Osteoarthritis affects approximately 21 million adults in the United States. Also referred to as degenerative joint disease (DJD), osteoarthritis is believed to be the cumulative effect of decades of joint use. Over time, cartilage (connective tissue that cushions bones) deteriorates leaving pain and joint damage.

A naturally occurring substance, glucosamine, has been shown in clinical trials to be effective in relieving pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis.

Glucosamine is a key compound of the ground substance that comprises connective tissue. It is this ground substance, called proteoglycans, which determines the strength and resiliency of connective tissue.

The main action of glucosamine on joints is to provide the substances necessary for repair. Glucosamine is the preferred substrate and stimulant for proteoglycan synthesis and, at the same time, has a protective effect against joint destruction.

Conventional treatment for osteoarthritis includes aspirin or NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen. Some research has indicated that current drug therapy for osteoarthritis may be producing short-term benefit but actually inhibiting cartilage repair and accelerating cartilage destruction. There are also significant side effects to the medications.

Glucosamine is available as a supplement in several forms. The preferred and most researched form is glucosamine sulfate. Glucosamine stabilized by potassium chloride (KCl) vs. sodium chloride (NaCl) gives the same benefit without the added sodium.

You won’t find significant amounts of glucosamine in foods. Supplemental sources are from seashells.

Typical dosage is 500 mg, three times a day, away from meals. Therapy costs ranges from $25-$60 a month, depending on manufacturer and retail outlet. Buy from a well-known, well-established company to insure highest quality.

Glucosamine is generally well tolerated. A mild side effect may be reversible gastrointestinal upset. There has been some speculation to it contributing to insulin resistance. Therefore, diabetics should consult with their doctors before taking glucosamine and monitor blood sugar levels carefully if they decide to take it.

Glucosamine is a classic example of how a natural product improves a condition by addressing the underlying cause and supports the body’s ability to heal itself.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic (constant) autoimmune (attacks itself) disease that attacks mostly through its negative influence on blood vessels, which are necessary for the maintenance of every part of the body. What that means in English is; It is an autoimmune disease and is a result of an over active immune system, meaning that the antibodies attack the body instead of protect it from diseases, bacteria and viruses.

Lupus is not contagious or infectious and although no one is quite sure what the cause is, it is thought to be hereditary and/or environmental and it can be life threatening. It is believed that certain things may trigger the onset of lupus or cause lupus to flare, these include- Ultraviolet light, certain prescription drugs & antibiotics, infections or viruses, hormones & stress.

At this time, there is no cure but the survival rate has gone from 50% to approximately 90%. Lupus affects different people in different ways and is often misdiagnosed. More people have lupus than leukemia, multiple sclerosis & muscular dystrophy

There are different forms of Lupus: Discoid Lupus affects the skin; Systemic Lupus Erythematosus attacks any of the body organs, joints and lungs; Drug Induced Lupus is caused when certain drugs create lupus-like symptoms. Women represent 90% of the people diagnosed with Lupus and minority women are diagnosed with Lupus at three times the rate of Caucasians. Lupus can strike at any age and many people look perfectly healthy. Discoid lupus can turn into systemic lupus in about 10% of cases. Systemic lupus cannot be reversed where as drug induced lupus can once the medication is discontinued. Drug induced lupus does not have central nervous system or kidney involvement.

Signs and symptoms of Lupus:

· Persistent fatigue

· Persistent weakness

· Aching all over

· Fever, which may be low grade to high

· Loss of appetite

· Involuntary weight loss

· Hair loss

· Nose bleeds

· Mouth sores

· Skin rash anywhere on the body

· Hives

· Sores

· Painful & swollen joints (arthritis)

· Stiffness of the joints when waking up.

· Chest pain

· Shortness of breath

· Persistent headache

· Nausea or vomiting

· Recurring or persistent abdominal pain

· Swelling of the feet and legs

· Puffy eyelids

· Blood in the urine

· Swollen glands

· Headaches

Medications that have been proven to induce drug related lupus are:

· Procainamide (used for heart rhythm abnormalities),

· Hydralazine (used for high blood pressure)

· Isoniazid (used for tuberculosis)

· Quinidine (used for heart rhythm abnormalities)

· Phenytoin (used for seizures

1. Lupus is difficult to diagnose and can imitate other diseases. When discussing the possibilities with a doctor (preferably a rhuematologist) have him/her take some of these commonly used test:

2. Anti nuclear test is used to determine if autoantibodies to cell nuclei are in the blood.

3. Anti-DNA test is used to determine if there are antibodies in the genetic material in the cell

4. Anti-Sm antibody test determines if there are antibodies to SM, which is a protein found in the cell nucleus

5. Detection for the presence of immune complexes in blood

6. Test to determine the level of serum complement, a group of proteins, which can occur in immune reactions

7. LE cell prep is an examination of the blood to look for a certain kind of cell, which can occur in immune reactions and other tests to check the level of C4 and C4 proteins.

