Getting Rid of Heartburn Fast

Heartburn No More

The word heartburn sounds frightening; anything negative attached to the word heart causes one to worry and feel anxious. Imagine your heart burning in flames, sizzling and smoking, and you can’t do anything about it. Fortunately, heartburn has nothing to do with the heart. The symptoms are just commonly felt in the chest area, which makes one think that there is something wrong with the heart. But don’t you worry; your heart’s perfectly fine.

All About the Esophagus

Have you heard about acid reflux? It’s when the contents of your stomach, including the acid, make their way back up the esophagus. What follows is a burning sensation in the chest area, sometimes felt up to the neck.

What Causes Heartburn

Many factors may cause heartburn. The common culprits are the foods you eat. Food and drinks that trigger heartburn include: spicy and greasy foods, citrus fruits, chocolate, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Heartburn is also more common during pregnancy because of the added abdominal pressure. This is also the case for overweight individuals. Smoking and some medications also cause acid reflux to be more prevalent.

It is rare that heartburn is a sign of something serious. Small amounts of reflux is normal and the swallowing of saliva makes the acid flush down to the stomach before you even feel any pain or discomfort. However, there are some cases where heartburns occur on a regular basis or the burning sensation lasts for a long period of time. Consulting your doctor is, of course, always a good thing. But if you think your heartburn is nothing serious, try these tips to cool the flames and get rid of heartburn.

How to Get Rid of Heartburn Fast

1. Keep a heartburn diary.

In order to get rid of heartburn, you need to identify its cause. An easy way to do this is to keep a heartburn diary. Do not scribble here your daily experiences of getting snubbed by your crush. We’re talking about heartburn here, not heartbreak. What you need to jot down are the instances where you get heartburn. Take note of the time, your activities before the burn, and the food you ate. You will eventually see a pattern and determine the possible source of heartburn.

2. Watch your eating habits.

A quarter pounder plus large French fries can really satisfy your tummy; but you may suffer the consequences shortly after your scrumptious meal. Look at your heartburn diary and check if certain foods trigger your heartburn symptoms. Spicy and greasy foods usually get the blame here. However, it is not just about the food you eat; it’s also about how and when you eat. Try eating smaller meals instead of three large meals. Also, even if your wife cooked your favorite food, get a hold of yourself and eat slowly. Your stomach will thank you for it. Bedtime meals or midnight snacks can also cause heartburn. Doctors recommend eating meals at least 3 hours before going to bed.

3. Drinking habits.

As mentioned above, some drinks also trigger heartburn. Do a little experiment and see if cutting down your coffee consumption helps get rid of heartburn. Do the same for bubbly drinks like soda. It is also suggested that you drink before and after meals. Drinking during meals fills your stomach and increases the likelihood of pushing the contents and acid back up.

4. Elevate the head of your bed.

This is one way of protecting your esophagus while you are sleeping. It helps keep the contents of your stomach from slipping back up to the esophagus. You can put some books under the legs of your bed to elevate it. Note that piling pillows is not an alternative as it increases the pressure on the abdomen.

5. Don’t lie down after eating.

Resist the urge of lying down right after having a meal. It is better to let the stomach empty first. Wait at least an hour before you lie down.

6. Maintain a healthy weight.

Those extra pounds cause more abdominal pressure. It is also better for your overall health if you maintain your ideal weight. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly.

7. Wear loose clothing.

That gorgeous belt and tight pants may look good on you but they do no good to your stomach. Try to wear clothing that is not too tight so as not to put too much pressure on the stomach.

8. Watch your medication.

Some medications, especially painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can burn the esophagus. It is best to consult with your doctor first and seek for advice regarding which medications won’t harm your esophagus and stomach. On the other hand, there are over-the-counter heartburn treatments such as antacids and acid blockers. These medications neutralize stomach acid. While you can buy these without prescription and can help you get rid of heartburn fast, it is recommended to see your doctor first and ask for proper directions regarding the use of these treatments.

9. Don’t smoke.

Nicotine irritates the esophageal sphincter, the valve between the esophagus and the stomach. This makes the valve perform less efficiently, increasing the chances of getting heartburn.

