Medical Insurance and Bill Management Tips

Medical insurance and bill management can be among the most frustrating aspects of cancer care for you and your caregivers. Most hospitals and clinics will provide a patient services representative to assist you. Identify these individuals and seek their help whenever necessary. Here are some additional things you can do to help:

Get a copy of your insurance policy and find out exactly what your coverage includes. Your employer or insurance company can help you with this.

Call your health insurance provider to clarify any questions that you have. Also make sure you are aware of any possible coverage issues before you start treatment.

Talk to your health care team to request that insurance coverage of any procedure, test, or treatment be verified prior to your receiving them. If your health care team is unable to provide this service, they should be able to identify an alternative resource to assist you.

Keep careful records of all your covered expenses, claims, denials, and appeals throughout the claims process. Do not throw away any correspondence.

Take notes during your conversations with insurance representatives. Include their names and job titles. Keep these notes with your records. If you think the representative is wrong, ask to speak with his or her supervisor.

If you have a claim that has been denied, talk with your health insurance provider to find out what steps you can take to appeal.
Insurance terminology can be confusing, especially during a time when you are focused on your treatment and goals of therapy.

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Anger Management Lessons

It could be a reaction to incompetence, unfairness, and work overload. It could
be from a thousand daily cuts that bleed your enthusiasm for your job. It could
be one major incident — a layoff, a demotion or someone else’s promotion.
So you blow your top at work.

Wrath is one of the original seven deadly sins — but in today’s workplace, displaying anger is just not acceptable.
Being tagged as a screamer used to be a sign of macho, a signal that you were demanding better performance. Sadly, it worked. Who wants to bring up a controversial work issue with a colleague who has a reputation for exploding? That has radically changed. One of the key requirements for management candidates these days is an ability to stay calm and focused even in the most tumultuous circumstances. Anyone still yelling over daily work issues is considered a liability.

“More and more companies are recognizing how an angry person negatively affects their workplace,” said W Barry Nixon, executive director of the National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence, USA. Studies show that people get angry once or twice a week on average, with men getting more intensely angry and women staying angry longer, according to W Doyle Gentry, author of Anger Management for Dummies.
And contrary to stereotypes, younger workers display more anger than older ones, because people have better control over their emotions as they age.

Know when to rein it in.If you don’t know quite why you are angry, you cannot get rid of the anger. And if work is making you angry, the situation is going to get worse, not better,
unless you take action. You need to uproot the sources of your anger, disable those triggers and then practice new patterns of behaviour that do not include exploding at others.
“How we deal with anger is a learned behaviour — it is not innate. Sometimes we need to ‘unlearn,’” Nixon said, adding, “If an individual has challenges, they ne-ed one-on-one coaching.”
You also need to beware of “righteous anger” — you may be right on a certain topic, but the effects of your outburst will linger long after everyone has forgotten the issue itself.


When you’re the target
Anger comes out in all different ways, including verbal abuse, bullying, sabotage and physical violence, all of which can affect your ability to do your job. Retaliation from you is only going to escalate the problem. Your company has a legal obligation to prevent a hostile workplace, so if going to your supervisor about a colleague’s anger doesn’t solve anything, go to your human resources department. “In a company that listens to employees and takes their concerns seriously, HR is the place to go to,” Nixon said.

know your anger:
• Sometimes anger is tied to a specific time — Monday morning, Thursday afternoon, tax season, back-to-school season. This is your subconscious at work — listen to it!
• Monday morning anger: You find no pleasure at work. Time to look for another job, another company or even another industry. Note: This is anger, not ordinary Monday-morning moodiness.
• Thursday afternoon anger: You dislike one major part of your job, which boils over at a certain time every week. Maybe there are ways this task can be done more efficiently, maybe it’s an impossible task to begin
with — or maybe someone else could do it, possibly better than you.
• Tax season, back-to-school time: You like your job but dislike its heavy-pressure moments. You cannot eliminate all of the last-minute stress, but more intensive preparations could make the time go smoother. — Agencies

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Natural Remedy for Athelete's Foot

Normal, healthy feet will not usually "catch" athlete's foot left in a shower by someone else. Our bodies have "good" bacteria that fight off "bad" bacteria. But, if you use antibacterial soap on your feet, many of the good bacteria are killed, allowing the bad bacteria of athlete's foot left in a shower to take hold on your feet. The more you use antibacterial soap, the more the athlete's foot will worsen. Instead, regular use of plain old soap and water will allow the good bacteria to remain so you never get athlete's foot from someone else - or allow the good bacteria to multiply more and more so they kill the athlete's foot you may have already. (Every time you use an antibacterial soap or cleaner, some of your germs mutate. Eventually, these germs will be mutated so much that the normally efficient antibiotics we have now will not kill them.)

To Cure Athlete's Foot
Tea Tree Essential Oil is very effective "medicine" for skin problems, including bacterial infections and fungus. Put a few drops of tea tree oil on the areas affected by athlete's foot four times a day. Once the problems seems to be all cleared up, continue treatment for another two to four weeks to be sure you've caught it all. You can also use this for treatment for nail fungus.

You can get a spray for easy application of tea tree oil, in several forms. One of these sprays is EO Lavender & Tea Tree FootSpray. The tea tree oil has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties and soothes burning and itching. Lavender is excellent for relief and healing of pain and itch. Or you could use FOOTherapy Foot Lotion .

You can also soak your feet in tea. Fill a large bowl with a quart of boiling water and add six tea bags. After the tea has cooled enough to be comfortably warm, soak your feet for a half hour or an hour. The tannic acid in tea kills some of the fungus and is soothing for painful, itchy feet.

