9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi

How to Get a Flat Stomach in a Week

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How on earth do you explain a state of living in constant disgust and desire? How do you mend up your troubled relationship with the woman you see everyday in the mirror? How do you give up on pizza's cheesy bites, and ice-cream's delightful licks? Also, how in the hell do you shift your weighing machine's needle towards the left? Indeed, there's an explanation now. In record time!

We let slip to you some of the best and the most effective ways to get a flat stomach in a week. For teenage girls, who worship Megan Fox, and envy Jessica Biel, I dissect your weight loss guide in simple, easy steps. No, I'm no expert. However, I can tell you that the problem with junk is, it stays a few moments on your lips, but forever on your hips. It's too yummy, but a bane to your tummy! With that said, here I give you an opportunity to put to sleep that hungry demon inside you, and explain how to get a flat stomach in a week, for girls to feast over an enviable body. 7 days, and you follow every word that's written below. No lame guess, believe me.

How to Get a Flat Stomach in a Week: Magic Tips and Tricks

Now, I'm not one of those tipsters who beat around the bush telling you about the myriad ways to lose belly fat, befuddling you even more. Some pointers is all I have in my kitty. Here's the deal. You stick to these simple tips, and you get an enviable flat stomach in seven days. Hold on tight to the following four pointers. Here's your belly fat loss guide, broken down.

Change Your Diet
Woman, it's time to watch what you eat. Now, you must've been disgusted with everyone blaspheming junk. Well, because it deserves so. Burgers, pizzas, chocolates, cookies, wafers… stop eating it all! Don't wait for it to get stored around your belly forever. Order for a fruit salad instead of a mini-pizza every time you eat out. You'll get equally satiated. It works, and doesn't add to your belly fat. Have your breakfast within an hour of waking up. What's more, eat smaller meals every 2 hours, rather than eating a large meal twice a day.

Count Your Calories
Hmm… how to lose stomach fat in such a short span of time? Consume only 500 calories a day. Not a calorie more. You'd have to analyze what you're eating. For example, green, leafy veggies wouldn't increase your calories. However, cakes, pastries, and junk of all kinds shoots up your calorie count in a jiffy. For your convenience, here's a Buzzle writeup that tells you the best diets for belly fat loss. These foods have extremely low calorie content, and are finger-licking at the same time.

Drink When Hungry
Drink water, I meant to say. Whenever you feel hungry, or cannot get over the desire to eat that fruit cake kept in your refrigerator, drink a bottle of water instead. Trust me, it works extremely well! Filling your stomach will not only curb your desire for eating, but will also wash away the toxins that restrain fat burning. If you drink 10 - 12 glasses everyday, chances are, you'll be able to get a flat stomach in just a week or two. Sparkling hair, and a clear skin are just a bonus! Don't drink gallons of water in one go. If you want to figure out how to get a flat stomach in a week, you better go slow. Ironical, but true.

Sweat It Out
How could I not include working out in this article? Exercises to lose belly fat work faster than anything else. Follow the above three steps to lose stomach fat in a week, and hit the gym. I've seen results in as less as 5 days. Yes, you heard me right. I drank lots of water, gave up on junk, and worked out on my belly fat with the help of 20 minutes of cardio exercises, 10 minutes of crunches, 10 minutes of squats, and 20 minutes of gymming bicycle. I'm telling you, I cast off ounces in a matter of 5 days. Do try these exercises, for a flat stomach in a week is certainly a possibility.

Did you expect something different in this writeup? Some other, easier tips? Well, to your dismay, this is the only way you could lose stomach fat in such a record time. You know, when you've figured out how to get a flat stomach in a week, you'll realize that whatever method you've followed so far, is do-able. Healthy balanced-diet will keep you happy and fresh. Losing weight is just an added advantage. Always sit up straight, for it will make you look slimmer. Keep yourself motivated, sweat it out, and eat normally. That, I think, is the best way to get a flat stomach in just seven days.

Energy Foods for Diabetics

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As you must be aware, diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar level of a person is abnormally high, and needs to be controlled in order to prevent severe health conditions. Therefore, diet plays a significant role in controlling diabetes by maintaining the blood sugar at proper levels. When looking for energy foods for diabetics, it is essential to take several things into consideration like limiting the intake of refined carbohydrates, sugar, etc. If you are wondering what foods are safe to consume, and which help in gaining energy for diabetics, then take a look at the following food list.

List of Energy Foods for Diabetics

Good diabetic foods are those that do not affect the blood sugar levels; but help in maintaining it at proper levels. Similarly, these foodstuff should have a low glycemic index (GI) value. Carbohydrates and meat are considered as rich sources of energy but these foods can raise blood glucose levels. But there are several other foods that are considered as energy foods for diabetics as they help in providing energy. They include:
  • Whole Grain Products: Whole grain foods are safe to consume for diabetics. These contain complex carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed in the diet and do not lead to increased blood sugar. They do not contain fat and hence, can be safely included in the diet. Whole grain pasta, bread, oats, corn, wheat cereal, are whole grain energy foods for diabetics. However, it should be noted that carbohydrates should be eaten in moderation, or it can affect the blood sugar level.
  • Pulses and Beans: Pulses, beans and peas are also considered as the best foods for diabetics as they contain low GI index and contain nearly all other essential nutrients. You should include foods that give you energy like lentils, black beans, peas, pinto beans, red beans, in your daily diet as it helps in gaining energy as well as essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, iron, etc.
  • Green Leafy Vegetables: Vegetables are also excellent foods for energy and the green leafy ones also help in providing other required nutrients. Collard, beet and turnip greens, asparagus, spinach, kale and broccoli, contain high amounts of fiber and less amounts of fat and hence, these foods are included in the diabetic food list. Green vegetables should be cooked without salt as they already contain good amounts of sodium.
  • Seafood: As you must be aware proteins are also essential for providing energy to the body and hence, one should include good sources of proteins in a diabetic diet. Fish and other sea foods (lentils and beans also) are excellent sources of protein, and do not contain fat at all. Therefore, fish like salmon, trout, tuna, halibut, etc. should also be included in diabetic diet food list.
Some More Energy Foods for Diabetics

Apart from the aforementioned high energy foods, there are several other foods that provide energy and can be consumed by people suffering from diabetes. The following is a list of foods for diabetics to eat in order to gain energy.
  • Mollusks
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Avocados
  • Blueberries
  • Citrus fruits
  • Brown rice
  • Carrots
  • Lean meats
  • Milk
  • Fat free diary products
As a note of caution, one should remember that in case of diabetes, changes in the diet should only be done after consulting a doctor. Take care!

