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Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon or Gynecologist?

  • Posted on April 28, 2008 at 8:04 pm



More and more physicians having minimal experience in cosmetic procedures are offering to perform such procedures within the settings of their office. Having a non-expert perform such a treatment increases the risk of complications while simultaneously diminishing the likelihood of the treatment’s success.

Gynecologists, general practitioners and ophthalmologists are examples of the wide range of doctors now offering such services. So why are so many physicians with no background in cosmetic techniques becoming more interested in offering aesthetic treatments?

One reason is that patients interested in receiving aesthetic services usually pay for these services out of their own pocket because most health insurance companies don’t cover such procedures. This is attractive to many physicians because it may take some effort to collect payment from an individual’s health insurance company.

However, this same economic benefit to doctors may also potentially result in a conflict of interest. While most physicians do not openly promote their aesthetic services, there still may be subtle enticements (e.g., waiting room literature) which motivate patients to inquire about these services.

There is also the question of whether or not the physician possesses the level of expertise and knowledge to perform aesthetic procedures. Many of these doctors may only be given a single day, or less, of training to learn cosmetic techniques.

Physicians not having the necessary training may not know what to do should a complication arise. A minor complication, which could have been easily corrected by a relatively simple treatment, may become a major issue requiring specialized medical treatment or even surgery.

Even worse, some serious dermatological conditions may be mistaken for a cosmetic issue by those doctors having insufficient experience in either cosmetic procedures or dermatology. According to a study performed by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) dermatological surgeons are reporting a rapid increase in the number of skin cancers that were incorrectly diagnosed as a cosmetic issue by physicians not having the appropriate experience in aesthetic and dermatologic procedures. If a non-experienced doctor uses a laser to remove a skin cancer that they misdiagnosed as an age spot, then the skin cancer will return in a likely more advanced stage.

All of the above considerations points to the importance of having a qualified plastic surgeon perform any aesthetic treatment that one is considering. Always seek a professional having experience in aesthetic methodologies. Refrain from using a general practitioner or gynecologist even if you have a long history as a patient with a particular general practitioner or gynecologist.

Make sure that the physician that you will be using is a member of a professional organization representing plastic surgeons. Two such noteworthy societies are the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS).

The ASPS has been in existence since 1931 while all members of the ASAPS have been certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). Both of these societies can also place you in contact with a qualified professional located near your place of residence.

Be wary of using a doctor who has not been certified by the ABPS to perform a cosmetic procedure. Just because a physician belongs to a professional organization having the word “cosmetic” or “aesthetic” in its name does not mean that the physician has been certified by the ABPS.

It may be tempting to let one’s guard down when looking for a doctor to perform a cosmetic procedure. Nonetheless, it is imperative to remember that these services carry with them associated medical implications. Therefore, the importance of using a qualified professional having extensive experience cannot be understated.

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Choosing a Vitamin to Improve Memory

  • Posted on April 26, 2008 at 2:00 am



As far as we know, the best vitamin to improve memory has not been discovered, yet. However, there are many vitamins that help in the memory enhancement process. The deficit of each vitamin has a certain consequence, and furthermore, each vitamin acts in a different manner. Nevertheless, all the vitamins are useful, one way or another.

When choosing a vitamin to improve memory, people must think about the underlying problem of the memory loss. If the underlying cause is determined by a memory deficiency, then this problem can be solved very easily, by following a treatment based on supplements that contain the vitamin that is in deficit.

There are many vitamins that can be regarded as vitamin to improve memory. Vitamins B1, B6, B9 and B12, as well as vitamins C and E, seem to enhance the memory in more ways. Vitamins C and E are considered to be some of the best antioxidants. They slow down aging of the brain, improve the immune system and neutralize or at least slow down the action of the free radicals.

By improving the immune system, these vitamins prevent people from falling ill. If a disease does not lead directly to memory loss, it provokes depression and stress. By protecting people, vitamins C and E help in the prevention of depression, which represents nowadays the most frequent cause of memory loss. In addition, these vitamins neutralize the free radicals, which are also known as oxidative substances. The free radicals have a significant role in the development of some memory loss causing health problems, such as brain cancer and stroke.

