experienced baldness at an early age.

Bruce Willis

His hair started thinning on national television in 1985 on the series “Moonlighting,” but at the age of thirty, Bruce didn’t let male hair loss hold him back. He married the beautiful actress two years later in 1987, and continued his acting career with hits like “Die Hard,” and “Armageddon.” Just before the turn of the century, Bruce started shaving his head for the smooth and professional look.

Vin Diesel

This star actor of the “Fast and the furious” didn’t become furious when he started losing his hair. He went for the smooth look and landed role after role. Hello Hollywood, say hello to a confident young male actor. Have we ever seen Vin Diesel with hair? The thirty eight year old still looks like he’s in his twenties.

Ron Howard

Arthritis Medicine For Dogs - Joint Protection For Your Pet

Arthritis medicines for dogs had never been so useful and functional until today. With the alarming population growth of dogs with arthritis, experts know that it is important to administer reliable medicines for dogs to control or prevent arthritis.

Like humans, dogs have a remarkable array of cartilage, bones, and ligaments that make up the canine skeletal system. Just like the typical bone structures in humans, dogs’ bones are also connected by joints. These joints provide flexibility for jumping, running, moving the neck and head, climbing, and trotting.

Joint Damage

For proper lubrication and to ensure that bones maintain flexibility, a thin membrane known as synovium provides synovial fluid. However, due to the joints’ wear and tear and intermittent cases of diseases or injuries, joints can be damaged and may cause inflammation or arthritis.

The most common cause of dog arthritis is old age. Due to the wear and tear of the joints or cartilages, a protective layer that guarantees bone flexibility, joint inflammation or arthritis develops. And dogs cannot simply escape this condition. And even if there cannot be marvelous medications to treat dog arthritis, much can be done to help dogs bear the pains arthritis can bring.

Enjoy a Healthier Lifestyle with More Fruits and Vegetables

Everyone agrees on the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables, but not enough people are following this important advice. Increasing your consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the easiest changes you can make to increase your level of health, lose weight and gain fitness.

No matter what your reason for pursuing a healthier diet, eating more fruits and vegetables is a great way to enjoy a delicious varied diet while enjoying greater levels of health.

Everyone knows the importance of a healthy diet to a healthy body, and fruits and vegetables are rich in the vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other micronutrients that make a diet healthy.