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.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Cause of Tinnitus: A Brief Overview Of The Reasons For Tinnitus

By Thomas Colman

Suffering from ringing in the ears? Find out the real causes of tinnitus which the pharmaceutical companies are hiding from you.

When external sound waves reach the small, sensitive hairs that are present in the inner parts of the human ear, they produce signals that are electronic in nature. These signals, thus generated, travel through the auditory nerves and finally reach the brain. These signals are received, and then interpreted as sound, by the brain. However, when the delicate hairs on ones inner ear somehow get damaged or are not functioning properly, confusing and wrong signals are sent up to the brain. While processing these signals, the brain produces bizarre, disturbing noises, which in turn, travel back to the ear. These sounds can vary in their nature, and include whooshing, whistling or ringing sounds, among others. As a result, a person gets to hear these noises, even when no apparent source of such sounds is present near him/her. Tinnitus is the name given to the disease which causes a person to hear such distressing sounds.

We would here be delving into some factors that are not, in themselves, basic causes of tinnitus. Rather, they are the triggers that can initiate the causes of the ailment. Doctors need to have the proper mindset while dealing with tinnitus cases, since the disease is caused by a combination of factors. As an example, problems related to sinus are not among the direct reasons for tinnitus, but are among the triggers. However, if a person leads a wasteful lifestyle, is exposed to too much strain or anxiety, or has a high blood pressure, these factors can directly bring about tinnitus problems in him/her. Since these are causes of the ailment, holistic methods of treatment should be opted for to ensure a quick relief.

Cause of Tinnitus: A Brief Overview

Exposure to acute depression and stress factors : Even if the ears appears to be healthy, and medical check-ups do not yield any aberrations, tinnitus can still affect the person. These problems can be avoided or reduced if they take up a holistic approach to lifestyle.

Acoustic neuroma factors : This refers to a tumor which can cause tinnitus. These benign tumors generally form on the nerves of the brain, which extend till the internal portions of the ear, from the brain. These nerves, in their normal state, help a person to retain balance, and also aids in his/her hearing. Vestibular Schwannoma is the alternative name given to these problems, which in most cases, affect one of the ears of the patient.

Problems from Menieres disease : Menieres disease refers to a medical condition inflicting the inner regions of the ear. The problem is mainly caused by the pressures of a typical fluid in the ear, and often results in tinnitus as well.

Damages in head and/or neck regions : Such injuries often affect the system of nerves adversely, and can hamper the proper functioning of these nerves. The brain, as a result, also suffers an impact, and tinnitus problems often make an appearance.

Problems due to senility: As a person becomes senile, (s)he can lose his/powers of hearing, either totally, or, at least, to some extent. As a person reaches 60 years of age, these factors, also termed Presbycusis in medical jargon, start to manifest themselves.

Having to hear sounds at high volumes: This is also a probable cause. If a person has to continuously hear noises at extremely high pitches, a constant ringing noise seems to be audible to him/her, even when there exists no such source. For example, this is common in people who are employed in stamping mills or forging jobs. Tinnitus problems can also result from the shot guns that are rather heavy, and have to be placed on the shoulder for firing. Also, if individuals are constantly exposed to the loud beats of music at night clubs, they are prone to tinnitus attacks.

Deposits of ear wax: If ear wax gets accumulated in the ear over time, it might cross the prescribed maximum level. When this limit is crossed, tinnitus problems may crop up.

Atherosclerosis: It refers to cases when deposits of cholesterol constrict the blood vessels of the human body. When the blood vessels of either the middle or the inner portions of the ear are affected, tinnitus can be a direct result. The inherent elasticity that accounts for other cardiac functions are also lost as a result. The affected person hears such auditory impulses as hissing or whooshing noises, apart from other pulsating sounds. Both the ears are affected in such cases.

Blood pressure related issues : The level of blood pressure can go up considerably due to the presence of excessive amounts of cholesterol in the arteries. In a logic similar to the one discussed above, these deposits bring down the supply of blood to the neck and the head, thereby causing tinnitus. However, holistic treatments can solve these problems at an early stage.

Tumor formation in the neck and/or head : The blood vessels of the human neck and head (i.e., the vascular neoplasm) experience an increased pressure due to these tumors. As a result, tinnitus problems may come up.

AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation):This process refers to erroneous contacts between the veins and the arteries and it can be a major cause too. Tinnitus, caused in this manner, affects one of the ears.

Cause of Tinnitus " A Look at Some Medicines With Adverse Effects

Medicines of a certain variety can, in fact, give birth to tinnitus problems. The situation can be considerably worsened by consuming some types of drugs as well.

Let us now look at some of the common medicines that are considered to be among the contributing factors of tinnitus as well:

Antibiotic medicines (e.g. Vancomycin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Bleomycin and Chloramphenicol).

