Posts Tagged ‘illness’

Optimal Health is a Matter of Choice

What exactly do we mean by optimal health? Many of us, if asked about our health, would consider that we are comparatively healthy individuals. We would also probably consider that we have healthy well balanced diets and that any hereditary illness that may be waiting for us is something we can do very little to avoid.

So is optimal health merely the absence of disease or is it more than that??

I would like to suggest that the majority of people have absolutely no experience of optimal health and more than likely they do not have a healthy well balanced diet. Optimal health would suggest a certain vibrancy, a level of health that doesn’t accept the odd ache and pain or the occasion outbreak of pimples to be simply something to be accepted as the norm.

A healthy well balanced diet is more than cutting out sugar and additives. It involves, for example, ensuring that you have plenty of raw fruit and vegetables daily and that you remove any stimulants such as coffee and alcohol from your diet. A healthy well balanced diet is also something that is to be continued for life and not just for a few weeks.

Optimal health requires a completely new mind set. It requires you to see your body as a complex machine that needs to be treated well and serviced regularly. The analogy of the car is often quoted and is probably the best way to explain why this is so important. You give your car the correct fuel to help it to run efficiently and you service it regularly, so why not do the same for your body.

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The Basics of Peritoneal Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a very aggressive cancer that is caused by exposure to asbestos. Approximately 20 percent of cancers caused by asbestos are peritoneal mesothelioma. This form of the cancer manifests itself in the mesothelial cells of the abdomen when the asbestos fibers become embedded in the space between the cells. It can take as many as 20 to 50 years for the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma to appear. Over these years, the asbestos fibers irritate the parietal layer that covers the stomach cavity and they begin to produce cancer cells. Fluid builds up and tumors eventually form.

What are the Symptoms?
Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are swelling and pain in the abdomen, diarrhea or constipation, unexplained weight loss, nausea and vomiting, and the appearance of lumps under the skin in the abdominal area.

How is It Treated?
Since this type of cancer is usually diagnosed very late in its development, a positive mesothelioma prognosis is not likely, and treatment options are limited. Chemotherapy and radiation are typically used to threat the cancer, along with medication to provide pain relief. For many patients, surgery is not an option because at the point of discovery, the cancer has already spread too far and the patient’s poor health may make him or her too weak to recover from the trauma of surgery. Read more…

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Sandwiched Boomers

For the past 25 years, October has been designated National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You’ll find races to run that raise funds for research. Stores will be selling everything from mixmasters to ipods in pink. In fact, pink ribbons will be virtually everywhere. What does this focus on early detection and recovery mean to you?

If you are over 40, have regular screening mammograms and perform monthly breast self-exams. And see your physician for an annual breast exam and consultation about risk factors and additional diagnostic steps to take, such as MRI. With early detection, most breast cancers now can be successfully treated. There are between 2 and 3 million American women living today who have survived breast cancer and are thriving. Yet, as many survivors have learned, the process of coping with any serious illness can take its toll – emotionally and physically. These 7 tips will help you manage your recovery so you can move forward with your life:

1. Accept your changing emotions as normal and give yourself permission to express them. After a brush with cancer, it’s normal to experience many different feelings, such as anger, fear, anxiety, depression or stress. Talk openly with those you trust and acknowledge these feelings to yourself. Only then can you begin to cope with them. Read more…

Simple Steps to Overcome Stress and Avoid Harmful Effects

Stress is a part of daily life for many people today. Some amount of stress is generally protective and adaptive. It helps our mind and body to face the challenges in difficult situations and to cope up with the pressure in the time of crisis. Life may become dull and unexciting in the absence of the stress.

The reasons that cause stress can be anyone or many of these- financial problems, disagreements, demands on time and attention, work life balance, loss of a loved one, conflicts, illness, accidents, alcohol or drug abuse, and poor nutrition etc.

Extended periods of stress can seriously affect a person both physically and mentally ranging from severe depression and heart attack to headache. Continuous stress affects our daily activities, diminishes self-esteem, impairs relationships with family and friends, decreases work productivity, and leads to self-blame. Read more…