Heartburn or GERD can Kill

Heartburn is a common annoyance. The busy lifestyle, quick meals, fatty or spicy foods all contribute to the occasional need of a chewable pain reliever. The acceptance of heartburn as an inconvenient, but natural, part of the daily grind can blind you to the warning that a severe heartburn symptom can bring.

Heartburn as a Disorder

Heartburn can be a symptom as well as a disorder. Simple heartburn or GERD can be controlled and dealt with. However, heartburn can signal the presence of a much more serious problem. If it’s heartburn, you will have a burning sensation in the chest usually after eating. There may be a spread of the burning to the throat, sometimes accompanied by a bad taste, difficulty in swallowing, belching, coughing, hoarseness and/or wheezing.

It can become worse by lying down or bending over or by eating. Relief can come from an antacid. While the more severe heartburn symptoms may be mistaken for a heart attack, simple heartburn is usually not made worse by exercise. If there is any concern that the pain may signal a heart attack, get help quickly.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Fingernail Fungus Treatment and Diagnosis

By Rashel Dan

Because the condition is so common, a lot of people want to know the most effective fingernail fungus treatment. Studies show that in the United States alone, about 35 million Americans are affected with fungal infection of the nails. Because of this great number, more people want to know a great solution to nail fungus.

Its Cause - Nail fungus is caused by a Tinea Unguium or Onychomycosis infection. The fungus lives underneath the nail and feeds on the keratin which makes up the hard surface of the nails. It can be contagious, as it can spread to other fingernails and even to other parts of your body such as the toenails.

The good thing though is that fingernail fungus can be treated. However, the treatment usually varies with the type and severity of the infection. For you to make the most out of the treatment, it is important that you have it diagnosed first by a professional.

Nail Fungus Diagnosis

Have your nails examined by your doctor. The initial diagnosis is often made by conducting a physical examination of the infected nail. Some visible symptoms include discoloration, thickening, crumbling, and streaking among others.

All you have to do is to answer your doctor's questions honestly. Some risks of fingernail fungus include participating in sports, overusing fingernail polish and neglecting proper hand hygiene. Then, you will also be asked about your medical history, which includes any experience with illnesses that may decrease your resistance to infection, weaken your immune system, and interfere with proper blood flow. Such ailments include diabetes, HIV, and poor circulation among others.

Undergoing Tests - The doctor will then perform some tests such as clipping off a small piece of your nail that will be sent to labs to verify if you have nail fungus. The tests use PAS or Periodic Acid-Shiff which turns any fungi red. Performing this test will help determine the precise type of fungi present so that it can be properly and effectively treated. If the tests show that you indeed have fingernail fungus, then the doctor will give you a list of possible treatments.

Fingernail fungus treatment

Medications - Among these treatments is oral anti-fungal medication. These prescription medications combat fungal infections. However, they are strong oral medications that must be always taken for months in order to be effective. And, they could also have potential harmful side effects that can affect other body organs. Side effects include headaches, upset stomach, liver damage, and even death.

Anti-Fungal Creams - Anti-fungal creams and lotions are also available. These are much safer but they are generally ineffective. This is because the creams do not actually penetrate the nail bed in order to kill the fungus at its source.

Topical Solution - The best choice would be to go for a topical anti-fungal solution. It is effective and safe at the same time. It uses only natural ingredients like essential oils from tea tree, almond, lavender and lemongrass that contain antibacterial, antiseptic, and antifungal properties that will help fight the infection and at the same time keep your fingers smooth and soft to the touch. Also, it does not leave any medicinal smell on your hands.

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Wedding Venues Essex: Planning Your Big Day

By Layla Fredricks

A lovely area in which to plan a wedding venue is Essex in the United Kingdom. Located in the East side of England a lovely area that many love to hold their weddings at. For that reason you must plan well ahead of time and make sure you can reserve the venue you are hoping for.

Make sure that you consider the venue and the rules they may have. An example is that some may not want you to throw confetti. It's a simple rule that can be easily handled; just provide people another item they can throw after the wedding.

Since Essex is such a fabulous location, many people will try and reserve a wedding venue. That's why you need to call as early as possible. Though you do have several choices in venues, you can still run into problems with other weddings that have already been planned.

An option you may consider is the wedding consultant. They will bear the pressure of setting up everything for your wedding, leaving you with other things you will be able to accomplish. Though some people don't like having the planning done by another person.

Perhaps your dead set on the fact that you want your wedding to be in one of these venues, but still don't want to spend a lot of money. Look into a wedding in the winter time, these are normally offered at a less expensive price.

A unique way of having your wedding vows held, check out a wedding venue Essex. The setting is one that will truly have you feeling as if you are in heaven.

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Can The Cayenne Pepper Diet Ruin Your Metabolism?

By Susan Wells

There are many myths that accompany various diets. One myth leaves many people to wonder, "can your metabolism be destroyed by the cayenne pepper diet?". Before tackling this myth, perhaps it would be best to delve deeper to fully understand the diet. To begin with, anyone can plainly see that because of the restrictions of carbohydrates and proteins, this diet can take a toll on the individual.

The ultimate goal of the diet is to release the impurities that adhere to the intestines. The medical community is somewhat unsure of the necessity of cleansing because they believe that the body can do this on its own, naturally. However, others know that the body does what it can, but it needs an extra boost to really force out the remainder of the waste.

More and more people are realizing that cleansing is very important in order to stay healthy because of the world we live in today. We should always keep in mind, how different the food has become: the amounts of pesticides being used, drugs administered to animals, which end up in our plates in the form of meat and cheese, and in glasses in the form of milk.

