health care provider

Alberto says: A health care provider is an individual or an institution that provides preventive, curative, promotional or rehabilitative health care services  in a systematic way to individuals, families or communities.

An individual health care provider (also known as a health worker) may be a health care professional within medicine, medical assistant or Assistant Medical Officer, midwifery-obstetrics, nursing, pharmacy, or allied health professions.

 Health care providers may also be a public/community health professional. Institutions (also known as health facilities) include hospitals, clinics, primary care centres, and other service delivery points.

The practice of health professionals and operation of health care institutions is typically regulated by national or state/provincial authorities through appropriate regulatory bodies for purposes of quality assurance.

Together, they form part of an overall health care system.

depression

Alberto says: Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings and sense of well-being.

Depressed people can feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, worried, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, hurt, or restless.

They may lose interest in activities that once were pleasurable, experience loss of appetite or overeating, have problems concentrating, remembering details, or making decisions, and may contemplate, attempt, or commit suicide. Insomnia, excessive sleeping, fatigue, loss of energy, or aches, pains, or digestive problems may also be present.

Depressed mood is not always a psychiatric disorder. It may also be a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of some medical conditions, or a side effect of some drugs or medical treatments. Depressed mood is also a primary or associated feature of certain psychiatric syndromes such as clinical depression.

Life events and changes that may precipitate depressed mood include childbirth, menopause, financial difficulties, job problems, a medical diagnosis (cancer, HIV, etc.), bullying, loss of a loved one, natural disasters, social isolation, relationship troubles, jealousy, separation, and catastrophic injury.

Traumatizing events that took place in childhood can cause depression. Although childhood trauma and particularly child sex abuse is not always a factor of adulthood depression, it may create psychological pathways that can lead to depression. Research has been done in this field to demonstrate the chemical involvements explaining this phenomenon.

Depressed mood may not require any professional treatment, and may be a normal reaction to certain life events, a symptom of some medical conditions, or a side effect of some drugs or medical treatments.

A prolonged depressed mood, especially in combination with other symptoms, may lead to a diagnosis of a psychiatric or medical condition, which may benefit from treatment.

Different sub-divisions of depression have different treatment approaches.

schizophrenia

Alberto says: Individuals with schizophrenia may experience hallucinations (most reported are hearing voices), delusions (often bizarre or persecutory in nature), and disorganized thinking and speech.

The last may range from loss of train of thought, to sentences only loosely connected in meaning, to speech that is not understandable known as word salad in severe cases.

Social withdrawal, sloppiness of dress and hygiene, and loss of motivation and judgment are all common in schizophrenia.

 There is often an observable pattern of emotional difficulty, for example lack of responsiveness. Impairment in social cognition is associated with schizophrenia, as are symptoms of paranoia. Social isolation commonly occurs.

Difficulties in working and long-term memory, attention, executive functioning, and speed of processing also commonly occur.

 In one uncommon subtype, the person may be largely mute, remain motionless in bizarre postures, or exhibit purposeless agitation, all signs of catatonia.

About 30 to 50% of people with schizophrenia fail to accept that they have an illness or their recommended treatment. Treatment may have some effect on insight. People with schizophrenia often find facial emotion perception to be difficult.

Schizophrenia is often described in terms of positive and negative (or deficit) symptoms. Positive symptoms are those that most individuals do not normally experience but are present in people with schizophrenia. They can include delusions, disordered thoughts and speech, and tactile, auditory, visual, olfactory and gustatory hallucinations, typically regarded as manifestations of psychosis.

Hallucinations are also typically related to the content of the delusional theme. Positive symptoms generally respond well to medication.

Negative symptoms are deficits of normal emotional responses or of other thought processes, and respond less well to medication.

 They commonly include flat expressions or little emotion, poverty of speech, inability to experience pleasure, lack of desire to form relationships, and lack of motivation. Negative symptoms appear to contribute more to poor quality of life, functional ability, and the burden on others than do positive symptoms. 

People with greater negative symptoms often have a history of poor adjustment before the onset of illness, and response to medication is often limited.

A combination of genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of schizophrenia.

People with a family history of schizophrenia who have a transient psychosis have a 20–40% chance of being diagnosed one year later.

