Archive for the 'Wellness, Fitness and Diet' Category

Cell Phones Can Be Linked To Male Infertility

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

New research suggests that the radiation given out by mobile phones reduces sperm count by up to 30%.

A lot of concerns have been expressed by some male members of the public about the implications of prolonged cell phone exposure to male sperm cells. Considering the possible hazards, several considerations were taken into account.

Researchers of Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University Ohio evoked, that prolonged cell phone use may damage sperm in male users.

Subsequently, the findings were presented at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine conference in New Orleans. The findings were actually based on a study of 361 men attending the clinic for infertility tests. The men were divided into four groups: One group with no cell phone usage; one group that used cell phones less than two hours a day; a group who were exposed for two to four hours a day and a group with more than four hours a day of cell phone usage.

The men who used their cell phones in excess of four hours showed a 30 % drop in sperm motility and viability when compared to the men who did not use cell phones. Thus, the sperm count, quality, and shape were also reduced with each level of increased phone usage.

According to Dr. Ashok Agarwal, “There was a significant decrease in the most important measures of sperm health and that should definitely be reflected in a decrease in fertility which is seen worldwide”. Mobiles could have a devastating effect on fertility but it still has to be proven, he stressed.

In addition, he suggested that cell phones might be harming the DNA of the phone users, disrupting their testosterone-producing cells, or shrinking the tubules that create sperm. He noted that the small study did not prove that male fertility was affected by cell phone use, thus he suggested that further investigation is necessary.

On the other hand, scientists who have heard the results requested that factors such as age, weight, smoking, stress and sedentary occupations should be considered.

Alan Pacey, Senior lecturer in Andrology at Sheffield University, U.K said “If you’re using your phone for four hours a day, then it is out of your pocket”. Thus, the question would be how is it that testicular damage is supposed to occur? If you are holding it up to your head to speak, it makes no sense it is having a direct effect on your testes”, he stressed. He added that people who use a phone for four hours a day spend more time sitting, which could mean there is a heat issue. It could be that they are more stressed, or more sedentary. Thus, he pointed out that those factors seem to be better explanations than a phone causing the damage at such a great distance.

Furthermore, Alasdair Philips, director of the consumer pressure group Powerwatch added, “Sperm is very temperature sensitive as shown by many studies, and a short-term rise in temperature could be responsible. He theorized that mobile phones may only heat the groin area when men are doing things like sending text messages while the cell phone is in their lap.

All these new researches were taken into consideration however, the final point is though scientists say that cellular phones can be linked to male infertility, further research has to be conducted to confirm the findings and establish how exactly sperm production is affected by radiation given out by mobile phones.

About the Author:

Links Juice Health Directory for websites containing information to help you with your health issues. Public safety directory to keep yourself safe in the public.


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Lose Weight By Putting Your Mind To Work

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

We have a hefty problem with obesity in this part of the world. More and more people are trying to lose weight and more are finding it harder and harder to achieve lasting results.

Too Many Diets

There are so many diets or regimes to chose from and of course all of them promise fantastic results. The willing but hapless dieter, who switches from one to another looking for quick and easy results can soon feel a failure when all the weight invariably piles back on or never disappears in the first place.

The plain truth is that many diets do little more than make money for the people who invented them. The real reason why most diets lead to failure is that they rely solely on restricting food intake. As anyone knows who’s embarked on a diet or breaking a habit the moment that you know you can’t have a certain food or something that becomes the only thing on your mind.

Dieting Frustration

Very soon a sense of panic or irritation ensues and your thoughts centre entirely on the very thing you want to avoid. Not much fun. Studies show that in fact around 95% of all people who lose weight through dieting alone subsequently put it all back on.

Successful weight loss.

So what is the right way to succeed?

Well my clients all receive the same advice from me. That is to use their mind to create the ideal future version of their lighter self. That’s the key to create lasting motivation to get what you want especially if you want to be slimmer and lighter.