Imagine how clean your system would be once you have undergone a cleansing! It would mean that your system would be like new again. There is no need to fear whether the diet is unsafe, as long as the dieter is healthy, no harm will come to him/her. If it makes you feel more comfortable, discuss it with your doctor before starting it.

Some people have raised doubts that this type of cleansing can ruin one's metabolism. This is a false statement. The cayenne pepper diet will not harm any healthy individual, so long as the plan is followed accordingly. Perhaps it is a misunderstanding of some sort, as while on the program, the metabolism is slowed.

If it weren't for the cayenne pepper, the metabolism would actually shut down. This goes to show that it was formulated to keep those on the diet safe and healthy. And, this is the reason why it is so important to follow the program properly. That is why there are three steps involved in this program: the easing in, drinking the solution, and the easing out. The first and third steps enable the body to adjust.

Exercise is key to maintaining your metabolism. Although you may find it extremely difficult to find the energy and exercise, try to muster up any strength you may have. This will enable your metabolism to work more steadily. The speed of your metabolism is directly related to muscle mass. The amount of calories you burn depends on your muscle mass.

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Health Benefits Of Eucalyptus Oil

By Trish Williamson

For the newbie Eucalyptus oil is used in Natural Skin Care Products for its ability to reduce redness and irritation of the skin. It possesses many significant and beneficial properties.Eucalyptus Oil is also known throughout the world for its use as a decongestant in colds and influenza. Eucalyptus oil is reputed to aid in wound healing and is antiseptic and anti-parasitic.

Eucalyptus oil is the generic name for distilled oil from Eucalyptus, a genus of the plant family There are plenty of different types of this wonderful tree. Myrtaceae native to Australia and cultivated worldwide. Eucalyptus essential oil is extracted from Eucalyptus globulus of the Myrtaceae family and is also known as Tasmanian blue gum or blue gum. Eucalyptus oil is double distilled from Australian gum trees and has many beneficial uses. The much taller single-trunk eucalypts such as Sugar Gum, Blue Gum, Cup Gum, Swamp Gum and River Red Gum generally grow along rivers and creek banks.

The amazing health benefits of eucalyptus oil can be attributed to its anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, decongestant, deodorant, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating, and other medicinal properties. Eucalyptus oil is an effect analgesic and is often used in preparations designed to relieve muscle, nerve and joint pains. It helps relieve tension and stress, with a relaxing effect on the nervous system and is said to reduce the pain associated with rheumatism and gout.

Eucalyptus' ozone-producing aroma brings welcome relief to symptoms of head colds. Special Features of Eucalyptus oil relieve the symptoms of colds and flu. Eucalyptus oil can be massaged into the chest, back and throat to produce temporary relief for bronchial cough, congested headaches and sinusitis. For relief of symptoms of cold sores, dilute and apply topically using DIRECT APPLICATION. Medicinal eucalyptus oil is widely used for the relief of cold and influenza symptoms.

Eucalyptus oil also helps relieve muscular and arthritic pain. During muscle and joint pains, massaging eucalyptus oil on the skin surface helps in getting relief from the pain. Australian Eucalyptus oil, EU-CAL sooths and penetrates the skin to bring quick relief to arthritic and rheumatic sufferers.

And theres more! Around the house it removes stubborn stains and grease marks Eucalyptus oil is a natural, cleaner and freshener. Excellent in laundry wash with the pure, fresh fragrance of the Australian bush. It is an excellent rub for muscular aches and pains and it has been widely used for many years by athletes to help keep muscles in shape.

Eucalyptus Oil is one of Australias first native exports and a rich and fascinating part of our national history. Eucalyptus oil is an excellent decongestant for flu and colds, and aids the respiratory system. Eucalyptus Oil is a traditional Aboriginal remedy used primarily as an antiseptic to relieve coughs, colds ,sore throats and other upper respiratory symptoms.

At any time of the year Eucalyptus oil is also great for the use in a sickbed environment. This amazing oil has so many wonderful properties. We use it in our famous Breathe Easy essential oil blend. Buy a bottle or three for when winter sets in so you can use this high quality blend to assist in a quick recovery. http://breatheasyoil.com or http://arthritisoil.net are well worth visiting to find more articles and product information.

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Why Do You Need A Short Term Health Insurance?

By JD Theis

Am sure a lot of you must be wondering as to what use can a short term health insurance plan be put to when taken from economic point of views, it's cost should be on the higher side than the regular plans because the annual premiums do depend on the term of insurance. This is only a myth and there are similar misconceptions about the feasibility and uses of a short term affordable health insurance plan.

A short term insurance plan is basically for those who require to being uncovered for a short period of time due to various circumstances like shifting of a job, seeking admission in some other college, during the tenure of a divorce plea etc. It is mostly for duration of 6months and is taken as a substitute for an affordable health insurance plan for some time.

There are several instances like in cases where you have to shift jobs, here the company that you join will provide you with a health insurance benefits after an initial tenure but you can however continue with the health insurance quotes of your previous company till the completion of its duration.

The criteria for a small term health insurance quotes are different for different individual. For instance if you are a student and have attained 18 years of age and have ceased the health insurance plan in names of your guardian and are in plans for an individual health insurance plan, you have to reconsider everything from your residence area to your university of your future studies.

All your queries related to the health insurance plan would get covered at www.insurancecaredirect.com which has experts at your service in case of any doubts. One piece of advice would be to go for a co-insurance along with a small term insurance plan because the cost of it is always on the higher side and you may actually not need any during its tenure.

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