Depressive Disorders 101

We often hear the term "Depression" as it's frequently used to describe a mood or emotion. The joyless sadness of depression hardly needs description, so common is its part in the human condition. In technical terms it is described as a symptom of a syndrome or psychological disorder and only the duration separates the mood from the symptom. When this feeling of depression is present consistently for long periods of time it is considered a symptom of a depressive disorder.
There is a long tradition of categorizing depression into types, and there are a number of diagnostic schemes currently in use. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) has long been the predominant diagnostic framework used by psychologists and psychiatrists in North America now for several decades.
Major Depression
This is what people have in mind when referring to "clinical depression." When the symptoms of depression are present and significant for most of the day, at least, and for a minimum of 2 weeks, they may have a Major Depression. This category of depression is further divided into Major Depressive Disorder Single Episode and Recurrent subtypes.
Dysthymia
This is a generally milder, but more enduring type of depression. While Sufferers may not exhibit their symptoms every day, but rather on most days for a period of at least two years.
Bipolar Disorder
Formerly known as Manic Depression, in Bipolar disorder, individuals either alternate depressive lows with manic or hypomanic up-swings, or experience a so-called "mixed mood states" where they exhibit features of depression and mania at the same time.
Adjustment Disorder with Depressed Mood
Formerly recognized as "reactive depression," this is a depressive response to a life stress that is more severe than expected for the type of stress experienced.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Often discussed in the media as if it is a unique disorder, this is a variation of either depression or bipolar disorder where the episodes coincide with seasonal changes.
Psychotic Depression
This is a variation of Major Depression where, with increased severity, psychotic symptoms (e.g., hallucinations, delusions) are exhibited.
Post-Partum Depression
Another variation of Major Depression that is precipitated by childbirth in women. While not usually applied to men, a post-partum reaction among new fathers might be better accounted for as an adjustment disorder, or understood in terms of "separation anxiety."
While some are less affected by depression others may suffer greatly. We hope this article provided some insight about various disorders and if do suffer from any of these don't hesitate to a qualified professional for assistance.

Finding Depression Cures That Work

Everyone feels blue from time to time, but when those sometimes blues turn into everyday down-in-the-dumps, you should begin to seek out depression cures that work. Depression is a true mental condition that is marked by changes in sleeping and eating patterns, feelings of helplessness and guilt, increased anxiety and anger, and more. Suicide attempts are also far more common for those with this condition than others. When you are facing this issue yourself, you know that you are pulling away from others and losing interest in life, and that in itself can feel scary. You may find that you feel like you are in a hole and simply cannot pull yourself up. There are, however, some depression cures that can set you on the right path.
Medical Attention. First, it is absolutely imperative that you pick up the phone today and make an appointment to talk to your doctor about your condition. The fact is that hundreds of millions of people around the globe suffer from this condition, and your doctor will not think anything less of you for seeking out the help you need. Your doctor can help you get on the right medication that will have you feeling far better in no time at all. In fact, many who first get on antidepressants notice that they feel worlds better in just days.
Natural Solutions. While you absolutely do not want to cut corners and want to make the most of your doctor's visit, there are some extra measures you can take at home to enhance your depression cures. In addition to taking any medication that your doctor has prescribed, you will also want to make an effort to spend a few more minutes out in the sunshine each day. The sun boosts vitamin D production in your body, which has a positive effect on your mood. Then you will want to make an effort to eat healthier, more natural foods, and to increase the amount of exercise and sleep you get. Your overall health and fitness level has a lot to do with your mood, as diet, sleep, and exercise all help to regulate mood-altering chemicals in the brain.
Therapy It is common for people to enter into a state of depression when the stresses of life become too much to bear. There are times in most people's lives when it seems life just knocks you down, but that life also just keeps kicking you while you are down, too. During these times, you may feel depressed and like you just cannot cope. In addition to following the medical advice of your doctor, you may want to seek out therapy for depression cures that can help you better manage stress and deal with life's issues.

While you may feel as though your life is just hopeless and there is no point in going on another day, you should grasp on to the knowledge that there are many depression cures available to you. In fact, when you make an appointment to see a doctor today, you will be on the right path to feeling much more like your old self in just a few days.

The Right Foot Regimen and the Role of Foot Cream Products

If there is a part of our body that we use most of the time, our feet will win the voting by a landslide. With all the sprinting, jogging, walking, and running that we do all day, this body part is not only exposed to stress but to other organisms and surroundings as well which can bring it harm. The truth is that not many people give the right skin care attention to their feet as much as they provide to other parts of their body like the face for example. Ignorance to the importance of proper care for the feet can cause problems like cracked heels, athlete's foot, and dry skin. Fortunately, preventing this problem is easy, given that you are willing to adopt additional habits to your regular routine.
Washing your feet every day is very important. Even though our feet are kept in footwear during the most of the day, they are not protected against bacteria at all just because they are not exposed. In fact, the feet are one of favorite lurking places of bacteria because they thrive in dark, moist places. Make sure that you clean your feet at the end of the day to get rid of potential causes of foot problems. You can use an antibacterial or cleansing foot cream or just a simple antibacterial soap. When washing, make sure that you pay extra attention on the spaces between your toes.
After washing, pat your feet dry and apply a moisturizing foot cream afterwards. Sometimes, soap can rob the skin of its natural moisture so a foot cream that can prevent the skin from drying is very important. The best moisturizing foot cream products have Shea butter in them which works not only by boosting the natural moisture production of the skin but also provides a protective barrier around the epidermis.
Moreover, you should also treat yourself to a pedicure once every two weeks. Unlike what many think, pedicures are not actually a form of luxury but a form of foot maintenance as well because it helps rid our feet the rough and dry skin that accumulates around our nails. Painting your toenails is just the cherry on top. When painting your nails, make sure to remove your nail color after a week because keeping them on for long can cause yellowing or brittle nails. You should also give your nails a week free of nail color before to let them breathe and recover.

Mark A. Robbins is a professional beauty writer. He now works as a professor in a well-known university and contributes regularly to their school newsletter about health and lifestyle. His recent article is about the importance of foot cream products and foot regimen.

