1st Global Medical

Archive for December, 2009

Get Rid of Stretch Marks Now

Is there a totally effective stretch mark remover that will work for everyone?  Not really.  But, there are a multitude of stretch mark removal methods that are utilized with different results.  More and more of these tend to lean toward the natural approach while others involve a more radical approach, like laser surgery.  stretch mark removal creams to ,000′s for cosmetic surgery or laser treatments~Removing stretch marks may be an involved procedure and require considerable time, depending on the stretch mark treatment selected, with the price tag estimated at about for an effective stretch mark cream to $1,000′s for plastic surgery or laser treatments}.  

Which treatment works best for you will be dependent upon the age of your stretch marks, your type of skin, and budgetary constraints.  Here is a summary of the more popular ways to get rid of stretch marks:

Remember To Hydrate Yourself

Comsume just as much or more water as you drink coffee, tea, or soda. Stretch marks can also result from nutritional deficiency. Drink lots of water (at least two litres every day) – not soda or juices – because it aids your skin in staying flexible. If you drink a lot of coffee or tea, drink three litres of water every day.

Take Skin Supportive Supplements

Vitamin E is a very important vitamin to take during pregnancy to prevent stretch marks. In addition, a cream containing Vitamin D will aid in eliminating stretch marks. But, because Vitamin E alone won’t work due to the large size of their molecule; the addition of lanolin, which has very small molecules, can be utilized to receive the ingredients past the top layer of skin and aid with skin elasticity.  If you possess stretch marks, Vitamin E is believed to improve them by fading their appearance.  

Stretch Mark Removers

Creams and lotions for stretch marks will not totally eliminate stretch marks, but will generally lessen their appearance to the point where the affected skin blends with the surrounding healthy skin.  There are many stretch mark lotions and oils that have been made to mantain your skin taut and firm throughout pregnancy and actually help prevent stretch marks from starting.  The creams and lotions that penetrate the skin in the deeper layers will provide longer-lasting moisture that is essential to healthy skin. These creams are best used as night creams.

Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures are generally the most expensive of the stretch mark elimination methods, though repeated laser treatments can result in similar costs.  The truth is that surgical methods are believed to be the most effective and conventional method in ridding oneself of stretch marks. This method generally involves the removal of areas of skin where the stretch marks have developed.  The 2nd type of surgical treatment that can help remove stretch marks is laser surgery. This method is essentially non-invasive and doesn’t leave skin damage such as scars or incisions.

The treatment of stretch marks and scarring with lasers is claimed to stimulate collagen production below the skin as the dermal skin layer absorbs the laser light, filling out the skin and helping to return pigment to the scarred area. But, there is still controversy within the health care field regarding the use of laser technology to treat scars and stretch marks.  Even now, many doctors and plastic surgeons feel that lasers cannot effectively treat stretch mark damaged skin.

In summary, the stretch mark remover alternatives detailed above are all proven to work to varying degrees, depending on the person’s skin type, age of the stretch marks, and available funding.  The least pricey of the stretch mark removers are the creams and lotions, which fade existing stretch marks and give them the opportunity to blend in with the surrounding skin.  This approach is one of the most pain-free treatments and should be considered first — you may just be very pleased with the results while saving your hard-earned dollars!

Diabetes is a medical condition that affects a significant number of people around the world.  Specifically, a person who is a diabetic or is a borderline diabetic is an individual whose pancreas is not functioning as it should. 

This means that this major organ in the body is not producing insulin or not enough insulin to help in the breakdown of sugar that is ingested by the body.  Therefore, this condition leads to a number of symptoms that ultimately may lead to serious health conditions such as incurring a stroke or heart disease.

Therefore, it is important to know about the two basic types of diabetic conditions and how to prevent acquiring type II diabetes.  This can be done through a number of means including a diabetes prevention diet.

Diabetes Prevention Diet: Overview of Diabetic Conditions

Pancreas is the main organ of a human body which helps in breaking down the sugar quantity and convert the glucose into energy.The process involves the production and secretion of insulin into the blood stream which in turn helps to break down the glucose and convert the sugar into energy.In sequence, the distribution of energy continues to various cells in the body.

When the pancreas does not produce insulin or not enough insulin then the process is compromised.  This in turn allows the buildup of sugar within the bloodstream and therefore causes the individual to become sluggish and fatigued.

