Teeth Whitening for the Best Smile

Having a great white is now more possible than ever since the available treatments and the lower cost making UK consumers a very luck bunch!

One of the best treatment methods available to gain back that white perfect smile is teeth whitening. The basic methodology of teeth whitening is that it reverses the process of discoloration of teeth, bleaching them to reveal the white enamel again.

Everyone in the UK in 2008 is hoping there is not a repeat of the summer in 2007 and that we experience a positive summer which could see a boom in industries like teeth whitening, sunbeds, outdoor garden furniture etc.

When the sun is shining people feel good about themselves and this is why feel god industries like the teeth whitening industry will have a good summer as consumers are likely to spend money on themselves to make them feel and look great.

Historically the only viable option for whiting teeth involved the skills of a cosmetic dentist, was time consuming, uncomfortable and extremely costly.

Job interviews are good example of where first impressions count and having a great smile combined with other factors like grooming etc will only help get that job and help you earn a fortune. Money is not the only factor as having bright white teeth can only be good for your love life. As you get older the teeth loose their bright white look at as the enamel gets thinner.

Many people have gained stained teeth by the likes of coffee, tea, red wine, gravy, nicotine and gravy and over a period of time causes the enamel on the teeth tot stain and discolour. Teeth whitening essentially removes the stains by getting deep in to the enamel and by using the zoom teeth whitening or laser teeth whitening the stains can be removed in one hour.

A whiter smile can make a person more confident and outgoing in social situations. Unfortunately most of us don’t have the whitest smile that we could. Years of drinking dark colored beverages such as coffee, tea, soda, and red wine, smoking, and aging take their toll on the color of tooth enamel. The great news is that today anyone can have a dazzling white smile.

The first thing that you notice to a person when having a conversation is their teeth. Healthy bright white teeth always get special and extra attention.

Laser teeth whitening is also known as zoom whitening which is a commonly used name in the USA and even the Americans have developed Zoom 2 teeth whitening which is essentially the same but early adopters will want to try new names and ideas. The name aside laser teeth whitening is a huge growth industry and with added benefits like helping clients to quit smoking then no wonder customers are prepared to travel to get the treatment.

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Women Need to Know More About Treating Heart Disease

Although 73 percent of women know how to prevent heart disease, many are unaware of how to treat it once a diagnosis has been made.

In a survey of 1,979 women over age 35, only 55 percent said they understand how to treat heart disease. Respondents often incorrectly named prevention techniques such as exercise and healthy eating as treatment options, and less than 10 percent named actual treatments such as angioplasty and stent placement.

Hispanics and African-Americans, both considered high-risk groups for heart disease, were twice as likely as Caucasian women to say they did not know any treatments at all.

The survey was conducted by the “Healthy From the Heart” campaign sponsored by the National Women’s Health Resource Center and Cordis Corp. The campaign encourages women to learn about treatment options for coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease, so they can make better decisions if diagnosed.

“The good news is that women are aware that they are at risk for heart disease. The bad news is that they are overly confident in their ability to prevent it and treat it,” said Dr. Cindy Grines, an interventional cardiologist with William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oaks, Mich. “Women must realize that education is the key to conquering the threat of coronary artery disease. There are a variety of treatment options now available.”

The most common procedure for treating coronary artery disease is balloon angioplasty with a coronary stent. Angioplasty widens narrowed arteries by threading a balloon-tipped catheter through the arm or groin artery to the blocked artery in the heart. The balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the artery walls, which in turn expands the blood vessel so blood can flow more easily.

Scientific advances have led to the development of the drug-eluting stent, a tiny mesh scaffold that props the artery open while releasing small amounts of a particular drug, such as sirolimus, inside the artery over a period of time. This helps keep plaque from reforming and helps prevent repeat blockage from occurring inside the blood vessel.

Coronary bypass surgery is another treatment option. While more invasive, it is a safe and effective treatment for patients who may not qualify for angioplasty and stent insertion.

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Help Prevent A Heart Attack: Get Moving!

