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Vitamin Supplements and Women’s Health

  • Posted on January 30, 2010 at 8:39 pm



If you are not eating a healthy diet, the first thing you need to do is make necessary improvements for your nutritional needs. Women can also benefit from taking a good multivitamin with iron. Many women of reproductive age are slightly anemic, meaning they have a lower red blood count than they should because of their menstrual cycle every month. This can cause a loss of iron every month.

Women can have a higher blood count when they replace loss of iron by taking a multivitamin supplement with iron. Another benefit from taking such a supplement it can also cause them to have less tiredness and more energy.

Women who have tender breast can find a vitamin E supplement helpful. Women have found taking up to 1,000 IU (international units) per day have relief with this problem. But taking this much of the vitamin some women have found side effects such as becoming irritable, bloated, or having oily skin. Women who have reduced their intake to 400 IU find they still find relief from breast discomfort without the side effects.

Women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome have found vitamin B6 beneficial.

Women over the age of thirty five need to take extra calcium every day. Women from the age of thirty five until menopause need 1,000 mg of calcium every day. 1,500 mg per day is needed after menopause. Women who take estrogen after menopause only need 1,000 mg per day because of the effects of estrogen on their bodies they will not require the extra calcium.

The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that taking prenatal vitamins for six weeks or longer before getting pregnant offered some protection against neural tube defects in the baby. The key element seems to be folic acid.

Most obstetricians agree it is good for women who are planning to become or are pregnant to take prenatal vitamins. They find women benefit from the additional calcium, folic acid and extra iron during pregnancy. Over the counter prenatal vitamin supplements work fine.

Excessive amounts of vitamins should not be taken. Excessive doses of vitamins A, D, E, and K should be especially avoided. This can be harmful. Disease may result if the vitamins are absorbed in the body’s fat and accumulated in large amounts.

Women who will benefit from taking vitamin supplements particularly are people with specific diseases that make vitamin intake necessary, the elderly and often premature infants. Also, those who are inclined to avoid healthy eating habits!

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What is a Tooth Implant?

  • Posted on at 8:11 am



The Definition
The technical definition of a tooth implant is an artificial tooth root replacement. Tooth implants can be implanted on their own, or in a group with several other implants.

History
Until the early 30′s, dentists believed dental implants to be a relatively new procedure. However, during an excavation of Mayan burial sites in Honduras in 1931, archaeologists found a mandible believed that had what appeared to be three fake teeth in place. Later it was discovered that the teeth were implanted during the person’s life.

Although dental implants may have been around since 600 AD, the procedure itself has certainly improved over the years. Swedish orthopedic surgeon Per-Ingvar Branemark first began working with titanium in developing successful osseointegration in the early 50′s. Osseointegration is the process of an implant successfully connecting to the bone, and is essential in the dental implant procedure. It is Branemarks efficient and safe surgical procedure that has led the way to such high success rates toted by dentists and orthodontists today when performing implant surgery.

Reasons for a Tooth Implant
A tooth implant is usually recommended to a patient who has either lost a tooth in an area or is looking for a more permanent tooth in place of a damaged one. Some dentists may advise a tooth implant for large gaps in the otherwise healthy arrangement of teeth so jaw shrinking odes not take place and alter the patients appearance or jaw functionality. Most people are perfect candidates for a tooth implant, but a qualified dentist will need to tell you for sure whether it is the right choice for you.

Implant Material
The tooth implant is made from a strain material, often porcelain, so that it can withstand normal chewing, speaking and wear like a normal tooth. The tooth part is attached to a titanium rod, which is situated in the gums to keep the implant secure and safe. This will also make the tooth feel as real and comfortable as a real tooth would, unlike dentures which can come out and make normal chewing and speaking uncomfortable. Tooth implants come in different shades between white and yellow, so that the patient can receive a tooth that matches the color of their other teeth perfectly.

Durability
With a success rate of over 95%, tooth implants are a safe bet from the get go. They are also made to last a lifetime, and in many ways more likely to last a lifetime than other teeth which are more susceptible to disease or infection. However, that is not to say that an injury could not chip an implant like any other tooth. Many people who have received implants forget they even have them because they look and feel just like real teeth.

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Respiratory Therapy Schools Offer College Degrees

  • Posted on January 28, 2010 at 7:15 pm



Respiratory Therapy Schools are often found in medical schools. However, degrees in respiratory therapy can come from vocational, technical, and trade schools and respiratory therapy colleges and universities.

Respiratory therapy (RT) technicians, or respiratory care practitioners, work under the direct supervision of physicians, assuming responsibility for respiratory care therapeutic treatment and diagnosis of patients with breathing and cardiopulmonary problems. Respiratory therapy technicians work according to carefully defined care procedures, following specific rules to administer therapeutic treatments.

Studies undertaken for Associate (ART) and Bachelor (BRT) degrees in respiratory therapy (also known as respiratory care) will include human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, and microbiology. Courses in procedures of therapeutic and diagnostic methods, tests, and equipment can be anticipated. Respiratory therapy classes can also include patient assessment, specialized patient care, resuscitation, applications of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, clinical guidelines, promoting respiratory health and disease prevention, and the keeping of medical records.

