All about Blood Pressure

What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force of your blood against your artery walls. When you have your blood pressure checked the reading has two numbers; one on top and one on bottom.

The top number is your systolic pressure. This is the force of your blood in your arteries when your heart beats. The bottom number is your diastolic pressure. This is the force of your blood in your arteries when your heart relaxes in-between beats.

Normal blood pressure would be a reading of 120/80 or lower. High blood pressure would be a reading of 140/90 or higher. If you have high blood pressure you are at a greater risk of a stroke or heart and kidney disease.

Many things can cause high blood pressure including physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, stress and your diet. These are only a few things. Certain medical conditions and medications can also cause high blood pressure.

High blood pressure can cause your body to have certain effects. For instance it can cause a stroke. The high pressure can cause a weakened blood vessel to break causing it to bleed into the brain; thus leaving you with a stroke.

High blood pressure can also sometimes cause your blood vessels in your eyes to bleed or burst. If this happens your vision will be blurred or impaired and might even result in blindness. Another reason it is best to keep control on your blood pressure.

Along with a stroke or kidney disease high blood pressure can also cause a heart attack. Your arteries are what bring blood carrying oxygen to your heart muscle. If your heart is not getting enough oxygen you will experience chest pain. If the blood flow is blocked as well you will experience a heart attack.

Congestive Heart Failure is very common among people with high blood pressure. This is a very serious condition where your heart cannot pump enough blood to supply the needs of your body. It is never too late to start taking control of your health starting with your blood pressure.

Anyone can develop high blood pressure, even children. It is more common for African Americans to develop it. Many Americans will develop high blood pressure as they age but that doesn't mean it is healthy.

Obesity plays a role in high blood pressure. If you are over weight you are at a higher risk of having high blood pressure as well as a stroke or heart disease. Try to lose at least ten pounds and this will help lower your blood pressure significantly.

Eating a healthy diet is a great way to lower or control your blood pressure. Limit your intake of salt and sodium and introduce more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet. Once you establish your healthy diet you will have less worry of developing high blood pressure.

You should always have your blood pressure checked at your regular doctor visits. If you have high blood pressure and are concerned you can easily monitor from home. If you do this you want to have your doctor look at your home monitoring device to help ensure it is effective and you are operating it correctly.

Keep track of your blood pressure readings so you can see what is helping and what isn't. Sometimes regular lifestyle changes alone won't help as much as they would combined with blood pressure medication. Your doctor will be able to tell you what the best option for your needs would be.


 

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Do Anti-Aging Products Really Work

There are so many anti-aging creams, potions, and lotions that it can be difficult to figure out which claims are true. However, asking "do anti-aging products really work" is sort of like asking if babies cry: sometimes they do, and sometimes thy don't.

Anti-aging products have been around for a long time, for as long as merchants understood that people wanted to look younger. The problem is that sometimes the profit motive encourages sellers to make wild claims that are intended to sell product, and whether they work or not is secondary. That's not to say all anti-aging products are bad.

Research into anti-aging products has really stepped up in recent years. Competition in the marketplace has caused companies to take results more seriously, and that's a good thing for you. What that means is that skin care products have been steadily improving overall, but there are always exceptions.

So, it may be more of a question of how to tell which anti-aging products work, as opposed to if they work. There is no single answer that covers all of the bases, but there are a few things that you can look for.

Generally speaking, the more amazing the claim, the more proof that claim needs. So, if an anti-aging product claims that it can make you look ten years younger, then you need to not only see what that claim means, but you also need to see what proof they have to support that claim. Be sure to read the fine print to see exactly what evidence they provide.

Once you have verified that the claims are accurate, you need to make sure that you are getting the right product for you. There are many fine anti-aging products that really work, but they may or may not work for you. Before you buy a skin care product you need to consider what type of skin you have, what your problem is, and what kind of results you want. This will help you to zero in on the best products.