Cancer-treating drugs (e.g. Vincristine and Mechlorethamine).

Diuretic drugs, namely, ethacrynic acid, bumetanide or furosemide.

Quinine drugs, which are widely prescribed to treat malarial problems, and other diseases of a similar nature.

Researches show that aspirin can also cause tinnitus. This risk is particularly high when one consumes aspirin for a long period of time, and at high doses too. Such habits can result in the person hearing continuous sounds of ringing.

All the basic causes of tinnitus have to be properly detected, and then, treated accordingly. Tinnitus can be caused by many reasons and so it is a multi-factorial ailment. However, the conventional remedies do not find out what the causes of the disease might be, and deal only with the symptoms of the problem. Naturally, the relief that they provide are not of a lasting nature. On the contrary, the entire human body is deemed as a single structure under the holistic approaches to treat tinnitus. This approach advises the affected person to change his/her lifestyle, and also recommend certain medicines and other herbal remedies. The holistic methods find out each of the reasons behind the tinnitus problems, and correct the issues. Hence, it is hardly surprising that holistic methods work the best as curative measures for tinnitus.

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Caribbean Food Fusion A Background

By Melissa Walker-Jones

The beauty of the Caribbean is reflected in it's food. Everyone who has ever been to the Caribbean knows and loves the cuisine of the Islands. The history that is built into the world of Caribbean food, offers a combination of flavours, textures and aromas that delight the senses and tickle the palette.

If you are a fan of Caribbean food, then perhaps you are someone who is looking for recipes for dishes first sampled on a trip to one of the islands that you can cook at home. Perhaps you've not yet had a visit to one of the Caribbean islands but have friends or family that have introduced you to this type of cooking and you want to try it out for yourself.

It doesn't really matter where or how, all that matters is that you enjoy the food that you are eating and that through the enjoyment of the authentic dishes you are getting a little slice of Caribbean life to make your world that little bit better.

Why is Caribbean cooking fusion cooking? The original south American indian tribes that inhabited the islands of the Caribbean, the Arawaks, Taino and Caribs cooked using the fruits and vegetables found on the islands. As more people from around the world arrived, the Europeans, who brought enslaved Africans, techniques, flavors and ingredients began to change.

Slave masters gave their slaves the foods they didn't want. The enslaved AFricans had to find new ways to make the inferior food taste good, so tenderizing meats with herbs and spices, slow cooking stews infused with vegetables and fruits all made the food taste better and also stretch. Later Asian indentured laborers brought from China and India added to the culinary mix.

If you are someone who enjoys Caribbean food, then why not try to cook some at home for yourself? What are the techniques you need to use? Well for starters, ensure that the meat, vegetables, herbs and spices you are using are fresh and of the best quality that you can find. Many Caribbean Islanders are within 30 miles of an agriculture producer so their produce is usually very fresh, there are very few Islands that don't have some sort of agriculture or farming community.

The most important aspect of this style of cooking is in the marinades. If you are cooking a meat dish them be sure to season and leave to marinade for at least 2 hours, or preferable overnight in the fridge. This is an important part of Caribbean cooking as it is how the meat is tenderized and the flavors are allowed to soak in, giving the dish greater depth and body.

Cooking meat slowly is another feature of Caribbean food. Remember the islands are a relaxing place. So should the method by which you cook island food. Slow cooking helps meat to develop flavor and tenderness if cooked over a low fire.

I hope this article has given you a little taste of the Caribbean and has even, possibly got you in the mood to try out some Caribbean recipes for yourself. As said before, Caribbean food is really a fusion style of cooking. The inhabitants of the Islands took what was available to them and created dishes that are still with us today.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Lose Weight with Workout Benches

By Sally Smith

Tired of working hard to lose weight and only losing a pound or two here or there? Maybe it is time for you to come up with a different game plan. Perhaps what you have been doing hasn't been enough. You may have tried dieting and had a hard time taking off the weight. Well the key may be for you to get active, and using workout benches is a great way that you can do this. Many people have been able to use this method to lose some unwanted pounds.

No method of losing weight is going to be easy, but if you are ready to lose weight and committed to doing so, then it's time to start using some workout benches to help you do this. If you are not really sure where to get started, you may want to check into a good gym that can offer you a personal trainer to get you started. They can guide you on the best exercises to do to help you lose weight.

Of course if you are an old pro at using workout benches, you may just want to buy a bench you can use at home and start using it again to take off those pounds that have slowly crept back on. Of course just using your workout benches is not going to be enough to help you lose the weight you want to. Eating healthy is important too. Along with the workouts you are doing, make sure that you start eating a healthy diet. Get plenty of fruits and veggies, cut back on fats and sugars, and this will definitely help you with your weight loss plan.