Why it's bad to eat just before sleep

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Whether you are a workaholic who eat your meal minutes before you go to bed or a snack lover, who likes to eat your favourite fish and chips or ham and cheese with pepperoni pizza and jump into your bed straight after a full stomach, you will be doomed to have a lousy body and a bad health as the above are lifestyle of a very unhealthy human being!

So why is it so unhealthy to eat just before you go to bed? Well, first of all let me tell you this simple fact. The purpose of you, going to bed in the first place is to rest your whole body, that is, to give your entire inner system a break and chance to repair for any wear and tear suffered during the day time. If you stuff in foods into your body within 3 hours prior to sleep, you are forcing your own digestive system to work overtime while they are suppose to be at rest at night after a full day of digesting activities. Furthermore, while you are asleep, your metabolic rate will be at a slower pace and so the food you have eaten will be more likely turned into storage fat rather than supplying energy for your body use. In other words, people who eat a lot prior to their bed time will be more likely to gain that extra pound as compare to those having their meals more than 3 hours before bedtime.

Eating potatoes chips, white rice, pizza and sugary foods which are high in glycemic-carbohydrate is found to have a bad effect in our body repairing system while we are asleep. This high glycemic-carb will induce a surge in the release of insulin in our body which will in turn inhibit the production of Human Growth Hormone or HGH. HGH is normally produced at night while we are sleeping (80%) and it is used primarily for fat burning and cell repairing. If the high insulin level which prevents to production of HGH occurs, our body will be slow in the repairing of any damage cells while storing of extra fats will make us fat and weak as a whole.

Normally, if we had our meal 3 hours before our sleep at night, our body would have fasted for a few hours and by the time we are fast asleep the HGH can start to do its function of cell repairing and can even promote fat burning after the 5th hours into our slumber. A final advice is that whenever you feel hungry prior to your bedtime, try to have a light meal which consists of fruits and fiber like apple or a glass of fruit juice rather than having a high glycemic-carb meal like potato chips and pizza and stuffs like that. In this way you can have a good health, fitness and life as you enjoy your sleep every night!

8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar

List Of Cholesterol Lowering Foods

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PDF file Cholesterol Lowering NUTRITIONAL PLAN
Cholesterol Lowering NUTRITIONAL PLAN Cholesterol is the fat found in your bloodstream and in all your body\’s If you are watching your weight, these foods will give you the most nutrition for the fewest saturated fat and should be avoided) Include at least one serving from the High Vitamin C list … Doc Viewer

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PDF file LOWER What You Can Do To Your TRIGLYCERIDES
Avoid trans fats by avoiding any food with hydrogenated vegetable oil listed in the ingredient list. Avoid such high fat foods such as regular fat meats health, and will have a direct effect upon lowering your cholesterol. White poultry, prepared … Doc Viewer

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Cholesterol Lowering Treatment . Dr Carl Shakespeare MD FRCP FACC FESC . Consultant Cardiologist avoiding fatty foods, shellfish, peanuts, and coconut. In addition, you can actively lower cholesterol by increasing exercise, eating porridge for breakfast … Doc Retrieval

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PDF file Five Ways To Lower Cholesterol
It has a powerful cholesterol-lowering effect. The best sources are beans and lentils, apples, citrus fruits, oats, barley, peas, carrots and freshly ground Stay away from items that list “partially hydrogenated oil” on the label, especially snack foods. … Access Content

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Bake, broil, or grill foods instead of frying to reduce total fat intake. • Saturated fatty acids increase serum cholesterol and triglycerides. Foods rich in Less than 200 milligrams of dietary cholesterol should be consumed per day. • Polyunsaturated fatty acids have a cholesterol lowering effect … Get Doc

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Potassium and High Blood Pressure

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Potassium and High Blood Pressure


The benefit of potassium on blood pressure was confirmed by the Third National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES III). Published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in February 2001, data on more than 17,000 adults indicated that adequate potassium intake from fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure. Results showed that a diet with 8.5 daily servings of fruits & vegetables (providing 4,100 mg of potassium) lowered blood pressure by 7.2/2.8 mmHg (systolic/diastolic) in people diagnosed with high blood pressured, compared to a diet providing only 3.5 servings of fruits & vegetables (providing 1,700 mg of potassium).

The recommended daily intake of potassium for all healthy adults is 4,700 mg.
- Bananas,
- Beans,
- Tofu and
- Potatoes are all rich sources of potassium.

Many fruits and vegetables are also good sources of potassium. Try baking, roasting or steaming when cooking vegetables. Avoid boiling as potassium leaches out into the water during cooking. Speak to your doctor before taking potassium supplements, especially if you have kidney related health problems.
In general, a diet that emphasizes fruits & vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy appears effective in shaving points off a blood pressure reading. In particular, shedding pounds, cutting down on sodium, boosting potassium intake and limiting alcohol are all proven ways to help control blood pressure.
what-is-dash-diet.

What is the DASH diet?

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Fruits Vegetables That Lower Blood Pressure..

What is the DASH diet?


The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet is an eating plan that can effectively lower blood pressure, according to research.In the original study, published in 1997 by the National Institutes of Health, scientists found that adults can reduce their blood pressure by eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods.
The researchers concluded that the DASH diet works as effectively as some blood pressure medications.
Today, the NIH recommends the DASH diet for adults of all ages who want to reduce blood pressure. It even lowers blood pressure a little in those with normal readings.

The benefits come because DASH is rich in minerals - calcium, potassium and magnesium - as well as fiber. For a person who eats 2,000 calories a day, the plan calls for:

* Grains, seven to eight servings each day
* Vegetables, four to five servings each day
* Fruits, four to five servings each day
* Low-fat or nonfat dairy products, two to three servings each day
* Meats, poultry and fish, no more than two servings each day
* Nuts, seeds and legumes, four to five servings each week
* Limited intake of fats and sweets

Important ingredients

The DASH diet emphasizes healthful foods that people don't eat often enough. This means adding a few more servings of fruits and vegetables to your meals.
A fruit serving equals 6 ounces of juice or one piece of fruit. A vegetable serving equals a half cup of raw or cooked chopped vegetables or one cup of raw leafy vegetables.
Eating a variety of colorful produce can provide pressure-lowering potassium for your meals.
Next, be sure to get a couple of servings of low-fat dairy foods. One 8-ounce glass of milk or 1.5 ounces of cheese counts as one dairy serving. The calcium contained in these foods helps to lower blood pressure.