Another important factor is what ingredients are used in any product you are considering. For example, you should avoid any product that contains alcohol because it can damage your skin. On the other hand, products that contain humectants are able to moisturize your skin and lock in the moisture once it's there. Some ingredients will be obviously good or bad, while others may require a bit of research before buying a particular product.

Do anti-aging products really work? The answer is yes, a lot of them do. However, there are some that may not work for you. It can take a fair amount of trial and error before finding the anti-aging solutions that work best for you. The key is to remember that there are products that will make you longer, and once find a few, you will be more than happy with the results.


 

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How to Check Physiotherapy Credentials

When you have physiotherapy done, you are putting your body in the hands of someone you believe to be a trained professional. Pain and disfigurement could result if the procedures are done wrong. That is why it is a good idea to check a therapist's physiotherapy credentials.

Physical therapy aides may play a role in physiotherapy. One is not out of line to ask about what kind of physiotherapy credentials such a person has. The standard may simply be a two-year course of study at a Jr. College or a specialty school. Yet, it is important that the clinic is not just hiring anyone who walks in off the street.

While physical therapy aides can help with certain treatment tasks, it is the physiotherapist that assesses the condition of the patient. This person also plans the course of treatment and specific treatments like special exercises.

This physiotherapist is the person to whom the patient will return for progress reports and who will oversee the work of the physical therapy aide. It is very important to ask for the physiotherapy credentials of this professional.

College coursework beyond the bachelor's degree is required for good physiotherapy credentials. If a physiotherapy candidate meets all the requirements, a master's degree with advanced training will prepare her for work in the field.

Physiotherapy credentials to look for are: Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT), International Education Consultants (IEC), International Consultants of Delaware, Inc. (ICD), International Education Research Foundation (IERF), and International Credentialing Associates, Inc. (ICA). Regardless of whether any of these credentials are required, the CAPTE (Commission on Accreditation for Physical Therapy Education) is the first credential needed.

There are different requirements for physiotherapy credentials in all 50 states. Different physiotherapy credentialing agencies are relied upon in different states. Some require a score of 600 or more on the licensing exam. Some require on-the-job training or professional references from physiotherapists who observe them in training.

Most states also require some ongoing education to keep physiotherapy credentials current. Find out how often the license needs to be renewed in your state. Then, you will know an outdated license when you see one. If you go into a physiotherapist's office and see an old license, ask if that is the newest one. If your physiotherapist is not able to produce a current license, look elsewhere for your physiotherapy.

To check on these physiotherapy credentials, it is possible to contact the state licensing board of physical therapists. One can find the contact information of any state's physiotherapy licensing board online. If all else fails, ask the physiotherapist to provide proof of her own training and licensing. It is to her advantage to encourage trust by being open about her physiotherapy credentials.

There is no need to be suspicious or unfriendly about asking for physiotherapy credentials. Chances are your physiotherapist is perfectly qualified to meet all your needs for physical rehabilitation or help with physical problems. It is important to find out about the physiotherapy credentials, but it is just as important not to make an enemy of your physiotherapist.


 

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Treating Back Acne

Although acne is more frequently found on the face, there are instances when acne skips that part of the skin and goes to other parts of thee body such as the back, the chest and the buttocks. There are still no clear explanation why this happens except that maybe oil glands in affected parts of the body are more active than those in the face.

The cause of acne is actually the same as the causes of acne on the face. Often, eruptions are caused by the over activity of the oil glands that produce excess sebum on the skin. Experts believe that this is mainly due to changes in the body brought about by the male hormones testosterone and androgen. When there is overproduction of oil on the skin, hair follicles on the face, dead skin cells on the lining of the pores and dirt from the surrounding areas all combine to trap the sebum into the pores causing the swelling.

When this happens, resident bacteria that are normally found in the pores are activated, thus causing the skin eruptions. There are also times when bacteria outside come into the picture and settle on the pores of the skin. To fight off the attack, the body send white blood cells on the area. This then results in further swelling.