Respiratory Therapy Schools provide for Master of Science (MSRT) degrees in respiratory therapy and Doctorate (PhD) programs, which offer additional options for expertise, occupations, and employment.

Respiratory Therapy Schools will also train respiratory therapy students in working with pressurized hazardous gases and the necessary safety precautions taken with these materials. Students will also learn to maintain and test equipment, and become aware of risks for exposure to and procedures for eliminating the possibility of contracting infectious diseases.

Respiratory therapy technicians are employed by medical and surgical hospitals. Associate degrees are required for entry into the medical field of respiratory therapy. Associate or Bachelor degrees prepare students for advanced respiratory therapy positions. Most states require certification in respiratory therapy prior to employment.

Incomes for respiratory therapists at the entry level can approach $30,000; experienced respiratory therapy technicians with advanced degrees can earn upwards of $60,000 annually.

If you are interested in learning more about Respiratory Therapy Schools, and other Health Care Schools, colleges, and universities, please search our site for more information and resources.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com.

Copyright 2006 – All Rights Reserved
Michael Bustamante, in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

Notice to Publishers: Please feel free to use this article in your Ezine or on your Website; however, ALL links must remain intact and active.

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Smoking Risks – Benefits Of Stopping

  • Posted on January 27, 2010 at 4:45 pm



Smoking has many health risks and absolutely no health benefits. Why do people keep smoking? Because it has become a habit and they are hooked on nicotine.

Smoking causes premature skin wrinkles, bad breath, clothes that smell of smoke, yellow hair and yellow fingernails. Smoking makes a smoker at increased risk for macular degeneration, a common cause of blindness for the elderly.

Women’s health risks are many. If a woman is over 35 and using birth control and smokes more than 10 cigarettes a day, she is in a higher risk group for heart attacks, strokes and blood clots in the legs. Miscarriages and lower birth-weight for babies are common problems for female smokers.

The US Center for Disease Control estimates that women who smoke lose 14.5 years of life on average and men lose 13.2 years of life. If you quit smoking before you are 50, the risk of dying by 65 is sliced in half, compared with smokers who don’t quit. Ex-smokers will live longer and have a higher quality of life, fewer sicknesses such as cold and flu viruses and lesser rates of pneumonia and bronchitis.

The US Surgeon General has stated:

“Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to people with and without smoking-related disease.

Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers.

Quitting smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

The health benefits of quitting smoking far exceed any risks from the less than 10 pound weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting.”

There are many benefits to quitting smoking:

Heart rate and blood pressure drop after 20 minutes of not smoking.

Carbon monoxide levels in the blood normalize after 12 hours of not smoking.

Circulation improves and lung function expands from 2 weeks-3 months after not smoking.

Coughing, shortness of breath and cilia regain normal lung functions (cleaning the lungs, handle mucus effectively, reduce infection) 1 to 9 months after not smoking.

Higher risk of coronary heart disease from smoking reduces after 1 year to normal.

Higher risk of stroke as a result of smoking is normalized to a nonsmoker’s 5-15 years after not smoking.

The lung cancer death rate is halved in 10 years, compared with a continuing smoker. Mouth, throat, esophagus, cervix, bladder and pancreas cancer risks decrease.

Coronary heart disease is at the level of a nonsmokers after 15 years of quitting smoking.

FAST HEALTH BENEFITS FOR QUITTING

You can taste your food better.

The sense of smell is normalized.

Cleaning, climbing up stairs and normal activity do not result in breathlessness.

Financial Cost of Smoking

The health costs of smoking are plentiful and many. That is plain and can be accounted for. So can your monetary cost of cigarettes. How much do you spend on ciggies?? One pack a day x 365 days @ $5/pack (modest price in some areas, expensive in others but you get the idea) equals $1,825 in a year multiplied by however many years you smoke ($18,250 for ten years, $27,375 for fifteen years, $36,500 for twenty years!)

How would you rather spend the money?

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An Introduction To Dental Implants – Part 2 Of 2

  • Posted on January 25, 2010 at 3:06 pm



The Procedure

A dental implant procedure is not a one visit process, typically taking several visits to one or more dental experts. As with any medical procedure, the first step is to find a qualified, skillful, and trustworthy surgeon to perform your dental implant procedure. Having a capable dentist can be the deciding factor of whether or not you will be pleased with the results.

First, the dentist will take x-rays of your mouth and perform a thorough oral examination. Typically, the dentist will administer a local anesthetic to ease any discomfort during the operation. A pilot hole is then bored into the jawbone, to allow for the placement of the implant. After the hole is drilled, the implant is inserted into position. The implant is left for around four months to fuse into the jawbone through a natural process known as Osseo integration.

After a few months, and when the implant has fused securely to the bone, the dentist will then attach the post to the implant. The post is the support for the synthetic replacement or replacements.

The last part of the procedure is known as the restorative phase. This is when the dentist will take impressions and create the necessary prosthesis that will attach to the implant or implants. This process normally take several visits in itself.

