How To Get Deep Sleep?

Deep Sleep

Noche Buena is a Filipino's way of celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus. We are supposed to be awake at Christmas Eve to dine with the rest of the family members, but not me. I just slept and was not aroused by a pandemonium of feasting. Yes, I had deep sleep that night.

So, how did I manage to have deep sleep? I just poured two teaspoons of AIM Global's My Choco into a glass of cold water and drank it before going to bed.

Ever since I started drinking My Choco of AIM Global, I always have a deep sleep. Well, that's at least my body's reaction to that type of beverage. Or it can also be a treatment for your insomnia.

Photo from: http://www.haikudesigns.com/images/sleeping-smile-pillow.jpg

Other topics of interest:

Insomnia Remedy: Drink Coffee
How To Fight Weight Gain During Holidays
Stem Cells Research: What You Don't Know About The Umbilical Cord
The Sarcoidosis That Killed Bernie Mac

Aloe Vera Gel As Sunburn Remedy

How To Fight Weight Gain During Holidays

How To Fight Weight Gain

Yes, two more days and it will be Christmas… eight more days before New Year. But for those individuals who are health/weight conscious (like me), these holidays can be crucial. So, in order to fight against holiday weight gain, there are things you can do to prevent overeating.

One of the several ways to stop weight gain is to eat smaller meals. If you will attend a party, you should never go out with your stomach empty. Eat a little so that you will not find yourself in a gula.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. They can help you feel more satisfied. Remember that fruits and vegetables have fewer calories.

Most of all get adequate sleep. You need it to fight against weight gain, not just during holidays but throughout the year. Remember that weight gain is linked to lack of sleep. So be aware.

Photos from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stehouwerrecio/3513151195/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/joannalizares/3119682948

How To Fight Weight Gain

Stem Cells Research: What You Don't Know About The Umbilical Cord

Umbilical cord: Stem Cells Research

Reader's Digest is no stranger to me. This is because RD is considered as the most widely-read magazine in Asia. Plus, the topics being discussed are informative.

For that reason, Reader's Digest is always on top of my what-to-do list. Their November 2009 issue was a very interesting and enthralling one. They have featured the benefits of storing blood from the umbilical cord. As you know it, umbilical cord is rich in stem cells. Yes, it is the same umbilical cord which is considered as hospital waste. Stem cells can save you, a family member or your baby in the future.

Research showed that cord blood stem cell may be able to treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes. Apart from that, it may also treat diseases of the heart and spine.

So, if you are pregnant and want to save the blood from the umbilical cord when you give birth, then you must consult your doctor about it. Who knows? That blood may save someone's life.

Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jian-hua_qiao_md/3954771834/sizes/l/

Other topics of interest:

Skin Safety Campaign
Memorizing The Cranial Nerves
Assessing Consciousness
Fruits And Vegetables For Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer And Diabetes

Vasectomy Reversal—Wanting To Have More Babies?

The Sarcoidosis That Killed Bernie Mac

bernie mac's sarcoidosis

It was through a program (that I forgot) in Velvet sky-cable channel that I learned about the real reason of Bernie Mac's death. According to the report, Bernie Mac died from pneumonia. But he also suffered from sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease that affects any organ in the body. Patients with the said disease are susceptible to pneumonia.

Red bumps on the face, shins and arms are common symptoms of sarcoidosis. If you experience shortness of breath and have been coughing without remission, then you might be suffering from such disease since those are first symptoms of sarcoidosis. The only way to find out is to consult your physician.

Unfortunately, the cause of sarcoidosis is not known yet to the medical community, ergo, no known method to prevent the disease from occurring. Although the cause is still unknown, this disease can be treated. There are treatments available to keep the lungs working, as well as the other affected organs in the body.

As for Bernie Mac, he, surely, brought sarcoidosis awareness to the public.

Other topics of interest:

Cranberries Can Cure Bladder Infection
Can Orchiectomy Cure Prostate Cancer?
Semen Analysis: Three-Hour Experiment
Assessing Consciouness
Memorizing The Cranial Nerves

How Often Should You Clean Your Ear?

How often do you clean your ears? Seven times a week? Or twice a week? If you answered seven times a week, then you are putting your ears in danger. This is because cleaning your ear canal more than twice can cause dryness and may lead to some inflammation and irritation, according to my ENT.

However, you should clean your external ear as often as needed to get rid of the dirt. But never clean your ear canal more than twice.

Colonoscopy Procedure Part II

My mom underwent colonoscopy last week and it turned out to be fine—no bumps, no abnormalities. In other words, there are no signs of colon cancer.

The procedure was quick that it only took less than 30 minutes. My mom was sedated during the procedure. She just strained for seconds as the fiber optic camera reached the ascending part of her colon. In general, she was doing okay while the doctor (number 1 gastroenterologist in Davao City) was busy maneuvering the device to look at her colon.

Since we have a family history of colon cancer, she needs to undergo colonoscopy after five years. But if there are any changes in her bowel movement, she has to go through the same type of colon examination.

Although we have a family history of colon cancer, we can still decrease our risk of developing this type of cancer by eating fiber-rich foods and consume at least three portions of fruits high in fiber each day.

Other topic decrease our risk of developing this type of cancer by eating portions of fruits high in fiber. s of interest:

Colonoscopy Procedure: Its Cost And Preparation
HDL Cholesterol: What Makes HDL A Good Cholesterol?
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Mangosteen—A Miracle Cure?
Antioxidants Can Make You Slim

Colonoscopy Procedure: Its Cost And Preparation

My mom will undergo colonoscopy this week. This is an endoscopic examination of the colon. This procedure is imperative, especially when you have a family history of colon cancer. My maternal grandmother died of colon cancer many years ago and her children, including my mom, were advised to undergo colonoscopy when they reach the age of 50. This is to evaluate the risk of developing colon cancer.

In preparation for colonoscopy, mother will follow a soft diet, such as lugaw (rice porridge), a day before the examination. To clean her bowel, certain medication was given. Since that medication can induce frequent bowel movement, she must drink plenty of water in order to avoid dehydration. My mother's doctor recommended Gatorade.