For example I worked with a client recently who was a professional in her mid-thirties. On the outside she had everything going for her. A loving relationship, a great career and social life. But on the inside her mind was focussed on her failure to lose weight permanently. She was in a trap of yo-yo dieting and trying every slimming fad or diet in the news, only to lose weight and then put it back on plus extra. She felt at her wits end.So when she came to me I asked her to tell me what was it going to be like for her to have lost weight and be exactly how she want to be. Well this threw her for a few moments and she sat in silence. Then rattled off all the things that she’d avoid; such as not having to go to out-sized clothes stores; not having to struggle with which food to eat or not, not having to eat secretly etc, etc.

I explained to her that this thinking meant her mind had to focus on the negative scenario first and that meant that’s where her mind would go whenever she launched on a new diet. I taught her how to train her mind to support her goal. First of all I showed her how to really let her imagination go and see and feel in her mind’s eye just what she’d be like when she had succeeded with her dream. To make sure it was working for her I asked her to include all her senses so that she’d know what she’d be doing, with whom, what will others would be saying to her.

This is a very useful NLP (neuro linguistic programming) strategy that I use and it really helps the mind create the right mental pathways and self-images that means clients begin to positively enjoy the task of losing weight. Then with hypnotherapy we further embed these images and new self beliefs so that new habits around food, eating and exercise can take root and become the norm.

Using this approach means clients usually see me for an initial three sessions and then depending on how much weight they want to lose, only need to see me for monthly back up sessions.

If you want to try this method start by writing out what you want positively as an outcome. By that I mean don’t focus on what you don’t want to happen. Use the above description to guide you. It’s important that you get this bit right because you’re giving your mind instructions to carry out.

Keep this written outcome handy so that you can refer to it and build on it. It can become a symbol for your mind to use to help you get what you want.

Using this method and some other strategies that we worked on together my client has lost over three stone. See what you can do when you put your mind to it.

About the Author:

Liz Labrum, Master NLP and hypnosis practitioner, of Think-Right Now teaches clients how to use their thoughts to break habits, overcome fears, banish stress and love life. Visit Think-Right Now for free assessments and guides to help you change your life.


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Serious Skin Care: Is It Worth It?

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

If you’ve dealt with moderate to severe cases of acne, or even conditions like eczema or psoriasis, you know that finding products to deal with your condition is not easy. Sure, you may get prescriptions from your doctor, but sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Other issues, such as blotching, freckling and rashes continually plague many teens and adults, and searching for products that will help to eliminate embarrassing conditions can be time consuming, frustrating and expensive.

When seeking any serious skin care product, the more you know about basic ingredients and what such ingredients do will help narrow down your search and help you to avoid purchasing products that will only prove to be a waste of money in the end. Knowing basic vitamins and minerals, how they work for your body, and their sources, is the first step toward taking charge of your own condition. As such, knowing a bit about herbal and natural supplements can offer a big boost to your knowledge bank as well.

While many people scoff at the use of natural herbs or supplements when it comes to medical conditions, one must realize that most modern medicines and drugs are derived from natural sources, at least in the beginning. Plants and herbs have been used to treat medical conditions for thousands of years throughout Asia, Africa and Europe. Only with the advent of pharmaceutical companies have people leaned away from natural sources for their medical needs and turned to pills, ointments and creams to solve problems.

Yet skin care knowledge has been around since the days of Cleopatra. You think you’re the first person to have been afflicted with acne, or rashes, or even seborrhea or psoriasis, or the first person to try to find a remedy for it? Serious skin care has been studied by every culture at every stage of human development, and continues to be studied, in every developed country in the world. Creams, ointments, masques and everything in between offers clearer skin, fewer freckles, or reduced lines and wrinkles. Knowing when such claims are baloney or when they may be speaking the truth is up to each individual consumer. That’s why it’s best to have a basic knowledge of such topics such as herbal lore, nutrition and the benefits of vitamins and minerals. Only that way can you make a rational and educated decision on any particular product that makes dubious claims.

Serious skin care is indeed serious. Many younger teens and adults suffer from a variety of skin conditions that may leave not only physical, but lasting emotional scars if left untreated. Older adults have been searching for the Fountain of Youth since the beginning of time, but there are few products, either provided by nature or cosmetic companies, that will offer hydrating and plumping benefits that will help wrinkles to ‘disappear’. Knowing such facts will hasten you to your search for just the right product to help solve your particular skin condition, but you have to be the one in charge of your own purchases. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself. You’ll save time, money and effort.

