My Inner Action

There are many frustrating aspects to growing older – the fine lines and wrinkles on your forehead and around eyes, weight gain, lack of energy, and even hair loss can all contribute to a fear of aging and even depression.  Although aging is a fact of life that no one can escape, there are things you can do to reverse some of the undesirable effects of getting older. One of the most frustrating and difficult side effects is hair loss. Before you despair and head to the wig shop, there are a few things you can try to grow thicker, healthier hair.

Eating a balanced and healthy diet full of fresh vegetables and fruits can help you maintain your intake of vitamins for hair growth. There are actually eight V vitamins, and they all contribute to healthy hair growth. In particular, biotin, or vitamin B7, is very important in growing thick, strong hair (as well as fingernails). Try to eat a diet rich in B vitamins, and consider taking a supplemental vitamin formula as well, just to be sure. Some people have trouble absorbing vitamins from food, and others just don’t eat as much fruits and vegetables as they think they do, so taking a back-up supplement can’t hurt.

Aside from staying healthy and getting all the nutrients you need, you will want to watch out for certain medications that can make your hair fall out. Some of the most common culprits are blood thinners, cholesterol medication, certain drugs that treat depression, Accutane (used to treat acne), amphetemines, some drugs containing hormones, and anti-inflammatory medications. If you believe your medicine might be contributing to your hair loss, talk to your doctor about other options.

If you’re experiencing severe hair loss, you may want to consider options like hair plugs. First, of course, you will want to talk to your doctor to rule out any medical conditions that could be causing your distress. Since hair loss can be a sign of a more serious condition, make sure to investigate this possibility before going any further with a treatment.

Many people enjoy smoking, despite knowing about negative health ramifications. Their family and friends may complain about the smell, and the habit may be expensive and inconvenient. Even so, it may be extremely difficult to quit doing something they enjoy. For those people, switching to electronic cigarettes may be a good option. Opinions vary as to which brand makes the best e cig, but reviews demonstrate that they are very popular with users.

Electronic cigarettes are sometimes called smokeless cigarettes, because they actually do not emit smoke at all. Instead, a flavored liquid is heated by an atomizer and turned into vapor, which is then inhaled by the user. This could help to appease friends and family members who complain about the smell of regular cigarettes. Since the vapor is more gentle on lungs, it can have health benefits over regular cigarettes as well.

Cigarettes can contain as many as 600 unhealthy chemicals that most people would never consider ingesting into their bodies, such as ammonia. With smokeless cigarettes these chemicals are not present in the vapors, so users of e-cigarettes have fewer health concerns. Cartridges with varying levels of nicotine can also be purchased, so smokers who would like to lower their nicotine levels but not quit smoking altogether can benefit from this feature.

Smokeless cigarettes are actually less expensive than regular cigarettes. A refill cartridge lasts about the same length of time as 20 to 30 cigarettes (about a pack or so) and cost much less. Whereas a pack of cigarettes might cost around 8 dollars, a refill cartridge for an e-cigarette costs about 2 dollars. For smokers who want to save money this is a great reason to switch.

Electronic cigarettes have one more benefit that can make them much more convenient. Since they do not emit smoke, they are actually exempt from most anti-smoking laws. This means no more searching for a place where it is legal to smoke. With the exception of airplanes, a smokeless cigarette can be enjoyed virtually anywhere water vapor is legal – so basically, anywhere!

Electronic cigarettes, also known as smokeless cigarettes, are quickly growing in popularity. You may have seen someone smoking one and wondered, what is that and how does it work? The idea of a smokeless cigarette sounds strange, but it is actually quite simple.

The “electronic” part is not complicated at all. The device runs off of batteries, and there is no on or off switch, buttons, or confusing settings. You simply take a drag off the e-cigarette, and that signals the atomizer to work. Using heat or ultrasonics, the atomizer turns the liquid inside into a vapor, which you then inhale. It actually works similar to a humidifier, which most people have seen at some point. The e-cigarette even has an LED light on the tip, which lights up when you puff. It is just there to simulate the smoking experience, however, and has nothing to do with heat or flames.

Cartridges contain a flavored liquid which is turned into vapor, and are refilled about as often as you would normally buy another pack of cigarettes. One cartridge is equal to approximately 20 to 30 cigarettes, but costs about two dollars. It’s easy to see that switching to electronic cigarettes could save you a lot of money over time. Batteries are rechargeable, and last about 600 puffs. Depending upon how often you smoke, your battery might need to be recharged once or twice per day, or as seldom as once a week. Reading an electronic cigarette review by a consumer who has tried the product might give you a better idea of how convenient the product really is.

E-cigarettes are considered by many to be a more convenient alternative to smoking regular cigarettes. Since there is no heat or ash, you can take a puff off your e-cigarette and put it right back in your pocket. There are no lighters to carry around, and no unpleasant odor. Since e-cigarettes are smokeless, they are exempt from most smoking bans. This means no more searching for a place where you’re allowed to smoke, if you live in a city with heavy restrictions.

