Home Remedies

Natural Remedies

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Benefits of Home Health Care


Some patients with an illness or injury do not wish to receive assistance from caregivers in a professional setting. In contrast, these people wish to have practitioners visit them at their residences instead. Explore some of the benefits of home health care to determine whether this service fits your needs and budget.

Personalized Service

When caregivers come to a patient in the home, this assistance is typically more personalized and specialized to meet the unique needs of the patient. People usually receive a higher quality of service delivered in a more compassionate manner. It's common for relationships to develop between the patient and the staff members who visit regularly.

Convenience

Receiving visits from staff members in a residence is usually more convenient for both patients and families. Leaving the home to visit a facility will no longer be necessary because practitioners will come to the residence at times that fit the individual's schedule. This convenience can be particularly helpful during times of inclement weather when a patient should not venture outdoors due to cold, heat, or storms.

Help for Family Members

Family members caring for a sick or injured loved one usually experience significant time constraints because of this work. Hiring a company for home health care can reduce this burden for family members. The assistance provided can give family members more freedom to manage their own personal duties. With the reduced responsibility, families often begin to have more quality time with the person because they no longer become stressed over care duties. Family members often appreciate knowing that their loved one is receiving high-quality and professional care, which can lessen personal anxiety.

Promotes Healing

When people receive home health care, they may recover more quickly. In addition, people may receive dangerous exposure to germs and infections when visiting clinics and hospitals. The ability to have assistance at home can eliminate this exposure and promote faster healing. Many people even experience a reduced number of re-hospitalizations under this type of regimen.

Affordability

Inpatient care can be expensive for a family. The cost of leaving the home for ongoing outpatient appointments can also be expensive. In contrast, having a professional come to a residence is often more affordable.

Other Services

Shopping, running errands, and meal preparation are typical types of assistance that you might add to a package. Some assistants will also perform laundry and light cleaning work around the house. Inquire about personal care such as bathing, hair washing, and dressing.

Before making a final decision about home health care, perform a complete background inquiry for a company. After researching a company thoroughly, you should be ready to move forward with a contract.

When considering home health care, Southern Alabama residents visit Mercy Medical. Learn more at http://mercymedical.com/.

How to Boost Your Energy Easily and Naturally


Despite all these healthy options, it is almost too easy to rely on sugar and caffeine to boost us when we are feeling down or lethargic. Instead, here are some healthier energy booster ways which will sustain better energy levels over the long term as well as in the short term. Furthermore, these will improve overall health rather than providing a quick fix which can be instead detrimental to health.

The first recommended natural energy booster is getting more sleep. This can seem a very difficult thing to do when we are excessively busy, but this does not stop it from being one of the healthiest habits that you can get into that will not only give you greater mental and physical energy, but will also help heal your tired body.

The body repairs and restores itself at night, and sleep is also necessary for our minds to process what we have been doing throughout the day. Therefore, a good, long sleep every night will leave us brighter, less stressed, and with our body performing at its best.

Of course, this can be difficult to achieve if we have very busy, demanding lives. For this reason, it is necessary to put in place several small practices which can boost the quality and length of your sleep. 

This can include setting a strict curfew every night, using essential oils such as lavender on your pillow, or having a warm, relaxing shower every night before bed.

These steps you take to relax, wind down and be in bed by the right time every night will help you sleep better, even if initially these will take some getting used to. It is said that, it takes twenty-one days to form a habit, so commit to a better sleep routine for this length of time and see how your energy levels and life quality can change.

Our next recommendation is using herbal and mineral drinks as a regular energy booster on a daily basis. There are several excellent herbal remedies on the market nowadays in drink form, all of which contain unique ingredient lists of herbs and minerals that have been used for centuries to improve health.

Some of these ingredients - such as iron and magnesium - actively will boost your energy levels, and with other herbs will work to boost your overall health. As mentioned above, better overall health can make you feel a million dollars and generally have much higher energy levels.

If you want to do something good for your health and have more energy, try a herbal supplement drink, preferably with added minerals such as iron or magnesium, which humans can tend to become deficient in. Replace one of your daily coffees or colas with this and your body will reap the health benefits.

Lastly, cut down on unhealthy energy boosters which will give you energy in the short term but will cause you to crash afterwards and put you in an unhealthy cycle of ups and downs. These include endless teas, coffees and sugary and high carb snacks to keep you going.

It is often impossible to give these up completely, and many enjoy one or two of these as a treat every day. However, ensure that you do not rely on them, instead replacing most of them with healthy options such as a herbal energy booster and fresh fruit, and put in place a healthier sleep routine to make you feel brighter and in better health overall.

Matol Km® is a natural combination of minerals and extracts of 13 unique botanicals that fills the vital dietary gaps in the modern diet. Matol Km is also a reliable source of recommended daily minerals, in particular potassium, iron, and iodine. Potassium is one of the minerals vital to human cells' permeability and their inherent ability to absorb nutrients from food. Available in a drink or capsules, Km has been changing people's lives for nearly a century. Although not a cure, people with conditions such as Lupus and psoriasis have noted significant relief by using this natural remedy. To find out more and try a risk-free 3 month trial of Km, please visit: http://www.matoluk.com/


Your Body is Your Temple -- Treat it That Way

How many times in your life have you heard the statement, "your body is your temple?" It's one of those ideas that sneak into your consciousness and you don't know where you actually heard it.