About the Author:

Your skin is important — educate yourself about serious skin care now. Find out more at http://LetsTalkSkinCare.com.


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Acupuncture And Infertility: Discover The Ancient Chinese Art Of Boosting Your Reproductive Organs

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

Acupuncture is part of the oriental medicine healing system that has been in practice for over 2000 years. Developed in the Chinese, the practice of acupuncture is based on the belief that a interference in the energy flow in the body can cause energy imbalances, which is considered to be the root cause of most of the ailments suffered by human beings. These blockages can be cleared and the energy flow of the body can be stimulated by the insertion of tiny needles into specific acupoints of the body. There are over 2000 different acupuncture insertion points on the human body and the disease determines which insertion points should be used. Acupuncture is now used all over the world to treat a variety of conditions, such as bronchitis, gingivitis, sinusitis, myopia, infertility and Meniere’s disease.

How Does Acupuncture Help Infertility?

The use of acupuncture to cure infertility is a comparatively new concept for western countries. The theory behind acupuncture for infertility is that acupuncture will increase the amount of blood flow to the sexual organs and readjust the hormones present in the body. This practice is confirmed to be effective by increasing ovarian effectiveness in women and assisting in sperm creation for men.

Using acupuncture for infertility treatment is most commonly used when a couple is having functional issues, such as infrequent ovulation or erectile dysfunction. In some scenarios, acupuncture is used as additional procedure for in vitro fertilization, helping women to relax their uteruses during the embryo transfer process. A study conducted in 2002 by German researchers found that acupuncture increased the success rate of in vitro fertilization by up to 16% and reduced the amount of miscarriages in women receiving in vitro fertilization by 12%.

What’s It Like To Go Through an Acupuncture Treatment?

Acupuncture is a rather painless procedure and side effects are very uncommon. The most common negative events reported include the transmission of infectious agents, minor bleeding at the insertion point and needles broken beneath the skin. These risks will be greatly reduced if the acupuncturist is a licensed and accomplished professional that has gone through the required 2000 to 3000 hours of training and has passed the required board exam.

Acupuncture for infertility treatment can be a long-winded process. On average, acupuncture therapy requires 12 individual sessions, each about an hour in length and occurring weekly. During this hour long appointment, a physical test will be given and any complications or issues that have arisen since the last appointment will be discussed.

Using acupuncture to treat infertility is quickly gaining acceptance in the USA. Although whether the procedure is useful is intensely argued among researchers, the fact of the matter is that it seems to work and it certainly doesn’t hurt to try. For couples who have been trying to conceive a child without success, using acupuncture therapy to aid in infertility treatment may give them the breakthrough they need to finally have a baby.

About the Author:

Please visit Pregnancy101.net for more tips on conception, breastfeeding, fertility and birth issues. Be sure to check out this amazing infertility story.


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Fight Heart Burn With Herbs Like Dgl Licorice

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

Treatment for heart burn and peptic ulcers has changed dramatically in the past few years. Now, antacids, histamine blockers, and proton pump blockers are being used as standard ulcer therapy. These medicines don’t address the root of the problem, but rather just block the ulcers’ effects. Luckily, there is a natural supplement that effectively stimulates the body’s normal defense mechanisms, preventing ulcer formation and promoting true healing.

Peptic ulcers are sores that form from acid and pepsin in the lining of the esophagus, stomach, or small intestine. Peptic ulcers are very common, as one in every 10 Americans develops an ulcer at some time in his or her life. The most common type of peptic ulcers occurs in the duodenum and tends to heal more quickly than stomach ulcers. Stomach ulcers are also more likely to recur. Some individuals with peptic ulcers have very mild symptoms while others have no symptoms at all. Still, for some pain is the most common symptom. The pain associated with an ulcer may be dull and gnawing, or burning and crampy. The pain may also come and go, for several days or weeks and occur two to three hours after eating or in the middle of the night. For some people, the pain may be relieved by food. Other symptoms of a peptic ulcer include weight loss, poor appetite, bloating, burping, nausea, vomiting.

