Depression
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Many people believe that an individual is composed of two primary aspects: the physical side, and the emotional side. In order for a person to become holistically fit, these two things should sync together. If one veers out of the ordinary, the entire individual may suffer the consequences.



For instance, if a man is addicted to smoking, drinking or the use of illegal drugs, it would surely result in something not beneficial for that individual’s entire personality. On the other hand, sadness is also something that could affect the function and activities of a particular person. But what if both aspects are affected or damaged? That happens during depression.

Depression is a low state of mood that can happen to anyone and can result in various physical, emotional and mental issues. Most of the time, people who are suffering from this condition fail to function properly whether they are at home or work. Below are five common causes of depression among people today:

1. Negative and sudden life events

When a person encounters a sudden life event such as a tragedy, death in the family, accident, etc., there will be a crucial stage which he should overcome. If he is unable to accept reality and move one, he might enter the depression stage.

2. Medication or clinical therapy –

 Extensive medication is also a common cause of depression. The prolonged stay in a hospital apart from people you know would lead to misconceptions and confusion.

3. Mental illness –

There are some people who get into such situation due to pressures in life which could lead to mental disorders.

4. Low feeling of self-worth

A low self-esteem is always a factor during the stages of depression.

5. Hopelessness – 

When a person loses hope, he loses everything. He is not able to do anything and would just depend on other people to survive.

These are just some of the causes which result in depression or any condition similar to it. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to keep such issues from getting worse. In fact, if you make your preparations you can even prevent depression effectively.

First, you should always maintain a positive attitude when looking at things and aspects in life. If you always think that you have failed and that circumstances do not favor you, you are slowly on your way to the early stages of depression.

Next, you should surround yourself with positive people. Aside from being positive yourself, make sure talk to optimistic and inspiring individuals. This way you would not get any pessimistic ideas and thoughts. This will greatly help keep you from any sign of depression.

Do what you think is good for you and the people around you. However, you should not depend your decisions on what they say or tell you. If you follow them and you fail, you will have a reason to regret what you did, which is one of the paths toward depression. It may sound cheesy, but you should always follow your heart.

Depression is a serious matter which could get even worse if not addressed right away. Some people do not realize that they are depressed until it all burst out and leave them in shambles. Make it a habit to conduct a self-checkup. That way you would be less prone to factors which lead to depression.


About the author: 

This guest post article is written for Dr.Sam Von Reiche - one of the expert New Jersey psychologists and life coach offering treatment and diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) /Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/Impulsivity (ADHD), Depression and Bipolar Disorder among others.
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The human body may very well be the most abused organic object in the known universe. It is subjected to thousands of chemicals, it is routinely set against extremes of the weather and it is often neglected. The human body takes a beating on a daily basis and it is a marvel of nature and of science that it can remain intact through years of constant harm. Chemicals and the weather are predominantly environmental factors. They are a part of the ecosystem and short of becoming a full-fledged shut-in there is no real way to avoid them. Neglect is another issue and this is the one thing that people can do something about.

Of all the routinely neglected body parts, there is perhaps no bigger victim than the oral region. People make it a point to bathe every day, to eat every day and to sleep every day but not everyone can make it a point to brush their teeth every day. It is a sadly overlooked aspect of the body and more often than not, people only begin to pay attention when the situation is already dire. The decline of oral health is a very serious matter and it also calls for immediate action. Reaching that point however is completely avoidable and all it takes is following a few simple tips about taking care of the teeth.


The first and most well-known way of caring for teeth is by brushing them. A person should brush at least twice a day, being careful to reach into every corner of the mouth. Brushing should take around 2-3 minutes and then the mouth must be rinsed out with water. It is also advisable to change toothbrushes every 3-4 months. Flossing is another essential element of dental care. Whereas brushing gets rid of the plaque that settles on the surface of the tooth, flossing goes into the corners of the teeth. This allows for the removal of plaque and other foreign materials that may have lodged themselves between teeth. This is an important step because it picks up where the toothbrush takes off and if it is bypassed then certain parts of the mouth will remain unclean. An 18-inch strip of floss should do the job for a single session.