The Importance of Exercise For Children

Why is it important for children to do cardio exercises? Because researchers have discovered that just twenty minutes of doing things like jumping, hopping, or even having an old-fashioned wheel barrow race works the musculoskeletal system enough to improve strength by as much as 75%! The more muscle mass kids have the higher their metabolism, which means strength training has the extra benefit of keeping weight in check. There are three elements essential to optimal physical fitness: endurance, strength and flexibility. Pull-ups and other exercises help tone and strengthen muscles while building flexibility. When kids use activities like climbing they are also developing strength and balance. Reaching and stretching are also activities that develop flexibility. Endurance comes through active play or aerobic activity. Getting stronger and improving ability to accomplish more physical activities helps preschoolers and kindergartners gain confidence and increase feelings of self worth.
All exercise that gets the heart pumping counts as a cardio workout - here's a list to help you and your children get started:
1. Skipping rope - it burns more calories per minute than almost any other type of aerobic exercise.
2. Running around - playing with the dog or running from the bottom of a slide back to the top are great ways to get little hearts pumping (works for mom or dad too!)
3. Swimming in a pool - exercise in water adds up to 12 times the resistance to the movement process plus swimming builds endurance and strength.
4. Jumping in a bouncy house - just sounds like lots of fun but it also provides great aerobic exercise while helping improve balance and coordination.
5. Climbing and swinging - builds muscle strength and coordination and hanging by one's knees is a terrific way to get a new look at the world.
Healthy eating choices are an important part of any get fit program. Be sure to make part of the program family meals. Sitting down for family dinner is not just good for you because you are consuming more vegetables and vitamins. A growing body of research shows that sitting down together for dinner on a regular basis not only teaches kids how to develop healthy eating habits, it may also make for happier children who are less apt to smoke, drink, do drugs or get into extreme weight control activities.
Getting started is the hardest part of any change in lifestyle but if parents and children take part in activities everyone can enjoy - biking, skating, swimming - it all get easier after that. Keep everyone challenged by stepping up the routine difficulty level. As the body becomes used to doing similar exercise activities over and over, they get easier to do so the body isn't working as hard. The result is that you expend less energy and slow down weight loss or muscle building. Vary the routine to see your body respond to the challenge and keep progressing. We know that it isn't easy to encourage healthier living today but instilling good heart-healthy habits lessens your kids' risk of developing grown-up type health issues at an early age.

Thanks for reading my article - my name is Christine Bender and I am the owner and operator of the website where we sell plastic play sets and swimming pool platforms, small and large, designed for toddlers and children under 5 years of age. You can find a play set that can be configured to fit into any available space in a bedroom, basement, or backyard which will offer endless variation of activities to give kids an active and exciting home play area. Ensuring the safety of children at the same time they are having fun and adventure is our ultimate goal. We want to see healthy, smiling kids with rosy cheeks laughing out loud while they're developing their muscles.

Tips on Sewing Hair Weaves

Hair weaves seem to be the latest rage of the season for all women. From the simple girl next door to the famous Hollywood celebrities use this hair accessory. They are used by many women for several reasons, some of which include hair loss due to aging or medical condition, fashion or to add thickness to thin or fine hair. There are many variations available. There are different styles, textures and application of hair weaves. They can be sewn in, glued or inserted using combs. One of the most versatile ways is sewing hair weaves and this can be done professionally by a salon or hair expert although the downside is that salons offer this service are quite expensive. The price ranges from $200-$1500.
But you don't have to spend your hard-earned money in those fancy salons. There is a better and more affordable way in sewing hair weaves. Do-it-yourself weaves can now be done at the comforts of your own home and you can even style it to your own liking such as adding volume to your hair or adding up length to show more sophistication or maybe getting a fabulous curl for an added pizzazz.
So, you may ask, how can you start sewing one by yourself? To start with, there's a lot of how-to blogs and websites available on the web where you can learn sewing hair weaves and doing it yourself! Added to this, with the popularity of YouTube video tutorials, you can simply look up easy do-it-yourself hair weaves and follow the basic steps in sewing hair weaves, cutting and measuring weaves properly, styling it and how to wear it fashionably.
Here are some tips to do-it-yourself sew in weaves:
1.Prepare all the necessary materials you need. Be sure you buy threads that match your natural (or dyed) hair and also the color of your hair weave or extension.
2.Begin by washing or wetting your hair and doing cornrows. To do cornrows, get a chunk of your hair and separate this into smaller chunks and braid them. Then, you may start from the front of your head going to the back. Get some help from a friend if you are having difficulty doing cornrows for those hard to reach parts.
3.After making cornrows about 4-5 inches long or depending on your hair length, sew in the weave to the cornrow. Overlap the first part of the weave with last inch of the cornrow.
4.Do the stitching method using a curved needle in the same exact circular order until the weave is securely attached to the base of your cornrow. This takes about 7-10 times. Ensure that it is attached well by genlty tugging on the weave. Ask for assistance from a friend if possible to avoid getting poked when sewing.
5.When you feel that the hair weave or extension is completed, place the needle lengthwise along the side of the extension. Insert the needle below all the loops of the stitching and tie off the thread. Repeat this several times until you feel that the extension is secured.
6.Dry off your hair; add your personal touch or bling and you're ready to go!

Buying a Hearing Aid? What Options You Have, and Which One to Choose?

If you are looking to buy a new Digital Hearing Aid, there are two possibilities, either you are a first time buyer or you are an existing user, but you feel the need to upgrade from your current Hearing Aid device. In both the cases, you would be amazed by the advancement witnessed by the Hearing Aid technology in the recent years.
These devices not only perform much better than ever before but also look different. With so many brands, types & styles now available, you might just be wondering what to look for while buying your device, if that's what you are struggling with, below is a list of the basic types of Hearing Aid Devices available, just so that you know, what to begin your search with.
1) BTE - Behind the Ear
Behind the Ear Hearing Aid is made up of 3 parts, an Ear Case, Earmold and a Tube. The Case which contains the amplification system, sits at the back of your ear, as the name suggests, and routes the sound to the Earmold via a Tube. The Earmold is custom made from your Ear impression and therefore fits perfectly replicating the size and shape of your ear, thus providing maximum comfort. Most brands make the BTE; one of the examples could be the Oticon Agil Wireless Hearing Aid. Below are some of the Advantages of BTE.
Advantages:
• Since the BTE are placed outside the Ear, they can use larger batteries to provide better sound amplification, thus making them suitable for all types of Hearing Losses
• As they are outside your Ear, they are protected from the moisture and wax in your ear, therefore providing enhanced durability.
2) ITE - In the Ear Hearing Aid
ITE are tailor made using the impression of your Ears. The ITE Aid as they are referred to fits in your outer year. Some of the Advantages of the ITE are as follows.
Advantages:
• ITE can be used for various levels of Hearing Loss
• Since the ITE fill the entire Ear, they are larger than the In the Canal hearing aid, and therefore can have a larger amplifier for better sound quality
3) ITC
In The Canal, fit inside the Canal, as the name suggests. ITC are relatively smaller than the ITE but a little larger than the CIC, which is Completely in the Canal. Below are some of the advantages.
Advantages.
• ITC fit in the Canal of the Ear and therefore are not visible to others easily.
• As the placement of the microphone is within the Canal, they offer natural sound quality
4) CIC
Completely in the Canal are the smallest devices manufactured. These devices fit deep in to the canal and are hardly visible from the outside. Cosmetically, these are the best Devices to own. One of the examples for these devices is the Phonak CIC power Digital Aid. Below are some of the advantages.
Advantages:
• CIC are the smallest Hearing Aid Devices and therefore cosmetically the most appealing
Depending on style, comfort, cosmetic appeal and affordability, you should now be able to choose one of the above types.

