Senior Care Partners

Archive for February, 2011

Lupus is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune (the body is attacking itself) disease that affects connective tissue (tissue that binds and supports various structures of the body and also includes the blood). Discoid Lupus Erythematosis (DLE) is a less serious type, affecting exposed areas of the skin and sometimes the joints. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a more serious, potentially fatal, and affects more organs of the body.

First, recognize that Lupus is inflammatory and an autoimmune disorder. These 2 characteristics are the focus of a natural approach to helping control and possibly recovering from the condition. A natural/holistic approach does not aim to just relieve symptoms or specifically treat a disease; it seeks an underlying source and addresses it. Respect for the body’s natural recuperative ability is emphasized.

Some experts suggest that the traditional role of modern medicine and its focus on symptom covering may be a source of autoimmune and inflammatory disorders in itself, together with poor nutrition, toxin accumulation, and the high stress lifestyle so common in our era.

Secondly, rule out food allergies, parasites, candidiasis (yeast), bowel disorders, and digestive enzyme deficiencies. These may create symptoms that mimic or worsen Lupus. They may be the actual sources themselves. Qualified holistic practitioners can carefully analyze these issues and recommend solutions. Ask specifically for the practitioners training and experience in dealing with these. This “digging deeper” approach by holistic practitioners is where many lupus sufferers find real solutions.

Thirdly, your greatest challenge may be patience. Expect several weeks before significant improvement is noticed after starting treatment/lifestyle modifications. And expect several months if not several years for optimum control or resolution. Also, several relapses are the norm in a course of recovery from Lupus. Persistence is the key. Having a cooperative and understanding medical practitioner is helpful, because Lupus cases may likely need some medical care during their natural treatment process.

Lastly, but probably most important is the need for a sound, free flowing nervous system. This is best accomplished through chiropractic evaluation and adjustments. Misalignment of spinal structure, due to stress or trauma, causes irritation or interference with nerve transmission. The spinal areas that typically need adjusting are between C6-T3 and T9-L2. These areas can have direct influence on hormone balance/inflammation.

Some drugs give a false positive test (looks like Lupus); hydrazine, procainamide, and beta blockers.

Each case of Lupus is unique and needs a full evaluation. What may help one may not help another.

Some consistent solutions are: limiting or eliminating dairy products, eating smaller, more frequent meals, increasing digestive enzymes and stomach acidity, increasing consumption of essential oils (walnuts, flax, oily fishes, olive oil), avoiding alfalfa sprouts or tablets that contain L-canavanine sulfate.

Any modifications in lifestyle that are found to be helpful need to be continued lifelong.

The holistic/natural approach to Lupus is not a cure-all, but careful analysis and modification with non-medication solutions should be considered.

The wound healing process of our minds is far more difficult than the healing process of a physical wound.

Most of us fear the thought of a physical wound much more than a wound of our mind or emotions. I believe most of us do not compare mental pain as a wound in any way period.

The facts tell me a wound of the mind draws us to drugs more than a physical wound may. I understand that we have been lead to believe that drugs are the cure all to our physical pain.

We see the advertisements everywhere we go. This medicine relieves pain for this and that fast and for a long duration. They have a pain drug for everything under the sun. It does not surprise me we have a drug problem throughout our world. They tell us it is fine to take these medicines it’s just another part of our daily lives.

I am not saying these drugs should not be out there for us to purchase. I do believe we give our children a reason to use drugs at the drop of a hat.

We have created a mental wound and the only way we seem to deal with this is through drug treatment. We do not have any sort of wound healing process for this pain relief at the tip of our fingers, accept more medicine.

I understand these particular drugs we recommend to each and every soul are not mind altering drugs. They do not cause us to change personally. We do not have to hide the use of these drugs. Crimes are not being committed to get these drugs to feed our addictions.

There are billions of dollars to be made in this business and advertising is the way to sell them. So this will not go away, nor do I believe it should go away.

