December 29, 2007

Do You have Alopecia?

Loss of hair is very upsetting when it's an extreme case. Both men and women can fall victim to Alopecia. It's very difficult for sufferers to keep their self confidence. There are four main categories of Alopecia with their individual degree of severity. Broadly speaking, the more hair loss there is, the less effect any treatment will have. The categories are Androgenetic Alopecia, Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.

The category most people will be familiar with is the Androgenetic Alopecia. The first signs in men are the receding hairline and the thinning at the crown. The result will be either partial or complete baldness. Women's hairlines are not affected but there is a general thinning of hair all over the head. Women do not suffer total baldness except in rare instances. The cause is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and may be affected by hormones. A healthy low fat diet and aerobic exercise could help prevent it.

The second category involves loss of hair from certain areas of the body but most commonly the scalp. Alopecia Areata results in bald spots. It's caused by the body not recognizing the hair follicles and reacting to them as alien tissue. It might be hereditary and some researchers think that stress could be another reason. Sometimes, the hair will grow back but once the condition is well advanced, treatment will have little benefit.

The third category is somewhat more severe, resulting in total loss of head hair. The causes of Alopecia Totalis are less conclusive but may be the same as the causes associated with Areata. Again, stress may be a contributing factor.

Finally, there is the most severe condition of all, when all hair from the entire body is the result. Alopecia Universalis . The cause is thought to be the same as Areata and Totalis. This condition can strike at any age.

Quite a few celebrities have been sufferers over the years. John D. Rockefeller was one and used to wear a toupee. The basketball player Charlie Villanueva also has the condition. Duncan Goodhew, the British Olympic swimmer, thought that his hair free head gave him an aerodynamic edge. Recently, the British TV presenter Gail Porter has bravely come to terms with her condition. She has taken the decision to continue her career in the spotlight without recourse to wigs. It seems to cause less of a stir when it happens to a man, and Yul Brynner, Vin Diesal and Telly Savalas are bald men who are considered sexy.

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December 9, 2007

Natural Cures for Depression

You are probably smart enough to try anything within reason, when it comes to attempting natural cures for depression? since so many other treatments have fallen short for you and so many efforts on your part don't quite work. I mean, you tried prayer. You tried writing, journaling and crafting fiction and plays?solo and in collaboration?to purge yourself in a kind of cathartic that has worked in other areas of your emotional life before?. For years, every single day, you tried power walking, knowing that physical labor (of sorts) will also expunge many evils and keeping with the only form of exercise you actually liked. You tried helping others, learning in a support group that to get your mind off yourself you have to get OUT of yourself, you have to focus on those who are worse off in many ways, etc., etc..

It is only natural, as a recovering addict or alcoholic, for example, or as an ACA (adult child of alcoholics), who believes in avoiding the complications of synthetic drugs, you would lean toward natural cures for depression. Such remedies, you hope, will keep you in the forests, amongst the flora, fauna, and creatures that belong in your eco-friendly environment and life.

So what are some of those natural cures for depression? Some use Saint John's wort, a.k.a. Hypericum perforatum. St John's wort is an herb that has been said to contain compounds?such as hypericin and hyperforin?which contribute to what the Greeks said would successfully "ward off evil spirits," as it was known as the drug that would preside "over an apparition"?which is where it's name came from.

Others use natural cures for depression that are said to simulate the SSRIs?the selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. When the serotonin levels in your brain are off (imbalanced), your mood is plummeted. On an up and down picture representing normal to depressed moods, say, your mood would be down at the bottom. A high or happy beyond normal person's mood would be waaaay up at the top. Okay, so the SSRI draws the serotonin levels up, pools them, and traps them in a higher place. You come from the bottom, the SSRI comes from the top, and the effect/result is a leveling off somewhere in the middle.

5 Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and tryptophan are said to do the same thing, but are natural cures for depression versus intense chemical cures (such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, for example). So 5-HTP supplements the missing or diminished amounts of serotonin and tryptophan by being what depression.org calls the "intermediate step" between the two.
Other natural cures for depression include physical and some mental efforts. Like power-walking, exercise, yoga, and some forms of meditation have been found to adjust the imbalances of serotonin and other mood stabilizing chemicals in the brain. And it goes along with the logic that visualization techniques, which therapists can help you practice, can be tailored toward the positive, to counter the misery that is depression.

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December 27, 2007

Natural Cures for Depression

If you suffer from chronic depression, you may be in for a long ride before you feel better. The most common depression treatments are antidepressant pills. These change your brain chemistry to make you feel better, and it must be said that they work more quickly than any other treatment. But there is a down side to this. Unlike natural cures for depression, these pills do not address the underlying causes of depression. In the short term, they might make you feel a lot better, but in the long term, the depression might recur once you stop taking the pills. They will not make you live your life in a way that makes you happy, they will just stop you from feeling the ensuing misery from the choices that you make.

Many natural cures for depression are no better. Some of them involve drugs like 5-htp which are called natural because they are derived from plants or sold over the counter. As for St. John's Wart, even though it is a natural cure for depression, it is not much different from the pharmaceutical cures. It is simply an herbal antidepressant which you can buy in any herbal store. If you are just going to pop some pill into your mouth, why go for any of the natural cures for depression in the first place? Why not pop a pill that has been rigorously tested by the drug companies instead of some herb that may or may not have been packaged under safe conditions.