10. Avoid stress.

One of the most neglected ways on how to get rid of heartburn is avoiding stress. Stress affects the esophageal sphincter and can increase acid secretion.

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Yeast Infection Causes and Symptoms

What Is Yeast Infection?

Candidiasis or thrush is a fungal infection (mycosis) of any of the Candida species, of which Candida albicans is the most common. Candidiasis encompasses infections that range from superficial, such as oral thrush and vaginitis, to systemic and potentially life-threatening diseases.

What Causes Yeast Infection?

Normally your vagina already has healthy bacteria living in it and most of the time the yeast is kept under control by the healthy bacteria, making it slightly acidic that prevents yeast from growing too much. If the balance is not under control, yeast infection will occur when there is an increase in quantity of yeast that causes it to be abnormal.

There are many reasons that can result a yeast infection.

• hormonal changes
• medications, especially antibiotics
• certain medical conditions
• a weakened immune system
• sexual transmission

Though women run into a higher risk of getting yeast infection. Men also can get it quite easily with almost the same reasons.

Symptoms Of Vagina Yeast Infection

• Itching
• Burning sensation when urinating or sex
• Vulva redness
• Thick white discharge that looks a little like cottage cheese, but no odor

Symptoms Of Penile Yeast Infection

• Itching and Irritation on the head of the penis
• White, clumpy discharge
• Redness
• Little red itchy bumps may appear on the penis shaft or surrounding genital area

Symptoms Of Oral Thrush

• White, cream coloured or yellow spots curd look alike in the mouth.
• When you scrap the spots, it can bleed slightly.

Newborn babies, diabetic patients, dentures user and people with dry mouth have higher risk of getting Oral thrush.

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What are the Causes of Malocclusion?

Although we in the United States have access to the most advanced dental care in the world, there is at least one area where we seem to be among the worst in the world: malocclusion. The consensus among comprehensive dentists is that the majority of the population suffers from bad bite. In other words, our teeth do not properly line up, leading to functional dental problems in chewing, inordinate tooth wear, and accelerated dental decay, in addition to cosmetic problems in our smile.

Thus, while most of the population of non-industrialized countries has appropriate bite alignment, those of us in industrialized countries generally suffer from a misalignment of our jaw. The biggest question is why would this be so? Why would countries with such expensive and advanced dental care systems suffer from so many problems in our teeth? A recent editorial in the trade journal for specialists in neuromuscular dentistry, LVI Visions, explains why.

Breathe Easy

The primary causative factor in the development of bad bite is airway obstruction during childhood. Exposure to allergens during childhood, including food allergies like chocolate, milk, and wheat, as well as environmental allergies like dust and pet dander that build up in the enclosed air systems utilized in Western societies, causes children to produce excess mucous, leading to runny noses and, more importantly, to a buildup of mucous in the back of the throat. This mucous impairs the functionality of cilia, tiny tentacles that line the throat, beating 10 to 20 times a second to drive bacteria and other foreign bodies down the throat to be swallowed.

When the cilia can't do their job, foreign matter accumulates in the back of the throat, and bacteria grow into large colonies, forcing the tonsils and adenoids to work harder to fight this incipient infection. When the tonsils and adenoids work this hard, they overdevelop, or hypertrophy, making it difficult for people to breathe through their nose and causing them to become mouth-breathers.

Mouth Breathing and Malocclusion

Mouth breathing is the immediate culprit in the development of malocclusion. During development, the body is seeking the appropriate balance between the sphincter action of the buccinator muscles, which flatten our cheeks and push our jaws inward, and the outward pushing of our tongue, the strongest muscle in the human body. When children breathe through their mouths, their tongue is often placed out of position for supporting its side of the conflict. This leads to a constriction of the arch of the child's jaw.

In addition, the tongue can rest over where the back teeth are supposed to erupt, hampering the process and forcing the body to move the jaw back in order to properly get the rear teeth together, leading to a general overbite tendency in the population.

