Heart Attack Prevention for Women

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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Dr. Bob gives tips for women on the prevention of heart attacks. For more health tips and information visit www.DrBobShow.com.

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Heart Disease: Worse For Women Than Men?

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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Do men really have it easy? Can heart disease really be worse just because you’re a woman? Dr. Bob gives the answer. For more health tips and information visit www.DrBobShow.com.

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Women’s Health Tips

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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Dr. Bob talks about the importance of getting a pap smear, breast exam, and mammogram. For more health tips and information visit www.DrBobShow.com.

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Health Tips for Men

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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At what age should men get their first screenings for cholesterol levels and prostate health? Fitness expert Mike Moore explains. For more health tips and information visit www.DrBobShow.com.

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Beauty – My First Wrinkle Cream.

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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For more beauty, lifestyle and fitness videos visit: www.BodyRock.Tv

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Health Problems In Men

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Board certified internal medicine specialist Dr. Tony Ramos talks about health problems in men. For more health tips and information visit www.DrBobShow.com.

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Natural Remedies for Prostate Health

I just found this health related video on YouTube … and thought you might enjoy it!

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www.iHealthTube.com Dr. Aaron Katz offers alternative natural remedies to keep the prostate healthy and treat prostate symptoms and conditions. For more natural health videos visit http Joseph Mercola is now on ihealthtube. Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: www.facebook.com Myspace: profile.myspace.com

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Male Menopause Symptoms & Treatments : Nutrition Tips for Male Menopause

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Learn nutrition and diet tips and what foods to eat to help prevent and treat male menopause, including tomatoes and other colorful vegetables with expert medical advice from a trained doctor and scientist in this free online health care video clip. Expert: Dr. Susan Jewell Bio: Dr. Susan Jewell is a British born educated bilingual Asian with a British accent and can speak Cantonese. Filmmaker: Nili Nathan

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Aging as a disease

My kids turned 7 the other day and typical of kids of their age, they loved having a birthday and were very happy celebrating it. Then one asked me “Is there somebody in this world who is not happy about having a birthday?” Actually there are quite a lot, I told him. Old people mainly who are not happy being reminded they are growing older.

Aging: you can’t stop it but can you fight and postpone it? But is chronological aging a disease? And if it were a disease, can it be managed and treated like a disease? In other words, can we stop the time and put aging on hold? This was the topic of a scientific conference last week aptly called “Turning Back the Clock.”

According to biogerontologist David Gems

“If aging is seen as a disease, it changes how we respond to it. For example, it becomes the duty of doctors to treat it.”

Aging is traditionally seen as a natural biological process even if many of us are not happy about it. People try to slow down the external signs of aging through cosmetic surgery. However, there are currently no drugs in the market for the treatment of aging because drug regulators only approve drugs for specific diseases and conditions but not for a general concept like aging.

Gems continued to explain:

“Because aging is not viewed as a disease, the whole process of bringing drugs to market can’t be applied to drugs that treat aging. This creates a disincentive to pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs to treat it.”

But one can point out that depression used to be a general concept but is now a valid medical condition with lots of treatment options available.

The sceptics will point out that viewing aging as a disease is just another way for pharmaceutical industries to make money, the way they make money with millions of people swallowing anti-depressants each day.

But scientists point out that aging comes with a lot of age-related diseases such as dementia, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Currently, medicine is trying to treat each of these specific conditions. They believe that there is a common denominator to all these and identifying and treating this common mechanism, all these conditions can be treated.

One avenue scientists are pursuing is looking at the genes of the very old people and identifying the genetic mechanisms that make them less susceptible to age-related diseases. These genes and the mechanism they control are believed to determine longevity.

According to Andrew Dillin of the Salk Institute in California and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute:

“It is … looking increasingly likely that pharmacological manipulation of these … pathways could form the basis of new preventative medicines for diseases aging, and aging itself.”

What you know can influence your cancer treatment

In this day and age, more and more patients seek information of their health conditions and treatments over the Internet where such information is easily available and usually for free. General information about diseases like cancer can be found on sites of advocacy groups (example: Susan Komen for the Cure, American Cancer Society [ACS]) and medical and research institutions (example: National Cancer Institute [NCI], Mayo Clinic, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute). In addition, information about drugs and treatments are openly available on the websites of regulators bodies and health authorities (example: US FDA, European Medicines Agency). It is estimated that four out of ten of cancer patients look for information about their condition on the Internet.

