Wednesday, July 31, 2013

What are Best way to Treat/Prevent Hair Loss?


Six way to Treat your hair loss




Although is it normal to shed hairs each day, excessive hair loss can lead to a thinning hair line, and areas of baldness
.

What is Normal Hair Growth?

To understand how hair loss happens, it is helpful to understand how hair normally grows.
Each shaft of hair is produced by a hair follicle. The cells in the hair follicle produce hair for about 2-3 years. During this growth phase called "anagen", each hair grows about 1 centimeter (1/2 inch) per month. After this growth phase, the hair follicle enters a resting phase called telogen during which the hair remains in place, but stops growing. This "resting phase" lasts about 3-4 months, after which the hair falls out. After the hair falls out, the hair follicle starts producing a new shaft of hair.

On average, 90% of the hairs on the head are in the "growth phase" at any one time (and 10% are in the resting phase). People normally shed hairs each day as the hair follicles reach the end of the resting phase and prepare to produce new hairs. 50 to 100 hairs are shed daily from a normal scalp

 

Why Hair Loss?

 

The most common cause of hair loss among men is called male-pattern baldness, or "androgenic alopecia". Men who have this type of hair loss usually have inherited the trait. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. With male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head (vertex).
Women may develop female-pattern baldness. With this form of hair loss, the hair can become thin over the entire scalp. Female-pattern baldness is much more common than is generally recognized.
Other less common causes of hair loss include:

 

1. Alopecia areata

 

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, in which the body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicles leading to hair loss. In most cases the hair falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter. More severe cases can involve the entire scalp or other parts of the body.

2. Extreme stress

3-4 months after a severely stressful event, such as an illness or major surgery, large amount of hair may be lost. The stress caused the hair follicles to cease the growing phase prematurely. This stress-induced hair loss is temporary and the hair usually grows back.

 

3. Hormonal problems

Hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism can lead to hair loss, as can imbalances in androgens (males hormones) and estrogen. For instance, anabolic steroids taken by athlete’s for performance enhancement can lead to premature hair loss. The correction of hormonal imbalances can, in some instances, return hair growth to normal.

 

4.Post-partum hair loss

 

 Many women experience hair loss 3-4 months after having a child. This hair loss is also related to hormonal changes due to pregnancy. Elevated levels of certain hormones during pregnancy lead to the hair follicles staying in growth phase longer than normal. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, those follicles enter the resting phase and start to fall out 3-4 months later.

 

5. Avoid some Medications

 

 Some medicines, such as blood thinners (coumadin), anti-hypertensives, antidepressants and birth control bills can lead to excessive hair loss. This type of hair loss usually improves when the medication is stopped.

 

6. Fungal infections

 

Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. The infection is easily treated with antifungal medications.

7. Excessive tension on the hair

 

Wearing tight pigtails or cornrows or using tight hair rollers, can pull on the hair and damage the hair follicle. This can lead to a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. The hair can grow back normally, if the pulling is stopped before scars develop.

Hair Loss Treatments

 

There are hair loss treatment options that help promote hair growth or hide hair loss. A specific treatment may be recommended based on several variables, including the type of hair loss, the degree of hair loss, your gender, and your personal preferences.

There are several hair loss medication that can help slow or prevent the development of common baldness (androgenic alopecia). The effectiveness of these medications depends on the cause of hair loss, extent of the loss and individual response. Generally, hair loss medications are less effective for more extensive cases of hair loss. These hair loss medication require 3-6 months of regular use to determine if they are helping.

1. Use Rogaine

This is a non-prescription topical medication applied to the scalp to grow hair and to prevent further hair loss. It may also be used for the treatment of alopecia areata.
Rogaine is usually recommended for use twice daily and can be used by both men and women.
New hair resulting from Rogaine® (minoxidil) use may be thinner and shorter than previous hair. But there may be sufficient hair growth in some to hide bald spots and have the new hair blend with existing hair. It is important to note that hair growth stops after you discontinue the use of Rogaine. Side effects can include irritation of the scalp.