Or, soak the feet in warm salt water for ten minutes until the problem is under control, although this might hurt on cracked skin.
It is also helpful to pour natural apple cider vinegar on infected feet. After allowing the vinegar to dry, rinse the feet with water and dry them thoroughly.

Using baking soda as a powder on your feet and between your toes after you shower and dry your feet and toes thoroughly is helpful. These things should be done every day until the athlete's foot is gone and continued for at least a month afterward.

Acidophilus contains good bacteria. You can eat three servings of acidophilus yogurt (not just any yogurt) each day or taking acidophilus in supplement form. Some available are Acidophilus Tablets, Children's Chewable Acidophilus Tabletschewable acidophilus, Acidophilus Strawberry Liquid, and Children's Acidophilus Powder. Use the yogurt or supplements until the symptoms have been gone for two weeks. But, you can use either continuously as prevention.

After a shower or bath, dry off completely. Then use a hair dryer on low setting to dry your feet, especially between the toes. Any remaining moisture is enough to allow fungus to flourish.

Wash your socks in hot water to be sure the germs on them are killed. Or, you can "cook" your clean socks in the microwave oven for a few minutes.

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How Pepper is beneficial for Your Health

Called The King Of Spices, Pepper has been around 4,000 years and has been causing problems for most of that time. Discovered in West India, it was a medium of exchange. It was a tribute paid to cool down people like Attila the Hun, but mostly it was responsible for opening up the world and starting the spice trade and creating empires like the British, the French, the Dutch...
Nomadic Arabs took it from Malabar Coast in South West India to the Phoenicians, who took pepper to the Western world. The Greeks came next when they discovered monsoon winds and cut the voyage from the Mediterranean to India from two years to one.
While the Greeks used pepper for medicinal purposes, the Romans went wild with pepper and a special market The Via Piperatica was opened.
With the crusades, pepper started coming into Europe with frequency through Venice and the Venetians could name
their price for the spice. Then came the turn of the Portuguese led by
Vasco da Gama and their pepper prices rivaled the Venetians.
Which is when everyone got into the act.
East India companies were formed. The Dutch East India company, The British East India company and The French East India company. The result? The price of pepper went down. But not enough.
Dock workers weren’t allowed to have pockets or cuffs to prevent them
from hiding a peppercorn or two. Rent could be paid in peppercorns and at times it was more precious than gold. Families put pepper
in their daughters dowry and down-on-their-luck nobles married beneath their class for pepper.
Christopher Columbus set off to find pepper in the New World and came back with chilies, which he and through him everyone called peppers, a confusion that exists to this day.
Pepper come in four colours depending on their maturity. Black pepper, whole red peppercorns sold dried — very strong and pungent. Green pepper, unripe peppercorns sold dried or pickled in vinegar or brine — less pungent and more fruity.
White pepper, ripe peppercorns with the outer husk, removed by rubbing in salt water — less spicy and particularly suitable for seasoning white sauces. Grey pepper, a mixture of black and white pepper.
Several dishes take their name and character from pepper — the steak au poivre or steak with pepper sauce, the German Pfefferkuchen (gingerbread, literally pepper cake) and the Dutch ‘pepper pot’ (a spicy ragout of mutton with onion). Whenever a recipe states ‘adjust the seasoning’, salt and pepper are added at the discretion of the cook.

Pepper is required in practically all savoury dishes, whether they are served hot or cold. Whole peppercorns are used in court-bouillons, marinades, and pickles: crushed pepper for grills, forcemeats, and hashes: and freshly ground pepper for salads and cooked dishes.
A ‘turn of the pepper mill’ produces a very spicy fresh seasoning whereas a ‘pinch of pepper’ gives a more
discreet flavour to sauces and stews. Green peppercorns are used in specific dishes, such as fish terrines and avocado salad.
A cautionary tale to end the pepper trail. Apicius, a well-known Roman gourmet, wrote 10 books on the art of cooking most of his recipes including desserts, ended with “Sprinkle with pepper and salt”. Apicius’ banquets drove him bankrupt and rather than not give parties, he committed suicide.
But even after 4,000 years, there is an imperfection.
I have yet to come across a pepper grinder or shaker that works for any length of time. Perhaps 4,000 years is not enough for pepper perfection.

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Natural Cure for Heat Exhaustion

If you feel dizzy from heat and/or stop sweating, you are in trouble.
To Cure Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
Quit all activity and get out of the sun fast. Drink cool, not cold, water with a teaspoon of natural apple cider vinegar in it. The vinegar helps to replace electrolytes and minerals like sports drinks do.

Drinking Raspberry Tea or Peppermint Tea produces a natural cooling effect on your overheated system.

Putting a washcloth wet with cool water onto the back of the neck and the fronts of the wrists will cool the body down quickly.

When possible, a bath or shower in cool water is even more helpful.

Potassium and magnesium can be lost through excessive sweating and replaced by Gatorade, Pedialyte, natural apple cider vinegar, leafy vegetables, bananas, whole grains, and nuts. Gatorade has a lot of sugar so it is not the best choice for diabetics. Even the healthiest people should not drink only Gatorade but drink it in addition to water.
Preventing Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
Wearing a thin shirt and pants helps cool the body down more than bare skin. The clothing gets wet from sweat, and this moisture is what makes you feel cooler when exposed to air from a fan or a breeze. Clothing should be lightweight, and cotton is the best material. Polyester and rayon do not "breathe" as well and make you even hotter.