It is incredibly important to not only catch lupus in its early stages but to align ourselves with good physicians and the latest developments surrounding this disease. Because this disease mimics so many others and there are so many symptoms involved, doctors tend to brush away our complaints. Know your body, know what hurts when and learn the value of research.

GLOSSARY

Antibodies-(Proteins produced by the body that are supposed to stick to bacteria and make it easy for white blood cells to destroy them. With an autoimmune disease the white blood cells attack healthy cells as well as unhealthy cells.)

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t exercise as often as you would like. Exercisers should follow the recomendations for three or four days a week for 30 minutes. It is possible to improve your health even with a sporadic exercise program. A little exercise is better than nothing!

It takes ten to twelve weeks of regular exercise to become “fit” but your health can improve after even one brisk walk. One single session of aerobic activity can decrease your blood pressure, increase your heart rate, lower your triglycerides and improve your health. And the health benefits will last for up to 24 hours after the exercise.

At one point in my life, all I could squeeze into my week was a 15 minute walk on a treadmill three days a week. I felt good about getting even this amount of exercise though people around me told me I was wasting my time. I ignored them and kept up the momentum.

Start exercising today and take one day at a time. Don’t give up or feel guilty if you miss a day. Just start fresh with the next day. Instead of falling victim to I must exercise all the time or not at all, do your best to exercise when you can and keep going!

If you have a lot of extra weight, diet pills can support your weight loss and assist you in reaching your normal weight.

You must remember that commercials seen on TV and online for weight loss items are not researched or verified. You must be extremely careful when deciding whether or not to use diet pills. Your problem with weight might not be solved by the use of these diet pills.

The diet pills will assist with short term weight loss, however the struggle will be keeping the weight off. You should eat healthily and exercise regularly even if you opt to use these diet pills. Diet pills are effective in supporting your weight loss, but they don’t work magic. So if you make the decision that these diet pills are what you need, be sure to use them combined with a good diet and exercise.

Consumers can find a large variety of diet pills on the market. There are three main kinds of diet pills, which are prescribed medications, OTC medicines and herbal supplements.

You can only receive prescription diet pills from your doctor. Your physician will also watch how you are doing with your weight loss and your health when you are using these diet pills.

OTC diet pills can be found at your town chemist, grocery store or on the Internet. The FDA monitors these pills. Their effectiveness is carefully watched as well as the allegations about the items. Nearly all of these pills function by raising your metabolism and making you have more energy.

The third kind are herbal diet pills which you can find in health food and nutrition shops. It’s easier to get these pills, as a prescription is not needed. Herbal diet pills contain several substances that are extremely potent and, if used the right way, can do more than prescription diet pills can.

So if you desire to lose weight and be thin, you can make the effort and try these amazing pills. It is vital that you do some research to make sure that you choose the one that is best for you. Prior to beginning use of a diet pill, you should see your physician.

Caffeine causes central nervous system stimulation by arresting the phosphodiesterase, which in turn increases the accumulation of c-AMP (cyclic adenosine 3′5′-monophosphate.) Fioricet may decrease the effectiveness of oral anticoagulants, corticosteroids, estrogens, griseofulvin (an anti-fungal drug), doxycycline, theophyllines, quinidine, and beta-adrenergic blockers. The toxic effects of a general anesthetic, methoxyflurane might be heightened by Fioricet. The potential for hepatotoxicity increases if Fioricet is utilized in conjunction with hydantoins or sulfinpyrazone. Fioricet might be more toxic if used with alcohol and various CNS depressants.

If you are someone who has a sensitivity to any part of Fioricet, then Fioricet might be wrong for you. Fioricet should be used with caution if you have increased intracranial pressure, any head injury, severe liver or kidney impairment, Addison’s disease, hypothyroidism, and prostatic hypertrophy or urethral stricture.

Side effects of using Fioricet may be dizziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. Because Fioricet makes people lightheaded, be careful when operating machines or when you are participating in activities that you need to be mentally alert for, like driving. While using Fioricet, don’t drink any type of alcohol. You can eat food or drink milk if you feel sick to your stomach. Put Fioricet away in a cool, dry place, out of sunlight and away from kids. You should be aware that Fioricet is very addictive, and so should just be used under careful supervision. Use Fiorcet just for the time it is prescribed, in the suggested dosage, and don’t take it more often than prescribed.

When used the right way, your tension headaches and migraines should feel better. If you think Fioricet isn’t working like it should, discuss it with your doctor so that he can prescribe something else for you.

Can Pain Be Relieved by Tea?