The cause of ulcers is no longer blamed solely on stress, spicy foods, alcohol consumption, gastric acid production, or heredity. Rather most peptic ulcers are now known to be caused mainly by a bacterial infection of H. pylori. The use of over-the-counter and prescription painkillers including ibuprofen also causes peptic ulcers. To determine if this bacteria is present, H. pylori can be diagnosed through blood, breath, and tissue tests. Blood tests, which are the most common diagnostic tool, are used to detect antibodies to H. pylori bacteria. Then, a breath test is used after treatment to determine if the treatment worked. Statistics show that 20% of people under 40 and over half of the people over the age of 60 are infected with H. pylori. However, those individuals who are infected do not always develop ulcers. Infection with H. pylori or irritation from medication use may depend on the gastric or intestinal environment of the person who develops and ulcer.

The purpose of medical treatment is to kill the H. pylori bacteria and reduce stomach acid. Medical treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors. H pylori peptic ulcers are usually treated with antibiotics to kill the bacteria. Conventionally, acid-suppressing drugs and stomach-lining protectors are used for ulcer treatment. The greatest risk for people with ulcers is that the ulcer will erode through the entire stomach lining. This can cause life-threatening bleeding and infections. Therefore, anyone who thinks he may have an ulcer should seek help from a physician immediately. Although there are risks of adverse effects, it may be necessary to use medications at first. However, there are certain natural supplements that work well along with prescription medications to assist healing. The most effective natural supplement for ulcers is a specially processed form of licorice root. By using DGL instead of standard drug therapy one addresses the underlying cause for a condition rather than simply blocking an effect. Use of DGL addresses the underlying factors and promotes true healing by stimulating the normal defense mechanisms which prevent ulcer formation. DGL improves both the quality and quantity of the protective substances that line the intestinal tract. Research has proven that licorice root extract stimulates the release of secretin, which helps to rebuild the stomach or intestine’s protective lining.

Antacids, which are alkaline compounds that neutralize stomach acid, were, at one point, the key player in anti-ulcer therapy. However, these dugs have been largely replaced by the histamine2-receptor antagonists and the proton pump inhibitors. Most antacids adversely affect the bowels, with some promoting constipation and others promoting diarrhea. Some antacids also contain large amounts of sodium, while others raise the stomach’s pH, influencing the absorption of other drugs.

DGL licorice can be used along with antibiotic therapy and other agents that may be prescribed by a licensed health care professional. Consumers will find that DGL’s restorative effects on the gastric mucosa help to speed up healing and prevent recurrences of future ulcers. The drugs that are used in standard therapy do not always address the underlying cause of peptic ulcers. Instead, they simply treat the symptoms caused by an ulcer. DGL, on the other hand, does not inhibit stomach acid production, neutralize stomach acid, or block histamine. It promotes true healing by stimulating the normal defense mechanisms that prevent ulcer formation and improve the integrity of the stomach lining. Additionally, DGL accomplishes this without any of the side effects that are associated with the standard peptic ulcer therapy.

DGL licorice should mix with saliva in order to promote release of salivary compounds, which in turn stimulate the growth and regeneration of stomach and intestinal cells. There are several forms of chewable DGL that are available on the market. In order to treat a peptic ulcer, people should take 760 to 1,520 mg of DGL about twenty minutes before meals. It should never be used after meals, due to lack of efficacy. It should also be used for about eight to sixteen weeks in order to see results, or as recommended by a health care professional. As previously stated, DGL is a specially processed form of licorice which avoids the main hazards of regular licorice. There are no known side effects or drug interactions with the use of DGL. Those women who are pregnant or nursing should talk to a licensed health care practitioner before using any dietary supplement. DGL, which improves the integrity of the stomach lining, stimulates the normal defenses, and prevents ulcer formation, provides the body with the ability to heal itself. DGL licorice can be found at your friendly online vitamin store.

About the Author:

Please visit VitaNet Health Foods, VitaNet sells supplements to help fight heart burn like DGL Licorice. Please link to this site when using this article.