In addition to large amount of information available, patients have become more aware of health issues, have become more autonomous. More and more patients take a proactive role and want to have a say in the treatment and management of their conditions rather than leaving everything up to the doctor.

But how does this increased level of patient knowledge of health information affect his or her treatment?

An article to be published in the April issue of Cancer, a journal of the ACS reports that “when colorectal cancer patients seek out health information from the internet and news media,… they can influence their own treatment.” They are, for example, are more likely to be informed about the latest treatments for their disease and receive them. However, in certain cases, this knowledge can also influence their treatments in “inappropriate ways.”

Researchers at the NCI Center of Excellence in Cancer Communication Research at the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School designed a study to examine the relationship between information-seeking among 633 colorectal cancer patients chosen at random from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry and the use of novel new agents for the disease.

The researchers specifically looked at patient knowledge of targeted therapies such as bevacizumab (Avastin) and cetuximab (Erbitux). The drugs have recently been approved by the US FDA and have had significant media coverage. The researchers investigated whether information seeking activity of patients is correlated to their actual awareness of the said targeted therapies and whether this awareness translates into receiving these therapies. The results of the studies showed that:

·        High levels of information seeking were strongly associated with both awareness of and receiving treatment using targeted therapies.

·        Patients who sought information about treatments for colorectal cancer were 2.83 times more likely to have heard about targeted therapies and 3.22 times more likely to have received targeted therapies than people who did not seek information.

It is to be noted that these targeted therapies are only approved by the US FDA for advanced colorectal cancer. The abovementioned associations however, were found to be true for patients with advanced as a well as early stage colorectal cancer, indicating that patients and their knowledge may influence their treatments in an inappropriate way.

The authors conclude:

“These findings emphasize the importance of exploring patient influence on physician prescribing patterns and understanding the impact of information seeking on cancer outcomes.”

In my opinion, every patient has the right to seek information and be aware about the latest treatments. However, we should also respect our doctors’ knowledge and expertise and that the decision for a certain treatment should be in agreement with our doctors, and not against doctors’ orders.

Cancer in the News, Friday April 18, 2008

An interesting array of new cancer information and news found its way to my in box this week.

Are you familiar with The American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge? Check out this amazing facility that offers not only free temporary lodging for cancer patients undergoing treatment but also provides support and information when patients and their families need it most.

There are 26 Hope Lodge facilities across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. The newest Hope Lodge, located in NYC was recently featured in the local New York City television news. A great story, available on YouTube.

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Alternative Treatment For Schizophrenia and Manic Depression

By Robin Brain

Mental health problems are severe when the person becomes out of touch with reality. They may develop false beliefs about who they are or what is happening, feel persecuted by external forces, or believe they have been given special powers. They may hear voices, discussing their thoughts or behavior, or telling them what to do, or they may see things that are not there (hallucinations).

When someone is out of touch with reality in this way, they are called psychotic. Some people have only one episode of psychotic illness in their life, others have several with remission in between, and others have them most of the time. Alternative therapies can be useful for all these people but may not be appropriate in a crisis. Conventional drug medication can usually prevent psychotic episodes, but people who are very distressed or dangerous to themselves or others may need the shelter and protection of a hospital or specialized care unit.

Schizophrenia

Each sufferer’s experience of schizophrenia is unique. Thoughts and feelings are dramatically disturbed and the world is experienced very differently. The person’s behavior may appear bizarre to others. Schizophrenia does not mean “split personality”as is widely believed, but is a word used to describe a wide range of symptoms and conditions.

It is not known what causes schizophrenia: one theory is that a person’s genetic makeup makes him or her vulnerable, and that it is triggered off by stressful events. People diagnosed as schizophrenic are rarely violent, but they are often very frightened and isolated because of their distressing symptoms.

Symptoms of schizophrenia include jumbled, disordered thinking, paranoia, false beliefs, hearing voices, apathy, lack of concentration, and depression.

Treatment

Conventional drug treatment can help control some of the symptoms of schizophrenia (such as hallucinations) but may also create many new symptoms. Alternative therapies can be used alongside conventional treatment for these problems.

Manic Depression

Manic depression involves mood swings: periods of deep depression and over-excited or manic behavior. There may be periods of varying stability in between these extreme highs and lows.

