Hip Replacement Treatment For Recovering Faster

It is really traumatic condition for a young person for not being able to play again. Especially, if a person is an athlete it is difficult to bear the pain. Seeing others play in front of NEA€™ eyes is the situation when one feels to kill oneself. That passion, that popularity and that effort of ones is the most valuable thing that one loves to treasure throughout NEA€™s life. But, what if something unexpected occur in your life and you have to stop your game?

That situation knocked my cousin€™s door one fine morning when he was getting ready. He was about to go to practice his work on the field. But, when he was about to pick his bag filled with the playing equipment, he slipped. For a moment he was blank. He did not know what to do. But when he gained his senses back he realized he was not able to stand up. Now, he was much afraid as he sensed there was something wrong with him.

He shouted with the top of his voice. AA€Sep NEA€, AA€Sis somebody there€? And several questions like this were spelled out from his mouth until his father came and rescue him. His father and a friend of his helped him out and carry him to hospital. There they found that he has got fracture in his hip. As soon as he heard this, the first question he asked was- From when can I start playing? The doctor without giving him FALSE hope said- You need at least 2- 3 months to recover properly.

Seeing him silent and red face his father asked the doctor, ISA€™t there any other option that we could opt for? The doctor then advised for minimally invasive surgery procedure for him. His father could€™t get what the doctor meant. He then asked what does that mean. Then, the doctor made him understand that his son needs to go for hip- resurfacing and that will take some time to join back to his game.

His father asked for experienced orthopedic surgeons to get this surgery done. Hip Replacement Surgery is a process where the hip joint is substituted by a prosthetic implant. This hip replacement treatment in India is done by the expert surgeons who specialize in the use of high-performance bearing surfaces like Ceramic and Actinium in this process, thereby maximizing the purpose and permanency of the prosthesis, giving patients normal, painless working of this critical joint for as long as 20 years.

Health Insurance A Necessity Of Life

Not everything in life goes smoothly or as we expect it to. That is why it is important that we should always be careful. Insurance of any kind is important to cover up for the uncertainties that may occur in future.

However the insurance that is most important to have is the health insurance as we can afford not to have the other insurances but the absence of health insurance can prove to be fatal not only for us but also for people around us as well.

There are different types of health insurance policies person who wants to get insured can choose the policy suits them the best. The two main types of policies are

1. Free - for - service insurance also known as indemnity insurance this is a traditional type of health insurance that pays the portion of each medical service you get like doctor's visit and hospital stays while you pay the remaining costs. Premiums are higher than the other policies.

2. Managed care plans also known as HMO's (health management organizations) or PPO's (preferred provider organization). In this case the health insurance company has a contract with doctors and hospitals to provide you service. In this type of health insurance you pay monthly premiums and a small amount per visit called co pay. You can use the advice of other doctors as well by paying a higher amount of co pay.

The best way to go in for the health insurance is through a broker. You can choose your broker depending upon your requirements. A broker can get you a good health insurance policy as well as give you information on several key features of the policy in general. Like:

o What is the monthly premium?

o Is the policy guaranteed renewable/non cancelable or just guaranteed renewable?

o Are premium rates based on age of attaining the policy or using the features of policy?

o Does the plan pay for catastrophic medical costs?

You can answers to all the questions and more if you take the help of the brokers in your health insurance policies.

The health insurance organizations offer you different deductibles with larger the deductible the lower the monthly installments. You can choose a deductible of 50% to 80%. It all depends on your conditions.

Individuals with pre existing conditions for example, they have a health problem before going in for health insurance find it difficult to get health insurance coverage. However depending on your state you can choose any of the following policies. They are: open enrollment, health insurance provability and accountability act (HIPAA), high risk pools or temporary coverage.

The borrowers can choose from the myriad of resources that deal in health insurance.

Life is uncertain that's why it is essential that we have insurances with us and every member of our family to live life with a reasonable amount of certainty. Also health insurance has plenty of features which help us in times that we feel a little vulnerable. So it is important that we go for a policy of health insurance.

Roland Gary Jones is associated with Advance Health Quotes.To find Health Insurance,Health Insurance plan,Affordable health insurance visit [http://www.advancehealthquotes.com].