Also substitute refined grains with whole grains as often as you can. One slice of bread or a half cup of cooked grains is one serving. Compared to refined products, whole grains contain more fiber and other nutrients that lower blood pressure.

Finally, some other foods are a good source of magnesium in the DASH diet. Nuts, seeds and legumes are top-notch sources that help to lower blood pressure. Eat one-third cup of nuts, a tablespoon of seeds, or a half cup of cooked beans to get a serving.

Easy does it on the salt.

Besides eating mineral-rich foods, cutting back on sodium can help blood pressure to drop even more. In the DASH-Sodium Study, completed in 2000, researchers followed 412 adults on six different diets for 14 weeks.

They found those who consumed a DASH diet with only 1,500 milligrams of sodium a day had the biggest improvements in blood pressure. The scientists concluded that eating less salt may help lower blood pressure risk.
fruits-vegetables-that-lower-blood

Why it's bad to eat just before sleep

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Whether you are a workaholic who eat your meal minutes before you go to bed or a snack lover, who likes to eat your favourite fish and chips or ham and cheese with pepperoni pizza and jump into your bed straight after a full stomach, you will be doomed to have a lousy body and a bad health as the above are lifestyle of a very unhealthy human being!

So why is it so unhealthy to eat just before you go to bed? Well, first of all let me tell you this simple fact. The purpose of you, going to bed in the first place is to rest your whole body, that is, to give your entire inner system a break and chance to repair for any wear and tear suffered during the day time. If you stuff in foods into your body within 3 hours prior to sleep, you are forcing your own digestive system to work overtime while they are suppose to be at rest at night after a full day of digesting activities. Furthermore, while you are asleep, your metabolic rate will be at a slower pace and so the food you have eaten will be more likely turned into storage fat rather than supplying energy for your body use. In other words, people who eat a lot prior to their bed time will be more likely to gain that extra pound as compare to those having their meals more than 3 hours before bedtime.

Eating potatoes chips, white rice, pizza and sugary foods which are high in glycemic-carbohydrate is found to have a bad effect in our body repairing system while we are asleep. This high glycemic-carb will induce a surge in the release of insulin in our body which will in turn inhibit the production of Human Growth Hormone or HGH. HGH is normally produced at night while we are sleeping (80%) and it is used primarily for fat burning and cell repairing. If the high insulin level which prevents to production of HGH occurs, our body will be slow in the repairing of any damage cells while storing of extra fats will make us fat and weak as a whole.

Normally, if we had our meal 3 hours before our sleep at night, our body would have fasted for a few hours and by the time we are fast asleep the HGH can start to do its function of cell repairing and can even promote fat burning after the 5th hours into our slumber. A final advice is that whenever you feel hungry prior to your bedtime, try to have a light meal which consists of fruits and fiber like apple or a glass of fruit juice rather than having a high glycemic-carb meal like potato chips and pizza and stuffs like that. In this way you can have a good health, fitness and life as you enjoy your sleep every night!

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment: Medications and Natural Alternatives

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  In the United States, the national health care expenses on diabetes total $105 billion annually. Perhaps some of that money should be spent on natural alternatives instead of more medication.

  Typically, doctors will point to exercise and diet as the first priorities in treating diabetes. Patients should be encouraged to know that losing 10 percent of body weight can improve glycemic control and reduce lipid and blood pressure.

  In fact, one study has shown that diet can actually reverse type 2 diabetes. Dr. Roy Taylor of Newcastle  Magnetic Resonance Centre in England directed this study of an ultra-low-calorie diet, which decreased liver and pancreatic fat and boosted beta cell function.

  However, his study only included a small sample of the population and required a diet of only 600  calories. Before attempting such a restrictive diet, patients need to talk to their doctor. But it does show  that diet changes can make a big difference when it comes to treating diabetes.

  Lifestyle changes, however, may not be enough. Many patients require oral medication to control their blood sugar. Sulfonylureas, biguanides, thiazolidinediones and meglitinides all work in different ways to control blood sugar. Combining pills may further reduce blood sugar, but can put patients at risk for hypoglycemia.

  Over time, many oral drugs have been known to lose effectiveness, causing patients to change
medications or add insulin to their treatment. Some patients change treatment plans after learning
about the risks involved with the medications they have been prescribed.

  An example of a medication where the risks may outweigh the benefits is a thiazolidinedione known as Actos (pioglitazone). It's one of the most popular diabetes drugs of all time, but the side effects of Actos have been known to cause vision, bone and liver problems.

  The medication can also cause heart failure and increases the risk for bladder cancer by 80 percent or more. Thousands of patients have filed Actos bladder cancer lawsuits.

  It's important for patients who take Actos to watch for the symptoms of bladder cancer: blood in the urine, pain when urinating and an increased need to urinate.

In addition to medication, people with diabetes may want to explore some natural alternatives:

Coccinia indica (ivy gourd from India) possesses insulin mimetic properties.

American Ginseng (herb) can decrease fasting blood glucose and HbA1C.

Momordica charantia (tropical vegetable) can have acute effects on blood glucose.

Nopa (cactus) affects intestinal glucose and can decrease fasting glucose and insulin levels.

L-caritine-(amino acid) affects insulin sensitivity and can enhance glucose uptake and storage.

Gymnema sylvestre (herb from Ayurveda) can improve glycemic control.

Aloe vera (dessert plant) can decrease fasting blood glucose and HbA1C.

Vanadium (mineral) acts as an insulin mimetic.

Chromium and cinnamon may improve insulin sensitivity.

Acupuncture can act on the pancreas to enhance insulin synthesis.

  Hydrotherapy. Using hot tubs on a regular basis helps increase the blood flow to the skeletal muscles.

  All of these natural alternatives warrant further studies to show the extent of their usefulness. Patients should check with their doctor about medication and alternative therapy options.

Alanna Ritchie is a writer for Drugwatch.com. An English major, she is an accomplished technical and creative writer.

7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi

Common Cold Treatment

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Common cold and influenza are viral diseases, and their symptoms mimic each other. Some notable cold symptoms are sore throat, runny nose, nasal congestion and cough. For viral infections, medication treatment is usually not necessary. In fact, there is no cure for head cold and chest cold. The only solution is to let the disease run its course. However, common cold treatment is adopted for relieving the discomfort symptoms, while the body fights pathogens.