Think about it for a moment. Do you believe that your body is your temple? Maybe it doesn't make sense to you at first. Let's see what the dictionary has to say about a "temple" and then you tell me.

· a place dedicated to worship

· having within it a divine presence

· a place reserved for a highly valued function

Let's take a look at them one by one.

Your body is a place that needs to be dedicated to worshiping itself.

If you don't worship your own body, who will? And what exactly does worshiping your body mean? Worshiping your body means taking care of it. Worshiping your body means doing what is best for it, not just on the outside but on the inside as well. Worshiping your body means nurturing it with proper nutrition, regular exercise and sufficient sleep. Worshiping your body means learning about it and listening to it. When your body is sick, it's letting you know that something is missing. It requires something that you are not giving it. I'm not talking about worship in terms of becoming obsessed with how you look. I'm talking about treating your body with respect, compassion and care.

Your body has within it a divine presence.

Doesn't it make sense that a divine presence resides within your body? You don't need to be religious to believe that we are all one with the universe. How else can we explain the miracle of our body. Just think for a moment about all the functions it performs without our even thinking about it. Our heart beats, our eyes blink, we breathe, we swallow, we digest--all with no conscious thought. We have countless hormones, enzymes, muscles, bones, organs, all working in perfect harmony. It is amazing, given how many of us treat our body, that it continues to work as well as it does. Who can possibly explain such an amazing machine without realizing that a power more powerful than we are dwells within us.

Your body is reserved for a highly valued function.

Wouldn't you agree that your body is reserved for a highly valued function? Without your body, you would have no vehicle to carry you through this life, no way to fulfill on what you see as your life's purpose, no way to do those things that are important to you. I suspect you can see that is a highly valued function. After all, what could be more important? Using your body to accomplish all those things you need to do every day. And, beyond that, being able to use your body to do everything you want to do. I'm going to get a little personal here. I've been in a position where my body was "sick" and I simply couldn't do many of the things I needed and wanted to do. It's no fun. Many of us take our body for granted. Unfortunately, it took a crisis for me to learn that lesson. Don't wait until you have a crisis in your life to begin to appreciate your body.

So, can we agree that your body really is your temple?

And, can we agree that, as your temple, your body deserves to be treated with the utmost respect and care?

Many of us tend to focus much of our attention on cutting, coloring and arranging our hair, keeping our nails impeccably polished and making sure our makeup is perfect. But what do we do about everything below our neck? How much time do we spend tending to those parts of us?

How many of us pay careful attention to the nutrition we feed our body? If you don't put the right kind of fuel in a car, it simply won't run. How many of us make sure that we are giving our body enough exercise to keep it in good working order. Here comes the car again! You might know that, if you don't drive a car but simply leave it parked in the garage, it won't run very well. You won't be able to depend on it when you need it. Well, our body is no different. We need to use it. The more we use it, the better it runs.

Since you're reading this, I'm betting you've already realized what you've been doing to destroy your "temple". Insufficient exercise, poor nutrition, inadequate rest, stress. And, if you've made it to this paragraph, I imagine you're very interested in repairing the damage and learning how to take good care of your body from now on. Let me be the first to encourage you to begin healthy nutrition and exercise practices right now. You will never make a better investment in yourself. Your temple will thrive on it.

Marilyn is a successful exercise/nutrition trainer and coach who works with women who are 50+. Her website [http://www.fitandfabulouswoman.com] provides fitness information, fitness products, fitness services, fitness advice and on-line personal training that support mature women in being their best...one-stop shopping for a healthy body, a clear mind and a soaring spirit.


Doctor Reveals - Top 5 Sleep Killers and Why You Can't Sleep at Night


There are a few things people take on a regular basis that can absolutely destroy their sleep cycles without them knowing it. And some of those substances might come as surprise to you because you may think they usually help you relax and fall asleep. But the opposite is true. Not only are those substances bad for your health in general, but they also are bad for your sleep.

Listen, if you want to improve your sleep dramatically and you are currently doing one or more of the things listed below, I urge you to stop doing them. And if you can't stop, find some help. But it is absolutely critical that you get rid of those bad habits. So here is a list of what not to do, and why you shouldn't do it.

1. Alcohol: Yes I know exactly what you are thinking and I can already here you. "But I have a glass of wine or two at night and it actually helps me sleep". False, false and more false. Alcohol, after stimulating you, will make you sleepy, drowsy and might help you pass out faster, but you will remain in the first phases of sleep (light sleep), and never enter deep restorative sleep. Because of its sedating effect, people with sleep problems tend to drink at night. But even though you may think the results are positive because you were able to fall asleep faster, they are in fact rather negative, because alcohol will actually disturb your sleep cycles and phases. Plus alcohol should not be something you rely upon to fall asleep.

Here is another interesting fact: if you thought drinking earlier in the day would not affect your sleep well think again. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa41.htm) "Alcoholic beverages are often consumed in the late afternoon (e.g., at "happy hour" or with dinner) without further consumption before bedtime. Studies Roehrs, T., and Roth, T. Alcohol-induced sleepiness and memory function. Alcohol Health Res World 19(2):130-135, 1995) show that a moderate dose of alcohol consumed as much as 6 hours before bedtime can increase wakefulness during the second half of sleep. By the time this effect occurs, the dose of alcohol consumed earlier has already been eliminated from the body, suggesting a relatively long-lasting change in the body's mechanisms of sleep regulation" Landolt, H.-P., et al. Late-afternoon ethanol intake affects nocturnal sleep and the sleep EEG in middle-aged men. J Clin Psychopharmacol 16(6):428-436, 1996; Vitiello, M.V. Sleep, alcohol and alcohol abuse. Addict Biol (2):151-158, 1997.)