On the other hand, vitamins from the B complex are regarded as a vitamin to improve memory because they protect the nervous system. The deficit of each of the vitamins from the B complex leads somehow to memory loss. When vitamin B6 is found in deficit nerve damage can be observed. This fact leads to depression and to even more serious neural problems. The deficit of vitamin B12 also directs to nervous system problems. In addition, when cobalamine, also known as vitamin B12 is found in deficit, people may have anemia.

Folate, folic acid or vitamin B9, as it is also known can also lead to anemia when the amount found in the body is lower than the normal limits. Pregnant women are recommended to use a vitamin to improve memory during the pregnancy.

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Hair Loss Prevention through Ayurveda

  • Posted on April 17, 2008 at 8:58 am



Hair loss is experienced by all of us at one or the other time. To know the causes of hair fall, it is very essential to know the structure of hair and its normal growth cycle.

Structure of hair

The hair on our scalp can be divided into two parts, the root and shaft. The root part of hair is in the skin (epidermis) of scalp. The hair root is surrounded by a pouch like structure called follicle. The base of hair root is in the shape of a bulb. This bulb is indented by capillaries and nerve fibers. The cells in the center of bulb divide. The newly divided hair cells push the previous cells up. The cells which move upwards die slowly forming hard hair shaft.

The hair shaft has three layers the cuticle, medulla and cortex.

Cuticle is the outer layers and protects the inner layers. It is transparent. Healthy cuticle gives a shiny appearance for hair and unhealthy cuticle gives lifeless look

Medulla is the innermost layer composed of large cells.

Cortex is the layer between cuticle and medulla. This contains pigment and keratin. Cortex determines the bulk and strength of hair.

The hair follicle contains oil secreting glands which make the hair shiny .Stress and illness diminish secretion of oil and pigments causing graying of hair.

According to Ayurveda the hair is considered as a tissue which uses the same nutrients of bone and considered as a tissue which is formed as bi-product of bone tissue.

Normal cycle of hair growth.

About 10 % of the hair on the scalp is in a resting phase at any given time. The resting hair falls after 2 to 3 months and new hair starts growing in its place. The growing phase continues for 2.25 to 6 yrs. During this phase each hair grows approximately 1 cm per month. At any given time about 90% of the hair on scalp will be in growing phase.

Few strands of hair fall as the part of normal hair growth cycle. But some people may experience excessive hair fall which is more than normal cycle. Excessive hair loss can affect men, women and children.

Causes of hair loss

1. Hormonal imbalance in men and women: In men high concentration of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in hair follicles causes hair fall. In women hormonal imbalances during pregnancy and after delivery cause hair fall.

2. High amount of sebum in scalp clogs pores of scalp and prevent nutrition to hair follicle.

3. Inadequate nutrition causes hair fall.

4. Stress, worry, lack of sleep, worry and anxiety cause hair fall

5. Long standing diseases like typhoid, viral infections, anemia, surgery etc cause general debility which lead to hair fall