Qualified Dentists

You may find that you will have to see several different dentists in order to complete your dental implant procedure. Periodontists and oral surgeons are both qualified to perform the first part of the process, placing the implant or implants. If a periodontist or oral surgeon is used to complete the implant procedure, then a restorative dentist will be required to complete the process during the later visits.

Implantologists are qualified to perform the entire procedure themselves, from beginning to end.

Long-term Success

Overall, dental implant procedures have about a 90% success rate, and many last more than 20 years. With good oral hygiene, your dental implants can last you a lifetime. The success of your procedure also depends on the quality and quantity of bone available to the dental surgeon. The better the bone, and the more of it, the better the chances of a complete success.

The quality of the restorative prosthesis placed on top of the implant is also a major factor affecting the success of your procedure. If the design of the crown, over-dentures, or other prostheses are poorly constructed or poorly designed, the biting forces of the mouth will not be balanced and may cause complications in the future.

Who Does NOT Qualify for Dental Implants?

Some medical conditions or specific physical characteristics may make it impossible or dangerous to have a dental implant procedure performed. People who suffer from uncontrolled diabetes, parathyroid disorders, blood disorders, rare bone disorders, or bone marrow cancer should not consider getting dental implants. Also, those undergoing or who recently have undergone chemotherapy or other radiation therapy should avoid this procedure.

Some with certain physical characteristics such as insufficient or poor quality bone, low sinuses, or low nerve bundles may also not qualify for dental implant procedures.

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Metatarsalgia – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Methods

  • Posted on January 22, 2010 at 1:38 am



Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot. Metatarsalgia frequently affects runners and other athletes who participate in high-impact sports. Metatarsalgia often is referred to as a symptom, rather than as a specific disease. This is a common foot disorder that can affect the bones and joints at the ball-of-the-foot. Metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain) is often located under the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th metatarsal heads, or more isolated at the first metatarsal head (near the big toe). Metatarsalgia is a symptom, not a diagnosis.

A careful study of ninety-eight patients who had complaints of pain in the fore part of the foot revealed twenty-three distinct diagnoses. These diagnoses were grouped as primary metatarsalgia, secondary metatarsalgia, and pain under the fore part of the foot. Metatarsalgia occurs in the region between the arch and the toes. The medical term for foot pain, metatarsalgia, comes from the name of the bones that are in this part of the foot: the metatarsals. It is usually felt in the sole of the foot and sometimes feel like “walking on pebbles”. Other people feel a more diffuse vague pain, ache or burning. Some people hve trouble around only one or two toes, others have it throughout one or both feet. Occasionally, pain is felt throughout the sole of the foot.

Metatarsalgia can be due to a number of different biomechanical conditions of the foot. And in many cases, the foot is simply predisposed to developing metatarsalgia. It is a diagnostic challenge and a good example of the importance of careful history taking and examination in the foot, as it has many causes and sometimes more than one is present. People with certain foot shapes that create more stress on the metatarsal bones also may have these problems. Other factors can cause excessive pressure in the ball of foot area that can result in metatarsalgia.

These include shoes with heels that are too high or participating in high impact activities without proper footwear and/or orthotics. Metatarsalgia experts indicate that high arches, deformities of the toes, stiff ankles, irritated nerves in the forefeet, bunions, poor circulation to the feet (due to diabetes), gout, arthritis, weight gain, and shoes with too-high heels are also predisposing factors. Metatarsalgia can readily be treated with orthotics to alleviate pressure in the area and ‘create’ a metatarsal arch. It is also important to decrease the pressure on the ball of the foot by lowering heel height and having a flexible ankle joint.

Causes of Metatarsalgia

The common causes and risk favtor’s of Metatarsalgia include the following:

Muscle fatigue.

Avascular necrosis, sesamoiditis.

The foot frequently is injured during sports activities.

Vascular insufficiency.

Poor blood supply to the feet.

Tight toe extensors.

Interdigital neuroma.

Metatarsophalangeal synovitis.

Being overweight.

Neurological problem.

Symptoms of Metatarsalgia

Some sign and symptoms related to Metatarsalgia are as follows:

Pain in the middle of the foot.

A feeling in your feet as if you’re walking on pebbles or have a bruise from a stone.

Sharp or shooting pain in your toes.

Tingling/Numbness in toes.

Swelling.

Increased pain when you’re walking barefoot, especially on a hard surface

Callousing under 2/3/4th toes.

Treatment of Metatarsalgia

Here is list of the methods for treating Metatarsalgia:

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) to help reduce pain and inflammation.

Wearing a more supportive shoe.

Applying an ice pack or package of frozen peas to the affected site several times during the first 24 hours can reduce inflammation and help relieve pain.

Rest.

Physical Therapy – Ultra sound/ Electrical Stimulation/ Paraffin/Deep Heat/Whirlpool.

Other products often recommended include gel metatarsal cushions and metatarsal bandages.When these products are used with proper footwear, you should experience significant relief.

If inflammation is present (synovitis), a local corticosteroid/anesthetic injection may be useful.

Surgery may be needed if conservative therapy is ineffective.

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