Another interesting fact about alcohol, is that it actually inhibits the secretion of a hormone called ADH (Anti Diuretic Hormone), which when in normal levels makes you retain the appropriate amount of water. But when you drink alcohol, this hormone stops being produced, and therefore your body looses more water than it should. This is called dehydration. So what does it mean for you? Well the more alcohol you drink, the more your body will dehydrate and this has 2 consequences:

1. When you are dehydrated, you can't sleep well and wake up thirsty in the middle of the night.

2. You wake up in the middle of the night with the urge to urinate.

So here are 2 more ways alcohol disrupts your sleep. Knowing all this, we can come to the conclusion you will be better off without drinking alcohol at all. Does that sound too hard for you? Well you make the choice: the pleasure of booze or restful healthy deep restorative sleep.

2. Nicotine: Do you smoke? Do you find you need that last cigarette at night otherwise you just can't relax from the busy day you had and won't be able to fall asleep. Maybe as you are reading these words it's late, you can't sleep and you have a cigarette between your fingers. Well let me tell you something interesting: just as I said it with alcohol, you'd be better off without it. So put it out right now! Yes you heard me; that last cigarette of the day that is supposed to relax you, will in fact have just the opposite effect.

If you are under the impression the cigarettes you smoke actually help you relax, you have been fooled. Nicotine is a stimulant!

Nicotine stimulates your nervous system, and instead of helping you sleep, it is going to keep you awake and tossing and turning in bed. It has the same effect as drinking a cup of coffee.

Smokers will usually stay in a light sleep and spend less time in deep restorative sleep, and may not even enter deep sleep. Nicotine also reduces the amount of REM sleep. You should now be well aware of the health dangers this leads to. Nicotine withdrawal (the decrease of nicotine level in the body and the need to replenish it) usually tends to wake up the smoker 3 to 4 hours after falling asleep. Long-term chronic smokers may also develop respiratory problems and cough, which greatly interferes with sleep. I remember a man I had met some years ago, a chronic smoker; he had been smoking 1 pack and a half a day for many years. He would cough so much at night he wouldn't sleep; he couldn't lay down more than 10 minutes without coughing and also had trouble breathing. The scary part is he was only 45 years old. So if you are a smoker and would like to improve your sleep, you know what to do! I am not telling you to quit cold turkey; you could at least stop smoking 1 or 2 hours before going to sleep. I know to some of you this seems impossible; well would you rather remain with your sleep problem?

A last word on cigarette smoking: even with all this information available to you, if you decide to keep smoking, and can't give up that last cigarette of the day, please make sure you do not smoke it in bed, or fall asleep with your cigarette lit in your hand. Every year many, many people are injured, and others die in fires caused by someone who fell asleep with a lit cigarette. Be responsible, and you may save lives.

3. Caffeine: If you didn't know it yet, caffeine is, according to wikipedia.com "the world's most popular psychoactive drug". It is widely used for its stimulating effect, to stay alert, and fight sleepiness. It is therefore absolutely logical caffeine should be avoided in all its forms as we get closer to the end of the day. But logic is not always followed. Have you ever found yourself drinking a caffeinated drink less than 6 hours before going to bed? Well if you have this bad habit, change it right away because it can take up to 6 hours for caffeine effects to wear off.
Here are some of the known effects of caffeine:

-Stimulates the central nervous system

-Increases alertness

-Increases heart rate

-Diuretic (makes you urinate more)

-Raises body temperature

Another little known fact is that caffeine is not just found in coffee. As a matter of fact it is contained in many other common foods and it also has different names such as:

-Guaranine

-Mateine

-Theine

And here is a list of the foods we can find caffeine in:

-Coffee

-Soft Drinks

-Chocolate

-Energy drinks

-Tea

-Some Diet Pills

Of course not all theses foods contain the same amount of caffeine. Chocolate for example has a low caffeine content. But did you know that a serving of soft drink contains 10 mg to 50 mg of caffeine, when an average serving of coffee contains 40 mg. You see soft drinks are as much of a stimulant as coffee is. Also know that "decaf" does contain caffeine, but in smaller amount. Odds are, you know you shouldn't drink coffee at night and therefore you avoid it.

But are you avoiding soft drinks as well? If you are drinking a couple of cans of soda within 6 hours of going to bed, you are increasing the caffeine in your body, which in turn stimulates your nervous system, and will make it harder for you to either fall asleep, or stay asleep. You may toss and turn in bed with your eyes open for hours and wonder why you just can't relax and go to sleep; the answer may lie in those cans of soda you had a few hours ago, or even the cup of coffee you had after dinner.

As a rule of thumb, if you have trouble sleeping at night, you should avoid all caffeine containing food within 6 hours of going to bed. You will dramatically increase your chances of going to sleep and staying asleep, you will find it is much easier to relax, turn your mind off and finally get the rest you need.

A side note on caffeine: Some people consider caffeine as a substitute for sleep. They will just disregard their lack of sleep and "compensate" with one cup of coffee after another to stay awake and alert. Knowing what you now know about the importance of sleep, I am sure you understand this is not something you should do. Your body will accumulate fatigue, will not be able to repair itself and will eventually breakdown (disease).