Six hours of fasting before the procedure is also included in preparation for colonoscopy.

How about the cost of the procedure? Since my mother is a member of Philhealth, the cost of colonoscopy (in Davao City) is about PHP 12000.

Although the preparation for colonoscopy can cause some discomfort to patients, this procedure is still essential as a routine screening for colon cancer—you will be glad you underwent such exam.

Other topics of interest:
The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer
HDL Cholesterol: What Makes HDL A Good Cholesterol
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Mangosteen—A Miracle Cure?
Antioxidants Can Make You Slim

HDL Cholesterol: What Makes HDL A Good Cholesterol?

HDL stands for high density lipoprotein. It is also known as the "good" cholesterol because it lowers the risk of heart attack, carries cholesterol away from the arteries and sends it back to the liver, and it also wipes away excess cholesterol from the arterial plaque.

HDL is included in a lipid profile test, along with LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), triglycerides and total cholesterol. Lipid profile is usually requested to determine the risk of coronary heart disease. Blood is the specimen for this test. Before blood extraction, patient needs to undergo fasting for at eight to twelve hours.


Since HDL cholesterol is the good guy, you need it to fight against cholesterol related diseases. But how do you increase your HDL in the blood? One of the food varieties you can choose to increase HDL level is a food high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon. Then, be more physically active, maintain ideal weight, and quit smoking.


Other topics of interest:

Lose Weight With Herbalife
Skin Whitening—The Power Of L-Glutathione Of Whitelight
Aloe Vera Gel As Sunburn Remedy
How To Prevent Migraine?
Remedies For Bad Breath

Lose Weight With Herbalife

Lose weight nutritional shake mix Herbalife
Although my weight is ideal for my height, I still want to try the Nutritional Shake Mix of Herbalife. It is a weight management formula that works in 3 ways: weight gain, weight loss, and weight maintenance.
Since this shake mix of Herbalife is a meal replacement formulated, I can skip one full meal each day. Instead of eating cup of rice and viand for dinner, I just have to mix 2 tablespoons of chocolate-flavored Nutritional Shake Mix and approximately 220 ml of cold water as my dinner. But I have one problem. My stomach feels empty after a few minutes. So, to feed my growling stomach, I eat one fiber-rich fruit in conjunction with the said meal replacement shake mix.
My brother is using it for quite some time now and he's been successful in losing extra pounds.
But of course, you also need to be physically active and avoid eating fatty foods in order to be triumphant in losing weight. Get more fruits and vegetables if you really want to shed some pounds.


Other topics of interest:
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Skin Whitening—The Power Of L-Glutathione Of Whitelight
Aloe Vera Gel As Sunburn Remedy
The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer
Common Cold Remedy

Skin Whitening—The Power Of L-Glutathione Of Whitelight

Whitelight Glutathione, Skin Whitening TreatmentIf you are an American, British or someone with natural white skin, skin tanning treatment must probably be more interesting to read than skin whitening treatment. But if you are a Filipino or a person with dark skin complexion, then skin whitening treatment is more appealing to you than skin tanning.

I know that you know the positive effects of taking glutathione. So, there is no need for me to elaborate on that topic.

Anyway, I attended an hour of lecture about the products of AIM Global held in Kidapawan City. Among their products, Whitelight Glutathione captivated my attention most.

The mode of administration for Whitelight Glutathione skin whitening treatment is sublingual, which means you have to spray the content under your tongue and hold it there for 20 seconds before swallowing it.

The lecturer said that it is more effective and safer than ingesting a pill of Glutathione. Why? I asked. Sublingual administration of any medication bypasses three processes in your system. It goes directly to your bloodstream, ergo, faster results.

The lecturer added that a lot of people are already using Whitelight Glutathione including celebrities, like Ara Mina (product endorser of White Light).

Is it effective? I inquired. Yes, said the woman who has been using it for a few months now. She added that Whitelight Glutathione skin whitening will evenly whiten your skin including those "dark areas" in your groin.

One bottle of Whitelight Glutathione skin whitening treatment costs around PHP 1,900 and it is good for two months.

So, if you want to have lighter skin, you might want to embark on Whitelight Glutathione skin whitening treatment in preparation for your graduation ball.

Image source: Makati.olx.com.ph

Other topics of interest:
Aloe Vera Gel As Sunburn Remedy
How To Prevent Migraine?
Remedies For Bad Breath
Prevent Chronic Bronchitis
Remedy For Hiccup

Aloe Vera Gel As Sunburn Remedy

I had sunburn few days ago because of the obvious reason--too much sun exposure. I forgot to apply sun protection while I was practicing freestyle stroke. It got worse when I played tennis in the afternoon. My sister-in-law advised me to apply aloe vera gel of Herbalife onto the affected areas. To my relief, aloe vera gel is indeed an effective sunburn remedy. It soothed the painful burnt skin.

Aloe vera gel, by the way, is not only used to act as sunburn remedy but it is also an effective treatment for acne.

Other topics of interest:
How To Prevent Migraine
Remedies For Bad Breath
Prevent Chronic Bronchitis
Remedy For Hiccup
Kidney Stones Remedy

How To Prevent Migraine?

I'm strong, but when it comes to migraine attack, I always falter. I'm too weak to fight it and it is too painful to see a light. Paracetamol may subdue the throbbing pain but it is not capable of completely eliminating it. According to health experts, it is easy to prevent migraine than to treat it; in which I fully agree.

How to prevent migraine? Keep away from eating foods that are rich in amino acid tyramine, such as cured and processed meats, aged cheeses, nuts and peanuts. Red wines, as well as chocolates, are known to trigger migraine because they contain high amount of tyramine.

Argh! I don't think I can prevent migraine from kicking in. All the foods that were mentioned were undeniably hard to resist.

Other topics of interest:
Remedy For Hiccup
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Kidney Stones Remedy
Remedies For Bad Breath
Prevent Chronic Bronchitis

Remedies For Bad Breath


Besides the sickening underarm odor, halitosis or bad breath is another unpleasant odor that can trigger my sinusitis. That's why I stay away from people who smoke and who just had a breath pollutant meal. If I could not avoid talking to these people, I might be forced to offer them oranges to alleviate their stinking breath. Why oranges? Eating oranges is one of the remedies for bad breath. The citric acid of an orange will stimulate production of saliva that may help provide breath-freshening saliva.

