Adult Acne: A Bumpy Ride Towards Aging

Picture this; the snow-white clear skin that you have been proud of since your teen years has suddenly poofed into a wicked witch's warty face upon reaching the age of 30! "Acne, at my age?" This is often the distressed statement of pockmarked men and women in their 30's to 40's afflicted with adult acne.

This problem is surely not the work of a vengeful sorcerer. Acne vulgaris is what this most common skin disorder in the United States is scientifically called. Statistics has it that 15 million people in US alone are afflicted with acne. It is an embarrassing problem among teenagers. But this condition is not only limited to those awkward years. Adult acne is also prevalent, especially among people in the age group of 25 to 40.

Acne is a disease that resulted from the accumulation of sebum, a highbrow term for oil, underneath the skin. When this happens and the desquamation (human's way of molting) process goes wrong, the pores become clogged. Aggravation will continue and soon infection sets in. A bad bug called Propionibacterium acnes causes this infection. Overproduction of oil and mismanagement of the process of shedding cells equals bunged pores. Clogged pores plus P. acnes, the scoundrel, equals breakout. Those pesky zits are produced just as easy as that.

One of the pushing forces that may cause the occurrence of acne includes the elevation of levels of testosterone among adolescents. No, it's not Toblerone misspelled. No matter how many anecdotes you've heard about chocolate addiction causing zits to dominate your face, there's really no enough scientific basis to prove this. Testosterone is a chemical produced by the body that increase sebum production and change the keratin of the hair follicles. Testosterone is an androgen. Androgen is a hormone produced in high levels among males. This is the reason behind the worse cases of acne among teenage boys more than girls.

Adult acne is called acne rosacea. It is characterized by the following: unsightly thick, red skin on the nose and cheeks, pus-filled blisters, small red bumps, and small red blood vessels seen on the skin surface. It is more commonly linked to increased levels of stress. Isn't it interesting how the body reacts to this stimulus? NOT. When exhausted, like Gizmo getting wet, our skin could actually give birth to little monsters! Though they are not as troublesome as gremlins, they could be just as annoying as well. Seriously, pimples can be difficult to deal with, and can cause depression and anxiety in an adult the same way it can in a teen. Pressure from work and family responsibilities is thought to possibly affect the normal balance of our hormones. And hormones messed up means having to put up with bumpy complexion caused by adult acne.

Aside from stress-triggered hormonal imbalance, hot foods alcohol consumption, and smoking are also considered to exacerbate adult acne. This may help you reconsider your food preferences and habits.

Acne lesions are commonly found on the face, but they can also pop out anytime on the neck, chest, back, shoulders, scalp, and upper arms and legs. Adult acne is more persistent than teen acne. It is because adults are consistently exposed to the many factors that cause breakouts. Another hitch of adult acne is permanent scarring. It is an evidence of the inevitable reality that with the coming of age, the skin loses its erstwhile ability to repair itself. As if there's a need to be reminded of that when your face starts to wrinkle already. Now here's more to shriek in terror for, especially those in their mid-20's: adult acne causes PREMATURE AGING. Isn't that just nerve-wracking?

Enough of the endless yada's regarding how adult acne could further destroy us. As how master Yoda puts is, educated we must be with the crusade towards clearer AND younger skin. Or at least skin that is just our age we must maintain.

At the first sight of those wicked pimples together with gray hair and wrinkles (talk about aging signs overkill), just like with teenagers, impulse dictates squeezing. But you very well know that squeezing is a big no-no. How old are you? You surely don't need any more marks of time's passage.

In severe cases, consulting a dermatologist would best help in dealing with adult acne. The dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic, vitamin A derivative like Isotretinoin or other acne drug available. More women may be afflicted with adult acne than men. Pregnancy is another story if you are prescribed anti-acnes, especially Isotretinoin.

Proper skin care may not guarantee a flawless complexion. But a good skin care regimen may aid in warding off bacteria that worsen adult acne. If you love scrubbing for its squeaky-clean feel, think twice. It can render more damage to your already-blemished skin.

Another hint especially for women: use NON-COMEDOGENIC products. Non-comedogenic basically means anything that does not clog skin pores or cause acne. Do your homework and look for as many non-comedogenic versions of the skin care products you use. It's worth it, you'll see.

If stress is linked with adult acne, then, disengaging yourself from stressful activities might work wonders, right? A day away from work or catching up on one of your hobbies won't hurt.

There's this bold Jean Kerr reacting on a classical quotation.

"I'm tired of all this nonsense about beauty being only skin-deep. That's deep enough. What do you want, an adorable pancreas?"

It doesn't mean the depreciation of a pleasing personality. Such reaction only imparts a message of giving value to what boosts your self-esteem. If it's a clear complexion along with your aging gracefully, so be it. No adult acne should put a shame on your face and get in your way of becoming more confident.

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Why Isn't My Diet Working?

Have you been on a new diet for a couple of weeks and found that you STILL can't lose weight? Have you actually GAINED a pound or two since you've been on it? Are you just about ready to throw this diet out the window and try something else? Well, hold on a minute. There might be something else going on that's preventing your diet from working.

Getting your diet to work is like planting a seed in a garden. In order for the seed to grow, you have to plant it in good soil. You have to water it, fertilize it, and protect it from weeds. In other words, a seed needs a good environment if it's going to have any chance at all to sprout, take root, and grow.

Similarly, in order for your diet to start showing results for you, it also needs a good environment. Here are 10 "weeds" that will prevent the success of any diet and may actually be the reason that yours isn't working.

1. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT

For your diet to work, you obviously have to be serious about losing weight. You need to have the right mental attitude about weight loss. In other words, you have to get your "head right." This includes:

a. Making a firm commitment to lose the weight, no matter what.
b. Making sure you're doing this for the right reasons. Trying to lose weight to please someone else never works.
c. Convincing yourself that you CAN lose the weight--and that you WILL!

If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not really serious about losing the weight in the first place.

2. YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR DIET

Cheating on your diet and cheating on love both end in disappointment. Consistent weight loss requires, well, consistency. Most of us work so hard to stick to our diet during the week that we convince ourselves that we can splurge on the weekend. Or we think that because we skipped breakfast, we can have dessert with lunch. Both are a bad choice.

It's easy to convince yourself that having a small snack won't hurt, or that you'll work it off later. The problem is it does, and you never do. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not following it consistently.

3. YOU'RE NOT EATING FEWER CALORIES

I heard of someone that started one of those protein shake diets. He actually gained a couple of pounds. When he was asked how often he was drinking the shakes, he said, "I drink one with every meal." It never occurred to him that the shakes were supposed to replace his meals, not supplement them.

Many dieters buy low-cal foods, and then eat twice as much. Don't be one of them! The only way to lose weight is to reduce your total caloric intake. Make sure you reduce the size of your portions and cut out all snacks that are not part of your diet plan. If your diet isn't working--or if you've actually gained a pound or two--it could be because you're not eating fewer total calories.

4. YOU'RE NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS

Eating fewer calories is only part of the battle. You need to make sure that the foods you do eat are the right types. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you get plenty of fruits, salads, and dark green vegetables. Stay away from refined foods and starches and eat meat in very small amounts (sorry, I'm not an Atkins fan).

Leafy, green, water-rich vegetables will aid digestion, help keep you healthy, and will actually help your body get rid of excess fat. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not eating the right foods.

5. YOU'RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER

When you go on a diet, your body goes into overdrive to get rid of the excess fats and toxins that the diet liberates. Many diets (especially the protein ones) put a strain on your body's organs, especially the kidneys. Because of this, it's vital that you drink plenty of water.

Drinking 8 or so full glasses of water every day helps to flush out the excess fats and toxins your body is trying to eliminate. Drinking plenty of water has other benefits including reducing headaches and improving your hair and skin. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not drinking enough water.

6. YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH

The best way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. Pick walking, running, playing sports, swimming, or whatever--just make sure that when you exercise, you actually exercise. Some people go to the gym to socialize, not to exercise. Make sure you're not one of them! Get to work and make sure you stay with it long enough to burn off some excess calories.

To lose weight, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. Note that these 20-30 minutes do not include stretching, warm ups, cool downs, or checking yourself out in front of the mirror. Sure, these are an important part of your exercise routine but you're not going to lose any weight by stretching. At least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day.

If you've reduced the amount of calories you're eating and your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not exercising enough.

7. YOU'RE EXERCISING TOO HARD

This may be counterintuitive but it's true. If you exercise too hard, your body goes into an ANAEROBIC state (without oxygen). This is when you get so out of breath that you can't seem to take in enough air. When the body is in this state, it burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. This is why runners "carb up" before a big race--and also why runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us.

Slow your exercise down to no more than 85% of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate). At this pace, your body is in an AEROBIC state (with oxygen) and most of the calories that are burned are from fat, not carbs. An added benefit is that aerobic exercise tends to be low impact making it easy on your joints.

If you already get plenty of exercise and your diet still isn't working, it could be because you're exercising too hard.

8. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST

We all live stressful lives. Dieting typically changes your eating and exercise habits-- two more stressor's your body has to deal with. The only chance your body has to relieve tension, rejuvenate and rebuild itself is during sleep so it's important to get enough when dieting.

Not getting enough sleep can actually slow your metabolism making weight loss difficult. It can also make you feel "groggy," which means you probably won't make the best food choices throughout the day. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not getting enough rest.

9. YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONCE

Weight loss requires both consistent effort and focus. You won't have either if you're trying to diet and deal with other "major events" in your life at the same time. Major events include things like changing jobs, moving to new house or city, trying to stop smoking, a death, accident, or sickness in the family, and so on. All of these things create a disruption in our lives and cause us to put everything--including our diets--on hold. To make matters worse, how do most of us deal with the stress caused by these major events? By snacking! Your diet doesn't have a chance.

So don't even try. Give yourself permission to put your diet on hold until you can give it the consistent energy and focus it needs. Choose your battles carefully and fight only one at a time. If your diet isn't working, it may be because you're trying to fight too many at once.

10. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL IS NOT REALISTIC

Like all good things, healthy weight loss takes time. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment by setting a weight loss goal that is totally unrealistic. This includes not only the amount of weight you want to lose, but also the amount of time you think it will take. If you're doing all the right things and your diet isn't working, it may be because your weight loss goal-or the time required to reach it-isn't realistic.

Once you get all of these issues resolved, you've cleared the way to get your diet back on track. As your diet takes root and begins to work, you should start to see the weight come off easily and naturally.

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10 Important, Easy Dating Rules for Your Success

1) Leave the mobile phone off! Do not answer it if it is on Silent either. You should only do this if you are expecting an emergency and I mean an emergency. You only look like a deadhead, self-centred fool answering a phone at a meeting that is important and that goes for all meetings. It's inconsiderate and breeds contempt from the other party even if they agree to you answering it. They're only being polite which you're not, if you do have a ringing phone and answer it. This does not mean leave it at home - you may need it later.

2) Don't smoke anything in the presence of others unless they also smoke and for goodness sake make sure that no one near you is eating. Never smoke in an area where people are eating even if they smoke. You would be a fool to smoke in the presence of your date when they didn't smoke. If you're keen, it may be time to think about not smoking in their presence again.

3) A good rule is not to talk about your achievements unless you are asked. Bragging is more often frowned upon and puts people off early. Show some interest in your date and their hobbies achievements and interests. If you do this regularly enough, it will become a habit and your good social skills will become very obvious to others including your date.

4) Find some way to compliment them. This is good practise even if you don't think this person is right for you. What goes around comes around! This is also a great building block for social skills improvement.

5) Smart casual attire is always good for the first date. Girls - don't go over the top with jewellery. It looks crass and sometimes cheap! Subtlety is the name of the game here. Boys - don't swear or cuss. It only indicates ignorance and sometimes stupidity. It does not make you look tough. Your actions and the way you deal with life will show how tough you are quickly enough. Most people can find an adjective somewhere in their vocabulary to describe things. You'll find that you can too!

6) Most girls like to be respected and despite their eye lashes fluttering away in some scenarios, they are generally quite bright and one step ahead of you. The more you treat them like your equal in conversation, the more quickly you will identify a good match for you or not.

7) Most boys like to have interest shown in their achievements or interests. In fact, you could just focus on this for the whole date and be safe if you wanted to.

8) Eat like a human being - don't quaff down the food like it's your last meal. Don’t fill up. This will ensure that you can feel good about doing something after you've dined i.e. dancing, a walk evn consider about going to a differnt venue for coffee, dessert, dancing or a drink perhaps. Mixing you're venues often displays varying behaviour. If your date begins to swing from a chandelier after one drink you may want to consider the future carefully.

9) Boys - if you enjoyed your date, say so at the end of the evening. Follow up with a thoughtful gift such as flowers to her place of work or her doorstep. It does NOT have to be expensive. The surprise is what counts here along with the fact that you have obviously thought about her since the date. Hand write the card and leave a phone number she can catch you on.

10) Girls - try not to make yourself too available at the end of your first date. But make your feelings clear with an element of subtlety. Whatever you do not ask him if he will call again. Your mind set must be one of value and that if doesn't call then there will be another who will.

One more thing - on your first few dates never and I mean never get in a discussion of old boy friends or girlfriends, ex wives or husbands, nor anything to do with these issues - Never!

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Thinking outside the box concerning congestive heart failure.

“Think outside the box!” These words show up in commercials, boardrooms, operating rooms and casual conversations. They have become the calling card of the young creative hotshot trying to secure an impressive position in a choice company. They mark the inventive thinker and condemn the one doing everything in the same old fashion. For the most part we live in a world where new is better and change in and of itself is considered a good thing.

But there are some boxes in which our thinking seems to be locked. I have in mind one particular box which conforms us to the idea that health is a matter of fixing problems after they present themselves. There is no doubt that medical science has advanced at a remarkable rate. We are daily finding cures for diseases that have plagued us for all history. But medical science is not the savior of careless living. It is time to think outside the box of waiting until there is an evident problem before we do anything about it. Or perhaps it is more accurate to say that we should return to the box that says, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

One case in point, among many others, is demonstrated by the rise in heart disease in developed and developing countries. In particular to this article is the increase in incidence of congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure is not so much a disease as it is the end result of heart degradation. Sometimes the cause is not known. But most often it is caused by one or more long-term ailments that stress the heart to the point that it simply can not function properly.

Here is an example. Perhaps a patient has lived with elevated blood pressure for many years. Long-term hypertension is one of the leading causes of CHF. The patient might make some efforts to reduce his blood pressure but is not overly concerned about it. After all, we live in a high speed world. Hypertension is common among the hard working. It becomes an acceptable part of every day living in the modern world.

But high blood pressure is one common condition that works for years to wear on the cardiovascular system resulting in a number of serious ailments, not the least of which is congestive heart failure. The fact that something does not kill us in a week does not logically imply that it will not kill us. Hypertension causes the heart to work harder ultimately weakening it over time. The weakening of the heart coupled with a vascular system not conducive to efficiently transporting blood due to hypertension and atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) can only lead to trouble. The heart gets to the point that it simply can not keep up with the work load. The patient then turns to medical science for a cure; or perhaps a miracle. Twenty years of neglect, and even abuse, is expected to fade away with the swallowing of a few pills.

The blood pressure example is just that, an example. Atherosclerosis is another. Atherosclerosis comes from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (meaning hardness). The combination of the two meanings provides a rather gruesome picture of a hard paste (plaque) being deposited in our blood vessels. Not a pretty sight from any angle. When plaque buildup sufficiently restricts blood flow to the major organs serious repercussions can occur not the least of which is heart attach, stroke or long-term congestive heart failure.

It is believed by many scientists that atherosclerosis begins when damage occurs to the innermost layer of the artery. Such damage can be caused by high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and obesity. It stands to reason, then, that controlling these conditions can go a long way toward reducing the effects of atherosclerosis and, by logical inference, congestive heart failure.

There are many more possible examples that could be given. The above represent only a couple common possibilities. But notice even in these two examples the amount of overlap. High blood pressure affects atherosclerosis buildup. Smoking has an effect on both conditions. It is the same with other conditions as well. The same, then, is also true with treatments. Taking steps to control one area of heart health usually provides beneficial results in other areas. And these benefits in return aid in prevention and treatment of CHF.

So what magical steps can we take to reduce the likelihood of developing CHF? No magic. In a sense what we need to do is to stop thinking inside the box of waiting until there is a health problem before we do anything about it. But in so doing, we need to return to an even older box; the box of prevention.

Health is, in a large part, a matter of lifestyle. Why is heart disease, and particularly congestive heart failure, on the rise in developing countries? One word: Lifestyle. While medical science is working to reduce the impact of heart disease we are working to increase its impact.

The first major factor to concern us is the lack of exercise. Most of us have jobs that exercise our brains but not our bodies. This is especially the case for those of us who are in the busy time of our lives while building careers and raising children. It is difficult to add an exercise regimen on top of all the other responsibilities that scream for our time. However, being physically fit influences much more than the strength of our muscles. The whole body requires conditioning to function properly and heart health is no exception.

Diet is perhaps the main culprit in the rise of heart disease. Face it, with all the advertisements on the radio and television promoting low fat diets and healthy eating we still don’t listen. We are in a hurry so we eat what is convenient and tasty. High cholesterol, high fat diets simply do not promote heart health. They promote hypertension and atherosclerosis, both major factors in the development of CHF. Not only do we take in way too much of the bad stuff we don’t get nearly enough of the good stuff. Most of the vegetables in the average American diet come from French fries. And most of the fruits are found in the form of bottled drinks that boast 10% real fruit juice. If we treated our cars this way they wouldn’t last long enough to pay off the loan.

Even for those that make an effort to eat well there is an additional obstacle. Farming techniques often do not produce the nutritious foods that were once available. Hormonally adjusted livestock and chemically fertilized crops are not as healthy as their organically raised counterparts. Even nutritious crops begin losing their nutritious value as soon as they are picked. Fruits and vegetables that are stored and shipped over an extended period of time provide only a fraction of their original benefit.

So what are we to do? In addition to reducing the amount of fat and cholesterol there should be a concerted effort to add ample fruits and vegetables to the diet. Of course the organically grown varieties are superior. But they are not an option for everyone. However, in most places it is possible to buy produce that is locally grown. This usually means that less time passes between harvest and consumption reducing vitamin loss. Growing your own produce is a great alternative if you have enough space.

Fish, especially cold water fish, has long been known to aid in heart health. Cultures which include fish as a significant part of the diet have demonstrably lower incidence of heart disease than cultures that eat little fish. The Omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish oils have been shown in numerous studies to reduce heart disease of many types.

Even in the best diets there are holes. Consider a good dietary supplement regimen. Many studies have verified the usefulness of supplementing for the reduction and prevention of a number of diseases including heart diseases like CHF. The particulars of these studies are beyond the scope of this essay. But one thing should be emphasized. Choose good vitamin supplements. Good supplements are manufactured much the same way as good produce is grown. Chemical equivalents are not really equivalents. The test tube may not know the difference but the body does.

The efforts taken to reduce the likelihood of heart disease are very much worth it. We must get out of the think tank that allows us to neglect heart health while trusting medical science to bail us out when trouble strikes.

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Pathological Eating Disorders and Poly-Behavioral Addiction

When considering that pathological eating disorders and their related diseases now afflict more people globally than malnutrition, some experts in the medical field are presently purporting that the world’s number one health problem is no longer heart disease or cancer, but obesity. According to the World Health Organization (June, 2005), “obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. Often coexisting in developing countries with under-nutrition, obesity is a complex condition, with serious social and psychological dimensions, affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups.” The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (June, 2005), reports that “during the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older - over 60 million people - are obese. This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6-19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are overweight.”