There is absolutely NO substitute for sleep. If you are not sleeping enough, drinking coffee, soda or taking caffeine pills to keep you awake and "functioning" is not a solution. It can become a vicious cycle, leading to addiction: someone does not sleep well at night, wakes up tired without energy and decides to drink coffee all day long to "stay awake". Caffeine accumulates in the system and when the time to sleep comes, this person can't relax and stays wired due to all the coffee drunk during the day. The next day, he wakes up tired again and starts the process over. If this is happening to you, your health could be in serious danger and I would recommend you find a way out of the addiction, and stop relying on coffee. You will be tired at first, maybe even completely exhausted, but your body isn't a machine!

4. Sugar: Sugar is not technically a stimulant but its effects are similar. The intake of sugar will cause a raise in your body insulin level to metabolize it, leading to a surge of energy. Amongst other things sugar stimulates the release of dopamine, which can lead to hyperactivity. Knowing this, you will probably want to stay away from all high sugar content foods, especially refined white sugar. This means no sodas (again), ice cream, candy bars, cookies and many other things!

The average soda, for example, contains about 40 mg of refined sugar, which is equivalent to about 10 teaspoons of sugar. Not only does sugar interfere with sleep but it also leads to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. From now on, make a conscious effort to avoid refined white sugar, and yes you will have to change your habits, but there can't be any results without change. You body will thank you for it.

5. Exercising at night: You must know that exercising at night or shortly before bedtime can have the opposite effect and keep you up. To prevent this sort of problem, you should always avoid exercising close to bedtime. As a rule, do not exercise 3 hours before going to bed. It is much better to exercise in the morning, and if you don't have time, you could start waking up 30 minutes earlier.

As you become familiar with your sleep, understand your natural rhythms, and start getting good quality, deep restorative sleep, you will notice that waking up earlier is actually easy and gives you more energy. Take advantage of this extra time to exercise instead of ending the day with it.

So there you have it 5 sleep killers revealed to you. You know what to do!

Dr. Simon Marmier is dedicated to improving the life of mankind worldwide. He maintains a private wellness practice in northern Spain, where he is helping people regain and maintain optimal health naturally. He is the author of "How To Get A Better And Healthier Sleep Starting Tonight". For more information on sleep, visit his insomnia solution website

The Joy of Living in Recovery


Step one was to acknowledge I was powerless and unmanageable. The first part is a conclusion I drew about myself after learning the facts about my disease as outlined in the Big Book. After honestly relating my experiences drinking to the "Doctor's Opinion" and the first three chapters I concluded, "Yes, I am an alcoholic. I have a problem with drugs and alcohol."

The second part is an agreement I make with the fact that yes, my life is unmanageable. I have a problem living. Not surviving or getting by, but actually living the life I always wanted to live. One without the constant fear, guilt, and remorse I lived with while drinking. A life without constantly fighting everyone and everything to have things my way. One I didn't have to prove myself to anyone or live up to anything.

Until I could admit that I was both powerless over drugs and alcohol and my life was unmanageable, I wouldn't need to try and be sober. It's that simple. I believe this is what our book refers to on page 30 when it says "We had to concede to our inner most selves that we were alcoholic. This is the first step in treatment." I was confusing wanting to be sober with wanting the consequences of my drinking to go away. For me, I knew I was alcoholic, but my life just wasn't unmanageable enough. When I admitted complete defeat was when I hit my bottom and was able to begin true recovery.

I was so self-sufficient it almost killed me. I lost everything I cared to lose and kept trying one more time to feel that ease and comfort which comes at once by taking a few drinks. The problem was I just couldn't get to that place anymore. I was stuck in self-pity. I went to treatment, I was doing aftercare, attending meetings daily and couldn't stay sober. I wanted to be sober and feel at ease and comfortable. That's the big dilemma for me getting and staying sober. The only tool I had to make life livable was alcohol and it quit working. I had to find a new way to do things.

I had a chance to be with my family Thanksgiving after a year of tough love. It was a weekend I will always remember. We were hiking in the mountains and I was overcome with the presence of His beauty and the unconditional love of family. I was filled with gratitude and the sense that I didn't have to live in the pain of my drinking ever again. My eyes opened to the possibility of a sober, happy life. I was powerless over alcohol and my life was unmanageable. I had taken step one. I was ready for recovery.

So what do I do? I work the remaining steps of Alcoholics Anonymous with a sponsor who has worked them. Not a drug and alcohol treatment center, not aftercare, not an Oxford House, not 90 meetings in 90 days, not anything else. Those things are helpful tools but by themselves they cannot keep me sober. If I could just not drink no matter what--as it is often suggested to newcomers, I wouldn't have a problem! It isn't easy, but nobody said life is. I had to quit feeling sorry for myself, grow up and take action to save my life. As soon as I recognized that and quit fighting it got a lot easier.

May all of you struggling with that first step find your way. Make this your bottom and get on with the joy of living in recovery.

COPD Life Expectancy























COPD is the abbreviation used for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It is also known in different names. For example, chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD), chronic obstructive airway disease (COAD), chronic airflow limitation (CAL) and chronic obstructive respiratory disease (CORD). It is a progressive disease which means it gets worse over time. It causes lungs problems and almost destructs them completely. This is one of the major causes of death in almost all the global nations. In USA, it is the fourth highest death cause disease. It is deadly and almost over than 82,000 people die every year due to this. Generally, the COPD life expectancy is very less and also it causes a large number of severe health problems in people. But, on the other hand, if it is detected early due to their early symptoms and also get it treated in its early stages, then the life expectancy can be greatly increased. If not, the sufferer's life will be greatly limited.