2. Use Propecia

This is a prescription medication taken daily by mouth. It is available for use by men only. Many men taking Propecia experience a slowing of hair loss, and some may show some new hair growth. It may take several months for new hair growth to appear. Any hair growth obtained while taking Propecia will stop after the medication is no longer
Propecia works by stopping the conversion of male hormones into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can shrink hair follicles in men who are susceptible to its effects.

 

3. Injections of corticosteroid into the scalp to treat alopecia areata

Treatment is usually repeated monthly. New hair grwoth may be visible four weeks after the injection. Doctors sometimes prescribe oral corticosteroids (prednisone) for extensive hair loss due to alopecia areata.

 

4. Use Anthralin

This is usually used to treat psoriasis, but it may be used in some cases to stimulate new hair growth for cases of alopecia areata. It may take up to 12 weeks for new hair to appear.

 

5.Hair Loss Surgery

Hair transplantation techniques have evolved considerably over the years to provide a treatment for male-pattern or female-pattern baldness when other measures have not succeeded.
Most hair transplantation procedures involve takes tiny plugs of skin, each containing one to a few hairs, from the back or sides of your scalp and implanting them into bald sections. Several transplant sessions may be needed, as hair loss may continue over time. Scalp reduction is another technique that involves the removal of bald areas of skin and closing in the sapcew ith hair-bearing skin. Scalp reduction may, in some instances, be combined with hair transplantation.
Hair transplantation procedures are painful and not usually covered by health insurance.   Possible risks include infection and scarring.

 

6.Wigs and Hairpieces

Wearing a wig or hairpiece provides a useful alternative to medical treatment. Quality, natural-looking wigs and hairpieces are now more readily available that can effectively cover areas of baldness.


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

How to use Water for Effective Workouts and Cool Down in Summer

Swimming and Exercise for more fun and good health


Swimming is a great way to cool off in the summer months, whether it’s in a lake, pool or pond. Yet it can also be a fun way to turn this limited-impact sport into a fat-burning, muscle-toning workout. Here are five exercise ideas (and five good reasons to put on your bathing suit this summer).
 

Kickboard washboard abs

Hang onto a kickboard and use sheer leg muscle to propel yourself through the water — and get closer to six-pack abdominal muscles. You may even stand up and move the kickboard from side to side to work your oblique muscles.

Change your pace

Try different workouts every time you take a dip. You can get equally effective cardio workouts by swimming five, 50-metre sprint intervals one day and then a moderate pace another, possibly combined with some out-of-water push-ups for the less faint of heart.

 

Play water volleyball

Coordinate a friendly hour of this fun-filled game, which the average 150-pound person can use to burn around 200 calories. Better yet, all that hitting will strengthen your upper body while the running, diving and spiking will expand your lung capacity (and earn you bragging rights for the rest of the day).

Focus on different strokes

This may seem like Swimming 101, but taking a casual, 20-minute swim while focusing on your form has enormous health benefits. Any stroke will help improve your cardiovascular activity and muscle tone, but you should alternate strokes for an overall workout. For example, focus on shoulder and upper body strength with freestyle one day. The next day, give your arms and legs a workout with the breast stroke or butterfly.

Splash around

Tap you inner child and get slap happy with friends and family. Stay in the shallow end so you can splash with your arms for sleeker shoulders, or engage your quadriceps and calves by using water resistance to “run” away from your swimming companions. For deeper water, hold onto another person’s arms or tube to make waves with your feet or water flippers to burn even more calories.

Summary


Unlike exercising out of water, swimming offers a great alternative to use muscles you may not normally engage. It also gives you a healthy alternative to stay fit when you are nursing an injury. Just don’t let the zero-gravity resistance fool you and cause you to overdo it, because like all forms of exercise, you could subject yourself to muscle strain or injuries.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Good news for Diabetes patients

New way to cure diabetes



This is my second blog on diabetes. In first blog post we some facts about diabetes, in this blog you will see a new research a good news for diabetes patients.