Morbid obesity is a condition that is described as being 100lbs. or more above ideal weight, or having a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30. Being obese alone puts one at a much greater risk of suffering from a combination of several other metabolic factors such as having high blood pressure, being insulin resistant, and/ or having abnormal cholesterol levels that are all related to a poor diet and a lack of exercise. The sum is greater than the parts. Each metabolic problem is a risk for other diseases separately, but together they multiply the chances of life-threatening illness such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and stroke, etc. Up to 30.5% of our Nations’ adults suffer from morbid obesity, and two thirds or 66% of adults are overweight measured by having a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25.

Considering that the U.S. population is now over 290,000,000, some estimate that up to 73,000,000 Americans could benefit from some type of education awareness and/ or treatment for a pathological eating disorder or food addiction. Typically, eating patterns are considered pathological problems when issues concerning weight and/ or eating habits, (e.g., overeating, under eating, binging, purging, and/ or obsessing over diets and calories, etc.) become the focus of a persons’ life, causing them to feel shame, guilt, and embarrassment with related symptoms of depression and anxiety that cause significant maladaptive social and/ or occupational impairment in functioning.

We must consider that some people develop dependencies on certain life-functioning activities such as eating that can be just as life threatening as drug addiction and just as socially and psychologically damaging as alcoholism. Some do suffer from hormonal or metabolic disorders, but most obese individuals simply consume more calories than they burn due to an out of control overeating Food Addiction. Hyper-obesity resulting from gross, habitual overeating is considered to be more like the problems found in those ingrained personality disorders that involve loss of control over appetite of some kind (Orford, 1985). Binge-eating Disorder episodes are characterized in part by a feeling that one cannot stop or control how much or what one is eating (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). Lienard and Vamecq (2004) have proposed an “auto-addictive” hypothesis for pathological eating disorders. They report that, “eating disorders are associated with abnormal levels of endorphins and share clinical similarities with psychoactive drug abuse. The key role of endorphins has recently been demonstrated in animals with regard to certain aspects of normal, pathological and experimental eating habits (food restriction combined with stress, loco-motor hyperactivity).” They report that the “pathological management of eating disorders may lead to two extreme situations: the absence of ingestion (anorexia) and excessive ingestion (bulimia).”

Co-morbidity & Mortality

Addictions and other mental disorders as a rule do not develop in isolation. The National Co-morbidity Survey (NCS) that sampled the entire U.S. population in 1994, found that among non-institutionalized American male and female adolescents and adults (ages 15-54), roughly 50% had a diagnosable Axis I mental disorder at some time in their lives. This survey’s results indicated that 35% of males will at some time in their lives have abused substances to the point of qualifying for a mental disorder diagnosis, and nearly 25% of women will have qualified for a serious mood disorder (mostly major depression). A significant finding of note from the NCS study was the widespread occurrence of co-morbidity among diagnosed disorders. It specifically found that 56% of the respondents with a history of at least one disorder also had two or more additional disorders. These persons with a history of three or more co-morbid disorders were estimated to be one-sixth of the U.S. population, or some 43 million people (Kessler, 1994).

McGinnis and Foege, (1994) report that, “the most prominent contributors to mortality in the United States in 1990 were tobacco (an estimated 400,000 deaths), diet and activity patterns (300,000), alcohol (100,000), microbial agents (90,000), toxic agents (60,000), firearms (35,000), sexual behavior (30,000), motor vehicles (25,000), and illicit use of drugs (20,000). Acknowledging that the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality was risky behavior lifestyles, the U.S. Prevention Services Task Force set out to research behavioral counseling interventions in health care settings (Williams & Wilkins, 1996).

Poor Prognosis

We have come to realize today more than any other time in history that the treatment of lifestyle diseases and addictions are often a difficult and frustrating task for all concerned. Repeated failures abound with all of the addictions, even with utilizing the most effective treatment strategies. But why do 47% of patients treated in private treatment programs (for example) relapse within the first year following treatment (Gorski,T., 2001)? Have addiction specialists become conditioned to accept failure as the norm? There are many reasons for this poor prognosis. Some would proclaim that addictions are psychosomatically- induced and maintained in a semi-balanced force field of driving and restraining multidimensional forces. Others would say that failures are due simply to a lack of self-motivation or will power. Most would agree that lifestyle behavioral addictions are serious health risks that deserve our attention, but could it possibly be that patients with multiple addictions are being under diagnosed (with a single dependence) simply due to a lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing and treating a patient with multiple addictions?

Diagnostic Delineation

Thus far, the DSM-IV-TR has not delineated a diagnosis for the complexity of multiple behavioral and substance addictions. It has reserved the Poly-substance Dependence diagnosis for a person who is repeatedly using at least three groups of substances during the same 12-month period, but the criteria for this diagnosis do not involve any behavioral addiction symptoms. In the Psychological Factors Affecting Medical Condition’s section (DSM-IV-TR, 2000); maladaptive health behaviors (e.g., overeating, unsafe sexual practices, excessive alcohol and drug use, etc.) may be listed on Axis I only if they are significantly affecting the course of treatment of a medical or mental condition.

Since successful treatment outcomes are dependent on thorough assessments, accurate diagnoses, and comprehensive individualized treatment planning, it is no wonder that repeated rehabilitation failures and low success rates are the norm instead of the exception in the addictions field, when the latest DSM-IV-TR does not even include a diagnosis for multiple addictive behavioral disorders. Treatment clinics need to have a treatment planning system and referral network that is equipped to thoroughly assess multiple addictive and mental health disorders and related treatment needs and comprehensively provide education/ awareness, prevention strategy groups, and/ or specific addictions treatment services for individuals diagnosed with multiple addictions. Written treatment goals and objectives should be specified for each separate addiction and dimension of an individuals’ life, and the desired performance outcome or completion criteria should be specifically stated, behaviorally based (a visible activity), and measurable.

New Proposed Diagnosis

To assist in resolving the limited DSM-IV-TRs’ diagnostic capability, a multidimensional diagnosis of “Poly-behavioral Addiction,” is proposed for more accurate diagnosis leading to more effective treatment planning. This diagnosis encompasses the broadest category of addictive disorders that would include an individual manifesting a combination of substance abuse addictions, and other obsessively-compulsive behavioral addictive behavioral patterns to pathological gambling, religion, and/ or sex / pornography, etc.). Behavioral addictions are just as damaging - psychologically and socially as alcohol and drug abuse. They are comparative to other life-style diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease in their behavioral manifestations, their etiologies, and their resistance to treatments. They are progressive disorders that involve obsessive thinking and compulsive behaviors. They are also characterized by a preoccupation with a continuous or periodic loss of control, and continuous irrational behavior in spite of adverse consequences.

Poly-behavioral addiction would be described as a state of periodic or chronic physical, mental, emotional, cultural, sexual and/ or spiritual/ religious intoxication. These various types of intoxication are produced by repeated obsessive thoughts and compulsive practices involved in pathological relationships to any mood-altering substance, person, organization, belief system, and/ or activity. The individual has an overpowering desire, need or compulsion with the presence of a tendency to intensify their adherence to these practices, and evidence of phenomena of tolerance, abstinence and withdrawal, in which there is always physical and/ or psychic dependence on the effects of this pathological relationship. In addition, there is a 12 - month period in which an individual is pathologically involved with three or more behavioral and/ or substance use addictions simultaneously, but the criteria are not met for dependence for any one addiction in particular (Slobodzien, J., 2005). In essence, Poly-behavioral addiction is the synergistically integrated chronic dependence on multiple physiologically addictive substances and behaviors (e.g., using/ abusing substances - nicotine, alcohol, & drugs, and/or acting impulsively or obsessively compulsive in regards to gambling, food binging, sex, and/ or religion, etc.) simultaneously.

New Proposed Theory

The Addictions Recovery Measurement System’s (ARMS) theory is a nonlinear, dynamical, non-hierarchical model that focuses on interactions between multiple risk factors and situational determinants similar to catastrophe and chaos theories in predicting and explaining addictive behaviors and relapse. Multiple influences trigger and operate within high-risk situations and influence the global multidimensional functioning of an individual. The process of relapse incorporates the interaction between background factors (e.g., family history, social support, years of possible dependence, and co-morbid psychopathology), physiological states (e.g., physical withdrawal), cognitive processes (e.g., self-efficacy, cravings, motivation, the abstinence violation effect, outcome expectancies), and coping skills (Brownell et al., 1986; Marlatt & Gordon, 1985). To put it simply, small changes in an individual’s behavior can result in large qualitative changes at the global level and patterns at the global level of a system emerge solely from numerous little interactions.

The ARMS hypothesis purports that there is a multidimensional synergistically negative resistance that individual’s develop to any one form of treatment to a single dimension of their lives, because the effects of an individual’s addiction have dynamically interacted multi-dimensionally. Having the primary focus on one dimension is insufficient. Traditionally, addiction treatment programs have failed to accommodate for the multidimensional synergistically negative effects of an individual having multiple addictions, (e.g. nicotine, alcohol, and obesity, etc.). Behavioral addictions interact negatively with each other and with strategies to improve overall functioning. They tend to encourage the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs, help increase violence, decrease functional capacity, and promote social isolation. Most treatment theories today involve assessing other dimensions to identify dual diagnosis or co-morbidity diagnoses, or to assess contributing factors that may play a role in the individual’s primary addiction. The ARMS’ theory proclaims that a multidimensional treatment plan must be devised addressing the possible multiple addictions identified for each one of an individual’s life dimensions in addition to developing specific goals and objectives for each dimension.

The ARMS acknowledges the complexity and unpredictable nature of lifestyle addictions following the commitment of an individual to accept assistance with changing their lifestyles. The Stages of Change model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984) is supported as a model of motivation, incorporating five stages of readiness to change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. The ARMS theory supports the constructs of self-efficacy and social networking as outcome predictors of future behavior across a wide variety of lifestyle risk factors (Bandura, 1977). The Relapse Prevention cognitive-behavioral approach (Marlatt, 1985) with the goal of identifying and preventing high-risk situations for relapse is also supported within the ARMS theory.

