Weight Loss Tips - How To Lose Weight And Keep It Off

By Emma Martin

If you are overweight, then you know how hard life can be. It hurts to walk or climb stairs, you get winded just walking down the street and you think that everyone is looking at you and laughing. This is no way to live your life. It is time to make some major life changes and lose the excess weight. Read on to discover some things that you can do right away to start the weight loss process.

First of all, slow down when you are eating. Instead of shoveling the food into your mouth as fast as your arm will bend, slow down and chew your food thoroughly. Some people have success with counting how many times they chew a piece of food. Take your time when you eat and give your stomach a chance to signal your brain that you are getting full.

Here is one that no one likes to hear, but it is critical to losing weight. Start moving. Get some kind of exercise. Just starting by lifting light hand weights while sitting at your desk or on the sofa will help. Then gradually increase your exercise routine so that you are able to walk or use a stationary bike. Purchasing a good treadmill so that you can walk no matter what the weather is a great idea. The more you exercise the more you will lose. Going for a half hour walk four to five times a week will make a big difference to your overall health.

Change your eating habits. Don't eat just because you are hungry. Start eating four to six small meals throughout the day. Eat small portions of fresh fruit and vegetables. Have lean meat and fish. Stay away from excess bread and pasta because these will pack on the pounds. You will find that by eating small meals throughout the day you won't feel hungry and you will lose weight. You'll also be keeping your metabolism humming along at a steady pace.

Consider what you are drinking. Do you drink a lot of soda throughout the day? If so, change to diet soda and cut back on the number of sodas that you drink. Drink more water. This will help you to burn fat and lose weight. If you don't like plain water, try some of the flavored waters that are available. Stay away from excessive alcohol consumption.

Don't diet, make a lifestyle change. Crash diets or fad diets will get you nowhere if you go back to your old eating habits. Become committed to eating healthier for the rest of your life. Once the weight comes off, you will be able to keep it off with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. You will also feel better and your confidence level will soar.

So there you have some great tips on how to lose weight and most importantly, how to keep it off. Start using these tips right away and you may be surprised at the results that you achieve!

About the Author: Emma Martin reviews popular diet and weight loss plans to help you sort out the pros and cons, at http://dietinspector.com/
For a great and easy to follow weight loss program, read her review of Fat Loss for Idiots at: http://dietinspector.com/fat-loss-4-idiots-review/

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Melatonin, Valerian & Theanine- 3 Supplements For A Good Night's Sleep

By Joseph McCaffrey

A good night’s sleep ranks up there among the many things we don’t appreciate ‘till they’re gone. Children seem to have no trouble sleeping. They go full tilt until they collapse. Then they sleep soundly and awake refreshed and ready to go again.

This cycle appeals because it is so natural. We recognize it as the way things should be.

Unfortunately for many adults, that’s not at all the way things are.

There are many reasons for this. Some are related to life style (is it really surprising that it’s a little hard to drift off to sleep after a double espresso mid-afternoon and a Red Bull in the evening?).

Others causes of sleeplessness are more mental. We all have worries, and at night they can become the central focus of thought. It can almost seem like an endless-loop tape playing over and over again.

Watching the evening news immediately before sleep is an excellent way to worsen this problem. Just in case you don’t have enough worries of your own, you can have some from all over the world delivered right to your home.

Other causes of insomnia may be physical or related to changes associated with aging.

This article doesn’t discuss any of these factors, and certainly isn’t meant to replace a physician’s evaluation. This article does mention three over the counter supplements that many people have found useful as sleep aids.

The first is melatonin. This is a hormone produced by the pineal gland. Normally people have an increased release of this hormone in the evening. Levels of melatonin generally decrease with age (although a recent study questioned this) and supplementing with it has fairly good evidence of efficacy as a sleep aid.

Other health claims have been made for melatonin. Skeptics caution that the evidence supporting its use is sketchy and no long-term safety studies have been done.

People who use melatonin as a sleep aid suggest doses as low as .1 mg and as high as 10 mg, with 1 – 3 mg being the most common dosage range. Supporters recommend taking it ½ hour before bed.

Be aware that some people report very vivid dreams or even nightmares if they take melatonin.

If you’re going to try melatonin, it makes sense to start with a very low dose to see how you respond and experiment with slightly increased dosages according to your response.

Valerian is a traditional herbal supplement often recommend for anxiety or difficulty sleeping. Evidence supporting its effectiveness is reasonably good, and it is one of the most commonly recommended sleep aids in Europe.

It is available as capsules or as a tea. One study showed definite benefit from an “aqueous extract” (tea), but none from capsule. Both were compared to a placebo.

If you want to try Valerian, follow the recommendations on the particular formula you buy. The dose of the extract used in most studies was 300 – 600 mg. You can obtain this by steeping 2 -3 g of the herb in hot water for 15 minutes.

As with any herbal medicine, the actual content in a given product is not regulated. It is therefore important to buy from reliable companies.

The third supplement to consider is theanine. This is an amino acid present in both black and green tea. Perhaps because of this, it has been most extensively studied in Japan. Researchers find it induces a state of mild relaxation in those feeling anxiety or under stress. It is very well tolerated, with no side effects or drug interactions reported.

As a sleep aid, the generally recommended dose is 100 – 200 mg ½ hour before bed.

So there are three supplements you can use to get a good night’s sleep. None of them replaces good sleep habits or a physician’s evaluation. However if nothing else is helping, these are worth a try.

About the Author: Joseph McCaffrey believes in living life as a work of art in progress, and writes on all aspects of livng life fully at: http://www.masteringlifespuzzle.com/
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Acid Reflux Disease

By Lisa E. Sousa

What Is Acid Reflux Disease?

Acid Reflux Disease, also known as Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, is a very common chronic problem where gastric acids reflux into the esophagus. This reflux is due to the weakening of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). As a result, the patient suffers from painful and uncomfortable symptoms that can lead to serious conditions such as respiratory infections, ulcers, and even esophageal cancer. Even though there are no known causes for acid reflux, it is found that several contributing factors may weaken or relax the lower esophageal sphincter. Among those are:

* Obesity

* The use of alcohol or cigarettes

* Medications such as antihistamines, nitrates, Tedral, Hydrophed, Marax, Bronchial or Quibron

* Eating large meals or soon before bedtime

* Other medical conditions such as pregnancy, rapid weight gain, Hiatal hernia or diabetes

* A diet consisting of fried or fatty foods, garlic and onions and chocolate, citrus foods, tomatoes, spicy foods and mint flavorings as well as beverages containing caffeine.

