Communication and Wellness Teams

Kevin: So how does a natural health practitioner communicate with a doctor? How does that transpire?

Dr. Deitch: When you say doctor do you mean a medical doctor?

Kevin: Yes, a medical doctor.

Dr. Deitch: OK. I interchangeably use the term 'doctor' because I look at chiropractors as doctors. I look at us as what I think of as wellness doctors. Quite honestly there's a whole misconception as to what a chiropractor really is. Many of these terms are poor terms to use these days. In fact I actually teach and coach chiropractors to stop saying, "Hi, I'm a chiropractor" because as soon as somebody hears you're a chiropractor they already peg you as somebody who's a neck and back pain specialist and don't see you as anything beyond that because that's the definition of it, according to our cultural consciousness.

So what I recommend people do is try to start explaining who they are and what they do by the benefits that it offers people, not by their training. So to say, "Hi, I'm a massage therapist," pegs you as something that people perceive you to be, which is often times inaccurate. "I'm a nutritionist." So people have perceptions or attachments as to what those labels really mean. They're often inaccurate. I believe that if you were to start describing yourself more along the lines of... For example I'll often introduce myself as a wellness doctor. I'm not just a bestselling author, I'm a wellness doctor. Typically the response I get from people is, "What's that?" Which is exactly the response I want because then it allows me to get into the benefits of what it's like to work with me not to get pegged into, "Oh, you're one of those."

I think we all have to create new definitions for all of that and respect and understand that for the most part medical doctors' jobs are to treat disease. There's a place for that. It's important. There's a growing continuum of people trying to learn where they are in that process but there are a lot of people who fit into that big, gray area where they may be outside of the "biometric norms" and have to make a decision. "Do I control my cholesterol through medication or do I start taking care of myself better and see what I can do to not have to go down that path?" "I'm overweight. Do I wait until I'm pre-diabetic or diabetic or do I try to do something so I don't have to go down that route?" I believe that all of the lines are changing.

I think there are more medical doctors who see the devastating consequences of just putting people on drugs and are looking to figure out ways in which they can help more people on their lifestyle. Unfortunately they don't get paid to do that.

Insurance companies don't reimburse for that. So it's a very difficult business model for them to adopt. On the other hand, chiropractors have a wonderful opportunity because the reality is we are basically people who help people make better lifestyle choices without the use of drugs and surgery, which is really the essence of what's required these days.

All of us need to get a better understanding, whether you're a massage therapist, a naturopath, etc. We write about all of these in the chapter I mentioned to you earlier about creating your wellness routine. We really have a tremendous respect for all of us coming together to understand what role we play. You take any team - baseball team, football team, whatever it may be - people have different positions on the team and you can't become a championship team unless you all understand how you help each other get there or win. It's a job, no question.

I'm not saying it's easy. I'm not saying it's going to happen overnight. But I am saying this is really the most exciting and powerful time that the wellness industry has ever seen and my hope, goal, vision is that if I've got something to say about it we will try to unite the personal training profession, for example, the massage therapy profession, the chiropractic profession, Pilates - pilates is tremendously powerful and influential these days. We all have a role in helping people understand that they need to take more responsibility for their healthcare. There's no one right, perfect way for everyone all the time. We will do so much better for ourselves and for our patients and our communities if we can start working together and cooperating and understand that referring to each other is a great thing, but everybody participates versus everybody going through the scarcity and being divided as a profession.

I have come out with another book specifically for providers, a new eBook that is the five secrets of America's top wellness centers revealed. What I did is I basically have interviewed for the past almost 20 years now... As I mentioned, many of my closest friends are world- class wellness doctors, many work with professional athletes, A-list celebrities, we're very involved on a variety of different levels from research and science to politics and so on and so forth. I've found and discovered that there are five secrets to making the transformation. I put it together in this very short ebook. It's easy to read. It's actually fun to read, so to speak.

Kevin: You said, "The five secrets revealed." You've got to reveal one before you go. [Laughter]

Dr. Deitch: The first secret really is that there is a mindset of a wellness doctor that is different than a traditional doctor. I don't mean traditional medical doctor but even in the "holistic healthcare field" there is a different mindset, one towards promoting health and wellbeing versus being what I think of as a holistic healer. The difference is that a holistic healer is really somebody, and again, I'm just making my definitions and distinctions, you can argue the words and create your own words if you like, but my point is that there are many people, chiropractors, massage therapists and so on, nutritionists, that use non-pharmaceutical approaches to treat symptoms. Essentially that becomes their goal. Their explanation is, "Look, you can either heal your symptom through pharmaceutical means or surgery or you can use non-pharmaceutical methods and approaches."

I don't say that that's wrong or bad or anything, I think it's wonderful, but wellness is really something different. Wellness by our definition, again people can argue that wellness is early detection of disease and that's what they confuse it for often times, but what we're trying to teach is that wellness is really about teaching people to take self-responsibility. It's about helping people do the things for themselves that they're capable of.

We often times use the metaphor of money. Most people don't consider themselves wealthy because they're not bankrupt and yet that's the way most people define being healthy. Most people think they're healthy because they're not diseased, sick or injured. It's completely inaccurate and it's time for us to use terms that really are more reflective and accurate in what it is that we're trying to accomplish. Health and wealth are in essence the same. Wealth is something that most people seek to attain. They work hard to attain it and it's something that is constantly evolving and goring. If I give you 200 dollars you'd probably want 400. If I give you 1,000 dollars you'd probably want 2,000. There's more.

And health really is the same thing. There's more to it. It is something you can build, it is something you can grow. You can be healthier at 40 than you could be at 30 and so on and so forth, depending on your self-responsibility and what you do. That's really the education we try to, again, inspire more than inform, inspire people to learn and really take part in.

So that's the first secret. The wellness industry must adapt to the changing environment that is taking place by focusing on really inspiring people to want to improve their health, not just to use us as a drugless solution to just simply fixing a problem that they're going to go back and end up probably recreating because of their lifestyle anyway.

Kevin: That's great. I know that you have to run so I want to thank you for your time.

Kevin Gianni the host of Renegade Health Show - a fun and informative daily health show that is changing the perception of health across the world. His is an internationally known health advocate, author, and film consultant. He has helped thousands and thousands of people in over 21 countries though online health teleseminars about abundance, optimum health & longevity. He is also the creator and co-author of "The Busy Person's Fitness Solution."

Getting to Find Out About Your Medication

Sadly, even nice things can turn out to be unsafe, more so if they are not availed of as they should be. The same holds good for medicine also. Prior to using any kind of medication, it is crucial that you get to learn everything about it at the outset. The more information you have about it, the more secure will you be. There is no medicine that is perfectly safe and all need to be taken under the recommendation and supervision of a physician. Besides, it is equally imperative that you have as much information regarding your medication as you can prior to using it. Every medicine, irrespective of how simple or regular it may appear, will have possible side effects and likely complications that may arise from using it.

Hence, it is necessary that you find out all that needs to be known about the medication - from the medicine's name and its place of manufacture, including its composition, to possible side effects, food interactions, drug interactions, and so on. Moreover, you should also become conversant with the right dosage for you, the amount to be taken and the right time to consume it, if it has to be taken with food, if it should not be taken with certain kinds of foods and if it's necessary to have it at a fixed time each day. All these factors can have an influence on the kind of outcomes you obtain from the medicine and also on the likely side effects it produces.

How To Find Out About Your Medicine

What is the way to obtain this vital information concerning your medicine? What are the places that you could approach to acquire more details about your medication? The following are some excellent sources:

• Your physician
• Your chemist
• The Web
• Medical books
• Medical dictionary

In addition, you have to bear in mind that every individual reacts in a distinctive and different manner to a particular medication. Frequently, these sources will give you the broad or average facts regarding a specific medicine but you have no way of telling that you will react the same way when you use it. There is nothing that can be substituted for your physician's supervision and precise self-monitoring while using a medicine.

Where NOT to Obtain Your Medicine Information

Well, there are certain sources you must not rely on for obtaining information relating to your medicine. Be wary of online message boards and forums where people provide guidance, who may not be competent to provide such counsel. You must also be circumspect about taking advice from family members and friends. While they may have used the same medicine earlier, all medicines produce different reactions in different individuals and in different conditions.

Knowledge is indispensable, particularly when you are using some kind of medicine, even OTC drugs. Ensure you are thoroughly informed prior to using medicines of any kind.

Guy Starbuck is a tennis and golf playing, health oriented, coffee drinking writer and financial guru who writes for MedicineSection.com, and VascularPressure.com.

Everything You Have to Know Regarding Medicine

All of us have used medicines, sometime or the other, either for sickness, ache or for some other medical reason. There are pills that are recommended by your physician and also over the counter drugs that you can buy at the local pharmacy. However, what is your knowledge of medicine and what exactly it is used for?

It is of utmost importance that you familiarize yourself with all aspects of medicine, medicine precautions and in case you are popping one in, then the specific medicine you are using along with any side effects, the taking of different drug combinations and so on. If your physician gives you a particular medicine prescription, it is their responsibility to enlighten you about it and also any possible side effects, interactions, or other vital details.