A T-Coil Can Improve Hearing In Noise

Hearing aids can seem complicated. Do you understand or even know about all of the features your hearing aids include? Do they have directional microphones? What about a volume control or wireless connectivity? If you are unsure, you're not alone. I'm amazed at how many times patients aren't even sure if their hearing aids have multiple programs. If they do, they're often unsure of what those programs are or what they do. Many times, easily accessed features that are meant to improve hearing for the listener go unused. One of the more under-utilized features in most hearing aids is the telecoil or "t-coil."
A t-coil consists of a tiny coil of wire wrapped around a metal core. The core will generate an electric current in the coil when it is in the presence of a magnetic field. It can act as an alternate or supplemental source for sound coming into a hearing device or aid. Normally, a hearing aid gathers sound through its microphone or microphones. It then amplifies that sound and sends it into the ear canal of the listener. When a telecoil is used as the input source instead, the listening device bypasses the microphone and picks up the electro-magnetic signal produced by a telephone or an assistive listening device, such as an FM system. Then, the hearing aid will amplify that signal and convert it to an audio signal. The result is a clear signal with less interference from background noise.
The t-coil was originally designed only for use with a regular land-line telephone, which has a speaker that is driven by magnets. When someone wearing a hearing aid that has a t-coil switches the t-coil on, the sound heard through the phone is often much stronger. Now, there are many other systems that can be accessed with a t-coil in order to improve sound quality.
Telecoils are especially helpful when there is a lot of background noise. If you happen to have access to an assistive listening device, such as an FM system, you may find that you can hear much better through your t-coil with the FM system than with just the hearing aid microphones. This is because the ear trumpet microphones are often turned off when the t-coil is in use. The sound that is being amplified comes directly from a microphone in the assistive listening device, which is often much closer to the sound source. This decreases the amount of background noise that is amplified. Many public places such as movie theaters, auditoriums and sports stadiums provide assistive listening devices to their patrons at no charge. Many of these systems are hearing device or aid compatible. So, if your hearing aid has a t-coil, you can easily improve your hearing in the situations that are often most difficult.
A telecoil can provide the extra help you need to hear in situations that otherwise might seem impossible. Ask your hearing healthcare provider about telecoils and whether your own device has one. The more you know, the better you'll hear.

Treatment of Swimmer's Ear With Homeopathy

Homeopathic treatment of swimmer's ear
As swimming becomes a favorite activity, many parents dread the onset of swimmer's ear. Swimmer's ear or otitis externa often affect children and teenagers who engage in water activities in swimming pools or lakes.
Swimmer's ear is an inflammation of the external canal which occurs after water gets trapped in the ear following a swim, a bath or shower. The inflammation is usually caused by gram-negative bacilli (Pseudomonas or Proteus) or by fungi (Aspergillus) that thrive in moist environment.
The symptoms of swimmer's ear, according to American Academy of Otolaryngology, are as following:

• itching in the ear
• sensation of ear is blocked or full
• pain around ear
• lymph nodes swollen in the neck
• decrease hearing
• fever
• tenderness in the earlobes

Swimmer's ear is not usually a dangerous infection and alternative methods of treatment may be useful. "Homeopathy medicine is safe and natural, based on the principle of treating like with like ", according to Gad Cohen, homeopath and naturopath. Homeopathy remedies work with the whole person to eliminate the cause of the disease rather than the illness alone. "The treatment is highly personalized and the homeopathy remedy is chosen according to the symptoms presented", says Dr. Cohen. The potency chosen should be in the lower range from 6X to 30C. The patient should take the remedy every two to three hours while awake.
Homeopathic treatment
Aconitum napellus: is useful for sudden onset of earache and for acute cases of fever. The patient awakes at night with pain, anxious and scared and is worse after exposure to dry and cold winds
Belladona atropa: is effective for earaches that come on suddenly with severe, throbbing pain, fever, or sweating. The patient presents a flushed face, is worse with movement, but better with heat and has no thirst. The symptoms are worse at night.
Pulsatilla: useful for earaches accompanied by yellow greenish discharge from the ear, the patient is sensitive to heat, the ear is painful and hot, and cheeks are pale. The patient isn't thirsty and has a high fever.
Mercurius solubilis: for earaches with a high fever, presence of thick nasal or ear discharge, sweating, bad breath and irritability. The pain is worse at night.
Hepar sulphuris: is used for painful earache during the night, ear is sensitive to touch and to cold sensation. The symptoms are improved by heat applications.
Chamomilla: is useful when symptoms are worse with heat, but better with movement especially if the child is carried back and forth. A good remedy especially for earaches associated with teething.
Most homeopathic remedies are sold in pharmacies or health food stores. However, if pain or fever persists beyond 24 hours, you should consult your medical doctor.

Asthma Anger

Could it be that Asthma is anger that is socially acceptable? Too simple? No. In most cultures getting angry is frowned upon and the culture helps suppress us. Getting really angry is worse. Worst of all is getting really angry in public. Such shame, such humiliation. So wrong! Our clever and ever-pleasing unconscious mind may opt to have us show up with a physical problem that looks a lot like asthma so we don't have to suffer the embarrassment of displaying our anger publicly. Sound crazy? Read on.
Anger is hot, inconvenient, shunned and powerful. Rather than us getting inflamed, our unconscious minds can inflame another body part. The easiest one is our airways. We are running so hot and seemingly out of control in our emotions that the larger part of our mind (the unconscious) makes a decision to expand, inflame and thicken the breathing passages. Why? It very effectively stops us from being angry--because we're busy gasping for air! Instead we suffer a potentially life-threatening (but much more socially acceptable) event. We have an asthma attack. Wow. Let's file this under: "messed up"!
Do you recognize anger when you see it? Movies make it plain. Faces get red. Veins on foreheads pulse. There is cursing, shouting and wild action, right? Yes. That's one type of anger. That's it in expression.
Can you spot anger in suppression? This may take you a while to recognize it in yourself and those you love. Anger in suppression makes for short, shallow breathers. It makes for stuffed feelings and bloated bellies. It comes in the form of "the nicest people you could possibly meet suddenly losing it" one day. It comes from tight faces and hard jaws. It shows up in seething comments, venomous slurs and sharp, harsh laughter.
When I tell clients that the nicest people they know are probably the angriest they ALWAYS disagree, at least initially. Nice people never get angry. They get discomforts and disorders of the body INSTEAD of dealing with the anger that fuels them. Everything you thought was black might be white when it comes to your "nice" friends.
Are ALL nice people angry? No, of course not. Only those that pride themselves on "never getting angry" or "never having a harsh word about anyone". This is NOT what we were taught in school or society. If you watch angry folks (expressors) and "nice" folks (suppressors) it's quite an education. There is a middle way, however, that reaps the best of both polar extremes. Neither extreme nets any real gains but just prolongs the problem and the inevitable suffering. In a nutshell, stuffing anger or shouting it both prolong and promote difficult breathing and asthma attacks.
We CAN learn to let go of our anger before it becomes discomfort, disorder and eventually disease. It is a learned skill. No one in our culture teaches this to us as children. The easiest and fastest way to learn to let go is to observe angry feelings without acting on them...until they let go of you. It sounds easy. It's not at the beginning. It, like all good things, requires practice. It can be done and you can learn to do it on your own without any outside help.