The most common symptom of COPD is breathing difficulty. It can be a huge disability that gets worse as this disease progresses. There are many techniques and exercises that help to decrease. Two of the most well known techniques are pursed lip breathing and diaphragmatic breathing. If you ever feel short of breath and you feel like you are suffocating, it helps to remember these quick and easy breathing tips. Sit and relax in a quiet and comfortable place, breathe in and out through your mouth going as fast as you need to, lower your head and shoulders and begin to slow down your exhalations. Repeat this a few times and you will feel a great deal of comfort as these exercises have been proven to help with breathlessness.

Smoking is one of the most biggest causes of COPD. Each year, three million people are dying as the result of smoking related diseases. Exposure to lung irritants such as dust, smoke, air pollution and other chemicals can also be causes for COPD. Quitting smoking can help but as there is no current cure to COPD, getting rid of cigarettes doesn't help much. It only reduces the risk factor by a little but of course, every little action counts towards the defeat of this chronic disease.

The Pathophysiology of COPD is not very easy to understand. Pathophysiology of COPD shows the structural changes in the airways, dysfunction of Cilia and inflammatory responses. It is these three things that lead to the blockage of airways. The inflammatory response of COPD is usually caused by too much smoking. It can also be caused by the inhalation of lung irritants such as pollens, air pollutants, smoke, dust and other chemicals.

Inhalers can be used to treat chronic diseases such as the first symptom of COPD- the chronic cough. The work that the inhalers do is that they push the medicine or drugs directly into the airways when you breathe in. Some people may get some benefits from using these inhalers but some might not. Some people use inhalers regularly and that might help to reduce shortness of breath and some just use it when they are experiencing troubles of wheezing and breathlessness.

Many people die from COPD every year. as there is no current cure for this disease, it is important that it is diagnosed in it's early stages. If you ever notice a sign or symptom that might mean you or someone you know could have COPD, it is important to contact a doctor of health care provider immediately. If this disease is discovered too late, the results can be deadly.

How To Beat Unfair Mental Health Funding



I happened to be talking to my local politician before Christmas because a fine website on depression, [http://www.DepressioNet.com.au] was about to lose funding for its crucial 24 hour support forums as a result of failure by the Australian government to fund its programs.

So I pinged the pollies and Bill, my local politician, wanted to chat. The one illuminating aspect of our 45 minute conversation was that it was very hard (for politicians) to decide what other health programs should be cut in order to increase funding for mental health because of myriad vested interests.

Watching news reports around the world and back home I see similar difficulties arising. It is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘Yes Minister’ dilemmas that Sir Humphrey Appleby would put to his boss, thereby stymieing him every time.

Just last week in South Australia an identical furore erupted. There, the government was brave (or hassled) enough to announce increased mental health funding. The opposition was equally mean enough to demand to know what (more highly valued) general health programs were to be sacrificed for the increase. Read the report here:   

Now to get back to Yes Minister, Jim Hacker in his early days would have said ‘But we should just fund health needs according to the cost to the community, the individual and the carer. And that should be the minimum amount needed to restore the ill person’s health so as to function in relationships, at work and in the community.’ You wish!

The unfairness is obvious when authoritative reports state: ‘Stigma is systemic in decision-making at the highest political levels. Ultimate responsibility for mental health services lies with government leaders at Federal and State levels.

‘It is they who have ensured these services have had such a low priority in policy-making and funding…

‘The proportion of Australia’s health budget spent on mental health services is under 8%. In comparable OECD countries, the proportion is 12% or more.’ Dare to Care, SANE Mental Health Report 2004 at http://www.sane.org/images/assets/Research_reports_and_images/MHR2004text.pdf

A report by Access Economics for SANE Australia in 2003 calculated the costs of bipolar in Australia as being ‘$16,000 on average’ per year for each sufferer. Yet spending is ‘only $3,007 per person.’

It gets worse. The report states that this paltry $3,007 is even less than spending on the average Australian’s health care, even though ‘the burden of disease – the pain, suffering, disability and death – is greater for bipolar disorder than for ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or HIV/AIDs, and similar to schizophrenia and melanoma.’

And who makes up the shortfall? According to the report, ‘around half (i.e. $8,000) of this cost is borne by people with the illness and their carers.’

‘Mentally healthy’ public outnumber the mentally ill by a factor of 4 to 1. They want their subsidized spas and perfect teeth at the expense of us getting into hospital when we need it! But because they still view the behaviors of mental illness as not symptoms but as plain bad behavior, our health needs are viewed as less deserving than theirs, and funded accordingly.

Because of the ‘Yes Minister’ factor, I think we face an uphill battle persuading the politicians. They won’t shift until public opinion does, to say nothing of favors and kickbacks.

The 4 people in 5 who don’t have a mental illness have something much worse—prejudice. They are the ones who need persuading that mental health deserves equitable funding.


How Do You Know if You Have Diabetes?