Obtain Cheaper Health Insurance Rates By Avoiding Alcohol, Smoking, And Applying Early

If you're like most consumers you probably on a glide path to start contemplating the purchase of health insurance when you're much older then your current age. In fact, studies show that many people don't even consider health insurance until after they are married or have children. Although it may seem unnecessary, the best time to start thinking about health insurance is while you are young and still relatively healthy. The fact is, the longer you wait to obtain health insurance the higher probability that you will end up paying a higher insurance rate or premium assuming you are still healthy enough to qualify for health insurance.
Research shows that when compared side by side a person in their twenties or thirties will be able to obtain a larger health insurance policy at a cheaper rate then a person who is fifty or older. Good health and habits also play a large role in determining your health insurance coverage and overall associated costs. Someone who is healthy, doesn't smoke and avoids excessive use of alcohol and stays away from drugs will also enjoy the same benefits of a larger policy value with a lower cost when compared to someone who is out of shape, in bad health and with lifestyle habits that are truly bad for their body, mind and health.
Sadly, some consumers are under the misconception that they can get by without telling their potential health insurance provider negative aspects dealing with their health in order to qualify for better rates and coverage amounts. Unfortunately what those same folks fail to realize is that normally most health insurance companies and providers require a medical pre-screening or physical before they actually provide health insurance coverage. Typically, this medical screening combined with a thorough look over a person's previous medical records identifies any current health ailments that exist with the potential insurance client and as a result the health insurance coverage amounts and rates are adjusted accordingly.
If you exam the economics side of health insurance you will see that the health insurance companies want to insure you while you are in your best possible health. For this it means more money taken in from the premiums you pay and less money paid out based on your lack of needing to receive regular medical care outside of routine appointments, checkups and of course, medical emergencies. Health insurance companies have gotten so good at this that they have three different types of coverage rates or premiums they classify consumers into based on their health. Those categories are standard, preferred and preferred plus. The preferred plus premium is for folks that are non-smokers and in excellent health continuing on down to the standard premium for consumers with minor health issues and who may have previously smoked but are no longer active in that habit.
Health insurance companies consider smoking a big deal so always make sure to tell the truth when filling out your health insurance application and receiving your medical exam and physical. In fact, some companies actually test a urine sample in order to determine if you are an active smoker. The bottom line up front is in order to enjoy lower rates for your health insurance you really should abstain from smoking. Drinking alcohol is also considered harmful to your health and viewed by many insurance companies in a negative light. You will need to check each individual insurance provider's policy in terms of alcohol consumption. Some have no issue with consuming alcoholic beverages as long as there is no prior evidence of abuse or previous treatments/rehabilitation that were required and yet others will drastically increase your insurance rates based on the health problems and mortality rate from drinking.
If you're still reasonably healthy then age can be the least discriminating factor when it comes to purchasing affordable health insurance. Generally speaking many consumers under the age of sixty can still enjoy reasonable health insurance rates and adequate coverage so long as there are no major health problems or illnesses to contend with.

For additional money saving health insurance tips and information on the obtaining cheaper health insurance try visiting GoodHealthCoverage.com a website created by Sharlene Raven, a respected webmaster whose site specializes in providing health insurance information you can trust.

The Healthiest Eggs

Q: What's the difference between organic eggs, vegetarian eggs, free-range eggs, omega-3 eggs, and cage-free eggs? Is it worth spending more for any of them? —Elaine Lau 

A: Nutritionally, there isn't much difference—except for the omega-3 eggs. Vegetarian eggs are from hens that eat a strictly plant-based diet, no animal by-products; these eggs may carry the USDA ORGANIC label as well, which means the chickens eat only organic grains and the eggs contain no antibiotics. Cartons stamped FREE-RANGE and CAGE-FREE may indicate that a farmer allows his hens to roam, but the USDA verifies free-range only with chickens sold for meat; for egg-laying birds, there's no guarantee that they have access to the outdoors. 

The only difference between white and brown eggs is that they come from white or red chickens. Eggs get omega-3s when hens eat a diet enriched with flaxseed and other sources of these heart-healthy fats. One egg delivers 100 to 200 milligrams—about the same as a tablespoon of olive oil. (Most omega-3 oil experts suggest people get at least 1,000 milligrams a day.) The special diet also boosts the eggs' vitamin E and can lower their cholesterol levels. 

Are any of these eggs worth the extra cost? For vegetarians, the answer is easy; for people concerned about the environment, organic eggs have appeal. The Katz household eats omega-3 eggs exclusively. 