Sweating will help you be and feel cooler. Drinking liquids prevents dehydration and allow you to sweat. Avoid drinks that contain alcohol or caffeine (soda or coffee) since they cause you to urinate more often instead of sweating.

Excess heat is released from your body through evaporation of sweat. Your sweat is less able to evaporate in high humidity, which is when a fan is very helpful.

Older people have less of a sensation of thirst and should drink more water even if they don't feel thirsty.

Opening windows on opposite sides of the room or house cool things down more than a fan with the windows shut. Those in an apartment with windows on only one side may join forces with their neighbors across the hall. Opening windows in both apartments and both entry doors can allow both apartments to receive cross ventilation.

Use an umbrella and a hand fan if you must go outside in the daytime. Walk slowly, resting often in the shade of a tree or building. To go more than a short distance, find someone to drive you.

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Natural remedy For Alcohol Hangover

Drinking robs your body of the B vitamins and causes dehydration. So, take Vitamin B Complex with a full glass of water before you go to bed to prevent most of the hangover symptoms. Besides being hydrating, water will give you a head start on diluting the alcohol.

Fructose helps your body burn the alcohol faster. Drinking vodka with orange juice can prevent some hangovers and lessen the severity of others. Drink fruit juice or swallow some honey when you get up in the morning to get rid of any remaining alcohol quicker.

Alcohol also causes your blood vessels to dilate, resulting in that nasty headache the morning after. Coffee in the morning will constrict the blood vessels and therefore reduce the pounding headache. A few strong cups of tea with honey will give you water, caffeine, and fructose all at once. Caffeine also acts as a diuretic, giving you an extra reason to take in a lot of fluids.

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Natural Cures For Dry Hands

There are many things that go together to heal dry, cracking hands.

Be sure that you haven't eliminted too much fat from your diet.

Drink lots of water to moisturize from within.

Use glycerine soap.

Wash only the palms of your hands when possible, keeping the backs from getting wet.

Soak your hands in water for 10 minutes, then put on a light layer of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. After it soaks in, put on another layer of vaseline.

Take a Multi-Vitamin daily.

Use a Humidifier in the house.

Wear gloves outside in the cold or wind.

If you don't have vaseline handy, you can use Bag Balm Protective Ointment.


Polish lots of furniture with lemon oil furniture polish, and don't wash your hands when you're done. Just rub the lemon oil into your hands.

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Natural Cures for Jellyfish Stings

To stop the pain of a jellyfish sting, pour seawater over the affected area for ten minutes to deactivate any remaining toxins. (Fresh water releases remaining toxins instead of deactivating them, increasing the pain.) Then, soak the affected area in vinegar. Then apply ice.

If vinegar is not available, apply baking soda, rubbing alcohol, meat tenderizer, or diluted ammonia.

The old-fashioned cure for a jellyfish sting is one's own urine since it contains plenty of ammonia.

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Natural Cures For Cuts and Scrapes

To heal cuts and scrapes without using any chemicals and medicine, apply Lavender Essential Oil. Application usually causes no pain, and the pain from the wound should disappear quickly. Lavender also speeds healing immensely and kills germs.

OR

Apply Colloidal Silver to the cuts and scrapes. The application causes no more pain than plain water, but colloidal silver is a natural antibiotic, germ killing, antiseptic that causes speedy healing. Or, you can get Bandages with Antibiotic.

OR

Apply raw honey and cover with a bandage. With a small cut, the pain from the cut is gone after about 30 minutes, but leaving this on overnight is even better. Raw honey has been used for over 2,000 years to prevent and heal infections. (Raw honey is available in most grocery stores.)

Raw honey applied to a small cut that became infected was left on overnight. The pain and infection were gone in the morning.

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Natural Cure Or Remedy For Sunburn

Skin will continue to burn until cold water or ice is applied, so always cool down the burn first. Ice is good for most burns, but severe burns can only tolerate cold water.

Be wary of Sunburn sprays and creams from the drugstore - some of these contain lanolin, which actually causes increased pain once the cool cream or spray is warmed by the heat of your body. Aloe vera products are often just lanolin with a touch of aloe added, so caution should be taken before using these. Even pure aloe will not prevent peeling later.

Lavender Essential Oillavender essential oil is a miraculous cure for sunburn. You want to be careful getting the oil onto the burn because simply touching the burn will hurt. It is best to drip it on, then spread it (using very gentle pressure) with a piece of tissue. After about a half hour or less, the pain should be gone. The pain should not return unless you jump in the shower soon after application of the oil. You may need to reapply the oil in the morning. That's it. No more pain, no blistering, AND you get to keep the color. Even those of us who are pale as ghosts won't peel.

OR

Make a pot of boiling water and steep many tea bags to a very strong tea in a large pot. Add ice until the tea is just slightly warm. Put a bath towel (preferably a brown one, as a white one will probably be "dyed" brown) into the pot and keep turning the towel until it has soaked up all of the tea. Have the sunburned person lie on the floor or bed on top of an old towel to catch drips. Place the wet towel over the sunburned area of the body. Leave the towel on for a half hour for a moderate burn and an hour for a strong burn. The slightly warm tea will actually feel very cool on burned skin, and cold water would be almost painfully too cold on the hot skin. The burned person immediately feels relief from the wet, getting cooler and cooler gradually, with the actual temperature of the skin also cooling.

If the sunburn is not localized to one area, you may want to soak in the tub instead. First, clean the tub with hydrogen peroxide or a small amount of bleach - and be sure to rinse the tub thoroughly. For this bath you will need tons of tea bags. Brew the tea with boiling water until it is very strong, and you can cool this down with half cold water. You should not get in until the water is no longer warm, and be sure to get out when the tea water gets too cold. You will need to either lie down in the tub or have the tub filled high enough to cover all the sunburned areas.