If you want shiny teeth you better make sure you keep them clean!! Investing in an electric toothbrush might be a good idea

I used to be a smoker and hated smelling and tasting like an ashtray so I switched to e-cigs and I love them so much!!

If you’ve suffered a sunburn, there are a few things you need to know in order to make yourself more comfortable and prevent further damage to your skin. In general, sunburns are mild and do not require a trip to the doctor. Most of the time you can treat them at home, but if you’re wondering how to treat a burn on a very small child, or one that is more severe, you should go to the doctor for more advice.

There are several ways to tell if you need to seek medical attention for your sunburn. If the sunburn blisters, is accompanied by a fever (which indicates infection), or if it does not improve after two or three days, you should consider going to the doctor. If the skin peels to the extent that a raw, bloody area is exposed, this is another sign that the burn is more severe. A sunburn can occasionally be more serious than a minor first-degree burn, especially if there was very prolonged exposure to the sun, or if the victim is very young or fair-skinned.

Assuming you don’t need medical attention, there are several ways to treat your sunburn at home. First, you can take an anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen. This will help with the swelling and redness, and may help ease your pain a bit as well. You should also keep the sunburned area cool, by taking cold showers or baths, or by applying cold compresses.

As for topical treatments, a soothing moisturizing cream or aloe vera gel should be applied. You need to keep the skin moisturized, so avoid products which contain alcohol.

If blisters do form, resist the urge to  pick at them or pop them. This will slow down your healing time, and can actually increase your risk of infection. Peeling skin is another common side effect of sunburns. This is your body’s way of sloughing off the damaged, dead skin, so don’t pick at it and just continue to treat your skin gently with moisturizing creams.

After your skin has peeled, the new layer of skin that will emerge from underneath will be very sensitive to the sun. It will burn much more quickly and severely, so you will not be able to tolerate your usual level of sunlight. Avoid sunbathing altogether after a major sunburn, and when you do start venturing out into the sun again, use a stronger sunblock than you used to use.

Most of the time a sunburn can be treated at home, but if you have any questions or concerns about how to treat a burn, you should call your doctor or schedule an appointment.

In the future, the best medicine is prevention. Always use a sunblock of at least SPF 15, and much higher than that for young children or those with fair skin. Every time your skin is sunburned, your risk of skin cancer increases, so take it easy in the sun and take care of your skin.

If you suffer from frequent illness, or work around small children or in a medical setting, you may be interested in some ways to boost your immune system.  One of the most common things people will do is take vitamins for immune system improvement. There are a wide variety of supplements on the market, from pills for individual vitamins to all-in-one type supplements which include a variety of vitamins important for immune health.

The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get these nutrients into your system is through a healthy and balanced diet. Nature provides all the nutrients essential to good health in foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. The most important thing you can do for your health is to provide your body with healthy, unprocessed foods that are rich in vital nutrients. However, you may feel it is necessary to supplement your diet with vitamins in pill form, and this can certainly help to maximize your health.

So which vitamins are good for your immune system?  Look for Vitamins A, C, E, and B6 in your supplements. These are the primary vitamins known to be immune system boosters, and they provide other important health benefits as well. These vitamins can be taken in pill form, but there are powders which can be mixed into drinks if you have trouble swallowing pills. There are also some immune-boosting drinks on the market as well. As long as they contain these important vitamins they should be helpful for you.

Another important vitamin for immune health is Vitamin D. This vitamin is primarily obtained through exposure to sunlight, which triggers the body to manufacture it. Studies have actually shown that Vitamin D plays a key role in activating the immune system response to fight disease. Vitamin D can be found in supplement form, which is helpful for those who live in climates which don’t receive much sunlight. If you work a night shift job and rarely get outside during the day, a Vitamin D supplement might be helpful for you.  Generally speaking, however, you can get plenty of Vitamin D simply by spending time outdoors on a regular basis.

Armed with knowledge about vitamins for immune system health, you can choose the supplements that are right for you.

Congenital heart disease is caused by heart defects which occur when a baby is developing in the womb. While these defects are occasionally severe, many are mild and do not cause any symptoms until much later in life. Around half a million adults in the US live with congenital heart disease, and about 8 to 10 babies out of every 1000 are born with some form of heart defect.

The cause of congenital heart disease is often unknown, but there are some conditions or behaviors which can contribute to malformations in the heart. These include Down Syndrome and other chromosomal disorders, Rubella infection in the pregnant mother, and drug and alcohol use during pregnancy. Heart defects are also genetic, and having a parent or sibling with the condition doubles the chance of a baby being born with it as well.

Sometimes heart disease symptoms are detected at birth or early in childhood. Often the defect in the heart is detected when a child’s pediatrician hears a heart murmur during a routine examination. Other symptoms in children may include rapid breathing, difficulty feeding, and slower weight gain than expected. These infants may also exhibit a blue tint to their skin and fingernails, or may suffer frequent lung infections. Other times, symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty exercising will appear later in life and warrant an exam. More extensive testing, such as a chest x-ray, MRI, or Electrocardiogram, will be ordered to verify the diagnosis.

