Stress fracture was not very popular a little time back but now it is a common term among many medical professionals. For those who are still unaware of it, stress fracture is kind of a physical response that a body gives out to protect against the outside world in order to protect the bones from complete fracture. It is kind of an incomplete fracture, one might say. The other fractures are usually easy to identify because of their critical impact to the body but for this kind of fracture, it is not that simple to detect it. The cause of this fracture is assumed to be recurring stress among humans.

Stress fracture is very common among sports’ persons and athletes. It is a kind of sports injury and can be thought of as a very minor sliver in the bones of the skeleton. The most vulnerable parts in the skeleton are those that bear heavy eights like metatarsal. Many studies have been devoted to this topic and the result that has been finalized is that the stress fracture can be treated by consuming more calcium and vitamin D.

Taking calcium and vitamin D helps the body to recover faster than usual. Even if the minerals are taken for short durations, it still is helpful. Researches have shown that taking both these minerals allows the bone to regenerate at a much quicker rate. The calcium facilitates the bone formation and supports its repairing whilst the Vitamin D has the ability (and provides the same ability to the bones) to soak up the calcium.

Supplements of calcium and Vitamin D are easily available in the market, ready to be consumed. They are capable of making huge impacts in very short spans of time. The results are visible just after 5-6 weeks of treatment. Without the proper treatment, stress fracture can be very painful and may take up to 4 months to recover completely. Why should one wait for four months when the same results can be seen in one and a half month? The treatment is natural as well which makes it safe. There are not many symptoms of stress fracture and even the x-rays can not diagnose the problem at first go. The crack may take up to one month to be seen in the x-ray. If you do not want to bear unnecessary pain, calcium and Vitamin D are the best option you have.

Drug addiction is one thing that should be gotten rid of as soon as possible. The thought of quitting a drug may seem to be intimidating and difficult but it is more or less possible. Of course, you need to prepare your body for changes, but you need to work on your psychological addiction as well. Addiction to drugs is nothing but psychological addiction. The drugs form a habit and are difficult to quit. You need to master your mind before making a move to quit it.

 If you are serious about quitting the drugs, you first need to make a plan that could be executed properly. Also, you have to foresee the results of withdrawing the drug from your routine. Make sure to know how the drug will affect your mental habits as well you physical habits. It generally becomes simpler to quit drugs if the therapy is supported by counseling and meditations. If the social circle around you is supporting enough, the task may look easier.

Psychological help is needed, no doubt about that, but you need to detoxify your body as well. Both the process should be simultaneous and should go hand in hand. The services for phone counseling have also become very popular where counselors are at your service 24×7. The benefit of consulting a counselor is that a counselor can help you avoid certain things; for good. Phone counseling is becoming more and more popular because you do not need to visit a counselor physically and can reach out for help anywhere, anytime. Some people avoid consulting a counselor because they think exterior help may not be of any use to them. For such people, the best support they can get is from family and friends. The procedure becomes easier if you already know a person around you who has quit smoking.

 There are a lot of social circles that are designed especially fro people adopting the same cause. One can be part of any such group to seek additional support and motivation. Remember, you can not do anything unless you are motivated. Some organizations tend to be very stringent and intense while some are very flexible. The main thing to keep in mind is that the procedure if being done to help you only. If you are not comfortable with the procedures going on around you, you may shift to some other organization too.

]]> http://buzzhealthy.com/psychological-addiction-drugs/feed/ 1 http://buzzhealthy.com/phenylalanine-side-effects-are-for-real/ http://buzzhealthy.com/phenylalanine-side-effects-are-for-real/#comments Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:51:12 +0000 Genie http://buzzhealthy.com/?p=1879 The fact states that the human body is two-third water. Fluids are very essential for humans because of this reason only. Many people are aware of this fact but a few know that the remaining one-third comprises mainly of proteins. Proteins make 17% of human body and the protein is present not only in muscles but other areas as well. The skin, hair, nail et al. are made from proteins. The antibodies and enzymes present in the body are also protein. Hence, there is nothing wrong in saying that proteins are the building blocks of human body. Now, what are proteins made of? Proteins are made of amino acids.

More than twenty amino acids have been identified. Phenylalanine is also among those amino acids that can be considered to be the building blocks of proteins. Now, Phenylalanine is essential because they are not produced within the body. It is vital to intake Phenylalanine through the diet. There are some dietary proteins that include all the requisite amino acids. Sources of such proteins are meat, fish and milk. However, there is another class of proteins as well that contains some of the amino acids, but not all. Vegetables, nuts, beans, etc are sources of such proteins. In this category, the non-vegetarians have an upper hand because their protein intake is satisfactory but the vegetarians have to be careful to make sure that the protein is taken by the body.