6. Some medicines used for gout, chemo therapy of cancer , birth control pills , antidepressants etc cause hair fall

7. Diseases like lupus, diabetes cause hair fall.

8. Tying hair tightly pulls the hair from follicles and cause traction alopecia.

9. Heredity also causes hair fall.

10. Dandruff or Fungal infection of scalp.

11. Accumulation of dirt on scalp causes blocking of pores and weakens hair roots. This leads to hair fall.

According to ayurveda the causes of hair loss are described as follows

1. Too much exposure to dust, sunlight, water and other pollutants.

2. Too much of sweating.

3. Irregular sleeping pattern.

4. Anxiety, depression, insomnia.

5. Unhygienic way of living

6. Diseases

7. Alcohol consumption.

Hair loss Remedies

1. Liberal intake of vitamins.

2. High protein and iron rich diet.

3. Consumption of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables regularly.

4. Washing hair regularly ( twice weekly ) with suitable shampoo.

5. Using relaxing techniques to overcome stress, anxiety and sleeplessness.

6. Preventing fungal infections of scalp.

7. Preventing hairstyles which pull hair.

Due to these causes the tridoshas get vitiated and cause hair loss. The vitiated doshas affect the scalp skin and cause hair fall occurs. Medicated oil with the herbs Bhringaraja ( Eclipta Alba ), Amalaki ( Embelica officinalis ), Haritaki ( Terminalia chebula ) and Vibhitaki ( Terminalia bellirica ) is a best remedy for hair fall.

Copyright Dr. SavithaSuri, Ayurvedic Physician

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High Fiber Foods – Your Ticket To A Slim Waistline

  • Posted on April 15, 2008 at 11:36 pm



Odds are, you are looking for the secret of successful slimming. Like most Americans, you’re concerned about your expanding waistline, tummy or cellulite. You’ve tried everything from diet pills to cabbage soup and nothing is working. While most experts agree that the time-tested way of losing excess pounds is through a healthy diet, balanced caloric intake and sensible exercise, many of us are unsure how to begin. And, while healthy exercise is possible without a gym membership, healthy food choices are more difficult to make, and few of us can honestly say we know how to properly create a menu plan for weight loss.

In her latest book, The Fiber35 Diet, New York Times best selling author Brenda Watson shares that with just a few simple changes, you can achieve vibrant health, optimal weight, and wellness for life. What is her secret? Consuming 35 grams of fiber per day, which is in line with statistical recommendations coming from the National Institutes of Health and the Surgeon General. Since fiber is essential for healthy blood chemistry, digestive wellness and cardiovascular health, The Fiber35 Diet outlines the importance of getting sufficient quantity in the diet.

Fiber is the indigestible parts of plants. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Both types of fiber provide bulk or roughage to the system, which helps us feel full faster. However, soluble fiber, provides a special benefit to those who are hoping to lose weight. According to Brenda Watson CNC, soluble fiber also works on a hormonal level, to gently suppress the appetite.

Considering that the average American gets between 10-12 grams, it is no surprise that obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease is on the rise.

An exciting benefit of high fiber foods is that they are low in calories. Fiber itself is indigestible, therefore it passes through the system without absorption. Because fiber is virtually non-caloric, by eating high fiber foods, we can eat a lot without increasing our caloric burden. And, because fiber-rich foods take up a lot of space, they increase your feelings of satiety, or in simple terms, you feel full because they fill up your stomach when you eat them.

Additionally, studies conducted by researchers at the Department of Human Nutrition and Food Science at the University of Kiel in Germany showed that fibrous foods naturally cause your body to eliminate excess calories in your stool. Brenda’s book calls this the ‘fiber flush’ effect, and it means that for every gram of fiber you eat you eliminate about seven calories. So if you eat 35 grams of fiber per day, you can simply flush away as much as 245 calories per day, making good headway toward a flat belly.

Lastly, because fiber tends to slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into available blood sugar, it supports healthy blood chemistry and prevents excessive snacking. By eating plenty of fibrous foods we are taking an active part in maintaining a healthy diet and promoting weight loss.

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Migraine Headaches – 5 Methods to Relieve Them Naturally!

  • Posted on April 14, 2008 at 2:32 pm

There are many new migraine headache treatments available that can be both safe and effective. Natural treatments for migraine headaches are usually safer and cheaper than traditional pain medications. And in many instances they can relieve pain just as well or even better than prescription or non-prescription drugs. The possibility of a negative reaction to a safe and natural migraine headache treatment is still there, but it is less with most natural treatment methods than it is with pain-relieving medications.

Every person on the face of the earth is unique. Their body chemistry is different than anyone else’s. One person may find relief from their migraine headaches with one type of treatment while someone else may try that same treatment and find no relief at all. No two people will experience the same reaction from the same treatment. But why is that?