The most reliable diabetic symptom for diagnosis is high blood sugar levels caused either by decreased insulin production (Type I diabetes), or by the body developing a resistance to
insulin (Type II diabetes). Though high blood sugar is a reliable diabetic symptom when diagnosing the disease, it can often be hard to detect directly. More diagnostic are diabetic symptoms that are side effects of high blood sugar that can act as an indicator to the underlying diabetic symptom, and serve as an early warning to the patient that he or she should get tested for diabetes before the diabetic symptoms worsen into more serious conditions.

Excessive thirst is an early diabetic symptom, especially when there is no obvious cause, such as exercise, hot weather, or other illnesses. Another diabetic symptom is excessive hunger, even when consuming normal amounts of food. Frequent urination is also an early diabetic symptom, and most often manifests itself as frequent trips to the bathroom during the night. Fatigue after meals is another early diabetic symptom. Finally, rapid weight loss without explanation, or any dramatic weight change can also be an early diabetic symptom.

Though these diabetic symptoms can also be related to other medical conditions, patients should be tested for diabetes if any of these diabetic symptoms persist for an extended period of time. Testing for diabetes is a simple procedure, and if these diabetic symptoms are not recognized early on, the disease can progress untreated, potentially leading to more severe diabetic symptoms.

In some cases where early diabetic symptoms are left untreated, neurological diabetic symptoms may develop, such as: blurred vision due to macular degeneration, which can eventually lead to blindness; numbness in the extremities due to peripheral neuropathy; slow-healing wounds and/or persistent and recurring yeast infections in women due to a suppressed immune system; and dry, itchy skin due to diminished sweat gland function as a result of peripheral neuropathy.

If you or anyone you know is chronically affected by any of these diabetic symptoms, they could be suffering from untreated diabetes and should see a doctor immediately. If left untreated these diabetic symptoms could progress into more serious and potentially life-threatening conditions.

Overcoming Anxiety Attacks - Knowing Where to Begin


When you struggle with them, overcoming anxiety attacks are all you think about, but it is not easy to do when you do not know where to begin. There are a great number of options available these days, so finding one that works for you can be difficult.

Getting an understanding of why these attacks happen, helps to work out what to do alleviate anxiety attacks, no matter how bad they might be.There are certain tips and tricks that will help overcome anxiety attacks in a way that can make them go away and not come back.

So, why do we experience or develop anxiety attacks?

Largely, they are a result of how we live and what we do every day. They can also occur as a result of a major traumatic event especially if the person struggles to cope with it, but usually it just a result of accumulated stress.

Many people these days work too hard, stay up too late, push themselves too long, continually expect too much of themselves, and worry too much - and they do this each and every day!
And they tell themselves that it will only be for a little while, or till they have reached this goal, or have that 'thing'... until their bodies and their minds 'yell' - Enough!!

Continuing to live like that, means the body and mind are in a continual state of over-stimulation, and eventually it will lead to worrying about not getting things done, or to start fantasizing about things that may or may not happen.
Then there are other things that can happen on top of all of that, that will keep making the anxiety worse until whatever is wrong is finally confronted.

Overcoming anxiety begins with finding out what causes the anxiety to begin with. Is the cause the mind and nervous system being continually over-stimulated, or is it whatever is driving that behaviour in the first place?

There was a time when I tried to do full time study, part time work and still be a full time mother, and within eight months I had crammed so much into my mind and my day that my system could no longer take it.

My mind shut down, and I had anxiety attacks which made me feel absolutely terrible, terrified and out of control - I had what was defined as 'burn-out'. One of the best tips I received at that time was to 'ground' myself where I was. I needed to slow my thinking down and to start taking care of myself very basically.

My 'cure' was to change doing what was causing the over-stimulation and the anxiety, and just get back to basics - my body needed activity and rest and eating properly.

Relaxation and exercise were the first things I focused on, and these two are some of the most important things you can focus on in the beginning. Getting these in balance helped me cope with the anxiety more easily.

Starting to eat better and staying away from foods that did not 'feed' me, or that made things worse like caffeine, was also important in helping restore that balance.

My basic routine to begin with included - eating good food at least three times a day so that my body was not stressed by irregular intake of food and poor quality food, exercise like going for walks to stimulate blood flow and relax and release tension from my body, and rest, getting enough sleep to help my mind slow down and recover.

Some of the worst times were at night, waking up suddenly, feeling cold and shaky and my heart beating fast and feeling like I was only 'half there'. It was easy in the middle of the night for my mind to race and for feelings of panic to grip me.

One of the things I would do was tell myself where I was (grounding), I would wrap myself in something warm and comforting, and make a warm milky drink and sip that slowly. I would walk up and down the hallway to release the physical tension (fight or flight syndrome - boosts energy levels in the body and walking helped relax and release that energy) till I was calm enough to climb back into bed to sleep. (Oh, and I found for me that when I walked and prayed that helped me calm down a lot faster!)

Some of the other ways you can help yourself sleep better at night is - have a warm shower before bed, sleep in a warm bed in a cool quiet room and try some relaxation techniques before getting into bed.

I found overcoming anxiety was not easy at first, but when I finally realised that the attacks themselves could not harm me, I stopped getting them. There are things that can be done that will make it easier to overcome anxiety attacks and ensure that they never come back.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet - Foods That Heal

What is Inflammation?

 Inflammation is a natural process with the biological purpose to initiate healing by increasing circulation. It is a complex process involving both the immune system and vascular system and the interplay of various chemical mediators. Increased circulation brings white blood cells and nourishment to the site of injury or infection so that invading pathogens are killed and damage may be repaired. Characteristic signs of inflammation include pain (dolor), heat (calor), swelling (tumor) and redness (rubor).