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How Does Stress Affect Health?

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

How Does Stress Affect Health?

Many are now asking the question, “How does stress affect health?” If you too are asking then you have taken the first step to dramatically improving your health. Some health experts are convinced that stress is the largest health problem in America. However, this often goes unnoticed because the damage stress does to our health often gets blamed on other diseases and conditions. One study said that 75% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress-related.

How Does Stress Affect Health? - It’s In The Immune System

So, how does stress affect health? Well, as you probably already know, your body’s immune system is what keeps you healthy from all kinds of diseases, from relatively benign ones like the common cold to more serious ones like bronchitis. People who get sick all the time probably have weak immune systems while those who rarely get sick most likely have strong and powerful immune systems. What few people know is that stress, and more importantly chronic stress, actually weakens the immune system, thereby limiting its ability to fight off even the most harmless of illnesses.

This should shed a lot of light on the question of how does stress affect health. Someone who gets a cold every other week may just think they are unlucky or just happen to always be around people who have colds. This is not so. Someone with a strong immune system could be ingesting cold viruses all day long but they never get a cold because their immune system is capable of destroying them. So, if you get a lot of colds you may in fact not be managing your stress effectively.

There are other answers to the question of how does stress affect health. For example, there is an immune system protein called interleukin-6. People under serious stress have been found to have much higher levels of this protein than people under little or no stress. Interleukin-6 in large amounts has been associated with various diseases like some cancers, infections, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Can you believe that? Who would have thought that this answers the question of how does stress affect health.

Another part of the problem in answering the question of how does stress affect health is that people don’t truly understand exactly what stress is. If you ask most people, they may respond by saying stress is caused by worrying about something like money. This is not entirely true. Acute stress is easier to recognize because you can feel it right now. On the other hand, chronic stress is more subtle. For example, all people experience some stress after any big life change, including getting married. Getting married is a wonderful and joyful event for people so they are not aware that it is also bringing with it a certain level of stress. It’s just harder to notice. However, that stress will still inflict harm on your immune system. So you can see that asking the question of how does stress affect health is so important.

Asking, “How does stress affect health?” is an important questions for you to start asking because it may be causing you serious health problems with you even knowing. The next question you should ask is “How do I effectively relieve stress?”

About the Author:

Loni will be happy to add you to her Stress Relief Techniques newsletter. Just send her an email to managestressnow@aweber.com.Read her latest stress relief blog entry at Find Stress Relief.


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The Best Ways To Deal With Anger

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

Anger is an emotion that you feel when something irritates you. It can be just a small annoyance or full blown out rage. Your perception of anger was learned, in the form of beliefs and values that were instilled in you. Usually, in the early stages of your emotional development. When any of your beliefs or values are questioned or transgressed, you may feel anger. The degree of intensity depends on your state of mind at the particular time of the incident.

Your feelings of anger are either expressed, as in the form of arguing or physically lashing out, or suppressed. Suppressed anger causes negative emotions to dominate, which can lead to depression. It can also express itself as a physical ailment such as high blood pressure.

Expressing anger is said to be your better alternative. Although it may bring you some relief, it also has its downside. It may compound the problem and it can also affect you physically. One of the physical side effects is that it lowers your immune system. What would be one of the best ways to deal with anger?

Release. The first thing you need to do is to recognize and admit that you are angry. Never pretend you are not angry when you know you are. It is widely accepted that people who always want to be in control seem to suffer mostly from outbursts of anger. When you are angry, you will notice that you stop breathing periodically. You may tend to hold your breath, so keep breathing with intervals of deep breathing. Then, recognize the problem for what it is, and not for what you think it is. After all, you are dealing with somebody else’s beliefs and value system. Just tell yourself, they also have a right to express their opinions.

When you do get angry, much of the blood in your brain flows to the back of your head. It goes to the primitive part of the brain were it automatically prepares you for fight or flight. The frontal lobes of the brain (in the forehead are) are associated with thought, pleasure, creativeness, and calmness.