The best natural cures for depression involve little or no herbal therapy. They might involve nutritional supplements, but usually this is only part of it. Counseling is the most widely accepted of all of the natural cures for depression. If your depression is not based on a simple chemical imbalance in the brain, than a good therapist will do wonders in helping you to get rid of it completely. Of course, counseling can take a lot of time, but it is worth it. You get to cure your depression by really getting to know yourself and figuring out what is wrong in your life and how to change it. Another of the best natural cures for depression is meditation. Meditation, especially when combined with good exercise, and an active social life, can do wonders for curing your depression. Often there is no better solution to solve the problem.

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December 16, 2007

Natural Remedies for Depression

Depressive disorder affects millions of Americans. This mood disorder can interfere with an individual's ability to function on a daily basis. Some people seek help from their physician who prescribes antidepressants. However, others prefer to find natural remedies for depression.

Amino acid supplements are nutritional supplements that are commonly used as one of the natural remedies for depression. These are taken in conjunction with other lifestyle modification including dietary changes as well as other vitamins and minerals. These natural remedies for depression do not yield good results alone but they have shown very good results when used together in an overall program.

Some people have had success in overcoming bouts of depression without using the amino acid supplements. These individuals found that vitamin and mineral therapy were perfect natural remedies for depression. People can become depressed if they are suffering from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. These individuals fair well simply using supplements to replace the deficient elements in their systems.

Vitamin B6 is a commonly used supplement that is among the most popular of the natural remedies for depression. This vitamin works with the body's nervous system in the processing of serotonin. Serotonin is directly linked to depressive disorder. Some individuals who have a serotonin imbalance may feel great relief from taking vitamin B6.

Folic acid is another element that can be effective in the treatment of depressive states. A deficiency in folic acid may be a result of stress (both physical and psychological) or excessive alcohol consumption. Adding folic acid to your natural remedies for depression may yield great results.

Other vitamins and minerals that are used as natural remedies for depression include vitamin B12, vitamin C and magnesium. Each of these vitamins and minerals are important in helping the body function normally. Balance in mood is often the result of a body that has enough nutrients.

Other natural remedies for depression come in the form of herbal supplements. Two popular herbs that are used to treat depressive disorder are St. John's Wort and Ginko. These two herbs have been reported to elevate mood as well as increase energy in many individuals.

Some people prefer to avoid pills and supplements all the way around. These individuals seek other natural remedies for depression. Light therapy is a useful treatment for certain kinds of depressive states. A person who suffers from seasonal depression may find great relief from using light therapy during the winter months.

Depression is a serious condition. Make sure that you discuss these natural remedies for depression with your physician before trying to treat the condition yourself. No one should experience a depressive state alone.

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September 28, 2008

Low blood circulation to hair follicles a significant cause of hair loss?

hair loss

Bella asked: I read in a hair loss magazine about hair loss and low blood circulation, what is your opinion about it?

Yes Bella, as a registered nurse I know that this is a true statement.  The reason why is because of the oxygenation that is carried by red blood cells.  Oxygen is needed for growth of every tissue and cell and without it the tissue and cell will die.  The same with hair follicles no oxygen, no hair growth.  Haven't you heard people say to brush you hair while holding you head towards the floor or  brush your hair a hundred time.  This is all to promote more oxygen or red blood cells to the hair follicles.   More oxygen equals hair growth.  No oxygen equals hair loss.

You Can Stop Hair Loss

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September 16, 2008

What can be done to prevent hair loss or hair thinning?

hair loss

ameyonline23 asked what can be done to prevent hair loss?

I am a 20 year old boy from goa-india and i am having trouble with my hair. My hair is naturally very soft & smooth but there has been tremendous increase in hair loss for past year.  My hair started to fall maybe about 3 years ago but it was just minor but now suddenly it is at a very fast rate.  My hair is perfect on the side parts and also behind the head and also on the front of head but the problem is on top of the head or middle of the head and around crown of the head.

That's where i am losing lots of hair.  What should i do to stop it?  What is the reason for the hair loss?  How can i regrowth the hair? I have recently showed it to a dermatologist who has told me to use MINTOP FORTE(MINOXIDIL TOPICAL SOLUTION USP 5%).

He has told me that it is a slow process and it would take around 4 months to see the regrowth effect but he didn't told me reason for the hair loss.  Is the solution prescribed by the Dermatologist an ideal and perfect for me? Is it a good solution for hair problems?

There are many reasons for hair loss one could be hereditary (genetics).  My father started losing his hair in his late twenties and early thirties.  I am a female and is having problems growing my hair and I use to have a head full of hair also.   So start asking question about your family history.  Also stress, diet, allergies and hormone imbalances could play a roll in hair loss. Learn How to Regrow Lost Hair Naturally

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July 3, 2008

What You Need to Know About Caralluma Fimbriata

Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent plant, in the cactus family, that has been used as a natural appetite suppressant in India for centuries. It's a new arrival in the family of cactii and succulent plants that are becoming increasingly popular for th…

Tags: natural treatment, herbal, health, alternative treatment, herbal treatment

Source: HealthBuy.com

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