Itsanutha

Archive for September, 2010

Are you really bothered by little specks, like motes of dust, that seem to float across your vision? If so, then you are probably suffering from eye floaters, a common condition that drives many people to distraction. This article will discuss the causes of eye floaters and discover the potential natural eye floaters treatment.

What cause floaters?

Floaters are basically little blobs of protein that float through the hollow sphere which is filled with a thick, gel like fluid known as the vitreous humor. They are formed in many different ways, for example, bits of protein that are left behind in the eye during the processes of embryonic development. However, most floaters are formed through the processes of aging. Floaters can also be caused by the detachment of the vitreous humor from the retina.

What is the cure of eye floaters?

Doctors often prescribe eye drops specially formulated with omega fatty acids and some natural eye therapists recommend Chinese herbal remedies to help reducing the floaters. Actually Natural eye floaters treatment is generally best choice to overcome this bothersome problem. The following are some ways to help eliminating them.

Exercise 1 – Relaxing the eyes

Cover your eyes with your palm for about 10 seconds. Before doing this make your palms warm by rubbing them together. Repeat this relaxing exercise about 5 times. Make sure to do it everyday and if floaters appear.

Exercise 2 – Rolling the eyes

Pull back your head to face the ceiling and roll your eyes around in circular clockwise motion. Do it slowly. After that repeat the movement in counter clockwise motion. Repeat this exercises about 10 times in every direction.

Exercise 3 – Focusing

Hold your finger or a pencil in front your face, your arm should be straight ahead. Look at your finger then slowly move it closer to your eyes at about six inches away. Focus it for a few seconds then pull your finger back at arm length, focus it again. Repeat these movement ten times.

Step 4 – Massaging

Massage your forehead between eyebrows and temples in circular motion, 20 times each in forward and backward direction. Repeat the massage 20 times.

The above series of natural eye floaters treatment generally helps reduce floaters in a few weeks. Make sure to do the above exercise daily. To your health!

What is the truth behind ovarian cancer survival rates? Well, if you were to type “the truth behind ovarian cancer survival rates” into a search engine, you might be upset at the type of information you find. This is because most sites that are dedicated towards telling the truth behind ovarian cancer survival rates tend to do so from a more negative angle. For example, in the United States only 50 percent of women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer will live beyond five years. And this statistic does not provide any official hope that the disease will remain in remission beyond the five-year timeframe.

So, is this really the truth behind ovarian cancer survival rates? Yes and no. What many sites won’t tell you is that the ovarian cancer survival rates are a lot more positive for women who have had their condition diagnosed early. In fact, for the 25 percent of women who are in this category, the ovarian cancer survival rate is an amazing 90 percent. Yet, most sites won’t talk about this because the majority of women will get diagnosed in the latter stages of the disease, stages at which the disease has progressed too much for long-term survival.

How can a woman increase her chances of being part of the 25 percent that do get diagnosed early? This is a very difficult question to answer. For some women waiting until ovarian cancer symptoms start could be enough to get an early diagnosis. But there’s a problem with this strategy. First of all, most of the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer are not drastic. Incontinence, abdominal swelling and painful sex, the three main symptoms of the disease, can easily be mistaken for conditions that are less serious. And even if woman suspects they are signs of ovarian cancer, it is possible that the condition has still progressed to a point that it has become lethal. This is because the symptoms are the same whether the tumors are massive or extremely small.

What’s the best solution for a woman then? Well, if she has ovarian cancer in her family’s history, she should consider getting periodic ovarian cancer screening whether or not she has symptoms. However, it should be noted that ovarian cancer screening, at least in its current state is not full-proof. It has a high rate of misdiagnosis, which could subject a woman to unnecessary surgery, chemotherapy or other types of ovarian cancer treatment. Yet, if a woman is in a high risk category, ovarian cancer screening could be the very thing that saves her life.

In conclusion, when it comes to the truth behind ovarian cancer survival rates, there is another more hopeful side to the story. The key is trying to get early diagnosis, especially if you have the disease in your family. For everyone else, it’s best to take preventative measures, since the risk of misdiagnosis from an ovarian cancer diagnosis may be too high. Preventative measures include: breastfeeding, having your first child before 35 but not before 20, taking birth control pills and having a hysterectomy.