When you visit the chemist to purchase the prescribed medicines, he will normally provide you with additional information concerning your medication and the right way to take it. You also can obtain essential information about medicines and drugs if you go online. The following are some broad guidelines regarding everything you must know concerning medicine, particularly before using anything.

Precautions: Safety precautions are the number one concern pertaining to taking of medication. All drugs, even the OTC ones, have inherent risks and side effects. Therefore, it is imperative that you get acquainted with the appropriate safety precautions in order to prevent complications or perhaps even death.

1. Do not pop in any pill if you are ignorant of what exactly it is.
2. Do not take a pill that has been recommended for someone else.
3. Without first consulting your physician, never discontinue, change, enhance or otherwise vary your dose.
4. Do not ever take expired medicines.

Right Dosage: Next, it is really essential for you to keep in mind to always take the right dosage of a prescribed medicine. Now, this is a widespread problem with OTC drugs since people feel that they can take any amount they wish or to increase the dosage beyond the recommended level so as to relieve themselves of their symptoms.

Reliable Information: Moreover, it's also necessary that you have an extremely reliable information source concerning your medicine. Have you any idea where to go in order to get more information regarding a specific medicine? Are you aware whom to approach to answer any queries you may have? Do you know from where to seek assistance in case you develop problems or complications from taking a particular drug? You must have this crucial information readily available when using any kind of medication.

When you adhere to these safety precautions, when you go by your physician's advice, use your medications carefully and comply with the guidelines and safety measures of your OTC drugs, you can receive the maximum benefit of the medicines you are using, without the associated risks and possible side effects. But, bear in mind that certain side effects continue to be present but most of them can be dealt with if you have the requisite information concerning your medicines.

Guy Starbuck is a tennis and golf playing, health oriented, coffee drinking writer and financial guru who writes for MedicineSection.com, and MedicalNeeds.com.

Natural Thyroid Medicines

What are natural thyroid medicines? Exactly what the term implies; medication from natural substances as opposed to those synthetically engineered. Natural medicines are derived from plant leaves, stems, roots, and sometimes the entire plant. The benefit of natural remedies is the fact that plants draw their unique medicinal properties from natural sunlight, untreated rain water, and the fertile soil of the earth we inhabit. It stands to reason that as humans, since we also draw energy from the sun and eat the fruits of the earth, our bodies will respond better to a treatment that includes these elements rather than man-made substances manufactured in a laboratory.

The two prominent types of natural thyroid therapies comes from plants and diet. There is a third called glandular or 'protomorphogen' therapy. The process uses desiccated thyroid tissue from cattle to provide the human host with the needed iodine and necessary nutrients to promote healthy thyroid action.

Natural thyroid medicines such as herbal remedies include the use of Bugleweed which is steeped into a tea, and decreases excessive activity of the thyroid. Motherwort, a member of the mint family, has been tried successfully for reducing hyperactivity and easing abnormal heart rhythms. Other remedies include the use sea plants. A type of alga known as Bladderwrack is a superior remedy for an under active thyroid. This seaweed is mildly antibacterial and has been known to reduce an enlarged thyroid or goiter. Nori is another seaweed that has been consumed in Chinese and Japanese diets for centuries and is touted for its abundant nutritional qualities. Nori contains high concentrations of iodine which is vital for proper thyroid function. Since nori is so nutritious, it is often referred to as "sea vegetables".

Diet plays an important role in managing thyroid conditions. When dealing with hyperthyroidism you should avoid foods rich in iodine and stimulating beverages like coffee and cola. For hypothyroidism, where iodine intake is crucial, vegetables from the cabbage family should be eaten regularly and in good quantities. These include turnips, kale, broccoli, and limited amounts of brussels sprout.

There are many kinds of natural thyroid medicines mostly in the form of herbs and plants as well as natural thyroid medications which are superb alternatives in the form of dietary supplements. A thyroid supplement rich in nori seaweed is ideal for hypothyroidism because it is abundant with iodine which is essential for treating hypothyroidism.

Improve Your Night Vision With Bilberry

BilbVaccinium myrtillus is a shrub found in the mountains of Europe and North America. It is related to the North America's blueberry and huckleberry. The shrub produces a blue black or purple berry with purple meat from July through September, depending on the elevation. This berry is the part of the plant of interest. In addition to its use as a food, it was documented as being used to treat kidney stones, biliary problems, scurvy, coughs, and tuberculosis in the 1500s. It has also been used to make a traditional tea to treat diabetes, and purportedly has a hypoglycemic effect. Little is known about bilberry's active constituents and their pharmacology, although it has been studied since at least 1964 for ophthalmological and vascular disorders.

Most of these studies were performed in Europe and many are published in non-English or obscure journals. Stories of British Royal Air Force pilots eating bilberry jam during World War II to improve their night vision may have prompted some of these studies. In the United States, bilberry is usually sold in capsule form as an antioxidant and to promote eye health. It is sometimes combined with other vitamins or herbs purported to be beneficial to the eye, such as lutein or eyebright.

Bilberry's ability to stimulate synthesis of connective tissue glycosaminoglycans may be the mechanism underlying its beneficial effects in several pathologies. Its gastroprotective, vasoprotective, and healing properties may all be tied to this action.Billberry extract was able to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor expression by human keratinocytes in vitro. This suggests that bilberry or its constituents may have a role in cancer prevention or treatment.

Bilberrry was able to attenuate only the acute effect of Triton on triglycerides, suggesting that bilberry improves lipoprotein clearance, but does not affect lipoprotein production. Although bilberry's effect on triglycerides is similar to that of the fibric acid derivatives (e.g., gemfibrozil, fenofibrate) used therapeutically to treat hypertriglyceridemia, bilberry did not affect thrombus size or composition, suggesting that it does not possess antithrombotic activity, as has been demonstrated with some fibric acid derivatives.

Oxidized low-density liporpotein (LDL) is known for its ability to stimulate inflammatory processes involved in the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. For this reason, there has been interest in the use of antioxidants such as bilberry to protect against LDL oxidation.

Bilberry jam purportedly improved night vision in Royal Air Force pilots within 24 hours of eating bilberry jam, and at least five European studies showing the beneficial effect of bilberry on night vision were published prior to 1970. A 1997 Israeli study published as an abstract found negative results, as did a more recent study performed in 15 Navy Seals. In this trial, Muth and colleagues studied the effect of bilberry extract (25% anthocyanocides) 160 mg taken three times daily for 3 weeks on night visual acuity and night contrast sensitivity in subjects with visual acuity correctable to at least 20/20.

An independent laboratory verified the composition of the extract used. Eight subjects were given placebo and seven were given the extract in double-blind fashion. After a 30-day washout, the subjects were crossed over the alternate treatment arm. Nighttime visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were measured under lighting conditions simulating full moonlight. These studies showed that bilberry improved night visual acuity, adaptation to darkness, and recovery of visual acuity after glare.

There are currently no reported adverse effects from the consumption of bilberry or related compounds. When the fruit is consumed in amounts normally contained in foods, bilberry falls under the Generally Recognized as Safe category according to the US Food and Drug Administration.

Bilberry have several benefits, but it might not work for everyone, the good news is there are no side effects from consuming the fruit. The leafs is just the opposite since it contains toxins. Bilberry is a good option to improve night vision.

If you would like to learn more about health related topics, Check out http://www.healthyencounter.com for latest health news & articles.

Get Off Prescription Medications

Do you want to get off prescriptions? A prescription medication is what a physician prescribes for a symptom. In order to stop meds, there are some steps you can take.

Step 1. Tell your doctor to monitor you while you're making healthy changes. You do not have to ask their permission, but let them know what changes you're making. If there is a reasonable conflict, then change your plan. For example, say you wanted to go on a grapefruit diet but were taking a prescription medication that prohibits that. The doctor would be able to let you know that grapefruit has been shown to interfere with some enzymes that break down certain drugs in our intestines and liver, increasing blood levels of the drug which could lead to a higher risk of serious side effects. For this reason, any grapefruit product including dietary supplements that contain grapefruit flavonoids, can cause the same problems. In this situation, you would change your plan. Let's continue with the steps.

Step 2. Nourish your cells.

This is a big step. If you don't take this step, there's NO WAY you'll ever get off prescriptions. The reason? You cannot eat the foods necessary to provide your body with the nourishment it needs to stay healthy, fight illness, and prevent disease. Unless you eat foods grown in nutrient dense soil, allowed to ripen on the vine, and eaten without processing, it is impossible to get balanced nutrition. Plants get nutrients from the soil as they grow and ripen. If you pick an orange from a tree that hasn't got good soil, it will not have the 90mg of Vitamin C that it should have. Especially if picked early. Shipping foods, changes in temperature, and storage are also factors that deplete foods of nutrients. Then, we process the food. When I first heard about processing, I wasn't exactly sure what people were talking about. As I learned, it's not just fast foods, it's basics foods.

Let's look at eggs. They have really gotten a bad rap!

