The Health Problems With Tattoos
Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, but they have always had their health problems. The main potential problem with getting a tattoo is infection.
The tattooing process involves pushing pigment far down into the dermis of the skin with a needle. With modern stainless steel and sterilisation machines, this is much easier to keep clean and problem-free than the original tattooing method of rubbing ash in to wounds, but problems can still occur. If a tattooing needle is not completely and totally clean when it pierces your skin, it can deposit germs deep in to the skin along with the pigment it is delivering.
A major problem with infection from unclean tattooing is it can infect the recipient with Hepatitis B. In turn, hepatitis can cause inflammation of the liver, which is painful to start with, and if left to develop can become chronic and cause long-term damage and even death.
Initial symptoms of a Hepatitis infection can last for up to two weeks, and include a raised temperature, headache, and lack of energy. After this, jaundice can develop, and then potentially anorexia, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. If left untreated you will probably then experience upper abdominal pain, a tender, enlarged liver and enlarged lymph glands in your neck.
By this point, the pain and other symptoms should have taken you to the doctors. They will need to carry out blood tests to confirm which strain of Hepatitis you have contracted (there are five types, A-E.) If you have developed a bad infection, you may need hospital care to recover, mainly so doctors can spot if you have the early stages of acute liver failure.
While you have a hepatitis infection, it is important not to take drugs, whether prescription, over-the-counter, or ‘recreational’ as they can cause further liver problems and conflict with medical treatment. It is very important not to drink alcohol as this can cause more problems for the liver, and a higher chance of long-term damage.
Up to 95% of adults with a Hepatitis B infection will recover fully, but the rest may develop life-long chronic Hepatitis, especially if they already have immunodeficiency problems before they get the infection.
Infection can be prevented by good living conditions, and Hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccination, which many tattooists will have as a preventative measure as they do not wish to catch Hepatitis B from their customers, some of who may carry it unknowingly.
When you receive a tattoo, be confident that the tattooist’s equipment is properly sterilised, that they have been checked out by the local health department, and that you’re confident that they are clean. No responsible tattooist will mind showing you how they ensure their equipment is clean and safe. When the tattoo is healing, make sure you keep the tender area clean, and that you do not expose yourself to possible infection through poor hygiene or living conditions.
After receiving your tattoo, if you run a temperature, get headaches or a sudden lack of energy to do anything, get in touch with your doctor straight away. It is much better for it to be diagnosed as not being a problem than to risk having a Hepatitis infection and not having it treated as early as possible.
By: Paul Silver
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Dog Allergies and Skin Issues: 5 Steps to End the Itch-Vet-Steroid Cycle
Your dog is itching…all night long! You’ve been to the vet…too many times! The diagnosis? Allergies. The treatment? Steroids, antibiotics, creams, sprays, drops, baths. There are corn-free diets, chicken-free diets…even the vegetarian diet. There’s bottled water, allergy shots, antihistamines. Still, no real results. Thousands of dollars later, your dog is no better off. And, the cycle continues!
What you may be dealing with is a simple nutritional deficiency. Over time, this deficiency shows up as itchy skin, hot spots, excessive shedding, stinky skin and ears.
Now is the time to stop the cycle, naturally and with a bit of common sense.
1. Feed a Meat Based Diet: Whether you are using a commercial pet food, making homemade food or feeding a raw diet, the main foundation of your pet’s diet should be meat. Check the ingredients in the commercial food and make sure the first ingredient is meat and that meat is listed again in the next 2 or 3 ingredients.
2. Eliminate Carbohydrates/Grains: Dogs and cats are mainly carnivores. They do not actually have a requirement for grains in their diet. However, most commercial foods and treats are loaded with carbs/grains. Once you have minimized the carbs in your pet’s food, check your pet’s treats. You know those meat and bone shaped biscuits? Most of them are simply meat-flavored corn! Feed a meaty treat instead!
3. Stop using Skin Irritating Products: Have you looked closely at the shampoo you use on your pet? What about those “pet wipes” that claim they keep your pet “fresh” between baths? Most pet shampoos and wipes are loaded up with chemicals that actually irritate your pet’s skin! Even those “medicated” shampoos contain chemicals, fragrances and dyes that only add to your pet’s itching problems! Opt for an all-natural, organic shampoo that contains ingredients you can actually pronounce! Therapeutic grade Essential Oils direct from medicinal plants contain natural soothing and healing properties and can actually help heal your pet’s skin without leaving chemical residue behind. And, the smell of these oils lingers long enough that you won’t need to “freshen” your pet between baths!