When Inflammation Goes Awry:

While some inflammation is beneficial and appropriate for healing, chronic or excessive inflammation, serving no purpose produces damage. Chronic inflammation has a bad reputation because it is implicated in various disease processes including (but not limited to)...
- autoimmune diseases
- arthritis
- diabetes
- Alzheimer's disease
- atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries that leads to heart attack and stroke)
- ADD and ADHD
- allergies & asthma
- cancers
- inflammatory bowel disease
Soft tissue swelling and chemical mediators involved in inflammation can also irritate nerve endings, contributing to pain.

What is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?

It is a well-known fact that different foods are metabolized differently, some promoting inflammation and others reducing it. The purpose of the anti-inflammatory diet is to promote optimal health and healing by choosing foods that reduce inflammation. If one can successfully control excessive inflammation through natural means (like through diet), it reduces one's dependence on anti-inflammatory medications that have unwanted and unhealthy side effects and don't solve the underlying problem. While anti-inflammatory medications (such as NSAIDs) are a quick fix to ease symptoms, they ultimately weaken the immune system by damaging the gastrointestinal tract which plays an important role in immune system function (1).
Anti-inflammatory Diet Basics:

In general, eat an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, anti-inflammatory fats and nuts while limiting processed foods, meat protein, milk products, refined sugars, artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners and food sensitivities.

Vegetables:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits in a variety of colors (preferably organic). Fruits and vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber which give the body the essential building blocks for health. Examples include beans, squash, lintels, sweet potatoes, cruciferous vegetables, avocados, dark leafy greens... There are so many choices! As for fruits, pineapple and papaya are particularly good because they are high in bromelain, a powerful natural anti-inflammatory. Fruits and vegetables also make great, healthy snacks.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid produce that is not grown organically. Toxic chemical residues from herbicides and pesticides can remain and when ingested are foreign irritants to the system. Many crops in North America are also genetically engineered and are put on the market without rigorous scientific study to determine safety for human consumption. Independent research is finally being done to show toxic effects of consuming genetically modified organisms (2). Foreign DNA is randomly inserted into the genome of a crop. Examples include herbicide resistant corn and soy which are resistant to the herbicide Roundup, made by Monsanto. Roughly 90% of all corn and soy sold in North America is genetically modified. Also be aware of derivatives of genetically modified ingredients (such as corn starch and corn syrup etc.). It has also been suggested that consuming GMOs is a contributing factor to the rise in allergies as our bodies are recognizing these food substances as foreign (3). By choosing items with the "certified organic" label, you avoid both GMOs and toxic herbicides/pesticides.
For some people, vegetables in the nightshade family may pose a concern. Examples of nightshade vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, potatoes and eggplant. Nightshades contain alkaloids which are thought to exacerbate inflammation and joint damage in certain susceptible individuals with arthritis (though research is conflicting). Thus, for some individuals, limiting or avoiding nightshade vegetables may be beneficial.

Fats:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy healthy, anti-inflammatory fats including olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, nuts, salmon and sardines. In humans, there are two essential fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3) and linoleic acid (an omega-6). These are "essential" because they are required for good health but the body does not synthesize them. Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory. Omega-6 fats can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory (as it can be metabolized by two different pathways). Researchers suggest that keeping the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 between 2:1 and 4:1 is best for health. The modern diet tends to be high in omega-6 as it is abundantly available in cooking oils. Thus, including rich sources of omega-3 is important (such as fish, flax and walnuts especially).
Avoid / Limit:
Fats to limit or avoid include margarine, butter, shortening, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, saturated fats, and milk fat. Omega-6 fats are very high in corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Trans fats are linked with inflammatory diseases (4).

Meat:
Eat and Enjoy:

In general, limit animal proteins because they tend to acidify the body and also promote inflammation. When selecting animal protein, enjoy fish, poultry (especially free-range and organically raised), lamb and omega-3 eggs.

Avoid / Limit:

Limit beef, pork, shellfish and factory farmed eggs. In general, grass-fed is superior to grain-fed. Avoid charred foods, smoked foods and cold cuts. Cold cuts contain nitrates and nitrites which promote cancer. Barbequed foods contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) which also promote cancer.

Dairy:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy dairy substitutes in moderation (such as almond milk).

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid or limit dairy products in general. This includes milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream. As we age, we lose the enzyme that digests dairy, resulting in lactose intolerance and inflammation. The milk protein, casein, is also acidifying which (despite what many people are brought up thinking) robs the bones of calcium.

Grains:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy whole grains as opposed to refined grains. Refined grains are grains in which the germ and bran have been removed. This means there is loss of fiber, minerals and vitamins. In other words, the good stuff is removed in exchange for a longer shelf life. Some good examples of healthy grains include (organic) whole wheat/oats/bulgar/coucous, quinoa and whole oats (like steel-cut oats).
Whole grains are also a rich source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates (as opposed to simple sugars) will prevent spikes in your blood sugar level. Sugar promotes inflammation.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid or limit refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries, sweet things and pastas.

Nuts:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy nuts and nut butters such as almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and flax.

Avoid / Limit: 

Avoid any specific nut allergies.

Beverages:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy plenty of pure, filtered water (avoiding chlorine, fluoride and other contaminants which are irritants that promote inflammation). Other great choices are lemon water and herbal teas.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid sugary sodas, fruit juice (with sugar added) and milk.