Uterine fibroids are usually the most common tumor which is benign (non cancerous) that is found in a woman’s uterus. About 30% to 40% of women suffer from fibroids at one point or another during their lifetime. Research is ongoing on better understanding fibroids and effective treatments. This article discusses uterine fibroid symptoms and treatment as well as finding natural treatments for fibroids to rid sufferers of these tumors.

These tumors of the smooth muscle that is usually found in the wall of the uterus are known as uterine fibroids. These fibroids of the uterus are usually found within the wall of the uterus or can attach to the wall of the uterus. Uterine fibroids can grow in the form of a single tumor or in clusters of tumors and can grow to any size. Fibroids can lead to various health issues despite being considered benign (no cancer cells).

Uterine Fibroids Symptoms

Do note that most fibroids do not require treatment and may not lead to many health problems. Others may cause;

a. Excessive menstrual blood or heavy menstrual cycles leading to anemia as well as debilitation.
b. Discomfort or pain in the pelvis
c. The need to urinate frequently
d. Infertility or other problems getting pregnant
e. Headaches due to the fibroids pressing against nerves
f. A condition known as “compression syndrome” which affects body parts such as the bladder which then leads to bloating, frequent urination as well as constipation. Other body parts affected include the rectum which may be pressed upon by the fibroids.
g. Shortness of breath or feeling dizzy

If fibroids do not produce any symptoms, they can be detected during a normal pelvic exam. An ultrasound can also be used to detect any fibroids as well as to help determine whether you suffer from a fibroid or an ovarian cyst. Fibroids mainly affect women that have a long family history of uterine fibroids. In addition, fibroids affect black women is greater numbers than any other racial group.

Traditional Treatments for Fibroids

If the fibroids produce no symptoms or are small in size, no treatment is usually necessary. If not, to control the bleeding which may in some cases soak up more than three tampons or pads or other fibroids symptoms, hormonal medicines can be prescribed or surgery may be performed such as:

1. Hysterectomy which is the removal of both the uterus and the fibroids and is the most common surgical procedure related to fibroids to cure fibroids. If any cancerous cells are observed the ovaries and fallopian tubes are usually removed as well. Besides feeling less than a woman as well as continuing to take medications to control mood and other side effects, this surgery is expensive.

2. Myomectomy is surgery performed to only remove the fibroids. The uterus is usually left alone allowing the woman to be able to get pregnant if she wishes.

3. Clotting of the blood supply to the fibroids is a new approach that has shown great results. When the blood supply to the fibroids is blocked, the fibroid can shrink.

Holistic or Natural Treatments for Fibroids

Natural treatments have been shown to provide great results for the treatment and cure of fibroids. Surgery always carries a risk and the side effects may be very unpleasant. The surgery also costs a great deal. Surgeries such as hysterectomies can be very depressing for women since they will feel less than a woman without a uterus and all hopes of having a baby go out the window. Natural treatments for fibroids are less invasive and are become more and more popular with women because of their effectiveness.

People must increase their knowledge about HIV virus since it becomes one of the most deadly diseases in the world. At least, you should know the primary symptoms of HIV virus. Primary HIV infection is the stage when a person has been infected with HIV virus for a few weeks or months. Person infected with HIV virus may have symptoms that resemble the flu or mono (mononucleosis) during this time. During primary HIV infection a person will not get clear test result to determine if they are infected or not using standard HIV antibody tests.

Most people with primary HIV infection have symptoms of HIV that occur usually 2 to 6 weeks after becoming infected with HIV. Acute retroviral syndrome is always experienced by people with these symptoms. Primary HIV infection can have different symptoms on different people. Some scientists believe that rash and fevers are the main symptoms of primary HIV infection especially when it present in combination with one or more of the symptoms of HIV.

Those who do have symptoms generally experience fever, loss of appetite and joint pain. Other common symptoms can include sore throat, muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes, diarrhea, fatigue, headache, oral or genital ulcers, nausea and vomiting. These symptoms can occur within days or weeks of the initial exposure to the virus during primary or acute HIV infection period.

In other cases, people with HIV show no symptoms at all. However, most people always show some symptoms. Some people even have severe symptoms that make them to go to the emergency room. Others may only show mild symptoms. When the primary or acute HIV infection is over, the symptoms reduce itself and patients look better for a while. Most people do not show any visible symptoms for longer period of time, it is about 8-10 years.

If these conditions left untreated, the immune system becomes rapidly weaker and the disease progresses to AIDS. The next symptoms experienced by person infected with HIV virus are often related with the opportunistic infections that attack patients with AIDS symptoms include pneumonia, tuberculosis, and toxoplasmosis.

