Month: December 2012

How to Approach Cancer Spiritually

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Cancer is life threatening but it isn’t the end of your life. Discovering that you have cancer can be unnerving and for a second, you might feel hopeless and desolate. However, this is the time when the strength of your character will be tested, when you find out how strong you are. Approaching cancer spiritually has helped many people in combating the disease. Obviously, there are different ways to do this but the following pointers will be helpful –

1. Adopt A Positive Outlook Towards Life – The negative forces stem from our own fears and breed on our insecurities. You have to believe that you can face this, that you are strong and powerful. Hope can be healing and it can help when everything else has failed. Positivity not only benefits your soul but also your body. It acts as a catalyst to attract better things in life.

Live every second like it’s your first and last. You don’t have to be scared of death but this doesn’t mean that you have to give up fighting for life. Your life is yours and you deserve every happy moment you have lived. Be curious and explore, look at things from a fresh point of view and you will attract positivity from all sources.

2. Don’t Feel Sorry – People who say that they don’t have regrets in life are either lying or they have spent their life in a box. Everyone has regrets but the wise ones use those regrets to propel them towards success and positivity. Never feel sorry for what has gone because it is the past and no amount of crying can bring it back. Bad things happen to the best of people but if you believe in the spiritual power of nature, you would realize that everything has a purpose.

Open your eyes and replace the sorry feeling with new things. There are many people who have fought cancer and have emerged victorious. Read about them and share their stories. Believe that you can be one of those people. Your attitude can work wonders on your immunity as well.

3. Get Up And Take Charge – Get out of bed and take your life in your own hands. If you feel the need to change, be that change. If you think that you need a psychotherapist to deal with the problems you are facing, don’t be shy and get one. All the changes in your life can be brought by you only if you take initiative.

4. Keep Your Mind Open – Never give up hope. You have to believe that distance energy healing will work for you and only then will it work well. Keep your mind open for all sorts of treatments because they might just be the thing you need.

This doesn’t mean that you give up on medicine. Your medication and therapy goes on side by side. You can try distance energy healing for cancer and explore the miracles of the human mind yourself. Just keep an open attitude and believe in it, that’s all you need.


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How to Overcome Teeth Grinding

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Waking up with swollen gums is not a pleasant experience and before you attribute it to some dental problem, check out if you having the habit of unconsciously grinding your teeth. Yes, bruxism or teeth grinding causes swollen gums and, over a period of time, can cause your teeth to crumble. Horrifying thought, isn’t it? Since it is an unconscious habit, what can you do to get rid of it? Here are 5 effective tips that can help you get rid of this habit and protect your teeth from further damage.

1. Ask Your Dentist For A Mouth Guard – Like your security watchman, a mouth guard for grinding teeth is a plastic cap like device that is fit over your teeth. So, when you grind your teeth, the grinding force gets redistributed and protects your teeth. And, if you are worried about looking weird, then relax. No one will know what you have over your teeth.

2. Give yourself a mouth massage – You give your body massages to relax it. So, why not a massage for your mouth? Strange as a mouth massage sounds, it is one of best ways to relax the jaw muscles and ease away your tensions. One of the reasons for bruxism is stress and massaging you jaw and face can help relax these muscles. Just remember not to rub too hard. Use circular motions gently.

3. Use De-stressing Techniques – Since now you know that stress is one of the major causes of bruxism, try and work it out of your body. Use tried and tested techniques like exercising, listening to music and others to de-stress. You can also meditate to relax your body and mind. When the muscles of your body relax, your jaw will stop the chewing motion.
One of the most effective methods of relaxing your body is to close your eyes and breathe deeply. Then imagine that each part of your body is relaxing.

4. Fulfill Your Physical And Emotional Needs – Is ignoring your physical and emotional needs causing you stress enough to grind your teeth? Well, what are you waiting for? Go and take care of them. Remember, stress will only cause you to grind your teeth more. So you need to effectively work towards fulfilling your needs, whatever they are.

5. Quit Bad Habits – Habits like excessive consumption of alcohol, chewing gums or your pen caps or the back of your pencils, can only get your jaws into the habit of chewing. When they don’t get their regular quota of chewing gums, pens or pencils and others, they will take to grinding teeth, your teeth. Why let your jaws ruin your perfect teeth. Just get rid of bad habits!

Remember that if you don’t work towards stopping teeth grinding, your teeth will soon become a thing of the past instead of this habit. Take care of your stress and follow the tips given about to relax your jaw and facial muscles. Work consciously to stop bruxing.


