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Male potency is one of the last sexual topics in America left in the closet. Men who have trouble getting an erection have told us over and over that no one knew about their problem. «I’ve never even told my best buddy,» says one man. Confides another: «I discussed it briefly with some male friends. But I couldn’t carry it any further. Men just aren’t comfortable discussing it.»
If s not surprising that most men don’t discuss sexual potency among themselves except to brag about their exploits or their size. For many men, being potent is an essential, basic ingredient of their self-image: what makes a man a man. But men should have a reliable, accurate source of information about potency. They should know that impotence, whether temporary or long-term, is a very common problem. That being «normal» isn’t being a superstud, able to perform on command. That few men get great erections every time. That if there is a long-term problem, there’s a 90 percent chance it can be treated successfully.
Most changes in potency aren’t a problem, but do require some adjustment. «When I was in college I could play a couple of games of soccer, run a few laps around the track and make love three times in the same day—no problem!» says Gene, a stocky, muscular 40-year-old man. Smiling a bit wistfully at the memory he adds, «Of course, that was 20 years ago. Times have changed and so have I.» Joseph, a divorced college professor, says, «When I was in my 20′s, I could take a woman out after a long day at work, have dinner and a few drinks, go dancing and then go home with her and make love.» He shakes his head incredulously and says, «Now, in the same scenario, 25 years later, there’s a big difference. By the time I get her home, I’m exhausted from work, dinner and making a good impression—never mind the dancing. I just want to go to sleep! But,» Joseph continues, grinning, «the next morning I’m ready. Really ready.»
Joseph’s behavior is common among men, and nothing to worry about. A man’s sexual response changes as he matures, along with other physical attributes like eyesight, hair color and skin tone. But the emphasis is on the word «change,» because with good health and a willing partner, a man should be able to enjoy sex no matter what his age.
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Each year, middle-aged and older individuals spend fortunes on creams and lotions, massage, hot packs, wax and mud treatments, and special soaps in the quest of wrinkle-free skin. For the most part these treatments are more beneficial to those supplying the treatments than to the individuals receiving them. Although moisturizing creams and lotions may help you look and feel better temporarily, they have no permanent effect on the skin’s texture or appearance.
During the past few years, there has been some evidence that tretinoin (Retin-A ®) cream may be effective in decreasing the wrinkling of the skin and improving its texture and appearance in a more long-lasting manner. The changes noted in the skin of some people treated with this agent have been subtle but measurable and a great deal of enthusiasm has been generated about this product. Some users develop redness, irritation, and swelling where tretinoin cream is applied but this eventually subsides. The skin may become more sensitive to the sun during treatment, so it is recommended that sunscreens be used diligently during this period.
The cost of tretinoin treatment is considerable but many people feel it is worthwhile. Whether this particular antiaging, antiwrinkling skin treatment will withstand the test of time is not yet clear. Meanwhile, if you (with medical supervision) choose to try this treatment, it does not diminish the need to eliminate cigarette smoking, cut down on sun exposure, and use protective sunscreens in an attempt to avoid further skin damage, which ultimately results in wrinkling and a more aged appearance. Prevention will always be preferable to cure; it is best to begin to care for and protect your skin as early as possible.
Some people, as part of their quest for youth, undergo many cosmetic surgery procedures. There is no doubt that such surgery can improve the wrinkled appearance of the skin, may relieve the baggy look around eyelids, and may change the sagging appearance that sometimes accompanies aging. For some people these results are very important. Such surgery does not improve the quality of the skin or make it younger, although it may improve one’s appearance.
It is possible to inject small amounts of collagen around the wrinkled sides of the mouth or sides of the eyes to decrease the appearance of wrinkling. This procedure is relatively easy and safe and can be readily done in the office by a dermatologist. If such wrinkles are very bothersome to you, it is something to consider.
Whatever procedures you carry out to improve your appearance, remember that the protection of the skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays and proper cleansing and moisturizing should be part of a total program of good skin care.
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Blood consists of plasma, a fluid that carries red blood cells (erythrocytes) and white blood cells (leucocytes). Red blood cells carry oxygen and carbon dioxide, which are necessary for respiration and metabolism, whereas white cells protect the body from infection. Many elements are contained in the plasma, including important salts, proteins, antibodies, nutrients, and many by-products of metabolism. Platelets are small cell-like particles that help the blood clot when there is an injury to a blood vessel.
The diseases of the blood that can affect older people are the result of a decrease in the red or white blood cells or an increase of blood cells that may not be working normally. Another problem includes a disturbance in the clotting ability of the blood, which can lead to abnormal bruising or bleeding. Sometimes the blood may clot (thrombose) within normal blood vessels for no apparent reason and deprive a part of the body of its blood supply.
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The endocrine glands, distributed throughout the body, produce hormones, which help to control the chemical reactions of the body’s cells. We often use the word metabolism to describe the different cell processes. The most important endocrine glands are the thyroid gland, the two adrenal glands, the pancreas, the four parathyroid glands, and the pituitary gland. The sex glands (ovaries and testicles) also produce hormones, but they are usually considered separately from the endocrine system.
Each of the endocrine glands produces its own special hormone or hormones, which help keep the cells of the body functioning properly and efficiently. When an endocrine gland becomes diseased, it may produce too much or too little of its hormone and upset the body’s metabolism. In most cases the diseases that develop are treatable.
The thyroid gland, found in the neck just below the Adam’s apple, is shaped like a butterfly; the two «wings» are called the thyroid lobes. The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone (thyroxine), a substance necessary for metabolism.
Certain blood tests measure the amount of thyroid hormone in the blood and help in diagnosis of thyroid disorders. It is sometimes necessary to do a radioactive thyroid uptake and scan in order to diagnose some disorders completely. In many instances thyroid disease requires repeated tests. Unfortunately, disease of the thyroid gland can be very subtle as you grow older. Both overactivity and underactivity can be confused with other conditions, which means that diagnosis and successful treatment are too often unnecessarily delayed.