Still, many believe that body acne, particularly back acne is more of a hereditary problem than a hygienic one. People who have family history of acne are more prone to develop this kind of acne problem. There are also evidences that perspiration and tight fitting clothes may also help develop the problem. This is perhaps the reason why a lot of really active people, especially those that deal with a variety of sports have back acne.
Spandex for instance traps perspiration and dirt on the skin. When these two mixes with the natural oils produced by the body, acne can come about. Blemishes in the form of whiteheads, blackheads, papules and postules may appear.

Compared to facial acne, back acne and other types of body acne is harder to treat. They also do not respond well to scarring treatment. This is why it is important that one nip the problem in the bud before it spreads to other areas of the body. Aggressive treatment is often called for as this problem can be really stubborn.

Often, dermatologists will prescribe oral medicines, antibiotics, to help fight the problem. Medicines such as tetracycline or minocycline can often be found on the prescription paper. Retin A and benzoyl peroxide are also other options. If the problem still persists, accutane is often prescribed as a last resort because of its side effects.

Milder cases of back acne is treated with salicylic-acid cleanser. Patients are advised to wash the area every day for optimum results. They are also asked to take a shower after perspiring so as to minimize the development of the acne problem. Benzoyl peroxide is also applied on the problem area. Benzoyl has been proven to be quite effective in fighting off the problem. This is followed by a moisturizer made from alpha hydroxy acid. This will help exfoliate the skin while making sure that it does not dry out. Salicylic acid and Benzoyl peroxide are also used to treat the pimples individually.

As pieces of advice, people dealing with back acne or other forms of body acne should avoid wearing spandex clothes. As much as possible, they should wear cotton and should keep dry all the time. Apply powder or antiperspirant to prevent excessive sweating. Being hygienic and clean all the time will also help minimize the problem.


 

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What is Aspergers – The Other Austism Spectrum

Asperger's symptoms are similar to those of the other Austism Spectrum Disorders (ASD's) including Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) and High-Functioning Autism (HFA) . Asperger's Syndrome is on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum and, within this level, an individual's symptoms can range from mild to severe.

Generally speaking, individuals with AS and related disorders lack severely in social and communication skills despite the fact that their IQs typically range from normal to very high and their rote memory (associated with strict memorization) often is superior to the rest of us.

Asperger's symptoms differ from person to person and may include 1 or more of the following characteristics:

It's rather typical for someone with AS to be extremely sensitive to the environment, loud noises, clothing and food textures, and odors.

An apparent lack of nonverbal behaviors like eye contact or gaze, facial expression, body posture, and social gestures like waving are also common as is a later than usual development in language. When individuals with AS speak, it could be in a monitone-like drone, lacking in volume, intonation, inflection and rhythm. It's also quite common for AS children to speak in a formally scientific way – this has been dubbed "little professor" verbose.

Depending on the severity of the disorder, the individual will take everything that they hear literally. They have a hard time with implied meanings and sense of humor or sarcasm. On the other hand, a vast vocabulary is common in As individuals as is the fact that they start reading at an early age (hyperlexia).

In various social settings, people who suffer from AS often display socially and emotionally inappropriate behaviors. It's often difficult for them to partake in the natural "give and take" of a conversation. A lot of this has to do with their possible and unwavering obsession with just one particular subject. They might not have a real concept of personal space and often stand too close. AS individuals likely find it very difficult to read and interpret social cues and understand the feelings of others.

Unfortunately, As individuals also struggle when it comes to developing relationships with people their own age. (for example, one Asperger's symptom common in children is that they are more comfortable with adults than with other children).

"Unnatural" repetition is another common trait and this shows up in the form of inflexible adherence to strict routines and unintentional, continuous, repetitive behavior, speech, or thoughts, and stereotyped or repetitive motor mannerisms. A rather specific symptom worth mentioning is that those with AS are often fascinated with maps, globes and routes.