Another remedy for bad breath is gargling with water. This remedy disentangles the bacteria coated in your mouth. Although it will not eliminate the odor, at least you will be able to have an acceptable breath, temporarily.

Other topics of interest:
Remedy For Hiccup
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Insomnia Remedy: Drink Coffee
Dry Hair: Don't Let Your Crowning Glory Dry
Pilates Exercise: Is It Effective?

Prevent Chronic Bronchitis

The most important advice given by physicians to prevent chronic bronchitis is—DO NOT SMOKE. Hence, if you still value your life, quit smoking NOW!

You can also prevent catching chronic bronchitis, especially if you are working with dust or fumes, by wearing a respirator that filters the pollutants from the air that you inhale.

Frequent washing of hands will also prevent you from getting viral bronchitis.

Saline solution is a good cleaning agent to clean your nose, as well as your sinuses.

Drink adequate amount of vitamin C to boost your immune system and to help you prevent chronic bronchitis.

Other topics of interest:
Remedy For Hiccup
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Insomnia Remedy: Drink Coffee
How To Lose Weight?—Feed Your Mind First With Proper Information
Dry Hair: Don't Let Your Crowning Glory Dry

Remedy For Hiccup

Hiccup is characterized by a "hic!" sound. It comes in an inconvenient time and it usually happens when you eat too quickly or too much.

So, what is an effective remedy you can try to stop hiccup? Drink water. After your last gulp, take a deep breath and hold your breath for a few seconds and then exhale. Repeat this step once or twice. This remedy usually works for me. Another remedy for hiccup you can try is to put sugar under your tongue. Although they say it is effective, I have not tried it yet.

Hiccup will only last for a few seconds. In some cases though, hiccup will persist after a few days or weeks, which is a sign of another medical condition.

Other topics of interest:
How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?
Vitamin D Prevents Osteoporosis
Kidney Stones Remedy
The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer
Benefits Of Coconut

How To Lose Weight While Having Fun?

Just play lawn tennis. You will surely lose 1000 calories in an hour of playing this game. But lawn tennis is different from badminton. You still have to acquire fundamental knowledge about lawn tennis in order to enjoy playing this favorite game of Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.

It is not necessary to play lawn tennis every day to lose weight. You can enjoy playing this game for one hour, twice or thrice a week. But words of caution though--this is highly addictive. Once you start playing it, you'd surely want to play more to lose more pounds.

Other topics of interest:
The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer
Vasectomy Reversal—Wanting To Have More Babies
How To Lose Weight?—Feed Your Mind First With Proper Information
Fruits and Vegetables for Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer and Diabetes
Proper Way of Hand Washing

Vitamin D Prevents Osteoporosis

Vitamin D is important for the proper calcium absorption in the intestines. Your body is incapable of absorbing calcium without sufficient amount of vitamin D. In the case of insufficient vitamin D, taking of calcium supplements may deem useless.

According to a research, the only reliable source to generate vitamin D is sunlight exposure. Upon exposure to sunlight, your skin will then start producing vitamin D. Hence, allow yourself to be exposed under the heat of the sun regularly. In this way, you will prevent osteoporosis, breast cancer and other diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency.

And for people with dark skin pigmentation, you may need more sunlight exposure than those of fair-skinned individuals in order to produce and generate the same amount of the said vitamin.

So, do not be afraid of the sun. Go out and produce more vitamin D to ward off osteoporosis.

Other topics of interest:
Fruits and Vegetables for Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer and Diabetes
Lipid Metabolism and Its Associated Diseases
Hormonal Imbalance Linked To Acne Problem
The Tic of Tourette Syndrome
How A Sexually Inactive Child Maybe Infected With Chlamydia

Kidney Stones Remedy

The best thing about water is its thousands of health benefits including remedy for kidney stones. The recommended daily water intake is 6 to 8 glasses or approximately 2 liters.

If you do not want to suffer from kidney stones, then you have to love drinking water. By water, it means plain water.

However, if kidney stones are already formed inside, you may help flush them out by increasing your water intake to 3 liters of water every day. You will notice that your urine will come out clear without trace of yellow.

Water is life. And you can make water a remedy for kidney stones or prevention from nephrolithiasis.

Meanwhile, these people may not be remedy for kidney stones but they are my Top 10 Entrecard Droppers.

Other topics of interest:
The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer
Benefits Of Coconut
Common Cold Remedy
Lifestyle Factors Of Cosmetic Surgery
Acne Remedy

Insomnia Remedy: Drink Coffee

Insomnia Remedy: Nescafe Relax
Okay, I know that by drinking coffee, your brain is stimulated and you'd feel more alive. But drinking decaffeinated coffee with chamomile will soothe your nerves helping you fall asleep. Tea or coffee containing chamomile is said to be effective insomnia remedy.

You can try the Nescafe Relax. It has chamomile extract. One sachet makes two servings. But words of caution though: Do not attempt to drink it while you are at work. You might get caught sleeping. This is good for insomnia remedy.

Image source: nestle.com.ph

Other topics of interest:
How To Lose Weight?—Feed Your Mind First With Proper Information
Dry Hair: Don't Let Your Crowning Glory Dry
Pilates Exercise: Is It Effective?
Fruits And Vegetables For Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer And Diabetes
Lipid Metabolism And Its Associated Diseases

PSA: Prostate Specific Antigen

PSA: Prostate Cancer
Enlargement of the prostate gland, if left untreated will lead to prostate cancer. Prostate specific antigen or PSA is one of the requested laboratory tests used to determine the condition of this gland-producing prostatic fluid. This is also used as a screening test for prostate cancer.

If the PSA result is high (normal 4 nanograms/mL), it would indicate enlargement of the prostate or prostate cancer.

They say that benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer are common disorders among older men. According to doctors, you need to undergo tests for prostate gland, like PSA, when you reach the age of 40.