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Arthritis and rheumatism describe many different diseases, but the features that they all share are pain, swelling, and interference in the normal movement of either one or more joints. Some kinds of arthritis affect only one joint, whereas others affect many simultaneously. Some are more common in older people, and others are rare in people of all ages. Many older people often assume that their aches and pains are the result of arthritis, and that arthritis is a natural consequence of aging. Both of these assumptions are far from the truth.
The most common type of arthritis in the older individual is osteoarthritis, which usually affects one joint at a time, although many joints can gradually become involved. Some studies suggest that this condition affects from 15 to 25 percent of people over the age of 65. Osteoarthritis is caused by a gradual but progressive wearing down of the usually smooth covering (cartilage) of the joint bones. The cause of the destruction is not completely known: in some people it appears to be the result of a previous injury or trauma; in others it appears for no apparent reason. The end result, however, is that the joint surfaces become painful when they move. Often, the large joints that support much of the body’s weight become affected first, frequently the hips, knees, and back. Sometimes it affects the smaller joints of the hands and feet. The joint becomes swollen as opposing bones become widened and fluid accumulates. If the joint is badly damaged, it may not move or support weight properly, and this can interfere with walking or bending. Sometimes a joint that is affected but not uncomfortable may suddenly become swollen and painful as the result of inflammation or infection. This must be treated immediately.
Rheumatoid arthritis occurs less commonly for the first time in the older person, but if you have suffered from this illness during your younger years, it may continue to afflict you as you grow older. This illness can affect many parts of the body simultaneously, in addition to the joints. More than one joint is usually involved, often the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, feet, neck, and jaw. Some people with rheumatoid arthritis develop fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and heart and lung problems. The joints, however, are the most obvious and painful focus of the disease.
The course of rheumatoid arthritis varies: some people contract a severe case in the beginning; for others it may be mild and create little disability. The symptoms may come and go, with severe bouts followed by long periods of comfort, which are again aggravated by episodes of pain and poor health. Unfortunately, self-diagnosis and treatment for arthritis symptoms is common. This can interfere with a proper assessment and a well-designed plan of treatment, which often results in great improvement and relief of symptoms.
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Light enters the eye through the transparent cornea, located at the very front of the eye. It then passes through the pupil, the black center of the eye. This in fact is the aperture in the iris, which gives eyes their color. The iris can open and close, thereby causing the size of the pupil to change. By varying the size of the opening, the amount of light entering the eye can be controlled. If the light is very bright, the pupil is small and, when it is dark, the pupil is wide open.
After light passes through the pupil, it is focused by the lens, behind the iris. The focused light rays are directed to the retina, which is located at the back of the eye and contains special cells that translate the light images into nerve messages. These are carried by the optic nerves from the retina to the brain, where they are interpreted.
Illness can affect one or many parts of the eye. Some problems, such as infection, affect people at any age, whereas others are more likely to occur as you grow older. In the older person a decrease or loss of vision can be devastating because it interferes with feelings of self-worth and exaggerates the effects of isolation, dependency, and loneliness. If you are not able to read or watch television, you may become cut off from the everyday activities of the world. You should have a thorough periodic examination by a physician or ophthalmologist to ensure that your vision has not deteriorated as the result of disease. Any sudden change in vision should be checked immediately, because many illnesses that cause blindness can be prevented or treated.
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The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The brain and spinal cord are protected from injury by the surrounding bones of the skull and vertebral column (spine). Nerves leave the spinal cord and make their way through small outlet holes in the vertebral column to supply the muscles and organs.
Motor nerves bring impulses, or messages, from the brain and spinal cord to the body. Sensory nerves convey messages from the body to the spinal cord and brain. The motor and sensory nerves sometimes travel together for part of their journey through the body but usually divide when they enter the spinal cord and brain. The brain and spinal cord contain nerve cells that interconnect with each other and send messages to different parts of the nervous system. Unfortunately, nerves cannot repair themselves once they have been severely damaged. However, some can be lost without significant impairment of function. If many are damaged at the same time, there will usually be some permanent interference in the working of that part of the nervous system. If the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord is disrupted, there can be serious damage to the nervous system.
Older people are more prone to suffer from diseases of their nervous system because of the increased tendency to degenerative disorders and blood vessel disease. These ill nesses account for a large number of the older individuals who require institutionalization. For many people, incapacitating nervous system disease is their greatest fear. Much of the thrust of present research is directed to avoid, postpone, or prevent disorders of the nervous system. Steps taken to control atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (diet, exercise, smoking, and alcohol cessation) may decrease some of the risks for some kinds of neurological disease.
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A great deal has been written about lung cancer. Almost everyone knows that a strong association exists between lung cancer and cigarette smoking. There are, in fact, a number of varieties of lung cancer. Those that originate in the lung have a very high correlation with cigarette smoking. Although an unusual type of lung tumor is sometimes found in older individuals who have never smoked, in general those who have smoked heavily for many years are the most susceptible.
Cancer from another part of the body can eventually spread to the lungs as metastases. This of course has nothing to do with smoking and may be one of the reasons that people have the impression that nonsmokers run the same risk of getting lung cancer as smokers. This is not so. If you smoke, your chances of getting lung cancer are many times higher than if you do not. It is too late to stop after you already have the disease. How often I have heard the lament, «I’ll never touch another cigarette,» when such a decision was no longer of any use.
Of the varieties of lung cancer associated with smoking, some are more lethal than others. If the diagnosis is made after symptoms of cancer have begun, the possibility of cure is small. An increase in the amount of cough or recurring chest infections are warning signs that something more serious than a simple infection is involved. The expectoration of blood may be the first sign of lung cancer. Weight loss, impairment of appetite, or undue fatigue may be early symptoms. Sometimes the illness first presents itself because it has already spread to other parts of the body, such as the brain or bones. Headaches, weakness of limbs, or fractures for no apparent reason may be manifestations of the disease.
