Sleep Problems? Do-It-Yourself Treatments

February 4th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Trouble sleeping is a common complaint and popular reason for a visit to the doctor. Some people may be reluctant to visit the doctor for this problem, however, because they don’t want to take sleeping pills with side effects or are afraid of becoming dependent on the pills. There are home treatments for sleep problems that might help.

Herbs and other homeopathic substances have always been used to help people with sleep problems. Here are some of the substances that are commonly used.

*Valerian root reduces anxiety and stress levels, allowing you to fall asleep and feel more rested. Since there are no negative side effects, valerian root is one of the more commonly used herbs.

*The scent of lavender is so relaxing and helps reduce stress as well. There are many ways to use lavender, including store-bought products and fresh lavender, to help you sleep.

*Kava Kava, when taken before you go to sleep, can reduce your stress level and help you relax so you can fall asleep. Depending on how much you take, this herb can be very potent.

Not all products advertised as natural are automatically safe for you to use. You need to find out as much as possible about an herb or other natural medicine before you start taking it.

Often people will have a nice hot relaxing cup of tea to help them sleep. You may not be aware of the food items that have the same properties. Many proteins including eggs, chicken and fish contain tryptophan, a substance found to promote relaxation and to treat sleep problems. Most of us have heard of the tryptophan because of the effect turkey has on us after a big Thanksgiving dinner. This substance is also the reason that a warm glass of milk from mom always helped you sleep.

Tryptophan works best when combined with complex carbohydrates and calcium. These other substances reduce the interference from other chemicals in your body and help with absorption of tryptophan.

We all try to add things to our nightly routine like warm milk or a hot bath to help us sleep. What we often don’t think about is how we need to take out the caffeine products and alcohol before bedtime. Caffeine and alcohol can cause trouble falling and staying asleep.

All the herbs in the world won’t help if you don’t set up a regular sleep schedule with a set bedtime and set time to wake up every day. By following a sleeping schedule, you are actually teaching your body how to sleep. The more regimented your schedule is, which means no staying up late and sleeping in on weekends, all the better. When your body learns to recognize when it needs rest, you’ll sleep better. The better you sleep at night, the better your whole day will be!

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Treating Your Food Allergies

February 3rd, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Finding out you have a food allergy can be frightening. If you are careful about your food intake and educate yourself about treatment options, you should not have any serious problems. The most important thing to not do is not eat the food to which you are allergic. How difficult this will be to do depends on exactly what food product you are allergic to.

You’ll have to be proactive and make sure you know what is in the food you are eating at all times. Read all the labels on store bought food and talk to the waiters at restaurants to make sure you don’t unknowingly eat something you are allergic to.

If you have a very serious allergy, you may have to make sure you aren’t even in the same room as the food product you are allergic to. Make sure you don’t share silverware or plates that have been near a food you are allergic to and know all you can about where you food comes from.

The food you are allergic to might go by other names so make sure you know exactly what to look for on labels. You need to educate yourself as much as possible about your allergies. If you are having a hard time cooking due to food allergy restrictions, look for cookbooks that offer recipes specifically for those with food allergies.

You can be as careful as possible but still end up with a reaction if you accidentally eat the food you are allergic to. You need to educate yourself on what to do if a reaction occurs. You’ll need to know what method of treatment will work best for your specific allergy and allergic reaction. The treatment will depend on how serious the reaction is and could be as easy as taking an antihistamine to counteract the reaction.

Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction that happens suddenly and will cause many symptoms to occur at the same time. This can be a life threatening reaction so you should be prepared with an epi-pen. The epi-pen is a small single shot dispenser that released epinephrine into your system. Once you give yourself the shot, you need to get to a hospital right away because all the epi-pen does is give you more time to treat the reaction. Don’t think that an epi-pen alone is going save you if you have anaphylaxis.

Often, allergy shots are given to people who have non-food allergies. What the allergy shots do is slowly acclimate your body to the allergen by giving you increasing amounts of the allergen. Eventually, your body will have less and less of a reaction to the allergen. Allergy shots work great for many allergies but have not yet been used successfully with food allergies.

Currently, the best thing someone with allergies can do is avoid the foods that he is allergic to and be prepared for a reaction to occur. New treatments are always being studied and tested. Make sure that if you get involved in any of these tests, you are as informed as possible of the pros and cons of the treatment.