Preventing a heart attack should be one of the things that concerns you most. After all, heart disease and heart attacks are some of the leading causes of death among people these days. And while it is obviously not possible to completely prevent having a heart attack, there are several important ways that you can help guard yourself against suffering a heart attack.

Tired of hearing advice about heart attack prevention? I guess people like me will continue to give advice about ways to prevent heart attacks until the numbers of people suffering the effects of heart attacks decreases significantly. If you have not taken seriously the warnings and advice you have heard, seen and read, then please read on to learn about simple ways of heart attack prevention for almost everyone.

Because the heart is a muscle it can be worked out and conditioned just like all of the other muscles in the body. Just like we can distinguish between people who are in good shape and people who are in poor shape, so we can distinguish between hearts that are in good shape or poor shape. One of the best ways to maintain the health of your heart and hence to prevent a heart attack is to get in shape. Exercise is so, so important in trying to prevent a heart attack from taking your life.

Taking the time for exercise and getting in shape should be high on your list of priorities. The three biggest excuses I hear from people about why they are not in better shape are that they are too tired, too busy, and that exercising costs too much money. When a possible heart attack is on the line, none of these three excuses seem valid enough to stop you from getting your body in good shape.

Being too tired to exercise is ironic in that exercise is one of the best ways to gain energy and to help people sleep well at night. Therefore, the best way to have the energy to exercise is simply to start exercising. Don’t immediately jump up from the couch and run a marathon, but look for small and quick ways to incorporate exercise into your day. Even a small amount of brisk walking will do wonders in helping you prevent a heart attack.

Making the claim that you do not have enough time in your day to exercise is simply a reflection of what you care most about. Look at your days and see what you are making time for. Eating out, sleeping in, watching television? If you desire to really get in shape and to help prevent a heart attack, then making fifteen or twenty minutes a day will become easy and very doable.

Getting in shape does not have to cost you a lot of money. In fact, almost everyone I know can get outside and go for a walk for free. No one says that preventing a heart attack requires you to have a membership at the most expensive and exclusive athletic club. Heart attack prevention can be as simple as throwing on a pair of old sneakers and getting out for a walk or a jog.

Your heart is worth it. Regardless of the sacrifices you have to make in order to get in shape, preventing a heart attack is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself and the ones you love.

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Heart Attacks, Silent And Deadly

Heart attacks can creep up on you when you least expect it.

Are you prepared?

Heart disease is one of the nation’s deadliest killers taking the lives of almost one million Americans each year. Each of us has a different susceptibility to cardiovascular disease. Your fitness level and what you eat plays a major role. Approximately 64 million Americans have cardiovascular disease, and here’s the shocker; as many as 40 percent of those who suffer a heart attack have no symptoms. A heart attack may occur due to heart disease but not always and although it is the leading cause of death it can be prevented. Women usually have fewer heart attacks than men but after menopause women catch up to men in the number of heart attacks experienced.

So, what are the factors that lead to heart disease?

The most commonly recognized risk factors are:

1. Stress
2. Smoking
3. High levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)
4. Low levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)
5. High Blood-pressure.
6. Obesity
7. Diabetes
8. Destructive form of amino acid called homocysteine
9. Heredity

The heart is the most crucial organ to sustain life and to keep it ticking efficiently, our priority should be to prevent its deterioration. The simplest Mantra for prevention of heart disease is; eat well, exercise and adopt a healthy lifestyle. This has been said countless times before and the simple truth is that those who do follow through with the advice enjoy a much healthier and longer life.

NOTE: Always check with your physician first before changing or implementing any sort of a diet or exercise program especially if you’re taking prescription or over the counter medicines.

Some factors to consider when adopting a healthier lifestyle include but not limited to: (also check with your physician)

1. Cut down on dietary fat and cholesterol

2. Check your blood pressure regularly

3. Don’t smoke (fortunately there are a lot of resources available for those wanting to quit).

4. Learn to meditate, this will lessen stress.

5. Exercise - Being sedentary is one of the biggest risk factors for heart attacks.

6. Control your weight - If you’re obese

7. Control your diabetes

Symptoms of a heart attack

NOTE: These symptoms may or may not indicate a heart attack. In any case medical help should be sought immediately because some heart attacks are the ’silent type’.

