Category: Cosmetic Health

Obesity And Heart Failure-Strong Link To Each Other

Being overweight is not only bad for your image, it’s bad for your health, too. That probably doesn’t come as a shock to you, but there are some things that may surprise you about obesity and heart failure. While the correlation between heart failure and high blood pressure, diabetes, or coronary heart disease has long been understood, it’s only recently that researchers are discovering the strong link to obesity.

One thing researchers found is that any increase in weight seems to correlate to an increased risk of heart failure. Some people think that only the morbidly obese are at risk, but that is not the case. Being as little as ten pounds overweight may have an impact on your likelihood of experiencing heart failure. It also seems that the more overweight you are, the greater the risk.

In one study, participants who were obese were three times more likely to suffer heart failure than those who were overweight, but those who were overweight were more likely to suffer than those who maintained an ideal weight.

The results of this and other studies show a clear link between obesity and heart failure. One of the causes appears to be LVH (left ventricular hypertrophy), which is a fancy way of saying that the walls of the heart get too thick to work properly. Another cause that may lead to heart failure in the obese is metabolic syndrome X, a condition that has a negative effect on lipids.

NOTE: You should always talk to your doctor about any health concerns you have including obesity and heart disease.

At first, this situation causes a dilemma. Which one should you treat first, the LVH and metabolic syndrome X, or the obesity? There are treatments that are effective in battling the first two conditions, and they may help to take care of the immediate threat of heart failure. However, treating the obesity decreases the overall risk, though it can take a bit longer to see results. The answer is that all conditions should be treated at the same time. In other words, if you have LVH or metabolic syndrome X, and are obese, then you should get the first two conditions treated and start losing weight as well.

You will have to discuss your treatment options with your doctor, but there are several things you can start doing right away to lose weight.

When it comes right down to it, there is only one way that anybody can lose weight. They have to burn more calories than their body stores. Two-pronged approach is the best way to go. Decrease the number of calories you take in by watching what you eat, and burn more calories by exercising. Again, always talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet or exercise routine.

The main thing to remember is that if you are overweight, then you are increasing your risk of many diseases. Obesity and heart failure need to be taken seriously, so it’s important that you take action.

Natural Therapy For Relief From Insomnia

Insomnia! Talk about an awful condition to be suffering from. Having a difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep happens to all of us on occasion, but when the problem doesn’t go away or impacts life in a negative way, then getting it treated is a good idea. Natural therapy to relieve insomnia is often an ideal choice because you don’t have to worry about relying on drugs, or getting addicted to them.

Just to be clear, if your doctor has already prescribed something, you should continue taking it unless they advise you otherwise. Stopping medication without proper oversight can lead to even bigger problems.

Meditation is one of the most natural ways to relax and get a good night of restful sleep. Try anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes of meditation just prior to bedtime. You will not only rid yourself of some of the stresses of the day, but you will also be putting your body into sleep mode. You can learn how to meditate on your own, or you can choose from any number of guided meditations for sleep.

Many people have found that aromatherapy is useful tool for drifting off to sleep. Essential oils such as sandalwood and eucalyptus produce a calming effect that can relieve your insomnia. You can add it to warm bathwater shortly before bed, or put a few drops on a handkerchief that you place under your pillow. The key is to enjoy the aroma, but to not have it so strong that it becomes distracting. You can also combine aromatherapy and meditation for a one-two punch that will have you sleeping like a baby.

If you aren’t lactose intolerant, then you may try a glass of warm milk. Your grandparents probably used this remedy, and for good reason. Food and beverage plays a major role in your ability to sleep. Avoiding eating a heavy meal too close to bedtime, and don’t eat anything that may give you heartburn. Many people like to have a bit of alcohol prior to retiring, but having a nightcap will actually contribute to sleeplessness. It’s also a good idea to not drink too much water in the evening; otherwise you may have to get up in the middle of the night to relieve yourself.

There are a few natural supplements that have been shown to help people beat insomnia. Valerian root seems to work by relaxing the central nervous system. Melatonin is naturally produced by your body, but it can also be purchased as a supplement. Melatonin is one of the most important chemicals for falling asleep, and a natural supplement of it may be just what you need.

Having a regular schedule for sleeping will get your body used to falling asleep at a certain time. Be sure that you only use the bedroom for sleeping (no television, no eating, etc.), and that it is at a comfortable temperature. Combine these things with natural therapy to relieve insomnia and you will ultimately get a good night’s sleep.