Once the agricultural revolution began, chickens were packed in together for large scale production. Then, they were fed cheaply and given hormones and antibiotics to keep up production and minimize illness. There is still an enormous loss of these animals because of their lifestyle, just like us!
So...when you get the egg, it's very easy to break because it has a thin shell (the first sign of a bad egg). The yolk is pale (compared to a good egg), and the whites are, well, runny. Enzymes are lost and protein denatured when you cook an egg. I don't eat uncooked eggs though. Yuck! Some people do, and achieve the benefits. Did you know that an egg from a chicken that is not raised under those conditions has such powerful nutrition, that it will balance cholesterol levels even when cooked? In our family, we eat up to 10 eggs a week - per person! No one in our family has high cholesterol levels. So, you can't tell me that eggs are bad for cholesterol. You can tell me that bad eggs are bad for cholesterol!

How do you get your nutrition in today's world of processing? More processing. Really? Yep, the right kind of processing. Using today's technology, nutrient balance can be achieved using science. Here's what you need to know about balance. If we don't have it, our bodies get sick. To get off prescriptions you must provide nutritional balance to your body. For example, when we don't provide the body with the right kind of calcium, it steals it from the bone to help the heart. The body prioritizes. To it, the heart is more important. To you, the response is painful joints. If you are on a medication for osteoporosis, once balance is achieved, talk with your doctor to get off prescriptions.

Step 3. With your doctor's guidance, reduce or eliminate prescriptions one at a time.

Medications are chemicals. Your body does not recognize them. Aspirin was developed for headache relief. That does not mean your body is deficient in aspirin! You can live without it. Aspirin is not a prescription, but consider this: taking an aspirin a day increases your risk of developing macular degeneration? Why? Because those tiny blood vessels in your eye can bleed. Aspirin causes hemorrhaging at the capillary level. The smaller the blood vessel (capillary), the higher the risk. Your eyes and kidneys have very small blood vessels.

Look at your body systems. Doctors have done this for years. The trouble is, we don't re-connect and look at the whole. For example, lets look at the heart with regard to blood pressure.
Get off prescriptions for your heart? Most people who want to do that are guys. Why? Blood pressure medication can cause impotence. What guy wants to go through life with that? Oh, there's that prescription to counteract that, but at what risk to the heart? A huge one. When you have high blood pressure, unless it's related to stress (that's another story), the body senses a need to have higher pressure. It's trying to push that blood into places that aren't getting the blood needed. Those places can be your brain, your heart, your kidneys, or your legs - for example. When you have thickening in your blood vessels, it takes more pressure to get the blood through.

Thickening is caused by inflammation which is caused by nutritional deficiencies. The body doesn't have enough Vitamin C, L-lysine, and L-proline. Look for a high quality full spectrum multivitamin/mineral product with these nutrients for heart health. Don't forget your Omegas! Combined with your multi may just change your health story!

Step 4. Enjoy life when you get off prescriptions.

Deb Shore is the author of the website http://www.change-your-healthstory.com She has helped hundreds of the "health challenged" create a new lifestyle through her online stories. If you're looking for a way to change your health story, check it out! Learn how to build your foundation of health through NUTRITION!

Mail Order Medications From Mexico

There are a number of drugs licensed from United States, which can also be purchased in Mexico. Most of the marketed drugs have names that are nearly identical to some supplier from the U.S. If the drugs that you need to buy are not included in your plan, or have no recommendation plan, then you can try to purchase these drugs in Mexico. You can mail order medications from Mexico for a fair price. Most of the medicines from this country are cheaper than the similar products manufactured in any US company. Those recently approved products in the US are often expensive than those drugs, which have been sold in the US market for a longer time.

Mail order medications from Mexico could be a great alternative to possibly get savings in purchasing medicine products. Since the products that were sold in the US market are quite expensive, people may have the option to purchase cheaper medicines from Mexico, which almost have the same quality with the medicine products in the US. But before crossing the edge, one should still consider the advice coming from an expert physician. There could have reasons why Mexican medicines could not be a good alternative for the recommended US product. So you should not buy medicines from Mexico without your physicians approval. If possible ask for a written recommendation for the drugs generic name. Always bring your prescriptions every time that you purchase medicines from Mexico. If the US trade and Mexican business name are not similar, you may get advice from the expert about the specific similarity of the general ingredient names. Drugs generic names in Mexico might be similar but are not exactly similar from the generic name in US. The business names of a medicine created by a given corporation for sale from different nations are usually different. Say, the fluticasone that was made by Glaxo is trade as Flixotide in Mexico and Flovent in USA.

Another consideration before you mail order medications from Mexico is that the majority of the big pharmaceutical companies, which market medicines in USA, are multinational companies that provide the active contents of the medicine for sale and repackaging in many nations including Mexico. In some conditions the active content of preparations that was sold in Mexico and in US is the same and was produced to the same worldwide manufacturing standards of consistency and purity.

Finally, before you mail order medications from Mexico, you should as well consider the fact that drugs available from Mexico are not inevitably substandard to the similar products in USA. Most the medicines that can be purchased in Mexico but not in the United States are truly superior from those available in the US with similar indication; however, other exceptional Mexican medicines are dangerous and might not have a licensed.

Candis Reade is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about Mail Order Medications From Mexico, please visit Economical Medications Online for current articles and discussions.

Natural Sleeping Aid - Can Herbal Sleeping Pills Help You Sleep Better?

If that much-needed sleep has eluded you and you find yourself tossing around in bed unable to sleep soundly, then you might want to consider using natural sleeping aids.

Some people are scared of sleeping pills and their negative effects. It is not recommended to take sleeping pills for long term as you can get addicted to it and unable to sleep without it in future. So going natural would seem the best option.

Load up with amino acids contained in a warm glass of milk can help you sleep better. This is what mothers usually give to their babies and it will definitely work even for adults.

The soothing effect of chamomile tea is also an alternative for milk while other herbs and essential oils such as valerian, lavender and rose help calm the mind and soothe the senses by producing endorphin and serotonin considered as relaxing hormones.

Try not to eat or have just a light snack before going to sleep. A very full stomach, although very tempting to sleep with one, can cause indigestion and may interfere with a sound sleep.

Drinks that contain caffeine, eating chocolates and smoking are never to be taken if you want to get that slumber. You can also try to exercise during the late afternoon or evening. It can help relieve stress and help your body relax at night, which is the same effect if you would take a hot shower before hitting the pillows.

Prepare a room conducive for sleep by dimming the lights, lighting aroma therapy candles, and changing fresh sheets. Soft music can also help ease your mind.

Herbal sleeping pills are now available on the market and these can help you sleep better through a mix blend of minerals and natural herbs. These have no side effects and they help induce sleep at night.

If you are looking for the best natural sleeping aid, I recommend Melatrol, a herbal sleeping pill. Learn how melatrol, a natural sleeping aid can help you get rid of insomnia and sleep better at night.

Conventional Medicine is a Hoax

The conventional medical community and Big Pharma (Drug industry) has brainwashed the general population into believing that their way is the way to correct your health problems. Now there are some credible doctors in America who really have the correct methods for curing your ailments and diseases but they are not among the conventional or traditional medical community. These doctors are the holistic doctors, the naturopaths, the osteopathic and even the chiropractors.

They are the ones that use alternative methods to address your ills such as recommending better diets, nutritional supplements and many other lifestyle changes. Lets look at it this way. Your body was created with the very tools you need to protect your health and even repair it when necessary.

The conventional medical doctor's methods interrupt the natural course of treatment that the body can provide by adapting certain lifestyle changes to cure any ailment. The traditional doctor now joins forces with Big Pharma to poison the body with chemicals that begins to destroy the built-in healing system you were born with.

If you continue to let conventional doctors treat you in this manner you will become even sicker then before your illness or disease was diagnosed. What will it take to teach everyone this is not the proper way to address a serious health problem? If it takes some shocking news to convince you to not accept this type of medical treatment here it is: The recent deaths of some well-known celebrities such as Tim Russert, Tony Snow, Peter Jennings and Bernie Mac are some prime examples of potentially dangerous medical treatment that was used on these people.

I say potentially dangerous treatment because that is exactly why these men died. Not one of them was treated with any alternative medical methods from what I read. All of them, basically, had their insides burned up with poisonous chemicals, best known as prescription drugs. One of the greatest problems with the conventional doctors is, he or she, didn't receive but a few hours of education about nutrition in all their years in medical school. In reality this should have been an area of education where they got hours and hours of education.

Have you ever gone to your doctor and he/she has discussed in length with you what lifestyle changes is recommended for you? If you did get that advice you were lucky. Usually the only doctors that do this sort of thing are the ones that were mentioned earlier. Some of the key factors that your doctor should be discussing with your is your diet, exercise, nutritional supplements, stress management and any unhealthy habits like smoking or alcohol addiction.

Learn this lesson real soon. Unless you control all these elements of your health and put them in the right perspective you will never have a healthy body. Believe me it's as simple as that. What I get so concerned about is this valuable information about healthy practices is rarely available in the everyday press. You only seem to be able to find it on the internet or in articles special reports such as this one.

Whether you would like to believe it or not, the pharmaceutical industry does not want you to hear any of this kind of information. Now you might say, "I can't believe you feel that way". Well it's true because think of this. If people are made aware of cures without having to take prescription drugs, how long would they be in business? I guarantee they are not in business to cure you.