If the heart disease is mild, it may require no further treatment. In more serious cases, surgery may be ordered to correct some or all of the defect, or the patient may need certain medications to manage their condition. Endocarditis, an infection of the heart valves, is a primary concern throughout life, but antibiotics can be taken during risky periods to prevent this from happening. Most people with congenital heart disease will need to be monitored by a heart specialist periodically throughout their lifetime. For more information on managing adult congenital heart disease, as well as recognizing heart disease symptoms, contact the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Association.

Alternative treatments have become popular in the management of many health conditions. Many patients wish to reduce their reliance on medications such as painkillers, either due to a fear of addiction or simply a wish to avoid unpleasant side effects. Cervical stenosis is no exception to this trend. This condition causes debilitating pain in the neck, as well as a variety of other symptoms such as pins and needles sensations in the arms and legs,  a loss of balance, and clumsiness. Cervical stenosis is often treated with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, but patients wishing to avoid pharmaceuticals may seek alternative treatments. Even those who are willing to try prescribed medications often find them inadequate. Many patients are discovering the benefits of other treatments such as massage and acupuncture.

Visiting a licensed massage therapist can be beneficial for a variety of health complaints. A massage therapist is trained to recognize, through their own touch as well as the client’s description, places of tension in the body. Pressure is gently placed in the right areas to signal to the muscles that they need to relax and let go of this tension. Touch can also be healing in a more general sense, as it helps a patient relax and reach a better, more peaceful state of mind. According to individual preferences, candlelight, aromatherapy, and soothing music can be added to a massage session for even more relaxing effect.  For someone who suffers significant pain from a health condition, a weekly massage can offer a rejuvenation of the senses and a more open, positive outlook toward their health. This can provide the motivation to keep up with other treatments such as physical therapy exercises.

Acupuncture is another very popular technique for relieving chronic pain. This ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine involves the placing of very thin needles in precise points on the body. Some people shy away from this treatment when they hear the word “needles”, but when done correctly the needles are not felt at all.  Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat everything from infertility to arthritis pain. While science has been unable to prove acupuncture useful for anything other than nausea treatment, many do swear by its effects for pain management.

For most patients with cervical stenosis, one treatment is not going to fully relieve the pain. Generally most will use a combination of treatments until they find what works best for them.

Many people who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder have developed coping mechanisms to help themselves deal with their persistent worry, fear, and nerves. This is a natural response to uncomfortable feelings, but unfortunately many of the most common self-invented coping strategies are harmful, dangerous, and may even contribute to further problems. Rather than letting your mental and emotional health spiral out of control, seek therapy from a qualified professional. In the meantime, try these coping strategies to replace negative behaviors so that you can start feeling better quickly.

Don’t fight it. If you’re prone to anxiety attacks, fighting them when they begin will only cause your body to produce more adrenaline (the “fight or flight” hormone) and prolong the attack. Instead of clenching up and attempting to mentally force the attack away, immediately lie down on your side and begin taking deep breaths. If you’re in the car – a common site for anxiety attacks – pull over on the side of the road and recline your seat while you wait for the feelings to pass.

Identify your triggers. Keep a journal detailing situations in which anxiety seems to worsen. If you haven’t already noticed a pattern of situations or stimuli which trigger your nerves, this may help you to discover them. At the very least, it will be a helpful tool to take to your first therapy session. Most likely an obvious pattern will emerge, and you will realize your feelings are triggered or made worse by crowds, for example, or settings where you feel out of control. While these situations can’t always be completely eliminated, you can try to avoid them as much as possible. Sometimes just acknowledging that an event will be stressful and mentally preparing for it will be helpful.

Don’t abuse substances. Many people who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder abuse alcohol, pain pills, or sedatives. They are only trying to feel better and escape from their constant discomfort. However, substance abuse can not only harm your health, but it can lead to more anxiety. Think about what might happen if you are arrested; this will only lead to considerably more stress in your life. Also using painkillers or sedatives regularly will cause you to build up a tolerance to them. You will need more and more to feel the same effect, and if you’re unable to obtain them for a few days you will likely go into withdrawal, which will kick off major anxiety attacks.

Replace harmful behaviors with healthy ones.  Rather than overeating, trying going for a walk. Not only is exercise good for everyone, but it is particularly useful in reducing anxiety. If you find yourself biting your nails, picking at your skin, or other similar behaviors, find another activity to keep your hands busy and productive, such as knitting or kneading bread dough. It may take some trial and error to find activities that give you the same release you’ve been seeking with negative habits, but you will start to feel better and healthier overall.

Do something nice for yourself. Make it a habit, every day, to do something nice for yourself. This can be as elaborate as a visit with a massage therapist, or as simple as reading a magazine or taking a bubble bath. It is often difficult for people to take time for themselves, amongst all the demands of work and family life. Think of it as your medicine, that you absolutely must take for your health, and you may find your thinking changing to accomodate this new habit.

For more information about coping with generalized anxiety disorder, click here.