Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The Back Pain Diet

One of the most common complaints of patients consulting a physician is back pain. The condition, regardless of its severity, is really debilitating. It can affect one's work and daily living. While most people do not know is that eating certain foods can actually be the source of this of this muscle aches.
There are certain diseases that can cause referred pain in the back. One of which is cholelithiasis or gall bladder stones. Due to the complex nerve distribution in our body, certain organ diseases can be manifested in other body parts such as gall bladder diseases. One of the causes of gall bladder stones is high fat intake. In fact, there is the medical term for this, 4Fs- fat, female, forty and fertile. Fatty foods such as meat, dairy product and fast foods, even though delicious can actually cause gall stones. These people affected with the disease would often go to the hospital feeling aches in the abdomen and back.
Another dietary related cause of back pains is low intake of Vitamin B, specifically B12. This vitamin is vital for nerve function. When severely low in the body, it can manifest as muscle aches especially in the legs and even in the back together with gastrointestinal problems, weakness and disorientation. It can also cause tingling sensations in different parts of the body including the back. People lacking in Vitamin B12 would feel that they are afflicted with severe diseases while in fact, it is in their diet. This can be remedied by eating foods rich in this vitamin B12 such as liver, liver oil, turkey, tuna, lentils, chili peppers, bananas, tempeh (soy based), potatoes, brewer's yeast and molasses.
Inflammatory conditions can cause a painful back. Surprisingly, there are many foods that are considered inflammatory foods. Examples of which are sugar (whatever the source),processed foods, fast foods, French fries, white bread, ice cream, pasta, cheddar cheeses, oils such as vegetable and corn, caffeine, soda and alcohol. A typical person eats a lot of these. One should be careful as these might be the cause of muscle aches in the back.
If there are inflammatory foods, not surprisingly, there are also anti-inflammatory foods. Alaskan salmon (wild) is said to be a potent anti-inflammatory food. Drinking lots of water and green tea can also be beneficial to reduce or prevent inflammation that can cause back pain. Other foods also known for their anti-inflammatory effects are fresh whole fruits, vegetables, olive oil, nuts, old-fashioned oatmeal, lean poultry and dark leafy vegetables. Spices such a turmeric and ginger also have anti-inflammatory effects based on research.
Back pain really has a negative impact on one's life. It can affect work, studies and leisure. It ruins special occasions and supposed-to-be-happy memories. While medical interventions can alleviate these aches, it is also important to modify one's diet as it may be the cause of pain. There is no harm in eating healthy foods and avoiding the bad ones. Healthy foods are indeed the key to healthy living.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Geriatric Specific Care Works Best

Geriatrics is a type of care that you simply cannot get from a non-specialist. The fact is, as a person ages, his or her body goes through numerous changes both on the outside and on the inside. As a result, these complex changes affect the way a person feels. Instead of having just one issue or health concern, many people have numerous problems or changes happening at one time. By visiting a specialist, it is possible to pinpoint concerns, get exacting treatment and to live the best possible life you can. There is help from specialized providers.
Maintaining Your Body
Often, geriatrics focuses on providing care and attention to an individual's medical needs. Your body is the only one you have and you need to maintain it. As you get older, it becomes increasingly important to monitor for changes in your health. It is also important to have more wellness checkups to make sure any concern is spotted sooner rather than later. This includes getting your heart's function checked with an echocardiogram. It means having a bladder scan to ensure no concerns are occurring there. It means managing everything from stress tests to blood pressure readings to know what is really happening inside your body.
With this information, specialists can also offer more than just medication. They can offer information about what is happening in your body and why. Then, you can take the steps necessary to slow your aging process or even see significant improvement in your health.
Maintaining Health
Though doctors have the job of scanning for and treating ailments, it is up to you to take every step necessary to prevent them from occurring. Your doctor can help with this as well. These specialists often have anti-aging clinics in which patients can learn the ins and outs of maintaining their health. From exercising to taking care of your skin, you can benefit from making simple changes to your daily life. Work with your doctor to determine what concerns you should be on the lookout for and what steps you can take to minimize the biggest risk factors to your health over the long-term.
Finding a specialist is a good place to start. These professionals understand the aging body. They know the difference between just getting old and being ill or having the onset of an illness developing. Geriatrics patients need attention to the details. You need someone that is not just going to help you to live longer but help you to live the type of life you want to live for many more years. That is the difference in these providers, too. As you seek out a doctor to provide this type of care, look for one that wants to help you to maintain the quality of life you desire.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Properly Take Care Of Your Body And Skin As You Age