There are a number of symptoms associated with a nonfunctioning or less than optimum functioning of the pancreas.Feeling hungry in spite eating food, regularly urinate, feeling thirsty, weight loss and faint sight can be some of those symptoms.There may be a chance of loosing eyesight or heart attack if diabetes is not diagnosed.

Diabetes Prevention Diet: Preventative Measures   

There are a number of preventive measures that an individual or family can take for their loved one as preventive measures.  Those preventative measures could include an exercise program that helps to move the sugar found in the individual cells and adherence to a quality diet.

When it comes to a diabetes prevention diet it is important to note a number of factors regarding this type of preventative measure.  Specifically, when considering a diabetes prevention diet, it is important to eat the right foods and to abstain from other types of foods. 

A patient of borderline diabetes should also take proper care of his diet.  This type of diet is called a borderline diabetes diet and identifies those foods that should and should not be eaten.  An individual who is a borderline diabetic is one who generally has a fasting blood sugar level that ranges between 100 to 125 mg/dL.

Therefore, foods that should be eaten when on a diabetes prevention diet are those foods that are high in nutrition, are not empty calories and are foods that are low in fat.  Examples of foods that should be eaten as part of a diabetes prevention diet include fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. 

Additionally, as part of a diabetes prevention diet, it is important to stay away from unhealthy foods.  Those types of foods that should be excluded from a diabetes prevention diet should be animal products and sweets.

Carbonated water eases the symptoms of indigestion (dyspepsia) and constipation, according to a recent study in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Dyspepsia is characterized by a group of symptoms including pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen, early sense of fullness after eating, bloating, belching, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. Approximately 25% of people living in Western societies suffer from dyspepsia every year, and the condition accounts for 2 to 5% of all visits to primary care providers. Inadequate motion in the digestive tract (peristalsis) is believed to be an important cause of dyspepsia. Other gastrointestinal problems, such as irritable bowel syndrome and constipation, frequently accompany dyspepsia.

Antacid medications—over the counter acid neutralizers, prescription medicines that block stomach acid production, and medications that stimulate peristalsis—are primary treatments for dyspepsia. However, antacids can interfere with the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and there is a possible association between long-term use of the acid-blocking drugs and increased risk of stomach cancer. Other healthcare providers recommend dietary changes, such as eating small frequent meals, reducing fat intake, and identifying and avoiding specific aggravating foods. The patient of dyspepsia should not smoke any more. Constipation is treated with increased water and fiber intake. Some practitioners prescribe laxative medicines,some may diagnose for food sensitivities and unbalanced bacteria of the colon and treat these alleviate constipation.

In this study, carbonated water was compared with tap water for its effect on dyspepsia, constipation, and general digestive function. Twenty-one people with indigestion and constipation were randomly assigned to drink at least 1.5 liters daily of either carbonated or tap water for at least 15 days or until the end of the 30-day trial. At the beginning and the end of the trial all of the participants were given indigestion and constipation questionnaires and tests to evaluate stomach fullness after eating, gastric emptying (movement of food out of the stomach), gallbladder emptying, and intestinal transit time (the time for ingested substances to travel from mouth to anus).

Scores on the dyspepsia and constipation questionnaires were significantly better for those treated with carbonated water than for those who drank tap water. Eight of the ten people in the carbonated water group had marked improvement in dyspepsia scores at the end of the trial, two had no change and one worsened. In contrast, seven of eleven people in the tap water group had worsening of dyspepsia scores, and only four experienced improvement. Constipation scores improved for eight people and worsened for two after carbonated water treatment, while scores for five people improved and six worsened in the tap water group. Further evaluation revealed that carbonated water specifically decreased early stomach fullness and increased gallbladder emptying, while tap water did not.

Carbonated water is being used for a long time to cure digestive problems, however no research supports its effectiveness. The carbonated water used in this trial not only had significantly more carbon dioxide than does tap water, but also was found to have much higher levels of minerals including sodium, potassium, sulfate, fluoride, chloride, magnesium, and calcium. Other studies have shown that both the bubbles of carbon dioxide and the presence of high levels of minerals can stimulate digestive function. Additional research is needed to determine whether this mineral-rich carbonated water would be more effective at relieving dyspepsia than would carbonated tap water.