During mania, sufferers are euphoric, feel self­important, excited, and extremely talkative. They may go on spending sprees, be unable to sleep, be irritable, or angry. They have no awareness of changed behavior. During the depressive periods (usually longer) they feel despair, guilt, and worth­lessness.

Music, which can access mood states without recourse to language, may be a helpful therapeutic tool in the treatment of psychotic illness.

Treatment

It is important to avoid stressful situations, and finding the right therapy and therapist is vital.

Relaxation Techniques

Meditation, visualization and relaxation exercises can all help.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:

Talking Treatments – Taking part in supportive psychotherapy and counseling can help reduce the risk of a relapse by helping sufferers to understand the condition and cope better with problems and stresses. Group or family therapy can help with the communication process. It is thought, however, that psychotherapy, which probes into the past, can be too stressful for people with manic depression or schizophrenia, but some sufferers do find it helpful. Some sufferers may prefer cocounseling.

Read out for Strength ball training. Check out arthritis and diagnostic tests

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Brain

Natural Diabetes Treatments

Avoiding the injection?

In recent years, particularly since the 1990’s, people have been looking more and more to nature to solve health issues. Almost every single day there is more information released in the news and online that details new and amazing uses for one herb, extract, or food. Often one will be touted as the ‘Wonder Cure’ for diabetes.

As of right now, there is no wonder cure-all for diabetes. With the recent breakthrough in medical science covered in my earlier post ‘Scientists Jumpstart Insulin Production In Diabetic Mice’, there may one day actually be a cure. But for now, here are the facts.

Herbs and spices for good health.

Just this month, scientists in China have found that a compound in pumpkin can help regulate blood glucose levels. The complete verdict is still out, but pumpkin is full of vitamins and minerals your body needs. It never hurts to add more into your diet.

Cinnamon has long been a favorite among herbalists for helping the body control blood glucose levels. Science has proven the validity of the claims, along with alleged arthritis treatment. To experience the benefits of cinnamon, include the spice in your diet each and every day. At least a teaspoon is needed to show results in arthritis and sugar levels. If you drink tea, try mixing it into your tea. Making your own cinnamon toast with Sucralose/cinnamon is easy! Toast your bread, spread one side with a low calorie margarine, then sprinkle a little cinnamon and sweetener onto the ‘buttered’ side.

Bitter Melon or Balsam pear has had confirmed results in lowering blood sugar. In fact, the juice and extract works so well it can cause hypoglycemia in diabetics who use it in conjunction with traditional medicines. Over use can result in abdominal cramps and diarrhea, so it is not recommended for children. This is one herb to use quite a bit of caution with, if used at all.

Garlic and Onions have been confirmed to have many health benefits. Lowering glucose levels, cutting cholesterol, and helping the body fight disease. Unless you have allergies to this family of plants, garlic and onions are a perfect addition to any diet.

What Now?

Even if you incorporate foods and herbs known to help with controlling blood sugar levels, you should not stop your insulin routine. Only your doctor can give you medical advice concerning your diabetes and you should never stop treatment on your own. You can, however, add foods and spices to your diet. If your sugar levels become more controllable, mention the foods you are eating to your doctor. It is possible through diet to control diabetes better, but until there is a cure, you still need to use caution with any treatment, natural or otherwise.

Sources:Diabetes Holistic Online and dlife

Exercise To Control Diabetes

Having diabetes is never a picnic. But fortunately, for a very large percentage of those who suffer from the disease, exercise can play a large role in the management of the condition. Not only does it improve overall health, helping to stave off future complications and deal with dips in well-being, it directly improves the diabetic condition. But, it needs to be done properly.

Before embarking on any exercise regimen, a diabetic should consult his or her physician and insist on clear answers and feasible suggestions. The diabetic will need to find out which exercises are safe and under what conditions. That will vary from person to person, and often day to day.

The level of blood glucose rises, for example, in response to exercise. But how much and how rapidly differs from person to person and day to day. A high blood glucose level, say 300 mg/dL can rise even higher with vigorous exercise. Those with Type 1 diabetes who have a fasting glucose level above 250 mg/dL will likely have ketones in the urine. Exercise can raise that further, producing a dangerous condition called diabetic ketoacidosis.

Alternatively, insulin treatments can produce hypoglycemia (having too low a level of glucose in the blood). But consuming carbohydrates to level it off may have undesirable side effects, such as encouraging excess body fat. That excess in turn may help push those with pre-diabetes into full blown diabetes, over time.