However, most Filipinos will not consult a physician, until symptoms become worse. Just like my father, he did not visit a urologist or undergo laboratory examination (PSA), even though he's already experiencing urinary discomfort. The result: prostate cancer + complications.

Image source: Flickr.com

Other topics of interest:
The Truth About Your Kidneys
Fasting Blood Sugar
Feces Examination—A Specialty Of
Significance Of Acidic Urine
Semen Analysis: Three-Hour Experiment

The Venom Of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer Colorectal cancer is a cancer of the colon and rectum, and it's the same cancer that tortured my maternal grandmother, as well as President Corazon Aquino and other Filipinos. It's the third lethal disease in the Philippines.

There are several contributing factors to colorectal cancer. Smoking and alcohol are just among the few known culprits of this cancer. Furthermore, eating high-protein diet, as well as consuming processed foods, can make yourself at risk of developing such cancer. In addition, living a sedentary lifestyle can also lead to colorectal cancer.

But the most horrifying thing about this cancer is its ability to be passed on from generation to generation. In other words, it is hereditary. As mentioned earlier, my grandmother, who died almost 10 years ago, was one of the sufferers of colorectal cancer.

However, there are still things we can do to fight against this colorectal cancer. Lifestyle change is one. And then followed by eating a well-balanced diet, especially foods high in fiber. Avoiding eating processed foods. Increase consumption of fruit and vegetables.

It is advisable for people who are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer to undergo colonoscopy when they reach the age of 50. Occult blood test is also necessary. The earlier the diagnosis is the better chances of survival.

Image source: Flickr.com

Other topics of interest:
Benefits of Coconut
Common Cold Remedy
Lifestyle Factors Of Cosmetic Surgery
Acne Remedy
Acid Reflux Remedy

Benefits Of Coconut

"The coconut nut is a giant nut. If you eat too much, you'll get very fat… It's the coco fruit. Of the coco tree. From the coco palm family." – From the song "Da Coconut Nut" by Smokey Mountain.

Coconut palm is the tree itself while its seed is referred to as coconut. There are several benefits of coconut.

Treatment for kidney disease is one of the health benefits of coconut water. Although you can buy BJ (Buko juice or coconut water) at the grocery section, it's still better to drink it fresh from the coconut. You can put a straw into the coconut to drink its water. Or you can transfer the water in a clean container and add milk.

The white, fleshy part of the coconut seed called meat is used in cooking. This meat is high in dietary fiber, another health benefit of coconut.

The coconut oil is considered as the best nutrition for the hair. Several women use such oil to make their hair shiny and to maintain their healthy black hair.

In the Philippines, coconut is dubbed as the "Tree of Life." It has thousands of uses to the Filipino people and one of them is used to build a house.

These are just few of the benefits of the coconut, a giant nut.

Other topics of interest:
Common Cold Remedy
Lifestyle Factors Of Cosmetic Surgery
Acne Remedy
Acid Reflux Remedy
How To Survive Deadly Heart Attack

Common Cold Remedy

I'm not a big fan of synthetic medicines, especially when I think I will catch a common cold. Sore throat, sneezing, clear, watery nasal drainage are few of the most common symptoms of colds. And what do I do if cold symptoms will come my way? I don’t take paracetamol, phenyl and the like. I just follow the common cold remedy that my grandma taught me.

Common cold remedy

Garlic, honey and kalamansi. These three will always make me feel better. And oh! Don’t forget the healing power of water therapy.

Garlic- this member of the onion family Alliaceae is not only used for culinary purposes but it's also utilized to fight against common cold. It has a special property that boosts your immune system.

Honey- this honey-bee-produced common cold remedy is rich in vitamin C.

Kalamansi- or Calamondin is another common cold remedy that is high in vitamin C, perfect to ward off symptoms of common cold.

Water therapy is also beneficial in treating common cold. This will help flush out phlegm and assist you to breathe easier.

This common cold remedy suits my body and relieves my sickness.

Other topics of interest:
How To Survive Deadly Heart Attack When You Are Alone
Mangosteen- A Miracle Cure
Lifestyle Factors Of Cosmetic Surgery
Acne Remedy
Acid Reflux Remedy—No More Stomach Acids

Lifestyle Factors of Cosmetic Surgery

(This post is written by Brett, a guest writer.)

Considering a cosmetic surgery procedure to improve your self esteem or self image? There are a variety of lifestyle factors that should be taken into account before moving forward with any medical procedures, selective or otherwise. Your health care representative will provide specific guidelines and rules to follow before you arrive for surgery. Below is some fairly standard advice that is provided by most professionals pre-operation:

- Continue with regular exercise preceding surgery. Post operation, be sure to take it easy and take part in low-intensity workouts at first.
- Limit alcohol consumption.
- Be sure to get plenty of rest before and after surgery. Cosmetic surgery is a psychically draining experience for many patients.
- Avoid excessive sunlight. A variety of side effects including sunburn and dehydration can occur from spending too much time in direct sunlight.
- Don't smoke.
- Don't use illegal drugs.
- Eat healthy and continue to take any vitamin supplements.

For more information regarding this topic, there are a variety of cosmetic surgery blogs that can be used as an additional resource. By following these common sense guidelines, you'll be doing your part to ensure the success of your upcoming cosmetic procedure.

The Truth About Your Kidneys

As you know it, you have two kidneys and each kidney has 1,000,000 nephrons (functional unit of the kidney).

A normal kidney removes the metabolic waste products from your blood. It also regulates the acid-base balance, as well as the water content in the body.

The volume of blood delivered to the kidneys is approximately 1200 ml/min.

Low urine volume

In case of increased production of vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone), your kidneys produce low urine volume.

Specimen collection

Improper collection of urine sample is the most common cause of error in the creatinine clearance test.

Disease

Pyelonephritis that resulted from untreated lower urinary tract infection is commonly seen in women.

You might notice that every time you consult your doctor for a certain illness, urinalysis is one of the most requested laboratory tests. This is because almost all diseases, especially kidney problems, can affect renal function.