The tannic acid in the tea draws the burn out of the skin and heals it. After just one application, most sunburns are no longer painful and are much less red. However, this treatment will act on the pain but may not prevent peeling.

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Modified Citrus Pectin Powde Supplement

Debra Mohnen of UGA's Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, and Vijay Kumar, chief of research and development at the Veterans' Administration Medical Center in Augusta found that exposing prostate cancer cells to pectin reduced the number of cancerous cells by about 40%. Pectin destroys cells in a process known as apoptosis. Apoptosis is programmed cell death. In apoptosis cells bind with an outside substance that causes the cell to kill itself. Cancer cells self destruct once the complex structure of pectin binds to the receptors of the cell surface. Pectin does not bind with non-cancerous cells, and has no known affect on them.

Why Modified Pectins?
Chemical treatment of the FPP using base (alkali) in order to remove
the ester linkages of the pectin structure destroyed the ability of the
pectin to induce apoptosis, said the researchers, while treatment of
the pectin with pectinmethylesterase enzymes did not affect activity,
indicating that the base-sensitive linkages played an important role in
the apparent anti-cancer benefits.

# Both citrus pectin and the pH-modified citrus pectin had no effect on
the cancer cells, reported Jackson, but heat treatment of citrus pectin
resulted in significant levels of apoptosis comparable to FPP.

# Modified citrus pectin (MCP), also known as fractionated pectin, is a complex polysaccharide obtained from the peel and pulp of citrus fruits. Modified citrus pectin is rich in galactoside residues, giving it an affinity for certain types of cancer cells. Metastasis is one of the most life-threatening aspects of cancer and the lack of effective anti-metastatic therapies has prompted research on MCP's effectiveness in blocking metastasis of certain types of cancers, including melanomas, prostate, and breast cancers.


# Modified citrus pectin powder is produced from citrus pectin via pH and temperature modification that breaks it into shorter, non-branched, galactose-rich, carbohydrate chains. These shorter chains dissolve more readily in water and are better absorbed and utilized by the body than ordinary, long-chain pectins. It is believed the shorter polysaccharide units afford MCP its ability to access and bind tightly to galactose-binding lectins (galectins) on the surface of certain types of cancer cells.

How Modified Pectins act:
Research indicates that in order for metastasis to occur, cancerous cells must first clump together; galectins on their surface are thought to be responsible for much of this metastatic potential. Galactose-rich, modified citrus pectin has a binding affinity for galectins on the surface of cancer cells, resulting in an inhibition, or blocking, of cancer cell aggregation, adhesion, and metastasis. Due to the life-threatening nature of metastatic cancer, most research on anti-metastatic therapies has either been in in vitro cell cultures or in animal studies. Although it is still unclear exactly how these study results translate to humans, MCP studies are promising.

Prostate Cancer
Pienta et al examined modified citrus pectin's effectiveness against prostate cancer metastasis in the Dunning rat model. Rats were injected with prostate adenocarcinoma cell lines and given drinking water containing various MCP concentrations. Oral MCP did not affect primary tumor growth, but significantly reduced metastases when compared to control animals.[4] In one human study, Strum et al examined the effect of MCP on prostate specific antigen (PSA) doubling time in seven prostate cancer patients. PSA is an enzymatic tumor marker, and its doubling time reflects the speed at which the cancer is growing. Modified citrus pectin was administered orally at a dosage of 15 grams per day in three divided doses. Four of seven patients exhibited more than 30-percent lengthening of PSA doubling time. Lengthening of the doubling time represents a decrease in the cancer growth rate.

Safety and Side Effects
Because it is a soluble fiber, administration of modified citrus pectin is unlikely to result in gastric intolerance, even at high doses. No pattern of adverse reaction has been recorded in the scientific literature. As with any dietary fiber, MCP at high doses may result in mild cases of loose stool, but this is usually self-limiting and does not warrant discontinuing treatment.

Dosage and Administration

Modified citrus pectin dosages are usually expressed in grams, with a typical adult dosage ranging between 6-30 grams daily in divided doses. This may be modified by the practitioner depending on the patients clinical status, type of cancer involved, and degree of metastasis. The MCP powder is usually dissolved by blending in a small amount of water, then diluting with a juice of choice.

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Yogurt and Honey Recipe to alleviate Constipation and Diarrhea

Yogurt, keffir, and butter milk are the richest foods with probiotics.
Probiotics-according to Wikipedia- are live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.
The two most abundant friendly bacteria found in gastrointestinal tract are L.acidophylus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

Researchers from the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam, states that
probiotics friendly bacteria with known benefits for intestinal health, may boost the number of bowel movements and relieve constipation. Based on the result of a pilot study investigated the potential of a probiotic mixture to alleviate the symptoms associated with childhood constipation- a condition that can affect 30 % of children in the Western World.

Another recent study by researchers from Imperial College,London, reported a 22 % drop in the number of cases of diarrhea if probiotics drink, were consumed by hospital- bound elderly patients receiving antibiotics.

There were some other trials some of which were published in The Lancet
about successful use of honey to treat diarrhea in children.

Here is a recipe that gathers the benefits of Yogurt,honey, and fruits
in treating such ailments.It is published by www.foodnetwork.com website.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Honey Vanilla Yogurt

2 cups plain yogurt
2 tablespoons good honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean, optional
1/2 orange, juiced
1 banana, sliced
1/2 pint fresh blueberries
1/2 pint fresh raspberries
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 bunch seedless green grapes, halved

Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.