How to Avoid Eating Pesticides

Q: Considering the publicity about pesticides, which should I do: stop eating fresh produce, buy frozen, buy dried, buy juice, or eat only what can be peeled, like bananas and oranges? —Maggie Bishop, Deep Gap, North Carolina 

A: My patients have often used their concerns about pesticides as an argument against eating vegetables—and I always wonder whether their concerns are genuine or just an excuse. Either way, the benefits of consuming vegetables and fruits (in that order) outweigh any harm. Still, there are easy ways to protect yourself. Organophosphates are among the most worrisome pesticides, and one of the most widely utilized. They can harm the nervous system—organophosphates are also used to make nerve gas. The developing brains of fetuses and young children are particularly at risk, so spending extra for organic baby food is probably worth it. The Environmental Working Group (EWG)—a nonprofit research organization dedicated to protecting human health and the environment—has found that the following produce consistently carries the highest levels of pesticides after typical home preparation (such as washing and peeling): peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes. You can reduce your exposure by purchasing "100 percent organic" versions of them. The EWG also lists the fruits and vegetables that have the least amount of pesticide residues—if you want to save money, you could purchase nonorganic versions of these: onions, avocados, frozen corn, pineapples, mangoes, asparagus, frozen peas, kiwi, bananas, cabbage, broccoli, and papaya. Canned produce, juices, and dried and frozen produce often have lower residue levels because of the diligent washing and peeling that precedes processing. 

A more pressing concern is food poisoning. Every other week seems to bring news of another outbreak. But you can avoid bacteria like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria by thoroughly cleaning your produce; give the stuff that's been bagged or has thick rinds the same treatment. Cold water will do the job: Just thoroughly rub soft-skinned fruits like nectarines and peaches with your hands under a running tap for at least 30 seconds. Rough-skinned melons and citrus fruits can be scrubbed with a brush before cutting or peeling. (Handling and cutting the rinds can spread bacteria to the fruit.) Drying with a paper towel will remove even more contaminants, but using special vegetable rinses doesn't seem to offer much advantage. (Run your brush through the dishwasher regularly to keep it from becoming a home to bacteria.) 

I'm Doing Everything Right, So Why Can't I Lose Weight?

Out of the 100-plus women who e-mailed us this very complaint, we chose three and had a team of no-nonsense experts—a nutritionist, a trainer and a life coach—take them on. What were our subjects really eating? More important, what was eating them? Three months (and a total of 47 lost pounds) later, the answers are in. 

Michelle Williams, a 37-year-old financial analyst living in Colorado Springs, Colorado, wrote to O in frustration, claiming she can't lose weight despite doing everything right. Wagering that some part of that "right" is probably wrong, the magazine put together an ace makeover squad for Michelle and two other women. The experts—O columnist and life coach Martha Beck, nutritionist Rovenia Brock, PhD, and exercise consultant Jorge Cruise—created a radical yet simple three-month plan to take off extra pounds.

Their No-Nonsense Plans

• Nutritionist Rovenia Brock
• Life Coach Martha Beck
• Exercise Consultant Jorge Cruise

How'd Michelle do? Take a look!

Nutritionist Rovenia Brock, who goes by the name Dr. Ro, is a former host on Black Entertainment Television and the author of the no-nonsense eating guide Dr. Ro's Ten Secrets to Livin' Healthy (Bantam). Dr. Ro, however, is no carb counter. Instead she advocates balanced meals of mostly unrefined foods.

Before the meeting, Dr. Ro had each woman send her a week's food diary. As she reviewed their entries with them over breakfast, their "I'm doing everything right" defense quickly collapsed. Dr. Ro pointed out the self-sabotage in Michelle's choices.

Good food would provide nutrition and a feeling of fullness that lasts all afternoon. Michelle, however, often went for quick "cheap thrills"—a rush of sugar-fueled energy that leaves her hungry again in about an hour. Dr. Ro advises Michelle to take baggies of food to work that she can turn to when the cravings hit: slices of chicken, strips of bell peppers, strawberries. "And try a protein bar as opposed to 32 ounces of fruit punch," she advises.

Dr. Ro's diet advice for all is refreshingly gimmick-free: Step up the fruits and vegetables; eat some lean protein (egg whites, low-fat dairy, skinless poultry, beans) at each meal; and replace doughnuts, bagels and candy with complex carbohydrates like whole grains and cereals. She believes in snacks, but emphasizes healthy ones like a handful of nuts or a small bag of carrots.

Additionally, she wants the women to cut back on their calories but not go so low that their bodies think there's a famine. Starving will only encourage the retention of fat around the waist and hips, she explains.

With Dr. Ro's advice for the stomach in place, it was time for Martha Beck to make over Michelle's mind. "I believe losing weight is about telling the truth," says Martha Beck, author of The Joy Diet (Crown) and Expecting Adam (Berkley). She means a kind of truth beyond admitting, say, that before bed you tend to devour a pint of chocolate–chip–cookie–dough ice cream.