They are in the business of deception. Because as long as you stay sick or think you are sick they got you hooked for as long as you want to be hooked. There is some satisfaction in all of this now because more and more people are questioning the rationale of doctors treatments and the drug industry's aggressiveness.

Sooner or later this big hoax balloon will burst and people will wake up to the fact they have been severely brainwashed by conventional doctors and Big Pharma for a long time. I'll be joyous when that happens.

Sonny grew up in a family that owned a local florist business that lasted or 63 years. For 29 years he was personally involved in the business. Eventually becoming dissatisfied with it he left to become a sales representative and spent more than 20 years in sales roles. After retirement Sonny became heavily involved in developing an internet business.

Four years ago, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. On the first visit with his wife to her oncologist, Sonny became involved in a discussion over possible treatments. He wanted to discuss alternative treatments instead of conventional treatments for her disease. The doctor was not receptive to his ideas at all.

Because of this experience he left that doctor's office that day vowing to spent the rest of this life searching for alternative health methods to treat and cure all illnesses and diseases. He then started sharing that information on his websites and began writing articles on health matters to raise public awareness on the issues.

He will continue to share that information with everyone who is interested in his findings. Just recently he released his free ebook "Become Healthier in Body and Mind" You can retrieved it at: http://www.FreeEbook.homestead.com

Shop 'Til You Drop Generic Drugs

This can't really be emphasized enough - use generic drugs as often as you can, unless of course your doctor has insisted on no substitutions. And even then, ask about that. You see, doctors don't really give much thought to the price of your drugs unless you point blank ask them.

This isn't to say they aren't getting better at understanding that their choices for drugs for patients does ultimately cost someone some significant bucks if they aren't prudent in their prescribing.

The bottom line here is that health care administrators, government agencies, and insurance companies etc. are starting to put limits on the dollars for drugs prescribed. If you stop to think about that, it only makes sense because costs are spiraling right out of control. Think billions of dollars in deficit for the US health care system.

This is an interesting area actually as drug companies are smart and market directly to consumers. Their main goal is to convince them they need the "newest" drug on the market because it's better. Don't believe that for one minute. Often the newest drug these days is a remake of the old one that worked just fine thanks a bunch.

The only reason drug companies oppose generic drug manufacturers is because they will lose market share and profits will suck like a vacuum. There is nothing wrong with generic drugs. They're the same drug as the original patented one, perhaps formulated slightly differently. E.g. the coating may not be gelatin

Don't be sucked in by the lure of a newer, better, more effective drug. If the old one is tried, tested and true, then why not use it? One thing is for sure; it's a darn sight cheaper than the patented new drugs.

Yes it's true - even when it comes to prescribing drugs the ka-ching is the driving force behind managing expenses. Learn to manage your own personal health care budget by asking for generic drugs at the pharmacy or better yet, ask your doctor to give you a script for the generic version of the drug you need.

Richard Cantu is with Texas Health and Life, a Texas health insurance and Texas life insurance agency in Texas. To learn more, visit http://www.texashealthandlife.com

Medicines to Keep Health and Away From Heart Attacks

Medicines are what people turn to whenever they start feeling something. For headaches, chest pains and even hang-over, people take the aspirin. Did you know that aspirins lower the chances of having a heart attack? However daily aspirin use is not for everyone. There are directions in the labeling of the aspirin regarding its use and for what it is for. Reducing the chances of a heart attack is not among them. Having sufficient medical knowledge would make enable you to use aspirin to reduce heart attacks. Health is sustained and prolonged with the advancement and development of many effective and cheap medicines. Many people use medicines whenever they feel sick or even before they feel sick. Certain vitamins and medicines allow people to keep their health and stay away from diseases.

Heart attacks and medicines almost always appear in the same sentence. There are medicines to avoid and prevent heart attacks. This is brought to us by the technological advancement that man has achieved over the years. Although, some medicines before where proven to have negative effects when taken by a person with a heart condition, doctors try to warn their patients about them. Some medicines even cause heart complications.

This just says that even though medicines have been proven to improve health, it is not a perfect solution to prevent heart attacks. The best way to really prevent heart attacks is to exercise daily, live a healthy life by not smoking, by drinking moderately and eat a healthy diet. Never forget to get general check up every once in a while.

Don't let Panic control you! It's possible to overcome: http://panicattacks-away.blogspot.com

Does a lack of enough money really contribute to stress?

Have you ever woken in the middle of the night with your head pounding away, and your heart trying to do a new version of the Cha-Cha?

I have, and it's a scary experience when your heart is beating so fast and so irregularly that you can actually feel it making you sicker and sicker. And you can feel your blood pressure going up every minute.

That night I ended up in the emergency room at the local hospital, with nothing wrong with me physically, just a huge overload of stress that had thrown my body into total disarray. Yes the medical team did have to pump me full of drugs to bring everything back to normal, and they did have to temporarily stop my heart and restart it before they could get it to return to a regular beat ... but there wasn't anything wrong with me physically if you understand the differentiation I'm trying to make. It was all just about the stress!

So, what was I so stressed about?

Money. Or to put it more correctly, a lack of money!

Back then I had debt up to my ears, credit cards I couldn't pay, mortgages that I was potentially defaulting on, and not enough money to even put food on the table. I had seriously stuffed up.

I wasn't just making-ends-meet ... I was seriously at risk of financial self-destruction.

I'd lie awake at night wondering how to solve the problems, and worrying myself sick because I didn't know to solve them ... and I was constantly scared of the impending "executioner's sword" I could feel hanging above my head.

So the stress in my body grew and grew. And it almost killed me.

All because of a lack of money. And it's not just me that has struggled with money-related stress. A poll by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that money issues were the top reasons for holiday-related stress. And a lack of money also contributes to stress at other times as well.

The survey found that 61% of Americans listed "lack of money" as the top cause of holiday stress followed by the pressures of gift giving, lack of time, and credit card debt. Survey results also showed that younger people were more worried about a lack of money compared to people over the age of 35. Maybe the demands or the stresses are higher when you are younger with a new family etc.?

In the end I did find a way forward, and it worked. I found out how to increase the money coming in, and decrease the money going out ... and now my stress is at the correct level, so no more middle-of-the-night trips to the emergency rooms. Both my wife and I now sleep very well.

No matter how you look at it, not having enough money creates increased levels of stress ... and that has many flow-on effects in other parts of our lives, including our ability to work.

Having extra money to use every week means that we can pay our bills when they fall due, and we can do more for all those around us ... and that results in less pressure and less stress to deal with.

Enough Money = Less Stress. It's that simple!

Howard Woolston is a writer based in Wellington, New Zealand with a number of books and articles published over the years.

For more information, and to contact the author please go to http://www.INeedMoreMoneyToday.com

Cord Blood Transplantation - A Life Savior Technique

The cord Blood which was discarded soon after the birth of a baby is regarded as a life saving device for the future generations of a family. It has thereby become imperative to save the precious blood which is rich in stem cells necessary for the treatment of several life threatening diseases. In the past ten years, several cord blood transplantations have been performed worldwide as an alternative for treating cancer and serious genetic disorders. The first cord blood transplant was done in 1988

There are various sources of retreiving stem cells and Umbilical cord blood is one of the three sources for obtaining the blood-forming cells used in transplants. The other two sources are bone marrow and peripheral (circulating) blood. It is collected at the time of delivery after the birth of the baby. The blood from the cord is collected carefully by the hospital staff who are trained in the service. It is then tested, frozen and stored at a cord blood bank for future use. The stored blood is called a cord blood unit (cbu).

The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry includes more than 70,000 cbu. Doctors search the NMDP Registry of adult marrow or peripheral blood cell donors and cbus to find a suitable HLA match for their patients who need a transplant. If selected, the matching blood is transfused to a patient. The transplant process is the same as for marrow and peripheral blood cell transplants

The use of cord blood transplants has grown for both children and adults. It is used more often in children because an umbilical cord holds a limited amount of blood. The number of blood-forming cells in a transplant should match the size of the patient - usually younger patients need fewer cells and older patients need more cells. Some cbus may not have enough blood-forming cells for some patients.

Doctors are trying different ways to increase the number of cells in a cbu so they can use cord blood for larger patients. One method being studied is to give a patient two units. Another method being studied is to grow the number of cells in a in a laboratory before giving it to the patient.

When your doctor searches the NMDP Registry, he or she will choose the best cell source for you. That may be marrow or peripheral blood from an adult donor or it may be a cb unit. A doctor might choose cord blood because of some of the ways it differs from marrow or peripheral blood.

A close match between the patient and the donor or cbu can improve a patient's outcome after transplant. Even though a closely matched one is always preferred, clinical studies suggest the match may not have to be as close as is needed for marrow or peripheral blood transplants. It can take two months or more to find an unrelated marrow or peripheral blood donor. A unit can be selected and delivered to the transplant center in less than two weeks. Your doctor may choose cord blood if you need a transplant quickly.

However there are chances that your doctor might not approve of Cord blood transplantation. The possible reasons for this are:

• There may not be enough blood-forming cells in a unit for the size of the patient.

• It usually takes longer for cord blood cells to engraft (begin to grow and create new blood cells and an immune system). Until the cells engraft, the patient is at a high risk for infection.