The Brazilian mint plant is another name for the Hyptis crenata plant. It is generally utilized in the form of a mint tea in Brazil to treat muscle aches, fever, and a wide variety of other pain related ailments. You boil the dried leaves of the Brazilian mint plant (Hyptis crenata) for approximately a half an hour and then strain the tea. It is best to cool it prior to drinking it. It is too bad that the tea doesn’t have the distinctive mint flavor most Americans associate with mint tea, but the drink is widely used in Brazil due to its medicinal values.

How Successfully Does Brazilian Mint Tea Alleviate Pain?

Data introduced at the second International Symposium on Medicinal and Nutraceutical Plants indicates that this tea may reduce pain. Oral extracts of Hyptis crenata were given to mice in order to test its effectiveness. Based on the resulting data, it was determined that the substance was every bit as potent as traditional medications for reducing pain. Actually, it compared favorably with the effectiveness of Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory that’s usually prescribed for treating the pain associated with gout. Unfortunately, Indomethacin has associated negative side effects (some of which can be serious), while Brazilian mint tea seems tolerated by everyone.

Brazilian Mint Tea as Pain Reliever: The Real Scoop?

Testing in human subjects is planned to find whether Brazilian mint tea’s safety and pain relief success rate compares to that found in the mice studies. Researchers also want to get a better understanding of what active ingredients in the Hyptis crenata plant are the ones that actually ease the pain.

It may be difficult to find Brazilian mint tea in the U.S. as it isn’t widely available here, and it would be jumping the gun to adopt it for pain relief until human trials demonstrate that it’s totally safe. Based on its effectiveness in Brazilian application, there appears to be promise for this organic pain relief product.

Buying generic drugs is the most obvious first step you should take. There are medicines that are exactly like the name brand ones, however you pay much less money for them. This is really the same, but since the manufacturer of the generic version doesn’t have to use money to research it, advertise it, and it has already been accepted, they can be manufactured at a lesser cost. You should always check with your physician to see if there is a generic drug substitute, although one may not always be available.

If you’ve been taking the medicine for a long time, you should look around for cheaper options. They aren‘t always the same. Look on the Internet to find online pharmacies that sell prescription drugs cheaper.

You can also see if your doctor has something known as therapeutic substitution, which takes the place of a prescription drug by using a less costly drug, or a natural product, that you can use, that will help you just as much as the prescription drug.

Prescription drug card programs have been designed by some pharmaceutical companies to make their medications more affordable for people who otherwise would not be able to purchase them.

It is not a good idea to split the dosage to increase the amount of time that your prescription lasts. When a doctor suggests a precise dosage of a drug for you for a stated time period, there is a reason why. It would be very dangerous to veer from a doctor’s recommended medication dosage.

Don’t just believe that you are required to spend full price when you buy prescription drugs since there are several options available for you to choose from.

It begins with Orientation. Freshmen girls are systematically petrified into being wary of all men as potential rapists. The freshmen boys are lectured sternly on consent laws in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Eighteen-year-olds of both sexes are showered with condoms, lubricants, and dental dams; they are shown how to use them and how to dispose of them. And all of this occurs under the banner of “safety.”

I don’t know about you, but nothing kills passion or intimacy for me more than having it thrown in my face five times a day.

Amherst College went co-ed in 1976. As a result, almost every Amherst student lives on a hall with the opposite sex, and most of us are forced to use co-ed bathrooms, a fact you won’t find in the viewbook.

These co-ed living arrangements are the single greatest inhibitor to dating at Amherst. There is an unwritten law that you do not “hook up” with a floormate—that’s “floorcest.” And you’re discouraged from dating anyone in your dorm—that’s “dormcest.” But the housing office, in its infinite wisdom, has more than likely put you in a dorm with the people you’d most to want to date—all the noisy night owls in one dorm, all the offbeat neatniks in another.

In addition to sharing a hall (sometimes a suite) and a bathroom with the boys, Amherst students eat in one dining hall, on one meal plan. In short, there is nowhere to hide from a relationship gone awry.

This feeling pervades many discussions on dating. “How can I go on a date with him?” A girl asks nervously. “I’ll have to get cereal next to him the morning after.” Strangely enough, this rationale doesn’t stop girls from going out, getting drunk, having sex with a stranger, and then facing the embarrassing post-hookup cereal line the next day.

Feminists, with their battle cry for infiltration of every aspect of male life, have removed any mystery from themselves or their opposites. That is what once made dating a special and sacred rite—you didn’t know what your girlfriend looked like in the morning, or, if you did, it was because you were very lucky. A potential Amherst boyfriend doesn’t rest easy knowing that 20 other men know what his girlfriend sings in the shower.

So we don’t date. We hook up with a host of strangers or hole up with one nice boy, fling ourselves off the precipice of self-respect or fling ourselves into the isolation of monogamous long-term dating. It seems there is no middle ground.