4. Build on the Meaty Diet using Natural Supplements: You may be feeding the best, meaty diet but still may be leaving nutritional gaps in your pet’s diet. The pet food industry’s definition of “complete” and the true definition of “complete” for your pet may be two very different things. And pet food is highly processed and with heat. Giving your pet a quality, all natural supplement to compliment their meaty diet is a great way to assure your pet is getting all those required and delicate nutrients that he may be lacking. Just like in our diets, it’s a hard task to make sure all the nutritional bases are covered every single day…so adding that quality supplement is the simple solution!
5. Implement Exercise and Play Time: Fresh air and sunshine are two ingredients that just can’t be bottled and sold! Walking, running, romping or just getting outside and moving, benefits both you and your pet! Take a few minutes every day to let your pet know that he’s important to you!
By: Cindy Lukacevic
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For a free custom natural health report for your pet, http://articles.dinovite.com/forms/HealthGuideForm/
For natural products and solutions for your pet, http://www.dinovite.com
Nutrition For Eczema – Nutritional Approaches to Treating Eczema
If you are looking for information on nutrition for eczema, then you really need to read this article. Eczema is a very uncomfortable condition that many people suffer from and have to deal with on a daily basis. Although there are a lot of standard medical treatments, we should also not overlook the significance of nutritional treatments.
The Importance of Nutrition for Eczema
It can’t be stressed enough just how important it is to have a healthy, balanced diet. Are you getting enough nutrients? Do you eat enough fruit and vegetables? What about your greens? Are you getting them? The saying “you are what you eat” really is very true. If you eat junk, you will feel and look like junk. If you eat healthy, you will feel and look healthy.
But let’s talk about some specific things you can do nutritionally to help ease your eczema…
Cutting Out Food Allergens to Treat Eczema
In recent years, evidence has emerged which suggests that food allergies can be a major factor in eczema, particularly in children. It may be worth cutting out common food allergens such as milk, wheat, nuts, soya and yeast, and then slowly reintroducing them one by one a few weeks later, whilst making a note of everything in a diary/journal. If you are unsure of how to go about this, consider consulting a clinical nutritionist, who will be able to guide you through the process.
Candida and Eczema
It is believed by some nutritionists that eczema can be caused by an overgrowth of yeast. For this reason, you may want to consider going on an anti-candida diet, which will reduce the overgrowth of yeast and help bring back balance to your system. Again, if you are unsure of how to do this, consider seeing a nutritionist.
By: M J Bournston
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Recommended Foods to Lose Extra Weight
Foods are the source of energy which the body needs in order to function. However, overeating may result to high levels of stored energy and fats that usually lead to overweight and obesity.
To release the stored energy, a regular exercise is very important for weight loss and building muscle mass which promotes a faster metabolic rate. However, an active lifestyle should always be complemented with a healthy diet to make the weight loss program more effective.
These are some of the most recommended foods to lose the extra weight:
Fish
Certain fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines contain a hormone called Leptin which burns the stored energy and fats resulting to weight loss. Aside from this benefit, fish is high in protein that can stabilize the blood sugar and curb hunger which then prevents overeating.
Resistant starch
Resistant starch can be found in bananas, navy beans, lentils, wholegrain bread, oatmeal, and potatoes and has been found to increase the body’s fat burning ability by 20 to 30 percent.
Like other dietary fiber, resistant starch prevents the body from storing too much fats and makes the body feel full for a longer period compared to other types of carbohydrates.
Spices
Spices such as cayenne peppers, garlic, hot mustard, hot peppers, and cinnamon can increase the body’s fat burning ability by up to 20 percent even for three hours after eating spicy foods.
Most spices also contain chemicals which promote the release of norepinephrine and epinephrine hormones which then reduce the appetite and food cravings.
Raw nuts
Nuts have high levels of fiber which can reduce the feeling of hunger and promote faster metabolism due to their high amount of Omega-3 fats and protein. Ideally, people should eat raw nuts instead of salted and roasted ones to get the full benefit of such foods.