Her theory is that we all have an "essential self" who wants to live our "right life." But so often our real life is not our right life. If work or intimate relationships are keeping us from what we really want and need, she says, "the essential self kicks up a fuss through eating, addiction and getting sick."

Her goal with Michelle is to break down bad relationships with food. "Take your plate of food, go to the wastebasket and throw it away." Beck's politely delivered command is meant to focus on portion size: eating only to the point of fullness. "Studies are very clear that the ability to throw away food is a great indicator of an ability to lose weight," says Martha. To Michelle's plaintive "That's wasteful," Martha replies with a knowing smile, "It's going to waste if it goes to your thighs, belly and upper arms."

Martha's role in exposing their emotional eating triggers is so important. Without self-knowledge, all the nutritional information in the world won't do any good, because every time the women need to relieve stress or salve an emotional wound—in other words, deal with life—they'll probably resort to food. And life, she says, happens every day.

She explains that when women are actually addressing the reasons they are feeling fear or anger or frustration, they won't feel hungry. "If you're processing that mountain of emotional energy, you can't eat. Your relationship with food is an amazing passage to your deepest issues."

Jorge Cruise is AOL's online weight loss coach and the author of the popular 8 Minutes in the Morning book series (published by HarperResource and Rodale). His basic program consists of just two exercises of high-intensity strength training a day, six days a week. 

To those dubious that eight minutes a day can accomplish much, Jorge assures each of them that if they do his routine properly, they will reshape their bodies and charge up their metabolism. He says a lot of people waste time at the gym resting too long between sets and not using heavy enough weights. "Strength training is like a house's foundation," he says. "It's the structural support." 

The key to his program's success, he explains, is that it's excuse-proof: No one can convincingly claim she can't carve eight minutes out of her day to get in shape. The exercises can be done at home; the only equipment you need is a pair of dumbbells.  

And what were the results of all this work?

After three months, Michelle, wearing a red sweater and white pants (yes, white, the color that hides nothing!), had lost 15 pounds and achieved her goal of going from size 12 to size 8—sometimes even a 6. For years, her husband, an exercise fanatic, would invite her to go to the gym with him early in the morning. "I'd say, 'I'll meet you,'" she recalls, "and then I never would." Now she gets there. In the evenings, instead of relaxing on the couch, the whole family goes for a walk with the dog, and Michelle will say, "Let's take a longer route." (She, too, kept dropping weight after the reunion, going down to 128 for a total of 22 pounds lost.)

On Dr. Ro's advice, Michelle started bringing healthier snacks to work so she could bypass the vending machine. "This morning it was carrots," she says. She also packs nuts, and eats just a handful, or small boxes of raisins. "Once or twice a week, I treat myself," she says of her love for sweets. "But I don't go overboard the way I used to."

She also followed Martha's advice on not automatically finishing everything on her plate. And there was something else. Thinking about her first e-mail to O, she admits, "I was a liar. I wasn't doing everything right." She knew what to do, she says; she just wasn't doing it.

At their first meeting in New York, Martha told Michelle, "Dieting is just the beginning. Pushing away that food is like pushing away your drug—you will be left with your feelings." And once those feelings were exposed, the process of getting honest began. The women lost weight because they became truthful about the fact that they weren't doing "everything right" and straight about the reasons why. Martha left them with the knowledge that their success had little to do with reducing the circumference of their thighs, and everything to do with discovering what had been going on inside their minds and hearts to keep them from reaching their goals. "I want you to have bodies you love," she said. "But more important, I want you to have lives you love." They are on their way.

The Easier Way to Diet

I bet you struggle with your weight. Call me psychic, or just call the National Center for Health Statistics, which will tell you that more than 66 percent of adult Americans are overweight or obese. Most of the remaining third are perpetually trying to lose those last five or ten pounds. True, Americans obsessively diet off pounds, but most eventually regain them—plus a few more—as comic Roseanne puts it, "just to punch out the dents." 

I spent decades struggling with my own weight. It was one of the worst experiences of my life, which, in all modesty, is saying something. But I also now know the blessed feeling of discovering how to stay lean without noticeable effort. I want you to have that experience. So right now, I need you to stop what you're doing. Imagine that I'm gently holding your face—your adorable, tortured, chubby, chocolate-smeared face—and staring into your eyes with the expression of a beagle who urgently wants a walk, and saying: "Listen! You can do this! You can be effortlessly thin! Just please, for the love of God, pay attention to the rest of this column!"

If I sound desperate, it's because I can't get most people to try what works. Why? Because it has little to do with food. Dieters are food addicts. "Lite" recipes, carb counting, fat gram logbooks—all of these strategies indulge an addict's obsessive focus on the drug. If the techniques worked, you'd be cheetah thin. If you aren't, they don't. Getting to a healthy weight requires something initially less gratifying: thinking in a way that changes your body by starting with your brain. Here's how to do it...

