Archive for January, 2009

How To Stop Your Hair Loss And Even Regrow Your Old Hair Back

Friday, January 30th, 2009

Male pattern baldness is a fact of life for most men. At the age of 20, 1 in 5 of us have some hair loss already and by the age of 50 half of all men are starting to bald. But if we understand the science behind hair production and loss then there is a way to delay and even reverse these effects.

DHT

Men produce testosterone but this chemical in itself is not all that useful so the body converts it into other chemicals which are more potent. One of these is DHT which is then used to help various processes in the body and it gets there in the bloodstream.

Unfortunately, DHT has a side effect which is to denutrify the hair follicles over time. Each hair that the follicle creates gradually becomes thinner over time. Eventually, the follicle becomes so malnutritioned that it gives up producing hair. However, if it can be renutrified as you’ll see below then it can start producing hairs again, so long as you don’t leave it too long.

Risk Factors

Of course the biggest risk comes from genetics so there is not much that you can do about that. There is a common myth that you get your baldness from your mother’s father. This is not true and genetics of hair loss is much more complex than that.

Treatment

There are 2 FDA approved drugs for treating hair loss, one is Minoxidil and the other is Finasteride. With both of them, the vast majority of men report a cessation of hair loss and most of them also experience hair regrowth. They both work in different ways – one of them reduces DHT and the other widens the blood vessels to get better nutrients to the hair follicle. Unfortunately, this can have side effects elsewhere in the body.

The other way to treat it is naturally. Indigenous tribes have for years used natural herbs that stimulate the scalp and give better blood flow to the follicles. The follicles take their nutrition directly from the bloodstream and so this results in cessation of hair loss, thicker hair and even regrowth from dormant follicles.

Posted in Hair Loss | Comments Off

Yeast Infection – Could You Have One And How Can You Treat It?

Friday, January 23rd, 2009

Most women will have one or two yeast infections in a lifetime. For the unfortunate few they may have several recurrent infections every year. But many other vaginal disorders are also easily mistaken for a yeast infection when they are in fact something else e.g. bacterial vaginosis. Let’s take a closer look.

What Is a Vaginal Yeast Infection?

Your vagina naturally contains many different types of bacteria, as do other parts of our body, including yeast. Under normal circumstances they help to keep each other in check. But sometimes the yeast can overgrow (particularly after antibiotic use) unhindered and cause an infection.

Symptoms

The main symptom is an itching sensation. The entire vulva can become inflamed and red and sore to the touch. When you urinate and the urine touches those parts then it can sting. Note that this is different from a urinary tract infection where the pain would be felt as the urine passes down the urethra.

Some women feel pain during intercourse and you can also have a discharge, however this affects only 20% of women. It usually looks white and lumpy like cottage cheese. Ordinarily there is little to no odor. If you have a very strong and fishy smell then you don’t have a yeast infection but bacterial vaginosis instead.

Causes

One of the biggest causes is antibiotic use. If you are given a course then I highly recommend drinking probiotic yogurts during and after in order to repopulate yourself with healthy bacteria.

Bad clothing can also contribute to yeast infections. If you are prone to getting repeated infections then you need to wear more loose trousers. Also, you should wear cotton panties and never wear synthetics.

Treatment

If you only get one or two in your lifetime then antifungal medications are best. These normally come in the form of a cream. These will wipe out the yeast.

The problem with antifungals is that they wipe out the yeast but do not stop it from coming back again. If you are one of these women who suffer from frequent infections then the environment of your vagina is still prone to a new infection. In your case, I would consider some natural therapies instead.

Posted in Womens Issues | Comments Off

Hypertension – The Silent Killer

Friday, January 16th, 2009

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is known as the silent killer because it is responsible for millions of deaths from stroke, heart failure or heart attack. Yet on autopsy the true original cause of death due to hypertension is rarely made.

Do you monitor your blood pressure at least several times per year? Do you know what it should be at? Then you could be at risk of complications due to high blood pressure.

What Is The Definition Of High Blood Pressure?

The normal range for blood pressure is 90 to 119 systolic and 60 to 79 diastolic.

For example, a blood pressure of 100/70 is healthy. A blood pressure of 150/90 is hypertension. By the way, systolic pressure is when the heart beats and diastolic is when the heart relaxes.

Causes of Hypertension

Most people with hypertension have the essential or primary type. This means that they do not have a specific medical condition that causes it such as kidney problems. 95% of cases are essential.

One of the biggest causes is a high sodium intake from eating too much salt. Another is not enough potassium intake which comes from eating fruit and vegetables.

The more overweight you are then the higher your blood pressure will be. This is because excess weight puts pressure on the kidneys. If you snore loudly then you might have sleep apnea and this is strongly linked with hypertension.

Lastly, in some people it is just down to genetics. There will very often be a history of hypertension in the family in these cases. You should try changing your diet and lifestyle but if this doesn’t work then you must take daily drugs for the rest of your life.

Treatment

Nobody wants to take a battery of drugs with side effects and complications for the rest of their life. If you have hypertension then drugs should be a last resort.

The first thing you should do is lose weight if you are overweight. Even losing just 5 pounds could bring you back into the healthy range.

Secondly, you should modify your diet. You might even want to consider the famous DASH diet for getting back to a normal blood pressure.

Third, try drugs. But only consider them as an absolute last resort.

Posted in Hypertension | Comments Off

GERD – Chronic Heartburn and How To Treat It

Friday, January 9th, 2009

GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, is a chronic condition where acid frequently escapes the stomach and into the esophagus where it causes the most common symptom of a burning sensation. Anyone can have occasional heartburn but if you experiencer it at least once a week (many have it every day) then you are said to have GERD.

Other Symptoms

Heartburn is the main symptom but there are others too. Some people experience regurgitation of acid into the mouth where a foul taste is discovered. The acid can even erode the teeth over time. Another less common symptom is a hoarseness of the voice due to acid affecting the vocal chords. Some may also experience difficulty swallowing.

Causes & Risk Factors

GERD is caused when the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) that separates the esophagus and the stomach does not do its job properly. Normally, it should be closed unless food is passing down into the stomach. But in some people it can malfunction and allow acid out.

If you are overweight then you are at greater risk. This is because the stomach becomes distended due to the large amount of food and this in turn causes the LES to malfunction and remain open for long periods.

A significant minority of people may have a hiatus hernia. This is a condition where part of the stomach is squeezed or herniated through the small gap in the diaphragm. This is not life threatening but it does weaken the LES.

Smoking, alcohol intake, family history and advanced age are also risk factors for GERD.

Diagnosis

Often no testing is required. If your doctor notices that you have chronic heartburn and drugs clear it up then he will not run any other tests. If your symptoms are unusual or you’ve been having them for some time or drugs do not make any difference then you may have a number of tests.

An endoscopy is when a camera is put through the mouth and into the stomach to check for hiatal hernia. A pH test can also be done. A very thin tube is placed just above the LES and the acidity (pH) is monitored over a day or two.

Treatment

The good news is that there are a number of ways to treat GERD.

Proton pump inhibitors are used by most people. Thse are a class of drugs that inhibit production of stomach acid. There are few long term side effects but one of them is a greater risk of osteoporosis.

Otherwise you may want to consider natural remedies or lifestyle changes.

Posted in Diseases | Comments Off