The American Heart Association lists them as:

- Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing and excruciating pain in the chest.
- Pain spreading to shoulder, neck, and arms. Specifically left sided neck and arm pain.
- Light headedness, fainting.
- Shortness of breath with little exertion.
- Profuse sweating.

The first hour is very critical. So, don’t waste time thinking its gas or flatulence. Act immediately and call 911 don’t waste time calling your doctor, he’ll most likely ask you to call 911 anyway. Heart disease can be easily prevented it’s just a matter of implementing a healthier lifestyle.

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Heart Diseases: New Guidelines for Detection and Treatment of Arterial Disease

The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association launched different guidelines related to peripheral arterial disease in order to help doctors and all healthcare professionals to treat in a better way this common condition. According to statistics, more than 12 million people suffer from Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD) in the United States.

PAD is a really serious illness, since it can cause amputation of the extremities, rupture of an aortic aneurysm, severe hypertension, kidney failure, but also heart attack, stroke, and cardiovascular death.

It is a disease in which arteries supply blood to the arteries outside the heart, to parts such as legs, feet, kidneys, and intestines. This arterial disease can cause damages to physical health of people, by diminishing for instance their ability to walk.

According to experts, the new guidelines supply a succinct diagnostic and treatment guidebook for patients suffering from PAD and for physicians, doctors’ assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses who are now offering care to treat them.

“A key source of the power of these recommendations is that they are so broad-based in their origin from every vascular specialty, as they attempt to reach a broad-based audience of clinicians. Everyone can use these Guidelines and a large segment of the public can benefit from them,” said Alan T. Hirsch, chairman of the writing committee.

Some highlights of the guidelines include recommended questions and observations that can uncover hidden signs of peripheral arterial disease; recommendations on when an aneurysm should be treated with surgery or catheter-based therapy, as well as when “watchful waiting” is the best way; among other things.

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Heart Failure: Frequently Asked Questions

According to the American Heart Association, nearly five million Americans are living with heart failure and 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Heart failure is a serious condition that often is misunderstood. The questions below are intended to help clear up some misperceptions about this condition and its complications.

Q. What is heart failure?

A. Heart failure does not mean that your heart has stopped or is about to stop. It is a serious condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood through your body as well as it should.

Your heart still beats, but it pumps less nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body. Because of this, heart failure can make you feel tired or weak. Heart failure also can cause swelling and fluid buildup in your legs, feet and even your lungs. Fluid buildup in your lungs often is referred to as “congestion,” which is why heart failure is sometimes called “congestive heart failure (CHF).” At times, patients may require hospitalization to treat a worsening, or an acute episode, of their heart failure symptoms.

Q. What are the symptoms of heart failure?

A. Some symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, frequent coughing, increased heart rate, heart palpitations (your heart may feel like it is racing), fatigue, weakness, swollen ankles and legs, loss of appetite and weight gain. Patients who experience acute episodes of their heart failure symptoms also may have extreme shortness of breath that leaves them gasping for air. Since they may have fluid buildup in their lungs, they may feel as though they are drowning.

Q. How are acute episodes of heart failure treated?

A. There are some common intravenous (IV) drugs that are commonly given to patients in hospitals to treat acute episodes of heart failure. They include diuretics, inotropes and IV vasodilators.

Please talk to your healthcare professional for more information.

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Heart Rate Monitors – Your Essential Guide

What is a heart-rate monitor?

Monitoring your heart rate is easy: If you’re living, you’ve got one. A heart rate monitor allows you to effectively train at your target heart rate for optimal results during competition.

First you’ve got to understand how monitors work. Most look like wristwatches and combine timekeeping functions with heart monitoring. For constant heart rate readout, purchase one with a chest strap transmitter that sends heart data to the wrist unit. Devices without a chest strap provide heart rate data but only when you are touching the unit with your hand. If you decide on buying one, lower you can find a few examples of what’s available, plus some characteristics.