If the illness is discovered early (as may be the case if it is found accidentally during a routine chest X-ray), treatment has a better chance of being successful. The first suspicion of the disease may be an X-ray that reveals a «shadow,» in which case the physician will take a sputum sample to see if the cells are abnormal. It may be necessary to perform a bronchoscopy and biopsy to see whether a tumor is present and whether it has spread. Very often, if surgery is considered, many X-rays and scans will be done to ensure that the cancer has not spread to other parts of the body.
The results may show no evidence of tumor spread, and the growth may be small. Especially if found by chance, there is a possibility that in some types of lung tumors surgical removal of part of the lung may be successful in curing the disease. Unfortunately, many people with lung cancer also have chronic bronchitis and emphysema, which makes surgery more hazardous.
In some instances surgery can be successfully performed, and occasionally it completely removes the tumor. All factors must be taken into account first, including the kind of cancer, the evidence of spread to other parts of the body, and the general health of the patient. But surgery should not be discarded as a possibility because of age alone.
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The bladder can store sufficient quantities of urine so that you normally have to empty it only four or five times a day. Nerves that come from the spinal cord, and which are partially controlled by the brain, stimulate the bladder to empty.
The bladder can be injured by urinary tract diseases, or by illnesses that interfere with its ability to empty completely and efficiently. When your bladder is not working properly, your health as well as your social life can be severely affected. Men and women have slightly different bladder disorders, but the results are often similar.
If a man suffers from prostate enlargement, he may develop an overstretched bladder until the blockage is corrected. If this is done early enough, the bladder can be retrained and made to work efficiently and normally again.
Both men and women can develop bladder tumors. These usually become evident when blood is seen in the urine. The color of the urine may be bright red or lightly wine colored. Although some of these tumors may be malignant and can spread, many of them are benign or minimally malignant. They can often be treated by fulguration (destroying by electrical current) through a cystoscope passed through the urethra into the bladder. The earlier the tumors are treated, the better the result. Whenever you see blood in your urine, report it to your physician immediately.
Occasionally the tumors are malignant. In this case the bladder may have to be removed and a «new bladder» made out of a piece of intestine. This procedure is usually done by a urologist, and it is often successful, especially if the tumor has not spread from the bladder to other parts of the body. Radiation can also be used successfully.
Women who have had many pregnancies may develop a weakness of the pelvic muscles that surround the vagina. Being overweight aggravates the problem. In such cases the bladder protrudes into the vagina and causes a feeling of something «falling down,» dragging, or pressing, especially when you stand or walk. This is called a cystocele or prolapse.
The cystocele may cause you to suffer from stress incontinence, which means that you lose control of your urine when you laugh, cough, sneeze, or strain yourself, as when pushing or carrying heavy items. You will be more likely to develop bladder infections if the cystocele is fairly large and the urine stagnates because it is not completely emptied.
The condition is treated by a gynecologist, either through the use of a pessary, doughnut-shaped device that holds the bladder in place, or a surgical repair. Many women can benefit from surgery and it should be considered if the prolapse is very uncomfortable.
Urethral Stricture In men the urethra passes through the penis, and in women it is just above the vagina. The urethra can become narrowed in both men and women and the results are similar. This sometimes occurs after injury, childbirth, prostate surgery, or infection. Urine builds up in the bladder and stretches it. This increases the tendency to infection and may lead to difficulties in passing urine or incontinence.
Diagnosis usually depends on a cystoscopy. Treatment consists of dilating the urethra gradually by passing instruments of increasingly large diameters through it. Sometimes treatment must be repeated periodically. Symptoms are often successfully controlled with this therapy.
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Antibiotics are effective only in the treatment of infections caused by bacteria and some other more unusual germs. They are not at all effective in the treatment of illnesses caused by viruses, and they should not be used to treat the ordinary cold or flu, both of which are caused by viruses.
Some people think that an antibiotic can prevent a cold or flu from developing into a more serious bacterial infection. In fact, the antibiotic may damage normal bacteria and result in a disease more dangerous than the one for which it was unnecessarily taken.
Antibiotics should not be taken without the advice of a physician, and they should be used only after it has been clearly established that the illness is caused by bacteria. And they should not be reused at a later date without consulting a physician. Some antibiotics lose their effect with age or even become dangerous. Except under special circumstances, such as if you suffer from chronic bronchitis, and have prearranged a treatment program with your physician, self-medication with these drugs is potentially harmful. Often, a specimen of your throat, urine, or sputum will be examined before an antibiotic is prescribed.
One elderly woman began to experience fever and weakness a few weeks after she had dental surgery Although she knew she had a heart murmur, she failed to mention this to the dental surgeon and therefore did not receive antibiotic therapy. When she eventually went to her own physician with a fever, she did not mention that she had received dental treatment a few weeks before. Her physician prescribed antibiotics because he found evidence of an infection in her urine. Within a few days she felt better and her fever improved. She stopped taking the antibiotics on her own.
About two weeks later she developed fever again and assumed that it was from the same infection. She took her remaining antibiotics without consulting her physician. Her fever decreased, and once again she felt well. A week later the fever returned. Fortunately, she had used all the antibiotics before and had to return to a physician, who found that she was suffering from bacterial endocarditis. The diagnosis and treatment had been unnecessarily delayed because she diagnosed and treated herself with antibiotics without medical supervision.
The way antibiotics are given usually depends on the severity of the infection and your ability to take the drug by mouth. For mild infections the antibiotic is usually quite effective when taken as pills or syrup.
If the infection is serious or if you are in shock or are weak, they will be given as injections or intravenously. It may be continued later by mouth. If extremely large doses of antibiotics are necessary, as in the case of blood poisoning or bacterial endocarditis, they are given intravenously.
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• You’ll know by now which of your new habits lasted the distance, and your friendship commitments will begin to mean something. You will start to meet new people – on your walks, at the fitness centre, wherever you go. Conviction is catching, and when you share it you will draw energy from each other.