• Patients cannot get backup cells from the same cbu. If a patient's transplanted marrow or peripheral blood cells do not engraft or the patient relapses, the patient may be able to get a second donation from the same adult donor. After a transplant, this option is not available. However, doctors may be able to use a different unit or a backup adult donor instead.

Cord blood transplants also have all the same risks as marrow and peripheral blood transplants. The risk of infection may be higher after a cord blood transplant because of the longer time to engraft.

If you have questions about whether a cord blood transplant is right for you, talk with your doctor. Every patient's situation is different. Your transplant doctor knows your situation and can help you make choices about your treatment.

cord blood plays a vital role in the treatment of life-threatening blood diseases. In such a case cord blood transplant may be an option.

What Are the Side Effects of Gabapentin

Gabapentin (also known by the brand name Neurontin) is a prescription drug originally approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1994 to help people suffering from epilepsy to better handle mild seizures. Since that time, it has been commonly used to treat neuropathic pain. This type of pain mainly effects the nervous system. It has also been used to a limited degree to treat bipolar disorder, migraine prevention, and some severe forms of medication-resistant depression. But with the various uses for treatment, one needs to ask the question: what are the side effects of gabapentin?

One common side effect of gabapentin of dizziness. This tends to occur in the beginning of treatment, but usually lessens as your body becomes more accustomed to the medication. Another typical complaint of Neurontin users is extreme drowsiness. Until you are aware of just how drowsy the prescription will be, its best to avoid operating motor vehicles and heavy machinery.

Another side effect commonly reported by Neurontin users is peripheral edema. This is an uncomfortable condition where the hands and feet become swollen. If this becomes painful, or doesn't go away after a few weeks of starting the gabapentin treatment, a doctor should be seen immediately.

There has been a few preliminary studies on rats in which subjects developed carcinomas. Although these carcinomas did not adversely effect the lifespan of the rats, more testing is necessary.

If you suffer from some form of neuropathic pain and would like to explore this treatment further, it is highly recommended that you talk to your physician and learn more details on what the side effect of gabapentin (Neurontin) are. Living with pain can be a miserable experience. For many individuals, gabapentin has offered them some much needed relief.

Want to learn more about the side effects of gabapentin?

Visit my blog at http://GabapentinFacts.blogspot.com to get more information on gabapentin (Neurontin). Although it does offer pain relief for some, its treatment must be thorough researched, as well as discussed with a doctor. Start learning about it today!

This article can be reprinted by newsletter/ezine owners and webmasters as long as the links are kept active and none of the content is altered.

A Special Kind of Medicine

Almost a decade ago, I had a negative experience with cosmetic facial surgery. I was left with serious functional disorders which have progressed to a frightening degree. I will not go into the clinical details, for that is not the purpose of this article. However, to clarify what follows, it is fair to say that I was blacklisted as a patient by the most competent surgeons here in the US after going public with my story. There were a few truly compassionate doctors who tried their best to help me, but not being plastic surgeons themselves, their hands were tied to a great extent.

One of these doctors is my primary care physician. She is from India, and I could not hope for a more highly skilled, kind and compassionate doctor. I had the good fortune to become her patient when she first arrived on Cape Cod, as patients gravitated to her practice like bees to blossoms. As her patients became numerous, she was forced to refer newcomers to her colleagues. As my primary care physician, my situation has been deeply frustrating to us both, as she does everything within her realm of specialty to see that I receive every possible diagnostic that might help a surgeon work out a method of corrective surgery that may improve breathing, swallowing, and jaw closure which were impaired by my face-lift operation. However, in today's medical system, particularly in the realm of cosmetic plastic surgery where surgeons' egos tend to expand to phenomenal proportions and practitioners remain behind the 'White Wall of Silence', those with iatrogenic injuries often become the untouchables of the patient population, and are left unable to find a surgeon willing to treat them.

As my condition essentially disabled me to the point where surviving every 24 hours has become a toss of fate and I struggle to accomplish the most basic tasks to maintain independence, I literally begged a highly skillful, good hearted surgeon to see me. This required months of e-mail communication, and I am certain he agreed to help me against the judgment of his colleagues, who warned him against any involvement with my case.

After an appointment date was set, I was scheduled to see my primary care physician. I felt very hopeful on this day. My heart felt lighter than it had for years, and I looked forward to telling my doctor about this long awaited breakthrough. This was the first glimmer of hope in years of an otherwise gloomy state of existence. I am rarely able to leave my flat these days, and my monthly visit to my doctor is understandably frustrating for us both as my condition worsens with no available help in sight. I am acutely aware that my situation has made my doctor feel helpless, and my heart aches for her because she is so sensitively attuned to her patients' needs.

On this day, however, I knew our visit would be brighter than she could know. I decided to mark the occasion by wearing a lovely muted gray-green sari in honor of her homeland, India, a country I have always longed to see. I usually dress very simply and plainly these days, as adornment is low on the list of priorities when managing to do needful things requires all the energy I can muster. But this was a day worthy of a special effort. As I draped my sari that morning, I worried, just for a moment, that it would not be done properly to her eyes! However, I am used to wearing a sari, which I believe is the perfect garment for every woman, versatile as well as beautiful and suitable for every occasion. My doctor's eyes lit up when I walked into her examining room in my sari. When I told her about the appointment with the surgeon, the room filled with hope.. my hope of possibly being restored to live a normal life, and her hope for my well being.

She then began the practical part of her exemplary doctoring and gently but firmly reminded me of the risks of surgery and the possibility that things might get worse. She wanted me to think about this decision very carefully. We discussed the status of my health, and she again expressed her happiness about my upcoming appointment with the surgeon.

Then she said something that will stay with me forever. My heart fills with great emotion and my eyes fill with tears as I recall this moment. She pressed her hands together in Namaste and said "I will pray for you". I do not know if this beautiful expression of faith and hope is often spoken by Indian doctors to their patients, but this is the first time a doctor ever said these words to me. I was overwhelmed with her heartfelt expression. Her words and compassion went straight from her heart to mine and will remain with me always. I have had the good fortune to be a patient of doctors who expressed true compassion and a deep desire for my well being, but never has a doctor said they would pray for me, though I believe some of them have done so. Hearing these words spoken with such openness and sincerity is truly a very special kind of medicine. Prayer...A treatment to last a lifetime.

On my way out of her office she turned to me and said "Thank you for wearing the sari". I left there with my heart so full! I said my own prayer then, for my exceptional doctor's life to be filled with blessings always.

Lucille Iacovelli, featured in HBO's documentary 'Plastic Disasters', was forced to retire as a professional gardener after debilitating injury from cosmetic face lift surgery.

A Master Gardener, naturalist and environmentalist, her interests include biodiversity, medical ethics, birdwatching, foraging wild edible plants, and cooking. She blogs about the dangers of cosmetic surgery at http://cosmeticsurgeryuglyside.blogspot.com/ and about her life on Cape Cod at http://lucilleiacovelli.blogspot.com/ where she lives with her rescued cocker spaniel, Sierra.

How Effective Are Muscle Relaxants?

Muscle relaxants are effective in the management of low back pain. However, the side effects require that they should be used with caution.

Cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride has the most recent and largest clinical trials demonstrating its benefit, but carisoprodol, diazepam and metaxalone also appear to be effective.

In 1989 researches compared the effectiveness of cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) alone with diflunisal (Dolobid), placebo, and a combination of cyclobenzaprine and diflunisal in the treatment of acute low back pain and spasm. During the ten-day study period, the combined treatment group demonstrated significantly superior improvements in global ratings on day four, but not on day two or seven. This study suggested some effectiveness of combined analgesic and muscle relaxant therapy when utilized early in the initial week of pain onset.

Another study compared the effects of combined cyclobenzaprine and naproxen (Naprosyn) with naproxen alone and also found combination therapy to be superior in reducing tenderness, spasm, and range of motion in patients with low back pain and spasm.

Cyclobenzaprine and carisoprodol were compared in the treatment of patients with acute thoracolumbar pain and spasm rated moderate to severe and of no longer than seven days duration. Both drugs were effective, without significant differences between the treatment groups. Significant improvements were noted in physician rated mobility and in patients' visual analogue scores on follow up days four and eight. While 60% of patients experienced side effects in the form of drowsiness or fatigue, these differences were not significantly different between treatment groups and only eight percent of patients from each group discontinued treatment.

In an attempt to determine the mechanism of action of carisoprodol in the treatment of low back pain, a study was carried out comparing its effectiveness to that of a sedative medication butabarbital, and a placebo. Carisoprodol was significantly more effective in providing both pain relief and improvements in range of motion. The results of this study suggest that the effects of carisoprodol are not secondary to its sedative effects alone. In addition to the skeletal muscle-relaxing effects, carisoprodol also produces weak anticholinergic, antipyretic, and analgesic effects.

In an earlier study, diazepam (Valium) was found to offer no significant subjective or objective benefit, when compared to placebo, in patients treated for low back pain. Carisoprodol (Soma) was found to be superior to diazepam in the treatment of patients with "at least moderately severe" low back pain and spasm of no longer than seven days duration. In this study, the overall incidence of adverse reactions was higher in the diazepam treated group but was not of statistical significance.