Certain types of food can also have an effect on dental health. It would be wise to dine from a varied selection but avoiding too much starch and sugar is also important when it comes to taking care of teeth. The reason for this is that these particular types of food produce the most acids in the oral region. They also tend to stay longer in the mouth, making them even more damaging. The main culinary culprits of tooth decay are candies, crackers and even dried fruits, so avoid consuming too much of them. It should go without saying that regular visits to the dentist are also important. Make it a habit to meet with the dentist at least once every 6 months to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the mouth. Signing up for regular cleanings is also advisable.

One last tip to better take care of the teeth is rinsing with antibacterial mouthwashes. These products reduce the presence of bacteria that can be found in the mouth. A fluoride-based mouthwash is more effective but it is not recommended for younger users. The health of the mouth is easy to maintain. By following a few basic tips, people can preserve the quality of their teeth and the freshness of their breaths. A little personal grooming is a small price to pay in exchange for a set of pearl white teeth.

About the author:
Anthony Frisbee is a dentist assistant for three years now. He currently works for a dental clinic in Huntington Beach. When he was still in college, he was inspired with the way of a dental clinic New York City, Tribeca Smiles. Join him on twitter @AnthonyFrisbee
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The idea of training your brain to improve your memory and sharpen your thinking is very attractive. After all, who doesn’t want to remember names (as well as faces), who doesn’t want to remember the interesting facts from the book they just read, and who doesn’t want to think clearly and creatively (and logically) through problems? It’s no 

wonder, then, that brain training games are so popular. The problem with these games, though, is that they’ve divided the medical and scientific community along two lines: those that believe in their efficacy and those that don’t.


False hope

In 2009, Lab UK began a Brain Test Britain Experiment which was intended to find out if computer-based brain training games improved functioning across a range of cognitive skills. It was designed by some of the best (ahem) brains from the University of Cambridge and the Alzheimer’s Society, and was the biggest study conducted on the phenomenon.It found that computer-based brain training games did not make a meaningful difference to brain skills and definitely didn’t transfer skills from one set to another (e.g., from memory to problem solving).

In 2012, in an article for ABC Health & Wellbeing, Associate Professor Michael Valenzuela (Brain & Mind Research, University of Sydney) said that brain training games don’t improve brain functioning in healthy, working-age adults.  Granted, adults perform better at the specific games they play, but the improvements aren’t transferable to other brain skills.

Valenzuela admits that more studies are needed, but he suggests that one reason the skills remain so specific is that adults stick to what they know and don’t challenge themselves with games in areas in which they are not comfortable. Basically, maths people stick to maths training and wordy people stick to word-based exercises.

According to Valenzuela, your brain will benefit more from a ‘cognitive lifestyle’, where you challenge yourself with a variety of activities in your day-to-day life. Activities include learning a new language or musical instrument, tai chi and yoga, and even travelling.

Not so false hope

Interestingly, in April 2010, the Alzheimer’s Society said it was conducting a trial to determine whether brain training had benefits to people over 60 years old or who are at risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

In an article for Scientific American, P. Murali Doraiswamy and Marc E. Agronin cite a study by researchers at Pennsylvania State University, which found that while brain exercises don’t necessarily improve brain functioning for daily activities, there could be benefits that only become apparent in the long-term. The implication being that if you start training your brain now, you might, indeed, do yourself some favours as you get older and your brain naturally starts to decay.

Studies by the University of California, Berkeley and Maastricht University, Netherlands, have found that brain training games can improve self-esteem and willpower, respectively.

So, do computer-based brain training exercises work? You’ll have to make up your own mind about that because the scientific jury is still out. 

Written by Sandy Cosser on behalf of Now Learning, which promotes tertiary education courses in Australia, including Excel short courses and healthcare, education and psychology degrees.


Hyperventilating young girl breathes into paper bag
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Panic attacks are immensely stressful events, and those that have panic attacks often feel they're in the process of something far more dangerous – like a heart attack. If you are working with someone that is having a panic attack, the sooner you can calm them down the less severe their panic attack will be.