How Do I Know That I Have Acid Reflux Disease?

The most common symptom of Acid Reflux Disease is persistent heartburn. Heartburn is a burning sensation that you might experience that radiates from the stomach to the chest and throat. This symptom is experienced in connection with lying down on your back or on your right side, lifting, after a large meal and bending over. Other symptoms of reflux include:

* Regurgitation of acid into the throat while bending over or sleeping

* Difficulty swallowing

* Asthma, hoarseness and dental erosion due to the acidic juices making their way to the throat and mouth as well as the air passages into the lungs

* Chest Pain

What Are The Symptoms Of Acid Reflux In Children?

Symptoms of Reflux in newborns and young infants are more obvious than those in older infants and children because they are more likely to spit up or vomit the acid coming up. In older infants and children, the symptoms are more subtle. They suffer the same symptoms as adults; however, they have other symptoms that include:

* Loss of appetite

* Weight loss

* Apnea

* Posturing episodes that are often mistaken for seizures

* A chronic cough or recurrent pneumonia

* Recurrent abdominal pain

* Failure to thrive

* Infant arching his or her back while feeding

* Irritability

Many people can relieve their reflux symptoms with simple lifestyle changes and habit changes while other people need to see their physician. It is advised that you see your doctor if you experience the symptoms of acid reflux frequently or if the symptoms interfere with work and other activities or disrupt your sleep. If you are suffering from other symptoms such as difficulty swallowing liquids or solids, vomiting blood, vomiting followed by severe chest pain, severe chest pain or pressure, especially if it radiates to your arm, neck, or back or if your stools are dark and tarry, go to your nearest emergency room at your local hospital immediately. If you are using a self care measure, make sure your physician is aware of it so they can monitor how you use them and how well these measures work.
About the Author: Learn more about Acid Reflux and other digestive disorders at http://www.digestive-system-disorders.com
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How Methionine May Serve As A Natural Anti-depressant

By Steve P Smith

Methionine is one of the 10 essential amino acids which cannot be manufactured in the body, and must therefore be obtained from the diet. Like other amino acids, methionine is vital for the formation of the countless proteins which make up not only the body’s dry tissue, but many of its vital enzymes. Logically enough, as it is an essential component of protein, it is protein foods which are the best source of dietary methionine.

Meat, poultry, fish and dairy products are known as first class proteins because they contain all of the essential amino acids. A diet containing a good supply of each of these food groups should normally provide sufficient amino acids, including methionine, for most purposes, but vegetarians can also achieve satisfactory intakes through careful food combining.

Particular attention, however, has been focussed on methionine as the precursor of s-adenosyl methionine, also known as SAM or SAM-e, a compound produced naturally in the body by the metabolism of methionine. S-adenosyl methionine was isolated in Europe in the 1950s, and has been used there as a prescription drug, but it has only very recently been seen as a food supplement in the US. A large number of biochemical reactions are known to require its presence, including the transmission of nerve impulses between cells. Conventional medical opinion insists that healthy people should obtain all the SAM-e they need for these purposes from their intake of dietary methionine, but various clinical or sub-clinical conditions may affect the body’s ability to metabolize SAM-e in this way.

In particular, the brains of sufferers from depression have been observed to be deficient in s-adenosyl methionine as well as serotonin, the so-called “feel-good” hormone. There is some good research evidence from Europe that supplementation with between 800 and 1,600 mg per day of SAM-e increased serotonin levels, significantly improved the condition of patients suffering from moderately severe clinical depression, and was also helpful in some more severe cases. This research appears to validate the long standing practice of methionine supplementation by psychiatrists interested in the possibilities of nutritional therapy.

So there appear to be encouraging grounds for believing that methionine or SAM-e may be useful alternatives to conventional drug therapies in some cases of depression, and may offer similar benefits without the side effects of drugs.

But depression is only one of the conditions for which s-adenosyl methionine appears to offer therapeutic value. There’s also good evidence from European studies that supplement doses similar to those used to tackle depression may be useful in tackling problems with liver function, including hepatitis and even cirrhosis. And given SAM-e’s apparent potential for boosting emotional and psychological health, it has been suggested by some therapists that it may be useful in the rehabilitation programs of alcoholics and drug addicts.

At least one large scale study has shown the anti-inflammatory effects of s-adenosyl methionine to provide to relief from the symptoms of osteo-arthritis, and there are some more speculative grounds for believing that it may also be of benefit to sufferers from Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.

Orthodox medical opinion, however, insists that more research is required before the potential value of s-adenosyl methionine for any of the above conditions can be definitively established. While these concerns may appear to reflect undue caution, it is certainly true in any case that supplements of methionine or any other amino acid should not be taken in isolation for any extended period of time because of the risk of creating an imbalance.

And importantly, in the case of s-adenosyl methionine, it needs to be noted that there is a potential risk of supplementation leading to a build up of homocysteine. This is another amino acid produced naturally in the body, but excess levels of which are known to be a factor in increasing the risk of cardiovascular and related diseases. Fortunately, however, this is a risk which may be easily avoided simply by ensuring a generous intake of the B vitamins, folic acid, B6 and B12. And, as always with the B complex, these do not function correctly in isolation, so that a good dietary supply of the entire complex is also required.

With this important caveat, and although its potential benefits have perhaps been exaggerated in the media, it does appear that supplementation with s-adenosyl methionine may be worth trying for sufferers of the specific conditions highlighted above, whose natural levels of methionine and SAM-e are likely to have been depressed both by their condition itself and other factors.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Methionine.htm
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Get To Know Lycopene: The Little Known Anti-Oxidant

By Steve P Smith

“Carotenoids” is the term which describes the large range of more than 600 pigments which give many plants their characteristic red, orange or yellow colouring. Amongst those most commonly found in modern Western diets are alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and lycopene.