Common Cold Treatment Guidelines

In medical terms, common cold is referred to as viral upper respiratory tract infection. According to medical reports, more than 200 strains of viruses are capable of causing common cold. Thus, it is not so easy to find medication specific to the casual pathogen. Also, using medicine for common cold treatment suppresses the body's immune system in some way or the other. And the outcome is, recurring cold infections, especially in school going children.

Common Cold Treatment at Home
The symptoms of cold usually last for 7 days, if the causal pathogen is a virus. Some effectual home remedies for common cold include the following.
  • Take rest at home and try to get sound sleep at night. This will prepare the immune system for fighting infections and also, minimize the infection from spreading to others. Read more on is common cold contagious.
  • For ease in breathing, drink ample amounts of water. You can sip hot ginger tea and other herbal teas for fast recovery.
  • Keep your environment warm, humid and comfortable. If required, switch on a room humidifier and make yourself feel comfortable.
  • For throat soreness symptom, one of the common cold remedies is gargling with hot (but tolerable) salt water several times a day. A simple salt water recipe for gargling is dissolving ½ teaspoon salt in 1 glass water.
  • For quick recovery from common cold, eat nutritious foods and do not skip meals at any cost. The point is to boost the immune system, and allow the body to fight off the infections.
  • Common cold treatment for babies and infants involve using a bulb syringe to draw out nasal mucus. Also, encourage them to drink water and fluids for minimizing dehydration effects.
  • Another home remedy for cold is inhaling steam to break up mucus congestion. Using essential oils (peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil) for body rubbing and inhalation therapy works wonders in clearing stuffy nose. You can read more on home remedies for head cold.
Therapeutic Treatment for Common Cold
So, how to treat a cold with therapeutic intervention? Till date, there is no proven medication for common cold treatment. The prescribed medications depend on the manifested symptoms that concern the patient. Say for example, sore throat can be alleviated with throat lozenges and throat sprays, while nasal congestion is best treated with nasal sprays and decongestants (oral and topical). Likewise, cough sprays and cough syrups are used for reducing constant cough.

For body aches and sore throat, taking ibuprofen and acetaminophen soothes the pain symptoms. And in case of suspected allergy symptoms that accompany common cold, treatment involves taking antihistamines. If common cold symptoms do not subside even after a week's period, most likely the condition is caused by bacterial infection. For such a case, advocation of antibiotic medication under strict medical supervision is required for prompt recovery.

Common Cold Treatment Overview

Medical science reports clearly indicate that occurrence rate of common cold is the highest as compared to other ailments. One reason for this is the contagious nature, wherein the causal pathogen can be transmitted from one infected person to another via respiratory secretions and direct hand contact. But, the prime reason is administration of over-the-counter (OTC) medications at the first onset of symptoms. They not only increase the risk of frequent infections, but are also associated with several adverse effects. Thus, treating common cold with OTC drugs is not recommended, particularly for young children to avoid side effects.

In a nutshell, the best cure for the common cold is to prevent viral infections at the first instant. Indeed, understanding the basics for common cold treatment and prevention will go a long way in minimizing this self-limiting, contagious disease in future. Proper hygiene and personal cleanliness are the thumb rules to keep common cold at bay. Washing hands regularly, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer and maintaining distance from infected persons are some of the ways for common cold prevention.

Is There a Male Menopause?

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As some men get older, they find themselves sharing many of the same symptoms as their menopausal wives. They are carrying around extra weight they can't seem to lose, have problems sleeping, lose interest in sex, experience mood swings, and feel tired and depressed. It can't be menopause…or can it?More and more researchers are beginning to agree that the natural decline in testosterone men tend to experience as they age can result in a cluster of symptoms known as "late-onset hypogonadism," which is commonly referred to as male menopause.Just as a woman's levels of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone decline in her forties and fifties, a man's testosterone level also tends to go down with age."Males have a slow fall in testosterone from age 30. By 40 to 50, about 3 percent are testosterone deficient — and by 70 about 50 percent," says John Morley, MD, professor of internal medicine and geriatrics and chief of the division of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Morley says that not all men will experience symptoms of male menopause, but many will. "About half of men by [age] 70 will have male menopause," he says.When women go through menopause, they lose their fertility. While men can still be fertile during and after male menopause, they often experience symptoms similar to female menopause: problems with sex, sleep, mood, and physical fitness.

According to Morley, a man's age-related decline in testosterone levels "can cause sexual problems, fatigue, and unhappiness, [and] also cause osteoporosis, loss of muscle, and perhaps frailty."



In addition to these symptoms, research studies have found that male menopause may be associated with a variety of health conditions, including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.When to Talk to Your DoctorMorley says that men who are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, such as a lack of enthusiasm for sex, a soft erection, fatigue, declining athletic performance, unusual grumpiness, or hot flashes (a rare symptom), should talk to their doctor.If your doctor suspects that low testosterone levels may be the cause of your symptoms, a simple blood test can be performed to measure testosterone levels. Since testosterone levels peak early in the day, it is best to get this test in the morning when they are at their highest.If you do have a low testosterone level, your doctor may refer you to an endocrinologist or urologist with experience in managing symptoms of male menopause.Testosterone Supplements for Male Menopause"[Male menopause] can be treated with testosterone," says Morley. The goal of testosterone therapy is to increase the amount of testosterone in your blood in order to improve your sex drive and erections, give you more energy and a better sense of well-being, improve your mood, reduce your body fat, and bolster your muscle and bone strength.There are a number of types of testosterone supplement therapies, including testosterone injections (usually given biweekly), daily testosterone patches, daily testosterone skin gels, and testosterone tablets applied to the gums.Since there are some potential risks associated with testosterone therapy, it is important to talk to your doctor about specific benefits and risks to you of using this treatment option. Testosterone therapy is generally not recommended for men with prostate cancer or benign prostate hyperplasia.If you go on testosterone supplements or another form of this therapy, work closely with your doctor to monitor the success of the treatment and watch for signs of potential side effects, such as increased risk of stroke, thickened blood, and skin reactions.

What Causes a Stuffy Nose?

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Stuffy nose is more annoying rather than serious, in which the nasal passages are blocked or congested due to excess mucus buildup. The root causes are inflamed blood vessels and swelling of the mucosa lining of the nostrils. The reasons for inflammation of blood vessels are many, ranging from hypersensitive immune responses to the structural abnormalities. Determining the causes of stuffy nose, avoiding them and following stuffy nose remedies will help in preventing frequent bouts of this nasal discomfort.