Panic attacks generally peak at about ten minutes in and then start a slow decline that can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Because of this, waiting out the panic attack is possible, but there are strategies you can use to reduce the severity of the panic attack while it's occurring.

Strategies to Reduce Panic Attack Severity


Reducing the severity of a panic attack is valuable from a treatment perspective, because the more severe a panic attack is, the more the person will fear future attacks. Since fear of panic attacks can create panic attacks, the more every panic attack is kept under control the better. Some strategies to help those with panic attacks include:
  •         Get Them to Talk

Panic attacks are worse when the person is "in their own head" and focusing too much on their symptoms and the attack. Panic attacks tend to be at their most severe when someone is trying to fix them on their own while letting their mind wander to all of the worst case scenarios. If you can get them to talk, it can help them stay in reality and give them the right kind of distraction for reducing their panic attack severity.

  •          Count Breathing – Help Breathing

Most of the severe symptoms of panic attacks come from hyperventilation, because during a panic attack the person tries too hard to breathe in oxygen – either breathing too quickly or breathing in too much air without holding it. This reduces carbon dioxide levels in the body because you're breathing out CO2 faster than your body needs to. Without carbon dioxide, your entire body works harder.

This is what causes chest pains, lightheadedness, and interestingly the feeling as though you're not getting enough oxygen. Unfortunately, this causes the person to breathe in faster and try to get deeper breaths rather than slow their breathing to regain CO2.

That's why you can coach them to slow down their breathing. Have them breathe in for about 5 seconds, hold for 2 or 3 seconds, and breathe out for 7 seconds. Count for them to make sure that they're breathing slower in order to prevent the symptoms of hyperventilation from getting worse.

  •          Walking

Some people find that walking provides great relief from anxiety symptoms. See if you can get them moving or walking around. It's unclear why walking has benefits, but it likely gets blood flowing and improve breathing patterns in a way that individuals are not doing on their own with anxiety. Some people with panic attacks experience severe dizziness, so walking isn't always possible, but some type of movement may be beneficial.

Helping Someone Overcome Panic Attacks

Panic attacks will always be stressful events, and once the attack comes it's hard to turn it off completely. But there are strategies that you can complete that will help the person with the panic attack cope with it better.

The most important thing to do, however, is not tell them how to feel or do anything that makes them feel embarrassed. The more they open up and share without worrying about whether they'll be judged, the more they'll feel that someone is taking care of them, and that makes recovering from panic attacks much better.

About the Author: Ryan Rivera had severe panic attacks himself, and speaks from experience about what he needed to overcome them. He writes about panic attacks at www.calmclinic.com

Many people suffer from seizures and if you ever see it happen it can be scary. Here are some tips on how to deal with a situation when someone has a seizure

Annotated Sagittal ATECO MR Venogram
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Seeing someone have a seizure can be one of the scariest things you’ll experience. This person has lost all control of their body, which has resulted in them thrusting around and shaking uncontrollably.Unfortunately, all seizures are different. Some can last for a few seconds while others can last for minutes, and if you’re not trained in how to handle a seizure, you could end up causing even more harm to the seizing individual or even to yourself.If you ever find yourself in a situation where someone is seizing, the following are ways that you can help
.

Keep calm.
The first time you see someone seize you will feel a variety of different emotions, but it’s very important that you keep calm. Not only will this ensure that you are doing everything you possibly can, but it can also help keep others calm and help make the process easier on everyone involved.

Move everything out of the way.
A seizing person does not have control of their body, and their strong thrusts can move them around a room at a quick pace. Because of this, it’s very important that you clear the area as quickly as you can of anything that can cause harm. Move chairs, toys, furniture and any other movable objects out of the way so that they don’t cause harm if the seizing person were to hit them.

Try to keep time.
Knowing how long a seizure lasts is important to doctors and other medical professionals, and if possible, you should try and keep track of how long the seizure lasts.

