Secrets to a Stress-Free Home How would you like to walk into a spa—and never leave? With top destination spas like Canyon Ranch and the Four Seasons creating residential developments both nationally and abroad, that’s becoming a legitimate (albeit expensive) option. Not ready to pack your boxes? That’s OK. Those of you living in the (very) real world, can borrow these live-in-spa secrets from the pros to transform your home into a stress-free sanctuary.
Read more... Study: Weather Change Can Trigger Throbbing Headaches MONDAY, March 9, 2009 — Most people who are prone to headaches or migraines suspect that certain things, such as red wine or strong perfume, can trigger their head pain. Now a new study suggests that rising temperatures could trigger headaches, too.
According to a study published Monday in the journal Neurology, a spike in temperature may be enough to land some headache-prone people in the emergency room. The researchers found that for every 5-degrees-Celsius increase in temperature, the risk of a hospital-related headache visit went up 7.5 percent in the next 24-hour period. And a drop in barometric air pressure, which tends to happen before it rains, was also linked to a greater risk of headaches in the next 48 to 72 hours. While people may think they’ve got a handle on their migraine triggers, in truth, weather changes may be to blame for at least some of those headaches, says Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD, the study’s lead author and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. “In the summer, you may think that ice cream set off your migraine,” he says. “But it wasn’t the ice cream—it was the temperature increase on that very hot day that led you to eat the ice cream.” Dr. Mukamal’s team looked at 7,054 patients diagnosed with headaches in the emergency room of Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center over a span of seven years; they compared factors like temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, and pollution for the period immediately preceding and following each patient’s hospital visit. While temperature and barometric pressure were linked to headaches, pollution—which is linked to a greater risk of heart attack and stroke—was not associated with migraines. But Dr. Mukamal isn’t ruling out the possibility. “Our city was not big enough to say for sure that air pollution is off the hook,” he says, adding that a similar study performed in Los Angeles (where air pollution levels are considerably higher) might yield different results. The study isn’t without limitations, though: It excluded migraines that did not result in a trip to the hospital, says Ellen Drexler, MD, associate professor of neurology at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. Migraines affect up to 18 percent of women and 6 percent of men in the United States. So do the headache-prone need to stay indoors when the temperature starts to climb? Not necessarily, experts say. Instead of holing up in an air-conditioned home, a migraineur may be able to take medication to prevent head pain. For example, taking beta-blockers is one way to prevent a migraine. But many people don’t like taking routinely taking prescription drugs to prevent migraines, says Dr. Mukamal. “Migraines often happen to younger people, who have a particular reticence to daily medication,” he adds. Not all experts would recommend using medication to prevent temperature-change-related migraines. “I certainly would not suggest that a patient take symptomatic medication such as a triptan just because of a weather prediction—especially considering the track record of our weathermen,” says Dr. Drexler. “Although a dose of a simple analgesic in the morning might be helpful for some people.” Overall, the weather probably is not as a big a migraine trigger as, say, a glass of Cabernet, explains Dr. Drexler. She recommends that patients keep pain diaries and log in weather conditions as well. If a patient finds that weather is, in fact, a trigger, he or she can potentially avoid a migraine by taking extra precautions to avoid other triggers (such as caffeine) on those days. Read more... 5 Simple Things That Could Cut Your Breast Cancer Risk Alcohol, consumed even in small amounts, is believed to increase the risk of breast cancer. Most doctors recommend cutting back on wine, beer, and hard liquor.
A recent study showed the link between drinking and breast cancer was especially strong in the 70% of tumors known as hormone-sensitive. By Lorie Parch Read more... Headache Everyone gets headaches, but not everyone gets the same kind. Some headaches are mild annoyances that go away with over-the-counter pain relievers and rest. Others, like migraines, can shut down a person's life during an attack. About 20 million Americans see a doctor each year for headaches. Read more... Asthma in Adults Definition : Asthma is a long-lasting inflammatory lung disease, characterized by: * Constriction of the airways in the lungs * Swelling of the lining of the bronchial tubes in the lungs * Secretion of excessive amounts of thick mucus This inflammation is activated by irritants or allergens, called triggers. As a result, you may have trouble breathing, be short of breath, wheeze and cough. Sometimes your symptoms can become severe enough to warrant treatment in an emergency room. Asthma usually begins in childhood, although onset in adulthood is not uncommon. About 20 million people in the United States have asthma. And more than 70 percent of people with asthma have allergies. Treatment focuses on: * "Rescue," usually by means of a device called an inhaler when your symptoms are severe enough to cause trouble breathing. * Prevention of symptoms, by a combination of managing triggers (eliminating dust, for example) and medications. Prognosis There is no known cure for asthma. In most people, symptoms get less severe as they get older. However, asthma can be a complication for older adults who develop other respiratory problems, such as emphysema. Effective management of your condition can help you live a healthy and full life. Read more... Aging and Insomnia Don't Go Hand-in-Hand It's said that the older people get, the less sleep they need. If you're having trouble sleeping at night or you wake up tired, you should know that insomnia isn't a normal part of aging.