For many people, food allergies are something that gets better as they get older. Sometimes, children will outgrow food allergies as they near puberty. However, not all food allergies will be outgrown and even if they get better with age they may come back when you are older. Food allergies are treatable and don’t have to ruin your life.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Back Pain Cure: No More Pain!

February 1st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Back pain is something we all deal with from time to time. If you have recurring back pain and it gets worse over time, you can’t just ignore it. Chronic back pain can affect all aspects of your life. It can hamper your ability to perform even the most simple of activities.

A strained or pulled muscle is most often what causes back pain and this pain is usually mild and will go away after a few days. You might try releasing tension in the muscle by doing stretching exercises, getting a massage, or taking pain medication. Straining the back muscles is a different kind of injury altogether; bed rest isn’t going to help. You should avoid doing those activities that caused the muscle back strain or may aggravate it; instead continue doing light activities as this will help in easing the pain and speeding up the healing process.

Poor posture can cause you to have chronic mild back pain. When your spine is aligned properly, there is little or no pressure and therefore no pain. If your spine is out of alignment, you can feel pain when standing, sitting and lying down because of the pressure put on your spine. Things that can improve this type of pain include getting better shoes, a better mattress and trying different kinds of chairs. Also, being aware of your posture at all times can help.

Pain that is more severe can indicate a more serious medical condition including herniated discs, arthritis, spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia. You’ll need to get checked out by a doctor to get a proper diagnosis and make sure nothing else like cancer or infection is going on.

There are many different treatments for back pain since not all back pain has the same cause. You have to know what the problem is before you can figure out how to treat it. Treatments can range from physical therapy exercises to back surgery in more extreme cases. Sometimes, prescription medicines including muscle relaxers and pain medicines can help relieve back pain.

If you don’t want to start taking potentially addictive prescriptions and do not to want to resort to surgery, you may want to look into alternative treatment methods to treat your back pain. Some people swear by their chiropractor or massage therapist to treat their back pain. Others are able to find relief through breathing and visualization. Even if you get relief from these treatments, you should rule out a serious medical condition by getting a checkup.

No one should have to deal with back pain every day of their life when there are so many treatment options available. You just need to find the right one for you.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Common Food Allergy Triggers

January 31st, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

We all have foods that we don’t react to well. They may give us a stomach ache or cause other mild symptoms. For a few people with true food allergies, much more severe reactions may occur. The following five foods are ones that commonly cause true food allergies.

1. Nuts

Not that many people are allergic to nuts, but those who are may have life threatening reactions if they are exposed to nuts. Not only can the nuts be a problem, just the residue from nuts anywhere food is made can cause a reaction as well in people with a nut allergy.

It doesn’t take much for those allergic to nuts to have a serious problem. Even touching another person who just ate or touched nuts could be enough for a reaction to occur. Nut allergies usually stay with a person his whole life so he always has to be vigilant.

Nut allergies across the board are rare but it can happen. In general, we associate nut allergy to peanut allergy but other nuts can cause an allergic reaction to people. As allergens, nuts differ from each other so a person who is allergic to peanuts may not be allergic to other nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans and cashews.

2. Milk

Lactose intolerance, which is what causes most people problems, is not the same as food allergy. Instead, lactose intolerance has more to do with your body not being able to process milk causing stomach problems. Children usually display symptoms of milk allergies at a young age. In general, however, children get over milk allergies as they grow. Sometimes soy can be used as a substitute for milk for those with allergies but occasionally there could still be a reaction.

3. Eggs

Like milk allergies, egg allergies commonly children. And again, like milk allergies, egg allergies disappear as children grow up. You can still get that egg flavor in your food if you are allergic to eggs. You can use egg replacement product for baking with good results but not for making scrambled or fried eggs. This substance comes in a powder form so it may take a few tries before you get it right.

4. Seafood (Shellfish, Fish)

People are usually either allergic to fish or to shellfish, not to both of them at once. However, often people will have problems with several different kinds of fish or with several different shellfish. If you have an allergy to one type of shellfish, you may likely have an allergy to two or more types of shellfish, even all types. Once you have this type of allergy, you’ll have it for the rest of your life.

5. Wheat

Wheat allergies and celiac disease, which is the inability to digest glutens like wheat, are not the same thing. Celiac disease is not related to allergies at all. Actual wheat allergies occur in a little less than 10% of the population under the age of 3. Wheat is found in almost everything but usually those with wheat allergies can eat other varieties of wheat than the one they are allergic to.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Help for Common Sleep Problems

January 28th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Sleep problems are very common and have been experienced by almost everyone at some point in their life. A large majority of doctor’s visits are because of sleep problems.