The ARMS continues to promote Twelve Step Recovery Groups such as Food Addicts and Alcoholics Anonymous along with spiritual and religious recovery activities as a necessary means to maintain outcome effectiveness. The beneficial effects of AA may be attributable in part to the replacement of the participant's social network of drinking friends with a fellowship of AA members who can provide motivation and support for maintaining abstinence (Humphreys, K.; Mankowski, E.S, 1999) and (Morgenstern, J.; Labouvie, E.; McCrady, B.S.; Kahler, C.W.; and Frey, R.M., 1997). In addition, AA's approach often results in the development of coping skills, many of which are similar to those taught in more structured psychosocial treatment settings, thereby leading to reductions in alcohol consumption (NIAAA, June 2005).

Treatment Progress Dimensions

The American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (2003), “Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 3rd Edition”, has set the standard in the field of addiction treatment for recognizing the totality of the individual in his or her life situation. This includes the internal interconnection of multiple dimensions from biomedical to spiritual, as well as external relationships of the individual to the family and larger social groups. Life-style addictions may affect many domains of an individual's functioning and frequently require multi-modal treatment. Real progress however, requires appropriate interventions and motivating strategies for every dimension of an individual’s life.


The Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) has identified the following seven treatment progress areas (dimensions) in an effort to: (1) assist clinicians with identifying additional motivational techniques that can increase an individual’s awareness to make progress: (2) measure within treatment progress, and (3) measure after treatment outcome effectiveness:
PD- 1. Abstinence/ Relapse:
Progress Dimension
PD- 2. Bio-medical/ Physical: Progress Dimension
PD- 3. Mental/ Emotional:
Progress Dimension
PD- 4. Social/ Cultural:
Progress Dimension
PD- 5. Educational/Occupational: Progress Dimension
PD- 6. Attitude/ Behavioral:
Progress Dimension
PD- 7. Spirituality/ Religious: Progress Dimension

Considering that addictions involve unbalanced life-styles operating within semi-stable equilibrium force fields, the ARMS philosophy promotes that positive treatment effectiveness and successful outcomes are the result of a synergistic relationship with “The Higher Power,” that spiritually elevates and connects an individuals’ multiple life functioning dimensions by reducing chaos and increasing resilience to bring an individual harmony, wellness, and productivity.

Addictions Recovery Measurement - Subsystems

Since chronic lifestyle diseases and disorders such as diabetes, hypertension, alcoholism, drug and behavioral addictions cannot be cured, but only managed - how should we effectively manage poly-behavioral addiction?

The Addiction Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) is proposed utilizing a multidimensional integrative assessment, treatment planning, treatment progress, and treatment outcome measurement tracking system that facilitates rapid and accurate recognition and evaluation of an individual’s comprehensive life-functioning progress dimensions. The “ARMS”- systematically, methodically, interactively, & spiritually combines the following five versatile subsystems that may be utilized individually or incorporated together:

1) The Prognostication System – composed of twelve screening instruments developed to evaluate an individual’s total life-functioning dimensions for a comprehensive bio-psychosocial assessment for an objective 5-Axis diagnosis with a point-based Global Assessment of Functioning score;

2) The Target Intervention System - that includes the Target Intervention Measure (TIM) and Target Progress Reports (A) & (B), for individualized goal-specific treatment planning;

3) The Progress Point System - a standardized performance-based motivational recovery point system utilized to produce in-treatment progress reports on six life-functioning individual dimensions;

4) The Multidimensional Tracking System – with its Tracking Team Surveys (A) & (B), along with the ARMS Discharge criteria guidelines utilizes a multidisciplinary tracking team to assist with discharge planning; and

5) The Treatment Outcome Measurement System – that utilizes the following two
measurement instruments: (a) The Treatment Outcome Measure (TOM); and (b) the Global Assessment of Progress (GAP), to assist with aftercare treatment planning.

National Movement

With the end of the Cold War, the threat of a world nuclear war has diminished considerably. It may be hard to imagine that in the end, comedians may be exploiting the humor in the fact that it wasn’t nuclear warheads, but “French fries” that annihilated the human race. On a more serious note, lifestyle diseases and addictions are the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, yet brief preventive behavioral assessments and counseling interventions are under-utilized in health care settings (Whitlock, 2002).

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded that effective behavioral counseling interventions that address personal health practices hold greater promise for improving overall health than many secondary preventive measures, such as routine screening for early disease (USPSTF, 1996). Common health-promoting behaviors include healthy diet, regular physical exercise, smoking cessation, appropriate alcohol/ medication use, and responsible sexual practices to include use of condoms and contraceptives.

350 national organizations and 250 State public health, mental health, substance abuse, and environmental agencies support the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “Healthy People 2010” program. This national initiative recommends that primary care clinicians utilize clinical preventive assessments and brief behavioral counseling for early detection, prevention, and treatment of lifestyle disease and addiction indicators for all patients’ upon every healthcare visit.

Partnerships and coordination among service providers, government departments, and community organizations in providing treatment programs are a necessity in addressing the multi-task solution to poly-behavioral addiction. I encourage you to support the mental health and addiction programs in America, and hope that the (ARMS) resources can assist you to personally fight the War on pathological eating disorders within poly-behavioral addiction.

For more info see:
Poly-Behavioral Addiction and the Addictions Recovery Measurement System,
By James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC at:

http://www.geocities.com/drslbdzn/
Behavioral-Addictions.html

Food Addicts Anonymous: http://www.foodaddictsanonymous.org/
Alcoholics Anonymous: http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

James Slobodzien, Psy.D., CSAC, is a Hawaii licensed psychologist and certified substance abuse counselor who earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The National Registry of Health Service Providers in Psychology credentials Dr. Slobodzien. He has over 20-years of mental health experience primarily working in the fields of alcohol/ substance abuse and behavioral addictions in medical, correctional, and judicial settings. He is an adjunct professor of Psychology and also maintains a private practice as a mental health consultant.


References
American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition,
Text Revision. Washington, DC, American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. 787 & p. 731.
American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (2003), “Patient Placement Criteria for the
Treatment of Substance-Related Disorders, 3rd Edition,. Retrieved, June 18, 2005, from:
http://www.asam.org/
Bandura, A. (1977), Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological Review,
84, 191-215.
Brownell, K. D., Marlatt, G. A., Lichtenstein, E., & Wilson, G. T. (1986). Understanding and preventing relapse. American Psychologist, 41, 765-782.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Retrieved June 18, 2005, from: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/
Gorski, T. (2001), Relapse Prevention In The Managed Care Environment. GORSKI-CENAPS Web
Healthy People 2010. Retrieved June 20, 2005, from: http://www.healthypeople.gov/
Publications. Retrieved June 20, 2005, from: www.tgorski.com
Lienard, J. & Vamecq, J. (2004), Presse Med, Oct 23;33(18 Suppl):33-40.
Marlatt, G. A. (1985). Relapse prevention: Theoretical rationale and overview of the model. In G. A.
Marlatt & J. R. Gordon (Eds.), Relapse prevention (pp. 250-280). New York: Guilford Press.
McGinnis JM, Foege WH (1994). Actual causes of death in the United States. US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC 20201
Humphreys, K.; Mankowski, E.S.; Moos, R.H.; and Finney, J.W (1999). Do enhanced friendship networks and active coping mediate the effect of self-help groups on substance abuse? Ann Behav Med 21(1):54-60.
Kessler, R.C., McGonagle, K.A., Zhao, S., Nelson, C.B., Hughes, M., Eshleman, S., Wittchen, H. H,-U, & Kendler, K.S. (1994). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United
States: Results from the national co morbidity survey. Arch. Gen. Psychiat., 51, 8-19.
Morgenstern, J.; Labouvie, E.; McCrady, B.S.; Kahler, C.W.; and Frey, R.M (1997). Affiliation with Alcoholics Anonymous after treatment: A study of its therapeutic effects and mechanisms of action. J Consult Clin Psychol 65(5):768-777.
Orford, J. (1985). Excessive appetites: A psychological view of addiction. New York: Wiley.
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1984). The transtheoretical approach: Crossing the boundaries of therapy. Malabar, FL: Krieger.
Slobodzien, J. (2005). Poly-behavioral Addiction and the Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS), Booklocker.com, Inc., p. 5.
Whitlock, E.P. (1996). Evaluating Primary Care Behavioral Counseling Interventions: An Evidence-based Approach. Am J Prev Med 2002;22(4): 267-84.Williams & Wilkins. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to Clinical Preventive Services. 2nd ed. Alexandria, VA.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010 (Conference Edition). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office; 2000.
World Health Organization, (WHO). Retrieved June 18, 2005, from: http://www.who.int/topics/obesity/en/

According to the World Health Organization (June, 2005), “obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. This article purports that the poor prognosis in treating patients with obesity may possibly be due to not diagnosing and treating thier other poly-behavioral addictions simultaneously. This systematic underdiagnostic standard in the field of addictions could be due to a lack of diagnostic tools and resources that are presently incapable of resolving the complexity of assessing and treating a patient with multiple behavioral and substance abuse addictions. The Addictions Recovery Measurement System (ARMS) is proposed as a first step in fighting this global War on Poly-behavioral Addictions.

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Salt Therapy and its European well-known beneficial effects in respiratory diseases

The benefits of salt therapy (also called Halotherapy) or speleotherapy are well known and documented in Europe. Halotherapy uses dry aerosol micro particles of salt and minerals to treat respiratory diseases and seeks to replicate the conditions of speleotherapy (from Greek speleos=cave), a treatment that has been practiced in old salt mines of Eastern Europe since the early 19th century.

In the mid 18th Century a Polish health official Felix Botchkowski, noticed that the workers of salt mines did not get ill with lung diseases. He wrote a book about the effects of salt dust in 1843. His successor M. Poljakowski founded a Salt Spa in Velicko near Krakow, which is still in operation. During the Second World War salt mines were often used as bombproof shelters. After spending time there many people who suffered from asthma felt that their health had gotten better! Today there are many salt sanatoriums in Europe (Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia …).