• You will also know which professionals you like to deal with on a long term basis – the fitness instructor, the yoga teacher, the hypnotist, etc, and even people behind the counter at the health food shop. The better they know you, the better their advice.
• Just as you are clanning with new people in your life, you are also bonding with new habits. Enjoy that aspect of your development too
The Spanning Stage
• The fifth week spans the transition from you passing from someone who was once unfit, into someone who is now quite fit. If you’ve been faithful, your current performance is now your benchmark. It indicates what you can attain when reasonably fit.
• Keep working on interval training – those short bursts push you to new heights, and push the cellulite out of the fat cells.
• Suddenly you notice that physical things are less daunting. You need no longer cringe when challenged to a game of tennis. Your heart-lung exercises mean that you will never again be the first person out of breath. How’s your self-confidence now?
• Make exercise and good eating part of your new lifestyle. You’ll live longer, feel better and it’s worth it. Consider what these past five weeks have given you in terms of your health.
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A combination of the herbal capsules, exercise and good diet will accelerate results
The pharmaceutical companies have created problems for the human body. For example, cholesterol-lowering drugs may reduce dexterity. They may affect your ability to concentrate or maintain your attention span. Drugs simply trade off one problem for another: they trade one bad thing for another bad thing.
Pharmaceutical drugs are certainly not food. Conversely, herbal remedies are recognised by the body as forms of food.
Initially, herbal remedies were prepared by a ‘herbwife’ who understood, how these things worked, and she prepared a natural brew according to her knowledge. Nowadays scientific technology has; ‘streamlined’ the process by taking the active ingredient out of the herb and condensing it into capsule form. (For example, garlic is one of the best antibiotics around. Instead of taking antibiotics, or garlic tablets, when you have a bacterial infection, simply ingest real garlic.)
I wish I could say, «Take this capsule and all your cellulite troubles will be over,» but that would be an incomplete solution.
Lately certain herbal capsules have been presented to the public as if they were a miracle cure. Generally speaking, they are pretty good. My only reservation is that without exercise and good diet, the tablets will only produce minimal results – and I would not want any reader to feel that any tablet provides the complete solution.
Medical practitioners argue that it is very hard to accurately measure herbal doses. With critically ill patients, where every moment is vital to saving life, that is fair comment. To administer the vital ingredient found in, say, a handful of fresh herbs is always a ballpark estimate and not down to the smallest milligram. When dealing with precise amounts that affect disease treatment, doctors need to, know exactly how much to administer. They can adjust the dose incrementally.
But for those of us who are not at death’s door, merely knocking at the door that leads to better lifestyle, herbal treatments are just fine.
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Anything that grows out of the ground, from a vine, out of a tree, and is plucked and eaten in its natural form is the best way to eat it. However, in practical terms, we cannot eat, say, a raw potato. So what’s the best way to cook a potato? Not French fries, that’s for sure!
After ‘raw’, the next best way to eat a potato would be a steamed – where it hasn’t been stripped of its nutrients. Boiled is pretty good but steamed is better. A steamed potato can be absolutely delicious.
The more you tamper and process the food from its raw state, the more you strip it of goodness. It then becomes what I call ‘non-live’ – gone from a ‘live’ state to a ‘non-live’ state because you processed and cooked all the goodness out of it. Fresh and cooked correctly, food is always delicious.
It’s just a question of getting your tastebuds back to* a place where you can recognise what food really tastes like. Then you start enjoying it. You shouldn’t make a radical shift if you’re’not used to eating like that, but you should start trying. Steam it and eat it with something you really enjoy – an avocado perhaps. Try low – fat ricotta or low – fat yoghurt with parsley for a creamy taste.
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Professional counselors exist because sometimes it helps to talk things out. And sometimes it helps to speak to another woman.
From a counselor’s point of view, it doesn’t worry them if they’re talking to Two Tonne Tessie or Skinny Minnie. They have seen it all before.
As a professional counselor, if I can make people feel better about themselves – that’s my satisfaction. Most counselors feel the same way.
Summary
• Use all the help you can get!
• Have fun along the way.
• Stick to it – results will happen pretty fast.
• Then continue – don’t get bored.
• Be truthful to yourself and start exercising within your zone and progress to interval training.
From a counselor’s point of view, it doesn’t worry me if I’m talking to Two Tonne Tessie or Skinny Minnie. Hike the, person I’m talking to and if I can make that person feel better about herself – that’s my satisfaction. .And that’s how most counselors feel.
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Skin CareIdentify by flexing
Your bottom and your thighs usually show the first signs of cellulite. To identify cellulite, flex your bottom or your legs. You mightn’t see it with the naked eye when you are standing still, but if you flex those muscles it’ll give you an indication.
Tighten your bottom and it’ll tell you. You’ll get dimples.
Checking yourself out like this will help you identify what parts of your body you need to target. And you can do it with a little change step-by-step at a time. Don’t make your program into a chore, understand the importance and the improvements it will make. Remember how you assessed yourself in that mirror -negatively and positively. Once improvements start you will feel happier in yourself.
All positive efforts will make an impact, provided you keep doing them
If you do anything, instead of doing absolutely nothing, you are going to make a definite impact on shifting cellulite. Even misguided exercise will produce a result.
However, if you make no changes, and keep doing what you’ve always been doing – eating what you’ve always been eating, living the same lifestyle with the same level of inactivity – your body is going to produce what it has always produced: more cellulite. It will also produce poor heart-lung efficiency, poor muscle tone and susceptibility to viruses, diseases and illnesses, and you will remain overweight.
Diet can help to shift cellulite. Exercise more so, because it stimulates the body and gets the circulation going. This is the key to shifting cellulite because good circulation gets the blood moving and this is what disperses cellulite in a way that nature intended.
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There is no such thing as failure, it is always a learning experience. In other words, being unsuccessful has to teach us something, otherwise we repeat the lesson until we get it right. Understand what each situation has to teach you and move on.