Usually, if someone is not getting enough sleep ,it is because he can’t fall asleep at night. The reasons for this sleeplessness can be one of many different mental or physical conditions. If you are having a hard time falling asleep at night, the following tips might help you get to sleep faster at night and feel better all day.

  • Get in a bedtime routine in which you have the same bedtime and the same wake up time every day.
  • Stay away from substances that will cause you to have trouble sleeping including alcohol, nicotine and caffeinated beverages.
  • Use relaxation techniques like meditation to calm down before bed.
  • Try drinking homemade treatments like hot milk, lavender or herbal tea before you go to bed.

If you have continued problems falling asleep, you should see a doctor to rule out any physical problems. Restless leg syndrome is a common physical problem that impacts sleep because your legs will not stay still at night. It’s hard to sleep when you can’t be still! Another similar problem people have is one where their legs are kicking at night, keeping them up.

If you can fall asleep just fine but can’t seem to stay asleep, you might have a more serious problem. Waking up during the night is very disruptive and might be a symptom of sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes you to wake up because you stop breathing for as long as 60 seconds.

You might not even know why you wake up in the night but it is likely that your spouse does. Usually, spouses are aware of the problem first because they can actually hear you stop breathing during the night. If you think you might have sleep apnea, you need to go to your doctor and ask for a sleep study. Once you are diagnosed and treatment starts, you and your spouse will both be sleeping better.

Another common sleep problem is sleepwalking. Sleepwalking can be more than walking around; it can be cooking or driving in your sleep as well. A person who is sleepwalking could easily seriously injure themselves or others while doing these activities, especially driving. Children are more likely to experience sleepwalking but it is not unheard of for adults to have the problem as well.

If you or a loved one sleepwalks, make sure you make the house as safe as possible by locking doors and windows and locking up dangerous items. If you have a continuous problem with sleepwalking, you should visit your doctor for a check up to rule out any physical causes.

Regardless of the sleep-related problem you have, the best thing to do is see your doctor for the proper diagnosis and treatment.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Food Allergies and Cross-Reactivity

January 27th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Food allergies can be managed if you are vigilant and find out as much as you can about every food you eat and cook carefully. Something you need to watch out for, though, is cross-reactivity. If you are educated and know what to look for, you can avoid more problems.

Food allergies and other common allergies to pollen, animals and other elements have more in common than you may think. Food allergies and other allergies involve the immune system.. The two kinds of allergies are related, which can cause problems.

All allergic reactions are a result of your immune system treating a safe substance like it is a danger to your body. Some allergic reactions might produce symptoms like headaches, itchiness or runny nose. With food allergies, your body is treating a safe protein like it is a danger to your body. Allergies can be mild and even annoying, but some allergies can be so severe that they can be fatal.

The following are some allergies and foods that may cause cross-reactivity. You’ll need to know which allergens are cross- reactive and which foods you should avoid.

BIRCH

Birch allergy can get worse if you eat many common foods including some vegetables like celery, potatoes and carrots, fruits like peaches, pears, plums, nectarines, kiwis and cherries, and nuts like hazelnuts or almonds.

RAGWEED

Ragweed allergy is fairly common and can be exacerbated by eating bananas or melons.

MUGWORT

Mugwort allergy can react with fruits like banana and kiwi as well as celery, carrots, avocados and chestnuts.

GRASS

People who are allergic to a variety of grass are known to have a reaction to tomatoes.

LATEX

People who are allergic to latex need to watch out for many fruits like kiwis, bananas, peaches, figs, plums, nectarines and passion fruit as well as tomatoes, chestnuts, celery and avocados.

Cross-reactivity may only occur from time to time because both substances you are allergic to have to be in your system in order for the reaction to occur. If you eat one substance today but don’t expose yourself to the other allergens, you probably won’t experience a cross-reaction. Your immune system is only going to react when it is fighting against both substances at the same time. Because of this, allergies can be less predictable, and therefore much more difficult to diagnose.

Cross-reactivity doesn’t always involve two allergens. Surprisingly, simple things like exercise combined with a certain food that they aren’t normally allergic to may cause a reaction. The food alone and exercise alone may not cause the reaction, but together they could be dangerous. Exercising without having eating a certain food is OK. The same goes with eating a certain food and not exercising for a while. However, exercising after having eaten a certain food within a certain period can be life-threatening. With cross-reactivity situations like this, it is often hard to figure out what is actually causing you to react. This may be what is happening, though, if you can eat a certain food most of the time but occasionally have a bad reaction to it.