Any exercise routines should be realistic and begun slowly. Many diabetics need to reduce their level of activity below what would be normal for another person. But they can still benefit from the many positive health effects of a good routine. Just as with the elderly or others who may need to curtail some kinds of activity, the diabetic needs to monitor their condition carefully and exercise appropriately.

Think long term. Even people without any medical condition can become discouraged and give up on exercise too easily. Working muscles that have been sedentary (a lifestyle that often raises the risk of acquiring diabetes in the first place) can lead to soreness and discomfort. That creates negative incentives to continue the exercise program. Starting slowly and working up to greater effort can solve that problem. Adopt exercise as a part of an overall lifestyle, not as a targeted cure for any specific problem.

Walking several times per week is a good start. For those who have access to a pool, swimming is a good cardiovascular exercise category that is easy on the joints.

At first, you may feel a bit too tired to even get started. That may be the result of low blood sugar. If your physician approves, eating a small snack can help get you up for the effort. A small adjustment to medication may work for others.

Monitoring is important, even during exercise, since it can change blood glucose levels quickly. A special watch is available that provides a timer for measuring routines, but will also monitor glucose level. But whatever method you choose, keep a close eye on things. Stop if you feel dizzy, nauseous or experience symptoms generally.

List of Arthritis Treatments Already Mentioned Here at Battling Arthritis

Since I started this blog, there are already 4 posts wherein arthritis drugs were mentioned or discuss. And so in this resource –type entry, I would like to put those arthritis drugs on the spotlight.

ANTI-TNF THERAPY

Anti-TNF drugs are drugs that inhibit the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) thereby preventing chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Examples of TNF inhibitors that are currently approved by the FDA to be in the market are the following:

Infliximab (Remicade®)– a product of Centocor Pharmaceuticals. A biologic treatment used for the treatment of plaque psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Chron’s disease in adults, pediatric Chron’s disease, ulcerative colitis and ankylosing spondylitis.

D2E7 Adalimumab (Humira) – a product of Abbott. A medicine called a Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) blocker, used in adults to reduce the signs and symptoms of:

• moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in adults. HUMIRA can be used alone or with methotrexate or with certain other medicines. HUMIRA may prevent further damage to your bones and joints and may help your ability to perform daily activities.
• psoriatic arthritis (PsA). HUMIRA can be used alone or with certain other medicines. HUMIRA may prevent further damage to your bones and joints and may help your ability to perform daily activities.
• ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
• moderate to severe Crohn’s disease (CD) in adults who have not responded well to conventional treatments. HUMIRA is also approved for these adults who have lost response or are unable to tolerate infliximab.

Etanercept (Enbrel®) – a product of Amgen and Wyeth and a biologic oral medication for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), moderate to severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritisJRA), psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and chronic moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.

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How to Deal With Depression At Work

By Jenny Glover

Many times there are healthy people that have more problems than what we realize from just looking at them. Many times there are some people that are going through depression and do not know how to handle the problems. They have to cope with having these feelings and going to work each day as well. Depression and your job is something that can be difficult to over come but with the right help, it is possible.

Having depression and going to work is not always easy. There are some people that have to take on the challenges of going to work everyday at a job that drives them crazy. They may not enjoy the work that they do for some reason or another. Maybe they are having a problem with another co-worker or having a problem dealing with the stress that comes from the job. No matter what the reason, it is important to find help and get the problem under control before the problem gets worse.

If you are dealing with depression at work, you have to find a way to move past it. You need to think about what you can do to make it through the tough times. If it is really that bad and there is no way to make it better, you should think about getting another job. This may not be something that you want to think about, but if it is going to save your life you need to make the change. It is going to be the most important decision that you can make but one that is going to be well worth it in the end.

Some do not have the option of changing jobs. They need to work in the field that they are in and they want to try and work at the problems they are having with depression and their job. This is something that is possible with the right help. You can over come a difficult relationship or a stressful situation when you put your mind to it. You need to make sure that you are doing what you can to make the situation better and to overcome it for your own health.

Jenny Glover is a doctor to treatment depression

If you want to learn more about depression treatment visit the site www.depressionselfhelp.com.cn

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Glover

Depression—Healing is Possible

By Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

What is the cause of depression? Traditional Western Medicine, which includes Traditional Western Psychiatry, posits depression is the result of a chemical imbalance. Scientific studies claim to show that such an imbalance does in fact exist—but these studies are only performed on people who are being treated for depression. The question is, which came first the imbalance or the depression?