The greatest risk for developing schizophrenia is having a first-degree relative with the disease (risk is 6.5%); more than 40% of monozygotic twins of those with schizophrenia are also affected.

Environmental factors associated with the development of schizophrenia include the living environment, drug use and prenatal stressors.

 Parenting style seems to have no major effect, although people with supportive parents do better than those with critical or hostile parents.

Childhood trauma, separation from ones families, and being bullied or abused increase the risk of psychosis.

 Living in an urban environment during childhood or as an adult has consistently been found to increase the risk of schizophrenia by a factor of two, even after taking into account drug use, ethnic group, and size of social group.

Other factors that play an important role include social isolation and immigration related to social adversity, racial discrimination, family dysfunction, unemployment, and poor housing conditions.

About half of those with schizophrenia use drugs or alcohol excessively.  Amphetamine, cocaine, and to a lesser extent alcohol, can result in psychosis that presents very similarly to schizophrenia.

 Although it is not generally believed to be a cause of the illness, people with schizophrenia use nicotine at much greater rates than the general population.

Silent killer

Gbex says:Insomnia or commonly called sleeplessness is the inability to get a peaceful sleep at night and often waking up at regular intervals during night. This results in an upset morning with low concentration levels and less energy to carry on the daily responsibilities throughout the day.

This disease which seldom turns chronic may be caused due to many reasons like aging, alcoholism, depression, intense medications or too much worrying. Other factors that may cause sleeping problems are: too much sleeping during day, uncomfortable bedroom environment, working in shifts, jet lag and overactive thyroid glands.

Normally Insomnia is curable but sometimes it grows beyond our control. There are two approaches to tackle Insomnia. First one is to employ non-pharmacological technique and the second one is to use hypnotic methods. Generally first method is preferred as the body gets used to the hypnotic drugs after a period of time rendering the method useless and also withdrawal symptoms may occur if the drugs are discontinued.

Non-pharmacological treatment provides long lasting relief and it involves undergoing relaxation therapy, sleep restriction therapy, stimulus control therapy and cognitive behavior therapy. Studies all across the globe have shown that with the right kind of treatment Insomnia can be controlled, if not cured completely.

sunflower seeds

Ellen Says:- Healthy skin can be obtained by using appropriate skin care products such as good quality cleansers and moisturizing lotions and creams. These products are external treatments. However, the internal aspect of skin care is often ignored. What we eat daily plays a significant role in the health of our skin as well.

The best skin care regime involves paying attention to both the external and internal needs of the skin. Skin requires nutrients derived from inside the body in order to protect itself from damage and replenish dead skin cells with new healthy cells. Eating the best food for skin goes a long way towards having the best and healthiest looking skin possible.

Eating sunflower seeds provide a lot of vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps slow down the aging of skin. The seeds also provide essential fatty acids that help keep the skin lubricated and soft. This food is thought to reduce the appearance of blackheads and acne, helps prevent psoriasis and other skin problems

Brightly colored and firm apples

Ellen Says:----I love apples and thankfully they love me and my kids too! Apples are so versatile and quite an amazing little fruit. We’ve all heard the old adage that, “An apple day keeps the doctor away,” but guess what? It’s true!

Apples in some studies have shown to help lower certain cancer risks. Reduced risk of lung cancer in women, for example, has been associated with daily consumption of apples, and apples were the only specific fruit that showed this beneficial association with lung cancer. From a fairly large collection of laboratory studies and studies on animals, there is good reason to believe that apples may be helpful in reducing risk of colon cancer and breast cancer as well, even though it will take a series of human studies to see if these benefits hold true for people and under what circumstances.

When buying apples, whichever variety you prefer, always look for those that are brightly colored and firm and always avoid bruised and mushy apples. You should store your apples in the refrigerator. Cool storage keeps them from losing the natural moisture that makes them crisp. It also keeps them from turning brown inside. To prevent browning when slicing apples for a recipe, simply put the slices in a bowl of cold water to which a spoonful of lemon juice has been added. For use in future recipes, sliced apples freeze well in plastic bags or containers.

Queen of herbs

Alberto says:-----From simple food flavoring… ginger can now be used for candies and chips. And one type of ginger, known as “Queen of Herbs” because of its yellow color, is believed to be good for the health. Some people even attest that its extract can cleanse the liver from toxins, improves blood circulation and also good for the heart.