Fish Oil Supplements for Asthma Sufferers - How It Can Help

Worldwide, there are over 300 million persons who suffer from asthma. As we age, asthma symptoms may very likely increase and people become more susceptible to asthma triggers. Once you have asthma, it never goes away but it can still be controlled with the proper treatment. Recently, research has established that fish oil supplements could improve the symptoms of asthma in many individuals.
In respiration, airways in our bodies carry oxygen to and from our lungs. When you have asthma, it affects these airways and the airways become swollen or inflamed. With asthmatic individuals a swollen or inflamed airway become very sensitive to irritations and makes them more prone to allergic reactions and difficulty breathing.
As inflammation and swelling becomes more pronounced, less air is carried from or to the lungs. There are various symptoms that come with the swelling and inflammation which include such things as chest tightness, trouble breathing, coughing, and wheezing. The symptoms usually occur more often late at night.
There are various causes of the above symptoms including allergies, stress, exercise, smoking, and colds. While having an asthma attack, the airways become blocked to the point that oxygen cannot enter the lungs. When oxygen cannot enter the lungs, it cannot enter the blood stream either. When oxygen is prevented from entering the blood stream, it cannot feed the body's vital organs. This also causes carbon dioxide to stay within the body instead of being exhaled. Keep in mind that carbon dioxide is a poison and if it cannot be exhaled it could cause death. These asthma attacks can be anywhere from mild to very severe but may require immediate medical attention and can even become fatal if untreated.
There are various ways to treat asthma. There are medications, some of which work by relaxing the bronchial tubes or by reducing the inflammation caused by asthma. They can be injected, inhaled or oral medication. There are some serious side effects like rapid heart rate, headache, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, panic attacks and/or dizziness.
Does diet have any impact on asthma? Yes, it does because there are certain foods that can improve or prevent asthma attacks. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish, such as salmon or sardines can improve or prevent asthma attacks. Some Eskimo tribes consume a diet high in fat, particularly omega-3 fatty acids through fish in their diets. They also have an amazingly low rate of asthma in their population. This is because omega-3 fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory action. This fish diet helps keep the Eskimos healthier.
A study in France showed that oral fish oil supplementation generally improved lung function. Combined with diet the fish oil supplements reduced inflammation and reduced the need for medication. This supplement also produced fewer side effects than the medications.
There are also studies involving exercise induced asthma that have shown by supplementing the athlete's diet with fish oil supplements improved their symptoms and curtailed their use of emergency inhalers by at least 64%.
There is enough research information gathered to date to show that supplementing fish oil or fish meals may be a whole new therapy for asthma sufferers.
If you have asthma please check with your primary care provider before adding this wonderful supplement to your diet.

Get Your Precious Hairs Back By Hair Restoration

Are you suffering from hair fall problem? Then it is obvious that you have taken advice from different sources to get rid of hair loss. Medical treatment is what majority of people have suggested. Isn't it? Falling of hair is common in case of both the case of male and female. It starts with a slower pace but very quickly leads to the balding head problem. For both men and women, their hair is important. No one wants to lose his or her hair. In order to help these individuals get rid of the problem of baldness, it is hair restoration that can help.
Hair restoration is the treatment of hair fall that has become very popular in recent times. The medical process of restoration of hair is an approved one and this is the reason why most of the individuals prefer adopting these means. The approval of the medications is made by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Undoubtedly, even the approved medications lead to some complication, but still they can be tried for better results. However, the hair restoration treatments that are not approved by the FDA can really be harmful. Thus, you must remain careful prior to selecting any medication for restoring your hair.
When it comes to hair restoration, there are two types of medications that you come across. One is minoxidil, which is a topical treatment and the other one is finasteride, a medication being oral in nature. Because of the two different kinds of treatments available for the patients suffering from balding head problem, it is essential for the individuals to make a suitable choice in order to get best results. Be sure of choosing the medications approved by FDA as they would surely be safe for use.
There are certain complications that are faced by the patients even if the medical means of treating balding head is adopted:

• If the cause of hair loss is misdiagnosed, the medication given may be slightly effective or even be totally ineffective.
• Unwanted hair growth on the face or other body parts. This results because of the application of the medication incorrectly to an area.
• Itchy scalp.
• The major complication of medical hair restoration is decrease in the blood pressure level.

Hair Falling Treatment - How Do I Know If I Need It?

Are You Ashamed of Needing Treatment?
It's easy enough to panic when you see clumps of hair in the bath or shower. It's even easier to start searching for solutions, before you even know that there's a problem. In this article, we look at facts relating to losing hair excessive hair, to help you determine if you need hair falling treatment or not.
Hair Loss Is Normal
When people talk about hair loss, what they actually mean is premature balding. That's because losing hair is completely normal, and it starts before you're even bald!
In fact, babies have more hair than they will ever have in their lifetimes before they are born. Those hair follicles die off, usually at a rate of a few per day, throughout your life, and there's really nothing you can do to stop that. Hair follicles will die, no matter what you do - it's the rate that they die at that you should be concerned about!
If you're losing more than fifty to a hundred hairs per day, or if your hair is visibly thinning, or coming out in clumps, then there's a good chance that you're not experiencing normal hair loss - and that's when you should start considering hair falling treatment!
Hair Loss Is Genetic
When you read about herbal hair falling treatment options, rubs, scrubs, lasers and all the rest of it, you may be impressed. But those treatments actually do little or nothing to treat the root cause of hair loss, which is almost always genetic.
While there may be health conditions or other problems that spark hair loss, and the search for hair falling treatment, the vast majority of all cases of hair loss are caused by a disease called alopecia, which is genetic. In fact, the gene that is at the root of it all may already have been discovered in Japan in 2009, and while there aren't any genetic hair falling treatments out there yet, it's only a matter of time!
If you want to know if hair loss is in your future, take a look at your father, and his. If they have thinning hair, or male pattern baldness, then it's almost certain that you will!
Many, Many People Will Seek Hair Falling Treatment
If you thought that hair loss, and seeking hair falling treatment was something that you were alone or isolated in, think again. In fact, it's been shown, in recent studies that as many as a quarter of men in the US will seek help for balding by the time they are thirty. More than sixty percent will be bald or balding by the age of sixty.
Many men actually begin losing their hair at the end of puberty, although the results will probably only be visible towards the middle to late twenties. Four out of every seven men have the balding gene, and although they will display that gene in different ways, at different times, you're in good company if you're already looking for hair falling treatment.
So if you're feeling alone, embarrassed or singled out because you're looking for hair falling treatment, don't - there are millions of people, just like you, who are looking too.