The Dangers of Snoring

The window-rattling snores typical of obstructive sleep apnea are no laughing matter. They're the sound of someone struggling to breathe as muscles at the back of the throat relax, blocking the airway. Some people actually stop breathing for up to a minute without ever fully waking up—which not only disrupts deep sleep but can also keep blood pressure elevated throughout the night. Experts estimate up to 18 million Americans have obstructive sleep apnea, yet the majority remain undiagnosed. The health toll from the disorder includes weight gain, stroke, and heart attacks, not to mention debilitating chronic drowsiness that puts you at risk of an accident during daytime driving. 

Until recently there was no easy way to diagnose the problem. But last year, Medicare and other insurers began paying for tests that can be taken in the comfort of your own home.

Prescribed by a doctor, some of the tests involve attaching small sensors to your fingers, chest, or forehead to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood (low oxygen levels throughout the night is a sign a sleeper is struggling to breathe) and how much you toss and turn; others include a tube that rests below your nose and captures the volume of your snores along with your airflow. Research suggests that most of the tests are reliable in detecting obstructive sleep apnea; a recent study by Jordan Stern, MD, a surgeon at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary in Manhattan, and colleagues, found that one—a BlackBerry-sized device that takes readings from sensors on your chest and finger—is 97 percent accurate. 

Prices for the tests typically start at about $200—five to 10 times cheaper than spending the night in a sleep lab. If you have a mild case, sleeping with a mouth guard to jut the jaw forward (and keep the airway open) could be enough to solve your problem. For moderate to severe sleep apnea, you might need a machine that sits next to your bed and blows air through your nose. 

Experts believe the take-home devices will enable millions of drowsy Americans to get help. "Home testing is going to bring to light that this is a much more common disease than we think," says Stern. 

Mourning Becomes Neglected: 4 Healthy Ways to Grieve

When you're in mourning, it's easy to feel that nobody understands what you're going through. And this is particularly true with "disenfranchised grief"—the pain of a significant loss that is not openly acknowledged or socially supported. Kenneth J. Doka, PhD, professor of gerontology at the College of New Rochelle in New York, who coined the term in 1985, says disenfranchised grief can result from a number of situations. "Your ex-husband passes away, for example, and your friends don't see why it matters." Or an executive is having a serious affair with her married co-worker. The guy dies, and she can't say, "He was the love of my life." Or a gay person's partner becomes ill, but they've never been open about their relationship. In some cases, society doesn't consider the loss a tragedy (a beloved pet is killed, an adult sibling dies); in other cases, it's unacceptable for you to do so (your child is diagnosed with a mental disability and you're not supposed to vocalize any disappointment). Disenfranchised grief can also occur when a death feels shameful (a family member commits suicide or dies of AIDS) and the fear of judgment by others stops you from sharing your feelings. 

The problem with suffering in silence is that you don't have support when you need it most, says Mary McCambridge, a New York–based grief counselor and founder of the Foundation for Grieving Children. Bottling up intense feelings often leads to deep resentment, she adds, and is stressful on the body, which can make you more vulnerable to illness. 

It's much healthier, McCambridge and Doka agree, to claim your right to grieve: 

1. Recognize that there is nothing wrong with you. Whatever your feelings are, they're legitimate. 

2. Find people who will understand. Search online—there are bereavement support groups for just about any type of loss.

3. Be honest about how you feel. If a well-meaning friend cracks a joke about your deceased ex-husband, says Doka, soberly explain that this loss is painful for you.

4. Develop a ritual or ceremony to commemorate the person's passing. Visit the grave after the funeral—or hold a private one—when you can take as much time as you need to express your anguish. 

Do I Really Need to Cleanse My Colon?

Q: What's up with all the ads for colon cleansing products? Does my colon really require cleansing?

— Barbara Adams, Landrum, South Carolina

A: No, your colon does not require that. The reason behind the onslaught of advertising for colon cleansing enemas, diets, and supplements is that, in a nutshell, if you're buying, someone will be happy to sell.

The colon is designed to do just what it does—remove solid waste from the body. Eat a wholesome diet, and it will perform admirably. Insoluble fiber—found abundantly in whole grains, vegetables, beans, and lentils—is of particular importance in keeping things moving along as they should. Since these foods are just plain good for you, eating more of them will benefit your colon as well as all your other vital organs. Good hydration will also help your colon with digestion, so drink plenty of water.