Traditional Holistic Healing a.k.a. Transformational or Metaphysical Healing knows that depression is anger turned inward. If you are a student of any spiritual tradition you understand that virtually everything in the world of form is the unfolding of spiritual reality—that all things are arising spontaneously within the field of infinite potentiality. Thus, the cause of the chemical imbalance is not the cause of clinical depression but the symptoms of it. The ‘cause’ or mechanism that lies behind the phenomena of depression lies within the limits of personal consciousness itself.

Depression is holding onto trauma, not consciously realizing that processing the feelings triggered by the experience is the solution. Thus, the anger is turned inward and held. We either identify with emotions as ‘ourselves’ [That’s just the way I am] to avoid or escape them or act out.

Depression is the result of the seeds of doubt; the doubt of life not having any real meaning, doubt of one’s worth and doubt about one’s abilities This doubt itself gives rise to various feelings and emotions which we then either cling to or resist, rather than processing our thoughts and acknowledging the misconceptions we have created. If we let the feelings pass through our awareness consciously, fully feeling and releasing them, depression would be avoided. The seeds of doubt are a result of early childhood trauma. Nearly everyone has some form of childhood trauma to some degree, which then creates the perception that the trauma symptoms are a ‘chemical imbalance.’ Thus, scientific studies can claim that such an imbalance exists because all persons with depression show some form of imbalance.

People with chronic depression are merely those who have remained unaware of how to successfully release doubts and emotions. With such misconceptions, doubt is either deeply identified with as the ‘self’ or is seen as the ‘enemy.’ Yet, doubt is a very healthy benchmark for the need of change and growth.

Successfully embracing and resolving doubt, so that a new, higher understanding can be reached is the way to avoid Depression as well as a way out. Doubt isn’t something to be avoided nor identified with. Doubt can be welcomed, embraced and intimately known as one does with a good friend, who shares their secrets of transforming that will change your life.

If anything can be referred to as the ‘cause’ of depression then, it is the lack of consciousness of the individual. From the literature of historical Wisdom traditions such as Zen and Vedanta, to the annals of modern developmental psychology, evidence clearly shows that individuals who have evolved to the higher stages of consciousness (not ‘states of consciousness,’ which are only temporary) suffer less from troubling emotions. Consciousness is the only genuine long-term solution to dealing with the symptom called depression.

It is understood that this explanation of depression is not the popular one, however, it is the one that can truly set you free. How? You might ask. The answer is: If you understand that you have in fact been creating absolutely everything you have been experiencing, you are able by acknowledging your responsibility to un-create [transform] any negative emotion which creates the plethora of so-called mental disorders. Responsibility without blame and constant surrender rather than resistance is the ‘way out.’ Depression really can be fully and permanently transformed—a.k.a.—Healed.

Although, one can affect this process, the majority of people want professional assistance to move the process faster and more effectively. This phenomenon is recognized as ‘We are our own worst enemy,’ because we can’t see the trees because of the forest.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Author, International Speaker and Inspirational Leader specializes in Mind, Body, Spirit healing. Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. www.drdorothy.net

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dorothy_M._Neddermeyer,_PhD

Natural Treatments for Depression

By Lisa Barger

The numbers are staggering. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 9.5% of us will experience some form of depression during any given calendar year and the World Health Organization found that depression is so common that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide.

Unfortunately, natural and alternative medicine has little to offer someone who is severely depressed but if you deal with infrequent bouts of mild depression ask your doctor if adding behavioral modification, dietary changes or herbal supplements is appropriate for you.

* Behavioral modifications like learning to recognize and arrest negative self-talk can be an effective way to stem mild depression before it gets a chance to progress. Your doctor can refer you to an appropriate therapy program that will help you understand exactly what self-talk is and how it can be used to combat depression naturally.

* Dr. Andrew Weil calls exercise “the most effective treatment” he knows for mild depression. Running a marathon may be the last thing you want to do when you’re depressed but a light daily exercise program (like walking for 20 minutes a day) may be very helpful in the battle against mild depression.

* Sunlight exposure–or a lack of it–seems to play a significant role in some people’s vulnerability to depression, especially the type of depression doctors call seasonal affective disorder or SAD.

* Caffeine and alcohol avoidance may be helpful for some people struggling with depression. Both of these substances play a significant role in mood and can make mood swings more pronounced.