In some cases when you want to give yourself even more of a boost as you start using workout benches to lose weight, you may want to try some good fat loss supplements. This is especially helpful to people who have a hard time losing the weight. Just ensure that the supplements you use are healthy. Some supplements can be dangerous, so ensure you go with something that is healthy for your body and that really works.

Losing weight is possible, even if you have failed in the past. With the combination of a good diet, working out on workout benches, and perhaps even some fat loss supplements, you can finally achieve that weight loss goal and start feeling better about yourself.

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Healthier Eyes

By Jane Lore

We are powerless to stop the process of aging. This does not mean, however, that we have to accept that aging means looking older. On the contrary; by using anti-aging creams in tandem with a few simple, health-preserving practices, you can keep your skin looking great and maintain your physical health for many years to come.

If a person's skin does not have enough collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, it will age prematurely. Sunlight, with its ultraviolet waves, is but one of many free radicals that increase this damage every single day. Therefore, to at once aid your skin in the fight against skin aging and assist in its restoration and preservation, you must seek out an anti-aging cream that contains the correct quantities of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. Furthermore, while using the best quality anti-aging cream available, you should adhere to the following routines to protect your skin and your immune system from the ravages of free radicals and the aging process.

Make friends with the shade! If you have a tan, you have damaged skin; it's that simple. We want to believe that a golden tan is a sign of vivaciousness, but this is incorrect. A tan is your skin's reaction to sun damage: it is trying to heal itself. Lying out in the sun or spending time in a tanning bed is an effort on your part to age your own skin! In tandem, your exposure may lead to skin cancer. While you are unable to avoid the sun entirely, still-in order to preserve your youthful appearance-you must apply a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 to any areas that face long-term exposure.

Believe it or not, the skin that covers your body is a living organ. Healthy routines that protect your internal immune system will therefore aid to better the look of your skin. Keep it appearing healthy and young by consuming at least eight, eight-ounce glasses of water per day. Eat healthful foods that contain large amounts of antioxidants and vitamins. Be sure to add a daily multivitamin to your diet. Engage in an aerobic activity on a regimented basis. Your heart loves aerobic activity, and so does your immune system and your skin!

Avoid smoking! The carcinogens contained in cigarettes/cigars will exponentially increase the aging of your skin: they're called "cancer-sticks" for a reason. Finally, if you are going to drink alcohol, try to have a glass of red wine. Studies have shown red wine to be rich in healthful antioxidants. Obviously, you should avoid excessive alcohol use.

Consider adding facial massages to your health regimen. In many ways, you are your face, and a plethora of age-lines and wrinkles are noticed by everyone around you. Numerous muscles are engaged in something as simple as a frown, and massaging them will ensure that they are relaxed and strong for years ahead. Keep your face from sagging and wrinkling by finding a facial masseuse.

It is imperative that you discover and use the best anti-aging cream possible. Such a cream will contain the perfect balance of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, allowing your face to experience a perfected balance of all three. Be sure that the anti-aging cream also is comprised of antioxidants; these are vital for their toxin-eradicating properties.

Steer clear of chemically-produced creams. These are usually ineffective, and even dangerous, generating the appearance of redness, inflaming and irritating the skin, or drying it out. Instead, use only natural, organic anti-aging creams made from natural ingredients. The proper anti-aging cream will soak into all seven layers of your skin, revitalizing it at the cellular level, helping you to maintain your youthful visage for decades into the future.

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Preventative Measures to Help You Take Control of Your Asthma and Allergies

By Twyla Ness

Allergies and asthma don't always go hand in hand, but many people suffer from both of them. Most asthma sufferers have specific triggers that provoke their attacks. Those who have allergies also experience symptoms in conjunction with certain triggers. In some cases these triggers are unavoidable, but you can often reduce them as long as you know what they are.

Asthma sufferers often feel that their asthma is controlled if they can manage attacks with an inhaler or other asthma remedies. But true control involves preventing attacks in the first place, not treating them once they occur. Here are some ways that you can stop allergic reactions and asthma attacks before they start.

* Pay attention to the circumstances surrounding your asthma attacks. What do they have in common? Making a note of these things can help you determine what is causing the attacks, and that is the first step in avoiding them.

* Avoid common triggers such as smoke and strong fumes. These are some of the things that often instigate asthma attacks, so it is best to stay away from them as much as possible.

* When the pollution and pollen levels are high you should stay inside. You are asking for trouble by going out when these are in the air in large amounts.

* Dust in the home should be gotten rid of. Keep your home as clean as you possibly can and use an air purifier. The use of a regular vacuum cleaner for vacuuming can make things worse though. Use water to clean as much as possible, as often as you can. Dust is kept out of your nose because the water traps it.

* Pets should be outside. Allergic reactions can be caused in those prone to them by pet hair, feathers, dander and even saliva. The homes of allergy sufferers need to be free of all pets except for maybe fish.