Primary HIV infection or primary symptoms of HIV are a stage that needs immediate medical treatments. You should search for prompt medical treatment from a doctor who specializes in treating HIV. Or you can seek prompt attention from a local public health clinic if you don’t have a private doctor or medical insurance. Then, you should ask for a doctor who specializes in HIV or infectious diseases.

Many of my over 40 patients complain of dry, burning, itching eyes and ask me what they can do about them. Well, you can do a lot, I tell them. You see, dry eyes are a common occurrence in those of us past age 40, especially women in menopause where hormonal changes can cause dryness throughout the body.

However, dry eyes can bother men as well. The good news is that there is something you can do about it that can improve the condition dramatically. First, let me explain to you a little about what this syndrome is and what causes it.

What Is Dry Eye Syndrome?

Several things can cause dry eyes including:

- Certain medications like antihistamines, Parkinson drugs, antidepressants, birth control pills.
- Living in a dry, windy area.
- Living, or working, in an environment with air conditioning or a dry heating system.
- Long hours in front of a computer screen which causes you to not blink enough.
- Specific illnesses like Sjogren syndrome, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis.
- Wearing contact lenses.
- Structural problems with the eyelids that prevents them from closing all the way.
- Smoking.
- Allergies to dust, mold, and pollen can cause the eyes to itch, become red and dry.
- Eye drops with preservatives or methylcellulose can dry the eye out.
- Vitamin A deficiency.

Now that you know what may be causing your symptoms, let’s talk about what relieves them and helps prevent dryness to begin with.

Treat Dry Eye Syndrome Naturally

As you likely know by now, I prefer a natural, non-prescription based approach to treating conditions first, if possible. Luckily, eyes respond very well to a few natural-based treatments such as the following:

Omega-3 fatty acids – these are fats found in fish, particularly salmon, cod liver oil, sardines, and herring. 1-2 servings a week is good, along with taking a 1,000 mg capsule of Omega-3 per day to help alleviate dryness of eyes and skin.

Artificial Tears – these contain hyaluronic acid, the same chemical that keeps your skin healthy and lubricated which decreases with age. There are several natural tear lubricants available at drug and health food stores. They can help your eyes feel better immediately. The only drawback to these is that they cannot be used while contact lenses are in the eye. They must be removed first and then wait 15 minutes to replace them. Or, see the next item.

Rewetting Solution – this is specifically for contact lens wearers. They work very well if your dry eyes are mainly from wearing contact lenses. Be sure, also, to keep contact lenses clean. Deposit build up on lenses can irritate your eyes and dry them out.

Herbal dry eye relief formulas – health food stores and pharmacies that carry supplements usually carry these herbal eye formulas under a few brands.

Wrap Around Sunglasses – if you live in a dry, windy area, these type of sunglasses have been shown to reduce dry eye symptoms in 99% of cases!

Hydrate, hydrate! – As I always tell my patients, you must drink enough water a day to keep all the tissues of your body, especially your eyes, lubricated. According to the Institute of Medicine, women should drink 91 ounces of water a day and men 125 ounces. Cut down on caffeine containing drinks as these can also dehydrate you.

Humidifiers/Air Cleaners – if your house or office air seems dry, and particularly dusty be sure you change the filter on your furnace or AC at recommended intervals. In addition, an air cleaner can filter out dust and other microbes in the air. A humidifier can add moisture to too-dry air.

Blink/Rest – blinking usually is automatic, but when you are working in front of a computer screen for long hours, you don’t blink as often. So, try and remember to manually blink your eyes every few seconds. Also, closing your eyes for 1-2 minutes will also help them re-lubricate and alleviate scratchiness.

Vitamin/Herb Therapy – specific vitamins and herbs help the eyes stay healthy in general and these include vitamin C, bilberry, eyebright, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, cinnamon, and alpha lipoic acid. Good eyesight vitamin/herb/mineral formulas that contain these ingredients can be found at health food stores and pharmacies that carry supplements.

Flax Seed Oil – 1 tablespoon a day helps lubricate you from the inside out.

Tear Duct Plugs – you may consider these after trying all the above suggestions if your dry eyes are still bothering you. An eye doctor, ophthalmologist, can painlessly insert these in your tear ducts. They help keep more tears in the eyes instead of spilling from the tear ducts.