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Natural Cure For Cracked Heels

Cracked heels are caused by more than just overexposure and lack of moisturizing. Cracked heels are a sign that you are deficient in zinc and omega-3 fatty acids.

Take 30 mg of zinc picolinate twice a day, 4 mg of Copper once a day, 400 IU of Vitamin E once a day, and 1 tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil (which contains omega-3 fatty acids) twice a day, and 15 grams of Pectinpectin for cracked heels per day.

If it is a callus that is cracking, it works best to get rid of the callus. You can file it down with a nail file or foot buffer. Do this when the skin is dry. Once you feel it, you have gone far enough. If you follow the directions properly, you could also use a foot shaver - when the foot is soft after a shower. But be very careful since this contains a blade and could hurt you if you use it incorrectly.

Signs of omega-3 deficiency: cracks in your heels, flaky skin, dry hair, split or brittle nails, or bumpy skin on the back of your arms.

A diet low in omega-3 leaves you feeling hungry again after 2 or 3 hours, instead of 5 or 8. So this also keeps you slim.

Omega-3 fatty acids cannot be made by your body, so you have to get it from food or supplements. Lack of Omega 3 has been linked to high cholesterol, heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer, asthma, diabetes, insulin resistance, menstrual cramps, psoriasis, eczema, and stroke.

Elevations in blood sugar and cholesterol levels may occur in some people who take fish oil. The increase in blood sugar appears to be related in part to the amount of fish oil used. Some evidence suggests that taking Vitamin E with fish oil may prevent the fish-oil-induced increase in blood sugar levels. In other research, the impairment of sugar metabolism sometimes caused by supplementation with fish oil has been prevented by the addition of half an hour of moderate exercise three times a week.


People who took fish oil and who also took 15 grams of pectin per day were reported to have reductions in LDL cholesterol. This suggests that pectin may overcome the occasional problem of increased LDL cholesterol reported in people who supplement with fish oil. The LDL-cholesterol raising effect of omega-3 fatty acids has also been reported to be prevented by taking garlic supplements (or presumably including garlic in the diet) along omega-3 fatty acids.

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Counter Supplements to Prevent Migraine

Over-the-counter (OTC) supplements use in headaches, migraines, and fibromyalgia can be controversial, especially since they are not rigorously tested like prescription drugs. Nevertheless, there is a good deal of science behind some OTC supplements. I have my favorites that I like to recommend, and I will give them to you. Bear in mind, these are my recommendations as of today. As the science supporting supplements changes, my recommendations will change. An excellent example is Vitamin E and Beta Carotene. Both were highly recommended in the 1990’s, but now problems with both have been found. Currently I recommend neither beyond the amount of each that is found in a regular multivitamin.

Over the Counter Supplements
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 200-250 mg twice a day
Magnesium Capsules 250 mg two to three times a day (remember Milk of Magnesia is a form of magnesium and MOM is used to treat constipation; therefore, if you develop loose stools from taking a form of magnesium, you may need to reduce your dosage of magnesium capsules)
Feverfew 100 mg a day
--or-- Migrelief one pill twice a day is a good source of B2, Magnesium, and Feverfew.
--and add-- Co Q 10 150 mg two daily to above supplements
I have not started recommending Butterbur; however, there is science supporting its use. I do not usually recommend Omega-3 fish oil for migraineurs. Diabetic and metabolic syndrome patients can use 3000 mg of fish oil to help lower triglycerides, raise HDL cholesterol, and decrease clotting—all of which are very important in reducing cardiovascular complication. This is Dr. Castelli’s recommendation. He has been a world authority on cardiac risk factors, and I have great respect for him. For about 30 years, he was the medical director for the Framingham Heart Study looking at long-term risk factors.
I recommend avoiding ephedrine products because of side effects which may include headache, palpitations, heart attack, and worse. Products containing ephedrine are Chinese ephedra, ma huang, and epitonin. Neither do I recommend Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgo mixed with certain foods or beverages can raise your blood pressure.

Prevention of migraines is very important. Continued migraine activity can lead to fibromyalgia, neck pain, sinus pain, TMJ syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, chest pain, palpitations, and panic attacks.

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How Food Labels help you in losing weight

Obesity is increasing worldwide and is becoming the world’s biggest health problem. Obesity is no longer limited to adults only – the percentage of obesity amongst children is growing at alarming rates. The skinny on obesity or being overweight is that it is no longer just a cosmetic issue. Obesity or being overweight increases the risk of serious health problems such as diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, back and joint problems and discomfort, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, infertility, breathlessness, sleeping disorders, sweating among others.

AND … being overweight stops us from getting the very best out of life and shortens our life by years. A report by the National Audit Office in the UK, suggested that being overweight can take off up to 9years of our lives. There are many reasons for this, but in developed countries, the easier access to over-processed diets and a less-active lifestyle play a major role.

In this article I focus on a fun, interesting and self-educating way you can cut down the amount of fatty and sugary foods (2 of the main contributing factors to obesity) in your diet. Believe it or not – it is quite easy to do. Follow my quick and easy steps and you will have a head start on your weight, health and other shoppers.