Complete hair loss is embarrassing, and can destroy your confidence overnight. It can only take a month in extreme cases. Now is the time to find out about the best hair falling treatment that stops hair loss in its tracks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6663045

Does Oiling Your Scalp Help With Hair Shedding?

I sometimes hear from folks who are looking for natural, inexpensive, and non invasive ways to help with their hair shedding. One possibility that sometimes comes up is oiling one's scalp. This generally involves using a carrier oil (coconut, olive, jojoba, emu, tea tree oil or others) massaged into the scalp to stimulate the hair follicles and to promote hair regrowth.
I recently heard from someone who said: "my hair has been shedding horribly for about six weeks. Not only is my hair falling out, but my scalp is sore and itchy. On a hair loss forum, I read about a suggestion for using tea tree or emu oil to soothe your scalp. I also read that these oils sometimes help with hair loss and shedding. So my question is would oiling my scalp help with what I think is telogen effluvium? Or would it just soothe my sore scalp? And does it make your hair look greasy?"
There was no way for me to predict the future or the outcome when this person oiled their scalp, but I certainly have a theory, which I'll explain now.
Why People Typically Oil Their Scalp: Usually scalp oiling is done when people have a dry, itchy or damaged scalp. This is sometimes due to using very hot curling or flat irons. Or it can be due to some sort of allergic reaction to products. Many believe that messaging oil into your scalp can help to heal or soothe your scalp while also stimulating your hair follicles and encouraging growth. You read a lot about hair oiling in ethnic or long hair communities and forums. Some swear by this practice because it has made their scalp and hair healthier and others find that it causes their hair to become oily and weighed down. In my observation, those who get the best results from oiling have been suffering from some sort of severe or scaring alopecia because of severe damage to their scalp, but I'm sure there are probably some exceptions.
Can Scalp Oiling Help With Hair Shedding Or Telogen Effluvium?: In my experience, the people who have some success with hair oiling (at least as it relates to shedding) are those who are shedding as the direct result of poor scalp health or severe scalp damage. These are usually folks who have a scalp that is so wounded and damaged that it just isn't able to support healthy hair growth. So, their shedding and hair loss is directly related to the poor condition of their scalp. Since the oil provides moisture, healing, and relief, the shedding improves a little as their scalp begins to heal.
However, telogen effluvium (a common form of shedding that usually comes before you notice any issues with your scalp) is usually a completely separate issue. Usually, the trigger is there before the scalp begins to have problems. In other words, a person with telogen effluvium may well have a sore or problematic scalp, but this usually happens after the shedding begins, not before it. Many people have a troubled scalp as the result of TE, but those same troubles are not the cause of the shedding. Telogen effluvium is usually caused by stress or changes to the body. Examples are illness, hormonal issues, or severe psychological stress. Now, there are types of scaring alopecia that are related to your scalp and, in these cases, oiling your scalp can help with the shedding if the oil heals your scalp.
However, if you are shedding because of some type of non scarring alopecia (like telogen effluvium,) scalp oiling my help to relive some of your discomfort and it can also stimulate regrowth, which are both positive things. But often, this type of shedding ends because the trigger (or stress) has been removed or enough time has passed for your hair cycles can reset themselves.
One more point, be careful what type of oil you use and how much of it you apply. The last thing you want to do is to clog or compromise your hair follicles and make your already shedding hair look limp or oily.

Slow Down Thinning Hair With a Healthy Diet

Due to various environmental problems and other health related problems, thinning hair has become a common problem among both men and women. Even following some simple methods could make a large difference in it, like changing your dietary habits. For many men and women, this has really become a common problem and in certain cases this is even leading to baldness. Maintaining a strict diet comprising lots of vegetables and minerals could help you arresting the thinning hair problems to a certain extent. This should be followed by some hair treatment which would allow reviving the weakened hair roots.
The regeneration of the hair follicles is possible with a similar test being conducted on mice. In the study, scientists found small wounds on the back of the mice. When the wounds reached a certain size, a process which is very much similar to embryonic development was activated. Then some stem cells were transported to the damaged area of the skin. Within a day or too, the actual regeneration of the removed hair follicles started and this led to the normal growth of hair with the help of these hair follicles. Then, with the application of some sort of signaling protein in the skin, the hair started growing a little faster than before.
To address any type of hair problem it is very much necessary to follow a simple and strict diet. is one such problem and as a remedy it requires both medication and medical treatment. There are various oils and lotions to arrest the breakage of the hair. This is caused mostly by the air pollutants and the buildup of the conditioner. Proper medicinal and natural treatment helps the preservation of the hair follicles. Hair loss brings in the related psychological problems and this could eventually jeopardize the whole health scenario. Good hair is very much related with the well being of our stomach.
In every way or the other, the natural remedies give no side effects and this works as a wonderful idea. Thinning hair can be best treated in the natural way and these techniques are mainly ideas from the East. The American diet should be extremely curtailed and should be followed by some simple vegetarian diets. There should be a combination of vegetable proteins and essential minerals, which will be very much helpful for the growth of the damaged, since it could arrest its loss to a great extent. This should also be followed by the change of our lifestyle.