One of the leading manufacturers is Polar, which offers, amongst many other, these products:

Polar FS1

Heart rate monitor target zone with audible high/low heart rate monitor alarm. It displays heart rate and exercise duration during exercise. Has the option to recall total exercise duration and average heart rate after exercise. It’s clock has selectable 12/24 hour display. It includes T31 chest heart rate monitor transmitter and elastic strap. It is available in dark blue or yellow colors. This is just the thing for beginners and basic exercises.

Polar AXN 700

This heart rate monitors offer a complete set of features for hiking, climbing, mountaineering, skiing or other outdoor activities. It has a titanium case and the following additional features: resting heart rate test, slope counter, 3 sets of heart rate limits and bearing setting. Amongst the usual specs of an heart rate monitor, you can also find:

HeartTouch™, button-free operation of wrist unit - lap information can be momentarily displayed by touching the Polar wrist unit to the chest transmitter belt.

Polar OwnCode® prevents cross-talk from other heart rate monitors. As more and more people use heart rate monitors today, preventing cross talk from other devices in-group situations at the gym or when jogging with a friend becomes essential. The unique coded technology blocks unwanted signals from other heart rate monitors, ensuring disturbance-free transmission of your heart rate data.

Another manufacturer is Reebok, where I found a few designs of heart rate monitor, presented below:

Reebok Personal Trainer Heart Monitor – It measures your heart rate to ECG accuracy. Displays time of day, calendar, and has a daily alarm function. Scan Sequence – Just press a button, unit will display average heart rate, highest & lowest heart rate and total exercise time. Contour Lite Transmitter included.

Reebok Precision Trainer Monitor

It has a heart rate zone high / low limit in 1 beat steps for exact heart zone, an out of zone alarm audible warning when out of zone. It displays heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate. You don’t have to calculate what the percentages should be, since it does that for you. For example: 99 Hour stopwatch with 50 lap memory plus an accumulated time in target zone. The triple display is it’s main feature, which makes it special, an can be swapped trough: Time of Day, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate or, Stop Watch, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate or, Time in Zone, Heart rate and percentage of maximum heart rate.

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Help Prevent A Heart Attack: Get Moving!

Preventing a heart attack should be one of the things that concerns you most. After all, heart disease and heart attacks are some of the leading causes of death among people these days. And while it is obviously not possible to completely prevent having a heart attack, there are several important ways that you can help guard yourself against suffering a heart attack.

Tired of hearing advice about heart attack prevention? I guess people like me will continue to give advice about ways to prevent heart attacks until the numbers of people suffering the effects of heart attacks decreases significantly. If you have not taken seriously the warnings and advice you have heard, seen and read, then please read on to learn about simple ways of heart attack prevention for almost everyone.

Because the heart is a muscle it can be worked out and conditioned just like all of the other muscles in the body. Just like we can distinguish between people who are in good shape and people who are in poor shape, so we can distinguish between hearts that are in good shape or poor shape. One of the best ways to maintain the health of your heart and hence to prevent a heart attack is to get in shape. Exercise is so, so important in trying to prevent a heart attack from taking your life.

Taking the time for exercise and getting in shape should be high on your list of priorities. The three biggest excuses I hear from people about why they are not in better shape are that they are too tired, too busy, and that exercising costs too much money. When a possible heart attack is on the line, none of these three excuses seem valid enough to stop you from getting your body in good shape.

Being too tired to exercise is ironic in that exercise is one of the best ways to gain energy and to help people sleep well at night. Therefore, the best way to have the energy to exercise is simply to start exercising. Don’t immediately jump up from the couch and run a marathon, but look for small and quick ways to incorporate exercise into your day. Even a small amount of brisk walking will do wonders in helping you prevent a heart attack.

Making the claim that you do not have enough time in your day to exercise is simply a reflection of what you care most about. Look at your days and see what you are making time for. Eating out, sleeping in, watching television? If you desire to really get in shape and to help prevent a heart attack, then making fifteen or twenty minutes a day will become easy and very doable.