It is necessary to forgive if we are to grow. Firstly, forgive your parents for their shortcomings as they did the best they could. Then forgive yourself for past mistakes. Bach Flower remedies: larch and elm.
I will never forget a lady who came to my practice with many problems. All the time she was complaining about her husband. I finally said, ‘Why don’t you bring him along for therapy and I’ll help you by talking to him?’
Her reply staggered me: ‘I haven’t seen him for ten years. We were divorced years ago.’ I couldn’t believe how this man was still so much in her thoughts. She was holding on to so many grievances, destroying her life by not forgiving him for whatever real or imagined slights he had done to her.
When I was able to point this out to her, she released her internal stress and healed herself. It was the beginning of a new life when she understood that her attitude needed to change. Her thoughts were only poisoning herself. They weren’t hurting him. He had obviously chosen someone else who made his life happy. If she had realised earlier how negative her attitude was, she might still have her husband rather than a broken family —for her children had decided life was easier with Dad.
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The responsible action is to have your spine checked before you get pregnant. To prepare for the healthiest baby possible, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol and update your nutritional requirements. Stay away from coffee and tea, drink plenty of fluids and make walking part of your day.
You should have your spine and pelvis assessed to see if your pelvis is out of alignment, not only can you develop sciatica, but you can be in for a longer and more difficult labour. A distortion of the pelvis may contribute to a baby developing in the wrong position. The pubic bone could take longer to release in labour.
If your lower spine is in trouble from uncorrected sprains, you can have problems with constipation and varicose veins. If the spinal nerves are irritated your kidneys may give you trouble in late pregnancy.
All chiropractors/osteopaths constantly treat pregnant women. It is safe and necessary to have any structural faults corrected as soon as possible so the pregnant woman doesn’t suffer pain and backache. (There is a short time in pregnancy at the fifth month, when pelvic ligaments naturally stretch as the pelvic angle changes.) This should not create pain. Why have pain in the back and legs when it is totally unnecessary! If your body structure is correctly positioned then there is no suffering, only sensation.
Contrary to popular fears, chiropractic adjustment will not induce miscarriage. Women are more likely to miscarry if problems are not adjusted. That is our experience.
You have only to give up wearing high heels to accommodate the pelvic tilting. Have a rest with a pillow under your knees in the afternoon. It is not normal to suffer in pregnancy. It is a joy if you are well.
Nutritionally deficient mothers are more likely to have babies with neural tube defects and birth abnormalities. That’s why it’s important to take folic acid with an increase in dietary iron during pregnancy. If you have difficulty absorbing iron, ask your doctor for vitamin B12 injections.
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The main problems here are due to insufficient fluid in the diet and/or not enough fibrous matter such as fruit, vegetables, salads and unrefined breads. Watch to see if the faeces are small and hard.
Add linseed to the breakfast oatmeal. Include fresh fruit in the lunch. Especially give glasses of water or diluted fruit juice during the day, though early morning is important. Give your child slippery elm, as a powder perhaps mashed with banana, or tablets are available.
Laser acupuncture is excellent for difficult cases of constipation and homoeopathic bryonia is often required for babies. Children who have enough fluids and correct foods perhaps need to run around more, or try swimming exercises.
Cranial adjusting for constipation-A chiropractic colleague successfully treated a three-year-old who was constipated from birth. In his early years, the child was so distressed when he came to do a toilet motion that he used to scream with agony.
Attempts by the doctor at internal manipulation of the bowel did not help at all. The chiropractor looked at the case quite differently and therapy used was spectacularly successful. It gently eased the torsion of the child’s spinal cord. It is a cranial technique requiring finesse and experience. The cure upset the doctor who had been unable to help, but produced unutterable relief for the child and mother. The case was reported in the local paper at the time.
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Stomach cramp may have a number of causes — structural, dietary or emotional.
Chiropractic fixes the structural problem promptly with a simple adjustment between the shoulder blades. At the same time, it straightens droopy shoulders and corrects posture, all in one go, and for the same price! The nerve supply to the stomach just needs a little help. You do feel good after that!
Acupuncture relaxes the energy around the stomach if the cramp comes from tension. Worry about exams or family, social or business stress can bring that on.
Magnesium phosphate cell salts with lecithin granules or tablets are a good way to help you help yourself. Chamomile and valerian teas with honey are pleasant and effective. Don’t forget a warm bath, there is nothing like hydrotherapy.
Homoeopathics recommended are:
Bryonia if there is sickness with movement and after food, there is an acid
taste.
Carbo veg if there is gas and pain.
Chamomile if irritable also and hates warm drinks.
Nux vom if overindulgence is the reason for the stomach cramp.
Pulsatilla if there’s no thirst with a dry mouth when waking in the morning.
Slow down and chew your food really well before swallowing as important gastric enzymes are in the mouth. Food allergies should be considered, as should the mixing of food types. (See the Hay Diet under Indigestion.)
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This condition is so easy to help. Mucous congestion in the lungs indicates two things: Firstly that the nerve supply to the chest (between the shoulder blades) is usually in trouble and an adjustment here quickly frees the rib tension along with the tight muscles around them.
Secondly that the fluid balances in the internal system needs balancing with moxibustion, a type of acupuncture which does not require needles.
This therapy – a favourite of mine as it gives immediate relief- dries up the excess fluid internally.
William’s story-A ten-year-old child with constant bronchitis was sent to me for therapy. The boy enjoyed the massage of his chest and spine, and I showed the mother how to do the stroking movements. His middle spine was then adjusted. It made the usual interesting clicking sound which surprised him but didn’t hurt him. Next his ribs were adjusted which freed the rib-cage allowing it to expand more and breathing became easier.
The moxa stick was set alight. (I try to hide what I’m doing in case the little ones want to copy me by burning matches too). Then I heated points on the chest and between the shoulder blades. This relaxed the boy, while warming him inside and the coughing gradually stopped.