Causes of Stuffy Nose
A stuffy nose is also known by different names - blocked nose, nasal obstruction, nasal blockage and nasal congestion. Besides difficulty in breathing, it brings along a set of medical symptoms, such as pressure in ears, reduced hearing, mild facial pain, headache, snoring, sleep problems, and change in voice. Stuffy nose in infants greatly disturbs normal breathing, feeding and sleeping schedule, while it is rarely a serious problem for adults. Let’s try to find out what causes a stuffy nose condition.


Allergic Responses
When exposed to pollens, dust, chemical sprays and other allergens, the body secretes histamines to counteract them. These immune system responses result in increased blood flow, which in turn causes swelling of mucous membranes and nasal congestion. Also, sudden changes in the environmental condition, especially from hot to cold, is a major reason for stuffy nose.


Nonallergic Rhinitis
This refers to inflammation of mucous membrane in the nasal passages without allergy and other apparent causes. The notable symptoms are blocked nose, runny nose, itchiness and sneezing. Contrary to allergic rhinitis, either the condition becomes recurring, or the symptoms do not get better with time. 



Common Cold and Flu
Whenever we have a cold or flu, we end up with sore throat and nasal obstruction. This is because of the viral infection in the upper respiratory tract system. In the same way as allergies, the immune system responds to infection by secreting histamines, causing dilation of blood vessels and inflammation of nasal membranes.

Sinus Infection
Bacterial infection of the paranasal sinuses is another prime factor for stuffy nose at night. It is usually followed by a common cold. Other symptoms like sinus headache, sinus pressure and mucus discharge accompany sinusitis. Both acute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis are equally responsible for causing nasal obstruction.

Deviated Septum
Constant bouts of stuffy nose are most likely due to structural abnormalities. And nasal congestion due to deviated nasal septum may be manifested in one or both nostrils. Other structural problems that may cause recurring nasal blockage are enlarged adenoid and concha bullosa.

Medication Side Effect
Stuffy nose due to adverse effects of treatment medications is not an unusual case. This is because some of the drugs affect blood circulation, and may bring about increased flow in the blood vessels. This causes swelling of the mucous membrane in the nose, ultimately, leading to increased mucus secretion and blocked nose.

Remedies for Stuffy Nose
In most of the incidences, nasal blockage improves on its own after a few days to a week’s period. However, quick recovery can be achieved by adopting effectual stuffy nose remedies. The trick is to promote drainage of accumulated mucus from the nose. Prolonged retention increases the risk for further infection in the respiratory tract. The actual treatment for nasal congestion is based on avoiding the triggering factors. For your reference, some of the tips for how to get rid of a stuffy nose are listed below.

  • Nasal congestion developed due to cold and flu will subside as the infection goes way. So, follow home treatment for cold to get relief from nasal blockage.
  • In the same way, existing allergy-triggered nasal blockage will be relieved gradually, if further exposure to allergens is avoided. So, stay away from pollens, dust and air pollutants.
  • Nasal irrigation with salt water solution gives an instant relief for stuffy nose. You can purchase saline solution, or make it at home. Use this saline solution as many times as possible.
  • Dry air and less humidity level worsens nasal congestion, so humidify rooms with a humidifier. This will moisten and dilute nasal mucus, thus allowing quick clearance of mucus.
  • In a prompt step to clear nasal obstruction, take steam inhalation therapy. Simply fill a bowl with hot water, drape head with a towel and inhale steam through nose breathing.
  • Similar to steam inhalation, taking steam bath works wonder in getting rid of nasal congestion. This stuffy nose remedy gives a decongesting effect not only to the nose, but warms up the overall body.
This was an overview on what causes a stuffy nose, and remedies to treat this nasal condition. Any chronic health problem, whether it is stuffy nose or a headache, should be checked by a trusted physician. So, if nasal blockage becomes persistent even after adopting stuffy nose remedies, or if it is accompanied with fever and facial pain, seek medical advice as soon as possible. That way, serious underlying conditions (if any) which might be causing chronic stuffy nose can be identified and treated promptly without delaying further.

Hypertension Early In Life Drives Up Mortality Risk Later

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High blood pressure in early adulthood hikes up the risk of coronary heart and
cardiovascular disease mortality, as well as all-cause mortality much later in
life, according to findings from the more than 18,000 men studied longitudinally
in the Harvard Alumni Health Study."The results lend weight to blood
pressure-lowering strategies beginning early in the life course than is
currently the case," Linsay Gray, Ph.D., of University College London, and
colleagues, concluded. However, trial data assessing the efficacy and safety of
such early interventions are lacking, they said.The associations, though
attenuated, remained even after accounting for middle-age hypertension.After
adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, and physical activity level at
study entry, [...]

Read the rest of this hypertension or blood pressure article here
http://www.highbloodpressurecontrol.net/bp-and-stroke/hypertension-early-in-life-drives-up-mortality-risk-later/.

Dr. Anna F. Dominiczak Named Editor-in-Chief Of Hypertension

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DALLAS, Dec. 5, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Heart Association and
Lippincott Williams Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, today announced
that Anna F. Dominiczak, M.D., has assumed the duties of Editor-in-Chief for
Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association , the leading monthly
journal for physicians and scientists involved in research and treatment of high
blood pressure. Hypertension is published by Lippincott Williams Wilkins, a
part of Wolters Kluwer Health. Dominiczak is Regius Professor of Medicine and
Vice Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences,
University of Glasgow. Her tenure as Editor-in-Chief commences with the January
2012 issue of Hypertension. [...]

Read the rest of this hypertension or blood pressure article here
http://www.highbloodpressurecontrol.net/hypertension/dr-anna-f-dominiczak-named-editor-in-chief-of-hypertension/.

5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe

Health Equals to Life

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In the old days, most people always put making money or their job and career as their top priority in life. They always thought that the more money they make or accumulate, the happier they will be and the more satisfaction they will get in their lives. Little do they know that, the stress they put on their body doing overtime, no rest, little sleep, skip lunch, late dinner, no exercise will make their health suffer as a result. Even with the amount of dollars they have accumulated, a millionaire will not be able to enjoy his life due to his or her bad health. Monies supposedly earned for holidays and entertainment will now have to be channelled to clinics and hospitals to cover for the medical expenses incurred.

That's why we should always put health as our top priority in life. Without health, we may not even be thinking of making any money at all, let alone having a luxurious lifestyle as we might not be able to work. Even if we are not rich as we expect but with a healthy body that we have, we can always find a way to earn enough money to live a happy lifestyle. Failing which we can always live within our means and can still enjoy the life that we want.