If allergies of any kind are affecting your life, you should talk to your doctor about how to treat your problems.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Benefits of Colon Cleansing

January 27th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Colon cleansing is a controversial medical procedure with some doctor’s saying it has benefits and others saying it is not worth it. Still, colon cleansing is becoming more and more popular.

The colon is that part of the digestive system that is responsible for getting rid of all the waste in the body. If the colon is not functioning as well as it should be, waste and other toxins continue to accumulate in the colon; an unhealthy colon cannot expel the waste matter as quickly as it should. This is where colon cleansing can be of benefit. Colon cleansing is said to help the body  by removing the waste.

In order to get your colon back in good working shape, you need to clean it out. The main ways of cleaning your colon are by using a machine that you insert that removes waste or by taking supplements that remove the waste. Both ways of cleansing the colon are effective in flushing out all the toxins and chemicals and also removin parasites that could be harming you. Once all this waste is gone, your body will be able to remove waste on its own more efficiently.

If the colon is full of chemicals and toxins, your digestive system can suffer. When your colon can’t remove waste, the waste gets backed up into your system and can cause problems in your whole body. Waste build up can affect all your organs and lead to increased risk of heart disease, allergies or arthritis.

You will get a lot of benefits out of colon cleansing like weight loss, improved skin tone and less stomach pains. Your whole body will work better and feel better.

Some experts say your body will remove these toxins and the extra waste in time on its own so there really is no need for colon cleansing. They don’t think a build up of waste is a potential problem. However, the diet we used to eat a thousand years ago is not the same as what we eat now. We don’t eat the natural unprocessed foods of the past anymore. Our bodies have to digest a lot of chemicals every day that it doesn’t know what to do with. Cleansing your colon will remove the toxins that build up from our current diet.

Colon cleansing alone isn’t the solution. You need to live a healthy lifestyle and eat a well balanced diet so that you don’t contribute to more waste build up. If you life a healthy lifestyle, colon cleansing from time to time will enhance your health. Getting regular colon cleansings does not mean that you don’t have to take care of your body and eat right.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Deep Sleep Top 10 List

January 25th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Have you noticed that you are much more productive and have more energy when you are well rested? It is also easier to lose weight if you get enough sleep on a regular basis. If you aren’t getting the sleep you need, you might try the following tips.

1. Get into a regular sleep routine. One of the best things you can do is go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. If you do this, your body will be trained to go to sleep when you are ready and you will wake up feeling well rested.

2. Stay away from anything with caffeine. That late afternoon cup of coffee or soda might just be what’s keeping you up at night. If you are sensitive to caffeine, even the morning coffee you enjoy could affect your sleep. Once you start sleeping better, you’ll be glad you gave it up.

3. Consider using herbs and other natural treatments for sleeplessness. Lavender, for instance, is known for the relaxing properties in its scent and can be incorporated into bedding either by putting fresh lavender inside the pillows or buying a pillowcase made from lavender. If you want a stronger herb, an herb like valerian root is said to relax you and help you sleep.

4. Change the position you sleep in. Research has shown that many people sleep better in the fetal position with their spine curved. Adding a pillow between your legs will increase the support on your back and help you sleep better while keeping you in that position.

5. Keep televisions, music and other sensory activities out of your bedroom. You don’t want the bedroom to be a stimulating environment; you want it to be calming and relaxing - an environment that invites rest and sleep. When you do nothing but sleep in your bedroom, your mind will come to associate the bedroom with sleep.

6. Get enough exercise. When you exercise on a regular basis, you will feel better and sleep better too. Exercise tires your body and makes it easier for you to fall asleep. Also, if you are physically fit, you are less likely to suffer from sleep apnea, snoring and other sleeping disorders.

7. Alcohol may help you fall asleep at night but you probably won’t get a good night’s sleep. Alcohol is a depressant so it relaxes you but you may end up awake in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping.

8. It’s hard to sleep if your mind is going a hundred miles an hour. Try and do something relaxing like yoga or meditation before bed to calm yourself. You might also try listening to relaxing music or taking a bath.

9. Your mom was right — a glass of warm milk will help you sleep. Milk contains proteins and chemicals that cause drowsiness. The calcium in the milk is good for your body and helps the milk relax you.