There is a seed being planted here. It is pounded at us daily sometimes many times a day that it’s a good idea to use these drugs. Why suffer any aches and pains.

Medicine is the answer to all our problems. There is nothing that medicine cannot take care of. That is how it all sounds to me.

I wonder how a small child interprets this message. They grow up seeing it, hearing it, and doing it.

We tell them not to do these particular drugs, ie. pot, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, cigarettes, and many other drugs that are causing havoc in our world. I wonder how that sinks in the minds of some of our children. It’s good to take this but never take that.

Reminds me of the story in the bible of Adam and Eve. You can eat the fruit of any tree in the Garden except this particular apple tree. Does that sound familiar?

Your kids are over at their friends and your child tells their friends mommy they have a stomach ache or some kind of ache so she gives them kids medicine to help and she says you will be all better now! They grow up in this type of world that medicine is the cure all in their small developing minds.

How can we develop a wound healing process for something that starts early in a child’s life. Maybe it’s best to work on avoiding the mental wound for starters.

A wound healing process is not necessary if there is no wound. Healing a mental wound is extremely difficult to accomplish without the one wounded fully accepting the process to heal that wound. It can be extremely difficult to get a person to realize they have a severe problem in the first place. Especially when it refers to their mental health.

Here is where common sense becomes a valuable tool for the parents, guardians, teachers, and child care takers. We often use the same problem solving tools that we were taught. If one were raised to take medicine for aches and pains by their parents they will most likely do the same. It is a vicious circle the learning process.

We need to get off the beaten path. Medicine is great but not to abuse it as I believe many do. You must be wise about your decisions never take it for granted that a child just has a simple stomach ache it could be more serious. Never take nothing for granted, every ache and pain does have a cause, especially for a child who may not understand the depth of their ailment.

If you are suffering from a minor vision defect requiring corrective lenses – such as myopia (near-sightedness), hyperopia (far sightedness) or problems related to an astigmatism, lasik vision surgery may be your best option.

Lasik vision surgery is ineffective for more serious vision problems such as cataracts, detached retina or macular degeneration. You may also be a poor candidate for lasik vision surgery if you are under age 18 or over 70, suffer from an auto-immune disorder or a chronic condition such as Type I diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, eye infections, very dry eyes, or an inflammation of the eye. Having extra large pupils might disqualify a patient from receiving lasik vision treatment as well.

Women who are are pregnant and nursing or plan to become pregnant should not undergo lasik vision treatments, although once pregnancy and nursing has been completed, it may be a good option assuming there are no other complicating factors.

The best candidate for a lasik vision procedure is one suffering from one of the minor conditions outlined above, but is otherwise in good physical health.

A lasik vision procedure is a fairly minor one that is performed on an outpatient basis. Although a detailed description can sound scary, lasik vision treatment is no more serious than a tonsillectomy in most cases. Healing begins almost immediately following the operation and most patients are able to return to their normal schedules and activities after a day or two. The adjustment may take time; patients who have received lasik vision treatment usually notice changes in their vision for a few months, but eventually, the eyes adjust to the results of the operation.

The result is 20/20 vision for the vast majority of patients – there is no more need for corrective lenses.

Although the costs associated with a lasik vision procedure are not usually covered by insurance, such costs in Denver Colorado and the surround Front Range metro region are lower than those in many other parts of the country, ranging from $500 to $1500. In addition, most central Colorado lasik providers offer generous financing that is often interest-free and can be spread out over several months and tailored to fit nearly any budget.

In order to determine whether or not lasik vision surgery is right for you, it will be necessary to first have a complete eye examination by a qualified ophthalmologist, who will then refer you to an expert Denver-area lasik surgeon.

When something goes wrong in the electric fuse box that is the human brain, an epileptic fit is likely to begin.

Call it a short circuit or a burnt fuse. Once a cluster of nerve cells in the brain becomes disorganized, this leads to seizures which vary from person to person. Some people experience seizures without knowing it. But when they become frequent, there is a high risk of injury to the brain.