Other topics of interest:
Fasting Blood Sugar
Significance Of Acidic Urine
Feces Examination—A Specialty Of
Semen Analysis
Elevated Amylase

Acne Remedy

There are several different acne remedies you can choose from. These remedies would include herbal medicines and conventional treatments.

Conventional medicines or treatments usually cause serious side effects. Plus, they are costly. Herbal medicines, on the other hand, may not be as effective as conventional treatments but they do not cause adverse side effects.

One acne remedy I would recommend is Herbal Aloe of Herbalife. This product contains whole leaf aloe, chamomile, calendula extracts and other useful ingredients. The main purpose of this remedy is to provide relief from minor skin irritations.

But when my cousin, who has moderate acne, started using this herbal remedy of Herbalife, I must say that her facial skin was improved. Although her face still has some blemishes, but her acne gradually disappears. Her pimples will still show up every time Aunt Flow comes, but it fades away after her menstrual period.

With liberal amount of Herbal Aloe Everyday Soothing Gel, apply it gently all over your face after facial wash, twice a day.

But then again, this acne remedy is not for everyone. Some patients with acne might have allergic reactions to aloe vera.

Other topics of interest:

Fasting Blood Sugar

Fasting blood sugar is often the requested clinical chemistry test in order to determine your blood sugar level. It is taken after an eight-hour fasting.

Furthermore, fasting blood sugar examination requires fasting for eight hours to ensure that the system is clear. It is said that the most accurate fasting blood sugar result can only be obtained if the patient underwent fasting for at least eight hours before collection of blood.

This clinical chemistry examination is a screening test for diabetes. If the result is above the normal values, physicians would usually request for another fasting blood sugar examination. However, some doctors will immediately request for a glycosylated hemoglobin test as a confirmatory test for diabetes. But this will depend on your doctor's assessment regarding your medical background.

Fasting blood sugar is essential especially for patients with family history of diabetes. As you all know it, diabetes is one of the deadliest diseases worldwide. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease of impaired insulin function.

Other topics of interest:

Acid Reflux Remedy—No More Stomach Acids

Acid reflux is simply described as flowing back of stomach acid to your esophagus. Trouble in swallowing is one of the common symptoms of acid reflux. Physicians would usually recommend a lifestyle change as acid reflex remedy.

Ginger may used as acid reflux remedy. Your grandparents may have used it to treat stomach upsets and to suppress nausea. This remedy for acid reflux may improve digestion leading to treatment of your condition.

But not all cases of acid reflux have been solved using this remedy. Like any other herbal remedies, there is still no scientific evidence to prove its effectiveness.

Large amount of ginger as remedy for acid reflux is not advisable for patients who are also using blood-thinning medication. It may cause some serious medical condition.

Other topics of interest:
How To Survive Deadly Heart Attack When You Are Alone
Cranberries Can Cure Bladder Infection
Mangosteen—A Miracle Cure?
Dry Hair: Don't Let Your Crowning Glory Dry
Fruit And Vegetables For Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer And Diabetes

How To Survive Deadly Heart Attack When You Are Alone

According to national heart lung and blood institute, heart attack is a condition wherein blood flow to a section of heart muscle becomes clogged. If the obstruction is not restored immediately, it causes damage to the section of the heart muscle because of oxygen deprivation. This would lead to death. Unfortunately, heart attack occurs when we are alone. Hence, we need to know how to survive when heart attack invades us.

Repeated coughing is one way to survive heart attack, advised by a cardiologist. It is said that a deep breath before each cough should be done. It has to be deep and prolonged. It is like producing sputum from deep inside the chest.

It is necessary to take this deep breath and cough method repeatedly every two seconds or until the heart is beating normally, in order to survive from a heart attack.

This method used to survive heart attack follows the principle that taking deep breaths or prolonged inhalation can cause restoration of oxygen from the lungs. Coughing, on the other hand, keeps the blood from circulating and eventually regains normal rhythm.

This information was sent to me by a friend who's working abroad as a nurse. I have not tested its effectiveness, but it may save someone's life.

Other topics of interest:
Fruits And Vegetables For Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer And Diabetes
Lipid Metabolism And Its Associated Diseases
Hormonal Imbalance Linked To Acne Problem
The Tic Of Tourette Syndrome
How A Sexually Inactive Child Maybe Infected With Chlamydia

Vasectomy Reversal—Wanting To Have More Babies?

After you underwent vasectomy, you have realized you want more babies and now you like to undergo vasectomy reversal.

Vasectomy reversal is obviously done in men and performed by qualified physicians. This procedure involves restoration of the flow of sperm through the vas deferens. In addition, vasectomy reversal is an out-patient procedure. Hence, you are not required to stay in a hospital for recovery time.

But before the procedure is conducted, patients should be evaluated and be informed about the options and alternatives. Techniques should also be discussed by the physician who will perform vasectomy reversal.

There are a lot of factors to consider if pregnancy is possible. Urologists can determine whether a patient can still pass semen. There are reported cases that pregnancy has not been achieved after vasectomy reversal. This can happen because of several reasons. Blockage in the vas deferens is one. Another reason can be the presence of autoantibodies that can upset semen production. But still, the urologist can decide whether you are a good candidate for this procedure or not.

I think there are only few doctors who are qualified to perform vasectomy reversal here in Davao. And only few people are aware of this kind of procedure.

Other topics of interest:
Mangosteen—A Miracle Cure?
Get Rid Of Unwanted Hair Through Laser Hair Removal
Cranberries Can Cure Bladder Infection
Antioxidants Can Make You Slim
Can Orchiectomy Cure Prostate Cancer?

Mangosteen-- A Miracle Cure?

Mangosteen
There have been a lot of reports about the effectiveness of mangosteen to treat different diseases, including: (1) breast cancer, (2) prostate cancer, (3) lung cancer, (4) stomach cancer, and a lot more.

Mangosteen juice has now been recommended by renowned medical doctors, worldwide. Because of the medicinal values of mangosteen, not just the juice but the entire fruit, this is now used to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, combat against cancer, et cetera.

Mangosteen is undoubtedly a delicious fruit. But I don't want to take mangosteen herbal supplements sold over the counter. It is better to eat the fresh fruit... at least in my opinion.