Phenylalanine is vital to produce certain critical chemicals for proper functioning of the brain. The mental alertness is greatly improved and so does the sex life. Some Phenylalanine supplements are used as a source of natural anti depressant. However, Phenylalanine side effects are very harmful too. An over-stimulation of the brain is very likely and this problem may lead a person to become insomniac. The chemical produced with the help of Phenylalanine is a very good tranquilizer and sedative. Phenylalanine is a prime choice for athletes to relieve off their pains.

The dosage of Phenylalanine is also very critical and should be kept under control. It is foolishness to take Phenylalanine supplements indefinitely. A better option is to take supplements with multi- amino acid supplements to maintain a balance. Phenylalanine supplementation will only be successful if the dosage is kept under check. It is always recommended to consult a doctor before taking or starting a supplementation to avoid any future adverse effects.

Metatarsal stress fractures are also known as March fractures because they were first found among military recruits. Any athlete is prone to this fracture because it has to do with walking and running. Also, a person who walks with a load is susceptible to this type of fracture. The complications may be from severe to simple, depending on the condition of the patient and the area where the fracture actually is. The patients of metatarsal stress fracture may have this because of high arch shoes. These shoes have very basic shock absorption. It is not very easy to detect this fracture at first because the fracture may become visible on x-ray only after a few weeks of the injury. Hence, this makes the recovery even more complex.

A foot x-ray may not be able to diagnose metatarsal stress fracture, as mentioned before. The most common bone that is vulnerable to the fracture is the second metatarsal. The pain is unbearable for the first couple of days and the pain stops completely just before the healing is about to be completed. The recovery may take up to 3 months, so one really needs to be patient enough to let the procedure get ample time. There is no proper medication or treatment for metatarsal stress fractures. The only key to recover is to give ample rest to your injured bone. Air splinting is also being used by many doctors that considerably reduce the pain. A compression bandage is also of much use in some cases that allows the swelling to fade away.

It is only possible to treat the fractured bone after the exact location and the extent of the break is known. Sometimes, a bone might not be broken and just displaced. Displacement of a bone is nothing to worry about. However, fracture may require surgery if the case is severe and the pain is unbearable.

Hair loss is a very common problem among many people and the medical term for it is alopecia. A skin disease that results in patchy hair loss, known as Alopecia Areata, is very common disease that begins with a small patch on the scalp and continues with development of many smaller patches. Approximately, this disease affects 2% of the world’s population. Out of those 2%, around 5 million sufferers are in the United States alone. Alopecia Areata is considered to be more of a skin disease than a hair disease. This is because it affects the scalp and is usually diagnosed by a dermatologist. Care is required for the affected area on the scalp.

A lot of research has been done on Alopecia Areata and it has been made a fact now that the disease develops when the body responds against itself. It is classified as an auto immune disease.

Hair growth is regular in usual adults. The hair growth cycle can, however, be interrupted in case of any disease, medication, genes or any infection. One or more factors can lead to abnormal hair loss. The follicle grows hair in its growth phase but the growth slows down in the other phase of the cycle. As the hair shaft is pushed, the old hair sheds and dies out. This is a regular process and a person can find old hair follicles on the combs and brushes.

Three types of Alopecia have been classified. The most common of the three is the Alopecia Areata in which the scalp is full of random patches. If the patches are present on the whole scalp, then it is known as Alopecia Totallis. If the disease spreads out of the scalp and reaches the whole body hair, then this severe condition is called Alopecia Universalis. There is no cure for these diseases but there are some drugs that help in controlling them. In some fortunate cases, the hair may re-grow without any treatment. This is because the hair follicles stay active and can resume their work if the brain sends the appropriate signal.

There is no sure shot treatment for Alopecia Areata but some doctors are now trying off-label methods to check if they work. FDA has not approved any treatment that can cure this disease completely. The treatments available are mostly for cases in which the patches are present in less than 50% area of the scalp.