* Omega 3 fatty acids are a relatively new tool in the fight against depression. Omega 3 fatty acids seem to play a vital role in the fight against some forms of depression. Scientific research is sketchy at this time but we know that the Japanese, who eat more than 3 times the amount of omega 3-rich fish (like salmon) than we do, have the lowest rates of major depression in the industrialized world.

* 5-HTP is a substance made in the brain from the naturally occurring amino acid trytophan. For decades, nutritionists have recognized tryptophan’s role in seratonin production but tryptophan has also been linked to liver damage and asthma attacks so it’s no longer recommended routinely. 5-HTP should never be taken by pregnant women.

* St. Johns Wort, known botanically as Hypericum perforatum, has been shown to be as effective as prescription anti-depressants in over 30 double-blind studies. Unfortunately, it hasn’t shown much promise to the severely depressed, but for bouts of mild depression, it seems to an effective option for some people. St. Johns wort is known to react with several prescription drugs so never begin a regimen of St. Johns wort for mild depression without first discussing it with your doctor.

* SAM-e is perhaps the most promising of the natural treatments for mild depression. SAM-e, or s-adenosylmethionine, is a compound made from methionine, an essential fatty acid needed naturally by our bodies. SAM-e works by increasing the activity of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. SAM-e works faster than St. Johns wort and 5-HTP and doesn’t seem to have any serious or long-term side effects.

As with any medical condition, it’s extremely important that you work with your doctor to develop a whole-life approach to your depression. Suddenly stopping your prescription medications can be dangerous so always consult your doctor first. And let him know about any herbal or nutritional supplements, too, to prevent potentially dangerous interactions. You can beat depression.

Lisa Barger is a traditional naturopath specializing in natural health education. To learn more about Ms. Barger’s belief in “Empowerment through Education” or to take a free online natural health class see her website, www.LisaBarger.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Barger

Wholistic Treatment for Bipolar Disorder

By Terry Coyier

Bipolar Disorder is one of the most difficult to treat. Not only is it difficult to find the right medicine recipe for each person, patient compliance is a major obstacle. Some people suffer debilitating side effects or cannot tolerate the high dosages of some medications. Some start feeling better and make a conscious decision to stop taking their medications. Others simply don’t like taking medication at all. Some of these same people will turn to vitamins, health supplements and holistic answers instead. Herein lies the problem. It seems to me that the general population is much more willing to trust the claims on vitamins bottles and health supplements than that of prescription medications that are governed by the FDA. Who is it that regulates vitamins and health supplements– the “natural healing fairy?

Well, come to find out, many studies are being conducted on holistic approaches to bipolar treatment and they are being funded by organizations like The Stanley Organization, National Institute of Health and the National Institute of Mental Health. Some important organizations are taking notice that maybe there is something to this “natural” approach. Maybe there is and maybe there isn’t. I am convinced that doing everything possible to make this illness more bearable is worth a shot, but I’m not willing to give up my medication yet and neither are any of the organizations funding the studies.

Nothing that you read here is meant to replace any advice that you are given by a trained professional. The information is simply what I researched and the claims may or may not be accurate. Please do not try any holistic approach without consulting with your physician or psychiatrist first. Also, all of these approaches, by their own admission are to be used as an adjunct to psychiatric medications. In other words, they are meant to help reduce the dosage, not replace the medicine all together.

VITAMINS & MINERALS

Mood Stabilizing Substances
Lecithin (Phosphatidyl Choline)
L-Taurine (Amino Acid)
GABA (Amino Acid)

To Fight Depression
B- Complex
Folic Acid
B1 (Thiamin)
B6
B-12
Magnesium & Calcium
Manganese
Zinc
L-Tyrosine
Methionine
L-Phenylalynine & DL-Phenylalynine
L-Triptophan (Amino Acid)

Most of these vitamins and minerals can be found in a good multivitamin. The ones that are separate supplements should be verified with your doctor before you go spend a lot of money on them. I didn’t even start taking my multivitamin without checking it out with my psychiatrist first – but then I’m a little anal when it comes to managing my bipolar and my money. I don’t know about your insurance but mine doesn’t cover vitamins.