The main purpose of my blog is to create awareness among all working adults out there so as to stop worrying about how much you are earning and start thinking of having a good healthy body. This blog will cover every aspects about health, diseases that are most common like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, high uric acid to name a few here, how to combate these diseases and so on. We will also give some expert advise on how to eat in a healthy way and to make your own healthy food recipes as well as various exercise tips from how to shed some pounds to maintaining body fitness that are easy to do. Besides maintaining a healthy body we will also touch on ways to have a healthy mind and how to keep a sharp mental fitness for the more senior citizens. So let's bookmark this blog or RSS so that you won't miss any of our blog post in the future.

Why it's bad to eat just before sleep

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Whether you are a workaholic who eat your meal minutes before you go to bed or a snack lover, who likes to eat your favourite fish and chips or ham and cheese with pepperoni pizza and jump into your bed straight after a full stomach, you will be doomed to have a lousy body and a bad health as the above are lifestyle of a very unhealthy human being!

So why is it so unhealthy to eat just before you go to bed? Well, first of all let me tell you this simple fact. The purpose of you, going to bed in the first place is to rest your whole body, that is, to give your entire inner system a break and chance to repair for any wear and tear suffered during the day time. If you stuff in foods into your body within 3 hours prior to sleep, you are forcing your own digestive system to work overtime while they are suppose to be at rest at night after a full day of digesting activities. Furthermore, while you are asleep, your metabolic rate will be at a slower pace and so the food you have eaten will be more likely turned into storage fat rather than supplying energy for your body use. In other words, people who eat a lot prior to their bed time will be more likely to gain that extra pound as compare to those having their meals more than 3 hours before bedtime.

Eating potatoes chips, white rice, pizza and sugary foods which are high in glycemic-carbohydrate is found to have a bad effect in our body repairing system while we are asleep. This high glycemic-carb will induce a surge in the release of insulin in our body which will in turn inhibit the production of Human Growth Hormone or HGH. HGH is normally produced at night while we are sleeping (80%) and it is used primarily for fat burning and cell repairing. If the high insulin level which prevents to production of HGH occurs, our body will be slow in the repairing of any damage cells while storing of extra fats will make us fat and weak as a whole.

Normally, if we had our meal 3 hours before our sleep at night, our body would have fasted for a few hours and by the time we are fast asleep the HGH can start to do its function of cell repairing and can even promote fat burning after the 5th hours into our slumber. A final advice is that whenever you feel hungry prior to your bedtime, try to have a light meal which consists of fruits and fiber like apple or a glass of fruit juice rather than having a high glycemic-carb meal like potato chips and pizza and stuffs like that. In this way you can have a good health, fitness and life as you enjoy your sleep every night!

What Is Cholesterol

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Nowadays we always heard about cholesterol is bad for health. It can cause heart attack, stroke and so on. So what is this cholesterol thing and how well do people really know about it. Can we really prevent cholesterol from lingering in our body all together? Or how do we prevent cholesterol from entering into our body in the first place?

Cholesterol is actually a fat or lipid as they called it in scientific term. Our liver produces cholesterol to aid in the hormone and bile production, helps to convert sunshine into vitamin D, use in the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K), build cell membrane and insulate our nerve fibers. There are 2 types of cholesterol, namely the Low Density Lipoprotein or LDL and the High Density Lipoprotein or HDL. LDL is what we commonly known as the bad cholesterol. It comes mainly from the food we consume every day. Foods that are high in cholesterol are egg, seafood like squid and prawns, cheese and full cream milk, red meat like beef and pork and also most fatty food which most people like to eat like hamburger, fried chicken, pizza, fries and so on. This is the main reason why so many people suffer from high cholesterol level due to the fatty food they consume on a daily basis.

Over consumption of fatty food will cause the build-up of the bad cholesterol in our blood stream. As this process continues, layers upon layers of bad cholesterol will starts to build up around the inner walls of our blood vessels until a time when a total blockage occurs. If this happen to our artery supplying blood to our heart, then a heart attack may result. Other than that, if the piled up cholesterol flows into our brain and cause a blockage there and damage part of our brain cells, we may suffer paralysis of body function or what is commonly known as a stroke. So as you can see the danger of excess bad cholesterol in our body. The other good cholesterol or HDL, helps in the transport of cholesterol back to liver for breakdown. The HDL can only be produce via doing exercise. So that is why many people who are sedentary or lack of exercise will have high blood pressure due to the high level of bad cholesterol accumulated in their body as they aren't producing enough HDL to transport the excess cholesterol away for breakdown. A healthy blood cholesterol level should between 3.6 mmol/liter to 7.8 mmol/liter.

So all in all, in order to have a healthy body, we need to control our food consumption by taking less of the high cholesterol or fatty food as mentioned above while eating more fruits, vegetables and high fiber foods and the like. We will touch on more on how to have a cholesterol free diet in my next post and ways to exercise your way out of these bad cholesterol from your blood system!

Foods For Cholesterol

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All types of food we eat seem to elevate our cholesterol level which leads us towards the danger of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and so on. So what should we eat instead? Is our life will become so boring without that crispy fried chicken, juicy double cheese burger or ever colourful seafood platter? Well, not for a second, it won't, I can assure you. I'll recommend to you 5 types of food that you can serve to cholesterol intake and at the same time cleanse you blood to make you the healthy YOU again so that you will no longer have to worry about heart attacks and so on.

The first and most versatile and easy to prepare cholesterol reducing food will be none other than Oatmeal. Its soluble fiber content helps to absorb the excess cholesterol in our blood and hence can cleanse our blood cholesterol if consume regularly. Now most of you might be saying, WHAT? OATMEAL! HOW BORING WILL THAT BE as compared to the juicy Hamburger! Well, no one ask you to consume oatmeal pouring it into your throat literally! Oatmeal, if prepared well, can become a delicacy for some people. Here is how you do it. Put 8 tablespoon of instant oatmeal into a bowl, pour 1 1/2 cup of omega milk into it. Cook it until warm or you can microwave it for 1 minute. Then add some banana slices and s swirl of honey to taste and wah-lah, a nice warm and healthy breakfast that you can try at home.

The second kind of food you can add into your diet is Celery. Celery is found to induce the bile secretion property in our body and hence the lowering of cholesterol in our blood. I also contain phthalides, an active compound which helps in the lowering of our blood pressure by dilating our arteries and enhancing our blood flow, what we called blood thinning effect. Beside this, celery is also rich in vitamin C which helps in the tackling the free-radicals in our body and promotes the overall well being of our body. Celery can be blended with tomato and apple with a tablespoon of honey and drink as a refreshing juice for breakfast. Besides, serving as a juice, celery can be eaten raw or serve as a salad with other vegetables and fruits.