Since 9 out of 10 patients who suffer from type 2 Diabetes are either overweight or obese, there is a definite connection between carrying excess weight and being diabetic. Bariatric surgery, also referred to as lap band or gastric surgery, is a surgical procedure which is gaining acceptance as a treatment for type 2 diabetes at the same time it effectively helps the patient to lose weight. Recent studies have indicated that for patients undergoing the bariatric surgical procedure, 87 percent reported a significant improvement in their type 2 diabetes, while a full 78% were able to eliminate any symptoms of type 2 diabetes totally.

For those individuals for whom bariatric surgery inspired a positive change in their diabetic status, some encountered a shift in blood glucose levels within days of the surgery, while others saw a gradual but ongoing shift in their diabetic status, ultimately resulting in having normal blood glucose levels within 12 months of the surgery.

 Research has also shown that following bariatric surgery, deaths from diabetic complications were drastically reduced among patients who had type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery is often the best solution when tummy tuck or laser liposuction procedures are not deemed extensive enough to remove excess fat deposits in order to greatly reduce an individual’s weight.

Bariatric surgery has been found to positively impact type 2 diabetes in three-fourths of its cases, compared with only 13% of patients who follow conventional diabetes therapy such as diet modification and medication. Some in the medical community are now championing bariatric surgery as a recognized treatment for patients with type 2 diabetes. While there is some recognized connection between excess weight and the development of diabetes, some healthcare professionals also point to hormonal changes taking place in the body following bariatric surgery as another possible reason that bariatric surgery seems to offer a cure for type 2 diabetes.

There is currently a movement to create a new recognized medical discipline called “diabetes surgery” in which bariatric surgery is recognized as a conventional treatment option for patients suffering from type 2 diabetes. The cost of a tummy tuck or liposuction cost can then be evaluated as an additional possibility to help to continue to contour the body following bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is considered to be a very cost effective way of treating diabetes as well as weight loss. There is only the cost of the surgery to consider, which is once and done, versus the patient having to pay for medication and other therapies year in and year out.

Before going for a treatment about the lump appearing on your skin, you need to understand whether this lump is a wart or a mole. This is very necessary as these are quiet similar yet two entirely different things. Moles are tiny spots on the skin resulting due to excessive secretion of melanin pigment whereas warts occur due to the human papilloma virus (HPV).  Warts make the skin rough and ugly and are also easily communicable. Thus, utmost care should be taken when you discover that you have developed warts. Here are mentioned some quick ways to get rid of warts effectively.

1. Use of Garlic capsules: it is a painless method to get rid of warts and don’t even require much of your efforts. All you need to do is to take a garlic capsule daily at least for two weeks. The warts will start peeling off in a week or two and then gradually disappear. But, you have to continue with the pills till you get rid of warts completely.
   
   
2. Use of duct tape: it inflicts moderate pain and a little amount of work from your side. Duct tape is applied over the wart affected area for one day and then peel off the strip the next day. When you remove the tape some wart layers are also removed. Successive application and removal of duct tape helps to get rid of warts with minimum pain involved. It may take a few weeks but the warts are removed effectively.
3. Stop pricking the warts: warts are contagious so never try to play with them. The more you do this, the more is the trouble you invite. If you cannot get rid of warts using any remedy the most possible cause could be this. While pricking, the virus spreads to your fingers and eventually affects other areas on your body. Thus, it is very important to wash your hands if you happen to touch them to get rid of warts quickly or they will appear again.

These warts have close association with cancer diseases, thus one should refrain from entering into this situation and entering into the enigma of ugly looking lumps, painful management and probability of occurrence of cancer. Those suffering from them should also ensure that they do not become a carrier of the disease for others.

Freckles are dark spots noticed in children under the age of 13. As is said, “The beauty lies in the eyes of beholder”. Same is with the freckles. Though some people consider them as some kind of skin defect others consider it as a cute feature enhancing the beauty of the face. Conceptually speaking, freckles are the result of over- production of melanin (a pigment responsible for skin darkness in our body) due to over exposure to the sun. The appearance of freckles has its roots in the genes. Some people inherit the genes of freckle- prone skin from their familial line.

Freckles should be considered as a red alert that your skin is pre disposed to skin cancer and thus, should be handled carefully. One very important thing is to avoid exposure to direct sunlight. When you go out in sun for an extended duration, do not forget to apply UVA and UVB sunscreen with titanium dioxide or zinc dioxide and avobenzone. Other possible measures include the use of wide brim hat and avoiding tanning beds. These will prevent appearance and darkening of freckles as the melanin is released only in sunlight.

