Archive for March, 2008
March 31, 2008 at 3:12 am · Filed under Life Of Medicine
After years of being ostracized by conventional medicine, alternative and natural healing methods have gained popularity with America’s over-drugged population.
According to a recent study of 18 major HMOs and insurance providers, 14 offered at least 11 of 34 alternative therapies or natural healing methods. Of the most frequently covered natural healing methods, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy and herbal remedies are the most popular.
Even with an increase in insurance coverage for some natural healing methods, the general public is still undereducated about the benefits of incorporating natural healing methods into their normal healthcare regimens.
By definition, natural healing methods or complementary and alternative medicine, as they are known by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), are a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.
On most occasions, natural healing methods are used in conjunction with conventional medicine. For instance, aromatherapy might be used after surgery to aid in recovery. Natural healing methods can also be used instead of conventional medicine, such as using herbal remedies to treat illness rather than prescription drugs.
Due to the increase in popularity of natural healing methods, many schools have opened to train natural healing practitioners. Programs in natural healing methods, like the ones offered at Orange County’s Academy of Natural Healing, focus on various techniques ranging from spa therapy, which includes massage, stone therapy and aromatherapy, to holistic health practices, which focus on holistic healing of the body, and herbal studies, which promotes herbal remedies for common ailments.
As these natural healing methods are proven to be safe and effective, they are adopted into conventional medicine, and new healing methods emerge. Such was the case with chiropractic, and now acupuncture. Americans’ are seeking out these alternative or natural healing methods as they strive to live healthier lives. It is only a matter of time before insurance companies pick up on the popularity of such practices and begin to offer coverage.
Nourisha Wells is the College Preparation editor for Search4 Career College News, and site editor for Counselor Companion. She has published articles on preparing high school students for college, finding financial aid, standardized test preparation, teen health and safety issues, parental and teacher involvement in college search and career exploration. She has also written several articles promoting career colleges and technical schools for adults going back to college, career changers seeking advanced degrees and non-traditional students heading to college for the first time. Her freelance work has included many career-focused institutions, such as Academy of Natural Healing.
March 31, 2008 at 2:33 am · Filed under Health
For those of you who do not know what psoriasis is, here is a
generalized idea of this condition.
“What is Psoriasis?
PSORIASIS IS A CHRONIC SCALING DISEASE of the skin. It may range
from just a few spots anywhere on the body to large areas of
involvement. It is not contagious or spreadable from one part of
the body to another or from one person to another. There is no
blood test for psoriasis. The diagnosis is made by observation
and examination of the skin.
The exact cause of psoriasis is unknown, but hereditary and
genetic factors are important. Psoriasis runs in families. This
does not mean, however, that every child of a parent with
psoriasis will develop psoriasis, but it is common that
somewhere down the line psoriasis will appear in families.
Psoriasis is not caused by allergies, infections, dietary
deficiencies or excesses, or nervous tension”
For more information or to share your story please visit :
http://www.psoriasis-treatment-options.blogspot.com
March 31, 2008 at 1:28 am · Filed under University of Mathematics
Switching credit cards is an everyday part of life now whether it is taking advantage of the introductory offers or simply deciding that your existing credit card account is old and you are looking for a newer better credit card deal than you have already. If you choose your new credit card wisely the advantages could prove beneficial to you.
Here we are going to look at some of the advantages of switching your credit card and how it may benefit you.
Lower APR
Finding a credit card with a lower APR could be beneficial to you if you do not pay your credit card balance in full every month. Having a lower APR would mean paying less interest on your outstanding balance. (Do be aware of the minimum payment warning; always try to pay more than the minimum payment.) If you had bad debt in the past and could only get a high interest credit card then you may now be able to get a credit card with a lower APR.
Reward Schemes
Does your current credit card have a rewards or cash back scheme included? Are you benefiting from the reward scheme you currently have in place? It is better to find a new credit card that you would benefit from rather than have points totting up for vouchers that you know you are not going to use. I.e. store vouchers could help you with your grocery shopping or if you are a frequent flyer air miles could save you some money on your flights. Think about the reward scheme and ask yourself if you would use the vouchers etc.