Most attention has been paid to alpha-carotene and beta-carotene as these can be synthesized by the body to form vitamin A, which is one of the body’s most powerful antioxidants, immune system boosters and infection fighters. Neither lutein, zeaxanthin nor lycopene are “pro-vitamin A” active substances in this sense, but this should not be taken as detracting from their nutritional value in any way.

Indeed, the evidence now indicates that these lesser known carotenoids also function as valuable fat-soluble anti-oxidants within the body. Lycopene, in particular, is now even thought to be responsible for many of the anti-oxidant functions previously
credited to beta-carotene. Research suggests that as a highly fat-soluble anti-oxidant, lycopene is particularly important in preventing free radical damage to the delicate but vital fatty structures of the body’s cells, such as the membranes.

It also seems possible that lycopene may be at least as important as beta-carotene in protecting against the oxidation of Low Density Lipids (LDLs), the so-called “bad cholesterol”, which is now widely held to be a principal cause of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries - the precursor of serious cardio-vascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke.

Like beta-carotene, lycopene has also generated much excitement as a potential weapon against cancer, probably because of its general anti-oxidant function, but also because of its proven role in keeping open the pathways between cells which are vital to allow the immune system to kill off cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

In 1995 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reported research suggesting a 45% reduction in rates of prostate cancer for men consuming a lycopene rich diet – ie one containing considerable quantities of processed tomatoes. Other studies have since indicated a role for lycopene in combatting lung, stomach, colon and breast cancer; in protecting against cardiovascular disease, and as an immune system booster.

Unfortunately the consumption of a diet rich in lycopene presents practical problems which do not arise with the better known carotenoids, alpha and beta-carotene, because it is not nearly so widely available in common foodstuffs. It is lycopene which gives tomatoes their characteristic vivid red colour, and it is this fruit which is by far the richest source. But it is the processing and/or cooking of tomatoes which makes available far more lycopene than would be provided by the raw fruit.

So a cup of regular tomato paste may contain more than 75,000 mcg of lycopene, tomato puree more than 50,000, a regular can of tomato soup more than 25,000 and canned tomato juice perhaps 20,000. A serving of raw tomatoes, by contrast, will provide a mere 5,000. So rather than rely on raw tomatoes, unless you can consume truly heroic quantities, you’d do better to try a cup of canned mixed vegetable juice at around 23,000 mcg or even a slice of watermelon which may yield up to 13,000 mcg.

The above figures make it clear that processed tomatoes are the best source of significant dietary lycopene, but the problem with this from the point of view of the health purist is that the processing of tomatoes into soup, paste or puree commonly involves the addition of considerable amounts of salt and sugar – just what your body doesn’t need if you’re seeking extra protection for your heart and circulatory system.

It also needs to be remembered when planning a lycopene rich diet that, as with other carotenes, the optimum absorption requires the presence of dietary fat. This is not so easy to achieve with tomatoes unless you’re thinking about the rich kind of meat and tomato sauce commonly eaten with pasta, or smothering a fatty meal with ketchup. Nothing wrong with either option in moderation of course, but they’re hardly healthy ways to get the lycopene you need every day.

So tomato juice in the purest form possible is probably the best means of obtaining significant dietary lycopene. That Bloody Mary with accompanying potato chips may be doing you some good after all!

Supplements containing lycopene are also readily available as an alternative, but opinions are divided as to their effectiveness. Conventional medicine tends to accept the value of a diet rich in carotenoids, but argues that the positive effects may be due to factors associated with such diets other than the carotenoids themselves. Alternative practitioners, of course, admit to no such doubts and are therefore convinced of the benefits of specific carotenoid supplementation.

So as ever, the commonsense advice for maximum benefit appears to be to combine supplementation with a normal daily diet already well supplied with lycopene rich foods.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Lycopene.htm
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Don’t Overlook Familiar Anti-Oxidants Like Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

By Steve P Smith

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is an important member of the water soluble B complex of vitamins and has of course been well known as an essential nutrient for many years, hence its popularity as a fortifying agent in commercially produced breakfast cereals and breads etc. But in the current craze for tracking down new anti-oxidant “superfoods” it’s easy to overlook the more familiar, but nonetheless vital, nutrients such as the B complex vitamins.

Riboflavin, for example, is essential for the body’s production of certain enzymes, known as flavocoenzymes, which are needed for the production of energy through the metabolism of the proteins, fats and carbohydrates consumed in the diet. Flavocoenzymes are important in the breaking down and the using or neutralizing of chemicals, including drugs and toxins within the body, and it has also been noted that they are a precursor of the specialized proteins needed for the proper functioning of the brain cell mitochondria.

Impaired oxygen metabolism within these mitochondria has been identified as a possible cause of migraine headaches, Although tested on only a small sample of patients, supplementation with high levels (400 mg) of riboflavin has been duly found to have significant effects in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks when continued over a three month period. Despite the limited scope of the research so far, orthodox medicine regards riboflavin as worthy of further investigation for use in conjunction with conventional drug therapies.

Riboflavin is also important as an anti-oxidant in enabling the proper functioning of glutathione, the crucial anti-oxidant enzyme. Glutathione is needed to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide which is released as a by-product of normal metabolic reactions within the body. Left unchecked hydrogen peroxide can interact with other free radicals to produce hydroxyl, the most damaging of all. Glutathione is particularly important in protecting the delicate fatty structures, eg the membranes, of every cell in the body.

Although anti-oxidants are required to protect every cell in the body, particular attention has been focussed on their role in the lens of the eye, where light induced oxidative damage has been found to be a risk factor for the development of cataracts, one of the most significant causes of vision loss in the elderly.

Measuring by reference to glutathione activity, research has suggested that individuals in the highest quintile of riboflavin levels may have only around half the risk of developing cataracts as those in the lowest quintile.

In addition to facilitating the action of the fat soluble glutathione, riboflavin is also essential for the body’s manufacture of another enzyme, xanthine oxidase, which is needed for the formation of uric acid, one of the most powerful water soluble anti-oxidants.

In common with all the vitamins of the B complex, a deficiency in riboflavin is likely to be associated with, and to cause, a deficiency in each of the others. Deficiency in riboflavin, however, has also been particularly associated with problems in the absorption of iron, and consequent anemia and lowered immune system function.