Spices:
Eat and Enjoy:

Many spices reduce inflammation. Some great examples are turmeric, oregano, rosemary, ginger, garlic and cinnamon. Bioflavenoids and polyphenols reduce inflammation and fight free radicals. Cayenne pepper is also anti-inflammatory, as it contains capsicum. Capsicum is often used in pain-relief creams.

Sweeteners:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy stevia, molasses, maple syrup or honey as better alternatives for refined sugar.

Avoid / Limit:

Avoid refined sugar, fructose and especially high fructose corn syrup which promote inflammation. Avoid artificial sweeteners.

Other:
Eat and Enjoy:

Enjoy fermented foods such as kimchi, miso soup and sauerkraut. Fermented foods are probiotic and help to rebuild the immune system by supporting healthy microflora in the gut and to reduce inflammation. Fermented foods also tend to be easy to digest and are also factories for B vitamins.

Avoid / Limit:

In general, eliminate processed foods, artificial colors, artificial flavors and preservatives. Also avoid foods that you have a known sensitivity or allergy to as this promotes inflammation. Low grade sensitivities are easy to miss, so if you're unsure, have a food allergy test. Some of the most common problem foods include wheat (gluten), corn, soy, milk and nuts.
Everything we need for health, can be found in nature. We just need to choose well. If you need help and ideas of what to eat, there are plenty of anti-inflammatory diet recipe books available.

What Else Can You Do to Reduce Inflammation?

- Chiropractic care boosts immune system and reduces inflammation!
- Reduce exposure to environmental toxins (such as smoke)
- Reduce stress (5)
- Certain types of exercise reduce inflammation - specifically, long term, gradually progressive training, avoiding over-exertion (6)

1) Singh G & Triadafilopoulos G. (1999). Epidemiology of NSAID induced gastrointestinal complications. The Journal of Rheumatology, Supplement; 56:18-24.
2) Seralini, GE, Clair E & Mesnage R et al. (Sept. 2012). Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified maize. Food and Chemical Toxicology.
3) S. J. Khan, S. Muafia, Z. Nasreen and A.M. Salariya. (2012). Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Food Security or Threat to Food Safety. Pakistan Journal of Science; 64(2):85-91.
4) Lopez- Garcia, E, Schulze, M & Meigs, J et al. (2005). Consumption of Trans Fatty Acids Is Related to Plasma Biomarkers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction. Nutritional Epidemiology; 135:562-566.
5) Cohena, S, Janicki-Deertsa, D & Doyleb, W et al. (2012) Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Psychological and Cognitive Sciences.
6) Ploeger HE, Takken T, de Greef MH, Timmons BW (2009). The effects of acute and chronic exercise on inflammatory markers in children and adults with a chronic inflammatory disease: a systematic review. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2009;15:6-41.

Dr. Miron, DC, BSc(Hons) graduated Cum Laude with Clinic Honours from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Dr. Miron witnesses the benefits of chiropractic care every day in her North York chiropractic office. From pain relief to wellness care, chiropractic works!

Effective Home Remedies For Constipation

Disturbance in your digestive tract is commonly referred to as constipation. In this disorder, there is an irregular movement of your bowels. Constipation itself is a root to many diseases and disorders. This is because it produces toxins in the blood serum and then those are carried to the other body parts. It can cause other diseases such as rheumatism, appendicitis, arthritis, cataract, high blood pressure and even cancer in some of the rarest cases.
The symptoms of constipation include irregular elimination of faecal matter that is hard in nature. The other symptoms are foul breath, coated tongue, loss of appetite, depression, nausea and dizziness. Ulcers in the mouth can also occur sometimes with varicose veins and heart burn.
The main cause of such a state of disorder is the bad lifestyle patterns that you follow, coupled with improper diet. Insufficient intake of water and excessive use of coffee and tea can also lead to this state. Drinking, irregular eating, insufficient chewing, all together makes the functioning of your bowels poor. Apart from this lack of physical activities and and irregular defecation habits with emotional stress and strain, also lead to constipation.
But you can always cure constipation. If the medicines are doing nothing good to you, then you have the option of home remedial treatments. They are:
1. Pear: It is an effective fruit for the treatment of constipation. Making it a part of your regular diet, can help you a lot.
2. Grapes: Since ages, grapes have proved to be a very effective natural remedy to cure constipation. Grapes contains sugar, cellulose and various organic acids that make them an ideal constipation healer. Besides cleaning your stomach, they also tone up the tissues of your stomach and the intestines.
3. Bael Fruit: It is regarded as the best fruit in curing this disorder. It cleans and tones up your intestinal space.
4. Guava: Guava provides you roughage that is very essential for the proper digestion of food. Roughage helps in the normal evacuation of your bowels.
5. Spinach: Spinach is the most vital food for your entire digestive system. The organic elements that are present in spinach cleanse, reconstruct and help the regeneration of the worn out tissues of your intestinal tract.
A simple diet surely helps you to keep away from constipation as it clears your stomach. A simple diet is one that consists of unrefined foods, like honey, bran, wholegrain cereals, lentils, fruits, green leafy vegetables and various milk products.
Apart from them there are also other home remedies that help in treating constipation. For instance, a glass of hot lime water, with added salt is very effective. It is also said that taking an overnight kept water in a copper container helps you considerably in this direction. Linseed is a useful product as it provides both roughage and lubrication to the stomach.