Iodine For Radiation Therapy-Treatment For Thyroid Cancer

Cancer is a disease we hear about far too often. In decades past we figured we would have cured cancer by now, and even though doctors and sentients strive to find a cure, there is not anything out there yet. Even despite there modern medicine has a variety of treatments with varying success to deal with cancer. The treatment required of course depends on the type of cancer and how early it was caught.

Thyroid cancer is one such type. Iodine for radaition therapy is one of the treatments for thyroid cancer. Essentially they pass radiated iodine through your thyroid gland in the hopes of eradicating the cancer cells. Like all radiation therapy there are problems with it.

Depending on how early the cancer is caught one of the preferred treatments is simply to cut it out. If caught early enough, the cancer can be confined to the thyroid gland and doctors may opt to just remove the tumor and infected tissue outright. This method has a very high chance of curing the patient entirely by removing all traces of the cancer. But like all surgeries it has it’s risks and if caught too late it is not even an option.

The best defense against cancer is to simply catch it early on. In almost all cases, if caught early enough it can be treated effectively. Surgery and Iodine for radaition therapy can work, but their odds of working are increased exponentially the earlier the cancer is discovered.

Unlike a lot of types of cancer out there, thyroid cancer has symptoms you can look for and check for yourself. Some of these symptoms can include a small tumor on the front of your neck, difficulty speaking, difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing and pain in your neck.

If you have these symptoms you should immediately see your doctor and have them run tests to determine whether or not you have thyroid cancer. Your doctor will run standard tests to determine whether or not you have thyroid cancer.

If you do have it, then he will talk with you about it and give you options and information. If you are fortunate and do not have thyroid cancer then you will need to figure out what was causing those symptoms to begin with. Even if it is not cancer it still might be something serious so it is important you do not just give a big sigh of relief and call it a day.

Your thyroid gland is an important part of your body that regulates your metabolism and creates hormones that benefit a lot of other aspects of your body. You want to take care of it as best you can and get it treated if it does present a problem.

Cancer is a major issue and if you catch it early enough then surgery or Iodine for radaition therapy can help treat it and ultimately get rid of it. However if you wait too long it might be too late. So if you even suspect you have it then you should see your doctor as soon as possible as any delay could have dire consequences.

Hobbies Relieve Stress-Not A New Concept

Despite all of our technological advances, or maybe because of them, many in our society suffer from stress. We often have so much noise, information, and distractions coming at us all at once that it can be overwhelming. It is more important than ever for us to find effectitve ways to relieve some stress. The good news is that there are many ways to relieve stress from your life. If you’ve asked the question “do hobbies relieve stress?” I have the answer for you.

Using hobbies as a form of stress relief isn’t that new of a concept, but it is important for you to choose the right hobby for you. Before you find a hobby to participate in, here are a few things you should think about first:

1. Hobbies work when they are an escape from your other obligations and responsibilities. If you choose a hobby that puts more pressure on you, you aren’t going to get the relief you want.

For example,for many people golf is considered a hobby, but if you’re an ultra competitive person who won’t be happy unless you’re golfing at a professional level, you might want to consider another hobby since golf will likely only increase your stress level.

You should also steer clear of any activities that may put a strain on your budget. If you have a hard time paying for your hobby, it’s not going to do very much to relieve your stress, quite the opposite in fact.

2. The satisfaction of many hobbies is partly derived from the finished product. For example, the gardener gets to show off their huge tomatoes or their beautiful flowers, the builder gets to admire their new bookshelf, etc.

Finding hobbies that will provide you with a keepsake of your relaxation time can really pay off since you can get a little bit of relaxation every time you admire the end results of your hobby.

So for the biggest stress relievers consider starting a garden, or perhaps setting up your own woodworking shop so you can enjoy the fruits of your labors.

3. Most people will get some relief from stress by simply stepping outside of their everyday routines. Things such as learning a second language or learning how to sew, for example, are a few ideas of new skills that you can do that might turn into wonderfully relaxing hobbies.

Just making yourself a better person will allow you to grow as a human being which will enable you to keep things in perspective when problems arise, thus eliminating a lot of unnecessary stress.

Sometimes this will allow us to ‘get over ourselves’ which in and of itself can help us releive a lot of stress.

To answer the question, “do hobbies relieve stress?”, yes, sort of. Some hobbies will relax you more than others. As with most anything else, you have a lot of choices and to get the maximum stress relief for you it’s important to find the right hobby for you and your goals and personality.