Although individuals with AS do want to fit in socially and have friends, the disorder causes them a great deal of difficulty making what we consider normal social connections. It's partly for this reason that, unfortunately, many are at risk for developing mood disorders, anxiety or depression, especially in adolescence.

Luckily, the treatment and therapy for Asperger's symptoms is continuosly becomeing more advanced and effective.


 

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All about Blood Pressure Medication

Have you tried changing your lifestyle to help your blood pressure only to find it isn't helping very much? Sometimes lifestyle changes alone aren't as effective as when combined with blood pressure medication.

There are many different kinds of blood pressure medications out there today. Usually two different medications are used rather than one alone. Here are some of the main blood pressure medications:

* Alpha-Blockers: This medicine reduces nerve impulses to your blood vessels allowing easier flowing of the blood making your blood pressure decrease.

* Alpha-Beta-Blockers: These work just like the alpha-blockers but also slow your heart beat. This means less blood pumps through your vessels making your blood pressure decrease.

* Nervous System Inhibitors: This medication relaxes your blood vessels by controlling the nerve impulses making your vessels wider and decreasing blood pressure.

* Beta-Blockers: These reduce your nerve impulses to your heart and blood vessels, making your heart beat decrease while dropping your blood pressure.

* Diuretics: These are also known as 'water pills,' a very common medication. These diuretics work in your kidney, flushing out all excess sodium along with water from your body.

* Vasodilators: These open your blood vessels directly by relaxing the muscle in your vessel walls which then causes your blood pressure to decrease.

* ACE Inhibitors: ACE stands for 'Angiotensin converting enzyme.' These inhibitors prevent a hormone called angiotensin II from forming, which will usually cause your blood vessels to narrow. They help the vessels relax which makes your blood pressure decrease.

* Angiotensin Antagonists: These block your blood vessels from angiotensin II. When blocked these vessels can widen letting your blood pressure decrease.

* Calcium Channel Blockers: These keep any calcium from entering your heart's muscle cells and your blood vessels causing your blood pressure to decrease.

An alternate to taking any medication if possible is watching a few lifestyle habits. For instance a healthy diet can help control your blood pressure. Substitute salt for other seasonings and add lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Get at least thirty minutes of physical activity or exercise a day. That doesn't mean you have to exercise thirty minutes all at once. Ten minutes here and there is just as effective.

Try to keep your stress level at a minimum. High stress can increase your blood pressure so find something that relaxes you and helps you de-stress. Do this whenever you find yourself stressed out beyond your means.

Try to cut back on tobacco use and alcohol consumption. Quitting altogether is more beneficial but isn't always easy. Remember there are many resources and products available to help you quit either of these habits.

Sometimes these lifestyle changes will not work alone. Your doctor might prescribe you a blood pressure medication if not two. Just talk with your doctor to find out what would be better for you and your blood pressure. Ask any and all questions and if you are taking other medications tell your doctor. Certain medications including oral contraceptives and cold medicines can increase your blood pressure.


 

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Health Tips For You Far Away Vacation

Vacations are typically times of great fun and entertainment, times where we ignore the problems of our daily lives and just enjoy ourselves. But there always lurks the possibility for something to go wrong and rain on your whole parade. Health problems and injuries are some of the most common problems vacationers face.

When you are out running around and having fun, the likelihood of getting hurt increases significantly. You do not want to have to deal with these problems when far away from home on your vacation. Since these sort of things can happen anywhere, it is best you try to prepare for them as best as possible by using these Health tips for you far away vacation.

1: Memorize the emergency numbers for your area. Depending on where you travel, the numbers for police or medical care may be different then what you are use to. Make sure you verify this and memorize what those numbers are in case you run into trouble. You should also make sure you always have a cellphone handy and make sure you have reception where you are at. This is most important for those vacationing away from civilization, such as camping trips.

2: Make sure to get a checkup and get all your vaccinations before going on a trip, especially one out of the country. These are probably the best Health tips for you far away vacation. There are some nasty bugs out there that your body is not use to facing, and these can make you really sick. So you want to make sure you are prepared for this by getting those vaccine shots.