And yet …

And yet there is a growing awareness among women—mostly women who own the 6-part A&E Pride & Prejudice—that something is Not Right with this situation. And though they may agree with feminist rhetoric in the classrooms, they cannot support it in their bathrooms or their bedrooms, for that matter.

Some small part of them clings to everything they have been taught to despise. It’s the part that warms, slightly, when a man holds the door open; it’s the part that grows wistful looking at bridal magazines. This awareness feeds off the vulgarity of the second wave feminists, whose passionate activism and bra-burning in the 1960s gave way to tenured professorships, unkempt graying hair and frumpy clothes. Their words now ring false and hollow.

These women must be brought out from the temples of Gloria Steinem; they must be coaxed into putting down their pins and signs, which they wave to fit in.

I hope that this groundswell, once initiated, will spread like wildfire over the campuses of this country, burning out all the cancerous rot that results from feminist meddling. And, when the fires have consumed the last WAGS department, the light from the dying embers will shine on men and women. And wouldn’t it be neat if we emerged from the ashes, simply holding hands?

HGH is used in childhood to create long bones and help a person reach their full height. It used to be that was all HGH was believed to do. According to recent research, every cell in the body contains HGH receptors, and HGH performs an array of functions related to metabolism in all organs of the body. Receptors in the brain can be activated by endorphins, which are important in regulating mood and emotion. The smooth look of children’s skin is created when the skin cells react to HGH. Dormant brain cells react by plainly returning to life (approximately 12% of the brain cells become inert every 15 years). Therefore, HGH is the most current and best remedy for Alzheimer’s disease, but the big double-blind research experiments have yet to be done.

One noticeable effect of an HGH deficiency is moodiness, but when someone has replacement therapy, this changes to an amazing sense of well-being. Bone cells react by replicating and osteoporosis is turned back, although it takes a few years to be completely reversed. Fat cells react by dying off to be transformed into energy. The excess weight in the middle area which signifies there isn’t enough HGH, is eliminated in a few months. It’s especially true of the upper body, that muscle cells react by getting bigger and stronger. You start regaining the endurance and strength of your youth. A lot of people can once again read without glasses, since the ciliary eye muscle is strengthened again.

With all the roles that HGH plays, it is at the forefront of determining the metamorphoses to the body that are a sign of growing older. HGH levels decrease as you get older. They should really consider changing the name of HGH to HVH or human vitality hormone.

Total Hormone Rejuvenation Therapy

The goal is to bring all your hormone levels back to the level you enjoyed when you were in your early twenties. Your hormone levels declined after this. You might think of it as regular aging but another way to describe it would be multiple system degenerative disease.  If you don’t have to put up with the ailments that aging cause, then why accept them?

Ask this question of yourself: at what age did you feel your best, most vital, as well as most optimistic? The majority of people will say somewhere between 21 and 24. So wouldn’t it be logical to check the hormone levels in the body and use orthomolecular human hormone supplements to return the hormone levels to those you had in your early twenties? After you do this, it only takes a couple of days to feel an improvement. After a couple of months you will start to feel like you were that age again. After a year or two, your looks will catch up to how young you feel.

However, we don’t promise that you will look as young as a 23 year old, but removing 10 to 20 years from what you accepted as the inevitable results of aging is something you can achieve.

The hormones pregnenolone, DHEA, melatonin, testosterone,  the estrogens and HGH (human growth hormone) are all involved in regulating the rate at which we age, including the physical and mental manifestations of aging, and these are all available now in supplement form. However, the very best use of these products is not being made, as they are sold over the counter; individuals have no understanding what their levels of these hormones are, before or after they start taking these products. This process should be to supplement until you reach precisely the ideal hormone levels you had at age 20, not just to load up on some hormones you may or may not really need. More hormones can be obtained by prescription, like estrogens which occur naturally in the human body (estrone, estriol, and estradiol) and testosterone. But for best results, all of these hormone levels should be tested prior to taking supplements and the goal of the supplementation process should be to reach optimal levels of each hormone, not just high levels. The effects of hormones can vary; if you have too little it’s not good, but if you have too much, then it’s much worse.

Hormone Replacement Therapy is gaining in acceptance, and by itself may reduce rates of morbidity and mortality by 50%. You are missing out on a powerful ticket to great health if you have not requested to be tested for the adrenal, sex, and thyroid hormones.

Naturally, the issue is getting the right doctor to order these exams. Many physicians cling to their old-school philosophy, viewing aging as an inevitable process and not a disease. Innumerable people have consulted with their physicians regarding one complaint or another only to hear, “Well, what did you think would happen? You are aging. You need to learn to just live with it. We aren’t going to live forever!” It’s wise to check on your doctor’s credentials prior to making an appointment.

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