Furthermore, the development fostered by this process leads to mouth-breathing for the rest of that child's life in two ways. First, the tongue that now has insufficient room in the arch of the jaw is forced backward into the throat, leading to more constriction of the airway that is rectified with mouth-breathing. Second, the constriction of the arch of the jaw also leads to a high palate that constructs the turbinate space in the airways. This means that any swelling in the sinuses can restrict or block the airway, again forcing mouth breathing.

What Can Be Done

Neuromuscular dentists are already doing their part. They have made a commitment to recognizing the early stages of malocclusion and trying to rectify it before it causes too many serious problems for a child. This includes not only dental treatment, but correction of snoring problems as well. You can do your part by making sure your child sees a dentist as early as age 2, but definitely by age 3. Whenever possible, take preventive actions, not only following your dentist's advice, but working to reduce allergens around the home. Some ways to reduce allergens in your home include:

• Reduce carpeting and soft furniture
• Improve ventilation
• Use a dehumidifier
• Keep Central heating low
• Use High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters and vacuum cleaners
• Try to reduce dust mites and pet dander without introducing unnecessary chemicals

If you do these things, you can help your children avoid the lifelong problems that come with malocclusion, including not only dental problems, but facial pain, headaches, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and unexplained tingling in the arms and hands.

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Preventing the effects of diabetes

Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people throughout the world today. In many countries, it is one of the leading causes of blindness and end stage kidney failure - and also contributes to the vast majority of deaths due to heart attacks and strokes.

Throughout the world, the incidence of new cases of diabetes is steadily rising - and it is predicted that by 2030, Type 2 diabetes will affect about 366 million individuals - that is 4.4% of the world's population!

There are four areas that governments worldwide are focusing on today

• Prevention: reducing the number of new people developing diabetes
• Detection: diagnosing the condition early - and commencing appropriate treatment
• Motivation: ensuring long term care so patients with diabetes continue with their treatment
• Education: so patients know why they will benefit from self-management

Preventing Diabetes

Nine out of ten people who develop diabetes get Type II Diabetes. Doctors describe the aetiology as "Multifactorial" - which simply means that there are many factors that can contribute to a patient developing the condition. Genetic and ethnic factors play an important role - for example, Native Americans, Indigenous Australians and people from the Indian subcontinent are at greater risk of developing Diabetes as they get older compared to other ethnic groups.

A family history of diabetes - in other words, if one or both of one's parents have the disease - puts one at greater risk. Environmental factors such as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle also increase the likelihood of developing this disease. It has been shown that improving one's lifestyle - such as reducing weight and increasing the amount of regular physical exercise that one does - can drastically cut the risk of developing Diabetes.

The 2003 Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study showed that an intensive lifestyle intervention produced long-term beneficial changes in diet, physical activity and reduced diabetes risk. This type of intervention is a feasible option to prevent type 2 diabetes and can with benefit be implemented in the primary health care system.

Early Detection and Treatment

Diabetes is not just a disease where there is too much sugar in the body - it is a condition which damages the large and small blood vessels of the body. Reducing these Macro vascular (large vessel) and Micro vascular (small vessel) effects is critical - so early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential.

For patients with risk factors (a family history of the disease, being overweight, maintaining a sedentary lifestyle without any exercise), diligent screening for the onset of diabetes is important. Getting a blood test for blood sugar at least once a year is a good plan. If diagnosed with the disease, it is important that these new patients receive appropriate Diabetes Education and motivated to undertake appropriate treatment of what will be a lifelong condition.

Community health centers can play a valuable role in running group based programs to teach patients about diet, regular blood sugar testing and motivating them to take their medications at the correct times.

Continuity of Care

Since Diabetes is a lifelong disease, there will inevitably be times when diabetic patients will lose motivation to continue with taking their medications every day and regularly pricking their fingers for blood testing. As a consequence, they inevitably suffer from setbacks and complications. This is having access to a good diabetes educator, dietitian or doctor can help. Diabetic patients are also liable to develop depression - and may benefit from counseling and psychological support.

Self Management

Diabetes is a lifelong disease that needs ongoing management - which ideally requires an informed and motivated patient as well as a proactive team of health professionals.

Self-management is the key to this ideal - since it involves the patient being disciplined - monitoring his blood glucose level, modifying his diet, undertaking adequate physical exercise and taking his medications at the correct dose and time.