ST JOHN’S WART

This is the supplement that we’ve all heard does wonders for depression. Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but marketing and advertising people create all that hype. I know this, because I work in advertising. I found tons of information on St John’s Wart (SJW) and most of it echoed the same warnings, that bipolar patients should use extreme caution and consult their physicians before attempting to use it. I know I won’t be adding it to my recipe. The only time it seems to be recommended is for people with very mild depression who almost don’t need to take prescription medication and they still suggest checking with your doctor.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School believe that SJW could be a mania trigger for those who are bipolar but who haven’t experienced a manic episode yet. This is similar to what some antidepressants do to people with bipolar. It can also precipitate hypomanic states or rapid cycling. They mentioned that if you have bipolar you should use extreme caution and confer with your doctor before hand.

In Feb 2000, the FDA released a public health advisory warning that there was a risk of dangerous interactions between SJW and certain prescription medications. Bipolar meds included mainly the Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCA’s) Tofranil, Asendin & Elavil and the anticonvulsant Tegretol. It is assumed that the similar TCA’s Vivactil and Palemor and the similar anticonvulsant Trileptal could also be in the risk group.

There are also reports that when SJW is combined with Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) it can cause Serotonin Syndrome. Symptoms of Serotonin Syndrome symptoms can include dizziness, cognitive difficulty, faintness when standing or walking, unsteadiness when walking, muscle spasms and a racing heart beat. Do not combine SJW with any SSRI’s or with the newly FDA approved Tamoxifen that is used for depression.

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3) are found in fish, fish oil and flaxseeds. Yummy! You can bet I was not too excited about the thought of fish oil as a cure for bipolar. Oddly enough, every bit of information I found on Omega-3 was positive. Positive that is as an adjunct to standard bipolar medications. So for people who cannot tolerate high doses or the side effects of their medications, this is something to check out with your doctor.

Many studies have been done, but the one I read most about was a 4 month double-blind placebo controlled study comparing 9.6 g/day of Omega-3 vs. olive oil in 30 patients (Stoll et al., 1999). 8 co-authors concluded that not only were the Omega 3’s well tolerated, but the improved the short term course of the patients with bipolar. They would not suggest using Omega-3 as a first line treatment but would try it for patients who had failed with other medications. Omega-3’s should only be used alone in patients with a very mild form of the illness.

Patients seem to be quite interested in the Omega-3’s because they are a natural supplement with very few side effects and little or no toxic effects. The only reported symptom was mild gastrointestinal distress – generally characterized by loose stools. Many psychiatric medications have this same effect along with a myriad of other more unpleasant ones. If my meds plagued me with a tremendous number of side effects, I would certainly be looking into this one myself.

TRUEHOPE (Synergy Group of Canada, Ltd.)

If you haven’t heard about this one, it’s pretty interesting – depending on how you look at it. Personally I thought they were a couple of quacks until I started investigating it deeper. I mean, when all you know is that it started out with supplements that they give to pigs who are prone to ear and tail biting, you have to be a little skeptical. Don’t you?

Well, they didn’t start with actual pig nutrients; the biologist of the pair, David Hardy created a supplement for humans that were then given to Anthony Stephan’s 2 bipolar children. You can read the entire story at their website, referenced below. The supplement was named EM Power and consists of common minerals, vitamins and amino acids. In fact, the ingredients are so common that they cannot receive a patent for their work.

Several small independent studies were done through individual doctors with small numbers of patients. The results were good – up to a 50% reduction in symptoms compared to when the patients were on psychotropic drugs. Then Harvard psychiatrist Charles Popper monitored 15 patients within his own practice and the results were reported in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. Of the 15 patients that were treated, 11 were stable for 6 – 9 months without taking psychiatric medications. They also did research with Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, PhD. This helped get a grant of a half million dollars to do a placebo-controlled double blind study of 100 bipolar patients at the University of Calgary.

The two drawbacks with EM Power (besides it’s odd origins) are that it isn’t cheap and it’s a lotof pills to take. Initial treatment requires 32 capsules per day until your symptoms disappear and the cost is approximately $220.00 a month. The maintenance dose averages 16 capsules a day. It is safe for children as well – as long as they can take that many pills.

ACCUPUNCTURE

Boy did I find a ton of information on the treatment of depression and bipolar with the ancient Chinese art of acupuncture. What I didn’t find was any proof. No real trials with quantifiable results. I did find one small study done at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, which simply reported positive results using it for major and unipolar depression. That was it.

That was it except for 2 major grants being given to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas (where I am trying to get in on some studies!). Both the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Health have awarded UT Southwestern significant grants to study the effects of acupuncture. NIMH’s grant with be used to study bipolar patients in their depressive states. The NIH grant will be used for a study similar to the one done at the University of Arizona.

