Could Your Headache Be a Migraine?

Do you have headaches which seem to linger on and on no matter what type of over-the-counter medication you take? Is the pain located on one side of your head? Do you become sensitive to light and sound? Do you feel sick from it? If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is most likely the case that it’s not a headache at all, but a terrible migraine.

It is estimated that more than 29 million Americans suffer from migraines, and unfortunately women are affected more than men. What complicates this further is that most migraines are attributed to sinus infections or tension headaches.

Migraines are typically caused by stress, skipping a meal, lack of sleep, medications, sunlight, TV, certain foods, or loud constant noise. The pain is caused when brain cells set off a specific nerve which releases chemicals that cause swelling of the blood vessels on the surface of the brain. The result is a pain felt around the eye or temple area.

Not easily diagnosed, routine CT scans may be performed to determine if there are any other underlying causes. This is certainly no comfort to those who experience migraines. While there are many reasons why someone would develop migraines, it is suggested by doctors that a diary is kept to determine the frequency of the migraines and what event played a role in its onset.

Accordingly, the FDA has approved three over-the-counter medications to treat migraines. Whether or not they are effective, only the individual experiencing the pain can determine. However, it should be noted that some of these medications can cause side effects. Moreover, more potent medications have also been approved by the FDA to control the incidents of migraines. However, these also may have adverse effects.

Another type of therapy, one that has been used as an alternative to drugs, is biofeedback. Using a specific type of equipment which monitors physical tension, a migraine patient has the ability to control the catalyst which contributes to the stress. After a certain amount of time, the patient can then use this technique without equipment to either stop the attack or minimize its effects.

Migraines are and can be debilitating. Whether you choose drug therapy or biofeedback therapy, it is up to you to decide which treatment is most effective and carries with it less risk in developing side effects.

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:
3 cups French Bread, cubed
1 cup reduced fat ham, diced
Non-fat cooking spray
Egg Beater =to 1 egg, beaten lightly
1 1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free cheese, grated

Directions:
Place cubed bread into a Pyrex dish and spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with red pepper, ham and cheese. Mix together the egg substitute, milk, onion powder, black pepper, and garlic powder and pour over bread cubes also. Sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate covered for 3 hours before baking. When the casserole is ready for baking, preheat the oven to 350 F. Cook for until browned (approximately 40 minutes).

Dr. Bronner's Soap

For natural/non-toxic cleaning products, you may want to try Dr. Bronner’s soap. Made from organic oils, it consists of: Saponified Organic Coconut, Organic Palm and Organic Olive Oils (with Retained Glycerin), Water, Organic Hemp Oil, Organic Jojoba Oil, Natural Bitter Almond Fragrance, Salt, Citric Acid, and Vitamin E.

Available in a wide variety of liquids and solids, Dr. Bronner’s Soap comes in Almond, Peppermint, Lavender, All One Hemp Tea Tree, Aloe Vera Baby Mild, Rose and Eucalyptus.

Here are what customers have to say about Dr. Bronner’s Soaps: “Dr. Bronner's is really fantastic stuff! I keep finding more and more uses for it around the house. I have replaced all of our toxic synthetic chemical products with this! The only thing I find it terrible for is washing windows, it leaves a film and you spend more time removing the film than the dirt! Otherwise, this stuff can easily replace 6-10 products around the home.

Almond is my favorite for a nice mild and pleasing scent! Be warned of the Peppermint, even though the peppermint is natural, it is extremely strong smelling. So strong, it can cause irritation for some people. I would recommend Peppermint for hand soap, dishes, laundry, and anything outdoors. I would use something like Unscented, Lavender or Almond for general house cleaning, body soap and shampoo. I have dry skin. Up to this point I have been using Ivory Soap and it is horrible on my skin. A couple days of using Bronners, and my skin is back to being normal! I love how this product rinses off so easily and leaves no films.”

Another user wrote: “This is a great soap. You can also use it as an ingredient for a natural cleaner (non commercial cleaner) and use it to clean around the kitchen, bathroom and house. Just mix a little lemon juice, soap, and water and you can kill a lot of germs around the house naturally.”