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What are the Medical Options Available to Stop Snoring?

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Are you one of those people who have shrugged off snoring as something inconsequential? Or are you the loved one staying awake for hours on end because of your snoring partner? No matter which category you fall in, you would realize that snoring is very common and very irksome. It is not only embarrassing in certain cases but can even have serious consequences health wise.

This doesn’t mean that you should run off to get surgery and solve the problem once and for all. Always remember that surgery is the last option and you must give non-surgical options a shot before going further. These non-surgical options include losing weight, not consuming alcohol before you go to sleep, nasal strips et al. Some other useful and proven non-surgical treatments that you may want to try can be found here.

If you have tried them all to no avail, you can go to a sleep clinic and get your sleep evaluation done. Doctors will identify the source of your snoring and suggest remedies according to their findings. Here are some medical treatments you could opt for –

1. Decongestants – If you have any allergy, then your nasal tract can swell and get irritated and the same goes for infection. Your doctor would prescribe that you take a decongestant because you sleep. That will reduce swelling and diminish the snoring eventually. Of course, this is for sudden snoring cases and not for the chronic ones.

2. CPAP – CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and is a commonly used device to counteract snoring. It’s basically a mask that covers your nose and has a high pressure that keeps your airway free and clean while you sleep. This mask is connected to a tube which, in turn, is connected to a machine that is the size of a shoe box.

It is very safe and takes care of all your obstructions, no matter which area they are localized to.

3. Surgery – If all else fails, only then should you turn towards surgery. This is because there are many risks associated with it and even after that, there is no guarantee. The following surgical options could be explored –

• Somnoplasty and Coblation Chanelling – Somnoplasty uses low radiofrequency waves to reduce excess tissue which your body would later reabsorb. It is a quick, relatively painless and bloodless procedure. Coblation Chanelling uses the same radiofrequency energy. The only difference is that it uses both shrinking and heating of tissue to clear airways.

• Uvulopalathopharyngoplasty – This can be done with or without laser where excessive soft palate and uvula is removed so that the airway gets expanded. However, laser removal requires multiple sessions.


• Nasal Surgery – Some people have a deviated septum and a simple nasal surgery can correct that by removing blockage and obstructions from your nose. This would stop that snoring.

There are many other surgical options like injection of sclerosing liquid amongst others. You should always remember that even after surgery, snoring is known to return. Also, surgeries are known to be ineffective but once done, they cannot be reversed. So, always be careful before you choose surgery.


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4 Types of Dental Implants

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Dentistry now offers you four different dental implants from which you can choose. If you have to remove a tooth or if you break it, your dentist can now replace it with a new denture with the help of implant dentistry. These implants vary in the time they require to heal and the techniques that dentists use to place them in your mouth. Here is a brief outline of the four types of dental implants –

1. Endosteal Implant

This is the most frequently used dental implant and the most popular one as well. But be sure that you’re getting it done only by any experienced Woodland Hills dentists. You will require a strong bone structure for this surgery. The surgery has two steps –

• Step 1

Your dentist will first drill a hole into your gum and insert the implant. He will then stitch the area and you will have to rest it for at least six months.

• Step 2

Once the first stage of healing is complete, the dentist will again open the area. He will now fix a crown on this implant and again let it rest for a while. With time, your bone will fuse with the metal implant and secure it.

2. Subperiosteal Implant

If you do not have a strong bone structure or if your jaws are worn out, then this is implant is best for you. The jawbone doesn’t have enough width or height to hold the metal implant tightly, therefore the implant placed on the bone is so designed to support it.

This process requires only one surgery, where a CT scan is done to determine the type of implant that would work. A computerized image of the implant is made and then the area, where the implant is to be placed, is cut open by your dentist. An implant, similar to the model, is inserted with a metal base that distributes the weight and makes it secure.

Then the crown is placed on top of the implant. It is often placed on a second surgery to allow the area to heal first.

3. Plate Form Implant

This implant will suit you if you have a narrow bone structure. The surgery involves placing a thin, narrow metal structure inside the gum after cutting the jawbone open. The dentist then seals the area till it heals. After a period of few months, when it completely heals, he places the crown.

4. Dental Supports

These implants are for people who have to replace their teeth or take them out. If you take out an entire set of teeth, you will have to replace them with artificial dentures. Intramucosal implants involve a series of implants connected with a rod. Ramus Framed implant uses a heavy piece of metal. This is implanted in your gums and supports your dentures. It is flexible. Both these implants are removable.