Yury Bayarski is the contributing author of eMedExpert.com. More information about muscle relaxants is available on author's website.

Medical Tourism - Understanding the Risks

While costs of many elective surgeries and medical procedures continues to rise in the US, many people considering going under the knife are looking abroad for cost cutting options. This blossoming industry, known as Medical Tourism, must be approached with even greater caution than surgery in the United States. It is big business, and potential patients are often lured overseas by the promise of quality medical care for as little as one tenth the cost of the same procedure in the US. There are, however, significantly more risks associated with having surgery in a foreign country than there are in the US. We will examine a few of these risks in the following paragraphs.

Licensing and Certification Issues

One of the first things to consider is that foreign countries often do not regulate medical certification and licensing as strictly as the United States. While it is true that many overseas doctors are indeed highly qualified, it is important to investigate the specific credentials and references of each practitioner. This effort may be tougher than usual, since prospective patients in general are far less educated about foreign medical associations and regulations than domestic ones. Most often these medical facilities are privately owned, which can make checking the credentials of surgeons, anesthesiologists, and medical staff all the more difficult.

Legal Issues

Since United States law is rarely enforceable overseas, patients who choose Medical Tourism will have little if any legal recourse in the event that something goes wrong with the procedure. Medical malpractice and negligence can become much tougher issues to deal with in a foreign country than here in the United States. The limited ability to litigate in non-US countries is one reason that the cost of procedures overseas is able to be kept so low. Certainly some countries that market themselves as superior hosts for the medical tourist also tout some form of legal recourse in the case of negligence or malpractice, but these means may not be exactly what the patient is expecting. Hospitals and doctors in certain countries may not be able to pay out a settlement should you successfully win your suit against them. Personal medical insurance will rarely cover procedures that take place out of the country. The prospect of complications long after the patient is back home further muddy the waters of any legal issues that may arise.

Ethical Issues

While many will argue that Medical Tourism is a safe and viable outlet for quality medical care, there are other camps that point out that ethical issues may still exist that should cause American consumers to be extremely wary of going abroad for surgery. In countries such as China and India, there are still alleged instances of illegal purchases of tissues and organs used for transplant surgeries. A broader ethical issue that has grown along with the industry itself is the impact of Medical Tourism on citizens of the countries that people are flocking to in order to have these procedures performed. According to recent reports out of Thailand, doctors in the country have become so busy treating Medical Tourists that Thai patients are now having trouble getting quality care. If this trend continues, expect some backlash in the United States towards those choosing to go abroad for medical procedures.

Follow Up Care Issues

While many have had success going to a foreign country for surgery, some glowing reviews are later retracted because of post-surgery issues. Doctors in the US constantly see patients who have returned from surgery overseas, only to experience complications that require further medical assistance. In this situation it is ideal to revisit the same surgeon that performed the procedure, as he or she will be most familiar with the patient as well as the exact nature of the procedure. However it is most often impractical to arrange another trip abroad for a checkup or to fix a minor problem caused by the initial surgery. This can make it difficult for your home doctor to provide the precise care that would have been easy to provide had the surgery taken place in the US. In some cases the discount a patient enjoyed on the initial surgery may be offset by costly follow up visits required to monitor recovery or correct errors once back home in the United States.

Explore Stateside Options First

With many American surgeons now offering affordable financing options for elective procedures, those thinking of traveling halfway around the globe should take a long look at the many safe, affordable options available here in the United States. In the end, a perceived bargain on a medical procedure may end up costing far more than imagined in terms of money, time, and long term health issues. Patients should carefully weigh the pros and cons of Medical Tourism, taking into account lengthy international travel and the increased number of risks associated with Medical Tourism.

About the Author

Dr. Gerald Kirshenbaum performs gastric Lap Band surgery in Denver, Colorado. He has performed gastric surgeries since 1989, accommodating patients from all over the United States. He accepts out of state patients with minimal office visits prior to scheduling Colorado Lap Band surgery. Lap Band surgery offers the advantages of reduced postoperative pain, shortened hospital stay and quicker recovery than other bariatric surgeries.

Lead surgeon Gerald Kirshenbaum and his team can provide for you to have a successful change in your behavior resulting in dramatic, safe weight loss. Care for you doesn't stop after your Denver Lap Band surgery.

Honey and Its Uses As a Local Healing Medicine and a Natural Antibiotic

Talking about good things to enjoy in pure honey as the world most complete food. It is the only food source known to contain twenty two nutrients for a balanced nutrition. Honey is medicinal, a natural antibiotic and multivitamins. It is a complete natural health formula as it has both preventive and curative medical power. "You will be very healthy and will notice it if it is taken regularly as it will become more of a preventive therapy than curative". The statistical data have linked sugar consumption with diabetes, high level of cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, and short life span. Sugar is also referred to as dead and lifeless food with no nutritional value. Also regular consumption of sugar has hazardous and fatal consequences on health.

Honey is also said to be the only animal carbohydrates available to man by nature as sweetener. It is also the mildest, easiest to digest and easily assimilated by the body even with those having digestion problem. In fact, honey is the best source of quick and lasting energy." Even nutritionists have prove that all organs in the body such as the heart, kidneys, liver etc respond favourably well only to natural, undiluted honey and function optimally when taken regularly. "It is natural vitamins and minerals. It contains low calories and honey is ideal for weight watchers; good health and for general well being" of the body with instant natural energy and stamina to undertake daily activities.

Furthermore, honey contains natural anti-bacterial and other healing properties which assist in fighting and protecting from diseases. It can be used to treat eye diseases both in children and adults. It can also be used as a first aid treatment for those with burns. The healing effects of honey cannot be underestimated as it contain anti-microbial properties. Honey can also be used to treat ear infections, boost fertility and the mode of application.

Also talking about the healing properties of honey, honey has a long history dated to centuries and its use is without any side effect, provided it is not diluted or mixed with any other chemicals. "Honey is far better than sugar, saccharines, artificial sweeteners and other chemically formulated sweeteners. Many pharmaceutical companies uses it to formulate drugs as well as used it to coat many drugs. To be precise, many of the cough syrups are honey-based and have even shown that low calorie health food such as pure honey, if taken regularly, prolongs life and slow down the aging process".

Honey can be mixed with black soap to bath. This has the ability of renewing skin cells and moisturises the skin. Honey can also be used to fight many skin diseases or other dermal infections. To prepare honey-based anti-fungal, anti-bacterial lotion, mix natural sulfur with and regularly applied it regularly on skin infections or diseases. It is very most advisable for every one to emulate the interest of using honey in meals instead of sugar since honey has more trends health solutions than that of sugar whose the only advantage of it is just the sweet taste only but very destructive to human beings.

About The Author Ponnac Okwy, I'm An Ardent Writer On Health Reports To Health Magazines And Other Health Organisations. You Can Read More Of Health, Fitness, Care And Other Related Issues About Health In My Blog Site. Click Health Fitness And Care Blog To Read More.

To Read About Stock Market, And Other Financial Investments, I Highly Recommend You To Visit Stock Gurus Blog.

How to Pick Out and Prepare Herbal Medicines

The use of herbal medicines in today's modern treatment is widely accepted by both common individuals and health experts. In fact, the use of this alternative method of healing alongside modern treatment methods is known to cure common illnesses and in treating major diseases like diabetes, tumor, cancer, and so on.

But this contemporary method, in itself, is not enough to help patients relieve their health problems. Proper prescription and instructions in taking in herbal medicine is necessary for a successful treatment.

Consult A Professional

Consulting a doctor or an herbalist in the use of herbal medicine should be your paramount concern to avoid health risks and problems later on. They will be delving into your medical history by asking certain question regarding current medical treatment, family history of health problems, and so on. You need to answer their questions honestly so that they can arrive at an accurate diagnosis of your health problem to prescribe the proper herbal medicine and instructions for treatment.

Look For Quality

In truth, herbal medicine is cheaper compared to many synthetic drugs today, especially for major health problems. When picking them out as treatment, it would be best to look for quality instead of picking out the cheapest product.

You should also be careful in buying herbal medicine since many scammers and fraud are propagating the market with fake products that can pose a major health risk when taken in. It would be best to ask your doctor or herbalist on the best place to buy these medicines, or some advice on how to separate the real ones from the fakes.

Going Out For Natural

It is true that you can buy herbal medicines by the dozen in herbal stores in your area; but the essence of herbal medicines comes from using the curative properties that comes from real, live plants. You can ask your doctor or herbalist on what plants you can buy in your area as treatment, or you can scout around medical sites on the Internet for lists of plants with known curative properties.

When preparing plants as an alternative cure, you need to make sure that it is grown naturally without the use of chemicals and pesticides to avoid side-effects and poisoning. You need to clean it thoroughly with running water to remove dirt and harmful bacteria.

There are plenty of ways to prepare your herbal medicine as a diet supplement. You can take it in raw as a salad, boiled, or even sautéed with your favorite dish. Whatever the method used, you need to first determine the part of the plant that will be most beneficial to your treatment method, as well as maximizing its curative properties. Next, you need to look for instructions on the best way to prepare it so that it would be an effective treatment to your health problem.

http://primeherbal.com -- Herbal Medicines

Vanessa A. Doctor from Jump2Top - SEO Company.