This user commented: “This product is by far the best soap for bathing. I use it by putting just a small squirt which foams up into a massive amount of suds. You will notice after using this soap that you don't need skin lotion anymore - you don't suffer dryness, cracking etc., especially caused by mass-produced products full of chemicals. All of the different soap scents are wonderful and have a noticeable difference. Peppermint will truly make you feel much cooler. Eucalyptus makes you feel warmer and clears your sinuses. Lavender is very soothing and relaxing; and rose induces a happy state of mind. Also this product can be used for tons of other things around the house and is far superior to other products. You can clean anything with this stuff. I've also used it as a pest spray for my garden. The product is made by a very nice group of spiritual folks who are carrying on the philosophies of Dr. Bronner as printed on his labels, and they strictly adhere to green practices and ingredients. They've been making this for a very long time and hopefully will continue on forever! Definitely try any of the Dr. Bronner products, they are truly amazing.”

Where Can You Buy It? Amazon.com

Endometriosis - The 4 Stages

So, you or a loved one has been diagnosed with endometriosis, and been told what stage the disease is at, but you’re not really sure what this means. Maybe your doctor will soon be doing a procedure to determine the stage and you need more information. Either way, it is important to know exactly what endometriosis is and what the different stages mean.

The endometrium is a layer of cells that grow inside the uterus in preparation for the fertilized egg implanting. If no egg implants, the endometrial cells are shed and women experience a period. In women with endometriosis, this process does not occur quite so smoothly.

Endometriosis is a condition where the endometrium grows into the tissue surrounding the uterus, most often the ovaries. Instead of flowing out of the body during menstruation, the tissue stays in the other areas and eventually grows and scars.

The stage of the disease is determined by several factors, including:

* The location of the growths
* The superficiality or depth of the growths in organs
* How stuck together organs are
* The growth rate of the area

Your doctor can confirm your diagnosis and determine the stage of the disease by doing a simple surgery called a laparoscopy. This is when a camera is inserted into the affected area so the doctor can see the extent of the damage.

When doing a laparoscopy, the doctor will determine the severity of each of these factors and assign numbers. The total number that is reached determines what stage you are. Here is a general description of each stage.

Stage 1: Less than 5. This is considered a very mild case. Adhesions (thin strings of scar tissue spread from one area to another) are superficial, thin and filmy.

Stage 2: 6 to 15. This is still a mild form of the disease. This also includes thin, filmy adhesions, but the patient also has superficial and deep implants of endometrial cells.

Stage 3: 16 to 40. This is moderate endometriosis. Implants are also superficial and deep, but the adhesions are still filmy, but more dense.

Stage 4: Greater than 40. This is the most severe case of the disease. Many women with stage 4 experience infertility because the growths are so severe. This includes deep and superficial implants, but the adhesions are very dense. In very few women, the adhesions will have spread past the lower abdominal cavity.

It is important for women to realize that pain is not a good indicator of the stage of the illness. While it makes sense for symptoms to increase as the disease progresses, many women have severe pain and other complications from only mild cases. In addition, some women never experience visible symptoms. They only find out they have endometriosis during fertility testing and other procedures.

Knowing the stage of your disease will help your doctor determine and appropriate treatment plan for you. However, the stage of your disease has nothing to do with how you’ll respond to treatment. A patient with stage 1 endometriosis may respond poorly to treatment while someone with a higher stage could respond very well. Stage is also not a good indicator of whether or not your disease will reoccur once it is under control.

Is Teeth Whitening Safe?

We all want a sparkling, white smile. In fact, many people spend hundreds of dollars a year in search of the perfect shade of white for their teeth. You can get toothpaste, paints, gels, strips, and even light treatments to take the ugly stains off your teeth. With all the options available today, you have to wonder if they’re safe. Many will advocate that whitening ruins the enamel and root of the tooth and leaves it damaged and vulnerable, but what really is the truth?

Most tray based whitening gel systems on the market today have a 10 percent carbamide peroxide solution as their active ingredient. Many studies have been conducted and they’ve shown that, at these concentrations, there is no damage to the enamel of the tooth. You may want to consider using a fluoride toothpaste if you’re concerned about enamel damage. This will help strengthen teeth and repair any possible damage. A disadvantage of these methods is that, because they use lower, safer levels of chemicals; they’re not as effective at whitening teeth as the products a dentist uses. They are; however, a lot cheaper.