Without going into the science of the labels, if you want to lose weight and live a healthy life this is what you need to be looking at each time you buy foods that are packaged in a box, packet or can. To do a quick lesson at home on how to read labels, take out any one product from your grocery closet right now. Look for the NUTRTION FACTS food label on the box or can. You will be able to tell if your product is healthy if:
It contains less than 4g of sugar per serving.
The ingredients do not include corn sugar or high fructose.
The ingredients do not include any enriched – flour products. All flours need to be wholegrain ones.
The ingredients do not include hydrogenated, saturated fat oils or the term “transfats”. If there are saturated oils, it should contain less than 4g of saturated fats per serving.


Test this on a couple more items in your pantry and determine how healthy your household is. If you are serious about losing weight and being healthy, throw away all those products that are causing harm every time you cook and eat them. Replace them with healthier options. Of course the healthiest option is to cook fresh produce only. But, if you do use processed foods, have fun with the simple food label test and read your way to weight loss. Over time it will show. It does make a difference to both your waistline and your health.
To summarize, when reading the food label on the can or box, check for the amount of sugar, fat and fiber per serving. Pay special attention to the amount of “transfats” in the product. Avoid foods that have higher than 4g or sugars or fats per serving, foods that contain corn syrup and foods that include enriched flours.

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Natural Remedies For Depression

It's late in the evening, as you sit alone by the fireside, with not-so-pleasant memories flashing through your head. And suddenly you find yourself overwhelmed with sadness that soon leads to desperation. Tears roll down your eyes for no apparent reason and you feel like bidding adieu to this cruel world. A scary scenario, isn't it? You'd be surprised to know that almost ten million Americans are victims of depression each year. The bad news is one woman in five and one man in fifteen will face this profound sadness sometime or the other in their lives.

Defining depression

Depression in a normal person is usually caused by chemical imbalance in the brain. However, it can also be due to some serious medical conditions. Whatever be the cause, this mood disorder can negatively affect every aspect of your life. And contrary to the popular belief, it’s not confined to the elderly alone.

It affects all segments of the population, be they children, adults or the aged. Depression not only makes you sad, it controls the body, mind, behavior, emotional state and can even undermine your ability to maintain relationships. And it just cannot be wished away.

Symptoms of depression

If you experience any of these disorders, you're likely to be suffering from depression:

a. Constant feeling of sadness, irritability or tension.

b. Loss of energy, tiredness without activity, decreased interest in usual activities and hobbies.

c. Change of appetite leading to significant weight loss or gain.

d. Insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping.

e. Decreased interest in sex.

f. Difficulty in concentrating and making decisions.

g. Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt.

h. Thoughts of suicide or death.

Severe depression needs treatment, without which it may linger on with increasing severity and frequency. First timers, suffering from this condition, are fifty percent more prone to its recurrence. Though depression is a recognized problem, it remains one of the most commonly misdiagnosed illnesses.

Physicians are sometimes unable to get to the root of the problem and treat only the ailments associated with it, like loss of appetite, sleeplessness, headaches, and the like. However, the good news is depression is a treatable illness and you can take the option of depression herbal remedy, if you want to avoid the problems associated with over-the-counter drugs.

Depression home remedy

Depression remedy, whether it's natural postpartum remedy or depression holistic remedy, can effectively cure depression. Let’s have a look:

a. Diet: Many nutrition-oriented practitioners assert that if you stick to a specific diet, you can prevent depression. Small and frequent meals, low in sugar and refined carbohydrates can produce symptomatic relief in some depressed patients.

b. Exercise : Studies have shown that exercise is an effective way to get rid of depression. A physical workout increases circulation, which in turn helps improve the mood, preventing depression.

c. Relaxation techniques: Relaxation techniques, like meditation, breathing exercises and yoga can immensely help in keeping depression at bay.

d. St. John's wort: This unassuming plant with little yellow flowers, known as Hypericum perforatum, is probably the best known for healing depression. It’s an effective antidepressant, an antibiotic and anti-viral agent.

e. Ginkgo: Ginkgo biloba is a powerful antidepressant and antioxidant that increases blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body. It's not only used for major depression cases, but also for elderly patients resistant to standard anti-depression drug therapy.

f. Siberian Ginseng: Ginseng, in its various forms, stimulates the immune system and improves aerobic capacity. By regulating blood sugar levels, it also benefits depression cases.

Depression not only disrupts life, but can keep you on an edge and push you off it too, if not treated in time. So, if you consistently find yourself down in the dumps, take treatment immediately. However, to avoid side effects of prescription drugs, opt for natural remedy for depression under the supervision of your physician.

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The Power Of Mustard

The first Saturday in August is National Mustard Day in America, and there is also a mustard season in Nepal when the middle hills have terraces full of the golden plant: the terraces seem to lift to the heavens offering the gold to the gods. It is mustard time.
A time remembered from 2,500 years ago when a woman came to the Buddha with a dead child asking the boon of life. The Buddha told her to bring back a handful of mustard seed from a family that hasn’t suffered death. When she couldn’t find one, she realised that grief extended everywhere and was inevitable.
Jesus Christ had his parable of the mustard seed where he showed that smallest of seeds grow plants so big as to provide shelter for birds. In 1715, an Order of the Mustard Seed was found in Germany with the aim of being true to Christ, kind to all people and spreading the news of the Gospel to the world.
Not only do this two stories talk about mustard in different parts of the world, they talk about the spread of a spice that is second only to pepper in its use.
Said the writer Anatole France, “A tale without love is like meat without mustard; an insipid dish.”
The word mustard itself derives from the French word mout — a term used by wine makers. The mout is the grape juice for making wine, thus, the moutarde of France was the original liquid used in making mustard paste.
Once it was used as a medicine as well. You cured everything from colds to
spider attacks and it was recommended to make rigid sinews subtle by using it as massage oil.
And it is mustard oil that is used for cooking in the sub-continent. One of the more wondrous sights are the old mustard presses in the village of Thecho. These date back some 300 years and are in danger of disappearing.
Half of the world’s mustard comes from the Dijon region of France and it is the subject of gourmet writing. According to The New York Time Food Encyclopedia compiled by Craig Claiborne who says, “It is purely subjective, but I have my own theories that mustards vary from region to region, and that each mustard has special affinity for certain foods that, in general, are also regional.
“Such French mustard as that of Dijon or Meaux, bearing such names as Grey Poupon, Maille, Pikarome, Pommery, and so on, go especially well with such foods as roast leg of lamb, French meat specialties such as garlic sausages, French style, chitterling sausages, blood sausages. And it is present in mayonnaise sauces of French origin in Dijon.