All these skills require awareness of the disease, motivation to undertake behavior change and discipline to stick to these changes so as to reduce complications and maximize health and well being in the long term.

This article is written by Sanjiva Wijesinha and posted by blogger guest.

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How to Deal with Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes affects up to 5% of all pregnancies. Such condition arises for the first time during pregnancy, usually during the second or third trimester. Women who are overweight, have close family members with diabetes, or had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies are at higher risks than others to develop this condition. Needless to say, it is important to treat gestational diabetes properly to ensure the health of yourself and your baby.

Choose the Right Food and Eat Regularly

Having gestational diabetes does not mean you have to starve yourself. A change in your diet patterns and on the type of food intake can normally bring about obvious improvements. In order to maintain your blood glucose on a steady level throughout the day, it is recommended that you eat regularly. Three small meals and three snacks (or even more), preferably at similar times every day, are advisable. It is also important not to miss any meal, as missing one meal would easily lead you to eat more in the next one and this can make your blood glucose level rocket.

As carbohydrate foods have the greatest impact on blood glucose levels, choosing the right type of foods is of paramount importance. The key here is to choose ‘slow-release’ carbohydrate foods whenever possible, as they are helpful in stabilising blood glucose levels. For example, swap white bread with wholegrain varieties such as granary or multigrain bread. Choose wholegrain rice or basmati instead of other varieties, and stick to high-fibre breakfast cereals such as porridge or oat flakes. In general, you should go for starchy, wholegrain foods that are high in fibre as much as possible. A smarter choice of food means you should not feel starved and can keep your sugar level under control.

While carbohydrate foods are the kind of food you need to pay particular attention to when you have gestational diabetes, it is important to bear in mind that you need to have a balanced diet so that the developing baby can get sufficient nutrients necessary for growth. The food pyramid provides a helpful guide on the recommended intake of different food groups and is particularly useful when you are pregnant.

Close Check on Blood Glucose Level

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your midwife or obstetrician would advise you to closely check your blood glucose level before and after meals. A blood glucose meter, such as One Touch Verio Pro, is needed. By keeping a close eye on your blood sugar levels before and after meals, you would be able to identify the types of food that are right for your body. If your blood glucose level is exceptionally high after one particular meal, it could be that the food you have just eaten has greater impact on you. You can then alter your diet and avoid that particular type of food the next time and see if your sugar level improves. Of course, if your blood sugar level remains consistently high, it is important to seek professional help from your midwife, obstetrician, or dietician.

Be Active

Apart from choosing the right kind of food, one effective way to keep your glucose level in control is to be more physically active. It is understandable that pregnant women might not have great stamina to engage in a lot of physical activities, especially in late pregnancy. However, you would be amazed to find out that even a little bit of moving about would help with your glucose level. Walking is the best – not only that it is said to be able to ease or even shorten your labour process, but also that a short walk of 15 to 20 minutes would help lower your sugar level.

Try to walk around for a short time after every meal, but if you are unable to do it, either because you are too exhausted or are at work in the office, attempt to move about or stand for some time after a meal. For example, you can go up the stairs instead of taking the lift when you go back to work after lunch, or do some washing up and household chores after dinner at home. The key thing to remember is: do not lie down or sleep right away after a meal.

Be Relaxed

Your mental state does have an impact on your glucose level. Evidence has shown that when you are stressed, it is more likely that your blood sugar would rise. It is because stress hormones such as epinephrine and cortisol would kick in when you are stressed, and one of their main functions is to raise blood sugar to boost energy when it is needed. While it is natural to feel concerned or stressed about the health of yourself and your baby, try to be relaxed and not worry too much. It is after all always best for mothers-to-be, whether they have gestational diabetes or not, to feel relaxed and optimistic.

This Article is written by Fiona H.W. Wong and posted by blogger guest.

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Thinning Hair and Itchy Scalp

Itchy scalp and thinning hair is definitely a condition for concern. You feel pathetic and miserable. Due to frequent episodes of itching in the scalp, you feel frustrated and sick. To add to it, ever thinning hair affects your physical appearance, and thereby self-confidence. The only way to restore the normal state is to seek medical attention. This will diagnose the underlying cause and will provide you with effective treatment for all scalp problems. There can be several medical conditions which can lead to itchy scalp and baldness.