Do not restrain them.
Some people think that they need to hold a seizing person down, but this is not a good idea. Putting pressure on their body can cause stress and may end up doing more harm than good. Plus, you don’t want to also put yourself in danger, and trying to hold down a seizing person can mean that you get hurt in the process.

Keep everything out of their mouth.
Old urban legends talk about how seizing people can swallow their tongue, but this is untrue. Make sure that there is nothing in the mouth of a seizing person, as this can cause them to choke during the seizure. You also want to make sure that your hands are away from their mouth, as they could clamp down on your hands during the seizure and cause serious harm to you
.
Call 911.
Calmly ask someone else nearby to call 911 if possible. If not, you will have to do so while keeping a close eye on the person who is seizing. Having professional medical professionals arrive will be the best thing for the person having the seizure.

Turn them on their side.
Once the seizure has subsided, make sure to turn the person on their side. Many people experience post seizure vomiting, and you’ll want this person on their side to keep them from choking on their vomit.

Never leave them alone.
A seizing person should never be left alone. Make sure that you are always in the same area while the person is having a seizure. This can help keep harmful objects out of their way, and it will allow you to pay attention to things like time or actions that can be important for medical professionals to know.

Garrett Payne is an exercise fanatic & health expert.  He shares information on the causes of seizures and how to deal with them via blogging.

As you narrow down your search, here are some of the top considerations to make when purchasing such a device

Automatic external defibrillator
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Did you know that each year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills more than 250,000 Americans? This heart condition strikes without warning and requires immediate help if the person affected by it is to survive. An increasingly common fixture in businesses and public areas is an automated external defibrillator (AED). These lifesaving devices are used when somebody collapses to help restart the electrical patterns in the heart. Because of the importance they play in this relatively common condition, you may be considering the purchase of an AED, or multiple AEDs, for your organization.
As you narrow down your search, here are some of the top considerations to make when purchasing such a device.

1. What kind of training will you and your employees receive with the device?
 There are a number of resources available where you and your staff can learn how to use one. This training is important, as it will increase the effectiveness of the device in case of an emergency. 


2.Is the instrument up to date with the most recent technological developments?
 Because of how common SCA is, manufacturers are constantly updating their technology to meet the latest innovations. This includes being lighter, easier to carry and easier to use. 


3.Who will be using your AED? 
Chances are that you do not require a sophisticated model and can purchase the most basic and easy-to-use device. This will help bystanders with little to no medical experience still use the device effectively. If you are purchasing one for a staff of people with medical backgrounds, you may want to consider getting a more complex system.
  

4.What are other customers saying about the model you are considering?
 Just like any major purchase, reading reviews can give valuable insight into what you can expect from your purchase. Do a search online or talk to other companies who have an AED to see if they have ever had to use the device, and if so, what their experience was. 


5.Do you need an AED for children?
 If you frequently have children in your place of business, you may need a device for children as well as adults. There are different models for younger children that you should look into if this is the case.

As you search through various brands and manufacturers, consider the answers to these questions to help you make the best purchasing decision for your organization because your health is the most important thing.

Samantha really enjoys writing and one of her favorite things to write about happens to be health. If you'd like to learn more about external defibrillator, please visit http://www.aedbrands.com/

Pregnant
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When you are pregnant you are told that you should create a birthing plan, this can be quite confusing as you may struggle to understand what goes inside this plan. A birth plan is basically a record of what you would like to happen during your labour and after the birth. It is a good idea to create a birth plan as it will also give you the chance to speak to your midwife about what happens during labour; it will also give your midwife a chance to understand your wants and needs.

What Goes In Your Birth Plan?

Your birth plan has to be very personal to you and be based on your specific needs. Your birth plan should be focused on your medical history, circumstances, and what is available at your maternity service. When you go into labour, the midwife in charge is likely to ask you for your birthing plan, they will then use this to base any decisions they need to make.
You should be aware that what you have written in your birth plan won’t be carried out if complications arise or something you have requested is not available, the midwife in charge will make a safe decision with you and your baby’s best interests at heart.