“German mustards such as Dusseldorf are highly compatible with smoked German pork products. Creole mustard, notably Zatarain’s brand, made in New Orleans, has no peer as an ingredient for remoulade sauce. The bright yellow mustard, whose colour is due to the addition of turmeric, is made in America and it has no challengers when it comes to something to smear on hot dogs.
“In England, one of the most famous personages in mustard lore is a Mrs Clement of Durham (some say Lancashire). Although mustard paste had been used for many years, this 18th century woman produced a mustard made with a finer powder and a brighter appearance, and sold it from the back of wagon all over the country.
“The Chinese and the English have a preference for freshly made hot mustard, and it is as ideal as a side condiment for Chinese food as it is for rare roasts.”

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B12 Metabolism and Blood Cells & Heart disease

The B12 vitamin is just one of the essential b vitamins that are needed to maintain a healthy body and mind. Cobalamin is the alternative name for the B12 vitamin. The body needs the B12 vitamin for a number of different processes including converting the fats, carbohydrates and proteins from all food that is consumed into energy (i.e.normal metabolism).

One of the most important processes that the B12 is essential for is to create healthy red blood cells. The prevention of heart disease relies on the production of healthy blood cells and therefore the B12 vitamin is vital, moreover vitamin B12 has an important role in reducing Homocysteine that plays a dangerous role in initiating the process of atherosclerosis.

The B12 vitamin is also vital for keeping the immune system functioning at its maximum efficiency. Not only this, but the B12 vitamin also works to form the protective covering of all the nerve cells in the body.

The production of red blood cells is not the only type of cells that the B12 vitamin is essential for. In fact, all of the cells in the body require the B12 vitamin, including white blood cells and nerve cells. The white blood cells are an important part of the immune system and without the B12 vitamin the effectiveness of the immunity of the body to germs and viruses is heavily reduced. The nerve cells need the B12 vitamin to create the fatty layer that will protect them from damage. The brain cells are particularly open to disease and damage if there is not enough B12 vitamin present to form this protective layer.

Even though the B12 vitamin is involved in so many essential processes the actual recommended daily amount that a body needs is quite small. The fact is that the majority of people consume much more of the B12 vitamin than their body actually requires. The only issue is that the body cannot absorb the B12 vitamin very easily and has to create its own aid to the process. The intrinsic factor that the body produces helps the body to absorb the B12 vitamin that it needs from food but this still amounts to only half of the total B12 vitamin available. A deficiency in the B12 is extremely rare in most people and is made even less likely because the body can recycle the B12 vitamin that it already has absorbed.

A few groups of people may develop anaemia due to a lack of B12 vitamin in their diet. Young children often have a problem getting enough of the B12 vitamin because they may be extremely fussy eaters and it is important to encourage them to eat as wide a variety of foods as possible. This is not only the case with the B12 vitamin but is true for all essential vitamins and minerals.

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Yeast Infection: Natural Remedies for Relief

Yeast Infection Remedies

If you're a woman of childbearing age, you're certainly more prone to yeast infection. And Candida albicans, a permanent inhabitant of your vagina, is generally the culprit. Little wonder almost eighty percent of the infection is caused by it. However, for the yeast to take ominous overtones, the acidic environment of your vagina, maintained by the bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus, has to become imbalanced. This can occur due to various reasons.

However, what's most galling is whenever you get this infection your physician generally recommends over-the-counter medications. The problem is, these prescription medicines are not only strong and saddle you with some nasty side effects, they're also quick-fix solutions to your problems. Now, if you really want to root out your infection, there can be no better way than to opt for natural remedies for yeast infection. These have a long-lasting effect and are free of any side effects. In fact, apart from curing, these natural home remedies for yeast infection can be used daily to prevent recurrence of this infection.

Home remedies for yeast infection

There are a number of home remedies that had been in use for long. Let's see what they are:

a. Apple cider vinegar: Daubing apple cider vinegar on the infection sites on the body will help cure this infection. However, dilute the concentration of vinegar before use. In case, you're unable to get rid of itching, add some garlic.

b. Curds or yogurt: Regarded as one of the best home remedies, it’s a sure cure for this infection. This entails soaking a tampon into the curd and placing it in the infected region for an hour or so. This gives a chance to the healthy curd bacteria to replace the unhealthy yeast bacteria. This is to be repeated twice or thrice a day.

c. Buttermilk: This doesn't cure yeast infection, but reduces its probability. So, drink at least two glasses of buttermilk daily, whether infected or not. And also make curds a part of the daily diet.

d. Grapefruit seed extraction: Hailed as a magic cure, you can make it by mixing olive leaf extract and grapefruit seed extraction in a glass of water. This has proved a good curative tonic for yeast infection.