After moxibustion, sticky mucus comes up very easily with no tearing chest pain.
Seek this treatment quickly before you cough so persistently that your rib muscles spasm, your head aches and you and everyone around you can’t sleep! (Ribs have fractured from excessive coughing.) In fact a course of moxibustion finally fixed my bronchitis.
Don’t confuse bronchitis with more serious conditions. If you smoke and have a cough you can’t get rid of, have a chest X-ray without delay. Cancer cures smoking. If you cough up blood you must see your doctor. It could be serious as well as painful.
Effective mineral salts include potassium chloride and ferrum phosphate. Potassium sulphate is added if the phlegm is coloured yellow or green. These are practitioner-supplied tablets.
Homoeopathies such as bryonia, ipecac and sulphur are helpful depending on the overall symptoms.
Carol’s story-As child my memory is of coughing constantly. My mother would stand by my bed, rubbing Vicks into my chest. A bout of coughing forced me constantly to leave the church choir in which I sang for all my teenage years.
When my first son was born, I was extremely ill, and after an operation, suffered an extremely bad bout of bronchitis. From this time on, my life was plagued with coughing. The remainder of my household would sleep soundly and I would be up coughing all night long. The congestion in my chest was unbearable. I attended a leading chest specialist in Macquarie Street. He suggested a series of injections which I duly had with no effect.
The end result was a horror of winter approaching. I felt I was rattling with antibiotics and needles and absolutely nothing made me feel better.
Several years ago I was attending a dinner party. I became obviously distressed and embarrassed at yet another bout of coughing. A guest approached sympathetically. She asked me had I thought of going to an osteopath. The very next day I went.
The effect of the treatment was immediate. I left feeling refreshed, my congestion eased, but most importantly I felt at last I had found someone who understood my distress. The treatment has been a miracle for me. I no longer dread winter. Occasionally I have endured a mild attack but on seeking the ‘magic’ soothing treatment I feel calmer, less congested and certainly able to keep my horrid bronchitis under control. It has been a year since the last attack.
*66\19\2*
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Additionally, however, it is necessary to combat the disease from within the body by taking a calcium preparation (Urticalcin) and Lachesis 12x. For external treatment apply cabbage leaf and clay poultices in alternation. The clay for the poultice should be made into a paste using horsetail tea. Poultices of grated horseradish mixed with soft white cheese (quark) can also be used; these are stronger and especially effective. Pure horseradish may be too strong, so mix it with soft white cheese or finely grated carrots to reduce the strength. One-third horseradish with two-thirds cheese or carrots will still give you the full healing benefit of horseradish and do the job well. With these treatments a bad sore throat can be cured fast.
If a cough or catarrh follows the throat trouble, take syrup made from raw pine shoots (Santasapina) or ribwort syrup and Kali iod. 4x, besides Imperatoria. These harmless remedies prevent the tonsillitis toxins from invading other parts of the body. But if they are already in the blood, it is essential to stimulate the kidneys to greater activity so that the toxins can be eliminated as quickly as possible. While Solidago and kidney tea are best for this purpose, sweating cures support the elimination process; any method of inducing perspiration is suitable, as long as the patient can tolerate the procedure.
A follow-up cure is indispensable to eliminate the toxins completely. This can be achieved by taking kidney drops, such as Nephrosolid, and liver drops. Steam baths also help to speed up the excretion of toxins. During the treatment the patient’s diet should be low in protein and salt and high in vitamins and minerals. Never shy away from the effort and bother the thorough and careful treatment of a bad sore throat may entail. It will save you the troublesome consequences that often leave a patient with permanent damage.
*137/28/1*
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The unnatural strain of artificial light, which we impose on our eyes year after year, will no longer bother us if we adapt our daily routine to the coming and going of daylight. This is the natural order of things established by God and the more we set ourselves against it, the more our eyes will tire and suffer. Indeed, if things go on much longer as they do, one day it will be hard to imagine a person without spectacles. We hardly ever stop to think about the detrimental consequences of our unnatural life-style, do we? Immersed as we are in an atmosphere of artificiality, we have lost touch with nature, we are out of tune and can no longer learn and follow its natural rhythm. How would plants fare if day and night they had to live in the light, without a chance to regenerate themselves in darkness? Their cells would tire out and suffer damage and their natural functions would be impaired. Why, then, should not man, the crown of Creation, conform to the harmony of the natural laws? Why should he not use and enjoy to the full the priceless, wondrous exhilaration of the early morning hours, rather than miss out on them, lying in bed asleep while outside the sun is shining gloriously, and do during the night what was not done in the morning hours? Why should anyone create restless nights for himself, only because they did not sleep soundly during the hours before midnight, building up strength for the next day’s work? If we could only reorganise our schedule of activities our eyes would indeed benefit greatly. When light fades, let us put aside our work, and when daylight comes once more, take it up again, strengthened and refreshed. Not only our eyes, but our whole body will benefit from this natural way of life.
*115/28/1*
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At the onset of a flu virus we should carefully consider four main aspects for successful treatment.
In the first place we must make use of a physical therapy through which we can assist the body to excrete bacterial toxins. At the same time, we must watch the condition of the heart during sweating cures. With this in mind, we can then proceed to induce sweating through the application of compresses, wet packs or a steam bath.
In addition to the compresses, it is also beneficial to apply cold compresses to the calves. The patient will then be more comfortable and able to sleep.
If the illness is affecting the heart, give the heart tonic Cardi-aforce, or fruit juice sweetened with honey. Or simply serve herbal tea or just water sweetened with honey. Pure grape sugar (condensed grape juice) also has an immediate effect in strengthening weak heart muscles.
The body should be frequently washed with an infusion of thyme or juniper needles, even if the patient may perspire only moderately.