The US Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for riboflavin is set at the very low sounding levels of 1.3 mg per day for men, and 1.1 mg for women, In Europe the slightly higher figure of 1.6 mg is suggested. To put these in perspective, a cup of fortified cereal may provide between 0.6 and 2.3 mg; 8 oz milk perhaps 0.35 mg, and a single large egg 0.3 mg. Meat, fish, chicken and green vegetables also provide a certain amount.

So these food values would seem to suggest that the RDAs should be easily achievable by those eating a normally balanced diet – and indeed they should. The problem is that the RDAs are set at levels designed to ensure protection against outright deficiency disease, which is not at all the same as optimal health. There is also good evidence that few of us in any case, in fact succeed in eating such a diet, and this can be a particular problem for older adults. Some research suggests that as many as a quarter of over 65s fail to achieve their RDA of riboflavin though their normal daily diet, and of course that which they do take in tends to be less well absorbed than that consumed by younger people. The result is that as many as 10% of the over 65s show signs of severe deficiency, an alarming and unforgivable statistic in wealthy Western societies.

But such symptoms of deficiency may not be confined to the elderly. Younger adults who achieve only these minimal levels of riboflavin intake may also be at risk if subjecting their bodies to unusual stresses, amongst which must be included physical work, intensive athletic or sporting activity, and the use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

There are no known toxicity issues with any quantity of the B complex vitamins conceivably likely to be consumed, and the Food and Nutrition Board has specified no upper safe limit. The vitamins are water soluble with any excess being easily excreted by the body. So given the difficulties of absorption which become more pronounced as the body ages, and the increased requirements for these vitamins which seems to arise with the increasingly stressful lives we lead in the 21st century – not to mention the nutritional poverty of much of the heavily refined and processed foods we now routinely consume, there seems no reason not to supplement with iboflavin and the other vitamins of the B complex.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more at
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Taking Bipolar Medications Safely

By Flor Serquina

There is no absolute and permanent cure for bipolar disorder just yet. Bipolar medications that are made available in your nearest drugstore are meant to suppress manic depression symptoms. There are some good and some bad things to know about these medications. This article will discuss these, together with tips and and cautions about side effects.

Bipolar medications are not ordinary drugs. They are strong and can be addictive. So if you are not diagnosed as a bipolar disorder patient, never even think of taking them. These medications are always taken with the doctor's prescription.

Some Tips in Taking the Medication Safely

* Do not stop taking the medication unless your doctor tells you to. These bipolar medications are prescribed along with a dosage recommendation. You were prescribed with the medication based on your bipolar diagnosis so if you are advised to take them once a day at a specific time, then do so.

* Always consult your doctor. As mentioned, the medicine is specifically prescribed to you. Never attempt to change or buy a substitute medication without getting your doctor's approval. Furthermore, never even think of mixing your medicine with other
non-prescribed ones.

* Even when you feel that your condition is already under control, don't take it upon yourself to stop the medication. Many bipolar patients fall into this trap. At manic highs, they stop their medication believing that everything is manageable. Remind your self that any decision to discontinue the prescribed medicines must be done with your doctor's consent.

* Be accurate in adhering to the dosage and schedule of medication. Always ascertain your dosage amount and when you must take the medication. Most importantly, do not change your dose if you have no approval from the doctor who prescribed them.

* Be religious with your bipolar medications. Follow the items above and stick to your schedule and dosage. If you are able to maintain other habits, why not add this to your list? After all, it's for your own good.

Some of the most common bipolar drugs are antidepressant, anticonvulsants and mood-stabilizer medications. Examples of the commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs are tricyclics, valium, and lithium. These drugs are different from each other and have
different effects. It is best to heed your doctor's advice.

Bipolar medications are not guaranteed safe. While your doctor does his best to analyze the information you provide about your condition, leading towards manic depression diagnosis, he can only do so much, given the current state of medical knowledge about the disease.

Possible Side Effects

Some medications may work effectively but may have long-term side effects. They can cause hair loss, weight problem, and even problems in sexual performance. If you experience side effects with your medication, it may help to change your prescription. But again, you must remember not to do that yourself. Always consult your doctor.

Taking bipolar medications can endanger your health if not done properly. If this risk is ignored, the problem can become more damaging. That is the reason many doctors will take necessary steps in monitoring and observing your progress closely. Always take your medication closely with your doctor's advice. Never make your own decisions or judgment about your dosage. Never alter your prescription. Most importantly, just trust your doctor.

About the Author: Flor Serquina is a successful Webmaster and publisher of http://www.bipolar-disorder-today.com/. Visit her website to learn more about bipolar medications.
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Thirteen Symptoms Of Bipolar Disorder

By Flor Serquina

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that involves rapid change of mood conditions. As the name implies, "bi" means two or dual and "polar" connotes polarity. By application, this means that a person with symptoms of bipolar disorder tends to abruptly change polarities from extreme happiness down to severe sadness within a short time interval.

It Can Be Hard To Detect

Bipolar disorder is a serious problem. If a child has this illness at a young age and is left unattended, drastic symptoms of bipolar disorder may start to emerge at adolescence. Research indicates that the illness will not manifest immediately. It can take several years before signs of manic depression become obvious.

The life of a patient who is suffering from this mental disorder is often disrupted. He doesn't live a normal life. The list below shows the different signs as categorized by both mania or hypomania and depression.

When a bipolar patient experiences his or her highest manic state, any of these symptoms of bipolar disorder can be expected:

* The person will have a tendency to be overly optimistic and confident. This is the "nothing-can-stop-me-now" attitude.

* There is so much hyperactive energy and because of this, the person becomes restless. Sometimes the patient may seem to look very passionate about certain tasks.

* The person may not find the need to sleep. At this manic high state, the body may also prevent the patient from feeling tired.

* There is the tendency of the person to feel very important - the delusion of grandeur.

* The bipolar patient can be unreasonably annoying and aggressive to other people.

* The person tends to make impulsive judgments without rationalization.

* The patient becomes overly talkative as if he or she is racing against his or her thoughts.