There are circumstances in which the body needs help detoxifying itself, such as when a chemical toxin or heavy metal has accumulated in the body. But in such situations, doctors follow medical protocols involving a variety of specific chelating agents that bind with the toxin and escort it out of the body before it can do harm.

Colon cleansing isn't always benign, either. It can deplete you of vital nutrients, and doing it regularly could lead to malnutrition, anemia, or heart failure. Considering that under ordinary circumstances your colon—along with your kidneys, liver, and spleen—is more than qualified to cleanse itself, my advice is to save your money and skip the cleanses.

4 Treatments for Headaches

Mehmet Oz, MD, host of The Dr. Oz Show, analyzes the different treatments for frequent headaches.

The feeling is familiar: a band cinching your skull, a dull ache in the back of your neck. It's a tension headache, and it's by far the most common type—about 90 percent of women and 70 percent of men will experience one during their lifetime. Neurologists don't completely understand the reason your head hurts, but they do know that many headaches are linked to stress, contraction of the neck muscles, poor sleep, and, in women, monthly hormonal fluctuations. Which is why most headache experts recommend relaxation techniques, exercise, limiting caffeine and alcohol (which interfere with sleep), and, for women, discussing birth control pills with a gynecologist. Here, four approaches to treating headaches.

Neurology

The first thing a neurologist would do is order a CT scan or MRI to rule out potentially serious causes such as a tumor, aneurysm, or stroke, says Marc Sharfman, MD, director of the Headache and Neurological Treatment Institute in Longwood, Florida. If those are ruled out, then, besides the nondrug treatments above, Sharfman might suggest biofeedback: He connects patients to devices that monitor muscle tension, blood pressure, and heart rate, then has them practice breathing patterns to identify what helps them relax. Drugs—over-the-counter and prescription—are part of a neurologist's arsenal, but Sharfman notes that patients do best by combining nondrug approaches with minimal medication use.

Acupuncture

A primary goal for an acupuncturist is to wean the patient off prescription and over-the-counter painkillers that can trigger rebound headaches (people who regularly take these medications can suffer a headache as soon as the pills wear off), says Daniel Hsu, a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine and founder of New York AcuHealth, an acupuncture clinic. Acupuncture can help patients relax as well as transition off medications; what's more, a recent review of research found that the technique could halve the number of days a month a person experiences head pain.

Homeopathy

Along with prescribing a remedy for the headache, a homeopath will typically offer advice on improving diet or, say, reducing exposure to chemicals in the environment, says Dana Ullman, who runs Homeopathic Educational Services in Berkeley. Because homeopaths believe the body's response to an illness is the correct one, they give heavily diluted substances—often the herbs nux vomica and belladonna for headaches—that are supposed to mimic the patient's symptoms, thereby helping the body defend and heal itself. (Though these two herbs are poisonous, the doses contain no toxins.) Often, the patient can begin to feel much better after one treatment, Ullman says.

Nutrition 

Alexander Mauskop, MD, director of the New York Headache Center, has performed numerous studies on the interplay of nutrients and headaches, and has found that many sufferers are low in key nutrients—primarily magnesium, coenzyme Q10, riboflavin, and vitamin D. "Up to 50 percent of headache sufferers can be magnesium deficient," he says. Magnesium can ease muscle spasms and alter brain chemicals thought to play a role in headaches; what the other nutrients do is less clear. Mauskop uses sophisticated blood tests to measure nutrient levels. (For more on testing mineral levels, see The Truth About Mineral Supplements .) But if a patient doesn't eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, is under a lot of stress, or is a frequent drinker, Mauskop might prescribe supplements without testing. "All these things can reduce nutrient levels," he says.

My Recommendation 

Acupuncture and homeopathy are worth considering as adjunct therapies once you are sure that the headache is not a sign of a serious disorder. Like Alexander Mauskop, I believe that magnesium can help—it relaxes arteries and muscles in the body, both of which can help with headaches.

Exercise helps, too—and yoga is a great choice since it can also help you unwind. Biofeedback is useful; in headache research, it has proven its worth. As far as medications go, I prefer ibuprofen and aspirin. And although no one mentioned this, lavender or sandalwood aromatherapy can help you relax. Just take a dab of the oil and rub it into your temples.

Chronic Lyme Disease: Myth or Reality?

Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by the bite of a deer tick, can cause a variety of flu-like symptoms—achy joints, fatigue, fever, headache. But chronic Lyme disease is a different beast. Experts can't agree on a case definition—or if the condition exists at all. What's clear is that some Lyme patients, even after taking the standard treatment of antibiotics, continue to suffer long-term and often serious health problems, including poor mental function, migratory joint pain, and sleep disturbances. Whether the condition is an autoimmune or nervous system response triggered by the now-eradicated infection (sometimes called post–Lyme disease syndrome), or a chronic case of the disease directly attributable to an ongoing infection depends on whom you ask—as does the treatment.