Common Medical Billing Mistakes

Only when insurance claims get held up or denied, do the billing staffs try to trace out what went wrong. And then they realize that there has been some thing they have overlooked, a mistake that should have been corrected during the medical billing process itself. With the high cost of health care in the USA medical billing errors have often created situations that make some unfortunate client get wrong bills and makes him pay up more than he needs to. If in such situations the client does not have the necessary insurance documents in order, his condition becomes pitiable.

Tracking of billing mistakes is not always easy even for the billing professionals and is an assured impossibility for the naïve client/patient with not much technical knowledge about it. Quite often we have come across many a people wondering as to why a simple surgery did cost them a fortune. It is for the health care professionals to avoid such common billing mistakes which often amounts to just carelessness and could be caused by a flaw in the internal communication process. Here is a list of the most common billing mistakes that often becomes the cause for a delay or denial of the insurance claim / bill reimbursement.

• Wrong patient identification number
• Wrong ICD-9-CM code with out fourth / fifth digits when required
• Duplicate claim
• Wrong date of service
• Wrong rates charged
• Procedure of claim not fully furnished by the other party
• No match between the ICD-9-CM code and CPT code
• Physician's ID not available
• Billing for more Operating room time than used
• Type of service code not mentioned
• Billed for cancelled services / tests
• Bill amount totaling mistake
• Treatment/service provided was not validated
• Service/treatment given in an invalid center/place of service
• Service was not a medical necessity
• Place of service code not mentioned

Some of the suggestions given to reduce medical billings in physician offices include, having an auditor who is well-schooled in medical policy and terminology. Errors should be corrected immediately when found out and care must be taken to remember not to repeat the same mistakes again. It is always right to report an error to the government authorities even though one can be fined for it.

The author of this article is Ricci Mathew of Outsource Strategies International (OSI), a US based company that offers services in Medical Coding, Medical Billing, Medical Transcription for clients across the US.

Physical Side Effects Of ADD Drugs That Every Concerned Parent Has To Know About

Has your child just been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD? Are you considering placing your child on some sort of medication?

The side effects of Ritalin are often more devastating than parents are led to believe. In many cases when the child begins to suffer from the side-effects of Ritalin, other drugs are prescribed to counteract those symptoms. Before long, a whole host of devastating and sometimes irreversible side effects have occurred.

Before you begin medicating your child you need to be aware of some of these physical side effects:

Nervousness and Insomnia, Hypersensitivity,Drowsiness, Dizziness, Headaches and slowed growth and development.

Dyskinesia -which are involuntary movements similar to a tic, Blood pressure and pulse changes are also common.

Heart problems caused by Ritalin are Angina, Cardiac Arrhythmia (The heart may beat too fast or too slow and this is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the heart)- In most cases this isn't a cause for concern in itself, but there are times when a cardiac arrhythmia can lead to a cardiac arrest and death and Tachycardia- a form of cardiac arrhythmia in which the heart beats rapidly.

Abdominal Pain, nausea and Weight loss during prolonged therapy caused in part by a loss of appetite that the drug creates. In some cases it has even lead to the development of Anorexia.

These are just some of the devastating side effects that occur from the use of Ritalin. There is an excellent source of further information on the side effects of Ritalin at http://www.squidoo.com/side-effects-of-ritalin

There are so many other safer and more effective treatment options available today, that there is really no need for Ritalin to be anything but a last resort.

For a free report "The Dark and Deadly Side Effects Of Ritalin & Other Drugs" please go to http://www.maximindpower.com

A wide variety of treatment options and the pro's and con's of each are discussed in detail at http://attention-deficit-disorder-treatments.blogspot.com

The Natural Path to Preventative Medicine

The prohibitive costs associated with health and medical care are one of the main causes of the health care crisis we are experiencing today. Fewer people are able to afford something as basic as a visit to the doctor for a routine checkup, much less a more serious visit that might result in being admitted to the hospital for a length of time. Many Prescription medications are so expensive that elderly patients are forced to ration them and at times even choose which ones they need the most when they cannot afford to pay for everything that is prescribed. This catch-22 creates a boomerang effect that lowers recovery moral and often depletes wellness optimism that is needed for recovery and symptom management.

As I tried to find a way out of this dilemma; for my own good as well as the good of my family, a friend suggested that I acknowledge I was on the traditional heath treadmill and explore other healing avenues. He suggested I check out the DVD series offered by The Center for Healing Arts. Facilitated by healing arts experts who are carefully chosen for their knowledge and experience in their chosen field of study, this DVD series offers you an in-depth look into the world of holistic medicine and helps you unravel its many mysteries.

Preventative Medicine to the Rescue

Over the past 20 years or so, the idea of preventative medicine has gained momentum among people who are "sick and tired of being sick and tired". The concept makes perfect sense if you think about it - take proper care of yourself before you get sick. If you take steps to prevent illness, your body is much less likely to be susceptible to whatever communicable disease happens to be going around the office at any given time. The old adage about an ounce of prevention being worth more than a pound of cure has found new relevance in today's economy.

Prevention Takes Action

Preventative medicine can be as simple as increasing your activity level by walking a few times a week or as in-depth as joining a gym. Here are a few other tips that can go a long way toward preventing poor health:

" Stop smoking - No excuses; everybody knows it's bad for health and that it can lead to cancer, heart and lung disease. Smoking affects more than just the person who smokes; it also affects those around you so think about your family, friends and co-workers when you are debating whether to give it up or not.

" Cut the Sugar - According to The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates, the average American consumes about 20 teaspoons of sugar every day. Most people take in much of that sugar without even realizing it. If you are one of those who are shaking their heads in doubt, allow me to point out that can of soda on your desk - it contains about 9 teaspoons of sugar in just 12 ounces.

" Eat More Color -Have you ever noticed that most comfort foods are brown? One simple way to help your body help itself is by consuming more fruits and vegetables - preferably in their raw state whenever possible. Nature has provided these gems of good health and filled them full of vitamins and nutrients, especially when they aren't overcooked, over salted or over sweetened.

" Wash your hands - It sounds like common sense because it is. We were all raised to wash our hands before meals and after using the restroom and this simple action alone can curb the spread of the viruses that cause colds and flu.

The Bottom Line

Preventative medicine means learning how what you are doing now can affect your health later. Holistic therapy embraces this idea to the fullest. Holism is based on the concept that mind, body and spirit should all work together harmoniously, that when one of the three are out of balance, the whole being suffers. The many therapies that fall under the heading of holism can be confusing to a beginner, but by learning more about these powerful health care practices it is possible to learn to take better care of your whole self before you find yourself in a health crisis.

Divne Pointer is a novelist and freelance writer with a special interest in holistic health and a fan of http://thecenterforhealingarts.com The Center for Healing Arts' films on healing.

Alternative Vs Conventional Medicine - Winners and Losers

Alternative health therapies and natural medicine are excellent options for healthy living. But if you break a leg or rupture your spleen, are you gonna call a naturopath or hobble to the nearest emergency room for professional medical attention?

I would choose conventional medicine in both cases, but when it comes to chronic conditions and other diseases, should we place all our faith in medical doctors?

According to a recent survey in the New England Journal of Medicine:

95% of all doctors admit they had "contact" with big drug companies;

35% have been reimbursed by these companies for costs associated with attending medical meetings and conventions;

28% were also paid for lectures and consulting work; and

7% accepted free tickets to professional sports games, concerts and other events.

This evidence raises the question of whether doctors are working for the best interests of us patients or their drug suppliers.

For most of my life I've taken my doctor's advice. But after watching my two closest relatives lose their lives within 21 months of each other while under the care of top rated, board certified oncologists, I began to reassess my beliefs.

One of the hardest things about breast cancer treatments is the avalanche of available, often conflicting, information about which treatment or therapy is best.

At the end of 2002, my 65 year old mom's breast cancer returned after 19 years in remission. In the spring of 2003, my 43 year old sister was diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time. They both benefited from some of the "best" conventional medical care in the San Francisco East Bay Area. I know because the shelves of their medicine cabinets were lined with bottles of prescription medicine, a good proportion of which were experimental drugs. They also had access to leading alternative health therapies too.

Acupuncture, essential oil therapy, deep tissue massage, and herbal treatments are considered viable, highly respected alternatives in northern California. But not to their highly respected, board certified oncologists at the hospital. They had to sneak around their oncologists when they went to their see their naturopaths or have acupuncture treatments.

In many cases, these alternative treatment alleviated the debilitating side effects of "conventional" drugs and chemotherapy.

Having to downplay or even hide the truth of what they were doing certainly did nothing to calm or ease the stress of their respective situations, either.

I don't blame the doctors or hold them accountable in anyway for the eventual loss of my loved ones, but I was frustrated and very disappointed by their across the board refusal to explore or even allow for open discussion of alternative therapies. Whether they be conventional practitioners or alternative healers, credentials and word of mouth are two key factors when choosing my own health care providers.

I had a sit down interview with primary care physician and asked pointed questions about his experience treating asthma and allergies and the types of patients he had under his care. He was forthcoming and personable and admitted that he would never have all the answers.