Simply put two fingers on one side of your forehead and your thumb on the other side, and just gently hold them there while breathing without any pauses. The blood will flow back to your frontal lobes, bringing about some calmness. When you feel relaxed and the issue or issues don’t not bother you anymore, release your finger and thumb from your forehead. And of course you can also apply this technique to someone else, and it is especially effective with infants.

If you require further information, or want to learn more about EMT (emotional mindeze therapy), visit http://www.mindeze.com.

About the Author:

Richard Link is the founder and director of http://www.Mindeze.com. He holds degrees in Science and Physiology. For more information on ways to deal with anger please visit our site.


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Does Wu-long Tea Work For Weight Loss?

Thursday, July 5th, 2007

A lot of people are talking about wu-long tea lately. There are fantastic claims about wu-long tea’s slimming properties, as well as its ability to reverse aging, clear skin problems, and protect against heart disease. Several websites proclaim that they have the only “real” brand of wu-long tea that works. So, lets explore the truth about wu-long tea.

What is wu-long tea? It is nothing new. It’s been around for centuries and here in America for many years. It is usually know as oolong tea, one of the most popular teas found in Chinese restaurants. The spelling of wu long is just a different phonetic way of writing the Chinese name for oolong tea in English.

Oolong (wu-long) tea comes from the same tea plant that green and black tea comes from. The differences between the tea types is the amount of fermentation the plant goes through after harvest. Green teas are not fermented, while black teas are fermented. Oolong (wu-long) teas are slightly fermented, then the fermentation process is stopped, giving a result that is something between a green and a black tea.

Does wu-long (or oolong) tea really work for dieting and weight loss? A Japanese study by the University of Tokushima School of Medicine compared Japanese women who consumed either water, green matcha tea, or oolong tea after a meal. The results found that oolong tea appeared to increase energy expenditure by 10%, green tea by 4%, and water not at all. So, according to this study, wu-long (or oolong) tea burns more fat than green tea, and more fat is burned when drinking wu-long or green tea after a meal.

The study also found that wu-long (or oolong) tea has half the caffeine of green tea and half the levels of EGCG, green tea’s cancer killing compound, so if you want the cancer fighting benefits of tea, you get more from green tea. If you want the weight loss benefits you get more from drinking wu-long (or oolong) tea.

There is also some evidence that wu-long (or oolong) tea provides other health benefits such as increased calorie burning, reduced carbohydrate intake and healthier teeth and skin, although more research needs to be done on the subject.

So, is drinking wu-long (or oolong) tea going to help you lose weight? I don’t know. Everyone is different, but it seems to have helped many people (including Oprah) lose weight. Wu-long (or oolong) tea is lower in caffein than many other beverages and it’s high in antioxidants, which help reduce your risks of cancer and other diseases, so drinking a pure natural tea can’t hurt much to try. Add a little stevia if you want a natural sweetener in your tea.

So, do you need to buy an expensive brand of wu-long (or oolong) tea to get the fat loss benefits? Please don’t waste your money on prepackaged name brand type wu-long tea. Any good brand of oolong tea you can buy in a tea store will work. There are different varieties of oolong teas, but often they are just a matter of taste preference, so experiment and try to find the varieties you like the best and will drink the most, for the best benefits.

By Dianne Ronnow © 2007. All rights reserved.

This article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and the resources accompany the article, together with working hyperlinks.

About the Author:

Dianne is excited about finding Frequensea™, one of the most powerful superfoods available for vibrant health. For more information go to http://superphyto.com now.Distributors needed! Go to http://marine-wellness.com


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Plantar Fasciitis - A Sharp Pain

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007

If your 1st few steps out of bed in the morning cause sharp pain in the heel of your foot, you may have plantar fasciitis. Very often it is the overuse injury affecting the sole or flexor surface (plantar) of the foot. A diagnosis of plantar fasciitis means you have inflamed the tough, fibrous band of tissue (plantar fascia) a thin layer of tough tissue supporting the arch of the foot.

Repeated microscopic tears of the plantar fascia cause pain. Sometimes plantar fasciitis is called “heel spurs”, but this is not always accurate, since bony growths on the heel may or may not be a factor.