“Epilepsy is a disorder that disrupts the transmission of electrical signals inside the brain. Although you may assume that epilepsy always causes episodes of uncontrolled movements and loss of consciousness, the condition is actually quite variable. Symptom episodes – known as seizures – are often subtle, causing strange sensations, emotions and behavior. Some people with epilepsy simply stare blankly for a few seconds when having a seizure, while others have full-fledged convulsions,” explained the Mayo Clinic.

Various factors account for epilepsy: defective genes, a head injury, central nervous system infection or any disease that injures your brain. Most cases, however, are idiopathic, meaning of unknown cause. It is difficult to determine who is likely to have epilepsy although the condition appears to be inherited and is more common in men than women.

“The onset of epilepsy is most common during childhood and after age 65, but the condition can occur at any age. Treatments may leave you free of seizures, or at least reduce their frequency and intensity. Many children with epilepsy even outgrow the condition with age,” revealed the Mayo Clinic.

Epileptic seizures may be subtle or characterized by full-blown convulsions. However, a single seizure doesn’t mean you have epilepsy since this can occur with high fever. With two or more seizures, the likelihood that you have epilepsy is greater.

A seizure can result in total loss of consciousness, staring spells or uncontrollable movements of the arms and legs. The patient may cry out before he stiffens and falls to the ground. The limbs may assume unusual positions because of muscle spasms and urinary and bowel control is sometimes lost. This is followed by wild thrashing movements before the patient falls into a deep sleep. On awakening, he or she may have a headache.

“Symptoms vary depending on the type of seizure. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time, so the symptoms will be very similar from episode to episode. But some people have many different types of seizures, with different symptoms each time,” the Mayo Clinic said.

Thanks to modern medicine, epileptic seizures can be controlled by a number of drugs. The right drug can make the patient seizure-free and medication can be discontinued if the patient if free of symptoms after two or more years.

To prevent further attacks, limit your intake of alcohol, stop smoking, eat right, exercise regularly, learn to manage stress and get enough sleep. To help you rest, take Sedamine – the supplement that promotes natural sleep. Visit http://sedamine.com/ for details.

Every woman everywhere will eventually endure menopause changes. Menopause changes are a naturally occurring life event or phase, signifying the conclusion of a woman’s child-bearing years and the end of fertility.

Menopause is not so much a condition as it is an event within a woman’s life span. Menopause is calculated backwards figuring twelve consecutive and uninterrupted months from the time of the last menstrual cycle.

If a woman has not menstruated for 12 consecutive months she is considered to be menopausal. American women typically notice menopause changes at around age 51. However, menopause changes could begin as early as age 45 or as late as 55. Every woman is different and age 51 is just an average benchmark.

Perimenopause, pre menopause, and early menopause are terms used to describe the early cessation or partial cessation of menstruating periods. Many inside and outside factors could be contributing issues for these developments however, stress, shock, dramatic life changes, and invasive surgeries resulting in hormonal imbalances and estrogen depletion are among the primary culprits.

In and of themselves, menopause changes are not life-threatening however; severe and very severe symptoms may be life-altering. Fortunately, only about 15% of American women (of menopausal age) statistically present symptoms which can be categorized as severe or very severe.

Typical menopause changes are hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. There are more than 30 additional recognized symptoms (than these) but these are among the very most common and if severe, the most irritating.

Hot flashes have been described as a warm to hot internal burning sensation which builds to intensity in the upper chest, neck and facial areas. Warm flushes are a milder form of hot flashes. Night sweats (as the term would imply) are the night-time version of a hot flash and can easily awaken the sufferer from a deep sleep if they are intense enough. Night sweats are among the most insidious of menopause changes as they are not only immediately discomforting, but pose a long-term health treat due to repeated sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprivation can lead to lanquidity, increased anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, uneven blood pressure, and if left unchecked, heart disease and more serious maladies.