Raw vegetables and fruits
Raw vegetables and fruits are generally low in calories that the body burns more energy when digesting these foods. According to experts, this negative calorie effect can result to weight loss.
Aside from this, raw vegetables and fruits are high in vitamins and minerals which can flush out the body’s toxin. These also contain high levels of fibers which curb the feeling of hunger.
Dairy products
Yogurt and milk contains a certain chemical which converts the stored fats into energy. But to further benefit from these dairy products, people should choose the low-fat version.
By: Ed Mckenzie
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The management of weight during Propecia use
A common side effect with many medications is unwanted weight gain. However, men who suffer from hair loss and treat the condition with oral medication should not experience weight gain during their treatment. If you do gain weight, it is possible there are underlying causes since weight gain is not a documented side effect of their hair loss treatment. There are several things men can do to manage their weight while taking this drug.
There is often another reason for weight gain amongst men as it is unlikely that the use of this medication is directly causing them to gain weight whilst using the medication. The drug can result in mild depression. And since men taking the drug may be anxious to begin with because of their hair loss, they are probably less interested in exercising. The gaining of a few extra pounds can be due to any changes they have made in their regular exercise routine.
Let your doctor know you are gaining weight. He will check to make sure there is not an underlying cause to your weight gain. Sometimes drug interactions can have unexpected consequences in people so make sure your doctor know about all the medications you take. If there is not another reason for your weight gain, he will work with you so you can make lifestyle changes that stop the weight gain and promote weight loss. Expect exercise and diet to be at the top of the list.
If you take action to stop gaining weight or change your lifestyle you may not need to stop your hair loss treatment. Fast or excessive weight gain can be dangerous. It can also impact your treatment regimen. Your doctor can decide you are becoming too unhealthy and stop the treatments. This means that you should work out what is happening and address the issue as soon as you realize that you are gaining weight.
Keep in mind that the weight gain is likely to disappear after your propecia treatment ends. This means that you will at least stop gaining weight. Depending upon factors such as age and overall health condition, you may have to work at losing weight you gained.
As shown in this article, it is often not the use of propecia that causes men to gain weight but either another medical condition or depression. Lifestyle changes can address weight gain.
TMJ Symptom treatment using Carisoprodol
TMJ disorders involve the temporomandibular joint which is located on both sides of your mouth directly below your ears. You use these joints every time you move your jaw. In fact, you use your jaw more than any other joint in your body. Every time you speak, swallow, and eat you engage your jaw joints. This equals approximately 3,000 jaw movements each day.
TMJ sufferers can often get TMJ headaches whenever their joints become inflamed or they have any other related problems. The muscles around the joint can restrict to the point it is painful to open your mouth. A common use for Carisoprodol is to treat the pain associated with it and relax the muscle in the jaw joint.
Anti-Inflammation Treatment
You can use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like aspirin or ibuprofen to reduce the pain caused by TMJ flare-ups. Because the pain is frequently caused by inflammation, a general pain reliever may not be sufficient. You want a pain reliever with anti-inflammatory properties. The pain can be so intensive that you may experience nausea or blurred vision. Aspirin can reduce the inflammation which will help alleviate the pain.
Muscle Relaxation
There may also be a need for the tight muscles around the joint to be treated. It is possible to experience “lock jaw” with extreme bouts of TMJ. Muscle relaxants can help with this situation. However, if it lasts for an extended period of time or interferes with your ability to eat, you should seek medical attention. The jaw muscle, in certain cases, may need to have a muscle relaxant injected directly into it.
Pain Reliever
If you still have a headache after taking the muscle relaxant, you may need to take a pain reliever. It is best to take a general pain killer that does not treat inflammation. Treating symptoms you do not have can cause or increase nausea or dizziness. You also risk irritating your stomach or developing an ulcer when you take too much pain medication.
Long-term suffering is not uncommon amongst people who have TMJ. It makes it difficult to work and socialize. You may have difficulty sleeping or need to sleep sitting up to keep pressure off your jaw. In addition to treating flare-ups, it may be necessary to take maintenance drugs. Small Carisoprodol doses can be used daily to reduce flare-ups so you can get on with your life. Tolerance to the Carisoprodol drug can build up quickly in your system so you should be careful when using it.