Other topics of interest:

Get Rid Of Unwanted Hair Through Laser Hair Removal

Laser Hair Removal(Image from Flickr.com)--That is if you have money to undergo laser hair removal. Each session will cost around PHP 5,000 ($100+). The entire treatment will require 8 to 10 sessions. So when you really want to completely get rid of your unwanted hair, you have to prepare at least PHP 50,000 ($700). Whew!

One of the advantages of laser hair removal is permanent hair removal. So you no longer have to prick, shave, or wax your unwanted hair just to get rid of it. It is safe, when it's performed by trained and qualified physician/specialists.

So far in Davao City, the only competent clinics (that I know of) that conduct laser hair removal are OroDerm and SkinDoctors. The treatment is painless. But it would surely hurt your wallet. :)

Other topics of interest:

Cranberries Can Cure Bladder Infection

CranberriesI love cranberry juice. If I have enough money, I usually buy cranberry juice. Some of my favorite foods in a restaurant are flavored using cranberries. Apart from its culinary uses, it is interesting to note that cranberries can cure bladder infection.

Cranberries are acidic. This acidity is thought to combat against urinary infection. Cranberries are rich in fructose and anti-oxidants. The said components prevent the bacteria from harboring the bladder and eventually cure bladder infection.

Cranberries are also rich in Vitamin C. Its richness in Vitamin C boosts cranberry-juice drinker's immune system and may fight against bladder infection.

However, like other home remedies to cure bladder infection, cranberries should not be used as a cure rather as a support for conventional medicine.

Image from Flickr.com uploaded by Lynette_Henderson.

Other topics of interest:

Antioxidants Can Make You Slim

Antioxidant Fruits
Wondering why antioxidant foods/supplements are hot on the market nowadays? This is because of their health benefits that can make wonders to your body, especially when you're trying to slim down and shed off unwanted fats.

Pro-Aging and Pro-Obesity
Free radicals are said to be pro-aging. Furthermore, they are discovered to make you fat. According to a neuroendocrinologist, free radicals can damage specific cells responsible for prompting us that our stomach is already full. Chips, for example, contain free radicals. This is the reason why our appetite is increased when we consume chips or junk foods. In order to fight against free radicals, we must avoid junk foods because they are junk and junks aren’t supposed to be eaten. Also, antioxidants are available to help eliminate oxidizing molecules.

However, free radicals should not be eliminated completely from our body. Even though they can make you look older and they are culprits for your weight problem, they too have health benefits, if consumed at a minimum.

Berries, plum, kiwi fruits are just few of the fruits rich in antioxidants.

Image from Flickr.com uploaded by schoolio.

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Can Orchiectomy Cure Prostate Cancer?
How To Lose Weight? – Feed Your Mind First With Proper Information
Significance Of Acidic Urine

Can Orchiectomy Cure Prostate Cancer?

After we found out almost three years ago that my father is suffering from prostate cancer, his doctor discussed the treatment options. My father could either undergo orchiectomy or hormonal therapy. The latter is more expensive because it is done every month. The former is a one-time treatment.

Treatment for prostate cancer

Orchiectomy is one of the ways to cure prostate cancer. Or if you have enlargement of the prostate glands, then you may opt for orchiectomy. This procedure is the removal of your testis, which produces testosterone. Testosterone is said to be the food of the prostate cancer. So if the food is eliminated, then the cancer cells will eventually die. This explanation is from my father's urologist.

Disadvantages

The drawbacks of this surgical procedure are erectile dysfunction, sterility, weight gain, hot flashes, osteoporosis, larger breasts, and loss of muscles mass and of sexual interest. Insanity is not included.

So the question, can orchiectomy do its job well in treating prostate cancer? My father's urologist says yes. The success rate for orchiectomy is high. But father opted for hormonal therapy.

How To Lose Weight?--Feed Your Mind First With Proper Information

Do you ever wonder why you still have weight problem and you're not losing weight while you exercise regularly and you avoid foods that can cause obesity? Scientists have added genes, viruses and hormonal imbalances as contributing factors to weight problem.

Yes, genes can affect your weight problem. According to a research, there are people who carry fat genes that would cause obesity. If you have this type of genes, then you have more weight problem. But regular exercise may help you lose weight.

What's more interesting is that there are some people who were born to have more fat cells. This is why these people need to work out more to lose more fats.

If you belong to the category of people with fat genes and more fat cells, then you need to start changing your diet and go have some physical activity.

Changing your metabolism is one of the many ways to lose weight. If you can do this, then your weight problem may gradually be solved.

Significance Of Acidic Urine

Urine Content
My mom just had a urinalysis/urine analysis/urine examination yesterday. It was one of the examinations requested to assess her nephrolithiasis (formation of kidney stones). I wasn’t there when the result was released. Due to my father's current condition (underwent TURP for his prostate cancer and treated for other complications), every member of the family is already freaking out. My sister was worried about my mom's urinalysis result, not with the entire result though. To be exact, she's anxious about the pH value; it turned out acidic.

Since the kidneys, along with the lungs, regulate the acid-base balance of the body, the normal pH of a random urine specimen would range from 4.5 to 8.0. But there are no normal values for pH. The acidity of the urine should be evaluated in conjunction with the patient's condition.

In other words, you cannot have a clear picture of your kidneys through the pH of your urine. Hence, acidic urine is just a piece of the puzzle.

However, pH of 9 in a urine specimen indicates an improperly preserved specimen.

Image from scienceblogs.com.

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Dry Hair: Don't Let Your Crowning Glory Dry

dry hair remedies
I don’t have dry hair but it's less shiny than when I was still in college. I've never dyed my hair but I had used hot oil treatment, once or twice before. I know that a less shiny hair will soon enough lead to a dry hair. For this reason, I take extra care of my crowning glory by avoiding harsh chemicals.

Wash Hair Every Other Day
One of the remedies I've read for dry hair is to wash it every other day. In other words, every day washing is not good since it removes the natural oils. Some experts suggested using a baby shampoo because of its less drying properties. But I just stick with my old shampoo. Then follow it up with conditioner.