3: Get travelers insurance that covers medical expenses in foreign countries as well. The last thing you want is a trip to the hospital, especially when you are the one footing the bill. Nothing says ruined vacation like spending all your money on a stay in the hospital. So check into the various traveling insurance plans and make sure to get one that will cover any medical expenses you might run into. Better to be safe than sorry, right?

4: If you are traveling somewhere secluded, again, like a camping trip, make sure to bring a first aid kit. This is not sort important if you are say, going to the beach, but it still can not hurt. But if you are far away from medical attention, you do not want to be left without. So make sure you bring a medkit that has all the essentials you will need. Bandaids, disinfectant and anything else you feel you might need should all be a part of your medical kit.

Vacations are a lot of fun and a great way to refresh yourself, but having unexpected medical emergencies crop up can ruin the whole trip for you. By utilizing the tips above you can help mitigate, or even prevent this from happening. There are a lot of things you need to prepare for when planning a trip, and medical care should be at the top of that list.


 

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The Whole Truth About Natural Acne Treatment

Acne can happen to anyone. It shows up primarily in the face and can cause embarrassment and even avoidance of going out in public. Some people only experience light, occasional break-outs. Unfortunately for others, this problem can go on for years and requires treatment. There are several choices when it comes to healing yours.

A dermatologist is recommended for severe or frequent blemishes. Natural Acne Treatment is the ideal remedy for milder cases.

Natural Acne treatment is simple. Changing your diet or taking herbs and vitamins to cleanse and provide additional nutrition could be enough to clear your skin up.

You should eliminate sugars, oils, and fats from your diet as much as possible. They are not part of a good balanced diet and are all unhealthy to begin with. Drinking water instead of sugary soda and eating a vegetable snack instead of you usual chips is not a difficult change to make. The healthier you are overall will reflect the health of your skin.

It has been debated that diet has no effect on acne. Diet alone is not a suitable natural acne treatment. However, modifying your diet in addition to taking certain vitamins can clear up your skin.

Taking certain vitamins is a great natural acne treatment used by many people. Zinc can prevent acne from ever occurring. It also heals existing blemishes. Vitamin A in low doses reduces the production of your skin's natural oil, called sebum. Certain herbal blends can also help to benefit your body and your skin.

The advantages to natural acne treatment are that you avoid ever having to see a dermatologist, your body will benefit from healthier eating, and you are not exposing your skin to harsh chemicals. Visiting a dermatologist to take care of your acne can get expensive. It usually requires many follow-up visits and paying for prescriptions. This can also be time consuming and overall just not worth it if your acne is not severe enough to actually require it. Not consuming greasy foods will keep your system clean, which is beneficial to your overall health as well as your skin.

Typical acne medicines contain ingredients that can cause your skin to be sensitive to sunlight or even worsen your condition.

Modifying your diet and taking vitamins are not the only options that you have as natural acne treatment. You could suffer from stress-induced acne. Ways to reduce stress in your life can differ from person to person because everyone gets stressed out by different things. Exercising and getting plenty of rest could help to calm the stress in your life.

Perhaps taking a walk or practicing yoga would help you to relax and clear your mind to be stress-free. A life without stress could be a life without suffering from acne. Natural treatment may not be the answer to your acne, depending on the cause of it. Experimenting is an easy and painless method to try, and it could save you a lot of money if it is right for you.


 

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Recognize Asberger Symptoms And Information To Help You Cope

Children suffering from Asperger's Syndrome have a hard time socializing and communicating effectively with others and an obsessive interest in only certain subjects. Although the syndrome cannot be cured, Asperger's treatment plans focus on behavior management and social skills training. The earlier on that you can start treatment, the better the results will be. Your doctor should be able to help you pick out some local resources that may work for your loved one. Here are a few treatment strategies:

Training in communication and social skills: Children with Asperger's Syndrome have not yet learned the "unwritten rules" of socialization that the rest of us pick up without being taught. Teaching these rules in a detailed course may help with this. Children with Asperger's syndrome may also be taught how to speak in a more natural rhythm. Again, this is something that comes naturally to most of us. This training also shows children with AS how to interpret non-specific communication like certain gestures, eye contact, tone of voice and sense of humor.