Every body is made up of a mixture of chemicals. Every person produces certain chemicals in their body so that they will be able to function at their best. Histamines will increase gastric secretion and dilate the capillaries. Insulin is secreted by the pancreas and helps regulate the blood sugar levels. Hormones are produced by the body for many different functions. Adrenaline (epinephrine) is produced in response to stress. Every body is unique and produces different chemicals in differing amounts. When a person takes aspirin (a chemical) for their migraine headaches it changes the chemical make-up of that person’s body.

You’ve always heard that when two chemicals, in the same amounts, at the same temperature, etc. are mixed together they will cause the same reaction. That may be true, but when one chemical (such as aspirin) is taken by two separate people their reactions will never be exactly the same because no two people have identical chemicals in their body. One person taking aspirin will not have the same reaction as someone else taking aspirin. And it’s the same with natural migraine headache treatments. Since no two people are identical no two people will respond exactly the same to a treatment method for migraine headaches.

So just because one migraine headache treatment does not work for one person does not mean it won’t work for your migraine headaches. There are many effective alternatives to taking medications when it comes to relieving migraine headaches. You just have to try one for yourself to see if it will work for you.

One natural and popular treatment method for migraine headaches is chiropractic care, or chiropractic manipulations. Studies have shown that over 80% of headache patients find some type of relief for their headaches with chiropractic treatment. And chiropractic treatment has been shown to be extremely safe. Spinal problems cause headaches and when these spinal problems are treated by chiropractors a high percentage of their patients experience relieve from their pain.

Another natural way to relieve migraine headaches is biofeedback. This is a safe and potentially effective way to eliminate pain. Biofeedback is not actually a treatment, but a training program designed to help a person develop the ability to control their autonomic (involuntary) nervous system. Functions that are normally automatic in the body, such as blood pressure regulation or heart rate can be controlled voluntarily. This technique makes it possible for a person to control their own heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature or relaxation of their muscles.

It’s no secret that stress causes muscle tension. And nobody will deny that muscle tension causes pain and headaches. And it’s also a fact that by relaxing this muscle tension, especially in the neck and head, it is possible to relieve the migraine headaches or neck pain that is being caused by the tension. With biofeedback the machinery is not always necessary. Once the biofeedback technique is learned there is no longer any need for the equipment. The patient with migraine headaches can now produce the desired effect at any time. A person that has been trained with biofeedback can control some of their bodily functions, such as muscle relaxation, which can help relieve their headache pain.

Another cause of headaches can be the intake of too much salt. Some people just can’t get enough of it. They pour it onto their food with wreckless abandon. And too much salt can and does cause headaches. What’s the solution? Simply lessening the salt intake can sometimes prevent the headaches from occurring.

Food sensitivities have also been shown to cause migraine headaches in some people. Foods such as cheese, alcohol, MSG (monosodium glutamate – a food additive), yeast, wheat, nuts, avocados, beans, bananas, oranges (and other citrus fruits), pork, vinegar (and pickled foods), dairy products, caffeine, chocolate, onions and others can cause migraines. Foods that cause migraine headaches are called “migraine triggers.” People who experience migraine headaches because of food allergies can reduce or eliminate their pain by eliminating the foods that cause the headaches.

It sounds simple, but it takes a little detective work to figure out which foods, if any, are causing the migraine headaches. So how can you determine which foods are the culprits? The logical way is to keep a diary of what you eat and when. Get a small notebook, with each page representing one day, and make three columns on each of the pages. The first column on the left side of the page will contain the hours in the day. The second column down the middle of the page will be a list of the foods eaten that day. And the third column on the right side of the page will list the symptoms (headaches) that you experience.

Here’s how the food diary works: if you had an orange, cereal and milk for breakfast at 8 AM you would write “orange, cereal, milk” in the middle (food) column directly to the right of 8 AM in the left (time) column. Make a note of everything that you eat on this list and at what time you ate them.

Next, whenever you experience a migraine headache write “migraine headache” or “headache” in the right (symptoms) column that corresponds with the time (in the left column) your headache began. For example, if you started feeling pain from one of your migraine headaches at 2 PM you would write “headache” in the right (symptoms) column directly across from 2 PM in the left (time) column.