Getting in shape does not have to cost you a lot of money. In fact, almost everyone I know can get outside and go for a walk for free. No one says that preventing a heart attack requires you to have a membership at the most expensive and exclusive athletic club. Heart attack prevention can be as simple as throwing on a pair of old sneakers and getting out for a walk or a jog.

Your heart is worth it. Regardless of the sacrifices you have to make in order to get in shape, preventing a heart attack is one of the most loving things you can do for yourself and the ones you love.

Published By : The Author

Helping Students Survive Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Right now, millions of students across the country are participating in physical activities at their schools - a basketball or soccer game, football and cheerleading practice or gym class. What if one of them had a life-threatening cardiac emergency? Would the school be prepared?

Sudden cardiac arrest strikes more than 340,000 Americans each year, including children and teens, usually without warning. Heart conditions tend to go undetected and often manifest themselves during physical activity. In the event of a cardiac arrest, a quick response and the early use of an automated external defibrillator (AED) are critical to improving the chances of survival.

According to the American Heart Association, early use of AEDs - portable devices that analyze the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electric shock to reestablish a normal heartbeat -could raise the chance of survival by 20 percent or more.

“Nearly 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die - usually because defibrillation occurs too late,” said Dr. Vincent Mosesso Jr. of the National Center for Early Defibrillation based at the University of Pittsburgh. “Every minute that passes before returning the heart to a normal rhythm decreases the chance of survival by 10 percent. Patients who receive CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] and a defibrillator shock within three minutes of going into sudden cardiac arrest have the best odds of survival.”

Unfortunately, many schools aren’t equipped with AEDs.

For that reason, Duracell and Zoll Medical Corp. have teamed up to help inform parents and educators about the importance of being prepared for these critical situations.

“Through this campaign, we want to work with communities across the country to provide their schools with the tools necessary to help save lives,” said Kara Salzillo, manager of brand communications for Duracell.

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High Blood Pressure and the Effects of Alcohol

Alcohol has a meaningful outcome on high blood pressure, so it is important people pay more attention on the relation of alcohol and blood pressure and its outcome on the health.

People who drink large amounts of alcohol often show signs of having higher blood pressure than people that drink less. This becomes important, especially in incidents where people are regular drinkers. If the alcohol consumption is kept fairly limited, that is, occasional drinking then the blood pressure level is not so incline to lean towards dangerously high readings.

For instance, a person may have an alcoholic drink, such as 12 ounces of beer or 5 ounces of wine, each are considered a single drink per day. Some males may take 1 or 2 drinks and be within safe levels. Now a female may take only 1 drink in comparison as females do not have the same level of tolerance towards alcohol as males. When the consumption of alcohol is increased over this safe level by both males and females, there is an affect on the flexibility of the blood vessels and this can increase their blood pressure measurements towards critical levels.

Due to drinking habits, alcohol and blood pressure changes are reasons for concern by physicians who deal with these types of hypertension patients, another problem they need to take into account are people drinking alcohol in large amounts may develop weight increase problems due to the elevation in calories.

If the blood pressure is elevated because of weight problems, then further medication may have to be prescribed to control the hypertension. This can be difficult to administer because of the alcohol in the person’s body can have an dangerous effect from the medication being prescribed for them.

Thinking about the strong relationship between alcohol and raised blood pressure, it’s obvious that drinking less alcohol is a must. So people with cardiac illnesses such as myocarditis, severe high blood pressure or congestive heart failure should avoid alcohol based beverages at all cost. If they can’t stay away from alcohol completely, they should keep their drinking down to a bare minimum.

From the intake of alcohol calcium and magnesium in the body can become decreased. By supplementing them may lead to their own indirect problems such as increase in blood pressure. So any patient with an alcohol dependence problem should have all their medicines thoroughly and carefully prescribed and monitored by their physician.

People with a drinking problem are prone to increased blood pressure and on top of that one of the problems of trying to correct the blood pressure with medication is the effect alcohol with the prescription has on the patient. It can increase its potency thus causing further medical problems.

A patient who has an alcohol problem and raised blood pressure should be well-advised and given support to reduce their drinking as much as possible. Limits and guidelines should be administered for drinking by the physician and these should be stuck to as much as possible by the patient.