Although it can be an uncomfortable condition, dry eyes can almost always be successfully alleviated, or greatly improved, by the natural treatments listed above. If your dry eye condition is still causing you discomfort, see your doctor who can look into any medications that you may be taking that may be aggravating the condition. Your eyes will be tested to check the amount of tears you are producing. Other tests may also be needed to determine whether a particular illness may be the cause of your dry eyes.

Arthritis is a common painful disease affecting the joints and bones of the body. Early signs can include twinges or stiffness of the knees and other joints, limitation in movement or visible thickening of the joints, often in the hands and feet; creaking joints, spinal pain and backache, or painful swelling of the joints.

There are several types of arthritis – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Osteoarthritis is the most common resulting from wearing of the joints – mainly hips, spine, knees, feet and fingers. A far greater number of women suffer from this than do men.

Rheumatoid arthritis can destroy other tissue besides the bone, affecting cartilage and tissues within and around the joints to damage the bone surface itself, usually of feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Gout is principally caused by uric acid crystals settling in the joints to produce painful irritation and inflammation. It can produce extremely severe discomfort, often focused in the big toe. This is principally a disease suffered by men more than women.

In the prevention of all kinds of arthritis there are certain general rules of health to consider as well as some natural self-help methods of treatment.

Remember: It is largely your eating habits that have created an imbalance in your body chemistry. It is only by seriously reconsidering your diet and improving your intake of natural foods and avoiding the synthetic or artificial products that you can return your body to normal healthy condition. It may take self-discipline – but self-discipline today is better than a painful tomorrow. It is best to start with improving the quality of your diet.

Nutrition: avoid foods producing high acidity such as starchy food, white bread, white sugar and processed foods including soft drinks, sweet sherry, ice-cream, chocolate, etc. You should take only a moderate intake of milk, cheese and for a time try to avoid all fried foods, meats, fish and salt.

Diet should consist mainly of fresh fruits and green salads with a variety of ingredients, light dressings, raw nuts, herbs, sprouted seeds, seaweed, plenty of celery and plain steamed vegetables of all kinds.

Food supplements: should include some of the following – alfalfa (lucerne) concentrates, raw potato juice, carrot juice, vitamins B, B complex, C , brewers yeast, celery seed tea or celery and juniper tablets.

Herbs: There are some beneficial herbs that are generally stocked along with other kitchen ingredients such as celery seed and alfalfa tea, but there are others in the garden that should be included regularly in your preparation of meals. These are parsley, dandelion leaves, gotu kola, mint, sage and garlic.

Skin Care is Important: Regular brushing and stimulation of the skin over the entire body is a pleasant enough addition to your personal toilet. The brushing causes the surface skin cells to flake off, leaving the skin freer to function properly regarding natural perspiration and circulation of the blood to surface cells. Improving the skin, even on one part of the body, will in time help to improve entire skin function.

This discipline is necessary if you are to relieve the work of the kidneys that have the main job of eliminating toxic wastes and acids from the body. Most people are aware of the need to help the kidneys by drinking lots of water. Not everyone is as enthusiastic or is aware of the simple benefits of skin brushing.

Exercise: to exercise to perspiration point each day is a generally accepted health practice. Depending upon any symptoms and their severity, your age and your doctor’s advice, this rule must be modified, not be neglected altogether. You should follow an exercise programme that gradually increases if not to perspiration level, a freer movement of the entire body through gentle, simple elementary movements, preferably aided by soothing rhythmic music. Yoga exercises and Tai Chi are perfect methods for those unfamiliar with more vigorous exercises as they are gentle, slow and safe.

Stress: Although some types of arthritis involve physical stress, by far the greatest found by researchers is the psychological stress factor. Of course this is a complex issue but it is interesting to note common findings that anxiety, fears of all kinds, usually resentment, loneliness and general unhappiness are involved. This means that the more you work on relaxation of body, feelings and thoughts the better your will feel. Each of us has the means to change negative habits of all kinds by practising positive alternatives – not only learning physical relaxation and possibly treatment by massage to help you, but starting each day with a self-promise to not only enjoy your work, but to seek an island of calm in each day; to expect less from others and give more of your friendliness and good cheer. It is helpful to select a few words that appeal to you, to use in silent repetition to remind you to keep your mind focused upon positive moods, thoughts and outcomes.

Be patient. Consider some of the above information and determine what you can do to improve your lifestyle and to avoid arthritis.

If you already are suffering from this disease, seek additional professional naturopathic advice regarding further methods of self – care and relief through simple home treatment.