* Don't give mold a chance to grow. Mold loves damp places, so make sure that there aren't any in your home. This can be accomplished by running a dehumidifier and making sure that damp areas have plenty of ventilation.

* Cockroaches are often the cause of an allergy or asthma attack, so do everything you can to discourage them from visiting your home. Get rid of clutter, keep your food tightly stored, and don't have standing water. If cockroaches don't find these necessities in your home, they'll look somewhere else.

The use of medication is critical to the majority of those who experience asthma and allergies. It can prevent symptoms, and also help to stop an attack in its tracks. However, it is essential to control the environmental causes so you can manage these conditions more successfully. So if you have asthma, allergies, or both, try out these tips that will let you breathe easier.

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Importance Of Choosing The Right Bath Soap

By Amy Nutt

Showering and bathing is a part of daily life. Most people wake up in the morning, lather themselves up in the shower, rinse, and set out to start the day. However, it is good to be informed about the bath products we are using on a daily basis, and put some thought into selecting the best ones. Choosing the right bath soap is especially important since it regularly comes into contact with your skin.

Common bath soaps come in bar and liquid form. The primary purpose of bath soap is to cleanse, but it should also sooth the skin and help it remain healthy. The majority of bath soaps on the market today are designed to target specific skin issues, like dry skin. Unfortunately, the ingredient list found on most soap is not very appealing. Soaps are usually composed of two main ingredients which are alkali and animal or vegetable fat. Most bath soaps on the market also contain synthetic ingredients or alcohols. Some commonly used chemicals found in bath care products have been proven to have side effects. Since anything coming into contact with the skin can ultimately be absorbed, and affect the body, it is wise to be aware of what is in the products we are using. The facts about standard bath soap have led some to choose organic soap instead.

Those with sensitive skin, and also those wanting to limit their exposure to chemicals benefit from using organic soap. The difference between organic soaps and standard bath soap is the all natural ingredients. Goats milk, olive oil, and flower essences are just a few of the ingredients that may be used to create organic soap. Each ingredient will provide a different benefit to your skin. For example, goats milk will moisturize and rehydrate dry skin. Soaps that include almond will naturally exfoliate. These naturally occurring ingredients make organics soaps the best choice for those with sensitive skin.

Organic bar soaps are available in health food stores. However, for those who are creative, there are recipes for making your own bath soap. Organic soaps sometimes appear at craft fairs as handmade soap. These are normally created using just a few natural ingredients.

Bathing with organic soaps can also be a pleasurable experience. The combination of natural ingredients, flower extracts, and oils provide soothing properties and enjoyable scents. Lavender, citrus, lemongrass, and rose are just a small sampling of the naturally sweet smelling fragrances available in organic bath soap. This means those with sensitive skin can now enjoy pleasant scents without the worries of skin irritation that is associated with synthetic fragrances.

Keep in mind the importance of choosing the right bath soap. Organic soap provides many benefits over standard soap, and is especially beneficial for those with sensitive skin. The variety of natural ingredients offers many advantages, and they serve to nourish and rejuvenate the skin. Get away from the synthetic ingredients found in regular soap and immerse yourself in all natural essential oils and flower extracts.

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The Benefits of the Acai Berry Supplement

By Dennis Snyder

As I have studied the acai berry supplement for the last year and a half I have found it to be a very beneficial supplement for us. There are so many different things that it does for us that the length of this article does not permit me to list them all.

The scope of this article is too brief to fill in all the benefits and the importance of the acai berry supplement. You can find much more detail at my blog listed at the end of the article. The bottom line is that the acai is loaded with wonderful stuff.

Acai berry has been known to help us to burn calories faster. That is right our metabolism is speeded up when we consume the berry fruit. When our metabolism is faster then the fat is burned off faster. This does not mean we can just sit around we will still need to exercise as well.

Another benefit of the acai berry supplement is the high volume of anti oxidants. There are more anti oxidants in acai berry than in the blueberry. And I have to tell you that is a tremendous amount. These anti oxidants will help to flush out unwanted toxins form our bodies.

Our natural bodies do not produce essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 so we have to have another source to get the needed good fats. Well you guessed it, acai berry supplement is rich in these essential fatty acids which help our systems to lower the bad cholesterol and build up the good cholesterol.

There are certainly many more important benefits of the acai berry supplement but without a doubt just these few are impressive. Of course non of these benefits have been scientifically proven but that is pretty much the same for all supplements and nutrients we but over hte counter.

I have done considerable research on this little grape like berry from the Amazon jungles and have been very pleased with the results I have received from taking the supplement for the last year and a half. I gotta tell you that the acai berry supplement I have used the last six months has been extremely beneficial.

My wife has been having some issues with her digestive system for quite some time and has just started to take the acai berry supplement. In my research I found that it is supposed to help tame the digestive tract and return the body to a systematic function. We will see how it works for her and I will write another article on how it has or has bot helped her in this area.

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