Why More Women Are Turning To Ayurveda and Ayurvedic Herbs To Treat Hair Loss

Having hair is one of the assets a woman associates greatly with self-esteem and confidence. However, women do experience loss of hair or thinning at some point in their lives, usually during the post-pregnancy or menopause stages. Post pregnancy hair loss occurs within the 3-4 months after the delivery. Given the importance of looking good in society, hair loss or alopecia in women can be very devastating and can even cause depression.
Strands that fall in worrying numbers, clogging shower drains & occurs even with the gentlest & quickest of brushing. Increasing number of hair fall which usually comes with undeniable emotional stress for more women today. This problem may be in connection with genetic or medical condition or contributed by the aging process, the facts remains that more women are facing this problems, there is an extent of hair experts who show & agree that there are a lot of natural ayurvedic herbal remedies that can generate significant benefits for the people concerned to treat their hair & scalp condition & have prolong healthy hair.
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.
How your hair grows? They are made of keratin, the same protein that makes up nails and the outer layer of skin. The part that looks and the style is called the hair shaft. This is actually dead tissue made by the hair follicles small bulb-like structures beneath the surface of the scalp.
How hair loss begins? Losing hair is a normal symptom. 50-60 hairs are shed every day, the normal scalp. Losing more than 60 strands a day is excessive and may lead to a general thinning. Alopecia in women is often caused by pregnancy, stress, fatigue, or chemical treatment but may also be hereditary.
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.
A healthy diet can prevent alopecia in women help keep the hair you have to stay healthy longer. As your overall health will benefit from a balanced diet, should therefore also the health of your hair.
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 ( every other day) with suitable natural shampoo.
5. Using relaxing techniques to overcome stress, anxiety and sleeplessness.
6. Preventing fungal infections of scalp.
7. Preventing hairstyles which pull hair.
Natural oils such as coconut oil & castor oil & hair masks enriched with ayurvedic herbs such as Bhringaraja ( Eclipta Alba ), Amla ( Embelica officinalis ), Shikakai, Brahmi and Henna is a best remedy for hair fall.

Grow Your Hair Back With My Step by Step Regime

How I went from a Baldie to a Gorilla Chest Head
Man I couldn't believe it. 25 years old and starting to lose my hair. I was thinning at the sides and on the top. At first I tried to deny it. I brushed it under the carpet. Tried to forget about it. But one day I looked at a picture someone had took and there was just no doubt, I was going bald. I was too young to join the balding club.
So I did a lot of research about remedies for stopping balding. And sadly, I admit, I bought into a few of the scams out there. Completely foolish of me but there you go. Desperation breeds stupidity. But I did my research and read into the science of what makes men go bald.
Basically it's a chemical called D.H.T. that men produce that slows down or prevents natural hair growth. As we get older we produce more of it that's why most men do eventually go bald. It's fine going bald at 60 but not at 25. I had to do something about it. Stop or slow down D.H.T. production reaching the hair follicles and you crack balding.
So I started on a daily regime.
1) I would massage my head for 10 minutes a day. I figured more natural blood flow to the scalp wouldn't do any harm. Plus it was very relaxing. I bought some weird head scalper off the Internet and it does its job very nicely.
2) I cut out coffee and swapped it for green tea. Green tea has amazing health benefits and coffee basically has none. I figured it couldn't do my hair any harm at all. Plus I sleep much better at night now.
3) I ditched all my regular shampoos for 100% pure natural shampoos with no Sodium Litherine. This chemical damages the roots of your hair. And 99% of the shampoos you buy in the shops are full of it. It makes the shampoo "bubbly" and people associate that with good shampoo. But one expert said that the chemical alone can make young people prematurely bald. Also, don't wash you hair so often. Twice a week is more than enough.
4) Finally I did research and found a natural remedy called "Saw Palmeto" does wonders for hair growth. It's both over the counter, promotes blood flow and stronger, healthier hair.

So I do this every day now and after 3 months I noticed my hair was thicker and stronger. Within 1 year I took another picture and the thinning hair on top was now thick. So, keep away from gimmicks and tricks and go the 100% natural method to growing back a healthy head of hair.

Hair Thickening Products - General Information

What You Should Know
If you've decided that hair thickening products are the solution to limp or thinning hair, then you may want to read on. In this article, we look at what these thickening products are, and what you need to know about them.
How Do They Work?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is how do hair thickening products work?
Products that promise thickening of the hair, whether they're shampoos, conditioners or sprays, work by adding an extra layer of coating to the shaft of the hair. That layer ads volume, and in some cases, these products are designed to lift the cuticles, which adds even more volume.
It's important to note that because products that promise hair thickening only coat the hair, the effects that they offer are only temporary - as soon as you shower, the products are out of your hair and you'll be back to your usual self. They're not a permanent solution, although they are great for thinning or limping!
How To Choose The Right Product?
The first thing you need to understand is that not all these products are created equal. Those old products that you used to see in the commercials were little more than slightly higher tech spray paint or makeup!
Modern sprays, shampoos and products use advanced technologies, like ground up human hair in various colours, suspended in an adhesive solution, to give the most natural thickening results. Look for products that list human hair among the ingredients, and you will normally get the better products for hair thickening on the market.
Of course, these products cost more to make than the old hair thickening products that used to come off in the rain and run down your forehead, so you can expect to pay a little more for them. Rather budget more though, and get the results you want, than look for cut price products that you only use once, because they just don't work!
What Are the Alternatives?
Of course, this is not your only option, if you're looking for something that adds volume to thinning or thin hair.
An alternative would be to have a weave or hair extensions, which would give your hair a fuller appearance, but much more expensive and of high maintenance. Another option would be a hair transplant, where hair follicles are removed from the back and sides of your head, and transferred to the areas where thinning is a problem.
There are also prescription drugs on the market that can offer some relief to certain victims of thinning hair.
All of these solutions, however, tend to be much more expensive than hair thickening products, and although they do offer longer term solutions, they also take longer to apply or use. So if you're looking for a cheaper, instant solution to thinning or lifeless hair, then hair thickening products may be just the solution you're looking for - and well worth investing in.

Complete hair loss is embarrassing, and can destroy your confidence overnight. It can only take a month in extreme cases. Now is the time to find out about the best hair falling treatment that stops hair loss in its tracks.

Coronary Heart Disease Solution

HEART ATTACK
The most common heart disease is arteriosclerotic, supposed to be as the real heart attack, when one of heart crown-artery gets clogged-up with blood clot. Heart is not probably serious as long as it gets a cramp only, but it will be up to arteriosclerotic gradually.
When heart crown-artery carrying food from heart muscles are clogged, muscle cells are painful, even will be dead, except blood is pulled from the surrounding vessels to fulfill needs for the broken tissue, generally called as coronary thrombosis.
If heart artery (left or right) is changed, the artery becomes hard, called as atherosclerosis. This hardening makes partition of heart artery broken easily and its cells are substituted with soft matters, but these matters are covered with calcium. Thus, this partition gets hard and is unable to develop and do contraction, called asarteriosclerosis (weakened heart).
Heart attack is probably caused by hypertension because heart gets additional load or duty to solve increased blood pressure. Good heart should keep well, so blood circulation fulfills adequate body needs as usual, but it probably fails because the extra load is heavy. Previously, the blood vessels in the whole body lose normal elasticity and narrow when coming to kidney. It probably reduces the flowing blood amount and creates new substances; rennin or angiotonin. These substances are spread in blood circulation, and then influence small artery and increase blood pressure.
On the other hand, there are probably some symptoms of heart disturbance, as follows:

• The left part of chest is painful
• Pain feels from cheat to the left arm
• The left part of back also feels painful
• It is easy to get surprised, worried and pulsated
• Chest pulsates after getting up
• Body often weakens and as if it is powerless
• It is breathless, similar to disturbance of lungs
• Palm and sole are wet, cold and pale
• Left pectoral nerves feels painful