Your child's Asperger's treatment might also include cognitive behavior therapy which is meant to curb problem behaviors such as interrupting, obsessions, meltdowns or angry outbursts. This treatment also aims to develop some of your child's skills like recognizing and coping with feelings and anxiety. The main focus of Cognitive behavior therapy is to train your child on how to recognize a troublesome (for them) situation — such as a new place or a social event — and then how to pick out a specific strategy that they've learned in order help deal with the situation.

Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, there are no medications to treat your child's Asperger's syndrome. But other medications may be used to improve specific symptoms that negatively affect his or her progress — such as anxiety, depression or hyperactivity. These are all common in children with Asperger's syndrome.

Treatment plans should focus on each individual's abilities and strengths while, at the same time, addressing social, behavioral and sensory problems. The strategies should be direct and concrete and introduced systematically, one at a time, to avoid confusion and frustration. Make sure the therapy focuses on the strengh's of your child and not on his/her weaknesses and offers immediate rewards when your child has done what the desired action is.

The environment is also an extremely important factor to consider. Make sure your child receives individualized training in a clutter-free setting with visual aids to help out. You also want him or her to adhere to a highly-structured routine – any deviation from this can take away from the effectiveness of the therapy.

A general guideline is to begin treatment sessions in a controlled setting which can then gradually transition into more generalized settings as your child progresses. The right setting can make a world of difference in the effectiveness of your child's therapy. Catering each approach to the strengths and needs of the individual is crucial in the development of a comprehensive plan for Asperger's treatment.


 

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Rejuvenate Your Body With Body Scrub Organics

A fully body scrub is one of the best ways to rejuvenate your body and your mind. It is for that reason that it is often used at spas. It is something both men and women can enjoy and it will make you feel and look younger and more alive. The reason for that is because it cleans the skin of your entire body, removing the dead skin cells and removing that dry, oily feel you might have.

However you do not have to go to a spa to get this treatment if you do not want. There are plenty of body scrub products you can purchase so you can do it yourself at home. If you are looking for the best possible experience, I would suggest using Body Scrub Organics. Organic products are generally always better than their artificial counterparts.

The reason you should go organic is mostly for your own personal health, but it can also help the environment as well so it is a win win. Most beauty products, body scrubs included, rely on artificial chemicals to get their results. These chemicals can often be quite harmful and even dangerous to you.

They can range from simply irritating your skin to outright causing you illness, as there have been reports linking certain chemicals with things like cancer. If you do not like the sound of all that then you should switch to using Body Scrub Organics. The organic versions can achieve the same results, but using all natural ingredients from things like plants.

By using all natural ingredients they remove the harmful aspects of the products, and also boost their effectiveness. More and more you will see companies making organic versions of their various beauty products because they are finding their consumers being more conscious about what they put on their body. So you can still get the variety you want without having to sacrifice your own well being.

One thing to be aware of, though, is that the realm of organic beauty products is not filled with sunshine and rainbows. There are downsides to going green. For one thing, organic versions tend to be more expensive because they require more work to make properly. This compounds with the fact that without those chemicals, certain aspects are lost like the foam that you get with a lot of hygiene products, which might make you use more than you need.

There is also the fact that there are no real standards for Body Scrub Organics. What I mean by this is that a company can say it is organic but really only like 5% of it is actually organic. This means you have to take more care in picking out your products, reading the list of contents so that you know precisely what is in it.

While these downsides can turn a lot of people away from the idea of using organic products, it is still advised you use them simply because they are better for you. If you can get past the added price and slightly cumbersome use, you really will notice a world of difference.


 

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