What You Need To Consider

There are many things that you need to consider when creating your birth plan. Labour is not always straight forward so this is why birth plans are created so that your health, wishes and baby can be put first. Some things that you may wish to consider putting into your birth plan are:


Pain Relief

There are many different pain relief options, in your birth plan you should make a note of what pain relief you would to use if you need any and what pain relief you do not want to use.


Location

Some women will choose the place that they want to give birth, this may be at home, in a hospital, in a birthing pool etc. It is important that you look into your different options to decide what location you want to give birth in.
Depending on your personal situation and circumstances, the place that you request to give birth isn’t always an option, so it is important that you include the 2nd location that you wish to give birth.


Invention and Instrumental Delivery

In some cases the midwife or doctor in charge may have to make the decision to intervene with your pregnancy if it is not going ahead as planned. If you are struggling to push your baby out and it is putting your baby in danger, then your doctor or midwife may choose to intervene with instruments such as forceps to help pull your baby out. You should note down your wishes on whether you would prefer instrumental delivery to be used during the birth, your wishes may not always be listened to if your baby is in danger.


Janet is a midwife and loves sharing advice on women’s healthcare to prepare women for labour. She gets all her helpful information from http://www.glowm.com/

Cousin Kim New Born Baby Boy
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Probably, to the surprise of many, hypoglycemia can manifest itself in even the newest members of the human race.  The official term, Neonatal Hypoglycemia, refers to low blood-glucose during the first few days of these little ones' lives.  Babies, like anyone else, require blood-glucose for their energy, with most of it being used by the baby's brain.  When an infant does not have enough glucose, medical intervention is required.

While in the womb, the child receives glucose through the placenta; and once born, receives glucose from either breast milk or formula, in addition to producing his own glucose, via the liver. Too little glucose can impair the ability of the baby's brain to function properly.  Severe or prolonged hypoglycemia may, tragically, result in seizures, coma and serious brain injury.
There are any number of reasons a newborn can develop hypoglycemia; and it occurs in about 2 out of every 1,000 births.  According to the American Association of Pediatrics, blood glucose levels should be measured in infants who have clinical indicators or who are known to be at risk. The AAP goes on to say that healthy, full-term newborns who experienced normal gestation and delivery don't require glucose monitoring or screening.


Common Hypoglycemic Symptoms

Each newborn may experience symptoms differently; and indicators can include:
1. Jitteriness
2. Abnormal blue coloring
3. Interrupted breathing--breathing can slow or stop, altogether
4. Poor feeding
5. Lethargy
6. Seizures/tremors
7. Exaggerated startle reflex
8. Sweatiness
9. Low body temperature

Symptoms of Neonatal Hypoglycemia can imitate other medical conditions; and parents should always seek the expertise of their baby's pediatrician for a thorough, concise diagnosis.


What Determines A Newborn's Treatment?

Targeted treatment for hypoglycemia will be based on various factors:
1. Baby's gestational age, general health and medical 'history'
2. Extent of the disease
3. Baby's tolerance to certain medications, interventions or treatments


Hypoglycemic Treatment For Newborns

A variety of measures can be employed to treat this disease in the very young:
1. extra feedings of breast milk or formula, or a rapid-acting source of glucose, such as glucose/water mixture, as an early feeding

2. an intravenously-fed sugar solution if child is unable to feed by mouth or if blood-sugar level is low

3. medication administered if low blood-sugar continues, though this is rare~
Hospital staff will continue with treatment for hours, days or a week, if necessary, until child can maintain normal blood-sugar levels.   
                                               
Thank goodness we live in a wonderful age where highly-qualified medical specialists can work wonders with helping the tiniest of humans become healthy, after experiencing hypoglycemia at such a young age!  Though complications can occur, the outlook is good for newborns who respond well to treatment.

Miss Carlson writes regularly on health related topics and recommends companies like quicksticks.com for diabetics.

Fred Carian
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Caring for an Alzheimer’s patient requires the caregiver to possess a special set of skills and a deep understanding of the disease. It can be a challenge to meet the needs of the patient as the disease progresses. Dealing with an Alzheimer’s patient on a daily basis requires patience and a caring nature. 