The attack of heart can happen when stressing of heartbeat runs quickly or sleeping soundly at night accompanied with cold air starting to catch up and decrease the elasticity of muscles in the whole body.
Calcified plaque blockages in the heart it was reasonable. Organs that have been used for more than 30 years have blockage.
Do we expect, the organ that we use more than 30 years still excellent as when a new born?
Surely more sense if we can accept the fact, that our organs which have been used, it needs maintenance.
And will be disappointed, those who expect something unreasonable.
The more important is to find, and get way out of safe, inexpensive, and natural.
The disease is caused by several factors, including unhealthy lifestyle, fatty foods, lack of exercise, smoking and others.
Frequent consumption of fatty foods, along with cold drinks, accelerates the deposition of fat in the heart vessel. More secure, when fatty foods accompanied by warm drinks and dissolve fat. Such as orange or warm water.
The process of blockage, occurs due to an interruption in blood supply to the heart coronary arteries. So the heart muscle deprived of oxygen. Furthermore, cardiac muscle cramps and stop pumping.

 

5 Types and Symptoms of Heart Diseases You Must Know

Heart disease, usually called as cardiac disease or cardiopathy, is a general term which refers to various heart-related diseases. Some types of heart disease may share similar symptoms. However, each disease has particular symptoms which depend on the type and the severity of the condition. Below are some types of heart diseases and how to recognize them from their symptoms.
1. Heart attack (Myocardial Infarction or MI)
A person who suffers from heart attack may experience discomfort, heaviness, pressure, or pain around the chest, arm, or below the breastbone. In some cases, the feeling can spread through the jaw, back, and throat. Heart attack also triggers sweating, dizziness, anxiety, nausea, irregular heartbeats, and shortness of breath. A heart attack may last for half an hour or longer. Sometimes, heart attack can occur without any symptoms. This type of heart attack is commonly called a silent MI and happens more often among diabetics.
2. Coronary artery disease
Generally, a coronary artery disease is defined by the occurrence of angina or chest pain. A chest pain creates squeezing, aching, burning, heaviness, and painful sensation around the chest and can spread through the shoulders, jaw, back, throat, or arm. Besides angina, other symptoms commonly follow a coronary artery disease are rapid heartbeat, palpitations, sweating, nausea, weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
3. Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is an irregular or abnormal rhythm of heart beats. Symptoms that may present during an arrhythmia include palpitations, the feeling of light-headed, fainting, discomfort feeling in chest, fatigue, chest pounding, dizziness, shortness of breath, and weakness. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of some types of arrhythmia. Like arrhythmia sufferers, AF patients may also experience the lack of energy, palpitations, dizziness, chest discomfort, shortness of breath, and tiredness.
4. Heart valve disease
Heart valve disease is a condition when the heart valve cannot work normally. This disease triggers dizziness, weakness feeling, chest discomfort, palpitations, and shortness of breath which you notice while doing normal activities or just lying in bed. Heart valve disease which causes heart failure may show some other symptoms such as fast weight gain and swelling in the ankles, feet, or abdomen area.
5. Heart failure
Heart failure occurs when the heart suffers from cardiac disorders which prevent enough blood from circulating the body. Like the heart valve disease, heart failure also shows symptoms like the shortness of breath; fatigue; ankles, abdomen, and feet swelling; dizziness; fast weight gain; nausea; palpitations; and chest pain. A person who suffers from heart failure may also experience cough that produces white mucus.

 

Critical Care - AED Proves Itself As a "Back to Life" Machine

A few years back I was driving home with my children in a blizzard. The drive was slow and visibility was low. I was veering off on a side road when I noticed people in the road frantically trying to flag down drivers looking for help. I pulled off and enquired what the emergency was. The stranger pointed to a man lying on the ground, "that man fell asleep while plowing his driveway. We can't seem to wake him up." I knew immediately that this man was not sleeping and definitely needed my help. I ran over and felt for a pulse. Seconds felt like minutes. I ordered someone to call 911 and another bystander to go to the house and see if anyone was home. I jumped into action and started CPR immediately. I counted compressions out loud 1-30 to keep focused on the task at hand. I pinched his nose and gave him my breath hoping that he could regain his own.
Soon a police officer arrived with an AED in his trunk. We quickly opened the defibrillator and applied the patches as the voice prompts described. Soon we heard the words "shock advised... Charging." The orange button flashed, I checked to be sure everyone was clear and I pushed the button that would save this man's life. It wasn't long and EMS arrived and took over. Mr. Smith had suffered a heart attack and was whisked to emergency surgery soon after his arrival to the hospital. Today Mr. Smith lives to tell of his experience. He was able to walk his daughter down the aisle and shortly thereafter he held his first grandson in his arms. Life is a beautiful gift.
We take life for granted until something tragic happens. It takes about three hours of your life to learn CPR and even less time to learn how to operate an Automated External Defibrillator. American Heart Association and American Red Cross are both great places to learn how to perform CPR and even more importantly how to use an AED. Automated External Defibrillators are almost everywhere you go these days and are easy to operate. It is estimated that 1000 people per day have a sudden cardiac arrest and could have a higher chance for survival if only someone who witnessed the arrest knew CPR and how to operate an AED. In reality only 5% of the estimated 350,000 people per year will survive. Let's increase the statistics by being prepared.
Find a local CPR course and if you work at a business, church, or drive an emergency vehicle make sure that you are equipped with an AED. The life saved could be someone closer then you think.