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High Blood Pressure And Your Health

In 2003, The American Heart Association reported that nearly one in three adults, or 65 million people had hypertension. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common and treatable condition. You have high blood pressure if your blood pressure has a reading of 140 over 90 or higher (140/90mm Hg). Prehypertension is a reading of 120-139/80-89 mm Hg. The AHA reports 59 million adults have prehypertension. Sixty nine percent of people who have a heart attack and seventy seven percent of people who have a stroke have high blood pressure.

When you have hypertension there are no symptoms you can feel or see. The only way to tell is to have your blood pressure checked. In most cases, diet and lifestyle changes can help control mildly high blood pressure. But sometimes, your doctor will prescribe medication as well as lifestyle changes.

Here are some tips to help lower your blood pressure. Stop smoking, smoking narrows your blood vessels causing blood pressure to dramatically rise. You should also try to maintain a healthy weight. Eat fewer high fat foods and increase your physical activity. Exercise regularly, aerobic exercise tones your heart, blood vessels and muscles and helps keep your blood pressure low. Drink alcohol in moderation and limit your salt intake. A diet high in salt causes the body to retain water, which increases the volume of blood in circulation and increases the pressure in the arteries.

If you are required take blood pressure medication, take all the medication as prescribed. Try to take your pills close to the same time each day, and never skip a dose. If you have side effects or don’t believe your pressure is high, see your doctor about your concerns. Make sure you refill your prescriptions before they run out. Do not stop medication because your blood pressure is normal, chances are it’s is normal due to the medication.

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High Blood Pressure And Your Heart

Hypertension can be detrimental to many body organs and functions. It has particularly damaging effects on the heart. Read on for more.

Hypertension can wreck havoc on many body organs. Its effects on the heart are especially damaging. High blood pressure and heart disease are closely connected.

Moderate to high blood pressure significantly increases the load on the left side of the heart. Arterioles are often diseased or constricted, which increases resistance to blood flow. When this happens, the heart has to work much more to pump blood into the arterial system including the aorta.

When any muscle is overused, it tends to increase in size and bulk. The heart muscles react the same way. An enlarged heart is a sign of trouble.

Heart enlargement can be detected in several ways. A chest x-ray can reveal it. So can an electrocardiogram or even a physical examination.

In many high blood pressure patients, the walls of the left ventricle thicken. This increases the workload on the heart. Eventually, the heart falters and the left side of the heart no longer pumps blood adequately.

When this happens, major organs and tissues of the body are denied sufficient blood supply. The affected person becomes lethargic and weak.

Because of the higher pressure in the left ventricle, blood from the lungs cannot drain into the top compartment of the heart (the atrium). As a result, the lung tissues get congested which brings on bouts of breathlessness and coughs.

The patient may have a dry cough or even frothy phlegm with blood stains in it. This is a very scary experience to the sufferer and onlookers. In an acute attack, it seems to the patient that he or she is choking to death.

Breathlessness due to heart problems may be first noticed during prolonged physical exertion. If the condition has progressed further, breathlessness may occur even while resting.

This is a serious situation and needs to be tacked immediately. If this damage worsens, the right side of the heart will be affected as well. When pressure builds up in the right atrium, it will be difficult for veins to drain blood into it.

When the heart’s condition deteriorates to this stage, the external jugular veins may become enlarged and more prominent. These veins are anyway close to the skin and may be visible even in healthy adults, but stress on the heart can increase their protrusion.

There are several other symptoms of right side heart failure. They include an enlarged liver, swollen ankles and feet, loss of appetite, swollen abdomen and lower urine flow.

High blood pressure and heart disease frequently have a cause and effect relationship. Making necessary lifestyle changes can help combat both.

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Your Eyes Have It

Your eyes demand attention whenever you are talking to someone or even glancing in their direction. They are an important feature of your face and the skin around the eyes can bring the eyes to healthy life or contribute to a dull, lifeless look.

Naturally as you age the skin surrounding the eyes develops fine lines and deeper wrinkles. This is because the delicate skin around the eyes is very different to the rest of the skin on your face. It is much thinner and in fact has very few oil glands which can keep it naturally moisturized. This means its dries out faster and being thin, if not treated gently can stretch and tear, causing bags and sagging.