Physical changes are unavoidable as we grow older. When we're still into our early adulthood, the changes are quite positive. During these times, the body is still in its developing phase. So you may notice that once you graduate from your teens, you feel that you're in top physical shape. It is during these times that one is able to feel that his body is at its physical peak with lots of energy to spare and high endurance. Plus, you are likely to see that your physical attributes such as your facial features are at their best. One of the best examples here would be your skin. An individual just entering his twenties usually has young-looking, smooth, and firm skin with no sagging problems.
It's when we enter our thirties that problems come in. This is the phase where signs of aging start to manifest in the person's body. You will certainly feel the changes in your energy levels and your stamina. But this doesn't mean that you should just let these signs of aging take over like that. You can do a lot in order to keep your body healthy and trim, especially your skin. All you need to do is start on a healthier lifestyle, eat the right kinds of food, exercise, and observe necessary beauty regimens. For example, you cannot help it that when you start to age, your skin will encounter sagging problems. Since our skin is naturally delicate, it is prone to sagging, wrinkling, cellulites, and more.
That is why seeing a skin care expert the moment you enter your thirties is greatly encouraged by health providers. With the help of skin care experts, you would be able to learn what treatments or maintenance are necessary to help keep your skin looking young, firm, and vibrant. Apart from health and skin products you'll either be taking or applying, body wraps also come highly recommended. Body wraps are highly effective skin treatment methods to get rid of sagging, cellulites, wrinkles, and more. One example of such body wraps treatment is it works body wraps which uses only all-natural ingredients to yield great results. It detoxifies your body and helps prep it up for optimal weight loss.
Naturally, it is important that once a person enters his thirties, he should make it a point to re-asses his present lifestyle. One must evaluate his daily activities and ensure that he is getting the necessary amount of rest daily. It is wise to remember that at this age, getting enough sleep will greatly contribute to keeping your skin looking young and healthy. Also, try to evaluate your diet and make sure that your body is getting enough calcium. There's no reason why you can't age gracefully and be proud of your body as the years roll in.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Consider Braces For Adults

Braces tend to be something that parents think about for their teens and young adults. During the pre-teen years and older, the use of this type of technology can make a significant difference on your child's face. Yet, even older individuals can see significant improvement in the way their smile looks by investing in the system. If you are an adult and wish you had done something about your overbite or underbite back when you were younger, you may still have that option today.
A Consultation First
Not everyone will benefit from having braces as an adult. The dentist will need to perform a full examination of your teeth and jaw structure to determine if there is any ability to fix the underlying problem. In most cases, this will involve the use of x-rays and digital images of your teeth, too. If the dentist believes that your mouth's structure could be altered with the use of bracing technology, he or she may encourage you to do just that.
What Are the Benefits?
When meeting with your dentist, ask about the benefits of getting braces. He or she should be able to tell you exactly what to expect going forward. For example, will you benefit from having Invisalign, a type of invisible bracing technology that allows you to look great even as you are transforming your smile? Ask the provider about the cost versus the outcome. Will there be a noticeable difference in the way your smile looks? What is a realistic level of expectation for this procedure? You should know exactly what the benefits are.
Of course, the main benefit of having this type of procedure is to fix a crooked smile. Those who have it often have a beautiful looking smile after the treatment. In addition to this, you may feel far more confident in the way you look. You may even be willing to smile more often because you have had it done.
Consider Your Options
Most patients have options in the type of appliance used. You may be able to get products that are less noticeable or more effective in adult transformations. You will also need to discuss the length of treatment for each type you select. Most of the time, the process of using orthodontic appliances for realigning the jaw line can take between one and three years, but for adults it can be longer.
You have put off getting more information long enough. Now is the perfect time to contact a dentist and find out what the possibilities really are. You may be surprised by how many you really have available to you. Discuss the costs, timeline, and your options. You may even want to think about what you will look like once the treatment is complete.