Don’t rinse it with hot water
In addition, hot water for rinsing is not recommended because it removes the protective oils from your hair leaving it dry and undesirable.

Honey-and-egg Mask
They also suggested a honey-and-egg hair mask to be applied on hair, regularly. I haven’t tried it yet but the egg yolks are said to have a moisturizing property that is good for the hair and the honey itself provides polishing effect.

These and a lot more natural remedies I can use to prevent my hair from drying.

Image from Flickr.com and uploaded by mindfulgirl

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Pilates Exercise: Is It Effective?


Before, I tried few sessions of Pilates exercise but couldn’t keep up due to my busy work life (uhuh?). Anyway, I want to start another session of Pilates exercise soon to enhance my mental and physical well-being.

Joseph Pilates
Joseph Pilates, who developed Pilates which is a combination of aerobics and yoga, believed there is some sort of connection between our physical health and our mental health. Through Pilates exercise, we use our mind to control the movement of our muscles.

Extreme Stress
Pilates exercise is especially helpful for people who undergo extreme stress. The goal of the said exercise is to combine the mind and body.

Principles
Breathing is one principle of Pilates. This is helpful in providing better blood circulation thereby releasing stress.

Centering is another principle of Pilates exercise. This is for the coordination of body movements that should come from the center and outward.

Concentration is what I need. With all the stressors surrounding me, I should be able to eliminate them through Pilates exercise.

Another helpful principle of Pilates exercise is precision. Practitioners of this exercise insist that every movement of Pilates, no matter how difficult it is, has a purpose.

The flow of movement is the last principle of Pilates exercise. The continuous movement will help achieve strength and stamina.

A lot of people have tried Pilates exercise and I must say that they've improved their overall health. Furthermore, Pilates exercise is good for the back, especially when you have back pain. Through this exercise, you will achieve core stability that will support back function.

Pilates exercise is able to help individuals, who have poor posture, stabilize their backs thereby eliminating back pain and improving posture. Potential injury can also be prevented through Pilates exercise.

When you combine Pilates exercise with balanced diet, I think it's a good start to boost your general health.

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Feces Examination—A Specialty Of



One of the "specialties" of a medical technologist is to process feces for examination. If you don’t have a strong stomach, then you're really going to vomit… like me.

The collection of fecal specimen is not that easy for the patients. Containers are being provided and patients are needed to be instructed on how to properly collect the specimen from a clean container, like a bedpan for example, to a laboratory container for feces examination.

Patients have to bear in mind to prevent the specimen from combining with urine or defile it with water from the toilet that has disinfectants.

Bacteria, cellulose, gastrointestinal secretions, bile pigments, cells from the intestinal walls, electrolytes and water are the composition of a normal fecal specimen. Most of the bacteria found in normal feces are the normal flora of the intestines that help in the digestive process.

What causes the unpleasant odor of feces?

It’s the metabolism of bacteria that causes the strong odor of feces.
The introduction of pathogenic organisms will disturb the normal intestinal flora that resulted to diarrhea.

During constipation, the absorption of additional water from the fecal material takes longer and as a result small and hard stools are produced.

Hence, in order to avoid constipation, you have to eat a diet rich in fiber and drink plenty of water to facilitate in easy defecation.

Image from Flickr.com by obsessive compulsive photographer

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Fruits and Vegetables for Treating Different Diseases Like Prostate Cancer and Diabetes

My parents and I, together with my brother and his wife, my uncle and aunt, went to the town of Asuncion. It's almost an hour ride from Tagum City and two-hour ride from Davao City.

Why did we go there?
To seek a therapist.

For what?
For my father's prostate cancer and my mom's nephrolithiasis. Siegfred Alingayao, a physiotherapist, is known to his co-barangay as a therapist who can heal almost all kinds of diseases.

There were a lot of malignant stages of cancer, like prostate cancer, and severe cases of kidney diseases that he successfully treated. He also treats diabetics to normalize their glucose, as long as they stay away from foods that are prohibited for diabetics. He doesn’t advise taking synthetic medicines.

His method of therapy is different because he only massages some parts of the body and on the forehead. But I'm still skeptical about it. I may believe him if he could cure my father's prostate cancer and my mom's scoliosis and nephrolithiasis (kidney stones), without taking synthetic medicines and just pure and natural foods.

Right now, my father is taking pure and natural tomatoes and cucumber. If I were to think of it, I don’t think I can manage to either eat pure tomatoes or cucumber or drink their juices.

We are also looking for a guyabano or soursoup because research shows that it has components that can cure cancer. It is like undergoing chemotherapy, but no hair falls. However, it's difficult to find soursoup or guyabano these days.

He also mentioned several fruits and vegetables that are effective in treating diseases, like:
Banana
This is to normalize sugar level for diabetes. He requires two bananas a day.

Cucumber or Pipino
For people suffering from kidney diseases. I had that chance to ask one patient about her experience. And indeed, after eating cucumber for months, her scheduled dialysis was discontinued because her kidneys were already functioning well. She didn’t take any synthetic medicines, just pure natural foods.

Carrots
Carrots are really effective therapy for the eyes.

Mangosteen
Although he approves those mangosteen capsules in the market today, he still recommends eating the fresh ones because he said we cannot be sure where they got these mangosteen fruits to make capsules.

Prostate Cancer
He said that either in excess or deficient in sex is the reason why men suffer enlargement of the prostate. He advised eight times per month; twice per week.

Multivitamins
He still commends eating fresh fruits rich in Vitamin C. He didn’t approve taking Centrum Complete because of its completeness. But why it's not good for the body? Because, for example, one of the Minerals in Centrum is zinc. But if you're the person who doesn't need zinc every day, and since, it's in Centrum, your body will then accumulate zinc which may lead to harmful effects to your kidneys (excretion of waste products) or your liver (detoxification).

I think I can learn a lot more from him just by listening. We'll be back next Saturday because he advised my parents to have another session of therapy with him.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm still skeptical about his ways of treating people, but I still hope that he'll be the instrument to heal my father's prostate cancer and my mom's kidney stones and scoliosis.