The third type of food is none other than the good old creature from the sea, FISH. Fish contained Omega-3 Fatty acids which can reduce oily substance (triglyceride) in our blood stream, reduces blood pressure and prevent us from getting stroke or blood clot in our arteries. Fish like Sardin, Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna, Herring, Trout and Halibut contain high level of these Omega-3 Fatty acids. So next time, go to a Sushi bar and order a Salmon sushi rather than having a double cheese burger in a fast food shop! Besides fish you can also try Omega Milk. Drink this type of milk instead of full cream ones. The Omega milk contains ACTICOL and added plant sterols and is scientifically proven to lower your LDL cholesterol. Drink 2 glasses a day, add it to your cereal or oatmeal and see the result of your body cholesterol in 30 days.

The forth kind of cholesterol reducing food will be Nuts. It includes Walnut, Hazelnut, Almond, Peanut and pistachio. They contain polyunsaturated fatty acid which can keep your blood vessels healthy. However, walnut is rated top on the nut list as it contained a superior amount of omega-3 fatty acids that can reduce cholesterol as those in the fish mentioned above. Do not eat sugar coated or those with high salt contain. Add them into your salad or you can eat them as snack. A cup of serving per day will be sufficient (40gm) and do not munch it none stop watching your favourite tv program!

The fifth type of Food I recommend will be olive oil. This type of oil has antioxidant property that can reduce the bad LDL cholesterol while maintaining your good HDL cholesterol. Use olive oil instead of other type of oil in your cooking. Add olive oil (extra virgin has more cholesterol reducing effect) into your salad dressing and eat your way to a healthy body for sure! (Suggested daily serving is 2 tablespoon).

Exercise And Cholesterol

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It has been in the general public's perception that exercise can reduce cholesterol and gives you a healthier body. The more exercises you do, the healthier a person will be and all the heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure etc will go away. Is this view correct? And if so how does exercise really reduce our body cholesterol?

When we do exercise long enough (30 minutes or more), our body will starts to burn our body fat for fuel to cater for the higher demand in energy while we are in the high physical activity state. As we know, cholesterols are fat like substances in our blood stream. The regular burning off of fats in our body prevents the accumulation of LDL cholesterol. Exercise will stimulate the production of enzyme that promotes the removal of LDL by transporting them to the liver to be converted into bile or secreted. The more exercise we do, the more LDL cholesterol will be removed from our system.

On the other hand, high physical activities can promote the production of HDL cholesterol in our body which function is to transport excess cholesterol away from our blood stream. In fact studies have shown that exercise is the only way that we can increase our HDL level. That is why people who lives a sedentary lifestyle has a lower level of HDL in their blood system which is why most of these people will have high cholesterol and suffer a higher risk of having heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and so on.

So what kind of exercise we can do? Normally if you have never been exercising for quite some time, it is advisable to start slow by doing regular light exercises to make your body use to the higher level of physical stress or to consult your local doctor first before you start to do anything. You can do walking for 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week. As your body begins to get used to the low intensity exercises, you can crank up the level by doing fast walking or even slow running for 30 minutes or more a day. The key is to increase your exercise intensity in a gradual manner. You can always try different types of exercise to inject variety and thus prevents the boring effect from making you stop exercising! Exercises like, treadmills, stationary bike, stepper, ellipticals, rowing machine or even rope jumping are among many cardio exercises that you can choose.


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2 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi

Signs of Brain Tumor

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Under normal circumstances, the cells of the body are programmed to grow, divide and die. This process takes place in an orderly manner. During childhood, cells divide at a faster rate, so as to help in the growth and the development of the body. But when a person reaches adulthood, the division takes place only to replace cells that are dying, or have worn-out, and to repair injuries. Now due to certain factors, this very process malfunctions in some parts of the body; which in this case is the brain. Cells here may get triggered to grow at an abnormally rapid pace, and go on accumulating. This accumulation of cells, with time, takes the form of a tumor; which is an abnormal mass of a tissue. And when this occurs in the brain, it is known as a brain tumor. To know about the signs of brain tumor, and some more facts about the condition, keep reading what's next.

Brain Tumor FAQs
In this brief FAQs section, various queries about the condition of brain tumor would be answered, apart from the symptoms it exhibits.

# 1. How do I know if I have a brain tumor?
Ans: This is where we would discuss the different signs of brain tumor. It is important to understand that the signs are highly individual. They are influenced by what size the tumor is of, at what rate is it growing, and exactly where it is located. However, the signs and symptoms of brain tumor which experts have classified as general, may include:




  • One of the most common and early signs of brain tumor is the occurrence of headaches, which are different from those that appear generally. These headaches seem to strike during sleep, and get worse in the morning, before getting better after a couple of hours.
  • These headaches may get worse when the patient changes position, and may be accompanied by vomiting, nausea, and dizziness.
  • It may be common for the patient to experience blurred vision, or double vision, as some of the brain tumor warning signs.
  • The tumor may also cause balance problems, which might make it difficult for the person to walk, run, or take up similar activities.
  • Some more probable signs of brain tumor may include speech difficulty, poor concentration, numbness in limbs, and confusion.
  • Memory may get impaired as the brain gets affected, and so may one's hearing ability.
  • Seizures
# 2. What can cause the tumor in me?
Ans: You now know about what are the signs of brain tumor to watch out for. Let's see, what factors are responsible for it. Basically, there are two kinds of brain tumor; one that has its origin in the brain itself, and the other one that has occurred somewhere else, and spread to the brain. The first one is known as primary brain tumor, and the other one, secondary brain tumor. Also, not all of these tumors are cancerous, as there are some which are benign (non-cancerous). According to experts, the primary ones begin as a result of some mutation in the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) of the cells in the brain. And this mutation triggers the abnormal growth, thus, the tumor. And as said about the secondary form, it is caused by cancers that have occurred somewhere else. Common examples include colon cancer, breast cancer, cancer of the kidney and lungs, and melanoma.

# 3. What do I do if I have all such symptoms?
Ans: As soon as you begin to have all such symptoms, especially the headaches, then be wise and get yourself shown at the doctor's. There you might undergo a neurological exam, tests such as a CT (CAT) scan or MRI for brain imaging, and test for examining the fluid from the spinal cord. In some cases, a biopsy may also be conducted to make the diagnosis. It is nothing but the examination of a tiny sample of the brain, which is sent for a laboratory test, to determine the presence of cancer.