e. Garlic: Garlic is an effective natural remedy for vaginal yeast infection, because it contains natural antifungal substances that get rid of yeast. You’re required to insert a freshly peeled garlic clove into the vagina, after wrapping it in a gauze or cheesecloth. Keeping it overnight will help you get rid of the mild infection. Repeat the procedure for several nights for severe cases.

f. Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil also cures vaginal yeast infection. The method of applying is by coating the top half of a tampon with a lubricant, such as KY jelly and applying a few drops of pure tea tree oil to it. This is then inserted into the vagina. The lubricant keeps the tea tree oil from getting absorbed into the tampon.

g. Herbal douche: You can also use an herbal douche by combining equal amounts of sage, raspberry and comfrey with a quarter part goldenseal. This can be combined with cider vinegar.

h. Sugar intake: Those prone to this infection should decrease or eliminate sugar and sugary foods, since sugar promotes yeast growth. This means reduction in the consumption of fruit juices and sugar laden soda and drinks.

i. Pau d'arco (Tabebuia impestiginosa ):
The bark of this tree, also known as lapacho and taheebo, is used to treat a range of diseases, including yeast infection. The bark contains antifungal properties.

Those of you who're suffering from the ill effects of over-the-counter prescription drugs can explore the exciting possibilities offered by natural remedies for yeast infection. However, discuss these natural remedies with your physician before you start.

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Nitric Oxide Supplement: remedy to Cerebrovascular Disease

High risk of Cerebrovascular Disease

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases are the Top 10 causes of death in high-income countries (#2), middle income countries (#1) and low-income countries (#5). With 5.5 million deaths due to these diseases in 2002, this is what WHO has to say regarding this (quoted from www.who.int):

Q: What is the number one cause of death throughout the world?
Cardiovascular diseases kill more people each year--in high, middle- and low-income countries alike--than any others. In 2002, 7.2 million people died of coronary heart disease, 5.5 million from stroke or another form of cerebrovascular disease.


What is Cerebrovascular Disease (CVD)?
So, what is this cerebrovascular disease that is killing millions worldwide?

Cerebrovascular refers to the blood vessels (arteries) that supply blood to the brain, and cerebrovascular disease, in simple terms, refers to an abnormality of the brain due to a disruption in this blood supply in some way. This causes the brain cells to be deprived of oxygen as the blood is responsible for carrying oxygen to all of our body cells. The brain cells will then die or be damaged under this condition.

The most common type of cerebrovascular disease is stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident. Stroke is caused by either a clogged blood vessel in the brain, or when the blood vessel in the brain bursts or leaks. Other CVD include: transient ischemic attack (TIA), multi-infarct (arteriosclerotic) dementia and reversible ischemic neurologic deficit (RIND).

Roles of Nitric Oxide (NO)
Nitroglycerin and related vasodilating compounds increase the diameter of a blood vessel, and were found to act to release nitric oxide, an endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF). Endothelium cells are cells that line the blood vessels and prevents the interaction of blood cells with the vessel walls.

The discovery of the role of nitric oxide in the human body was made by Robert F. Furchgott (hD), Louis J. Ignarro (PhD) and Ferid Murad (MD, PhD). This is one of the most important progress made in the study of cardiovascular medicine and the three were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1998.

Nitric Oxide is a small gaseous, signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system produced by healthy endothelial cells. Signaling molecules have the function of producing another substance, the second messenger. The second messenger transmit messages along signal pathways between cells.

When NO enters a cell, it activates an enzyme called guanylate cyclase, which produces the second messenger, cyclic GMP. This second messenger relaxes and dilates the blood vessels.

So how do nitric oxide prevent strokes and cerebrovascular diseases? Nitric oxide lowers blood pressure, a high risk factor for both stroke and heart attack. By relaxing and dilating the blood vessels, it promotes healthy blood circulation to the brain and heart. It also causes coronary arteries to widen to increase blood flow to the heart.

Other roles of NO includes keeping arteries flexible, reverses arterial plaque and suppresses atherosclerosis. By preventing platelets and white blood cells from sticking to the vessel wall, NO can prevent atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of deposits of fatty wax like materials, cholesterol, calcium, waste products, and other substances along the insides of the arteries.

In addition, nitric oxide can reduce the production of free radicals, which causes blood vessels to age rapidly, and suppress abnormal growth of vascular muscle cells to prevent blood vessels from thickening.

How important is nitric oxide to our body? Nitric oxide can form biological reactions with many compounds in our body, and have been found to play a role in a number of body system processes, including immune defense, regulation of cell death (apoptosis) and neurotransmission.

Source of Nitric Oxide
L-Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that stimulates the growth of nitric oxide within blood vessels. A semi-essential amino acid is one that can be produced by our body, or obtained from our diet.

Usually, a healthy person will have sufficient L-Arginine to produce the required amount of nitric oxide. Studies have shown that dietary supplements of L-Arginine will have little effect on people with healthy endothelium cells.

However, individuals with unhealthy endothelium cells are at risk of heart disease as their body cannot produce enough nitric oxide on their own. This is due to the presence of asymmetric dimethylarginine, a modified amino acid, that stops the production of nitric oxide. In such conditions, the human body requires dietary supplement to increase L-Arginine amounts. This will allows more NO to be produced naturally.

"... inappropriate coronary responses to sympathetic stimulation in people with coronary artery disease may be related to changes in the arginine-nitric oxide pathway and may be improved by increasing production of nitric oxide", says Joel Cellman, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University.

Therefore, dietary supplements of L-Arginine can help prevent coronary heart diseases and CVD in high risk persons.

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