As you age, your levels of growth hormone and melatonin (which control sleeping and waking) decline. This can make you go to sleep earlier and wake up earlier, sleep more lightly or wake up several times during the night. Like younger adults, you still need seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Something besides normal aging may be causing your problem if: * You depend on pills to sleep * You haven't slept soundly in over a month * You often become sleepy at times when you should be alert (such as behind the wheel) Common causes of insomnia in seniors Several health conditions that affect older people can interfere with sleep, including: * Diabetes * Arthritis * Cancer * High blood pressure * Incontinence * Parkinson's disease * Alzheimer's disease * Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease * Heart disease * An enlarged prostate These conditions may cause breathing difficulties, frequent urination or pain that awakens you during the night. If you think an illness is causing your insomnia, talk to your doctor. Sleep disorders If you have sleep apnea, you may stop breathing at times during the night. Another condition, restless legs syndrome, causes an unpleasant sensation in the legs and an intense need to move them while lying down. If you think you have either condition, speak with your doctor. Medications Some medications can affect sleeping. These include: * Calcium channel blockers * Cardiovascular drugs * Beta blockers * Decongestants * Antidepressants If this is the case, your doctor may recommend a different drug or ask you to take your medication at a different time of day. Remember to cut down on caffeine and nicotine, which can also interfere with sleep. Other factors affecting sleep The lifestyle changes and emotional ups and downs of aging can also affect sleep. If you're less active than you used to be, your body may not know it still needs just as much sleep. Getting more exercise during the day - at least two hours before bedtime - can help. So can getting at least two hours of bright-light exposure each day. This can come from the sun or from a light box, which your doctor can recommend. Don't nap for more than 20 minutes during the day, or you may have trouble falling asleep at night. If feelings of sadness or anxiety are keeping you awake, talk to your doctor. You may be suffering from depression or an anxiety disorder, both of which can be treated. Remember that sleeplessness is not a normal part of aging. Simple changes and your doctor's suggestions can help you get the rest you need. Read more... Hair Transplantation in Men: Is It Right for You? If you're thinking about a hair transplant, be sure you have realistic expectations. Hair restoration techniques have improved greatly in recent years, but there are limits. The success of a transplant still depends on how much healthy hair you have to donate and how fast you are losing hair.
How does hair transplantation work? For a hair transplant, a surgeon takes natural groupings of hair follicles and replants them in places where hair has been lost. Older methods involved taking as many as 50 "donor" hair follicles and replanting as an unnatural-looking plug of hair on a cleared-out patch on the scalp. With newer techniques, natural one-to-five hair groupings are removed and implanted in-between existing hair follicles. The result is often so natural that it makes the new growth almost undetectable from the old. Are hair transplants right for you? Hair transplant may be a solution if you have male (or female) pattern baldness. It may also be helpful if you have patches of hair loss from scarring, burns, radiation therapy or infection. To be a good candidate for hair transplant, you must have enough healthy existing hair to donate. If you don't, or if you are losing a lot of hair quickly, hair transplants may not be a good option for you. The best results occur when there are well-defined areas of hair loss and dense hair growth on the sides and back of the scalp. It's also helpful to have a combination of fine and coarse hairs. Light-colored hair often looks more natural than darker hair. What is the surgical procedure? Hair transplant surgery is usually done by a plastic surgeon, dermatologist or other surgeon who specializes in hair restoration surgery. The procedure may take place in your doctor's office under local anesthesia. The surgeon will: * Remove from the scalp tiny strips of skin that have natural clusters of healthy hair follicles. * Divide the strips into smaller grafts of various sizes. * Place the grafts in small holes or slits made in balding or thinning areas on your scalp. Hair can also be grafted in other areas, such as your beard or eyebrows. * Close up the donor hair sites. Usually only very small scars remain, which can be covered by hair. Each hair transplant session may last from one to several hours. It may take several sessions over a span of months to fill in a bald area. Sometimes, surgeons may use a combination of hair-restoration techniques for the best results. These may include scalp lifts, scalp reduction or tissue expansion. As with any surgery, there is always a risk of complications, such as bleeding and infection. These risks are rare. There may also be prolonged scalp numbness and some grafts may not grow in their new location. What can you expect after surgery? Recovery is generally fairly quick. You may have a bandage for 24 hours and some swelling or bruising around your eyes for a few days. Your scalp may crust or scab over for a week or so after that. You are often able to resume daily activities right away and exercise after two weeks. Don't be surprised if your new hair growth falls out a few weeks after surgery. This is normal and usually temporary. It may start to grow again in five to six weeks, at the rate of about one-half inch a month. Some men find that using one of two medications after surgery may help slow hair loss and increase the quality and density of new hair growth. They are minoxidil, a nonprescription cream, and finasteride, an oral prescription medication. But be sure to ask your doctor before using anything on the scalp after surgery. Read more...
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