For this reason is it important to treat the eye area gently and don’t wipe or rub the eyes harshly, instead just patting the area without pulling is recommended.

Puffiness around the eyes is common on waking but can remain throughout the day for a variety of reasons including tiredness, smoking, drinking alcohol, diet and even hormonal changes. If you do have a problem with puffy eyes try elevating your head slightly at night on a higher pillow and drinking plenty of water throughout the day to cleanse out your blood system. One cause of puffiness can be as simple as the cream you are using. Eyes are naturally sensitive and will water continuously to cleanse them of impurities. When using creams around the eye area make sure you don’t apply them too closely to the eye and seek out natural skin care creams without harsh chemicals and additives.

The cream will ‘creep about 1 centimeter by itself so just apply creams on the bone below the eye area. The cream will make its way further on the skin but not into the eyes themselves. When applying eye cream place a little of the cream onto your ring finger and gently pat the cream around the eye and dab gently to absorb, do not rub. You only need to apply a tiny amount of cream around the eye to bring satisfactory results in fact too much cream can irritate and cause the puffiness you are trying to avoid.

At LanaB we have developed a 100% natural eye cream that can be used safely around the eye area without causing irritation. Included in the ingredients are Jojoba and Avocado oils as well as Vitamins A and E, these combine to treat fine lines and wrinkles effectively and moisturize and balance the skin around the eyes.

By : The Author

Call for Abstract! Social and Societal Influences on Equity in Health, Crete, Greece

5th International Conference in partnership with Greek School of Public Health Canadian Society for International Health June 9, 11 2009, Crete, Greece

Call for Abstracts Deadline for Submission: January 30, 2009

The 5th International Conference of the International Society for Equity in Health will be hosted by the Greek School of Public Health in Crete. The meeting will bring together, researchers, policy-makers, practitioners and others concerned with equity in health to develop and international health agenda for governments, universities and organizations all over the world.

The 5th International Conference theme is "Social and Societal Influences on Equity in Health". The Conference will explore this theme through a varied program of plenary sessions, forums, poster sessions and scientific sessions. We invite your participation in the advancement of knowledge, exchange of experiences and promotion of equity in health.

There is a special interest in abstracts that reflect a multidisciplinary conceptualization of health equity; that analyze or compare rather than just describe; are not limited to one measure of health, one age group, or one population subgroup; address issues of generalizability of findings beyond the particular population studied; include and compare different age groups and both genders; address access/utilization/appropriateness of health services for meetings different levels of needs within and across populations. There is also interest in abstracts that give evidence of linkage with policy or other constituencies that influence equity outcomes, and in work that provides evidence of analyses determinants of impact on equity outcomes.

Session Formats

Please read carefully the following descriptions before sending us your proposal.

Poster Session

This is a visual presentation of a paper using charts, photos, drawings and/or text mounted on a poster board. Presenters will be expected to be present at specific times to discuss their work with conference participants. Each presentation will be allocated a space 950 mm wide x 2380 mm high and must be designed so that it can be pinned or tacked to a poster board.

Scientific Sessions

Each presentation will be 15 minutes, followed by a short discussion with the audience. The Conference Planning Committee will appoint a session chairperson. Three to four papers will be presented per session; each session will be two hours. It is expected that the person submitting the proposal will make the presentation.

Workshops

Will be 2-3 hours in length and interactive in nature. There will be approximately 30 people participating in each workshop. Workshop organizers will be chosen by the Conference Scientific Committee. Selection Criteria

The selection of abstracts for presentation or for poster sessions will be around January 30, 2009.

By : Gabriella Bidwell

Re-Published By : The Author

Commercial Acne Treatments vs. Home Remedies

There are a number of both commercial and home remedy acne treatments, which are designed to help treat acne. The most popular of home remedies is the recommendation to wash your face twice each day, with the best times to be in the morning and before you go to bed at night. Keep in mind that it is best to avoid scrubbing too hard as this may aggravate, or even result in, acne.