Hot flash and night sweats can vary wildly in length and intensity. Bouts can last from a few minutes to 15 to 20 minutes or more and may reoccur as frequently as every one to two hours.

Mood swing bouts are equally all over the map. Bouts range from mild irritation or anxiety to severe depression, and everything in-between. Unlike hot flashes and night sweats which seem to be of somewhat consistent veracity (typical to the individual woman), mood swings can vary in length and intensity and do not seem to follow as much of given pattern.

Women diagnosed as perimenopausal, pre menopausal, and early menopausal all display the same symptoms and these have been linked to hormonal imbalance and estrogen level drops. As noted previously, not all menopause changes are severe though they are at the root of many an old wives tale.

Though menopause changes cannot be prevented, associative menopause symptoms may be ameliorated and in some cases eliminated entirely.

Success has been noted in treating mild to moderate menopause changes with vitamins, minerals, diet, exercise, catalysts awareness, and homeopathic treatments.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) though heavily promoted by the medical community for the past half century ought to be avoided to due to the incontrovertible evidence that HRT is directly linked to heart disease, arterial disease, ovarian and endometrial cancers. The question begs itself; if menopause changes (at worst) are only life-altering, why invest in a treatment plan proven to be life-threatening, even if used short term.

Though HRT has been clinically proven (in about 70% of the cases) to effectively reduce common menopause changes like hot flashes and night sweats, many women are more than reluctant to undertake HRT treatments due to the associative and unnecessary risk levels.

The search for safe and effective remedies or treatments for menopause changes can be a daunting one. Many herbal treatments have been touted for hundreds of years and find their roots in Europe and Asia.

Natural herbal treatments are of little interest to large pharmaceutical companies as they are naturally occurring and available to everyone and cannot be patented as proprietary drugs. As a result, the medical community is more than reluctant to advocate natural methods to treat menopause changes.

Surprisingly, physicians routinely advocate HRT though the Hippocratic Oath clearly asserts; “First, do no harm.” Somewhere along the way, the fact that HRT causes heart disease and cancer has either been forgotten or swept under the rug. Unfortunately, the medical community is a one-trick-pony when it comes to treatment for menopause changes.

If an individual is serious about discovering an alternative to HRT there is a plethora of available information on the web. Discovering which alternative treatment is the safest, most effective and addresses efficacy concerns, is a bit tougher task.

All natural plant based supplements are among the safest, especially those taken from field crops. These have been ingested by animals and humans for thousands of years and can represent the safest of all treatments for menopause changes.

Several clinical trials have indicated that the phytonutrients in flax hull lignans are especially potent suppressors of common menopause symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. The phytoestrogens in flax hull lignans (taken from whole-grain flaxseed) have been described as effective as HRT in managing Menopause Changes.

When you walk in a mall, then your main focus definitely is on looking for clothes. You definitely are one of those who follow the times and the development of fashion. It is not only followed by the women, a man also has his own interest in the fashion world, especially today where men are more likely good at this. Many male designers are preferred over female designers. But for a handful of people, they are not focused only to find clothing, there are people looking for something else, who probably never thought about before. It is a rug that also frequently sought after by some devotees in the mall. Not infrequently, they traveled all day just to find one particular model and the results, they did not find a model that as they wish. It will feel very bad and annoying. They must feel very uneasy if not get what they want.

The best way you can do is to visit an area rugs where this place is a place of sale of various types of rugs. They can find a place like this if they know where to look. And of course, they will be most fortunate if they visit http://www.superiorrugs.com. Here, they will be offered a variety kinds of rugs with an attractive design. They also only need to spend a little money to buy a rug because here also offer cheap rugs. Would be very nice if you get a rug with an affordable and cheap price. Make sure you are one of the lucky ones; do not miss this opportunity that is second to none. You wiall know yourself how lucky you are if you have the best rug at affordable prices. Enough to visit here, do not be wrong by visiting another place where does not give the best one.