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DIGh What's your favorite winter remedy for dry skin? Oct 9, 2007 2:15 PM Lets face it, its that time again for dry, cracked skin!! ARGHHH!! And washing your hands like 30 times a day isn't helping me (I hate germs!). Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know what I use. Its actually from the Elizabeth Arden line of 8 hr creams. Im telling you, it not only moisturizes your skin, but it also soothes and heals burns, eczema, rashes and its great for people with sensitive skin! Try it out!! :) Even its name came about thanks to a remarkable performance - a loyal client used it to treat her child's skinned knee and "eight hours later" the skin was all better.
DIGh DIABETES: Your most asked questions answered May 4, 2007 11:19 AM If you have diabetes, know someone who does, or simply want to learn more about diabetes....read on. What is Diabetes? Diabetes is a disorder which is characterized by high blood sugar. In this illness, there is a large amount of glucose (sugar) free and floating in the blood and little to no sugar being transported to the cell, which is where we need the glucose to go. The cell needs the glucose for it to function well and to produce energy. So why is glucose just floating around in the blood and not getting into the cell? This is where insulin comes in. Insulin is a small protein produced in the pancreas which has many roles in the body and one if its roles is to "transport" or "deliver" glucose into the cell. In diabetes, there is a dysfunction associated with insulin, depending on which type of diabetes you have. So what's the difference between Type 1 and Type 2? Type 1: Research suggests that it is an autoimmune disease, meaning that for some unknown reason the body's immune system attacks the cells which produce insulin. Therefore, NO insulin is being produced and no glucose can enter into our cells. Symptoms include increased urination, increased thirst, increased appetite, and hypoglycemia (shaking, fast heartbeat, sweating, anxious, dizziness, hunger, headache etc, similar to the way you feel when you haven't eaten for awhile). This type of diabetes is usually diagnosed at a young age including adolescent years. Type 2: This is the most prevalent type, often diagnosed during middle age but is now increasingly seen among adolescents! This is a major problem because that fact alone suggests that our diet is becoming worse and is becoming a huge factor influencing the types of diseases we develop. The problem in this type is that although insulin is PRESENT in the body, there is not enough of it to transport adequate amounts of glucose to the cell OR the body is becoming RESISTANT to the effects of insulin. Why is the body becoming resistant to insulin? Mainly because of obesity and increased weight gain. The insulin is having a hard time penetrating through the excess fat in our body and therefore its effects are minimized. Symptoms are similar to type 1 but symptoms that occur in both types are: blurred vision, tingling, numbness or pain in the hands and feet and slow wound healing. What are risk factors? -family history of diabetes (especially first degree relative such as mother, father, sister or brother) * HIGH RISK: you should monitor your blood sugar more often -sedentary lifestyle & little to no exercise -obesity * HIGH RISK: you should eat healthy and exercise regularly -poor diet choices -your ethnic groups (particularly African Americans, Native Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans) -Gestational diabetes (diabetes which occurs at time of pregnancy) or delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds -high blood pressure -high blood levels of triglycerides (bad fat) -high blood cholesterol level How is Diabetes treated? Medications to treat diabetes include insulin and glucose-lowering pills called oral hypoglycemic drugs. Persons with type 1 diabetes cannot make their own insulin, so daily insulin injections are needed. Insulin does not come in pill form because it is broken down in the stomach, therefore its effects are not achieved. Injections that are generally needed one to four times per day. Some people use an insulin pump, which is worn at all times and delivers a steady flow of insulin throughout the day. Other people may use a new type of inhaled insulin. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes may respond to treatment with EXERCISE, diet, and medicines taken by mouth. There are several types of medicines used to lower blood glucose in type 2 diabetes. There are medications that increase insulin production by the pancreas, medications that increase sensitivity to insulin, and medications that delay absorption of glucose from the gut. Most persons with type 2 diabetes will need more than one medication for good blood sugar control within 3 years of starting their first medication. Different groups of medications may be combined or used with insulin. ***Some people with type 2 diabetes find they no longer need medication if they lose weight and increase activity, because when their ideal weight is reached, their own insulin and a careful diet can control their blood glucose levels. GOOD NEWS: A weight loss of 5-10% of body weight and regular exercise of 30 minutes 5 times a week can lower the chances of developing TYPE 2 Diabetes by a whopping 58% !!!!! And it DOES NOT have to be rigorous exercise, go for walks! Just keep your body moving! SOURCE: CDA
DIGh Managing Pain WITHOUT medications May 3, 2007 9:56 PM Do you suffer from pain but don't want to resort to medications? Read these non-pharmacological approaches regarding pain management and decide what you think might be worth a try. Rather than always relying on medications for pain relief, other approaches can be looked at in order to relieve different kinds of pain. Always consult your doctor when thinking about trying other methods of pain relief. Acupuncture Acupuncture can be used in a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions. It is believed to work predominantly by stimulating endorphins that occur naturally in the body (endorphins are polypeptides produced in the body and have the ability to produce analgesia (pain relief) and a sense of well-being (it makes us happy!). Acupuncture involves strategically placing filiform needles at specific points in the body. This method is effective in treating nausea, chronic lower back pain, neck pain and headaches but can be used to manage muscle pains as well. Thermal Therapy Thermal