Communicate Clearly

When you are communicating with an Alzheimer’s patient it is important to keep it simple. Your words should be simple and keep your sentences short. Make sure your responses when you are having a conversation with the patient as well as when you are giving directions to the patient are short and clear. It is best not to argue with the patient. Alzheimer’s patients can become easily confused and upset when they are contradicted. Don’t argue or correct the patient, instead simply redirect his or her attention to a new topic. In addition, in order to keep the patient focused on what you are saying, it is important to make eye contact and minimize any potential distractions. 

Establish a Routine

Alzheimer’s patients respond best to a daily routine. This is because as the routine becomes familiar and he or she knows what to expect. As you establish a routine it is a good idea to let the patient know what is expected of him or her next. For instance, if it is time for the daily bath, tell the patient the steps you both will follow in order to accomplish the bath. This procedure takes the fear of the unknown out of the process and gives the patient something to focus his or her attention on. Among nursing home jobs, becoming a caregiver for an Alzheimer’s patient is one of the most challenging and one of the most rewarding jobs. 

Be Positive

Perhaps the most important requirement for working with Alzheimer’s patients is to be positive in your interactions with them. They now inhabit a confusing and sometimes frightening world due to this disease so the caregiver needs to reassure the patient with positive reinforcement. The very nature of the disease ensures that the patient will make mistakes and experience misunderstandings. It is to be expected. As a caregiver, it is your job to help the patient experience life in a safe and positive environment. Most nursing home jobs require that the caregiver possess a warm and caring nature in order to deal with patients that can sometimes be difficult.


I am a blog writer with an interest in home care jobs and opportunities. I contribute to health and medical blogs whenever I have free time.
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Computer imaging has proven to be a valuable tool in plastic surgery. In the past, if an individual wanted to get plastic surgery, they would rely on guesswork to determine the results. Plastic surgery procedures typically cost thousands, and pre-consultation fees can cost patients a hundred dollars or more. 

With the advent of computer imagery in plastic surgery, patients can now see what they would look like before their surgery is completed using state of the art technology. Today, prospective patients in a surgeon's office can use simple online tools provided by doctor's offices to see how they may look with a facelift or nose job for free. While these tools are typically not as powerful as the ones used in doctor's offices, they provide patients with a good idea as to how they may look, and it may convince them to step into the doctor's office afterward.

The technology used to bring an individual's plastic surgery dreams to life is relatively new. It's typically done by taking an image and altering the parameter's to make changes, for example, to straighten the bridge of someone's nose if it's in a profile view. It has been documented that patients who use computer imaging are often much happier after the surgery, as they have a good idea how the finished surgery will look. The technology has rapidly advanced in many ways. Now, when patients come into a doctor's office, they can have their face taken from twelve angles using a special camera tool. This tool then transmits the image into a computer, which allows the doctor to turn, rotate and alter the picture. The doctor can have the nose widened, the chin lengthened, suck fat out of the neck, and much more. The doctor can then take the completed image and put it side by side with the original. The patient can view this image in full 3D, and see it turned and rotated in many different angles. This way, even if the patient wants to know how the nose looks from a lower perspective, the doctor can show the visible changes immediately and clearly. 

Computer imaging technology can be used in a number of amazing ways. A professional, renowned and well reviewed plastic surgeon should be able to take the image projected onto the screen and turn it into a reality for his or her patients. While this technology is very advanced, there is still a lot that goes into a plastic surgery operation. They require patients to go under the knife with anaesthesia, they're expensive (Though not relative to some other forms of surgery) and the patient may feel physical pain while recovering. However, computer imaging technology has shown that with a competent doctor the end product should look like the image projected onscreen with computer imaging technology. As one would expect, a well informed patient will be much more confident in their surgery, and will be far less likely to regret their decision at the end of the day.



This post was written by Eric Forester, a "techie" from Toronto. She knows the The Canadian Institute of Plastic Surgery uses computer imaging for their surgeries. For more information on the topic, visitwww.cosmeticsurgery123.com.