In severe cases of manic disorder, patients may hallucinate. This in effect can become more difficult to determine the accuracy of a doctor's diagnosis.

The symptoms of the depressive state are the opposite of those for the manic phase:

* The patient becomes very pessimistic.

* When depression sets in, all the energy is lost.

* The bipolar patient may experience erratic sleep schedules and abnormal appetite.

* The confidence is lost and excessively low self-esteem takes over.

* The patient will tend to self-pity and induce guilt on self.

* The patient tends to develop suicidal tendencies.

Serious Consequences If Left Untreated

Many reported teenage suicides have traces of untreated bipolar disorder during childhood. As these mood swings pile up through the years, it eventually manifests. Adolescence is usually the age that symptoms of bipolar disorder take over.

Available Medications

There are many available medications for bipolar treatment. The treatment depends on the severity of the patient's disorder. For children who have tendencies of bipolar disorder, it is best to pay attention to their needs while they're still young.

Talk To Your Doctor

As a parent, the best thing you can do is give them love and attention. Otherwise, these bipolar symptoms can very well become destructive if parents are negligent. Always consult your health care professional if you have any concerns about this condition.

About the Author: Flor Serquina is a successful Webmaster and publisher of http://www.bipolar-disorder-today.com/. Visit her website to learn more about symptoms of bipolar disorder.
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Bipolar Disorder - The Truth

By Andrew Matthews

Coming to terms with a diagnosis of bipolar affective disorder can be a frightening and overwhelming time for not only those who suffer with it, but also for their friends and family.

This post aims to provide factual information on bipolar affective disorder, treatments available, information and support for anyone affected by bipolar disorder.

Bipolar affective disorder is psychiatric disorder characterized by extreme mood swings. Despite research, there is no general consensus as to what causes bipolar affective disorder. Genetics, brain chemistry and life events are all said to contribute to onset of bipolar affective disorder.

Every one of us can experience the 'ups and downs' of everyday life, but for people suffering with bipolar affective disorder these ups and downs are more extreme and prolonged, affecting not only their mood, but their thoughts, behaviour and ability to function in life.

Who Does It Affect?

It is estimated that around one in every hundred people are diagnosed with having Bipolar Affective Disorder. It often begins in late adolescence and can often appear as depression during the teenage years, although it can start at any stage of a person's life.

Both men and women are equally affected by bipolar affective disorder and it is prevalent amongst all ethnic groups and socioeconomic groups.

Of those people diagnosed 10-15% have close relatives with a mood disorder. It is important to remember that bipolar affective disorder not only affects the lives of those who have the disorder but also can dramatically affect the lives of those people closest to them, family, friends and colleagues.

Difficulties In Treating Bipolar Affective Disorder Mood patterns in bipolar affective disorder are not predictable, it is therefore not always possible to tell if anepisode is responding to treatment or naturally coming to an end. A person with bipolar affective disorder is not always reliable or may not always have the insight to report their symptoms correctly. The medications used to treat bipolar affective disorder are often accompanied by unpleasant side-effects, this can increase the risk for non compliance with treatment.

Bipolar affective disorder is often misdiagnosed, this can be for a number of reasons such as a person may only seek help when suffering with an episode of depression, a person with psychotic symptoms may appear to be suffering with schizophrenia, therefore they may not receive the correct treatment which may exacerbate their symptoms.

Family and Friends

For family and friends and those caring for someone with bipolar affective disorder it can be an emotional, stressful and frustrating time.

Bipolar affective disorder can have a dramatic affect on the lives of everyone involved and it is important that family and friends are armed with the available information and support to help their loved one manage their illness, and importantly to look after their own mental health and well-being while caring for someone with bipolar affective disorder.

The excerpts included on this page are written by people affected by bipolar affective disorder and provide invaluable insight into the effects bipolar disorder can have on the family of those with bipolar affective disorder.

Caring For Yourself

One of the most important things in caring for someone with bipolar affective disorder is taking care of yourself. Carers of people with mental illnesses often feel alone and isolated, it is not easy to tell someone a partner, parent or child suffers from mental illness, a carer of someone with bipolar affective disorder is subject to stigmatisation and discrimination just as the person with bipolar disorder is.

It is important that as a carer, you consider your own needs too, such as having your own hobbies, having someone you can talk to such as a local carers group. You do not have to be alone in caring for a person with bipolar disorder, the links below will provide you with advice and information about the support that is available to you as a carer.

About the Author: I have had BP for over 10 years now and have been through the rigmarole of misdiagnosis and wrong medication. I moved to Wales after becoming unable to work and have put all my efforts into spreading the news about Bipolar disorder/manic depression. http://www.bipolar4all.co.uk
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Alzheimer Treatment

By Dave Kessler

We are learning more and more about what ails us, including the disease of Alzheimers. There is still a lot we don't understand however, and we are a long way from finding a cure. There is Alzheimer treatment which can improve symptoms temporarily, but that's as good as it gets at the moment. There is hope for the future as the hunt for better Alzheimer treatment is undertaken.

Alzheimers is a type of dementia which happens when brain cells start to die off and the chemical messengers between cells cease to function properly. This results firstly in loss of memory and difficulties in thinking and reasoning. As the disease progresses, daily life will become more difficult for the sufferer and their personality and behavior will change. Their ability to communicate will be severely impaired, and they may be very anxious or even aggressive. The choice of Alzheimer treatment will be influenced by the rate of development of the disease. This varies a great deal.

As the sufferer's condition declines, families have to be make hard decisions as to who will care for the loved one and which Alzheimer treatment is most appropriate. Some people go on living in their own homes but will eventually require 24 hour care. It is an important part of Alzheimer treatment that the patient feels at ease with their environment, and that their mental state is not worsened by people or surroundings that make them more anxious. There are a number of prescription drugs that have been approved by the FDA. These have been seen to help some sufferers in helping their memory and thinking processes to stabilize to some degree. Clinical trials are ongoing for other drugs that hopefully will be part of future Alzheimer treatment.

A lot of patients and their carers prefer to take the non-drug route, and to try herbal remedies and dietary supplements. There are worries around these products and they don't require the approval of the FDA. When considering this alternative Alzheimer treatment, it's important to consult your doctor and be aware of any potential side effects. Mixing certain ingredients with prescribed medication can be dangerous.