For a severe bout of flu, the patient should take Podophyllum 4x, Chelidonium 4x (celandine) and Taraxacum (dandelion), since these remedies are good for the liver. And as already stated, the patient should drink raw carrot juice for the liver, and apply cabbage leaf poultices to the liver region during the night.
If it happens to be a head or nerve flu, Avena sativa and Acid, phos. 4x, in addition to a biological calcium preparation, are indicated; in severe cases also Fiebrisan and Echinaforce. The simultaneous application of crushed cabbage leaves on the nape of the neck has an excellent effect.
Oral hygiene must be observed in all infectious diseases, including influenza. The patient must clean his teeth regularly and remove any coating on the tongue with a toothbrush. Gargling with Molko-san backs up the healing process greatly.
Patients with common influenza will benefit from Influaforce, a homoeopathic flu remedy (see below).
All infectious diseases make the lungs work overtime in order to burn up toxins, so the sick room should be aired frequently. Provided that the patient is well covered, a pleasantly cool room is better than an overheated one.
*92/28/1*
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If the ailing child is already weaned, instead of cow’s milk give the child almond milk only. However, this requires accurate weight control. Some babies cannot assimilate vegetable protein and will lose weight. In such cases, if a protein supplement in the form of soy flour does not produce the necessary weight gain, animal protein, in this case milk, will have to be resorted to once more. Frequently, goat’s milk or sheep’s milk is better tolerated than cow’s milk. Older children suffering from very stubborn cases of cradle cap should be given wheat germ. In all cases, nothing but natural remedies should be employed, never chemical preparations.
Sometimes the natural treatment brings very quick relief, but there are other cases that require more time and patience. As an example, one worried mother wrote to me asking for advice on how to cure her little daughter’s cradle cap. She also sent a sample of the child’s urine, an analysis of which revealed the existence of a liver problem. Almond milk and diluted carrot juice, to be given as a bottle-feed, were recommended, as well as a biological calcium preparation to rectify the girl’s calcium deficiency. Mild stimulation of the kidneys was also necessary, for which a very weak kidney tea with a little Solidago (goldenrod) was prescribed. In addition, Violaforce was prescribed; this is the best remedy for cradle cap and the one that especially guarantees a successful result. For external treatment it was recommended that the mother use St John’s wort oil and then dust with Urticalcin powder. Bran baths are excellent for this too.
*70/28/1*
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An inflammation which has been improperly treated, or not treated at all, frequently leaves nodules, or knots of cells, in the breast. This may possibly lead to breast cancer in later years. Gynaecologists are always on the alert when having to examine the breasts of patients, because breast cancer is very often detected. The breast being susceptible in this regard, it should be given more than the usual care and attention.
Inflammation of the breast can develop from a simple bruise. More frequently, however, an inflammation appears after delivery, during the period of lactation or at the time of weaning. It is imperative to treat an inflammation immediately, since lumps may form that lead to cysts. In cases where an abscess forms, it is best to let it come to a head and break open by itself. Of course, it may also be opened surgically. In either case scars will remain as the scar tissue will have lost its elasticity.
*47/28/1*
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Tumours inside the skull can arise from the meninges (the coverings around the brain), the blood vessels, the pituitary gland, or the brain substance itself. By far the most common malignant tumour is a secondary tumour; these are most common as complications of lung cancer, but they may come from any organ in the body. After secondary cancer, the most common primary cancer group are called the gliomas, which are tumours of the nerve cells themselves. After this, tumours arising from the meninges are the next most common.
The exact symptoms produced by a tumour depend entirely upon where it is, what it’s pressing on, and what structures it may be invading and destroying. Tumours at the front of the brain can produce a progressive change in personality, or alterations in the emotions, giving either euphoria or irritability. Further back, tumours can produce epilepsy and/or weakness of the limbs on the opposite side of the body.
Tumours in the side part of the brain called the temporal lobe can produce progressive inability to speak, and sometimes hallucinations; and tumours low down at the base of the brain cause a rise in pressure within the brain. This can lead to a condition called hydrocephalus (water on the brain), which causes severe headaches and vomiting, and which, in small children, can cause progressive enlargement of the head. Coordination is often a problem for people who have tumours in this position.
Benign tumours are relatively easy to treat and some malignant tumours respond to treatment, but others are relatively resistant. Surgery is usually the best treatment for benign tumours; malignant primary tumours can be successfully cut out, but the surgeon won’t want to remove too much of the brain tissue, and it may be difficult to remove a malignant tumour completely. Often surgery is used to begin with, then chemotherapy or radiotherapy afterwards. Surgery is seldom used in secondary tumours; these are often multiple, and impossible to remove completely.
The response to treatment depends very much on the exact type of tumour; tumours arising from the same type of tissue in two different patients may have quite different sensitivities to treatment. The response to treatment is very much an individual matter and doctors in the cancer clinics will often try a particular course of treatment, and then adjust the treatment according to the individual response.
*71\20\2*
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On the other hand, sometimes a blow is sufficient to dish in the skull, in which case the broken bones are now pressing on the brain and preventing its proper functioning. When this happens, many of the same symptoms occur as with bleeding underneath a fracture. Briefly, pressure on the brain causes a stroke-like effect, the patient becomes drowsy or loses consciousness, has a dreadful headache, may lose control of his vision so that he sees double, and the automatically controlled irises in the eye may go awry, so that one pupil becomes large and won’t react to light.
If these things occur, then the patient urgently needs an operation to lift the depressed pieces of bone. Once the pressure on the brain is relieved, it starts to work normally again. And provided the head injury has not irreparably damaged the brain tissue underlying the fracture, full recovery should follow.
How do you know if you have a fractured skull? A useful rule of thumb is that if you’ve been knocked out, or if you’ve had a blow from a blunt object which was hard enough to rupture the skin, you need to be seen in Casualty straightaway.
If you’ve been knocked out, or if the X-ray shows that you have fractured your skull, you’ll need to be admitted to hospital for observation for twenty-four hours, to make sure that internal bleeding isn’t developing.