Additional Information: He can also help someone get pregnant through a series of sessions.

Lipid Metabolism and Its Associated Diseases

Lipid Metabolism and Its Associated DiseasesFats and Cholesterol
Since fats or triglycerides and cholesterol are insoluble with the watery medium of plasma, they are being transported to the blood coupled with a carrier substance known as lipoprotein. Lipoprotein is a group of lipids and proteins that are produced in the liver and cells of the intestinal mucosa.

Types of Lipoproteins
Furthermore, lipoprotein appears in various forms that can be determined through their molecular weight and density. Moreover, each lipoprotein has distinguishing function.

Chylomicrons
Chylomicron, for example, that transports dietary cholesterol and triglycerides from the intestine to the liver and other tissues.

VLDL
VLDL or Very Low Density Lipoprotein is a type of lipoprotein that carries triglycerides from the intestine and liver to the muscle and fatty tissue.

Bad Cholesterol
Another type of lipoprotein is LDL or Low Density Lipoprotein which transports cholesterol to the tissues besides liver, such as walls of the arteries. Therefore, it is considered as the bad cholesterol.

Good Cholesterol
HDL or High Density Lipoprotein, on the other hand, is the good cholesterol because it takes the cholesterol to the liver for excretion in bile.

Abnormalities
People with genetic abnormalities related to synthesis and metabolism of lipoproteins have a high risk of developing artherosclerosis. This is an abnormal condition wherein cholesterol crystals are deposited in the walls of the arteries. Individuals who have total cholesterol level of above 220 mg/dl, LDL level of above 150 mg/dl, fasting triglyceride of above 250 mg/dl or HDL level of below 35 mg/dl are at risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Besides heredity, diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypothrydoidism, renal syndromes and excessive consumption of dietary saturate fat can increase the levels of LDL.

Exericse
It is very important to reduce the LDL levels to avoid congenital problems, like coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease. To help normalize the LDL levels, doctors suggest exercise and lifestyle and dietary modification. And it has been reported that cholesterol lowering drugs can also control the lipid levels.

Image from heyokamagazine.com/obese.jpg

Some Facts about Doctors

Dr. House
(Photo from Caricaturas)
"Are You Sure, Doc?"
Sometimes patients have the inclination to ask medical doctors if they are sure about the things they're telling to their patients, which connotes suspicion or lack of confidence to the medical doctor's ability. But it irked some medical doctors when patients do this. More so if patients compare the opinion or diagnosis of their medical doctors from other medical doctors who are less competent.

"I'll leave it up to you, Doc."
The management of one's health shouldn't be placed on the hands of the medical doctors. Health care is the patient's responsibility. Medical doctors are just guide. They should work hand in hand.

Herbal Medicines
Most medical doctors don't believe or accept the effectiveness of herbal medicines. But if you're taking any herbal medicines, it is still important to tell your doctor what other medicines you are taking. They need to know and they have to know in order for them to evaluate you better. Don't keep it under wraps.

Know your signs and symptoms.
If you feel something bizarre about your body, take note of it. List everything you did and the medicines that you took before the odd feeling. Doctors don't know everything. They need to properly know your history of present illness. One miss might aggravate the situation.

Not all diseases can be cured.
Just like arthritis. There's no cure for arthritis. But you can control it by avoiding the foods or activities that would trigger it. Stop asking your doctor to give you a pill to cure arthritis. They will just give you a pain reliever.

Don't self-medicate.
Just because you have mustered medical information about your illness, doesn’t mean you have to self-medicate. Although medical information is available online, it is still necessary to discuss it with your doctor to further understand your illness.

Revealing the truth.
Doctors can feel the pain when they tell their patients they have incurable disease or worse, they only have one month to live. Some medical doctors sympathize with their patients. But they need to show their patients there's still hope, even if there's none.

Doctors don’t know everything.
Unless your medical doctor is Dr. House. Because of ego, perhaps, some doctors can't say to their patients if they don't know their illness. They simply request for additional examination.

Negotiation
Other doctors can understand their patient's financial status, so it's okay to admit that you don't have enough money to pay them. But some patients are too shy to concede. Funny thing is that those who negotiate of doctor's fee are the people who can afford to pay.

Hormonal Imbalance Linked to Acne Problem

[dermatology.svhm.org.au]

I watched last weekend's "Salamat Dok" episode."Salamat Dok" or if translated in English would mean Thank You Doc. It's a morning show of ABS-CBN, one of the leading TV networks in the Philippines, that tackles medical topics and their guests, usually medical doctors, will try to answer some questions submitted by TV viewers.

Last weekend's topic was about hormonal imbalance. The discussion was in conjunction with the celebration of International Women's Month.

Hormonal Imbalance Linked to Acne Problem
The show's guest was an ob-gynecologist. During the course of the interview, she talked about hormonal imbalance as one of the causes of acne problem in women. This is the reason why most women experience acne problem during, before or after menstruation.

Acne Medications
One of the acne medications that they've featured was the use of contraceptive pills. Although I've heard about it before from a friend whose sister is using a contraceptive pill as acne medication, I was a bit skeptical about it until I've learned it straight from the doctor's mouth.

But of course, using contraceptive pills as acne medication isn't advisable without consulting your doctor first. You will still have to be evaluated for your physical and medical condition to know what contraceptive pills as acne medication suit you. You will, of course, expect some side effects from using this form of acne medication. So it's necessary to have a word with your doctor first before trying anything out.

Another acne medication I know is Isotretinoin. This acne medication is not only for treatment of acne but also used to reduce oil production. However, this is not an OTC acne medication. Further, this type of acne medication is not prescribed for pregnant women and women who desired to get pregnant during the course of treatment. The effectiveness of Isotretinoin for treating acne has been tried and tested by many people I know. Unfortunately, this acne treatment is quite expensive.

Words of Caution
There are a lot of acne medications emerging rapidly in today's market. However truthful they may appear on TV or commercial ads, it is still important to ask for an advice from a certified dermatologist because every person has different body reactions from acne medications. And sometimes, acne medications can do more harm than good.
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