Mind Body & Soul

Archive for the ‘Womens Issues’ Category

Athletes and fitness buffs have one thing in common. These individuals are prone to injuries that could hamper their health and fitness goals. Sports injuries are, to a certain degree, hard to prevent especially if an athlete is engaged in a tough contact sport like basketball, football, or martial arts. Whether one is a professional, a weekend warrior, or a die-hard fitness enthusiast — athletes of all shapes, skills, and sizes are vulnerable to pain and injury.

Here are the body parts that are most prone to injury during training or competition:

Knee - Stiff and swollen joints make it difficult to do any bending. It usually feels worse the the morning or after a long period of inactivity. Long distance runners and cyclists often complain of knee pain.
Shoulder - This part of the body is particular stiff and painful either due to inactivity or over-exertion. Any kind of overuse can stress the shoulder joint or rotator cuffs. Muscles can be strained and tendons can become inflamed. Injuries to the shoulder are common among basketball and tennis players.

Shin - Shin splints is are an example of overuse injury, which means that they usually occur when individuals push their legs too hard or too long. This is common among marathoners.

Back - Stiffness, muscle spasm, and pain. Lower back pain is very common in peple who improperly carrying or lift heavy loads especially in sports like powerlifting, bodybuilding, and mountaineering.

Feet - Tingling, burning,numbness or pain under the heel are felt by athletes who sustain a foot injury. Tarsal tunnel syndrome is the foot version of the carpal tunnel syndrome, and is common with people who are flat footed.

Ankle - The most common ankle injuries is caused by stretching and tearing of the ligaments that surrounds this particular joint. Most sports pose a certain degree of risk for ankle injury. This is more prevalent among athletes who compete in judo, jiujitsu, Graeco-Roman wrestling, and other martial sports.

Blackheads are seen very commonly and it is a form of mild acne. It is seen as projections on the skin. They are actually black in color because they do not contain the pigment melanin in the areas affected. The internal health problems like indigestion, thyroid, constipation and anemia are also a cause of blackheads. Besides the conventional blackhead treatments like oral and topical applications and surgical practices, some other form of treatment can also be tried to cure the problem of blackheads.

The most commonly used treatments are metallic extractors that are used to plug the blackheads. These extractors are available in diverse patterns based on the rigorousness of blackheads. For instance, a lancet extractor is an instrument that contains two ends, one to make a hole and the other to remove the dirt. This type of an extractor is used often by the dermatologists. Other customized extractors are the double spoon extractor. In this type of extractor, one of its ends is shaped like a spoon, which is beneficial to plug out the large blackheads. It can be used safely by the beginners.

The most affected area with blackheads is the area around the nose. These blackheads are more painful as compared to the regular blackheads. Use of the blackhead removal strips is the most effective treatment for the removal of blackheads on the nose. In such nose strips, a specific kind of glue is used to shred the blackhead. You should clean your face gently and dry it thoroughly before using these blackhead removal strips. Then wet your face and apply the strip only for about ten minutes. Then pull the strip in just a single go with full force. After removing the blackheads, clean the face again using cold water. Over usage of these strips can lead of skin irritation.

Being pregnant can be the most exciting time of your life! It is the precursor to the biggest change you have ever experienced. Soon, you will have a sweet little newborn that you love immeasurably and hope to nurture and grow into a healthy, strong child. With pregnancy comes its own set of challenges. It is not simply the joy and anticipation of the future, unfortunately. Many mothers-to-be experience morning sickness, swollen feet, trouble sleeping and yeast infections. While pregnancy yeast infection is no different than any other time you might have a yeast infection, it is the most common time to contract it.

Before this fact throws you completely for a loop, you can rest assured that your child is in no danger from it. That is, not until you give birth. As long as the fetus is tucked safely inside the womb, no Candida infection can harm them. When you give birth, however, this is when your yeast infection can have a negative effect on your baby. They will often contract thrush, or a yeast infection in the mouth, when passing through the birth canal. This is treated with prescription medicine, but if you could eliminate your infection before giving birth, then that would obviously be the best route to take.

Candida infections are particularly common in pregnant women because the body of an expecting mother is undergoing extreme hormonal and chemical changes, especially during the middle trimester. Yeast infections are caused by a fungus, called Candida, on the mucous membranes. If the bacteria in your body is impaired or put off balance, which is what happens with your hormone shift during pregnancy, the fungus multiplies which leads directly to a yeast infection. This is obviously quite an uncomfortable experience, as up to 50% of healthy women can attest to, as they have experienced at least one outbreak of a yeast infection in their lifetime.

Common symptoms include irritation, redness and itching in the vaginal area and a discharge that is greenish, yellowy or white with a cheesy consistency. An odor may also be present, and there could be burning during urination. All this is caused by bacteria imbalances which lead to the growth of yeast. Add these symptoms to the regular discomfort of being pregnant and you have a very unpleasant situation very quickly.

When given the task of explaining how alternative medicine works; that is a tall order. Try explaining how and why the body, mind and spirit react to things and you would be a wealthy person. However, there are some things to know about alternative and holistic medical practices and why more people are becoming open minded to their use.

Alternative medicine to many people is not really an alternative. It is a basis for health care that complements their everyday life. Alternative medicine doesn’t work the same way as allopathic medicine. If you are hit by a car; you wouldn’t want to call a naturopath or herbalist. If you want to prevent disease, stabilize or heal from a chronic illness or work with emotional, mental and spiritual problems you might visit a homeopath or one of the many other therapists from many modalities available in alternative and holistic medicine. More than 80 per cent of the world’s population is taking a hard look at alternative therapies and using them with or without the doctor’s consent.

Alternative may not be for everyone; but many modalities work for thousands if not millions every year. People that are open minded to the possibilities of alternative therapies aren’t hopeless or desperate; they are willing to allow the healing to truly begin on every level.