10. If nothing else is working, visit your doctor. They can help you find ways to relax and get some sleep and make sure there aren’t any more serious problems. There may be a medication that will work for you.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Multiple Food Allergies

January 24th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

People with food allergies know how to take care of themselves and how to safeguard against a reaction by reading labels, watching what recipes they use to cook and only eating at restaurants that will be safe. Unfortunately, if you have even one food allergy, there is the potential for a reaction to other foods as well.

Even if you have a very specific food allergy, the allergen that causes the reaction is likely similar to other allergens in other foods. Your body could react to a different but similar allergen and cause a reaction. If you have food allergies, you need to think about everything you eat very carefully.

Allergies occur when your body reacts to a foreign substance. The substances that cause problems are often proteins. Therefore, two foods with similar proteins could cause an allergic reaction even if you think you are allergic to only one of them. Your body may react to a similar protein in a negative way so you need to think about what proteins you are eating at all times.

Usually, if you have several food allergies, they will all be related to one another. For example, if you are allergic to a certain shellfish, you are likely to be allergic to other shellfish as well. If you are allergic to a certain gluten like wheat, you may react negatively to other glutens as well.

Not all foods that have similar proteins will cause a similar allergic reaction, though. Sometimes people with allergies can eat something that is very much like a food they would have a reaction to and be fine. Peanuts are one example of an allergy that is very specific and not transferred to other proteins.

But just because you are allergic to peanuts and may have a deadly reaction to them doesn’t mean you are allergic to all nuts. Some nuts are different enough, like different tree nuts, which are not going to cause the reaction. Also, even people with severe peanut allergies may be able to eat the peanut in a different form.

Cross-reactivity occurs when an allergy like a food allergy is present with a non-food allergy like a pollen or latex allergy. The two are not related and have no common factors but can occur together in some people.

Sometimes you may find yourself having a reaction even though you are not anywhere near a trigger food. Don’t assume you are allergic to another food you are eating. It may be that you are so allergic to a specific food its presence in the kitchen where your food was cooked or in the dining room where you are eating is enough to set off an allergic reaction. People whose allergies are this severe need to be careful what foods they are exposed to and how their food is prepared.

If you have any questions or concerns about your allergies or reactions you are having to different foods, be sure to see your doctor. You’ll want to be sure you know what you are dealing with.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Getting Started with an Exercise Program

January 24th, 2009 | No Comments | Posted in Health Research

Exercise is something every should be doing, regardless of age. As you age, though, it is even more critical that you workout daily in order to maintain a strong body and a strong mind. If you aren’t currently exercising, you may be wondering where or how to start. If you have failed at exercise programs in the past, you may think it is impossible. No matter what is holding you back, you can get back into exercising by following a few simple steps.

Visit Your Doctor

Every exercise program comes with the standard warning to see your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen. Don’t ignore this warning, especially if you are advanced in years. Many older people participate in very strenuous physical activity but not all of us are capable of these things. So visiting a doctor before starting an exercise program may just prevent you from causing yourself serious health problems. Your doctor can help you exercise in a way that will be safe and effective. He  can help you design an effective exercise program that’s appropriate for your age and your current health condition.

Joining a Gym

Gyms are a great place to start your exercise program, no matter what your age or fitness level. Many gyms are moving away from focusing only on the young and fit and are offering programs, classes and encouragement to people of all ages. Gyms are aware that not everyone has the same mobility; they are beginning to offer programs designed for those who need additional assistance. You can find a lot of great advice from gym employees who have a lot of experience with developing exercise programs for people of all ages and abilities.

Fitness Clubs

One option if a gym membership isn’t for you is to find a fitness club in your area. There are many different type of fitness clubs including walking clubs, biking clubs, hiking clubs and even swimming clubs. These clubs have a lot of advantages; they offer opportunities for you to meet new people and network with others who can help you in other areas of your life. You can even find clubs for people who prefer to walk inside like mall walking clubs.

Get Your Friends Involved

You are much more likely to keep up with an exercise program if you have people to keep you motivated. Find out if any of your friends are active in any exercise programs that you would be interested in joining. If your friends aren’t active, get them involved with a fun exercise program with you. Everyone will love working together to be physically fit. The more people you have to support you and that you can support, the better you all will do.

Make sure that whatever activity you choose, it is one you enjoy doing. You’ll have much more success at exercising if you love what you are doing.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,