There are various different methods and implants to improve your dental health. Consult a dentist and find out which method is suitable for you.


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5 Ways for Parents To prevent Obesity In Children

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Childhood obesity in not a parent ego issue but is actually a serious medical condition. Most people write it off as a parent’s attempt to better their image by making their child better looking but it is far from that. As kids, we are all drawn towards junk food like fries, burgers and sodas. Also, candy contributes to obesity but on some occasions like Halloween and Christmas, it is a part of the celebration.

Here are some points that would help you control the weight problems of your kids –

1.Watch The Weight Gain – This is the easiest and the most ignored solution for obesity issues. Most obesity problems are not complicated at all and you can control these problems by merely watching what goes in. Simply keep a tab on the diet of your child but don’t under nourish them. There are certain diet requirements based on height and age and you should follow them when you watch their food intake.

2. Encourage Regular Eating – It is best that you fix regular eating timetables and even join your kids when they are eating. As per the government health recommendations, there must be 3 meals and additional snacks per day of a healthy person. Hence, your child shouldn’t be going without food for more than 3-4 hours. If you join them during their meals, it would add more regularity to their timetable.

3. Inculcate Healthy Eating Habits Early – Healthy dietary choices not only prevent obesity but they also cancel out other health issues in a person’s life. But it is much more difficult to break someone out of an unhealthy eating habit than it is to incorporate it from an early age. Add fruits and vegetables in their diet plans when they are in preschool and you will notice that such kids stay away from fatty foods when they grow up.

4. Don’t Be Restrictive – It is okay to control their intake and monitor it up to a certain extent but you must try and not come across as some tyrannical food control freak. These are probably the best years of your kids in terms of digestion and you don’t want to be too much of a spoil sport. Another thing about being overly restrictive is that children tend to do the opposite of what you tell them to do. This means that if you keep them away from junk food, they will gravitate towards it and you don’t want that.

5. Join Them In Moderate and Healthy Eating – Your kids learn from your habits and even imitate your choices. The best thing is to join them and eat moderately in front of them so as to set an example. If you are gorging on burgers yourself and asking them not to, it creates double standards and makes them angry. So, when you ask them to eat their salad, do the same and things would be much easier.

Don’t be too strict while introducing the regimen. Be easy on the kids, they are children, after all. Be polite and give them a free treat occasionally to encourage them.


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E-Cigarettes: Healthy Alternative or Harmful For the Heart?

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Smoking kills. Yes, of course that statement doesn’t need any re-clarification, but ask any smoker and he will tell you in detail about the numerous difficulties of trying to quit smoking. These start from the urges and cravings for the smoke to problems in concentration and lack of productivity at work. This is why E-Cigarette or electronic cigarettes are something that you must consider whether it is you or your close someone who is trying to quit smoking.

The problem starts with the fact that there is a raging debate about the beneficial effects of electronic cigarettes and it is believed by many to be harmful for your heart, doing little good than bad. Well, recent extensive studies and research has shown that they are completely safe and has no harmful effect on the heart. Still don’t believe this suggestion? Here are 3 reasons to stop worrying and start believing this result –

1. The Survey Is An Extensive One

Yes, right, that a survey can never be theoretically all encompassing reflecting cent percentage of the populace but at the same time in practice, an extensively done survey with a wide range of carefully selected sample subjects is the nearest you can reach to a statistical surety. This is why the survey which takes into account a reliable number of subjects, all of whom were made to sue the electronic cigarette, makes it a perfectly setup scenario.

The fact that the survey was done on people who were made to use the electronic cigarette and were monitored for problems right before and after the usage makes it perfectly clear that the harms from using the same are absent. Scientists and doctors have mentioned that there is a slight possibility that electronic cigarettes come with short term harm for some, but the same is extremely negligible to be taken into account.

2. Millions Of People Are Using Electronic Cigarettes

There are more than a million people all over the globe who are using the electronic cigarettes an alternative path to quitting smoking and reaping the benefits out of the same. The reports of problems or health hazards due to smoking an electronic cigarette are next to null and the rare instances can be safely categorized as cases of allergy, unadvised consumption or unregulated consumption of the same. Remember that no remedy is good if you overdo it and the same hold of the concept of electronic cigarettes.

