General Health Articles

Arthritis 101: Stress Management for Rheumatoid Sufferers

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease for many people.  While stress can make the condition much worse for some people, rheumatoid arthritis can also create lots of stress for you as well.

Stress Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Stress can cause the release of chemicals in your body that will trigger inflammation and pain, therefore making the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis increased. To de-stress and help alleviate the pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis, here are some ways to cut some stress out of your life:

• Exercise
• Breathe deeply
• Talk out the things that are bothering you
• Get organized
• Embrace the outdoors
• Enjoy life
• Don't sweat the small stuff

In the News: Prepare Yourself for Flu and Cold Season

Now that the kids are back in school and the weather is starting to change, it's time to start worrying about the cold and flu season.  But this year your worrying can be less if you take the following dos and don'ts into consideration and protect your family and yourself.

Flu and Cold Season Tips

Do use hand sanitizer.  Always carry a pocket-size hand sanitizer with you and use it generously whenever you are in public places.  Germs are everywhere and on everything and by using hand sanitizer you are protecting yourself from bringing home these flu viruses.

Do wash your hands frequently.  It may seem like the simplest thing to do but be sure that you are washing your hands frequently with warm water and soap, and for at least 15 to 20 seconds.  Teachers are now telling students to sing the ABC's or Happy Birthday to themselves while they are washing their hands to be sure you are washing for a full 15 to 20 seconds.

Do sneeze into the crook of your elbow.  By sneezing into your elbow, you are avoiding transmitting flu viruses to your hands and will keep you from passing the virus to others. It may seem socially awkward at first, but soon you will see more and more people doing this when they sneeze.

Don't shake hands.  To keep from transmitting germs, avoid shaking hands with people when you greet them.  Try a head nod, waving or smiling instead to greet someone.  If you can't avoid shaking someone's hand, then be sure to use your hand sanitizer following the hand shake.

Don't use someone else's phone or computer mouse.  Phones and computers harbor some pretty heinous germs for hours.  Avoid sharing someone else's phone or computer mouse if possible.  If you do have to use someone else's phone or computer wipe it down with an alcohol swab prior to using it.

Healthy Living: Tasty Hacks for those Pesky Life Issues

No one ever wants to admit that their breath may not be the best smelling or that they are an insomniac, but they are both issues that many people must deal with, among other pesky health problems.

Life Issues

Fortunately, there are some easy “food hacks” that will tackle bad breath and much more!

Food is your “best weapon” when it comes to helping your body deal with some of these not-so-pleasant situations.

Here are some foods that can help:

Have bad breath?  Try eating some yogurt.  According to experts, eating unsweetened yogurt can reduce the level of odor-causing hydrogen sulfide bacteria in your mouth.  Good bacteria found in yogurt, like streptococcus thermophilus and lactobacillus bulgaricus, overpowered the hydrogen sulfide and helped lower levels by more than half : helping to eliminate the smelly mouth odor.

Can't sleep? Try some kiwi.

Because of the high levels of antioxidants and serotonin in kiwi, many people with sleep disorders have found that eating kiwi one hour before bed will help with their insomnia.  People with sleep disorders have increased levels of oxidative stress and low levels of serotonin can cause insomnia.  Eating kiwi counteracts this process and can help people catch their ZZZZ's.

Have a hard workout? Eat some ginger.

If you hit the gym hard and are dealing with the aftereffects of a tough session, munch on some ginger.  Eating just 2 grams of raw or heated ginger per day can reduce post-workout muscle soreness by 25 percent.   Ginger contains anti-inflammatory compounds and oils called gingerols that contain painkilling and sedative effects in tests conducted.

Have acne? Indulge in some salmon.

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which decreases inflammation.  Studies show that inflammation is one of the underlying causes of acne and pimples.

In the News: Myth vs. Fact- Hair Loss

The statistics can be staggering, more than 50 percent of men over the age of 50 are experiencing some form of hair loss, making the hair loss industry worth more than 3.5 billion dollars.

Hair Loss Myths

And while many of the creams or treatments that are currently out there for hair loss that don't work, it is hard to determine what is a fact and what is a myth when it comes to hair loss.

MYTH: Hair restoration never looks natural.  There are plenty of great hair restoration techniques out there, compared to years ago when the hair restoration process was more noticeable than present day.

MYTH: Baldness comes from your Mother's side. Your “hair future” is determined from both sides of your family and you are more likely to have a mix of your parent's hair genes.

MYTH: Pull out a grey hair and three more will grow in its place.  Repeatedly pulling out hairs can cause traction alopecia, where the trauma of plucking hairs can scar the hair follicle to the degree where it will no longer produce hair.  So, pulling them out on a regular basis can make your hair go away for good.

FACT: Mistreating your hair can cause hair loss.  Overworking your hair can damage your hair, make it weak and break easily.  Hair troubles can be caused by aggressive brushing, back combing, dying and straightening.  Shampoos and even too much UV exposure can also damage hair.

FACT: Propecia works.  Most of the hair loss falls into the category of male-pattern baldness.  This inherited condition makes a man's hair follicles stop producing hair in reaction to hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).  Propecia blocks an enzyme that would otherwise turn testosterone to DHT, although it must be taken every day and may take up to three months to see any noticeable changes.

Prevention 101: Soothe Your Sunburn

Let's face it, no matter how lathered up you are or how cautious you are this summer, at some point you may slip up and end up with a pretty nasty (and painful) sunburn.  Here are some easy ways for you to soothe the painful effects of sunburn:

Sunburn Tips

• Take some aspirin to reduce redness and ease some pain.
• Cortisone creams, if applied within 6 hours of the burn, provide some relief.
• Pure aloe Vera gel can help cool down your skin and relieve discomfort.
• Avoid additional sun exposure while your skin heals.
• Chill and blend cucumber slices to create a cucumber paste to apply to your burned skin.
• Apply an ice compress, but not directly to the burned area to help constrict your skin's capillaries.