Causes of Thinning Hair and Itchy Scalp

• Dry Scalp Skin
  
  
  Dry itchy scalp skin may lead to itchy head as it lacks natural oils and is quite prone to infections. The reasons behind excessive drying of the scalp are frequent washing of hair with hot water and harsh shampoos, using hair styling products and equipment and exposure to extreme temperatures.

• Contact Dermatitis
  
  
  Contact dermatitis is one of the major causes of an itchy head. You tend to develop it when the immune system of your body recognizes a foreign substance and activates an allergy or allergic reaction against it. The reaction causes inflammation and itching on the skin. The allergens triggering the onset of contact dermatitis on scalp can be a new shampoo, hair dye, soap and other hair care products containing alcohol as one of the ingredients. When you go back to the use of old skin care products, the symptoms of contact dermatitis get naturally restored. Thus, it can be considered to a possible cause of itchy scalp and hair loss.

• Seborrheic Dermatitis
  
  
  Itchy head and hair loss can be a result of seborrheic dermatitis. It appears as itchy and inflamed skin covered by greasy or dry scales. The scales can be white, gray or yellowish in color. Seborrheic dermatitis most commonly affects head. Dandruff and cradle cap are types of seborrheic dermatitis that causes mild to intense itching of the head. You need o take medical assistance for treating seborrheic dermatitis.

• Folliculitis
  
  
  Folliculitis is defined as the inflammation of one or more hair follicle. It is generally caused by bacterial infection. Some of the common symptoms are groups of small red bumps that develop around follicles of hair. These bumps or breaks are commonly filled with pus. These bumps frequently break and crust over. Such bumps are characterized by reddening, inflaming, itching and tenderness. Folliculitis can affect you, irrespective of your gender and age. Though it is found to appear on any body part, yet the common places of its occurrence are arms, face, armpits, scalp and legs. Folliculitis can further lead to boils and other serious complications. This further results is the migration of causative bacteria from the hair follicles to other body parts through bloodstream. If folliculitis affects your scalp, it is called scalp folliculitis and it may give rise to itchy scalp hair loss condition.

Treatment for Itchy Scalp and Thinning Hair

The ideal treatment for thinning hair and itchy scalp is to cure the skin disorder which is actually responsible for its occurrence. For determination of the exact cause and its treatment, you need to consult a medical practitioner. By the time you receive a cure for the causative dermatological disorder, you can try some of the home remedies suggested below for bumpy itchy rash on skin. This will accelerate the process recovery.

Take over-the-counter antihistamines to get some relief and comfort from redness and swelling on the scalp. Apply required amount of fresh milk on the bumpy itchy rash on the scalp to reduce irritation. Mix one cup each of baking soda and cornstarch in a bowl of warm water. Pour this water on your head. Wrap your head with a towel. Allow it to stay as such for about 10 minutes. This will relieve itching to a great extent. Apply aloe vera pulp on the affected spots on your scalp. Leave it on for a half hour before washing it off with warm water. Aloe Vera is antiseptic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory in nature. It will restore the healthy state of your skin fast.

When the diseases or disorders described in the upper section of this article are cured, itchy scalp and thinning hair is also gets treated naturally. There are effective female hair loss treatments available. It will be good if you approach a dermatologist on time. Follow a healthy diet to strengthen the immune system of your body. High protein diet helps in both hair loss prevention, as well as its treatment.

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Vitamin D Deficiency Causing Hair Loss

Staring at the mirror if the person across with thinning hair is really you? It is a common practice to hunt for wrinkles, thinning hair, etc., first thing in the mirror every morning, and hair fall might just be one reason for your worry wrinkles. A majority of us suffer from hair fall. Losing some hair everyday is normal, but if you are losing more than average hair everyday that is visible, it is time to get into thought for the reasons and hair loss solutions.

