Arthritis

For Arthritis Sufferers, Life Is a Bowl of Cherries

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For Arthritis Sufferers, Life Is a Bowl of Cherries
Rachel Williamson

Cherries have been receiving a lot of attention of late due to their beneficial effects on something that affects millions of people: arthritis. According to researchers, cherries contain anti-inflammatory properties that may work even better than over-the-counter drugs. The Arthritis Foundation says that “drinking tart cherry juice mixed with water three times a day may be beneficial for some people with arthritis … Cherries also contain varied antioxidants, including kaempferol and quercetin. These compounds, particularly quercetin, may have anti-inflammatory effects that are similar to those of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen …”Researchers have focused their attention on tart cherry juice. According to a 1999 study by Michigan State University researchers, tart cherries contain something called anthocyanins that prevent free radical damage and inhibit cyclooxygenase enzymes better than some anti-inflammatory drugs that work as Cox inhibitors. In order to inhibit Cox-2 enzymes, many anti-inflammatory drugs have to attack both Cox-1 and Cox-2 enzymes. Unfortunately, Cox-1 protects the lining of the stomach. This is why so many people who take anti-inflammatories on a regular basis develop stomach problems. It turns out that cherries contain flavanoids and antioxidants that have a protective effect on the stomach, minimizing the deleterious effects of inhibiting Cox-1 enzymes. While there haven’t been any studies done on humans, researchers believe there’s strong enough evidence to add cherries to your daily diet. They certainly won’t hurt you and they might provide outstanding relief from the pain of arthritis. About the Author
Rachel Williamson is a contributing writer for Eat This! where she has written about the health benefits of cherry juice.

Cosmetic Health

Necessary Care after Laser Hair Removal

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Laser hair removal, although a simple process, does require proper care of the skin in the area that was treated. Generally there is little recovery time needed regarding laser hair removal procedures. People can usually return to normal activities immediately after treatment. However, it is important to take the time to follow the recommended guidelines for aftercare in order to protect against any chance of a complication and to reduce any discomfort that may be experienced.

Following laser hair removal treatment, it is not uncommon for the skin to be slightly swollen and red in the treated area. Some people describe it as feeling like a mild sunburn, with slight puffiness and irritation. Placing a cooling preparation such as a cold compress, cold pack, or aloe vera, on the affected area will ease the temporary mild burning sensation. Some people experience this burning sensation for only a few hours, while others may feel it for a day or two. This is the time it takes for the skin to return completely to its normal state.

It is important to apply a total sunblock to the area that was treated with laser hair removal if it is going to be exposed to sunlight. A sunblock with an SFP of 30 or higher should be applied. Irritation and a burning sensation of the treated areas can result from even the slightest exposure to the sun. Sunlight should be avoided for three weeks following laser hair removal. This will prevent hyperpigmentation from occurring.

Moisturizing creams can also have a beneficial effect on the treated areas and help to prevent tissue crusting or scabbing. These creams can be bought over the counter or be prescribed by your practitioner. It usually is not necessary to use antibacterial cream. In fact, antibacterial creams might cause drying of the skin in the area that was treated with laser hair removal. Healthy skin is important for successful laser treatments and moisturizing every day will help to keep your skin that way.

As long as the skin is not broken, it is safe to apply makeup to the areas of the skin that have undergone laser hair removal treatments. The makeup used should be new and applied with clean fingers or a new clean sponge. Make of also helps to act as an additional sunblock.

Following a laser hair removal treatment, it is best to take warm, quick showers. It is best to use a gentle cleanser and avoid harsh soaps that may dry the skin. If any area of the body other than the face as has been treated, hot baths should be avoided for a couple of days.
The area of treatment should not be shaved for four or five days. After that time, it is okay to begin shaving again. Tweezing, waxing, plucking, and bleaching should not be done at all during, or in between, laser hair removal treatments.

If any blistering occurs, immediately apply a topical antibiotic cream or ointment and cover it with a non-adhering dressing. Immediately notify the laser technician or your physician.

After a few days, you will usually notice the hair that was treated by laser hair removal begins to shed. This should be expected and is a normal part of the treatment and recovery.

Alternative Health

Acupuncture and Electricity

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Acupuncture has been shown to have great success in treating pain, stress, and a number of diseases. Acupuncture has a number of different techniques, and one of them is to apply a very low-level electric charge to the needle. This particular technique is creating interest in a field that was started in America in the 1930s and 1940s, but lost support soon afterward. This field is how to use low levels of electricity as a tool for medical therapy.