A number of over- the- counter treatments are also available for freckles. Facial creams and skin moisturizers are available which provide a more even skin tone and helps in skin lightening. A good research should be done prior to their usage to get rid of freckles as it might be possible that these products lighten very portion of the skin and not just the freckle- prone areas. This depends on the ingredients used in that product.  Invasive methods like laser surgery or freezing can also be considered to get rid of freckles. But, due to budget considerations not many people go for these treatments.

Extrapone Nutgrass has created a thrill in freckle lightening industry because of its effectiveness in reducing melanin production. This is natural and safe method to get rid of freckles. It is rather best for those with sensitive skin who cannot use harsh chemicals. Other natural methods can also be tried. Washing the face with sour milk helps to get rid of freckles in peeling the skin as it contains lactic acid. Daily application of lemon juice also helps to get rid of freckles of freckles. Though a number of methods are available to prevent freckling, the most important thing is to avoid exposure to sunlight.

Louse is the most common parasite infesting the human scalp especially those of children- the condition known as head lice infestation or pediculosis. It is contagious and spreads very fast among people who come in contact with the child suffering from it. Thus, immediate action should be taken to get rid of lice. They feed on human blood by sticking their straw like mouth through the skin on scalp. This leave sores on the scalp, which are more or less like mosquito bites. It is very itchy and thus, the disease can be easily identified.

A number of over-the counter options are available to get rid of lice but most of them have pesticides. Who wants to expose their child to pesticides at such a small age? Find out some natural ways which can be very helpful to get rid of lice.

• Use of vinegar to get rid of lice- Vinegar is made up of a number of acids. These acids are very effective in removing egg sacks sticking to the roots of the hair. Vinegar cannot be used as a complete treatment to get rid of lice. Lice combs, consisting of teeth made up of hard material and placed very close to each other should also be used.
• Applying tea tree oil- It is the most natural method to get rid of lice. Tea tree oil is a naturally occurring fungicide which can effectively kill all the lice and their eggs in the head. It might not be very effective in all the situations, but works much better than other commercial solutions consisting of pesticides and chemicals.
• Use a natural solution- Over-the–counter solutions with natural ingredients can also be used to get rid of lice. They will not only keep your head free from lice but also prevents your scalp from harmful ingredients. You can also prepare your own solution at home by using natural ingredients.
• Apply Vaseline and mayonnaise to get rid of lice- Applying them and keeping them overnight can suffocate all the lice and nits in the head. This is a very messy method as it is difficult to remove them. Mayonnaise can be removed easily but Vaseline is hard to wash off.
• Use of prescription drugs Ulfesia- Ask your doctor for this non- pesticide drug to get rid of lice. It asphyxiates the respiratory spiracles of lice choking them to death.

Smallest creatures of nature can sometimes be a reason of great trouble. Chiggers are small mites living in moist, woody areas around your house and garden. If they have ever bitten you, you would never want this to happen again to you or to anybody else. Once a chigger bites, rashes and pimples develop near the ankles and wrist, causing severe itching. Itching is so severe that it becomes really hard to control scratching. Thus, it is always better to control the symptoms and to get rid of chiggers before the worst.

Before doing anything to get rid of chiggers, treat the bite symptoms. This will help you to avoid recurring bites by these nasty pests. Though rashes do not require any special treatment, it’s the itching that needs your attention. People use cortisone lotions and anti-histamine creams to prevent itching. Anti-lice solutions, nail polish and aspirin dissolved in warm water, when applied over these bumps are also found effective in handling itching and scratching. If the itching and rashes go out of your endurance limit, consult a physician. He or she will immediately identify the cause and prescribe a stronger medication to treat chigger bites.

Once you are done with the symptoms, next thing should be to get rid of chiggers in your surroundings. They can home themselves in your bed, drawer, couch, carpet or your pretty house plants and can time and again attack you. Therefore, it is very important to get rid of chiggers present in your house. One among the best remedies to get rid of chiggers is to use sulphur pellets. Chiggers do not like the smell of this organic compound and go away. They are even safe to use. Another good way to get rid of chiggers is to use beneficial nematodes. They feed on chigger larvae and the larvae die in 48 hours. Then, the nematode moves to the next chigger consequently destroying all of them.

Even, when you have learnt how to get rid of chiggers and to handle chigger bites, you cannot get rid of them completely. So, always take utmost care while going outdoors. Keep the area clean, specially the dark shady regions to keep them off. Maintain personal hygiene and cleanliness to get rid of chiggers. If they still run into you, always remember not to scratch and apply alcohol to remove the sting.