The Halotherapy belongs to the category of the physical therapies non-drug and non invasive treatments of diseases. In the former Soviet Union, medical researchers engaged in a concerted effort to develop physical therapies in order to avoid the costs and side effects of drug therapy as well as microbial and tumour resistance. Russia has become the world leader in developing and testing new and increasingly effective physical therapies. Many of the clinical trials have focused on Halotherapy as a treatment of asthma and chronic bronchitis and also very effective as a main or adjuvant therapy across the entire range of upper and lower respiratory tract diseases.

Respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most drug therapies of respiratory diseases have only palliative effects, and many have significant side effects, especially those with corticoids or steroids. So, a physical therapy like Halotherapy is greatly needed.

Speleotherapy also makes a great demand on patients' time. The mines are not conveniently located for most people and the total cost is fairly significant.

The effectiveness of speleotherapy is not acknowledged in all countries of the world, but in countries like Romania (Praid, Tg.Ocna, Seiged, Sovata, Slanic, Ocna), Poland (Wieliczka), Germany (Teufelshöhle), Austria (Hallen, Solzbad-Salzeman), Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Nakhichevan mines in Azerbaijan, the salt aerosol plays an important role in the treatment of chronic respiratory diseases, working well with or without medical treatment and without any known side effects. Because of these, pregnant women with asthma or other respiratory diseases could use this therapy without any harm to the child. Very well known and appreciated in these middle-eastern European countries, this therapy is covered by the public health care system. In Romania there are also many salt lakes - Sovata with 7 salt lakes, Ocna Sibiului with 52 salt lakes in S-W of Transilvania, very well known in the treatment of infertility, metabolic diseases, skin diseases. These salt lakes were usually formed by collapsing of salt caves ceilings. All these salt lakes have different salinity, increasing with deepness – from 9g/l to 320g/l.

This salt therapy being very well known for its beneficial effects, a Romanian inventor put his mind at work and developed a device that is able to reproduce a speleotherapy micro environment in your home in an affordable and convenient way. Internationally recognized, with Gold and Silver medal at “Salon International des Inventions”, Geneva and “World Exhibition of Innovation, Research and New Technology”, Brussels, this Romanian invention brings new hopes in the natural treatment of chronic respiratory diseases.

The inventor thought this device as an air salinizer that uses forced ionization of the indoor air by salt sublimation creating a micro climate of dry aerosol salt therapy in your living space. He used a natural process of salt crystallization to obtain salt micro crystals under 5µm in diameter, invisible to human eyes, being able to penetrate deep into the lung. The device uses only natural salt from within the mountain of salt, untreated or touched by the human processing technology.

Based on clinical studies, the inhaled saline has bactericide, mucokinetic, hydrophilic, anti inflammatory properties, reducing inflammation in the whole respiratory tract, absorbing edema from the mucosa lining the airway passages leading to widening of the airway passages, restoring the normal transport of mucus and unclog blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles leading to rapid elimination of the residual tar and foreign allergens, all of these in a natural process.

Edema of the nasal mucosa and the oropharynx and soft palate, causing nasal obstruction and snoring is diminished, leading to widening of the airway passage in the nose and the tubes of the sinuses and improving the sinuses drainage and reducing snoring.
In the auditory tube, edema of the Eustachian tube causing ear infection, is also diminished, leading to widening of the airway passages, better drainage and better aeration behind the tympanic membrane.

The salt therapy was found to have beneficial effects in the treatment of:
• Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Allergic Rhinopathy or Hay Fever
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Sinusitis
• Ear Infections
• Smoking Cough
• Various acute or chronic respiratory disease
• Reduce snoring and activates better sleep by clearing the airway passages in oropharyngeal region
• Increased resistance to Cold & Flu by opening and clearing the nasal airway and improving the drainage of the sinuses
• Humidifies the bronchial secretions reducing broncho-spasm and facilitating elimination of the smoke residual tar, phlegm expel and other allergens
• Improves the quality of the indoor air by eliminating the dust, cigarette smoke, bad odours, mould and mites, having bactericide reduction properties.

The salt therapy is a natural method of therapy and does not involve any risk and is finally adapted to the living space. However, this is NOT a substitute for medical treatment and should only be used as an adjuvant helping to improve the quality of patients’ life, reducing the antibiotics and corticoids or steroids intake, reducing the rate of annual hospitalizations and decrease the frequency of respiratory diseases attacks.

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SalineTherapy and the beneficial effects in asthma, allergy and other respiratory diseases

The benefits of salt therapy (also called Halotherapy) or speleotherapy are well known and documented in Europe. Halotherapy uses dry aerosol micro particles of salt and minerals to treat respiratory diseases and seeks to replicate the conditions of speleotherapy (from Greek speleos=cave), a treatment that has been practiced in old salt mines of Eastern Europe since the early 19th century.
In the mid 18th Century a Polish health official Felix Botchkowski, noticed that the workers of salt mines did not get ill with lung diseases. He wrote a book about the effects of salt dust in 1843. His successor Mstislav Poljakowski founded a Salt Spa in Velicko near Krakow, which is still in operation. During the Second World War salt mines were often used as bombproof shelters. After spending time there many people who suffered from asthma felt that their health had gotten better! Today there are many salt sanatoriums in Europe (Austria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia …).

The Halotherapy belongs to the category of the physical therapies non-drug and non invasive treatments of diseases. In the former Soviet Union, medical researchers engaged in a concerted effort to develop physical therapies in order to avoid the costs and side effects of drug therapy as well as microbial and tumour resistance. Russia has become the world leader in developing and testing new and increasingly effective physical therapies. Many of the clinical trials have focussed on Halotherapy as a treatment of asthma and chronic bronchitis and also very effective as a main or adjuvant therapy across the entire range of upper and lower respiratory tract diseases.

Respiratory diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Most drug therapies of respiratory diseases have only palliative effects, and many have significant side effects, especially those with corticoids or steroids. So, a physical therapy like Halotherapy is much needed.

Speleotherapy also makes a great demand on patients' time. The mines are not conveniently located for most people and the total cost is fairly significant.
An internationally recognized Romanian invention, a Halotherapy device Salin®, brings Speleotherapy to the comfort of your home in an affordable and convenient way.

The Salin® device is an air salinizer that uses forced ionization of the indoor air by salt sublimation creating a micro climate of dry aerosol salt therapy in your living space. The salt microcrystals are under 5 µm diameter and are able to penetrate deep into the lung.
The device has 4 clinical studies:
• Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis
• Allergic Rhinopathy
• Ear Infection in Children
• Cystic Fibrosis.

Based on the clinical studies, the inhaled saline has bactericide, mucokinetic, hydrophilic, anti inflammatory properties, reducing inflammation in the whole respiratory tract, absorbing edema from the mucosa lining the airway passages leading to widening of the airway passages, restoring the normal transport of mucus and unclog blockages in the bronchi and bronchioles leading to rapid elimination of the residual tar and foreign allergens.
Edema of the nasal mucosa and the oropharynx and soft palate, causing nasal obstruction and snoring, will be diminished, leading to widening of the airway passage in the nose and the tubes of the sinuses and improving the sinuses drainage and reducing snoring.
In the auditory tube, edema of the Eustachian tube causing ear infection, will be diminished, leading to widening of the airway passages, better drainage and better aeration behind the tympanic membrane.

Based on these, the Salin® device has beneficial effects in the treatment of:
• Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis
• COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
• Allergic Rhinopathy or Hay Fever
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Sinusitis
• Ear Infections
• Smoking Cough
• Various acute or chronic respiratory disease
• Reduce snoring and activates better sleep by clearing the airway passages in oropharyngeal region
• Increased resistance to Cold & Flu by opening and clearing the nasal airway and improving the drainage of the sinuses
• Humidifies the bronchial secretions reducing bronch-spasm and facilitating elimination of the smoke residual tar, phlegm expel and other allergens
• Improves the quality of the indoor air by eliminating the dust, cigarette smoke, bad odours, mold and mites, having bactericide reduction properties.

It is a natural method of therapy adapted to the living space and it does not involve any risk. The device is NOT a substitute for medical treatment and should only be used as an adjuvant.

Continue reading →

"The Truth About Weight Loss." The 6 Biggest Myth's About Dieting!

Let me preface this article with the notion that I truly, indeed detest the word diet, but for simplicities sake… I’ll use it!

The stark reality is that sometimes eating too little can be a literal roadblock in attaining a lean fit and healthy body.

Eating less in daily calories (food/nutrients), than your minimum metabolic needs causes your body to burn muscle and store fat.

This is what is called the 'Starvation Metabolism' response, where the body, when deprived of adequate calories, will adapt to need fewer calories to function. As a result, dieters often regain the weight they lose almost immediately because they have starved their body into becoming a "fat-storing machine." Sadly the truth!

For most of its history, the human race was subject lock, stock and smoking barrel to the whims and fancies of dear old Mother Nature, especially where our nutritional needs were concerned. When the conditions were right, food was plentiful; when they were not, the populace starved. As a result, evolution shaped our progenerators bodies in such a way that during times of plenty, they were able to pack on layers of fat to provide them with the sustenance they needed to get through the lean times…not the ‘fit’ times, the ‘LEAN’ times!

And as evolution would have it, humans became adept at mastering their environment, nevertheless, famines grew rare, and the built-up fat reserves often went unused; our ability to manipulate the environment had exceeded nature's slow practice of adaptation.

At present, obesity is pervasive in wealthy nations like the U.S. So what in the heck happened to moderation and balance? Particularly impacted are those of us of European and Eastern African origin, whose forbearers needed bodies that could efficiently manufacture fat reserves to outlast the periodic famines. As a direct result, many of us have become corpulent, mostly because it's hard for us to fight the natural tendencies of our bodies to accumulate fat. Currently, some 64% of Americans are overweight and more than one third are obese.

With that being said, as contemporary living human beings, we don't have to allow nature to get the leg up on us (nature nurture then nurture nature). Being overweight and more specifically, over-fat isn't healthy, especially for those of us who suffer from conditions like hypertension, diabetes, heart conditions and other insufficiencies of adequate, abundant health.