There are many reasons for hair fall, right from unhealthy lifestyles to dietary deficiencies, besides others. Everybody has their own perceptions on hair loss. While some blame it on the genes, but the fact is that hair fall issues never get acquired only through genes, it has many possible reasons and causes. There is a lot of research and experiment on the exact cause for hair fall, but studies show that dietary and vitamin deficiencies are among the top contenders.

Findings show a high amount of vitamin D recipients in the hair follicles, but their exact function is not known and proved, yet it is evident that this vitamin helps in the growth and maturation of the hair follicle. Even though a definite conclusion cannot be drawn for hair loss due to vitamin D deficiency, it is observed that this deficiency is one of the contributing factors for hair loss.

About Vitamin D

The sunshine vitamin is a fat soluble vitamin that maintains calcium metabolism. It is also known as Calciferol, you can rather nickname it as the sunshine vitamin. Your body naturally produces this vitamin. This pro-hormone, fat soluble vitamin, helps in absorption of calcium and phosphorous. A little exposure to sunlight will produce vitamin D in your body. It is also found in certain foods. Almost 80 - 90% of this vitamin is produced due to sun exposure by synthesis in the skin. The two forms of vitamin D important for the human body are, vitamins D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).

Hair Loss and Vitamin D

A lot of vitamins keeps your body functions and appearance healthy and working. In the case of hair, it is more or less the same. A lot of vitamins contribute to strong and healthy looking hair, specially vitamins for hair loss. Scientists and researchers are underway to understand the role of Vitamin D in hair loss. Study is done on a type of mice that are genetically programmed to be hairless.

The study results showed that when vitamin D3 was given to these mice, they showed improvement in hair growth with stimulation in the hair follicles. There is much more to do however in this research. Finding how will it affect the human genes, and would it really curb hair fall in people with low Vitamin D, needs more research. The right amount is required for good hair growth.

People who have been taking supplements with vitamin D have experienced a gradual decrease in the hair fall. Vitamin D helps in the development and growth of healthy hair and maturity of hair follicles. Certain fatty acids in this vitamin help in eliminating dandruff, scalp psoriasis, and also hair loss by regulating the flow of oils that nourish the collagen (a tissue that holds your hair beneath the skin). It helps in absorption of calcium, which is also important for hair growth.

Other Deficiencies and Causes for Hair Fall

As we discussed earlier, losing certain amount of hair is normal and is not a serious issue of hair fall. Human beings generally lose 50 - 70 strands of hair everyday. How will you check what amount of hair you lose? Simple, just take a 'pull test'. That is take about 60 - 80 strands of hair in your fingers, now gently but firmly pull the hair. Usually 5 - 10 strands will come out. Anything more than about 12 - 15 hair is not normal, and you may be suffering from hair loss.

Some of the common factors for reasons are, genetics, hormonal imbalance, stress (both emotional and physical), thyroid disorders, sudden weight loss due to crash or liquid protein diet, chemotherapy, harsh hair treatments, disease and disorders of the skin, certain medicines and surgery, vitamin deficiencies like vitamin A, vitamin D, dietary deficiencies like that of proteins, iron, copper, L-lysine, and zinc.

Sources of Vitamin D

The question that does vitamin D deficiency cause hair loss is well answered by all these facts. Now you know what to look out for when dealing with hair fall. A healthy diet and lifestyle, and adequate amount of vitamin D is essential. This vitamin can be found in cow's milk and soy milk, sardines, pink salmon, tuna fish, egg, liver, beef, cheese, ready-to-eat cereals fortified with DV for vitamin D, and pure cod liver oil. The most important is sunlight, so bask in the sunlight for 5-10 minutes (preferably between 9 - 11 in the morning) to get your dose of vitamin D. It is recommended to first take medical advice before taking supplements or medications for hair loss.

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Hair Falling Out During Shower

Our hair is our crowning glory, and when this crowning glory starts losing its shine and begins to shed, it is a real cause for worry. Obviously, there are a lot of factors that affect hair fall and hair loss, and sometimes, it is when taking a shower that we notice the maximum hair fall. It seems like every time you touch your hair, you find clumps of it falling out. What do you do in such a case? Why is this happening? There are a lot of reasons for this, which we have discussed here.

Why Does Your Hair Fall Out in the Shower?