My acupuncturist and chiropractor were friends of friends before becoming integral members of my chosen family.

There are lots and lots of credentialed and non-credentialed experts on the internet.

Who's advice do you trust?

What information do you believe and why?

Mostly it's instinctual. Or really good word of mouth.

Depending on the activity, it's pretty easy to put your trust in a total stranger. When you're in line for a movie and the previous show is letting out, how often do you listen to the 'off the cuff' reviews of exiting moviegoers?

When's the last time you went to new restaurant without reading a review or talking to a friend or co-worker first?

How about buying a new cell phone? Or digital camera?

Reviews, testimonials and recommendations from satisfied customers often make the difference between a pass and a sale on the internet.

People inherently distrust anything they don't understand or have never heard of before, so other people's opinions and insights usually make the difference between giving up the cash and clicking back to that page of Google search listings. But, and this often gets overlooked in the decision making process, what works for one person doesn't always work for another.

This is particularly true when if comes to your health.

The internet is a primary tool for disseminating information on any health topic -- virtually everything you buy comes with a money back guarantee. But we don't really want our "money back", we want to feel better. We want the guarantee of success that the advertised "health benefits" promise.

That's what we really want.

We all want relief from what ails us and we're willing to trust people we've never met in person with our money in the hopes of feeling better. This is what we all are doing with ever increasing regularity.

Finding the information is easy. Trusting your gut and the opinions of others when making a decision about your health can require a little more time and effort.

Stay informed. Read testimonials. Send emails to eBook author or product manufacturer. Get your hands (and eyes) on as much FREE information as possible.

As much as I trust and respect my doctor when it comes to treating asthma and allergies with pharmaceutical drugs, I now place a lot more confidence in my own life experiences and knowledgebase gathered from surfing the web.

As I've grown more confident in making my own informed judgment about my health, I've thought about asking my doctor if he's ever been able to CURE any of his patients of asthma and allergies.

I might just do that the next time I see him.

To your health and well-being,

Jay Greene

To reach any goal, you must know where to begin. Begin your journey to better health today. Get 2 Free Chapters of the Ultimate Detox Reference Guide Today. http://www.tipsforhealing.com

Save On Drugs Using The Information Supplied By Internet

Shopping at some online pharmacy is very easy, private and affordable. Become one of the millions, around the world, who are taking advantage of the Internet, and ordering their drugs offshore, at drastically reduced prices. Get these great savings for yourself! Join the increasing number of senior citizens and chronically ill who now get huge savings on their drugs.

This has been in the online pharmacy business for a long time and has a great reputation among their customers. Stay away from the online pharmacy email scams that you receive in your inbox daily and buy from a reputable online pharmacy service such as some trusted ones.

They guarantee on selling only proven and tested treatments, and offer 100% money back guarantee, supplies only top quality pills made from the highest quality ingredients, and produced by state of the art pharmaceutical manufacturers, under the strictest quality control standards, in compliance with WHO international guidelines.

Using these services you can forget about appointments with your personal doctor, annoying doctor visits, losing precious time and waiting rooms. In twenty first century the Internet space has taken the control of that personal care and makes it easier day by day. Working with DHL, FedEx, EMS and TNT most online shops ship their products in a discrete brown package that does not mention the contents of the shipment. Shipping, depending on your locale, take between 7-20 days, although delivery times are typically shorter.

Having in mind that other (big ones) offer more then 100 prescription medications at discount prices or cheap drugs (- 80%) in the following categories such as: Men's Health, Weight Loss, Pain Relief, Diabetes, Stop Smoking, Cholesterol, Anti Depressant, Allergy, Antibiotic, Anti fugal, Digestive, Hypertension, Osteoporosis and Women's Health. All products carry 100% guaranty. You will always get the highest quality, name-brand drugs and prescription products at savings that our potential clients deserve.

GenericsWorldWide.com is glad to be able to offer the world, generic copies of popular brand name medicines, and drastically reduced prices. Its because of these factors, combined with top customer service, that makes GW a world leader, in the online Pharmaceutical industry.

Proton Pump Inhibitors - Drug

Type of Drug

Proton pump inhibitors (PPls); gastric (stomach) acid secretion inhibitors.

How The Drug Works

PPls reduce gastric acid secretion significantly and for a prolonged period by blocking the final step of acid production by the stomach lining.

Uses

For short-term treatment (8 weeks or less) of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, the reflux of stomach contents into the food pipe, which can cause heartburn), and to maintain healing and reduce relapse rates of heartburn symptoms in patients with erosive or ulcerative GERD.

Esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole: For short-term treatment (4 to 8 weeks for esomeprazole and omeprazole; 8 weeks or less for lansoprazole) or to maintain healing of inflammation and erosion of the food pipe (erosive nsophilqitis).

Esomeprazole, lansoprazole, omeprazole, rabeprazole: In combination therapy with antibiotics for treatment and elimination of Helicobacter pylori infection and associated active duodenal ulcer and to reduce the risk of ulcer recurrence.

Lansoprazole: For short-term treatment (up to 12 weeks) to reduce the risk of NSAID-associated gastric ulcers.

Lansoprazole, Omeprazole: For short-term treatment (4 to 8 weeks for omeprazole; 8 weeks or less for lansoprazole) of active benign gastric ulcers; to treat and reduce the risk of gastric ulcers associated with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Iansoprazole only).

Lansoprazole, Omeprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole: For long-term treatment of hypersecretory (increased acid secretion) conditions (eg, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome).

Lansoprazole, Omeprazole, Rabeprazole: For short-term treatment (4 to 8 weeks for omeprazole; 4 weeks or less for lansoprazole, rabeprazole) of active duodenal ulcers; to maintain healing of duodenal ulcers (Iansoprazole only).

Other Uses: These agents may increase the effectiveness of pancreatic enzyme replacements used to treat the "fatty stools" of patients with cystic fibrosis. Omeprazole has been prescribed to treat laryngitis.

Pregnancy: There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Use only if clearly needed and the potential benefits out weigh the possible risks to the fetus.

Breastfeeding: It is not known if proton pump inhibitors are excreted in breast milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from PPI, decide whether to discontinue nursing or the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. Consult your doctor before you begin breastfeeding.

Children: Omeprazole can be used in children 2 years of age and older.

Safety and effectiveness of other agents have not been established.

Drug Interactions

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or planning to take any over ­ the-counter or prescription medications or dietary supplements with these drugs. Drug doses may need to be modified or a different drug prescribed. The following drugs and drug classes interact with these drugs:

Ampicillin (eg, Principen)

Clarithromycin (eg, Biaxin)

Benzodiazepines (eg, diazepam)

Cyclosporine (eg, Neora/)

Disulfiram (eg, Antabusn)

Iron salts (eg, ferrous sulfate)

Phenytoin (eg, Dilantin)

Sucralfate (eg, Carafate)

Side Effects

Every drug is capable of producing side effects. Many patients experience no, or minor, side effects. The frequency and severity of side effects depend on many factors including dose, duration of therapy, and individual susceptibility. Possible side effects include:

Digestive Tract: Diarrhea; nausea; vomiting; stomach pain; constipation; gas; belching.

Nervous System: Dizziness; headache; weakness.

Other: Rash; back pain; upper respiratory tract infection; cough; high blood sugar.

Guidelines for Use

Dosage is individualized. Take exactly as prescribed.

Do not stop takingor change the dose, unless instructed by your doctor.

Usually taken once daily, at least 1 hour before a meal. Dosages and dosing regimens may vary depending on condition being treated.

Take rabeprazole after the morning meal when treating duodenal ulcers.

Take pantoprazole with or without regard to food.

There medicine must be taken daily to be effective in treating and preventing acid-related gastrointestinal diseases. Do not take on an "as needed" basis.

Antacids may be used as needed with these medicines.

Do not chew, crush, or split capsules or tablets. Swallow whole. If you have difficulty swallowing esomeprazole, omeprazole, or lansoprazole capsules, they maybe opened, sprinkled on 1 tablespoon of apple sauce, Ensure pudding, cottage cheese, yogurt, or strained pears, and swallowed immediately without chewing the granules. Lansoprazole capsules can also be emptied into a small glass of either orange or tomato juice (60 ml; approximately 2 oz), mixed briefly, and swallowed immediately. To ensure complete ingestion, rinse the glass with 4 or more oz of juice and swallow the cOntents immediately.

Orally-disintegrating tablets - Place tablet on the tongue. Allow to melt with or without water until particles can be swallowed.

Lansoafazole suspension - Empty the packet contents into a container with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water. Do not use other liquids or foods. Stir well and drink immediately. More water can be added if material remains in the container; drink immediately.

If a dose is missed, take it as soon as possible. If several hours have passed or it is nearing time for the next dose, do not double the dose to catch up, unless instructed by your doctor. If more than one dose is missed, or it is necessary to establish a new dosage schedule, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, become pregnant, plan on becoming pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

PPls should be taken at least 30 minutes prior to taking sucralfate.

Store at controlled room temperature (59° to 86°F) in a tightly closed container. Protect from light and moisture.

Author has an experience of more than 4 years writing about drug interactions He also holds experience writing about benefits of drugs and side effects of drugs