But what's the best way to lose weight (fat)and to regain a healthy state of body composition?

As you might have guessed, there are to be nearly accurate, thousands of specialized or Doctor/Guru-ized diets, procedures, dieting devices, miracle pills, powders and the like out there, all of which promise you they'll help you get lean and sleek. Some of them actually work, but how can you tell which ones? How do you thread your way through the plethora of dieting on your way to a healthier, slimmer you, without setting off self-destructive behaviors that can incapacitate your dieting efforts?

The answer to that question is this: Very Vigilantly.

While persuasive and a little facetious, it's nonetheless true. Some things are palpably false, fraudulent, misleading or simply prey on our innermost desires; for example, there's no magic pill (never will be), grapefruit or otherwise, that can in an isolated form cause you to shed the pounds. New-fangled fad diets don't work, and neither do most of the "scientific" ones that are so fervently promoted. Despite this, Americans are willing to spend more than $50 billion a year on fad diets and gimmicks, when in fact the most effective dieting advice comes down to this: Expend more calories than you consume! What I refer to as the two (2) E’s, Exercise and Eat Right! Get it! To Ease!!! To ease all that ails us.
This, we know is true; it's just difficult to assemble the willpower necessary to… belly-up to such an audaciously unpleasant proclamation.

If you're adamant about your health and well-being and want to attain ‘real-results’, keep this truth in mind… “You can lose weight and keep it off”. Peranent weight loss can happen. The intention of this article is to help you along the way as you edify and develop the management skills necessary to achieve success by identifying the most common weight-loss myths that can perplex you during your expedition. We've left out the miracle claims and preposterous matter in favor of presenting more reasonable-sounding myths that an intelligent person might be beguiled and enticed by. Let's start with the most omnipresent myth.

#1

THE MYTH: Avoiding meals can assist you in losing weight faster.
THE TRUTH: Erroneous, Incorrect and Blatantly WRONG! This is Taking The Low Road!

It seems logical, just like its consequence ("the fewer calories you eat, the more weight you'll lose"), but it's not true. The effect is the opposite of what you expect. Dieting is based on the fact that if you burn more calories in a day than you take in, your body will begin burning fat. While this is true, if you expect to lose weight effectively, you need to maintain eating regular meals, especially breakfast.

Depriving your body of its necessary fuel and nutrients causes it to go into starvation mode; when this happens, your metabolism slows down so that you can get by on little to no food. Once your metabolism slows, it can be quite difficult to bring it back up to momentum, and until it regains its pace, normal eating will just cause you to gain more weight.

It can be a vicious cycle that's excruciatingly difficult to break. In addition, bypassing meals can make you feel lightheaded and weak, can have venomous effects on your cholesterol levels, and can be extremely perilous for diabetics.

In a nutshell, fasting and crash diets are forms of self-sabotage best avoided. What's more, eating frequently (and moderately) will leave you less hungry throughout the day and cause a satiated effect, so you're less likely to have or give in to your food cravings.

#2

THE MYTH: Starches are Fattening.
THE TRUTH: False and Unsafe.

For one thing, it's difficult to completely avoid starches, since they're a major component of staples like bread, pasta, grains, fruits, potatoes, corn, and rice. Even if it were possible to cut out all starches, if you did so you'd be starving your body of the fuel it unconditionally needs in order to maintain proper body-system function. Food consists of only three basic substances or macro-nutrients: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Starches are carbohydrates; and carbohydrates, along with their metabolic products and core nutrients are your body's basic fuel.

Most of the fuel your body uses comes from a carbohydrate identified as glucose. Some glucose you might consume in the form of candy or sodas; some carbohydrates in substances like alcohol, quickly break down into glucose. Glucose is absorbed by your cells and used to run your bodily processes; any excess is stored in your liver or converted into fat, where it can be called upon at need.

If your body lacks glucose, it'll eventually start using any fuel source it can find. At first these might be fat cells, but as they shrink, your body may begin attacking the protein reserves in your muscles for the fuel it needs, referred to as catabolisys. This is a "last-resort" move generally saved for famine conditions, so if it happens to you, it's bad news. The truth is that your metabolism by virtue of your circadian rhythm is better able to digest, to process and to assimilate certain food sources at certain times of the day… Translation: Some foods are more efficiently assimilated at set points of the day because of the composition or complexity of the source and as our metabolism rises and diminishes throughout the day. More complex foods such as starchy carbohydrates become increasingly more difficult to fully take through the digestive process, without a ‘diminished returns’ effect occurring and fat storage beginning.

#3

THE MYTH: Vegetarian or Vegan diets are healthier than omnivorous diets.
THE TRUTH: Not…

A diet (merely a regime of frequent consumption) consisting entirely of rice and french-fries, or of bananas and cheerios, can be considered vegetarian, but neither diet is healthy in the long run. If you're careful, you can get by just fine on a properly balanced vegan or vegetarian diet, but you'll have to manage your in-take very carefully. Vegetarian diets do tend to be high in fiber and low in fat, but the fact is that humans evolved as opportunistic omnivores. That is, our ancestors ate anything they could get their hands on: greens, tubers, bugs, and the occasional smidgen of meat and this dictated how our bodies today, still require nutrients for efficacy and fuel for performance, that’s what we do… Perform! Preferably Efficiently! Poor Physical Performance is what we simply call… SICK!!! Emotionally, Physically, Spiritually…what-have-you!

The human body developed and evolved to expect a diverse and varied diet, one that could provide all the nutrients it necessitates in a variety of forms. Meat was an important part of their diet, perhaps the most important part because it was so uncommon. Vegetarians must always be sure that they eat enough protein; protein is easily available in meat, so few omnivores have to worry about getting enough, but it's scarce in most plant foods.

Fortunately, nuts, beans, and a few other vegetable products are ready sources of protein. If you go vegetarian, you'll also need to be sure you get daily doses of Vitamin B12 and Zinc, supplements often missing in vegetarian diets.

Most people can continue to exist as vegetarians if they're extremely careful, but it's a continuous mêlée, and guess what? You can be just as healthy and out-of-shape on a vegetarian diet as you can on a regular diet, especially if you don't exercise regularly.

#4

THE MYTH: Sweating facilitates weight loss.
THE TRUTH: Absolutely… If the sweat is exercise induced!

Otherwise, all you're doing is losing water weight. Sweating is astonishingly effective at doing what it was meant to do: cooling the body by glazing the skin with evaporative fluids.

It was never meant to act as a weight loss system. Lose enough water, and you're toying with dehydration. Dehydration or progressive dehydration can occur if you fail to rehydrate yourself sufficiently after every workout. If you get sufficiently dehydrated, your electrolyte balance will get out of whack, your cells will be starved of the fluids they need, and you could die. Not a happy prospect, so avoid it.

For this reason, the old sweatbox and sauna are of no use for losing real weight. Neither are their modern "high-tech" equivalents, such as body wraps and plastic sweat suits, no matter how many people swear by them. All they do is dehydrate you. Yes, you lose weight: two pounds per quart sweated away. But that's weight, not fat. And the moment you drink enough water, you'll gain all that weight back. Like I have said… “Weight Loss is a LIE!”

#5

THE MYTH: Fat Free is… Calorie Free!
THE TRUTH: YEAH… RIGHT!!!

All "fat-free" means is that a particular food has no detectable fat content. Sadly, however, is that fat and its related compounds that give most foods their flavor. Ice cream, butter, cheese, and a whole host of non-dairy products, including chocolate, are little more than specially prepared, congealed fat. When manufacturers design many fat-free products, such as bread, cookies, ice cream, and the like, they know these products will be mostly dry and flavorless without fat.

Some fat substitutes are available, but they can cause gastrointestinal upset, and most are expensive. This leaves one common ingredient that manufacturers can use to make their products taste better: sugar. And they use it liberally; so many fat-free products are high in calories.

Furthermore, plenty of foods like breads and pasta are low in fat, but rich in carbohydrates and we already know what that means. Carbohydrates break down easily into our friend glucose, which can result in increased fat when consumed in excess.

You always have to consider calorie and portion size; you're fooling yourself if you do otherwise. Moderation is the key to dieting success… Any …long-term success for that matter.

#6

The Myth: You Either Diet Or Exercise, You Can’t Do Both Simultaneously!
The Truth: Don’t Get Me Started!!!

Yes…you can do both together and you should, it is referred to as Synergy; the coordination of two effective components working concurrently to derive a greater benefit than if isolated.

The dieting myths and misconceptions explored in this article represent just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There are thousands of them out there: some are ridiculous and barely worthy of notice-like the suggestion that eating standing up helps you lose weight, or that you can base a diet on your blood type or color of hair-while others are less obvious, like those discussed here.

Dieting isn't easy and, while it's human nature to look for a simple solution to a problem, that strategy just won't work in this case. So heed these hints, and take it easy. Don't skip meals, keep your diet properly balanced, and exercise regularly. Avoid all fads, pills, and extravagant claims, because if it sounds too good to be true...well, you know the rest.

It doesn’t take more than losing a few pounds before you'll notice a difference in the way you look and feel. And, if you lose only a few pounds at first, even if you've been at it for a while, so what? Pick up a five or ten pound bag of flour and carry it around for a day, and you'll see how quickly you'll get tired of lugging that excess weight around.

Application of sound methodology is always the most effective means to achieve any objective, with that said, if you want to truly shed those extra kilos of fat, then do yourself a favor and draw up a plan, combine all the necessary elements of success and execute that plan…

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Tips for Healthy Skin Year-Round

Taking care of your skin is essential all year ‘round. Humidity, harsh weather conditions, and sun exposure are just a few of the elements that affect your skin as the seasons change. Follow these skin care tips from dermatologist Dr. Linda Franks, and you’ll help ensure that you’re promoting healthy skin the whole year through.

Winter

The winter months can really take a toll on your skin. During the winter, the drop in temperatures, combined with low humidity and indoor heating, can strip the skin of moisture and cause dryness and cracking.