Lavender oil

Ellen Says:--The aromatic oil lavender refreshes and soothes the nerves. Since it is an herb which depresses the central nervous system similar to anti-depressants, it can be quite effective in treating depression, especially when it is related to stress. In studies, the aromatherapy effects of lavender was shown to slow the activity of the nervous system, improve sleep quality, promote relaxation, and lift mood in people suffering from sleep disorders.

For those suffering with insomnia, drinking one cup of lavender and mint tea can put you to sleep within a matter of minutes. A headache reliever, lavender can either be rubbed on the temples, or sniffed like smelling salts to provide relief from headaches caused by stress. For other issues with pain you can use lavender for many relieve ailments caused by sore muscles, tense muscles, muscular aches, rheumatism, sprains, and backache.

good for your heart nuts

Gbex says: Nuts in general are a very healthy food but walnuts are good for your heart. Walnuts are great in lowering cholesterol according to the Food and Drug Administration. A few walnuts a day can really help your heart.

Walnuts contain a healthy dose of omega 3 fatty acids which is the same key formula in fish as well. Omega 3 has been known to help the LDL levels and raise HDL levels. Walnuts do have more than 59 percent of unsaturated fats and they contain no cholesterol. A natural walnut has about 100 grams of moisture in them but after they are harvested they only contain about 9 percent. By doing that it lowers the amount of mold in the walnut.

Walnuts are good for cholesterol and they are good for your heart as well. They do however contain many grams of fat. Walnuts may not be a good source of diet food due to the high amount of calories and fat but the health benefits exceeds the fact that walnuts are not a great diet food. Just by eating a few walnuts a day can help lower your cholesterol.

Cayene healing power

Alberto says:---Cayenne is also known as hot pepper, chili pepper ands Tabasco pepper, the main ingredient is Capsicum, that is the healing power right there. There are many foods with cayenne pepper, it us used as a spice in Chili and in some Cajun dishes. It can also be some in some teas and even in topical creams. Cayenne can be used as an antioxidant. An antioxidant is a mixture; it could be a juice or a tonic. What it does is, it purifies the blood and gets rid of all the bad stuff that get s in there from the food we eat to the air we breathe.

Cayenne acts as an anticoagulant drug that doesn't allow the blood to clot. Have you ever heard of capsaicin lotion? It actually is used for arthritis and a joint pain. There is cayenne in that lotion; these creams can cause a slight burning sensation so wash your hands immediately after using. The heat actually brings the pain of injured area. You will feel better almost immediately.

Cayenne offers healing power through the heat that it can generate. For some problems it can work wonders but there are some long term conditions that you can really only order temporary fixes. There are Cayenne Teas, Cayenne Pepper, Cayenne Roots and Cayenne Creams. Next time you are feeling aches and pains in your joints try cayenne ingredients with lotion. You will be guaranteed to be feeling better in no time.

Fight off toxins with yogurt

Alberto says:----For one thing, yogurt is much easier to digest than milk. Many people are lactose intolerant, and can not consume dairy products, and yogurt is much easier on the stomach. This is because yogurt is cultured, which means that yogurt contains the digestive enzyme, lactase -- the enzyme that lactose intolerant individuals do not have.

Yogurt can also decrease your risk of contracting colon cancer, because it contains lactobacteria. Lactobacteria is 'good bacteria' because it helps to keep your colon clean and free of wastes, while aiding in digestion. Yogurt is also a rich source of calcium, as most dairy products are. Calcium aids in the development of strong teeth and gums, and can make your bones less brittle, which reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Eating yogurt on a regular basis can help you to absorb the nutrients in other foods as well. For example, eating yogurt helps the body to absorb calcium and B-vitamins more readily, so you can get the most nutritional value out of your meals. In turn, yogurt can also boost your immune system, since you are able to take in the maximum nutritional value of foods, which makes your body better equipped to fight off toxins.

Must know about swelling

Gbex says:All sorts of minor injuries such as bumps, bruises, strains, and sprains can all cause swelling.Some surgical procedures can also cause swelling. While at home you may want to choose a home remedy for swelling to relieve discomfort.