One small event causes a lot of confusion and is worth mentioning. A relatively minor blow to a child’s forehead often brings up the most mountainous bruise, which usually frightens the life out of his parents! The child falls, bashing his head on the edge of a table and within minutes, there’s the bruise – rising a quarter of an inch above the normal level of the skin.
I call this the ‘Korky the cat’ phenomenon! If you remember back to the days when you read the ‘Dandy’, you’ll remember that every time one of the characters received a bang on the head, immediately he was pictured as having a mountainous bruise. This is really only a reflection of what happens to so many small children in the same circumstances. Although the bruise often looks awful, it seldom means anything important. So long as there is no cut in the skin, a cold compress will help to reduce the swelling, as will a hanky dipped in witchhazel, pressed to the bruise. And it usually goes down quite quickly, too. However, if the blow caused a cut in the skin; if the child was knocked out or can’t remember the incident; if he seems drowsy, is seeing double, or is vomiting, or in any way seems to be behaving unusually, then it is time to take him to Casualty.
*56\20\2*
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The key to self-help is avoidance. Make sure that you have your blood pressure measured from time to time. This is especially important if you have a family history of high blood pressure, or if your own blood pressure is known to be a little higher than normal. (In this case, more regular checks are likely to be needed.)
If your doctor is giving you tablets for blood pressure make sure you take them regularly, even if you get some side-effects. Do, by the way, tell your doctor about any side-effects. There are many different ways of treating high blood pressure and it may be that the drug you’re using at the moment doesn’t suit you as well as some of the others might.
If you’ve already had a stroke, then do attend to what your doctor and physiotherapist are telling you. In particular, if your physiotherapist is suggesting some exercises, take time to do them. It will help considerably to keep your remaining muscles trim and get the very best out of muscles that have been partially paralysed. By exercising properly you will be minimising the after-effects of your stroke to a degree you might not think possible at the moment.
Finally, if you are getting pains in your head, neck, or back following a stroke, don’t suffer in silence – tell your doctor.
*46\20\2*
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Meningitis is an infection of the coverings of the brain, whereas encephalitis is an infection of the brain tissue itself usually as a result of a viral infection. Often a small amount of encephalitis occurs as part of a viral illness, such as mumps or measles. Mostly the inflammation is minimal and spontaneously disappears without trace once the infection is over. In the moderately severe viral infections such as influenza it is probably a mild degree of encephalitis which is responsible for the transient disordered dreams, drowsiness, and slight irritability that sometimes accompanies these conditions.
More rarely, a more severe form of encephalitis from mumps, measles, etc., can cause permanent brain damage such as deafness or mental handicap. Sometimes infection is primarily in the brain itself, and in the really bad cases, encephalitis can be life-threatening. In cases like this there may be fits, gross alterations in the level of consciousness with extreme drowsiness or even coma. Severe cases of encephalitis look more or less exactly like meningitis, with vomiting, a stiff neck, and a severe headache.
The approach to treatment is the same, too. Clinically it is often impossible to tell meningitis and encephalitis apart without doing a lumbar puncture and other special tests. Urgent hospital admission is necessary, exactly as in the case of meningitis.
Patients with severe encephalitis are obviously ill; but because most cases are due to viral infections, often little can be done; unlike bacteria, viruses don’t respond to antibiotics. However, the herpes virus group does respond to the antiviral agent acyclovir and in severe cases acyclovir given by injection may help to limit (not remove) an encephalitis thought to be caused by this type of virus.
Fortunately, severe encephalitis is rare; treatment is entirely in the hands of orthodox medicine and no self-help nor alternative therapies are appropriate. Mild cases of encephalitis (where the encephalitis is really just part of an overall infection, such as flu or mumps) usually resolve spontaneously; the headache and other symptoms they produce are best treated symptomatically.
*31\20\2*
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Half those questioned about their migraines say that their migraine has interfered with their career and job prospects. Migraine has a considerable effect on our ability to work. With minor attacks it’s possible to work through a migraine, but in full-blown attacks it’s impossible. Not only is the headache so severe that you can hardly think, but it is worsened by excess noise, motion, flickering lights, stress and computer VDUs, to say nothing of strong smells.
Despite the fact that millions of working days are lost each year due to migraine, only about a third of employees have ever told their doctor that they suffer from migraine, even though they may find that it is triggered at work. It is interesting in that the group who are least likely to tell their employers about their migraine are those in middle management, for whom advancement and job prospects are so important.
Migraine attacks at work present two different problem^ firstly, work is more likely to trigger off migraines, simply because so many trigger factors may be present. Furthermore, stress may trigger off migraines in certain people, and work often stresses tis more than anything else. Finally allergic triggers, such as chemicals and strong smells may also be present in your workplace.
It’s not just stress and over-work that can cause damage, either. Underwork can do it, too. Therefore, if your job consists of mere machine minding, with little to do from hour to hour except to wait for the occasional problem, then you may get more migraines as a result.
Migraines can be quite dangerous at work, for several reasons. Firstly, your attention and concentration is likely to be reduced because of the pain, so you may make mistakes and errors of judgement. Secondly, if you’re working near machinery you may not be aware of danger, particularly if you’ve got distorted vision or a blind spot in your field of view. It also means you shouldn’t be driving if you have visual impairment of this sort. Thirdly, if you get paralysis or weakness you may not be able to control your car or your machine properly. Lastly, your mental functioning declines in migraine, and you may not be able to form sentences properly during the aura phase – and this is potentially dangerous if you need to give clear instructions or make complex decisions.
Once the attack has started, work is not a helpful place to be. In a bad attack a migraineur needs quiet and rest, and most factories and offices are anything but restful, quiet places.
If at the beginning of an attack you can get rest and quiet for a time, and take whatever medication you usually need, then you may abort the attack and be able to return to work; but, if there is no rest room or sick room where you can go and lie down, then the attack is likely to continue and you’ll be off work for the next day or so.
*15\20\2*
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