Feel like a long hot shower? Think again.
A hot shower may feel great, but only for a few minutes. As soon as you step out, your skin begins to lose moisture because hot water removes natural oils from the skin, making it dry and itchy. Bathe or shower in warm water and limit your showers to 5 to 10 minutes.

The best time to moisturize?
Right after you take a shower or bath. Pat dry and apply your moisturizing lotion within 3 minutes. The lotion helps seal in the water left over from your bath and keeps the dryness out.

Hydrate your skin from the inside out
Drink plenty of water – about eight 8 oz. glasses a day. And if you plan to ski or run, it's wise to cut down on alcohol and caffeine, since these substances can dehydrate the body, robbing the skin of moisture.

And from the outside in
Use a humidifier to raise the humidity in your home during the winter. The temperature and humidity inside your house is the only “weather” you can control. Take advantage of this to create the perfect indoor environment to help your skin stay hydrated and healthy.
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Review the products you are using.
If you use topical skin care products, talk to your dermatologist about switching from gels to more moisturizing cream formulations for the winter months. Be careful not to overuse products containing alpha-hydroxy acids. They exfoliate the top layer of the skin, which is good for dry skin, but they may leave the new layer of skin unprotected to the cold of winter.

Snow reflects more than 80% of the sun’s rays, so don’t forget your sunscreen.

Use gentle, nondrying cleansers and moisturizers, twice a day, everyday
When using either alpha hydroxy acids or tretinoin, it’s important to use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. Both products may also increase the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight – all the more reason to use a sunscreen every day.

Spring

Spring is a time of renewal, a cleansing period. Why not seize the opportunity to do a little “spring cleaning” yourself. Take a look at how you can cleanse your face - is it time for a change?

Is there a wrong way to cleanse your face?
Yes. While the deodorant soap in the shower may be tempting because it's there, it's probably the worst thing you can use on your face. The answer is based on simple chemistry. We all have some degree of oil on our skin. When you wash your face, many times you are stripping it of its pH balance. Skin can best be classified as an acid. Soap, on the other hand, is a base. By combining the acidity of the skin with the alkaline properties of the soap, you create a reaction that can dry the skin. The stronger the soap, the more disruption to protective lipids and proteins there are on the skin.

The right way to cleanse your face
Most standard body soaps are too drying for the face. Gentle cleansers tend to be closer to the natural pH of the skin (4.5 and 5.5). Dermatologists recommend cleansing your face twice a day (morning and evening) with a gentle, soap-free cleanser. Don't forget to cleanse your neck - it's as visible as your face.

Spring cleaning? Don’t forget your makeup drawer.
There are no regulations that require cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products. Most cosmetics have a shelf life of no longer than 6 months once opened, after which they can spoil. A few standard product life spans include: one year for foundation and lipstick; three months for mascara; and two years for powder and shadows. Moisturizers, foundations, etc., tend to have a shelf life of about 1 year after opening if stored properly.

How can I preserve the longevity of my cosmetics?
Store your cosmetics and facial products outside of the bathroom. Humidity can affect the longevity of a product. It is also important to wash makeup brushes and sponges regularly so that dirt and germs will not aggravate sensitive skin.

Summer

The summer sun feels good, but it can be dangerous. About 1 million new skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States, and about half of all new cancers are skin cancers. We all know the answer – wear sunscreen and protective clothing. But what we may not know is how to use sunscreen properly to best protect our skin.

Examine your skin once every month. Get to know your moles and birthmarks, and look for any abnormal skin growth and any change in the color, shape, size, or appearance of a skin growth. Check for any area of skin (lesion) that does not heal after an injury.

Avoid artificial sources of UVA radiation, including sunlamps and tanning booths. They can cause skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer. Skin cancer affects 1 in 5 Americans – don’t let it be you. It’s the most preventable form of cancer.

Choose a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB rays.
Over 90% of ultraviolet radiation is UVA, which is strongest in the early morning and afternoon. UVA rays can pass through window glass and cause tanning and wrinkling. UVB rays do not penetrate window glass, but they can cause sunburn. Both UVA and UVB rays can cause suppression of the immune system. Our immune system helps protect against the development and spread of cancer.

Remember to reapply sunscreen.
Apply sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB to all exposed skin, including lips, ears, back of hands, and neck. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going in the sun, and reapply it every 2 hours and after swimming, exercising, or sweating. If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s damaging rays are at their strongest and you are more likely to burn.

Drink more water.
Your body weight is 50 to 55% water. In the summertime, you need to replenish fluids lost to sweating. Drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to keep well hydrated.

Protect your kids from the sun.
80% of the lifetime sun damage to the skin is done by the time you are 18 years old. Try to minimize sun exposure between 10:00 a.m. and 4 p.m. and generously apply sunscreen to children older than 6 months. Be sure to reapply after swimming or sports. You should also wear protective clothing to further minimize sun exposure.

Fall

The coming of fall is much like a metaphor for the changes we experience as we age, as we say goodbye to long days of sunshine and prepare for cooler, drier days ahead. Though our skin ages with the passing of the seasons, how our skin ages is largely up to us. Lifestyle, diet, and heredity all affect the condition of our skin. There’s a lot we can do to keep our skin looking young and beautiful all year long.

Stay out of the sun.
Over time, the sun’s ultraviolet light damages the fibers in the skin called elastin. When these fibers breakdown, the skin begins to sag, stretch, and lose its ability to go back into place after stretching. It’s never too late to protect your skin from the sun. While sunscreen use may not repair past damage, it can help prevent new skin damage. Use a sunscreen or daily moisturizing lotion with an SPF of 15 or higher every day, all year long.

One more reason to stop smoking.
Smoking dehydrates and damages collagen in the skin contributing to premature aging. Join the Great American Smokeout (November) and quit smoking for your health and your beauty.

Get your beauty sleep.
When we don’t get enough sleep it results in elevation of a hormone called cortisol. Even though cortisol is an essential hormone in the body, in excess, it can have negative side effects. For example, it can break down muscle tissue, thin our skin, decalcify our bones, and elevate our blood sugar. On the days we do not get enough sleep, we tend to crave carbohydrates, and that's because cortisol raises blood sugar and insulin levels. So get your 8 hours – you skin will thank you.

Use a moisturizer every day.
Our skin may become drier as we get older. The natural loss of sweat and oil glands as we age may contribute to this, but the daily use of soaps, antiperspirants, perfumes, or hot baths can cause the skin to dry even more. To keep your face and body looking young and beautiful, moisturize every day.


By giving your skin the care it needs to weather the elements on a daily basis, you’ll get healthy-looking, radiant skin the whole year through.

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Seven Keys to Permanent Weight Loss Success (Part 1 of 4)

Terrorists are aptly named because their tactics are designed to strike fear into the hearts of the people. This fear is often irrational. Many people bide their time suffering anxiety over the next unlikely attack while falling prey to a monster that kills more people every week than those murdered on September 11th. This killer has no hidden agenda and destroys without prejudice. Those who are unfortunate enough to meet this nemesis often suffer prolonged pain before eventually succumbing and “giving up the breath” as death was described in ancient Egypt.

What could possibly be so terrible? In the year 2000, the leading preventable cause of death was tobacco. Only a few decades ago, doctors and priests would smoke during commercials and share their favorite brand of cigarette. Today, there is a stigma associated with smoking because we understand the link between tobacco and death. Unfortunately, there is a new competitor who is rapidly gaining ground. This competitor claimed thousands lives in the year 2000, and was the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Who is this deadly threat to society?

Poor diet and lack of exercise.

Surprised? Thousands of people die every day due to poor eating habits and lack of regular exercise. The death certificate won’t mention their favorite fast food combo meal or the fact that they would rather watch the latest golf tournament than take a stroll through the park. Instead, one of the many degenerative diseases that have been conclusively linked to nutrition and exercise will stake its claim over another life.

Society spends more time and energy worrying about violent threats than dealing with this leading cause of death. While the popularity of products and services designed to address the situation is growing – in fact, the health and wellness industry is en route to become the next trillion-dollar industry according to economist Paul Zane Pilzer – the rate of obesity, overweight, and conditions related to poor diet and lack of exercise such as type II “adult onset” diabetes is increasing. In fact, adult onset diabetes is now being diagnosed in enough children that most medical professionals simply refer to it as “type II.”

Perhaps one reason why this epidemic is so hard to combat is that people are focused on the solution as a product or service, rather than a process. To quit smoking, many people receive counseling, join groups or follow systems because it’s not as simple as tossing the last pack (the author is one of the fortunate few who was able to stop smoking “cold turkey” but found it far more difficult to overcome his poor eating habits). Overweight and obesity is a condition related to behavior and patterns that have taken years to create, so the notion that some magic product will suddenly undo the thousands of days of programming is absurd. Successful, permanent weight loss is a process, not an event.

During a recent seminar that I conduct, participants explored the concept of just how powerful the mind is and how this relates to losing fat. After a serious of powerful exercises, they were asked to create an action plan based on what they learned in order to successfully lose fat and keep it off. The result of this workshop was seven keys that addressed what most diet programs or weight loss systems do not: the fact that fitness starts inside.

Here, then, are seven keys to permanent weight loss success that start on the inside.

Key #1: Be Positive

You’ve probably heard this one before. It’s a popular cliché. In order for it to work, however, you have to move beyond a catchy statement and integrate this as part of your life. In order to truly “be positive” you must start with an understanding of the mind. Your reality is perception, and perception is influenced by your thoughts. Thoughts create reality. What you think about expands.

A good friend and client of mine was a pilot for many years. After the terrorist attacks on September 11th, he was out of work. He went through a period of extreme grief, pain, and anger. His health suffered. It wasn’t the money that struck such a powerful blow. It was something else, a mistake many people made.

You see, my friend’s reality could be summed up with this statement: “I am a pilot.”

Can you see the danger in this? He defined himself by what he did, not who he was. By losing his job, he lost his identity. In reality, he was there all along, but his ego kept getting in the way of finding his true self. He had to learn how to let go and be himself, and define who he was on his own merits, not by his actions, level of success, or how others perceive him.