Vitamin E Supplement has been used to treat symptoms and natural remedies found in ancient Chinese medicine. One such Chinese Alzheimer treatment is Ginkgo Biloba, a plant extract that may help some people. There is one troublesome side effect and that is it's effect on the clotting of blood. There is a perceived risk of internal bleeding and it must not be administered along with blood thinning warfarin or aspirin.

Another Chinese remedy is the moss extract Huperzine, which is undergoing clinical trials.

About the Author: If you would like more information on Alzheimer’s please visit http://www.dementia-alzheimer.com/
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Vitamin D And Osteoporosis-do You Get Enough

By Jeff Foster

Vitamin D and osteoporosis are an osteoporosis treatment combination that many healthcare practitioners closely follow.

The body requires adequate calcium intake as well as an adequate intake of vitamin D in order to maintain strong, dense and healthy bones.

Vitamin D alone is not sufficient for the treatment of osteoporosis. Nor are vitamin D and calcium alone and adequate treatment choice.

But vitamin D is an important component in the treatment of osteoporosis for many reasons. It helps with the absorption of calcium from the intestines.

Without adequate absorption of calcium, the calcium is unable to be metabolized as the body needs and so it sits there in the gut and is completely ineffective. When you have an insufficient amount of vitamin D in your body, bones that are already weakened become even more so.

Vitamin D comes from both your diet and from exposure to the sunlight. People living in sunny areas of the country don't seem to have any problem producing the majority of the vitamin D that they need from the sunlight.

But if you look at the folks that live in the less sunny regions, then they seem to struggle with an adequate production of vitamin D. This is particularly true among the elderly who live in these less sunny regions. It puts them at even higher risk for osteoporotic fractures.

The Institute of Medicine has recommendations as to an adequate vitamin intake D regardless of whether you are battling osteoporosis or not.

Men and women aged 19 to 50 should take 200 IU per day. Men and women from the ages of 51 to 70 years old should take a 400 IU of vitamin D per day.

While men and women 71 years of age and older should ingest 600 IU per day. But the catch is, if you already have osteoporosis then you should take 400 IU two times per day.

Vitamin D and osteoporosis are important to manage appropriately since chronic overuse of vitamin D, especially above 2000 units per day, can cause toxic levels of vitamin D, excessively high calcium levels in the urine and blood, and even the development of kidney stones.

It's like you are trading one problem for another one, not necessarily the smartest thing to do. It is important to talk with your physician prior to the initiation of vitamin D into your daily routine.

About the Author: For more important information on back pain be sure to visit http://www.0-backpain.com Providing you with information on back pain topics, causes of back pain and how to relieve your back so that you can live the best and healthiest life you can.
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Depression – Home Remedies For Depression

By Candy Williams

People with depression are simply not able to carry on their lives normally. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. When these symptoms become very intense, they start interfering with one’s ability to normally carry out even the daily chores. The person feels unable to do anything about it; other people need to help him out of this depressive situation. Appropriate treatment is required to help most people who suffer from depression.

Symptoms:

The symptoms that help identify depression include:

-Constant feelings of sadness, irritability.

-Feeling exhausted most of the time, despite lack of activity.

-Decreased interest social activities.

-Significant weight change.

-A change in sleeping pattern, such as difficulty sleeping or early morning awakening.

-Lack of confidence.

-Spends a lot of time thinking about what has gone wrong or what will go wrong.

-Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.

-Physical pain, which has no apparent physical

-Thoughts of suicide or death

If you or somebody close to you is experiencing any of these symptoms, you must consult a doctor right away.

What causes depression?

Causes of depression are still unknown, Depression has no single cause - it may result from a combination of things. However, it can be triggered by:

-Trauma and stress - financial problems, the breakup of a relationship, or the death of a near one can bring in depression.

-Loss of social support such as the loss of a job

-Poverty.

-Physical conditions - chronic illness such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, HIV or cancer

-Side-effects of medications.

-Hormonal changes that affect mood, such as the onset or end of menstruation, menopause.

-Alcohol abuse

-Hereditary - depression may run in families, and parents may pass on the defective genes.

-People with low self-esteem, or who are pessimistic.

-Psychological disorders such as anorexia.

-Some scientists suggest that overexposure to electro-magnetic smog from computer terminals and kitchen appliances, especially the microwave oven, upset the balance of the body's own electromagnetic field and leads to depression.

-Being physically or sexually abused.

-Family conflicts, especially between parents.

Depression in women -

Women are prone to depression twice as compared to men. Many hormonal factors may contribute to the increased rate of depression in women particularly factors as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, miscarriage, premenstrual syndrome and menopause. Many women also face additional tensions such as responsibilities both at work and home, single parenthood, and caring for children.

How to diagnose depression:

A good diagnostic assessment will include a complete history of the patient’s symptoms, i.e., when it started, how severe they are, are they recurrent, whether any previous treatment was given, if yes, then what treatment. The doctor should enquire about physical abuse or alcohol and drug use. Further, a history should include information about whether other family members have had a depressive illness.

Can depression be treated?

•Yes, depression can be treated.

•About 80% of people treated for depression get better.

•Both medication and therapy can effectively treat depression.

What happens, if depression is left untreated?

Depression if untreated, can affect:

-Social behaviour, along with normal day to day functioning

-Self-esteem and confidence

-Can lead to drug abuse, disruptive behaviours, violence and aggression,

-Even lead to suicide

Depression is a serious problem that demands a serious medical approach. However, you need to first recognize what is causing it.

How to treat depression?

Most people with depression never seek medical help, even though the majority will respond to treatment. Treating depression is especially important because it affects you, your family, and your work. Depression is a curable illness.

Treatment includes a combination of professional counseling, drug therapy, and family support. Love, appreciation and normal communication are some of the most important things you should provide to help the person cope with depression. Do not be critical of the person at any stage.

A change in normal lifestyle habits can help reduce symptoms of depression. Encourage the person to:

•Go in for some light exercise regularly, such as swimming, walking.

•Avoid alcohol and illegal drugs.

•Get a good and refreshing sleep

•Eat a balanced diet.