When your scalp is stimulated by a massage, it is likely to start shedding the hair strands that are weak or dead. This may not mean you are suffering from some abnormal problem. However, if you think the hair loss is beyond normal (100 hair strands a day), then it may be one of the following reasons that are contributing to you excessive hair fall.

The Telogen Phase of Hair Fall

The hair goes through three stages of growth, anagen (the growth phase), catagen (the resting phase), and telogen (the shedding phase). It is in this phase that hair falls a lot and it seems like you are shedding. The texture of the hair is fine and not weak. It is normal for this to last for about three months, and you may find greater instances in the shower because your attention is focused on your hair at that time. In reality, this could occur anywhere.

Stress

Stress has some serious physical ramifications on the body, and one of them is hair fall. A change in the hormonal activity is triggered by high stress levels, and it is this that may cause hair fall. Of course, hair experts suggest that hair fall due to stress is a very rare instance, as the body or mind has to be under continuous stress for long periods of time, but sometimes we don't realize how stressed out we are, and then notice our hair falling out in clumps, which in turn causes much more stress. The best way to combat this is to practice some relaxation techniques so that our mind and body is soothed.

Dandruff

Dandruff is one of the prime reasons of hair fall. The collection of dandruff flakes on the scalp results in weakening of the hair root. When you wash your hair, it is likely that you will lose a lot of it due to this problem. Also, the use of heavily medicated shampoos to treat dandruff may add to the problem of hair fall. Even then, getting rid of the dandruff may help reduce the problem of hair loss. Try to use natural remedies that will help eliminate dandruff and strengthen the hair root too.

Diet Low in Iron

Those of you who have low iron levels or suffer from anemia are likely to suffer from this problem of hair fall. Again, it is more pronounced in the shower as you massage your scalp and find all the dead and weak hair falling out. Women are more prone to this problem due to menstruation where heavy bleeding may result in low iron levels. Further, a diet devoid of this nutrient can definitely cause a problem. You should visit a doctor if you think this may be the problem to get yourself tested and be prescribed appropriate medication.

Use of Chemically Loaded Hair Products

You watch an ad that promises glowing, thick, gorgeous hair, and you must have the product. However, these products do not suit all hair types, and may have a negative effect on you considering the fact that you are losing so much hair. For instance, herbal shampoos do not agree with some people's hair leading it to become weak and then fall. Start using mild shampoos and again, resort to natural remedies to treat your hair. These help the hair grow stronger and bring about a lasting change.

When the hair loss just seems to be getting worse, it is important that you visit a doctor and find out the exact problem. It may be a lack of a nutrient, or even a health problem such as thyroid that may be causing it. In such a case, you will require medication to treat the problem thoroughly. Be gentle with your hair, treat it nicely, and there will be absolutely no reason for it to misbehave with you.

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10 Common Childhood Illnesses

Even though the holidays are over, there are still several more months on winter remaining before spring starts the season of renewal once again. For parents, the winter months mean a higher chance of their little one getting sick with any number of common childhood illnesses. While vaccines have made the chances of a child getting some illnesses increasingly rare, others remain an unpleasant fact of life.

Depending on the age of your child, the illnesses can vary from easily curable ear infections to more serious ailments like whooping cough. Even though many parents have a tendency to suspect the worst, most of these illnesses have specific symptoms that allow parents to distinguish one from another. With that in mind here are some common childhood illnesses every parent should know.

RSV

The most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in infants in the U.S., the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, begins by manifesting flu-like symptoms, which can include cough, fever, and runny nose. Approximately 40 percent of children suffering from their first RSV infection will develop apparent wheezing, and around two percent will require hospitalization. Fortunately for parents, the older a child, the less serious the symptoms of an infection become.

Ear Infection

Because young children have tiny Eustachian tubes (the tubes that connect the throat to the ear), they have a higher risk of developing ear infections. The Eustachian tubes can easily become blocked when a cold virus causes inflammation to occur, which results in fluid becoming trapped inside the middle ear. As the fluid begins to pool, germs begin to breed, and infection develops. Symptoms of an ear infection can include fussiness, fever, and frequent tugging of the ear. The majority of ear infections are the result of viruses that your child’s immune system will deal with over time.