Many people who are overweight create the same situation. Most will create the statement, “I am fat.” Of course, the desire to lose weight might exist, but if your definition of self-worth is based on the amount of fat you carry, what happens when it’s gone? If you’ve lived with “I am fat” for months or years, who do you expect to become when the fat is gone? This subconscious fear of losing your identity can sabotage your process.

What we think about expands. If you focus on the fat you carrying, or the difficulty you have losing weight, then expect more of it. Expect more fat, and expect a difficult time losing the fact. On the other hand, if you focus on releasing the fat, on your success and the process, then this is what you will receive more of. The fat won’t go away overnight. However, if you spend just one day eating healthy foods and exercising – even if it’s just taking a short walk – would you consider that to be an improvement? Could you call that a “healthy day” compared to your previous habits? What if you decided to be, “I am healthy,” and give the fat some time to let go?

Be positive means be realistic, and focus on the positive progress. Focus on abundance – get more of what you wish to receive, instead of thinking about what you don’t want.

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Kevin's 52 Tips On Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Wrist Pain.

These tips when combined are a highly effective way to deal with wrist pains and many other repetitive stress related injuries. We gathered these tip and give them to you for free because we care about your well being and understand your situation. Put into practice these tips and you will go a long way protecting yourself from carpal tunnel and other repetitive stress related injuries.

1. Try your best to avoid activities requiring excessive up-and-down and side-to-side movements of the wrist as much as possible. Make it a healthy habit to be concerned what force your applying against your wrists and you'll go a long way in preventing or recovering from carpal tunnel syndrome.

2. Make it a habit to take 5-10 mini breaks to stretch and walk around at least every hour when working at the computer.

3. Refrain from doing activities that put direct pressure over the heel of the hand (just below your palm), like push-ups from example. If you do push-ups, try using your fists instead of your palms.

4. Wearing tight watchbands o jewelry and garments with tight elastic sleeves can irritate your wrists, try and wear something lose and more comfortable.

5. Avoid activities requiring forceful repetitive grasping, such as using garden cutters. If you absolutely must use one, use well-cushioned gloves and if possible, tools with padded handles. If you do a lot of work similar to this, it’s best that you purchase some tools that easy to use and have padded grips or handles.

6. Next time your hand feel that burning, sore, tingly or numb sensation, relax some of the tension by massaging in a circular motion starting from the finger tips and continuing all the way down to the base of the palm.

7. Reduce the intensity of muscle tension when your grasping things. Most people hold their pens and pencils unnecessarily hard. Minimize as much as you can the applied force by practicing minimum grip.

8. Avoid activities involving the use of power tools that cause significant vibration.

9. Shake your hands and wrists rapidly to increase comfort and reduce tension.

10. Always consult your doctor if you are experiencing numbness or tingling to accurately determine the cause of such discomfort and rule out a more serious problem.

11. For minor temporary pain relief, briefly soak the area you feel the pain in cold or ice water. Recommended that you only do this if you absolutely have to finish a task.

12. Invest in a high quality jell pad, the smoothness and texture of the pads you chose will have a large influence on the amount of stress will be caused on your wrists.

13. Applying heat to the area you feel the carpal tunnel helps relax the aching muscles and reduces soreness. Find a heating pad or if you don’t have one, find a water bottle and fill it with hot water, then put it on the area.

14. Applying cold to the area you feel the carpal tunnel helps to lessen the swelling and pain. Put an ice pack or let the area run under cold water for a few minutes or let your wrists hover above a ice pack when your typing.

15. Be gentle with your body. After a hard workout or long hours of doing a repetitive task, take a long well deserved rest. If you can’t possibly afford to take a rest, slow down or try working on an easier task.

16. Try using your legs and arms instead of your wrists when your lifting heavy objects, like changing a tire or lifting grocery bags. Your legs alone can easily take on more weight and stress than your arms and wrists combined.


17. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when your moving heavy objects, like lifting furniture around when your cleaning the house.

18. If you have Carpal Tunnel and live with a family, let them know you have it and tell them it’s vital to your health and recovery that they help or try to do all the heavy work around the house. Don’t just shake out the pain and deny that it is there.

19. If you are shopping, take the moment to grab a shopping cart, even if you don’t have that many groceries to buy.

20. Avoid asserting concentrated weight or force on your joints, like carrying things with small thin handles. Instead use a box forcing you to use both hands or find a way to create a bigger handle so you can grip it easier.

21. Meditation and relaxation loosen up stress on your muscles. The more relaxation you provide to your wrists and body, the less inflamed your area will be. Pop in meditation music or pray and take deep slow breaths and visualize yourself in paradise. Your mind is very powerful and research has proven that expectations of yourself and your belief of recovering from problems and diseases influence how fast you will recover.

22. Surgery should be the last resort when you’re thinking up treatments for your CTS. Surgery is risky, can cost an arm and a leg and will keep you from moving your hands at all for weeks if it is successful.

23. If you are overweight, make a commitment to lose weight and improve your blood flow. Exercise daily and eat healthy will go a long way in controlling weight. This can help you prevent carpal tunnel syndrome or help you recover faster from it.


24. If you have a job or hobby that requires you to type a lot, adjust the level of your chair so the keyboard is level with your forearms. This will save you from flexing your wrists when your typing.

25. Avoid sitting or standing in the same position all day, move around or change your position if you must continue working on that task.



26. If your using tools, make sure the handles and grips are not too small or too big. Big handles will mean more weight to stress, too small handles will mean concentrated stress from the weight.

27. If your task requires only one hand, try switching hands now and then giving the other one a good rest even if your not as efficient.

28. Avoid resting your wrists or area that has CTS on hard surfaces for long periods of time. If you have rest your wrists on a surface, make sure you’re using a soft support like a jell pad or pillow.

29. When you’re working on something, try to avoid having your hands too far or too close from your body

30. Use a spare pillow for your wrist when your sleeping. When your sleeping you could unintentionally move your wrists under your body’s weight.

31. Most people have the habit of using one hand when it comes to pouring or holding drinks. Next time your drinking from a bottle, cup or pouring out drinks, practice holding with two hands. Instead of applying all the weight on one wrist, it’s now 2 times lighter and less stressful!



32. When driving 5-speed cars, try using the force of your arm to switch gears instead of your hand and wrist. Better yet, drive an automatic vehicle if you own one.


33. If your painting or drawing, keep your wrist above the surface and let your fingers and arm to the work.



34. Medicine’s like Ibuprofen, Motrin Advil and Tylenol can help provide temporary pain relief.




35. If your using a splint, it is important that you don’t strap it on so tight that it starts to cut off blood circulation. If it feels even more numb when you use a splint then you know its too tight.

36. If your dominant hand is the one with CTS, work on strengthening your other hand with weights, exercises and stretches regularly. Start using this hand whenever you can save yourself from using your dominant one.

37. If your job is being a clerk, you could be at a special risk. The problem with this job is that most of the counters you will be using to type will require you to stand. Unfortunately virtually all of these counter levels are not high enough for proper wrist form. Ask politely your supervisor your concern for CTS and if he can find a way to adjust the desk for not only you but other employees.



38. When your typing on the keyboard of clicking the mouse, make sure that your tapping the keys as lightly as possible and sitting up straight in your chair. There has been cases where people develop a disease separate but similar to CTS in the thumbs because they click too much, too hard or too fast with the mouse.



39. If your use the computer a lot, take the time to learn all the shortcuts keys. Almost any program has them, especially ones created by Microsoft like Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Master the shortcuts and you’ll save yourself a lot of time and stress put on your hands.

40. Never write on a pad or book support in your lap. Your hands are too close to your body and your wrist will likely be bending in a dangerous form. Take the moment to find a good table to write on.

41. When your brushing your teeth, instead of using just the wrists to force the brush against your teeth, tighten your cheeks a little. This will help get the force you want to clean your teeth so you don’t have to grip the brush as tight.

42. When your using the computer, practice keep your feet flat on the ground. This will help you keep your body, shoulders and arms straight and your wrists good distance from the keyboard.

43. Buy a headset for your cell phone and house phone. Most phones today have a speaker phone option, so use it! You are putting stress on your wrist just by simple holding the phone. Taking a break to talk on the phone is also a great way to relax your hands, and keeping in touch with your friends!

44. When your using a chair, it’s best to use one that has long, wide and padded arm supports.

45. Work on big tables with plenty of room. This prevents you from working in cramped areas especially if it’s your office. Most likely you will have a pile of stuff that steals up the space you require to sit, type or work properly.

46. When your on the computer, keep the mouse close to the keyboard. This will stop you from having to stretching across the desk and keep your body and shoulders straight.

47. By simply drinking enough water (8 cups/day) alone, does wonders preventing and recovering from CTS. Having a good water source in your body is critical for your muscles and connective tissues to go back healthy function and condition. A great book I highly recommend to get is “Your Body’s Many Cries For Water” by Dr. F. Batmanghelidg, MD. It will really open your eyes to the importance of water and our bodies.

48. Cut down on your amount of alcohol, coffee and smoking as much as possible. If you have CTS or want to prevent your chances of getting it, simply cut down on unhealthy habits and activities. The amount of alcohol and smoking you do will also effect the speed of your recovery.

49. Make sure your getting plenty of Vitamin E. This helps improve blood circulation & protects blood vessels from being damaged.

50. A good way to see if your wrists are in a healthy posture is by checking if you took a ruler and lined it up from the middle of your fingers to base of your wrists and check if it lines up and continues up your arm.

51. A great way to exercise and strengthen your hand again is to find a good tennis ball and for a few minutes squeeze it in your palm over and over again. After you are done, take a 5 minute break before you start do anything again.

52. If you’re doing regular weight lifting, when your doing tasks with your wrist like curls, or bench press, keep your wrists from folding backwards. This will also give your arm the full workout instead of using the wrist. If you can’t stop your wrist from folding backwards, then try gearing down on the weights onto something lighter and easier.

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