How To Create Tasty High Cholesterol Diet Recipes

Battling with your physical situation or a loved one's high cholesterol levels is easy with high cholesterol diet recipes that won't rob the joy out of food. Thanks to the increasing awareness of people to become more fit and healthy in order to avoid debilitating diseases, chefs and food lovers alike have whipped up easy-to-cook, low cholesterol meals that pack in a lot of flavor. If you are skeptical but want to become more healthy, you can actually incorporate key ingredients they use to your own recipes to lower your cholesterol. Here's a short and simple guide to become more healthy and eliminate saturated fat in a delicious way.
Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle is now easier to achieve with the wealth of creative minds who sought to contribute in eliminating dangerous levels of cholesterol in our system. Science and the creative minds from the culinary world have taken notice of the prevailing disease of high cholesterol levels in people. In United States alone, an estimated half of the entire American population is suffering from high cholesterol. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. Diet recipes that are tasty and delicious and, more importantly, contain no saturated fats are now a must, not a mere option for most families.
Here's a list of key ingredients you should use in your diet recipes, to combat high cholesterol:
Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, which gives the garlic's distinct smell and is actually very good for your blood. Allicin helps in reducing your cholesterol, prevents blood clots, and helps your blood from becoming too sticky, which contributes to even more problems for high cholesterol sufferers. Experts advice a daily intake of a maximum of three cloves of fresh garlic for about two to six months.
Prunes: Prunes are packed with pectin, a soluble fiber which absorbs the cholesterol in your intestines even before it travels through your bloodstream. Use prunes generously on your fresh salad as substitute for other sweeteners in your high cholesterol diet recipes, and even just as a snack option for you or a loved one.
Fish and Chicken: Fish in particular is low in fat and packed with protein. The way you cook it makes a difference. Poultry should be skinless and removed of any visible fats. Pan-broiled, stir-fried (non-stick pan), baked, and roasted are the better option instead of the usual deep-frying methods. Regardless of your health, you should never eat fried foods, but especially if you have high cholesterol, no matter how good it tastes. Fish and most seafood are rich in healthy polyunsaturated fats. Omega-3 which helps lower the risks of heart disease in most people is found in some fatty fish such as trout and salmon. Instead of frying fish, you can poach, bake, broil, and steam it along with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice or your own choice of fresh herbs.
Other main ingredients you should stock up on for high cholesterol diet recipes are: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes. It is crucial that you eat a variety of foods. The more colorful and fresh it is due to the mix of vegetables and fruits, the better. Remember, the most powerful nutrition strategy you could make when it comes to high cholesterol, and diet recipes is to eat in moderation and choosing freshly cooked meals over processed fast food and junk foods.

What Are The Ideal Cholesterol Levels For Men?

The ideal cholesterol levels for men should be below 200 mg/dl. Though cholesterol up to a certain limit can prove to be useful, excess can be quite harmful to the body. It is used to synthesize bile and hormones, form cell membranes and produce vitamins. An increased amount of cholesterol in the body has adverse effect. The type and amount of cholesterol in the body can have important health effects on cardiovascular system. Cholesterol levels are affected by factors like smoking, lifestyle, age, alcohol consumption, obesity and genetics.
SOURCE OF CHOLESTEROL: The cholesterol is synthesized by the liver from saturated fat in the body. It is also obtained from animal-based foods, such as meat, eggs and dairy products.
HARMFUL EFFECTS OF HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Excess cholesterol deposit on the walls of the artery and causes them to narrow (atherosclerosis). This narrow passage results in blockage and interrupts with normal blood flow. This causes serious health complications such as stroke, heart attack and coronary artery disease.
IDEAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS FOR MEN: Men who are above 30 tend to have higher cholesterol than women. So, it is important to get the cholesterol levels checked periodically. The blood cholesterol test consists of three different components:
Total cholesterol level: The desired value is below 200 mg/dL. 200-239 mg/dL indicates moderate risk, beyond 240 comes under high risk category.
LDL: LDL or Low Density Lipid is considered bad for health and high levels are indicative of cardiovascular complications. LDL levels are better predictors of health than total cholesterol. The ideal LDL levels in men should be less than 100 mg/dL. 100-129 mg/dL is above optimal level whereas 130-159 mg/dL indicates borderline cases. Beyond 160 mg/dL is comes under high risk which could result in heart attack and stroke.
HDL: High Density Lipids are good for health and their levels should be higher to prevent heart diseases. The ideal reading is 60 mg/dL and less than 40mg/dL increases the risk of heart complications. Low HDL levels can be due to factors like: obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones.
Triglycerides: Less than 150 mg/dL is normal and beyond 500mg/dL comes under high risk category.
It is important to maintain the ideal cholesterol levels in men to improve the quality of life. There are many ways to maintain normal cholesterol levels.
Diet: Healthy and balanced diet is the first step to maintain normal cholesterol levels. Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce LDL. It's important to cut back on food that is high in cholesterol. Soluble fibers, handful of nuts, fruits, and legumes are some of the most beneficial for your heart.
Exercise: People who are overweight have a greater risk of having high cholesterol as well as heart disease. Regular exercise not only helps in reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) but also aids in increasing good cholesterol (HDL).
Healthy lifestyle: Along with diet and exercise, certain changes in sedentary lifestyle are of great help in preventing the risk of heart ailments. For a healthy heart, stop consumption of alcohol and quit smoking.
The ideal cholesterol levels for men revolve around balanced diet, regular exercise and healthy lifestyle.

 

What Are Ideal LDL Cholesterol Levels In Women?

LDL cholesterol levels in women is very important to know. LDL or Low-Density Lipoprotein is what is known as bad cholesterol because as it flows in the blood stream, it sticks to the inner walls of blood vessels and eventually blocks the flow of blood. Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Cholesterol levels are no different for women or men.
When you know your cholesterol level and its health risks, it will be easier for you to monitor your health risks. Women should have their cholesterol checked every five years after reaching the age of 20. Women with coronary heart disease should have their LDL cholesterol levels checked at least once a year and work to keep it down. These women should consult with their doctors for medications that can help, if required.
HDL or good cholesterol levels are different compared to LDL levels. High HDL levels are considered healthy while low HDL levels are associated with heart disease risks. Low LDL levels on the other hand translate to a healthy cholesterol level while high LDL levels indicate a higher risk of heart diseases.
LDL cholesterol levels in women are the same as those in men and are classified into five types - ideal, near ideal, borderline high, high, and very high.
Ideal Levels
The ideal level is not the same for all women because it depends on the heart disease risk factors. Basically, a person with a higher risk of contracting heart disease has a lower ideal LDL cholesterol level than one who has a lower risk. The ideal levels in women who have a high risk of heart disease should be below 70 milligrams per deciliter or 1.8 millimoles per liter. Meanwhile, the ideal LDL cholesterol levels in women who have a smaller risk of heart disease should be below 100 milligrams per deciliter or 2.6 millimoles per liter. However, in either case, lower is better.
Near Ideal Levels
Levels that are in the range of 100 to 129 milligrams per deciliter or 2.6 to 3.3 millimoles per liter are considered near ideal. Healthy women who have no risk of heart disease should strive to maintain their LDL levels within this range or lower.
Borderline High Levels
Levels in the range of 130 to 159 milligrams per deciliter or 3.4 to 4.1 millimoles per liter are considered borderline high. Women with LDL levels in this range have reason to be alarmed and should try to lower their LDL levels immediately and make dietary changes.
High Levels
Levels that measure between 160 and 189 milligrams per deciliter or between 4.1 and 4.9 millimoles per liter are considered high. This means that there is a huge risk of getting heart diseases and significant lifestyle changes should be put into place with help from a doctor.
Very High Levels
The most dangerous LDL cholesterol levels in women are anywhere above 190 milligrams per deciliter or more than 4.9 millimoles per liter. Women with LDL levels in this category have the highest heart disease risk factors and should take necessary steps to correct their LDL levels. Significant dietary changes should be made immediately. Your doctor may suggest medication as well.