The initial discovery of acupuncture points on the body was by centuries of observation of the tender spots on the skin when a patient had certain symptoms. These acupuncture points can now be discovered and duplicated by scientists. They can find these same acupuncture points (given in any standard diagram) by using electrical apparatus. Scientists can also use infrared photography to find the temperature differences between these acupuncture points and the surrounding skin. So the acupuncture points have a different electrical behavior than the surrounding cells when the patient suffers from the associated symptom.

Several claims for acupuncture seem to get some support from other research using electricity. One scientist, Becker, has had tissue regrown by animals when he applied a low-level electric current to the site of the tissue. Even heart tissue has been restored without any scarring. Low level electric pulses have also been used to make bone fractures heal significantly faster than fractures left to heal on their own.

How do these two previous experience relate to the fundamentals of acupuncture? The basis of acupuncture is the correct distribution and flow of energy throughout the body. When energy is depleted, regrowth and stimulation and vitality do not occur. An acupuncture treatment restores the energy needed to a specific area. This research (especially the bone research) supports the claim that acupuncture sessions are of significant benefit for those with broken arms or other broken bones in the feet, ankles, and wrists, or other locations. Acupuncture has been known as an effective treatment for patients with heart palpitations, and the EKG results scientifically support that claim. Patients that are attached to an EKG machine and undergo an acupuncture treatment show a difference in the structure of the heartbeat, which is controlled by electric impulses from the nerves.

When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the skin, there is an electrical activity at that point, since the cells at that point are disturbed, and cells by their structure have various electrical charges within them. This is also shown by such techniques as Kirlian photography, where the photograph after a needle is inserted has a very different energy shape than before the needle insertion.

This exploration of the interaction between electricity and acupuncture has come back to expand the techniques used in acupuncture. The most basic technique for an acupuncture treatment is to use needles inserted into the skin of the patient. The location of the insertion, its depth and technique, bring about the results from the treatment. An additional technique is the application of heat, or moxa, which we will not go into. A third addition may be the use of herbs, either at the point of insertion, or given to the patient separately. A technique directly related to the above research, and also harkening back to the experiments of the 1930s and 1940s, is to affect the acupuncture points by a low voltage electric current. This is used in place of the needle. All these results and new ideas make research in acupuncture an exciting field to be working in and reading about.

Vision Health

How To Clean Hard Contacts

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Hard, or rigid contacts are comprised of material that is known as PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate). This material is very rigid, and doesnt contain near as much water as soft contacts. With that in mind, taking care of and cleaning hard lenses is very different that cleaning and maintaining soft contact lenses.

Before you purchase a pair of hard or rigid contacts, you should know how to take care of them and how to clean them. Hard contacts differ from soft contacts, as the cleaning process is very different. When you purchase your contacts you should also purchase your cleaning solution. Your cleaner is very important, as you must have it with hard contacts.

The one thing that hard and soft contact lenses have in common, is the fact that you must wash your hands before you handle either of them. You should always wash your hands with soap and water before you handle your hard lenses. Antibacterial soap is the best soap to use, as it will thoroughly clean your hands and it doesnt contain any type of fragrance.

The first thing to do when cleaning your hard contacts is to take the lens out of your eye and put it in the center of your hand. You should have your cleaner out, and ready to use anytime you are looking to clean your lenses. Once you have the lens in the palm of your hand, squirt a couple of cleaning drops into the center of the lens. Now, gently work the solution into the lens, for a minute or so. You should always avoid using pressure, as you could end up tearing the lens.

Once you have finished cleaning your lens, youll need to rinse it. You can rinse hard contact lenses using lukewarm water. These types of lenses are very sturdy and dont require any special liquid or solution for rinsing. When you have finished cleaning and rinsing your contacts, simply put them back in the case and fill it with the solution that you have for soaking your hard lenses in. The soaking solution will keep your contacts fresh, and clean the protein off of them that can build up from wear.

Hard contact lenses will last you for a long time, providing you take care of them. Most contact lenses will last you longer than soft lenses, without needing to be replaced for months at a time. They are easy to clean as well, providing you know how to clean them. You can find the soaking and cleaning solution at your local department store, with several brands to choose from. If you take care of your hard contact lenses and soak them in solution when you sleep, they will last you for a long time – with no problems or harm to your eyes.

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