The NIMH trial is the first being conducted regarding acupuncture as an adjunct to medication for bipolar disorder. Once again, not a full cure, but the possibility of reducing medications to tolerable levels.

So, after all of this am I still a skeptic? Sure I am. I’m skeptical of everything until I see proof – but that’s just me. Am I skeptical of “Wholistic Healing” – using holistic methods with psychiatric medications and anything else you can do to make your life better? No. I think there are some great alternative options available for those who cannot handle the symptoms or for those who seem to get little or no results from psychiatric medications. My biggest concern is that if you try any of these, please check with your doctor so that you can work together at managing your bipolar. Don’t go it alone!

Terry J. Coyier is a 37-year-old college student studying for an Associates of Applied Sciences degree. She is also a freelance writer who writes about bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Terry was diagnosed with bipolar ten years ago. She lives with her son in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. Terry is an author on www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers and her personal portfolio can be viewed here.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Coyier

Depression – Simple and Natural Ways to Beat It

By Kelly Price

It is estimated that a quarter of all people in most industrialized countries will suffer from depression at some time in their lives.

The good news is depression can be cured and here we will look at some alternative therapies and also some simple diet changes that can help.

We will also look at two natural supplements one of which is being hailed as a wonder cure and it’s totally natural.

There are a variety of natural treatments, so let’s look at them.

1. Massage

Is a fantastic stress and anxiety buster, which is a major cause of depression.

Massage is deeply relaxing and can be enhanced by an aromatherapist who uses a blend of oils to help alleviate both physical and mental anxieties and stress.

2. Meditation

When the body experiences total relaxation through meditation, mental clarity starts improves and many people can see things more clearly. Yoga and Tai Chi are great for this.

3. Healing with color

It is well known that color affects our mood and can enhance both elation and depression and changing colors around you will help immensely.

It may sound odd at first but color is the first thing we register above all else.

Chromotherapy works by studying a pattern of vibrations produced by your body which can be deciphered by a trained color therapist.

If you feel depressed, your body produces an unbalanced pattern of vibrations.

The therapist aims to adjust these patterns, restoring balance.

Chromotherapy is a proven treatment for mild depression that works.

4. Chiropractic and osteopathy

Ease headaches, neck ache and back pain by manipulating the bones of the body. Pain is one of the causes leading to depression symptoms can be alleviated.

These therapies also boost energy levels, helping the depressed person have more energy and able to cope with life’s ups and downs better.

5. Reflexology

Can also reduce tension by working on specific points on the foot, which correspond to emotional and physical ailments.

Reflexology can leave you feeling better, more energetic and generally more positive.

6. Herbs and supplements

There are many supplements and foods recommended to combat depression but in a recent study was concluded all you need is a healthy and well rounded diet, but there are three supplements you could try and one of them is being hailed as natures wonder drug:

A. St Johns Wort

Some people swear by it others are skeptical, but the amount of people who take and feel it helps, means its worth trying. It’s natural and will certainly do you no harm.

B. L Tyrosine

Supports and assists neurotransmitters in the brain. When the body is stressed or tired the availability of L-Tyrosine is depleted.

L-Tyrosine supplementation can help reduce stress, improves mental alertness, and enhances mood.

C Could this be natures wonder cure?

There is a huge amount of excitement about organic nicotine (removed from cigarettes) It’s a known fact that smokers get depressed less than smokers and that in clinical tests it has been proven that 70% of people suffering depression saw vast improvement when treated with nicotine.

Nicotine is known to switch on receptors on the surface of cells in parts of the brain, this causes the neurons to release the Neuron transmitter dopamine, a chemical that affects our mood.

There is a huge amount of research going on to deliver nicotine in pure organic form to treat depression and the first is on the market nicotine in water.

Originally aimed at smokers when they couldn’t or didn’t wish to smoke, many people with depression have been taking it for its affect on their mood.

All the above 3 supplements are available without prescription.

Depression affects a huge number of people and not all people are cured in the same way, but the above gives you a variety of natural cures you can try if you feel depressed and cure your mood naturally.

NEW ORGANIC NICOTINE DRINK

For more facts on the potential health benefits of nicotine and a new organic nicotine water with no added chemicals visit our website: www.smokefreechoice.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kelly_Price

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