You’re more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you’re a woman, if you’re overweight, or if you have a job that requires a lot of walking or standing on hard surfaces. You’re also at risk for plantar fasciitis, if you walk or run for exercise, especially if you have tight calf muscles that limit how far you can flex your ankles. Most people with very flat feet or very high arches are also more prone to plantar fasciitis.

There are a number of possible causes for plantar fasciitis and they often work in combination.

If you don’t treat plantar fasciitis, it may become a chronic condition. You may not be able to keep up your level of activity and you may also develop symptoms of foot, knee, hip and back problems because of the way plantar fasciitis changes the way you walk.

Rest is the first treatment for plantar fasciitis. Doctors will tell you to try to keep weight off your foot until the inflammation goes away. Also, apply ice to the sore area for 20 minutes three or four times a day to relieve your symptoms.

Often a doctor will prescribe (non-steroidal) anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. A program of home exercises to stretch your Achilles tendon and plantar fascia are the mainstay of treating the condition and lessening the chance of recurrence.

If your condition continues after a few months of plantar fasciitis treatment, your doctor may suggest injecting your heel with steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (corticosteroid).

If you still have symptoms after the injection, you may need to wear a walking cast for 2-3 weeks or night splint when you sleep. In a few cases, you might need surgery to release your ligament to stop your heel pain.

About the Author:

Allan Tan is the co-founder of http://www.Foot-Health.info. He provides more helpful information on bunions, bunion treatment, foot orthotics, heel spurs, Plantar Fasciitis and ankle sprains that you can read up in the comfort of your home on his website. Foot Health Matters!


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Noni Juice And Arthritis

Wednesday, July 4th, 2007

Stiff joints. Excessive pain. Undying frustration. When one is constantly fighting with their tired bodies, it can be quite a challenge to get up each and every morning with a new out look. These three characteristics are not only common, but also popular in people who suffer from well known Arthritis. Regrettably, while there are medications that can reduce pain, there is only so much that your physician can do.

Arthritis, a complication that inflicts millions of people each year, comes in many forms. From rheumatoid arthritis to septic arthritis - the effects ate debilitating. Generally, the common symptoms for any type of arthritis tend to consist of inflamed joints, stiffness, excessive fatigue, and exhaustion. With so many warning signs creeping up, it can be frustrating to try and alleviate all of them. However, there are alternative methods to taking control of your life and coping with these effects.

Though there are medications specifically for the pain and procedures such as arthroplasty, there are diet plans that you can follow. What many people do not realize is that health really does effect how your joints feel. For example, if you were overweight, chances are your back and overall body would hurt from carrying the excess load. Moreover, your joints would start to cramp up, because they would not be able to handle the weight. Normally, an average sized person would have difficulties experiencing such joint pain. However, once you add the additional mass, it can get dangerous.

The first thing you should do is make sure you maintain a healthy weight. This will not only help relieve some of the pain, but it will allow for a positive body image. Also, you must start taking Vitamin C, E, and K daily. These vitamins are meant to help strengthen bones, as well as diminish swelling. If you are suffering from extreme joint discomfort, it is obvious that you need something with strong results. Of course we all know the common ways to stay trim from vegetables and fruits to smaller portions. However, there are other ways to boost your diet woes. Noni Juice, a unique fruit juice imported from the Pacific Islands, actually relieves joint pain. It also improves flexibility and performs as a strong anti-inflammatory.

For those who do suffer from this problem, there are standard techniques you can try to alleviate back pain or muscle tension. Nevertheless, it tends to get old once it stops working. We all crave cures and perhaps an answer to our frustrations. Fortuitously, with a wide abundance of medicine and innovative alternatives, the opportunity to feel better is in sight. Organic drinks such as Noni juice and a healthy dose of vegetables is one sure way that will improve how you feel. You no longer have to stay in bed cringing in pain or wishing that you were somehow in a different position. Arthritis may be painful to deal with, but there are quite a few options that will allow you to overcome it.

About the Author:

Pascal Erdmann is the director of Natures Products Ltd which distributes Cook Island Noni Juice worldwide through http://www.noninz.com


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