What is Diabetes?

 

Diabetes, describes a group of metabolic diseases in which the person has high blood glucose (blood sugar), either because insulin production is inadequate, or because the body's cells do not respond properly to insulin, or both. Patients with high blood sugar will typically experience polyuria (frequent urination), they will become increasingly thirsty (polydipsia) and hungry (polyphagia).


There are three types of diabetes:


 

1) Type 1 Diabetes

The body does not produce insulin. Some people may refer to this type as insulin-dependent diabetes, juvenile diabetes, or early-onset diabetes. People usually develop type 1 diabetes before their 40th year, often in early adulthood or teenage years.
Type 1 diabetes is nowhere near as common as type 2  diabetes. Approximately 10% of all diabetes cases are type 1.


2) Type 2  Diabetes

The body does not produce enough insulin for proper function, or the cells in the body do not react to insulin (insulin resistance). Approximately 90% of all cases of diabetes worldwide are of this type.
Some people may be able to control their type 2 diabetes symptoms by losing weight, following a healthy diet, doing plenty of exercise, and monitoring their blood glucose levels. However, type 2 diabetes is typically a progressive disease - it gradually gets worse - and the patient will probably end up have to take insulin, usually in tablet form.


3) Gestational Diabetes

This type affects females during pregnancy. Some women have very high levels of glucose in their blood, and their bodies are unable to produce enough insulin to transport all of the glucose into their cells, resulting in progressively rising levels of glucose.


Some Myth Regarding Diabetes

 

People with diabetes should not exercise - NOT TRUE!!

Exercise is important for people with diabetes, as it is for everybody else. Exercise helps manage body weight, improves cardiovascular health, improves mood, helps blood sugar control, and relieves stress. Patients should discuss exercise with their doctor first.

 

Fat people always develop type 2 diabetes eventually - this is not true.

Being overweight or obese raises the risk of becoming diabetic, they are risk factors, but do not mean that an obese person will definitely become diabetic. Many people with type 2 diabetes were never overweight. The majority of overweight people do not develop type 2 diabetes.

 

Diabetes is a nuisance, but not serious - two thirds of diabetes patients die prematurely from stroke or heart disease.

 The life expectancy of a person with diabetes is from five to ten years shorter than other people's. Diabetes is a serious disease.


 

Children can outgrow diabetes - this is not true.

Nearly all children with diabetes have type 1; insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas have been destroyed. These never come back. Children with type 1 diabetes will need to take insulin for the rest of their lives, unless a cure is found one day.

 

Don't eat too much sugar, you will become diabetic - this is not true.

A person with diabetes type 1 developed the disease because their immune system destroyed the insulin-producing beta cells. A diet high in calories, which can make people overweight/obese, raises the risk of developing type 2  diabetes, especially if there is a history of this disease in the family.

I know when my blood sugar levels are high or low - very high or low blood sugar levels may cause some symptoms, such as weakness, fatigue and extreme thirst. However, levels need to be fluctuating a lot for symptoms to be felt. The only way to be sure about your blood sugar levels is to test them regularly. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark showed that even very slight rises in blood-glucose levels significantly raise the risk of ischemic heart disease.

Diabetes diets are different from other people's - the diet doctors and specialized nutritionists recommend for diabetes patients are healthy ones; healthy for everybody, including people without the disease. Meals should contain plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and they should be low in salt and sugar, and saturated or trans-fat. Experts say that there is no need to buy special diabetic foods because they offer no special benefit, compared to the healthy things we can buy in most shops.

High blood sugar levels are fine for some, while for others they are a sign of diabetes - high blood-sugar levels are never normal for anybody. Some illnesses, mental stress and steroids can cause temporary hikes in blood sugar levels in people without diabetes. Anybody with higher-than-normal blood sugar levels or sugar in their urine should be checked for diabetes by a health care professional.