The Case for Diagnosing CLD 

"There is absolutely no doubt chronic Lyme disease [CLD] exists," says Richard Horowitz, MD, president of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Foundation. What's more, he adds, many of those who contract Lyme disease can also have tick-borne coinfections like babesiosis, caused by parasites, and their symptoms can easily be mistaken for those of other ailments such as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. "Like syphilis, chronic Lyme disease is a great imitator," Horowitz notes. He has seen more than 11,000 patients whose CLD he has helped to pinpoint using his own broad differential diagnosis, which looks at all possible causes of symptoms. Along with specific treatments for any overlapping conditions, he often prescribes a combination of targeted antibiotics to beat the infection, and says he has seen dramatic recoveries.

The Case Against Diagnosing CLD 

"There's simply no scientific evidence that these symptoms are caused by an ongoing infection of Lyme disease," says John Halperin, MD, chair of the department of neurosciences at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey, and professor of neurology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Halperin agrees that some Lyme disease patients can experience real, ongoing health issues. However, he says, "The best guess is that it has to do with how our nervous systems respond to different stressors. It's probably due to a fundamental neurobiological trait of some people." Halperin believes the way to treat the problem is symptomatically. That means everything from therapy for depression to surgery for severe arthritis—but not months of antibiotics, which can result in serious side effects, according to National Institutes of Health–funded studies.

Dr. Oz Says… 

Let's get past the fundamental argument over whether this is a chronic condition or an autoimmune response by acknowledging that it could be both. Someday we might discover that ticks aren't giving people just a bacterial infection but also a virus or a hybrid bug. Patricia Gerbarg, MD, is the coauthor of How to Use Herbs, Nutrients, and Yoga in Mental Health Care as well as a former Lyme patient. What she found, and what I support, is that certain supplements strengthen the body's ability to repair itself from the long-term problems associated with CLD. Taking vitamin B12, coenzyme Q10, chromium, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, and herbs such as Rhodiola rosea can improve energy and help with cellular repair—all key in recovering from conditions that can be as resistant as Lyme disease.

Nature’s “Green” Boosts Mood And Energy

Mind-Body-Spirit News:

Do you train clients outdoors? You may want to head for 

verdant forests and lush, grassy settings to boost 

participants’ mood and energy levels. Being exposed to the 

color green may be one reason why exercising in nature, 

also referred to as green exercise, produces physical and

 

mental rewards beyond those that come from exercise 

alone. 

Studies have shown that green exercise improves mood, 

self-esteem, enjoyment and motivation. Researchers from 

the University of Essex, in England, wanted to tease out the 

extent to which the color green, as a primitive visual 

characteristic of natural settings, contributes to these 

benefits. Fourteen subjects participated in three moderate-

intensity cycling tasks while watching videos of a rural 

cycling course out in nature. The footage in each video had 

different coloring: achromatic gray, red or the normal 

predominantly green image. At the cycling trials, scientists 

took physical measures of workload, rating of perceived 

exertion and state of mood. Data analysis showed that 

subjects experienced less mood disturbance and had a 

lower RPE while watching the natural green video. During 

the red video, subjects experienced stronger feelings of 

anger. Study authors concluded that the color green 

contributed to the benefits gained from green exercise. 

Author Dominic Micklewright, PhD, associate dean of the 

University of Essex Online in the school of biological 

sciences, said, “There is lots of evidence now that exercising 

in natural environments has positive physiological and 

psychological therapeutic effects, but what our most recent 

study has begun to explore are the cognitive mechanisms 

responsible for such effects. We are hoping that through 

further studies we will be able to gain a much better 

understanding of how people perceive and respond to 

natural environments, which will enable us to capitalize on 

the therapeutic potential that such environments offer.” 

Limitations of the study included the small sample size. 

Other research has shown that color affects psychological 

feelings. For example, exposure to red or yellow heightens 

arousal, while green and blue evoke calm and tranquility. 

This stimulating quality of certain colors may explain the 

current popularity of neon-bright training apparel. More 

research is needed regarding the cognitive mechanisms 

between color perception and mood. 

Health Insurance for Diabetics

Recently, I've had a lot of requests for an alternative to health insurance for diabetics. The case of one gentleman, in particular, has lingered on my mind.