3. Laboratory Analysis

There have been numerous analyses of the electronic cigarettes in the laboratory and it has been seen that it is free from any remote presence of carcinogenic substances which might be meddling with your health. The trace amount of whatever harmful substance might be there in an e-cigarette is negligible. The amount you accumulate from smoking an e-cigarette continuously for six to eight months is the same as one single conventional cigarette.

It is recommended that you start using the electronic cigarette or gift it to a loved one at the earliest and bunk any worries that you might have.


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Road Trips Shouldn’t Be an End of Your Healthy Eating Endeavours

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Road trips and unhealthy food go hand-in-hand indeed. After all what more is there to do when travelling? Sitting in a closed vehicle, your arm will invariably stretch towards the open pack of chips. Aerated drinks, sodas and take-away are what follows next. You don’t even realize how much junk food you have in your system by the time you reach your destination.

Junk food is certainly more convenient and may sound much easier to carry while travelling. But what we don’t realize is how we run after convenience without really looking its nutritional value. If you try to find the nutritional value of burgers, wafers and other junk food, you probably won’t find any! These foods, although seem very appetizing but on the contrary are extremely unhealthy.

If this is what you consume throughout your trip, chances are you won’t even be able to enjoy as much as you hope for. Wonder Why? The extra sugar, starch and preservatives present in junk food makes you grouchy, fatigued and may even leave you with a stomach ache. To avoid these situations, you just need to make little changes in your pre-trip shopping list and then you’re set to travel, the healthy way!

Since there are not many places giving importance to healthy, it’s the best to pack your own meals and snacks from home. This way you know you are consuming the best material which has wholesome nutritional value. Healthy means fruits and lots of veggies and thus when you are going out, take these with you. Fruits like apple, banana, orange and kiwi are quite filling, easy to eat and very good for body and so they make great snacks of travelling. For veggies, you can boil them, chop and carry in zip-lock pouches or take them with you in a salad form. Consuming the daily requirements of veggies will keep you healthy and regulate your body functions properly!

Another great way to fulfil your nutritional requirement when on the go is nuts. Nuts give you energy, contain essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and reduce the level of cholesterol in your body. Being high on fibre, they are a part of a balanced diet and also keep blood pressure under control. Having almonds and few cashews daily will yield positive effects on your health. If you want to carry some sweet snacks on the trip with you, invest in granola bars! Since these are rich source of fibre, nuts and cereal, it will make you feel fuller for a long time.

Water is another important element that you need to have when travelling. Never forget to carry water with you. Also take yogurt, juice, and water rich foods like cucumber

If you are going to a place like a movie or airport where home-made food cannot be carried, you must not get tempted and eat only healthy and nutritional food. Tofu-wraps, salads and other low-calorie food can be ordered. Japanese cuisine is an excellent option to explore as it’s known for its low-calorie nutritional content.

Just stay determined, and soon you won’t even feel like looking at the junk food anymore. The first step may be the hardest, but once you are on the path, nothing will be able to stray you!


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Top 7 Backache Myths

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It is so frustrating to come back home after a hard day’s work with a backache only to find that no one understands the reason for the ache. You visit your doctor and he cannot see the pain. You are told that it is a part of ageing and you need surgery to cure it, which is risky. All these are myths and these myths have been debunked here.

1. Backache Is A Myth – If your doctor cannot see it or understand the cause of the pain, it does not mean that the pain is a myth. The pain is very real. People rarely understand that for those suffering from back pain, the pain is excruciating at times.

2. Backache is a part of Ageing – Backache is not a part of ageing. Any one from a teenager to a 70 year old can have this problem.

3. Backache Is Pain In The Lower Back – If you believe this myth, then you couldn’t be further from the truth. Pain in any part of the back, upper or lower is backache. Sometimes, it spreads to you legs and arms and in more severe cases, causes numbness.

4. Backache Occurs For A Specific Reason – No! It does not always occur for a specific reason. Sometimes, the reason may be due to lifting heavy loads or injury but it can be sitting for too long, bad posture or even genetic problem. A truck driver has as much chance of getting a teenager. Most people do not know the reason for this.

5. All types of Backaches Can Be Treated – Despite various treatments, sometimes, the backache never goes away. Since it is a debilitating condition, you can do your part to make it more comfortable for the person. Since the activity becomes limited in extreme cases, the person goes into depression.