Diabetics cannot eat bread, potatoes or pasta - people with diabetes can eat starchy foods.

However, they must keep an eye on the size of the portions. Whole grain starchy foods are better, as is the case for people without diabetes.


 

One person can transmit diabetes to another person - NOT TRUE.

Just like a broken leg is not infectious or contagious. A parent may pass on, through their genes to their offspring, a higher susceptibility to developing the disease.


 

Only older people develop type 2 diabetes - things are changing.

 A growing number of children and teenagers are developing type 2 diabetes. Experts say that this is linked to the explosion in childhood obesity rates, poor diet, and physical inactivity.

I have to go on insulin, this must mean my diabetes is severe - people take insulin when diet alone or diet with oral or non-insulin injectable diabetes drugs do not provide good-enough diabetes control, that's all. Insulin helps diabetes control. It does not usually have anything to do with the severity of the disease.

If you have diabetes you cannot eat chocolates or sweets - people with diabetes can eat chocolates and sweets if they combine them with exercise or eat them as part of a healthy meal.

Diabetes patients are more susceptible to colds and illnesses in general - a person with diabetes with good diabetes control is no more likely to become ill with a cold or something else than other people. However, when a diabetic catches a cold, their diabetes becomes harder to control, so they have a higher risk of complications.


New research-new way to cure diabetes

Scientists have discovered why a gastric bypass can help cure type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in the journal Science. Researchers from Boston Children's Hospital reveal that the small intestine, which they had thought to be a passive organ, is actually a major contributor to the body's metabolism. The researchers say that previous research has already shown that gastric bypass surgery can help resolve type 2 diabetes. However, they add that until now, the reason for this has been unclear. The research team studied the after-effects of gastric bypass surgery in rats over a year and analyzed the way the small intestine processed glucose.
The researchers found that the small intestine uses and disposes of glucose. This regulates blood glucose levels which then helps to resolve type 2 diabetes. Nicholas Stylopoulos of the division of endocrinology at the hospital, says, “We have seen type 2 diabetes resolve in humans after gastric bypass, but have never known why. People have been focusing on hormones, fat and muscle, but we have shown in this study that the answer lies somewhere in the small intestine most of the time."
Gastric bypass surgery is a weight-loss treatment usually reserved for severely obese individuals. It works by redirecting the food into a smaller pouch in the stomach, bypassing the stomach and duodenum - the first section of the small intestine. The researchers discovered that following gastric bypass surgery, the small intestine "reprograms" itself to produce GLUT-1, which is not usually present before surgery. GLUT-1 usually works as a "transporter," responsible for removing glucose from the circulation and using it within the intestine. However, the scientists discovered that after surgery, GLUT-1 takes glucose from the circulation and disposes of it, leading to stabilized glucose levels in the rest of the body. The researchers say that of the rats analyzed after gastric bypass surgery, 100% had been cured of type 2 diabetes. They add that 64% of the diabetes had been cured by the gut surgery alone, while the other 36% could be a result of weight loss or other factors. Nicholas Stylopoulos says this research could lead to investigating ways of "mimicking" the intestine's programming without the need for surgery: "Previously, we had not considered the intestine as a major glucose-utilizing organ. We have found this process is exactly what happens after surgery." Stylopoulos added, With further research, we may find ways to bypass the bypass.
The results of our study are promising because, unlike the brain and other organs, intestines are easily accessible. Furthermore, since cells in the intestine have such a short lifespan, we can easily study and pharmacologically manipulate them to use glucose, without long-term problems."Previous research has suggested that although gastric bypass surgery helps diabetic symptoms disappear for some patients, it is not a long-term cure.
Scientists from the Group Health Research Institute carried out a study revealing that in 4,434 patients who had gastric bypass surgery, their symptoms of type 2 diabetes returned within five years of the operation.
(Source-Journal Science)
 

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