•Be optimistic. Positive thinking is very important in recovering from depression. Change will not come overnight - but with the right treatment, you can keep depression from overshadowing your life. Early treatment of depression will bring about the best results. Think positive, recovery will happen, but gradually.

Are anti-depressants helpful?

Many psychiatric drugs have not been satisfactorily tested in patients, so we do not know for sure the risks or the benefits of these medications.

The thumb rule is caution while giving antidepressants - They should be neither a first nor a last resort. If given, anti-depressants should not be stopped abruptly, because it may lead to a withdrawal syndrome that includes dizziness, nausea, seizures and anxiety.

Side effects of anti-depressants:

The side effects vary depending on the drug, but can include:

•Insomnia

•Sleepiness

•Increased anxiety

•Nausea or vomiting

•Headaches

•Dizziness

•Weight gain or loss

Beware! Anti depressants can trigger off suicidal behaviour!

Some helpful home remedies for depression –

Home remedy for depression is the best solution as it is free from any side effects.

-Ayurveda recommends yoga, massage and meditation, which increases the energy of life. Yoga exercises help to increase the circulation of oxygen in the system and helps keeps the mind relaxed. Deep breathing exercises or “pranayama” help the body
and mind to relax.

-Try to distract your mind. Listen to your favourite music, do the things you are fond of, eat something good, go out with friends – bring a change in your daily routine, and it will help cope with depression.

-Aromatherapy helps the body relax and revive the nervous system. Inhalation of some herbal oils like rose, jasmine, lime, and grapefruit are considered a natural remedy for depression.

-Cashew nuts are extremely beneficial in treating depression, as it is a rich source of vitamin B. It ensures body activeness and energy levels.

-Take daily walks. Fresh air and deep breathing exercises are both good in aiding relaxation. Avoid black tea, kava tea, tobacco and alcohol. Eat more wheat germ, which is an energizer. Pears, apples, and nuts assist the nervous system in functioning properly.

TALK TO SOMEONE IF YOU FEEL YOU ARE DEPRESSED…IT MAY JUST WORK!!

About the Author: Read more on Home Remedies for Depression.
Also read more on Home Remedies for Eczema.
Visit http://www.natural-homeremedies.com - for 100% Safe and Natural Home Remedies for Common Ailments.
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Control Your Diabetes By Vitamin C And Vitamin E

By Dr John Anne

Many of the vitamins like Vitamin B complex, Thiamine or Vitamin B1 and Pyridoxine or Vitamin B6 are great controller of diabetes. Other vitamins like vitamin C and vitamin E also works great in controlling diabetes. Have a look on the benefits how
they can help you controlling your diabetes.

Vitamin C - Vitamin C is considered highly beneficial in treating diabetes. Because of stress, urinary losses and destruction by artificial sweeteners, the vitamin C requirement is usually high in diabetics. Large amounts of this vitamin sometimes bring very good results. Dr. George V Mann in Perspective in Biology and Medicine recommended extra vitamin C for diabetics. Natural insulin output increases in diabetics with supplementary doses of vitamin C.

The intake of vitamin C in the form of dried Indian gooseberry (amla), the richest known source of vitamin C, or tablets of 500 mg or from natural sources of vitamin C besides amla, are citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, sprouted Bengal gram and green grams.

Vitamin E - This vitamin reduces considerably the devastating vascular damage accompanying diabetes. Dr. Willard Shute in The Complete Book of Vitamins recommends 800-1600 IU of vitamin E a day to prevent arterial degeneration in diabetes.

A Swedish study also supports vitamin E therapy for treating diabetes. Vitamin E helps diabetics decrease their insulin requirements. It would be advisable for a diabetes patient to take a daily dose of 200 IU of this vitamin for a fortnight at a
time.

Rich Sources of Vitamin E. Valuable natural foods sources of this vitamin are wheat or cereal germ, whole grain products, fruits and green leafy vegetables, milk and all whole raw or sprouted seeds.

Other rich sources of vitamin E are cold pressed crude vegetable oils, especially sunflower seeds, safflower, and Soya beans oils, raw and sprouted seeds and grains, alfalfa, lettuce, almond, human milk etc.

Vitamin A - Diabetics are unable to convert beta-carotine to vitamin A. A supplement of this vitamin, therefore, becomes necessary. A dose of 15000 IU on alternate days is considered adequate by some authorities.

About the Author: Dr John Anne
http://www.diabetesmellitus-information.com
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Could Vitamin B12 Be The Secret Weapon In The Battle Against Depression?

By Steve P Smith

Vitamin B12, occasionally also known as cobalamin, is one of
the most important and most intensively studied of the B complex
vitamins. This group of vitamins is known as the B complex
because of their biochemical similarity and because of their
close interaction and interdependence in the performance of
their numerous vital functions. So the B complex vitamins are
commonly found together in various common food sources and, each
being water soluble, will also be excreted together from the
body. A deficiency in one of the complex is therefore almost
always accompanied by a corresponding deficiency in each of the
others.

But all of that said, the consequences of a deficiency are
different in the case of each individual vitamin, and
deficiencies of B12 are particularly associated with
cardiovascular disease, a type of anaemia, Alzheimer’s disease
and other dementias, and depression.

Vitamin B12 is required for the body’s manufacture of the
essential amino acid, methionine and its associated enzyme,
methionine synthase, an inadequate supply of which may lead to
an excess of homocysteine, a naturally occuring protein within
the body, which is well known to be associated with an increased
risk of cardiovascular disease.

But it is also now known that sufferers from Alzheimer’s
disease are often found to have low levels of vitamin B12 in
their blood as well as the raised levels of homocysteine which
are also associated with more common vascular dementias. In fact
a number of studies have suggested that low B12 and high
homocysteine levels may as much as double the risk of
Alzheimer’s.

Although conventional medicine remains reluctant to accept any
causal link, it might well seem to the “intelligent layman” who
takes an interest in these matters that such a link is more
likely than not. And this is particularly so when it is
remembered that vitamin B12 deficiency leads to a reduction in
the synthesis of methionine, which is known to be essential for
the methylation reactions which are in turn vital for the health
of nerve cells and neurotransmitters.