# 4. What help can I avail to deal with the problem?
Ans: Just like the symptoms, even the treatment is driven by the size, location and the type of the tumor that has developed, and also the overall health of the patient. The main options involved in the treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and radiosurgery. Speaking of surgery, it is fruitful in case of small tumors. However, if the tumor is big, then the surgeon would remove it until a point after which it may become risky. Also, if the tumor is located in sensitive areas, then surgery may be opted out.

Use of high-energy particles is what forms the main base of radiation therapy. Beams of these particles help in killing the tumor cells. In some cases, this method may also be used post surgery. In case of radiosurgery, it is similar to radiation therapy. Here, multiple beams of radiation are shot at the affected area to kill the tumor cells. Chemotherapy kills cancer cells with the aid of medications. These drugs may be administered orally or intravenously.

# 5. What is the importance of rehabilitation following the treatment?
Ans: As brain tumor may affect those parts of the brain which are responsible for the cognitive faculties of the patient, rehabilitation post treatment helps in recovering all such lost skills. The program may include therapy for improving lost motor skills like strength and balance, occupational therapy for improving daily activities, and speech therapy for communication issues, and swallowing problems.

And that ends my quick and to the point FAQs which gave you an insight on the signs of brain tumor, its possible causes, how it is diagnosed and what treatment options are available to deal with it. Hope you have found this session informative. If you wish to add more to this data, then you can always bookmark this page, and post your comments in the comment box provided below. Take care!

Do I Have OCD?

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OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is an illness of the mind which over time, can be quite detrimental if not treated in time. It is an anxiety disorder that compels sufferers to play out odd behavioral habits like a ritualistic approach to everyday actions, having recurrent thoughts of fear along with stressful thinking patterns that fuel their problem. They're constantly plagued by nervousness and anxiety, often following a schedule that is habitual and repetitive. The behavior is acted upon to help ease up on the obsessive thinking or in a vague attempt to drive them away. This isn't a long lasting effect, therefore making the person act out on this again and again on a daily basis. There are a lot of compulsive behavioral acts that are common among those suffering from this which come under the signs of OCD. To answer the question of 'do I have OCD?', one would have to go through the symptoms of this problem to find out the answer.

Many movies have been based on characters who have obsessive compulsive disorders; for example flicks like 'As Good As It Gets' where Jack Nicholson finds himself using a soap only once after he's washed his hands before discarding it as one of his many compulsions, is one such behavioral pattern. Another movie 'Matchstick Men' finds Nicholas Cage fumbling every morning with the light switches, counting the number of times he turns them on and off with other sicknesses that take form. The worst case of this problem can be seen in the series 'Monk' where Tony Shalhoub's innumerable compulsions are centered upon throughout the series. He even suffers from mysophobia which is fear of being contaminated by germs, which is a classic obsessive-compulsive behavioral trait.

OCD Causes

To get started on answering the question if one has OCD, we look through the OCD causes that are responsible for having brought on such a disorder in a person. If you or your loved ones are facing any of these factors, it will explain a lot when it comes to suffering from OCD. There's nothing to get panicky about, just that treatment in extreme cases need to be taken into consideration.




Environment
If one already has the capacity of becoming a compulsive disordered person, there are certain areas in his/her life that need to be looked over. Like if he/she were to be subjected to a certain kind of surrounding or incident, the symptoms could intensify after being kept under control for so long. The factors to look out for when it comes to OCD are, living conditions change drasticallyrelationship problemsphysical or mental abuse on a regular basischange in work/school routinean illness of some sort or coping with the death of a loved one.

Matters of the Brain
Being as complicated an organ as the brain is, we can never tell when the nerve cells that make up its very core, that is neurons, will suddenly take on a drastic change that will alter our personalities or our health. In order for us to function the way we do, the neurons have to work on a pattern of systematic communication in order to keep us both sane and hearty. When there are depleting levels of serotonin in our brain, there is a chance that one can develop OCD. Due to this imbalance in a chemical that is important to the brain, the effects on the person can be quite damaging. This can be inherited from previous generations. The streptococcus bacteria has also been found to be responsible for developing OCD in children and adults, if it goes unobserved and untreated over time. Also look into compulsive behavior in children to understand how this affects them.

OCD Symptoms

We'll now browse through the obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms to help people identify the different ways in which this illness can creep in. It is important to read the signs of this disorder in order to get one the help he/she needs to cope with this disability, instead of leaving it to run wild and unobserved.
  • Being fearful of sinful/evil thoughts
  • Foods need to be eaten in a certain order
  • Feelings of embarrassment or fear when behaving in a manner that is not appropriate in public
  • Fear of being constantly plagued by germs or dirt
  • Certain words, prayers or key phrases are constantly repeated in speech
  • Fearing the idea of harming others
  • Hoarding/collecting things that don't hold any value
  • Disturbing images/thoughts that hamper sleep patterns
  • Fearing the idea of making mistakes
  • Not able to touch doorknobs or shake people's hands
  • Needs to be assured on a regular basis
  • Arranging things in a certain manner
  • Checking things repeatedly like the stove or door/window locks
  • Doubting things/people constantly
  • Counting out loud or in one's head
  • Need for order is crucial, even symmetry
  • Carrying out tasks many times in a day or doing an action many times at once before carrying on to the next
OCD Treatment

There are two basic forms of treating this illness to help patients cope with this disorder and not have it take over their lives and minds. It can be quite disturbing to deal with people who suffer from this when in the case of friends or loved ones, but it is important to help them in this time and see them through the treatment process. It would do them much good and keep the illness at bay.

Medications
There are certain antidepressants that come into the treatment process to help those suffering from OCD. These are approved and sanctioned as safe for use by the FDA, which you always need to make sure of before use. If these don't come under FDA approved medicines, there are others known as off label medications that are legal for use but aren't FDA approved. The medicines that are appropriate for use when it comes to the approved ones are Paroxetine, ,i>Clomipramine, FluxetineSertraline and Fluvoxamine.

Psychotherapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one's other optional treatment method where a method called exposure and response prevention is worked upon where the problem that you are scared of or whatever it is that forces one to go into that stressful state is exposed to you repeatedly to help you get over it. The patients go through a slow process of confronting these fears so that they can leave normal and eased up lives without this disorder from taking hold.

Now that the OCD causes, symptoms and treatment methods have been looked over and identified with, I hope that this answers your question of 'Do I have OCD?'. Family and friends need to be support systems for those who suffer from this illness, since treatment methods are quite effective in reining in this problem and keeping it under control if not completely ridding its existence. Have a safe tomorrow.