The man who I will refer to as "Bob" has what is called Type II, or Late Onset Diabetes. My own dad has this condition as well, so I am aware of the tremendous health struggles and monetary cost that can come as a result.

One fortunate thing for Daddy is that he was well covered with health insurance long before he became ill. Bob was not so lucky. He had no type of coverage at all when he received the surprise diagnosis of diabetes.

Do you know that once a doctor has made a chart note, or included a lab result in your chart, suggesting that your blood sugar is high (or that you are "pre-diabetic") your odds of being able to obtain a reasonably priced health insurance plan plummet?

That was the case with Bob, who had been "getting by" paying for his glucose meter, testing strips, and diabetic supplies out of his own pocket. This had been a burden on Bob's bank account, which was in its own state of recovery following a divorce, but he was getting back on his feet in mid January.

When I mentioned an alternative to health insurance for diabetics, Bob was relieved and thrilled, and asked me to give him a call on pay day so that he could get started. The great news about these alternatives is that they cover all ongoing medical problems, even if the doctor has written a definite diagnosis in the chart.

Sadly, when I reached Bob on his cell phone, Bob was not in a position to talk long. He had been at Bible Study the previous evening when he'd gone into insulin shock. The men in his group had responded quickly and Bob had been taken to the hospital, where he expected to remain for 2 to 3 more days to recover.

I can only imagine what the EMT, hospital, and doctor charges will add up to for such an emergency. It breaks my heart to know that because he narrowly missed getting signed up for an alternative to health insurance for diabetics, Bob will be paying the entire amount out of his own pocket.

It especially concerns me to know that there are so many diabetics (and undiagnosed folks who have the condition and may suddenly experience diabetic symptoms) who have no coverage.

Not only does diabetes require testing supplies, possible prescription medication and/or insulin; it comes with the threat of emergency hospital admission for something like insulin shock. Worse yet ... diabetes brings with it a whole host of possible serious health consequences.

My own dad has suffered numerous complications of his diabetes, even though he and my mother took the condition seriously from the beginning and altered his lifestyle accordingly. I shudder to think what would have become of my parents when my dad began having strokes, if they had not been covered with health insurance prior to his diabetes diagnosis.

You see, even if a person is able to get insurance coverage for diabetics after they are diagnosed with the condition, a traditional insurance company will generally have a lengthy waiting period before they will pay anything for diabetes treatment OR for other conditions which they can cite as possibly related to or caused by the diabetes.

If in reading the diabetes information I've provided on my website, you think that you or someone you love is at risk for having or getting diabetes, I urge you to make certain you or they have or obtain health insurance today.

I understand that many of us would have a difficult time paying for traditional health insurance - especially on short notice - however that truly would be your best course of action.

If traditional insurance coverage is out of reach, the next best option is to sign up for an inexpensive health discount program. These plans provide appreciable discounts on care associated with diabetes.

Additionally, at least one of the discount programs provides a hospital advocate to each member so that any costs over $2,500 are negotiated down to wholesale, and payment arrangements are worked out.

If you or someone you love has already been diagnosed with diabetes, it is all the more important to obtain health insurance immediately. While it may not pay toward anything related to the diabetes until a waiting period has passed, at least that waiting period could be going by now, making coverage available should any complications occur in the future.

The American Diabetes Association website ([http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp]) has all sorts of great resources for diabetics. There you will find a state-by-state listing of insurance available to those who qualify as being in the individual state "risk pools".

The insurance available through your state, if you qualify, can be a lifesaver in the case of extremely costly diabetes related situations. The down side is that the deductible of these insurance plans can run in the thousands of dollars. One woman recently told me that her sister's plan in Illinois has a $5,000 deductible.

If possible, then, it would also be advisable to have a health discount program in addition to these state plans. The program would provide discounts on usual care and supplies for diabetes during the time before the deductible amount is met.

Don’t underestimate the seriousness of diabetes, and don’t put off the investigation of your options for health insurance for diabetics. If you find that insurance will not work for you, check into the new health discount plans which accept pre-existing conditions.

If you think you have the symptoms of diabetes [http://www.4-health-benefits.com/Health_Insurance_for_Diabetics.htm#Diabetes_Symptoms-When_to_See_the_Doctor], or if you have been looking for health insurance for diabetics; call me at 1-877-375-8494, or send your request for a complimentary brochure to brochure@4-health-benefits.com. Bev Van Engel Brett has over 17 years experience working with patients as a health care technician, and now specializes in helping people obtain quality health and dental care at significant discounts. Visit her website [http://www.4-health-benefits.com] for details. If you wish to publish this article, it must be published in it’s entirety along with active links and this resource box.