Taking an ibuprofen tablet is a good home remedy for swelling, as well as for pain relief, and as a fever reducer. It is important that you try this home remedy for swelling on a full stomach to prevent stomach upset.

Try this home remedy for swelling when you have a sprain or strain to ankles, knees, lower back, and muscles. First apply cold compresses for 30 minutes to reduce swelling, and then apply heat with a heating pad to reduce pain. Continue alternating cold with heat until no further swelling is observed, and then switch completely to a heating pad or heat compress as needed for pain.

Propping a sprained ankle, or knee on some fluffy pillows and keeping weight off of these as much as possible is a home remedy for swelling that is all about making you as comfortable as possible while helping your body to heal itself.

Drinking plenty of liquids is a very important component to a home remedy for swelling, and as an agent of healing for the body. Water and other fluids keeps the body hydrated and helps to move blood and oxygen throughout the body which facilitates the body in performing its natural healing processes much faster and easier.

Wonders of celery

Alberto says:--Wonder pets love celery. I also love the taste of it as well not knowing that I can benefit a lot from doing so. According to Hippocrates (the father of medicine), celery calms the nerve – perhaps because of the high calcium content. It’s good on kidney and will help eliminate body’s waste through the urine. The seeds, leaves and edible root of the plant can all be used. Celery is used in aromatherapy and other traditional way of healing like Ayurveda. In Japan, rheumatic patients are sometimes put on a celery only diet.

Eating celery will reduce high blood pressure and give the effect of calmness.Celery clears uric acid from painful joints and may help the treatment of arthritis and rheumatic problems. It also helps the kidney an acts an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. Another benefit of celery is the fact that you can eat a lot of it without thinking much about your waistline. Celery actually has almost zero calorie.

Grapefruits benefits

Alberto says:-----Grapefruits are excellent cleanser for the digestive and urinary systems as well as rich in potassium and vitamin C. A regular consumption of grapefruits will also promote healthy skin.

For those who would like to reduce their weight, grapefruit is good because it reduces appetite.It will balances the nervous systems, relieves flu and will help the respiratory system.Grapefruits could help in treating osteoarthritis as well.However,grapefruit seed is believed that can get rid the body of worms

Drinking grapefruits juice will encourage healthy skin and is normally used in treating acne. The juices is also an excellent source of iron. Not to mention that grapefruit essential oil is very popular for massaging.

Snoring

Gbex says:The common act of snoring can often be an indicator of other medical or physical concerns.The most common concern is sleep apnea which is a condition that should be addressed by a qualified health care provider. Other issues that snoring may be an indicator for include potential heart disease, type II diabetes as well as high blood pressure and stroke.

One home remedy for snoring is to commit to maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. Snoring is often associated with excess weight as we age. Another home remedy for snoring includes reducing your intake of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol, along with sleep inducing drugs has been known to cause a marked increase in throat relaxation. You should also try sleeping on your side - most snoring occurs on your back. One more home remedy for snoring that has additional health benefits may be to quit smoking. Elevating the head of your bed is another highly effective home remedy for snoring.

Flowering vegetables

Gbex says:Cauliflower, a flowering vegetable that is often eaten with other vegetables such as carrots and broccoli, offers phytochemicals that the body needs in order to stay healthy.

Cauliflower is a member of the 'white' family in terms of fruits and vegetables. Included in this group are other natural foods such as bananas, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. Cauliflower contains allicin, which can improve heart health and reduce the risk of strokes, and selenium, a chemical that works well with Vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Cauliflower can also help to maintain a healthy cholesterol level.

Folate is also found in cauliflower, which is a B vitamin that is needed for cell growth and replication. For this reason, it is often recommended that women who are pregnant or may become pregnant eat significant amounts of cauliflower in order to help their unborn children develop properly.

Of course, cauliflower is an excellent source of fiber, which helps to improve colon health and can even help prevent cancer. And, most recently, it has been discovered that cauliflower, as well as other cruciferous vegetables, such as brussel sprouts and cabbage, contain indole-3-carbinol, a substance that can affect the metabolism of estrogen in the body, and prevent breast and other female cancers.

Smelly bad odor

Gbex says: Body odor started from your sweat, which is oily and act as a great place to hangout for bacteria. It’s believed that bacteria eating frenzy is the cause behind that smelly odor. Yes! Now you have the bacteria to blame for the way your body smells .