There are other home based systems for teeth whitening including toothpastes, strips, and paints. These use the same or less abrasive materials than gel trays, so they are safe to use without damaging enamel. Remember that the less whitening solution a product has, the less effective it will be.

Dentist offices use the same type of solution as over the counter methods; however, they tend to offer higher concentrations so the whitening is more effective. Studies have shown that these concentrations may harm tooth enamel. Most of these treatments not contain fluoride or are offered with a fluoride treatment to strengthen enamel and reverse or prevent the damage from the whitening agent. Because of the safety issues, you should always express you concerns to the dentist and ask what options are available to protect your precious smile.

There has been some concern raised that these types of treatments may be considered carcinogens because they break down into free radicals. They also have suggested that teeth whitening may cause root damage to teeth. There have been extensive research studies and there is no evidence to support either of these claims

The problem with many whitening products, even very weak ones such as toothpastes, is that they can cause a problem for people with sensitive teeth. The treatments tend to worsen the level of sensitivity to hot and cold. If you have sensitive teeth, you should discuss treatment options with your dentist. They may be able to suggest whitening treatments that aren’t as harsh on sensitive teeth. You may experience pain when using at-home whitening trays, or gum pain after treatment, even if you don’t have sensitive teeth. If this occurs, you should talk to your doctor.

The bottom line is, as long as you use the treatments properly and follow your dentist’s instructions, teeth whitening is a safe and easy way to brighten up your smile.

Home Treatment for Chlorinated Hair

Need some relief from your sun-damaged, over-chlorinated hair? Try this home remedy:


Ingredients:
1 egg
1 eggshell's worth of olive oil
1 peeled cucumber quartered

Directions:
Break egg into glass bowl. Pour olive oil in egg shell measure then add to egg. Blend well. Place peeled cumcumber quarter into mixture and blend well making sure cucumber is mashed and mixed in well. Blend into hair beginning at the roots and working to the ends until hair is completely covered. Allow to stay in hair for ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse hair thoroughlywith warm water to remove. Best if treatment is used once a month all year long.

Self Breast Exams - What Are You Looking For?

One of the most important things a woman can do to protect her health is performing a monthly breast self exam. This is the first line of defense you have against breast health. It can help you learn what healthy breasts look and fell like, so you can detect a problem more easily.

Most people think breast self exams are solely for the purpose of finding lumps in the breast. The first step of the exam is to visually examine your breasts in the mirror. This way you can see outwards signs of a breast health problem, including:

• Dimpling. You may notice a rippling or “pulling” of the breast skin and tissue.
• Color changes. A darkening of the breast could be a sign of trouble.
• Texture changes. Deep tissue changes are important, but you should also pay attention to what the skin on the outside of your breasts feels and looks like.
• Size. It’s normal for your breasts to be uneven, but one shouldn’t be getting larger at a faster rate than the other once you’re past puberty.
• Fluid. Any fluid coming from the nipple other than breast milk is a cause for concern. You should see a doctor immediately if there is blood coming from the nipple.
• Nipple changes. Notice the size and shape, and general appearance of your nipples.

In addition to these other conditions, you should feel your breast looking for lumps. Most breasts have a lumpy of fibrous texture, that’s why it’s important to look for changes, as opposed to simple lumps.

You should also be aware of the texture in each area of your breast and notice lumps that appear in a location they normally don’t. For example, most women have a lumpier texture in the upper portion of their breasts, and a sandier texture underneath. If you notice a lump in an area where your breasts normally feel sandy, this may be cause for concern.

Most women will have lumps that appear naturally and then disappear by their next cycle. You should be aware of lumps that appear suddenly and don’t disappear, or that change or grow over time.

Many women with naturally lumpy breasts can get frustrated because it’s hard to remember every lump and notice changes. In this case, you can keep a journal every month. Write down how your breasts normally feel and any changes you notice from the month before. While this may seem embarrassing, it could save your life.

If you do notice a problem with your breasts, don’t panic. Not all issues are due to breast cancer. Schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible so they can perform tests. Don’t ever put off getting a problem looked at. Early detection could be the key to saving your life.