There are many benefits to both commercial acne treatments and home remedies. Among them, commercial or prescription acne treatments are often medically recommended. On the flip side, home remedy acne treatments are not medically tested, but they are natural, free and usually contain ingredients that are not harmful. This is not always the case with commercial or prescription acne treatments, which often carry the potential for serious side effects. In addition, they can be quite expensive.

No matter which acne treatment you use, be careful of possible irritation. The last thing that you will want is to aggravate an acne-prone area with a treatment product as this would defeat the entire purpose. The best way to begin with any cream or lotion treatment is to apply the product to a small test area of skin in order to make sure there are no incompatibilities with your skin. In addition, make sure to read any warning or cautionary product labels to make sure that you are using the contents properly. In order for acne treatment medication to work, it has to be used correctly.

If you are searching for popular over the counter acne treatments, you are likely to find a variety of choices. Among them, medicated pads for wiping over the face, lotions, face wash, etc. Prescription acne treatments are often provided to those who need a more aggressive approach at acne treatment and may include the same product categories at a higher level of medication. Home remedy acne treatments include lotions containing aloe vera, a facial mask consisting of 4 tablespoons of honey and one grated apple, an oatmeal and water paste, etc.

This article is to be used for informational purposes only. The information contained herein is not intended to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice regarding the use of any commercial or home remedy acne treatment. Prior to beginning any treatment regimen, the patient must consult a licensed medical doctor or dermatologist for advice and/or to determine the best course of action for his/her individual situation.

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Nurturing Clinical Skills Through Art

Serving as both artistic guide and patient to a group of curious medical students, Jamie Williams was a renaissance guest at Arts in Medicine. The program is a teaching exercise that challenges medical students to think beyond diagnosis and try to better understand their patients through artistic expression. A talented ceramicist, Williams was diagnosed HIV-positive ten years ago.

“AIDS is not going to get me,” he told the students, who used construction paper and crayons to translate his medical experiences into images of strength and courage. And he is putting up a good fight. His viral load is too low for his doctors to count.
Arts in Medicine was created to jump-start medical students’ creativity, increase observational skills, and give them the chance to express the personal side of medicine, listening to how a patient feels rather than simply what a patient feels. First-year medical students take three sessions of the program as part of their clinical skills course, under Ann Flipse, M.D., adjunct associate professor and director of the first-year clinical skills program. Local artists participate to guide students’ efforts, and real patients volunteer to share their stories. Very Special Arts of Florida provides art supplies, a video record of the day, and audio capabilities.
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NEW TECHNOLOGY AIDS CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Pinpointing Cancer

Hungry cancer cells on the hunt for glucose to fuel their rapid growth can be quickly sought out by new imaging technology at the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Positron Emission Topography (PET) is a powerful diagnostic tool that allows physicians to detect cancerous cells throughout the body with one scan. A PET scan also can tell a physician how far and where cancer has spread.

“PET is an exceptional complement to our existing diagnostic tools,” says George Sfakianakis, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chief of the nuclear medicine program at UM/Sylvester. “This technology can effectively pinpoint the source of cancer, eliminating the need for redundant diagnostic tests and potentially ineffective surgical procedures.”

For a PET scan, physicians inject the patient with a small amount of glucose containing a radioactive atom. The cancerous cells absorb large amounts of the glucose and, therefore, the radioactive material. The radioactive atoms then emit signals that are picked up by the PET technology during the scan. A full-body scan can be completed in about an hour and is completely painless.

PET technology also helps physicians monitor the effects of chemotherapy or radiation treatments, allowing a quick change in the course of treatment, if needed. It also is effective in differentiating recurrent cancers from scar tissue left from radiation therapy.

Dr. Sfakianakis and his team of board-certified nuclear medicine physicians have conducted more than 3,000 PET studies and serve as interpretive experts for physicians in other PET centers in the region. “Our team is like a group of pilots who have logged more than 50,000 hours of flying,” Dr. Sfakianakis says. “It is an incredibly complex technology, so patients can really benefit from a team with so much experience and skill.”

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