Once you’ve had enough time to experience a few migraine headaches you will be able to examine your food diary to determine which foods you ate shortly before you began experiencing your pain. For example, if you had 3 migraine headaches over a one-month period, and you had milk shortly before each of the migraine attacks, milk may be the culprit. It may take a few weeks or even a few months to come to any conclusions, but over time, by figuring out which foods or ingredients in these foods, are causing your pain, you will be able to eliminate these ingredients and relieve your pain caused by these foods.

Probably the most common cause of headaches is just plain old stress. People who experience tension in their lives can get headaches from their increased tension. Stress can be caused by many things including work-related stress or family-related stress. And although it’s not always possible to eliminate the cause of the stress it is often possible to relieve the muscle tension and pain that originates from the stress.

Biofeedback training (as explained above) is one way to help reduce stress. Other ways are taking a warm bath or shower, lying down and relaxing in a quiet dark room, having someone massage your neck and head (temporal region) muscles to help relieve your tension and muscle spasms or placing something cold (ice) on the back of the neck (at the base of the skull). When using ice it should not be placed directly on the skin. Some wet paper towels that have had the water wrung out of them should be placed between the ice and the skin. Regular exercise can also, over time, reduce tension.

We have discussed 5 natural treatment methods that are available to migraine headache patients. They are all considered safe and are effective for many people. There are many other natural treatment methods out there for you to try. If you have headaches it may be beneficial for you to try some of these treatments or search for others on your own. But as a word of advice, it is always a good idea to talk with a chiropractor or medical doctor before treating yourself for a health condition.

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Eliminate Your Dental Woes With Dental Implants

  • Posted on at 5:06 am



Every one loves to smile and it can be with a reason or without a reason. But not many people are lucky to have that perfect smile as they suffer from various dental conditions and periodontal diseases. However, this state reflects not only the prevalence of the disease, but also the need and availability of adequate professional services. In fact, the answers to all these dental woes are dental implants. With the help of dental implants, one can achieve good oral health, but this is possibly only if diagnosed and rectified earlier.

A frequent and regular dental check up and through awareness can lead to a good dental hygiene. In fact, tooth loss can actually affect a person’s psychological, social, and physical health. But with the help of dental implants, the problems like limitations in speech and chewing can be rectified. Moreover missing teeth are also associated with old age, and edentulism can make one look older than he or she actually is. Well, implants can dramatically improve a smile and even the appearance and shape of the face. Thus these implants enhance the dental hygiene and also boosts one’s self esteem by tons. Or one can say that they are essential for the health of gum and jaw tissues so that they can prevent further damage to the teeth. Well one can also add that dental care has become the need of the day.

With the introduction of dental implants, the pain of going through the uncomfortable restoration service has been eliminated to a great extent. The implants are permanent solutions and are considered as permanent replacements with natural look and perfect functionality. These implants are aesthetic and provide relief to the wearer, as he or she feels confident all the time. And if these are taken good care of with regular oral hygiene habits, then they tend to last longer and in some cases even for a lifetime. The dental implants are a major investment; and the procedure can be time consuming. If one has to compare them with dentures, then implants will win hands down because of their functionality. One can say that they are the ideal solution for replacing teeth without the disadvantages of fixed bridges or removable dentures. In fact, they do not even affect the adjacent teeth. That means one does not have to go through grinding or crowning and even no clasps are required for removable partial dentures.

Dental implants stimulate the jawbone with each bite and also preserve them. They are easy to clean unlike a bridge, and cannot be affected by dental caries at all. Moreover, the other advantages are support to the full upper or lower dentures. However, there are varieties of implants available in the market today, such as titanium and zinc dental implants with regular and small diameters. Titanium implants are an instant hit and are accepted by the patients and orthodontists. Hence, do not wait and seek an appointment with a dentist who can help you fix your dental woes and you become a new person with that engaging smile.

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