It is also believed that because your sweat is a way for the body to release toxins, bad odor could be because of other medical problem. Liver, kidney, pneumonia are just some of the illness that could give you this problem.

The only real long-term treatment will come from good hygiene, internal cleansing, elimination and proper diet. More fruits and vegetable, less meat and dairy products. This way you will fight the cause rather than choosing products that ignore the cause and could do you more harm than good.Furthermore, epsom salt bath, alternate cold and hot showers daily would be useful for body odor. It will improve blood circulation and reduce congestion in the body

dredge that washes upon the shores

Lawrence says:--When you think of seaweed, you may think of the dredge that washes upon the shore. The name is the same but this is the seaweed plant.

The seaweed plant is rich in vitamins and minerals that also include calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, iodine, iron and zinc. These are the edible ocean plants. They have Vitamins such as Vitamins C, niacin, B1, B2, B6 and B12.

The health benefits of seaweed is also they can be used as a cleanser to get rid of the toxins in your body. Seaweed contains arame, hijiki, Kombu and wakame the key source of the cleanser. The seaweed when digested feeds the hair shafts and helps improve the health of your hair by opening up the ducts in the scalp and releasing any oxidation that has occurred.

Other benefits of seaweed are they regulate the hormones, seaweed speeds up the metabolism and promotes a young looking skin color and also promotes metal well-being. The Chinese really believe in the benefits of seaweed and the Chinese have a very good reputation when it comes to healing they are the masters of good health. You can find seaweed in specialty stores and in vitamin stores as well.

facials

Ellen Says: A facial is a procedure involving a variety of skin treatments, including: steam, exfoliation, extraction, creams, lotions, masks, peels, and massage. It is normally performed in a beauty salon but it is also a common spa treatment. Facials are generally categorized, for example:
European Facial
Mini-Facial
LED Light Therapy Facial

A facial mask is a creamy mask applied to clean or smooth the face. It often contains minerals, vitamins, and fruit extracts, such as cactus and cucumber. There are different kinds of masks for different purposes; some are deep cleansing for cleaning the pores, healing acne scars or hyper-pigmentation, or brightening for a gradual illumination of the skin tone. The perceived effect of a facial mask treatment can be revitalizing, rejuvenating or refreshing and can serve temporary or long term benefits depending on its usage.
Masks are generally washed off with tepid water, wiped off by a damp cloth, or peeled off by hand. Duration for wearing a mask depends on the type of mask and the directions specified by the product itself. The time can range anywhere from 5 minutes to overnight. Those with sensitive skin are advised to test out the mask on a small portion of the skin in order to check for any irritations.

Masks can be found anywhere from drugstores to department stores and can vary in its shape and form. They include clay form where it is thicker in consistency and will dry to pull out impurities from the pores, a creamier form that stays damp to hydrate the skin, a sheet style where the paper mask is dampened with liquid to tone and moisturize the skin, and lastly, an in between clay and cream form that includes small sandy beads for exfoliating the skin.

These different forms are made to suit different skin types such as oily or dry, as well as the different needs of the skin, whether it be moisturizing, cleansing, or exfoliating. Clay and mud masks suit oily skin while cream based masks suit dry skin types.

Fresh Parsley

Lawrence says:-When we think of Parsley, we think of the piece of green leaf like roughages that is more of a garnish than anything else.

But parsley is so much more than a nice looking piece of greenery. What people don't know is that parsley is a herb. In ancient times, healers used it to treat the sick. The Ancient Romans actually believed that if you eat a piece of parsley it would allow them to have the capacity to drink more wine and never become drunk.

It has been found not to be true but there are many health benefits that come with parsley. It has been proven that by eating raw parsley has many health benefits. Raw parsley cleanses the blood, keeping it clean .It can lessen the deposits left on the veins Parsley allows the elasticity of the blood vessels to stay the way they are. Parsley is said to treat temporary deafness and ear infections. Chewing parsley can cure bad breath.

So the next time you go to the supermarket pick up some fresh parsley sprigs and try eating a piece and see if you feel better. Eat a piece everyday and slowly you will notice an improvement in your overall day-to-day health.