6. Backache Can be cured with Surgery – Surgery is not always an option and in 5-% of the cases, it does not work. The reason for this is that at times, there is nothing tobe operated on and even the surgeon cannot guarantee results.

7. Backache Must Be treated with narcotics – Narcotics are not essential for treating backache. Sometimes, the condition is not severe enough to warrant the use of narcotics. Simple pain killers can take care of the problem but only your doctor knows best.

There are so many backache myths that it is difficult to address all of them. You are the best person to decide how severe the pain is. Don’t go by myths and use common sense to deal with it. Go to a doctor and ask him to prescribe medicines to deal with the pain.


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3 Diet Tips for Cancer Patients

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There is a relation between your diet and how your body reacts to cancer. You already know that lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on the way your body reacts to cancer. Sudden rise in the number of cancer patients has been encouraging cancer cure research that has come up with an interesting relationship between your diet and cancer.

The researches show that different kinds of foods have different reactions to cancers – some can help your body fight cancer and keep it at bay, while others can increase cancer risk. But following a good and healthy diet will ensure that you are not a cancer victim. Here are 3 healthy diet tips that will help you fight cancer.

1. Consume More Plant Based Products

Research has shown that most of the vegetables, fruits and whole grains have cancer-fighting nutrients. Plant products have more fiber, less fat and these help protect your immune system against cancer. Have a diet that includes of vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, tomato, carrot, spinach. Also include whole grains like sprouts, beans, nuts and grains; along with citrus fruits and berries.

You should see that you do not remove the phytochemicals from these foods. The lesser these are cooked or mixed with other ingredients and altered from their natural form and colour, the better they are. Try not to consume too much of processed food. For example, instead of having canned orange juice, have an orange.

2. Have Large Amount Of Fiber

A good diet to fight cancer will consist of a large amount of fiber. Fiber is that part of the food that your body doesn’t digest. It is the roughage your body needs to aid digestion. Fiber ensures that your digestive tract is working smoothly and that no cancerous compound can accumulate in it.

You can get your daily dose of fiber from fruits, leafy vegetables. Also, brown bread and rice can give you fiber. It is best to avoid white bread and rice, as these do not give your body the required amount of fiber.

3. Cut Down On Your Intake Of Meat

A healthy diet for fighting cancer does not include eating meat. Research shows that people who do not eat meat are 50% less likely to have cancer than those that have meat.

Meat doesn’t have any nutrient that helps fight cancer. It doesn’t provide you and fiber and causes increase in weight. It contains high amounts of saturated fat that can be a reason for cancer.

This, however, doesn’t mean that you need to become a vegetarian. Have meat but in moderate amount. The amount of meat you consume should not exceed fifteen percent of your total calorie intake in a day. Lean meat like chicken, turkey instead of red meat and beef are better options than meats like sausage, salami and other processed meats.

Your immune system fights cells that cause cancer and so, you will have to keep it healthy. Eat well, eat a healthy diet and fight cancer.


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Foods You Shouldn’t Eat When You’re Pregnant

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Are you pregnant? Then it is the time to review your diet plan. During pregnancy you ought to be careful with what you eat as your choices affect your and yet to be born child’s health. You got to say ‘NO’ to food that is harmful for you no matter how appealing they are to your taste buds! Here is a list of food items that must be out of your diet plan for coming nine months:

1. Cheese: Unpasteurized cheese like blue cheese, brie, camembert and feta must be completely avoided. It is best to stay away from soft cheese.

2. Fish: Fish with high mercury content must be completely avoided as it may lead to brain damage of the unborn baby. Some other side-effects can be lower IQ, decreased memory or attention span or other developmental delays. Fishes with high mercury content are King Makerel, shark and Tilefish.

3. Raw meat: Exclude sushi, shellfish, uncooked poultry and beef as they have the risk of coliform bacteria, salmonella and toxoplasmosis. These bacteria pose a great health risk for pregnant women.

4. Deli meat: Deli meat like hot dogs are generally contaminated with listeria bacteria that poses a great risk of miscarriage. Have it only if it is steaming hot to evade the risk, otherwise avoid it.

5. Raw eggs: Raw eggs generally contain salmonella which must be avoided. You find this in mayonnaise, Caesar salad dressing, custard and ice creams. You may even find raw eggs in unpasteurized cheese, so all these items must be completely avoided.

Now that you know which food items you need to avoid, don’t forget to include loads of proteins and carbohydrates to your diet. You can get these in plenty isn poultry, cereals, vegetables and fruits.


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