Research has also noted a strong associative link between
vitamin B12 deficiency and depression, that widespread and
disabling, but still poorly understood and defined condition. In
fact different studies have suggested that up to 30% of patients
with depression severe enough to require hospital admission may
be deficient in vitamin B12, and that elderly people found to be
deficient in the vitamin are twice as likely to suffer severe
depression as those with normal blood levels.

Again the conventional “wisdom” prefers to regard these
findings as an observational association rather than evidence of
a causal link. But it has been argued that such a link may be
due to B12’s acknowledged role in the synthesis of methionine
and its associated enzymes, which are vital for the effective
performance of certain neurotransmitters whose absence is known
to be a factor in depression.

Evidently Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and depression are all
conditions which become more common and more severe with
advancing age, so perhaps it should be no surprise that
deficiencies of vitamin B12 are also much more frequent in the
elderly population. In fact as many as 10 -15% of the over 60s
may be severely deficient, but a far higher proportion than this
are likely to fall below the threshold required for optimum
protection against these justifiably dreaded diseases.

However, these deficiencies are unlikely to be caused by an
inadequate dietary supply. The Recommended Dietary Allowance
(RDA) for vitamin B12 is only 2.4 mcg a day, an amount which
should be readily obtainable, except perhaps for those following
a strict vegetarian regime, given that a single 3 oz serving of
fish or red meat may provide this quantity. For those with a
taste for it, sea food may provide a great deal more, and
chicken, turkey, eggs, milk and cheese are also useful, though
less lavish, sources.

But good absorption of vitamin B12 from food is heavily
dependent on the normal stomach acid and digestive enzymes, the
quantity and effectiveness of which decreases substantially as
the body ages, and on the presence in the stomach of a
specialised protein known as Intrinsic Factor. The correct
action of Intrinsic Factor requires the presence of adequate
calcium in the body, another nutrient in which the elderly are
of course notoriously likely to be deficient.

Absorption of B12 from supplements is much less problematic,
however, because stomach acid and digestive enzymes are not
required to release the vitamin from its protein bindings. So
this is a rare case in which even conventional medical “wisdom”
recognises the value of supplementation, at any rate for the
over 50s.

So given that relatively small amounts of these vitamins are
required by the body, and that no toxicities or adverse side
effects have been reported, there really seems no reason to run
the risk of a deficiency.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter
specializing in direct marketing and with a particular interest
in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/VitaminB12-2.htm

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Vitamin C: Why You Can’t Assume You’re Getting Enough

By Steve P Smith

Many benefits of vitamin C have been identified since the consumption of citrus fruit was first recognised as the immediately effective cure and preventative for the scurvy which so dreadfully afflicted the long distance sailors of a few centuries ago.

Numerous studies have recognised the vitamin as a possible protector against coronary heart disease, stroke, atherosclerosis, hypertension and cancer, to name but a few, and it is possible that all of these effects stem ultimately from
vitamin C’s acknowledged role as a powerful anti-oxidant, active in preventing the free radical damage which is a known cause of premature ageing and many chronic degenerative diseases.

So the absence of acute deficiency diseases such as scurvy in modern affluent societies should not be taken as implying that the typical Western diet contains an adequate intake of vitamin C for optimum long-term health.

The United States Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C is 90 mg per day for a healthy, non-smoking man and 75 mg for a woman. But these suggested requirements are increased to 125mg and 110 mg respectively in the case of smokers, a tacit acknowledgement of the increased requirement for this vitamin which increased toxic stress places on the body. But these RDAs nevertheless appear to be set at a level sufficient only to avoid outright deficiency disease.

To be sure of obtaining all the optimum benefits of vitamin C, the authoritative Linus Pauling Institute has recommended a daily minimum intake of at least 400 mg. This amount has been shown to achieve saturation levels of the vitamin within the
body’s tissues in healthy young adults who are non-smokers. To get this in perspective, even the consumption of the recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables may provide just 200 mg of vitamin C, whilst even commercial multi-vitamin supplements typically provide only around 60 mg.

But the real story’s actually even worse than this, not only because all too few people actually manage to consume the recommended quantities of fruit and vegetables, but because the nutritional quality of those that we do consume is poor, and getting worse.

As long ago as 1936, Senate Document 264 noted that the poor quality of American farm soils was leading to widespread nutritional deficiencies, and the 1992 Earth Summit reported that mineral concentrations in US farm soils were 85% lower than
those of a hundred years ago.

Nor does the problem lie just in the soil. The modern Western diet’s preference for highly refined grains, and the treatment of fruits and vegetables with preservatives, dyes, pesticides and even radiation is a proven disaster for vitamin and mineral retention, as well as a significant toxic assault on the body.

Indeed, the problem for us in the twenty-first century is that our environment seems as though it might have been expressly designed for ill-health. Daily we’re exposed to a kind of toxic soup of pollutants such as industrial emissions, car exhausts,
pesticides, herbicides, dyes and all kinds of everyday household chemicals. But as the liver works ever harder in an increasingly desperate struggle to detoxify the body, an unwelcome side effect is that it produces enormous quantities of the free
radicals which are amongst the chief contributors to premature ageing and degenerative disease.

In these adverse circumstances it can only make sense to ensure that the body is as lavishly provided as possible with the top quality anti-oxidants of which vitamin C is certainly one of the most important.

Fortunately, high dosages of vitamin C are readily available as supplements and fortunately, too, it seems that the manufactured kind of l-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is chemically identical to that obtained naturally. This is not in any way to deny theimportance of healthy eating, or to suggest that it doesn’t make sense to try and eat the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables, because these contain a myriad of trace nutrients which operate synergistically within the body, andwhich all need to be present for optimum health.

It does suggest, however, that to rely on diet alone, however apparently healthy, may well be to risk missing out on the vital anti-oxidant properties of vitamin C which may in time be reflected in chronic, degenerative, if not acute, disease. It
should be noted as well, that as a water-soluble compound, any excess vitamin C is harmlessly excreted by the body. So with all the health benefits of vitamin C at stake, it surely makes sense to err on the side of taking in too much rather than too little.

About the Author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter
specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest
in health products. Find out more at
http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/VitaminC2.htm

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