therapy includes the use of superficial heating technicques, deep heating techniques and cooling techniques. Cooling techniques such as applying ice on an ankle sprain is usually used in acute situations (right after the injury), swelling in the area, etc. You should always keep a barrier between ice and your skin such as wrapping the ice in a towel or cloth to prevent frostbite. Superficial heating such as using a heat pad is usually used for chronic pain (ie. chronic back or joint pain). Again, remember to keep a barrier from heat and your skin to prevent burns. For both cooling and heating techniques, it should only be applied 15-20 minutes at a time or else its effects will NOT be therapeutic. Heat is highly recommended for joint stiffness, abdominal and menstrual cramps. Exercise Therapy Exercise is often the first method used to try and manage pain associated with muscles & bones. Lack of muscle use leads to lack of muscle strength, flexibility and endurance. There is some evidence that exercise benefits lower back pain and neck pain. Intensity and frequency of exercise is probably more important than the type of exercise performed. Exercise also appears to improve mood (due to stimulation of endorphins!), energy levels and self-esteem. Exercises should be specific to each individual, because not everyone reponds to its effects in the same way. Therefore consulting your doctor before any activity is highly suggested. SOURCE: Managing Pain - Healthcare Professional's Reference
DIGh BIRTH CONTROL: Depo Provera Apr 29, 2007 5:23 PM Depo-Provera is an injection of a hormone called progestin and NO estrogen. It is similar to the body's natural hormone progesterone. Depo Provera injections prevent a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs. Depo-Provera is more than 99 percent effective and is generally considered the most effective reversible method of birth control. Used alone, it DOES NOT protect you against sexually transmitted infections! The use of a condom is highly recommended because of this reason. Injections of Depo-Provera are given every 12 weeks to prevent pregnancy. You can get these shots from a doctor or clinic. Women who have a Depo-Provera injection must not be pregnant at the time of the first injection. To avoid this, it is best to have the first injection: -in the first five days of your menstrual period -within five days of an abortion -within five days of giving birth If you do not have the injection at one of these times, you should use another method of birth control as back-up for two full weeks so you don't get pregnant. Depo-Provera is safe for use during breast-feeding. Most women have some irregularities in the menstrual bleeding after starting Depo- Provera injections. Periods often stop altogether after six to twelve months using Depo-Provera . The effects of Depo-Provera can last for some time after you choose to stop the injections, as it takes some time for the hormone to clear out of your system. While most women get their periods within 6 months of their last injection, some women take up to two years to get their periods back. Advantages -women who have health conditions that prevent them from taking birth control pills can often take Depo-Provera -very effective at preventing pregnancy -you don't have to interrupt sex -the woman controls this method of birth control -you don't have to remember a daily pill -very safe Disadvantages -you are NOT protected against sexually transmitted infections -you may have irregular menstrual bleeding or more frequent bleeding -you must return to the clinic/doctor every 12 weeks for your injection -you may experience side effects -women with some medical conditions cannot use Depo-Provera (Women should not use this method if they have abnormal vaginal bleeding, liver diseases such as jaundice or hepatitis, or breast cancer.) -while unlikely, you may not be able to get pregnant for up to two years after using Depo-Provera Side Effects Some women who use Depo-Provera experience side effects. If these side effects interfere with your life you may wish to consider other methods of birth control. Women on Depo-Provera may experience: -irregular menstrual bleeding or more frequent periods (Most women have no periods at all after 6-12 months.) -weight gain of more than two pounds each year when Depo-Provera is used (This weight gain may continue for a number of months after you stop using Depo-Provera.) -headaches -breast tenderness -bloating -depression -unwanted hair or hair loss -Large studies have not shown any link between Depo-Provera use and breast cancer but research is still being done in this area. Researchers are also studying whether Depo-Provera can decrease a woman's bone mineral density increasing her risk of osteoporosis. SOURCE: http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/centres/sex/birthcontrol/depo.html Here is a great site with more information on Depo Provera: http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/bcdepo.htm
My Opinion kidney* Apr 28, 2007 11:22 AM Okay, I've had kidney stone problems in the past....the one I've been talking about for almost a year now has finally dissolved and put me in the emergency room on Easter morning :raspberry: That sucked! Anyway, I have another one that is still actually in my kidney and it causes a lot of pain and makes me feel nauseous (like the pregnancy nausea)ooh, which btw me and Rick are trying for a little punkin' head woooohooooooo...well my question is how much damage would the darvocet (for pain) and phenergan (for the sick feeling) cause my liver or kidney? If any at all? I'm living here in 'oldville' (no offense to anyone over 50) and these doctors have literally given me the runaround suckin' a lot of money out of me when all I need is a dang kidney stone zapping!!!!!!! I just don't think it's right...when I get old like these people in this community, I hope Dr's are more compassionate and not holding onto the fact that most old people are rollin' in the dough..another story so scratch that....They've been sending me here and there since before Easter! I can't even tell you how many hundreds of dollars I have spent on x~rays and c~scans!!!!!!!! And isn't that bad for me too?

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What's your favorite winter remedy for dry skin? What's your favorite winter remedy for dry skin?
DIABETES: Your most asked questions answered
Managing Pain WITHOUT medications
BIRTH CONTROL: Depo Provera

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