Croup

The signature symptom of this common childhood illness is a harsh cough frequently thought to sound like a barking seal. The cough is usually the result of a virus that causes the upper airways to become inflamed. While most children will recover from the virus in about a week, if your child’s breathing becomes severely impaired, you may need to seek treatment at a hospital. Children under the age of five are most likely to develop croup.

Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease causes a child to experience fever and blisters that appear on the inside of the mouth, buttocks, soles of the feet, and palms. For children living in the U.S., the disease is often the result of the coxsackievirus A16, which tends to spread most frequently during the summer and early fall. The majority of cases don’t present any serious danger and a last roughly a week.

A surefire way for a child to get sent home from school, pinkeye, or conjunctivitis, cause redness, itching, tearing, and crusty eyelashes. Pinkeye is often caused by the same types of viruses as the common cold. If your child develops pinkeye, you need to consult with your doctor to determine the appropriate treatment method. Usually the condition clears up within a week.

Kawasaki Disease

A strange illness that doctors still don’t know the cause of, Kawasaki disease afflicts children under the age of five. Symptoms of Kawasaki include patchy rash, redness of the feet and hands, swelling, chapped lips, bloodshot eyes, and a high fever. Kawasaki’s can cause permanent heart damage and could be fatal if a child doesn’t receive medical treatment.

Chickenpox

While once a childhood rite of passage, the varicella vaccine now makes chickenpox preventable. Even though the vaccination isn’t required, parents can spare their child the experience of suffering through the uncomfortable blisters the virus causes. Chickenpox can also cause serious complication in pregnant women and newborns, and used to send 11, 000 Americans to the hospital a year prior to the development of the vaccine.

Scarlet Fever

Occasionally a red, rough rash known as scarlet fever accompanies strep throat. The rash starts to develop on the chest and abdomen before spreading throughout the body, causing high fever. Without antibiotic treatment, scarlet fever can cause rheumatic fever, and in some cases, heart damage.

Timothy Lemke is a freelance writer. To read more of his work, visit the blog of Dr. Greg Williams, a dentist in Tigard, OR.

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Breast Augmentation

Many women decide to go for breast augmentation surgery for various reasons. Women want to improve their looks and, for some, this starts by improving the appearance of their chest. Plenty of emphasis has been placed on women’s breasts and this has made quite a number of them opt for breast augmentation operations in order to regain their attractiveness. The issues they have with the breasts may be due to their small size, un-even nature or sagging appearance.

No two women will undergo the same breast augmentation surgery, for instance, one woman might want their breasts reshaped while another may want them re-sized or made bigger and another might prefer their breasts to be made stiffer or smaller. Prior to the surgery, the doctor will perform a series of tests in order to determine what is best for the patient – enabling the surgeon to make plans for the operation.

There are two types of implants that are used in this operation; silicone and saline implants. Even though both implants produce the same outcome, the main difference lies in their costs and their appearance. Saline implants are known for their natural appearance compared to silicone implants and are usually preferred by many women. In fact, saline implants are considered much safer and allows the woman to have total control over her appearance. More importantly, saline implants are much cheaper and lighter thus providing the best possible comfort.

For most women, this surgery is usually their first cosmetic procedure and, therefore, they often don’t know what to expect – some may be even afraid of going under the knife. If you are nervous about undergoing surgery, it is important that you are open with your surgeon. Make sure to discuss what you expect from the operation and also know beforehand if there are any side effects associated with the procedure. The surgeon will offer you the necessary advice and give you the confidence you need to undergo the operation.

One of the common questions surgeons are asked by these women is the area of the incisions – most women usually wonder if the incisions will be visible and where will they be made. In most cases, the incisions are made on invisible areas such as beneath the breast, in the umbilical area or the armpit. Whatever your reasons for considering the procedure, it is advisable that you book a consultation to discuss your breast augmentation surgery in Northamptonshire, Leicestershire or Nottingham to discuss the operation further.

By Sarah-Jayne Culver; a Search Consultant at http://www.fdcstudio.co.uk/ providing Digital Marketing Services throughout the UK.

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