Charity Credit Cards
If you have been thinking for a long time about helping out or donating money to your favorite charity chances are they will have a credit card that you can purchase. If you purchase a charity credit card every time you use your card your lender will donate to your chosen charity. People can feel very strongly about certain charities whether it be through losing a loved one or working in a charity environment so having a charity credit card could put your mind at rest knowing that you are helping in some way. You will generally find that charity credit card have all the other incentives that other credit cards have. The same applies to football credit cards, your favorite football club would receive a payment for every transaction you make which would in turn be reinvested back into your team club.
Thinking about switching credit cards?
There are many different options to think about so don’t just stick to your current credit card out of habit make your credit card decisions work for you whatever your circumstances.
Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the UK credit card comparison site www.creditcards121.com/, where you can find a selection of credit card advice. For US visitors there is also the comparison site www.credit-cards-info.com/ for all US interest free offers.
March 30, 2008 at 8:41 pm · Filed under Health
INTRODUCTION
In medical term, we call escalation of fat content in the blood
as “High cholesterol”. When too much of the fat substance
increases in your blood, it gets accumulated on the walls of
arteries and results in their hardening. As a consequence,
arteries get narrow and either the blood flow to heart is slowed
down or gets blocked. Even the supply of oxygen gets less and as
both blood and oxygen are the mandatory requirements for the
active working of heart, shortage of their supply could lead to
major heart attack and unbearable chest pain. High cholesterol
is one of the major causes of heart disease and it is the numero
uno factor that is taking lives of women in America. Near about
one million Americans are affected by heart diseases every year
and among them 50 million succumb to death. People of all age
groups are effected by high cholesterol.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
There are no such different signs and symptoms of high
cholesterol and study shows that people often come to know about
their heart diseases due to high cholesterol quite late. The
only visible reasons are obesity and that a person gets tiered
very easily.
RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HEART DISEASES
As told in the beginning, that high cholesterol results in
various heart diseases and there are various risk factors
associated with high cholesterol that increase the risk of heart
diseases. Though many of the risk factors are controllable, some
of them cannot be controlled. The risk factors that you cannot
control is the age factor and family history of long heart
diseases. The controllable risk factors, about which a person
can do something and take their control with the help of
doctor’s consultation and proper medication includes diabetes,
smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, and physical
inactivity.
CAUSES OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL
There are various reasons that are the causes of high
cholesterol. Let’s have a look at the major causes of high
cholesterol.
Alcohol: A moderate amount of alcohol, does not
increase cholesterol, rather it increases HDL (good)
cholesterol but on the other hand it does not minimize LDL
(bad) cholesterol. But this does not mean that one should
increase the alcohol intake as high intake will lead to the
damage of liver, high blood pressure, and high raising of
triglyceride levels in the body.
Mental Stress: High stress for a long period of time
results in the escalation of cholesterol in the body. You
should try to remain calm and improve your eating habits.
Heredity: This is the genetic factor and the high
cholesterol factor is inherited in the genes of the person.
Familial Hypercholesterolemia is one of the specific kind of
inherited high cholesterol. It effects only 1 in 500 people
suffering from the problem of high cholesterol.
Eating Habits: If a person intakes diet that constitutes
high level of cholesterol and fat, risk of various heart
diseases are developed automatically. One should avoid eating
food with high animal fats.
Age and gender factor: As the women get older and their
menopause stops their cholesterol levels rise in comparison to
men and they develop greater degree of risk factors related to
heart disease. Women at age 50 have higher cholesterol in
their blood normally than men at age around 60-65
Weight: Overweight will increase the cholesterol levels
in your blood and you will develop major risk factors of heart
disease easily.
Be happy, stay healthy, exercise daily, and have nutritious and
healthy diet. Save your heart and live a healthy and long
life.
