January 25   Arthritis and Chronic Joint Symptoms

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From the Centers for Disease Control

Are you female, Caucasian, have a lesser education, and overweight? Then you run the greatest risk of either arthritis or chronic joint symptoms. Check out the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

These statistics left me stunned. Just for openers:

Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms affect nearly 70 million Americans, or about one of every three adults, making it one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States. As the population ages, this number will increase dramatically.

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Double that of heart trouble. Triple that of respiratory trouble. Five times that of diabetes. Over six times more than that of stroke!

Nationally, medical care for arthritis cost nearly $22 billion in 1995 (latest figures).

Total costs, including medical care and loss of productivity, exceeded $82 billion in 1995.

Who has arthritis?

As the CDC reports: “The prevalence of arthritis is high for all demographic groups, but especially higher among women, older persons, and those with less education.”

What’s being done?

The CDC reports that in 1998, the “first ever” plan to address arthritis using a public health approach was released. This plan was developed by the CDC, the Arthritis Foundation, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, with input from over 90 organizations. The plan recommended actions in “Three major areas for individuals and groups interested in reducing the impact of arthritis.”

Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Prevention Research
Communication and Education
Programs, Policies, and Systems

For some reason, this evokes a scene in my mind from the TV show “Star Trek Voyager” where the holographic Doctor is helping one of his patients recover from a leg joint injury. The crewman is in great pain, while the Doctor dispassionately tells the patient to “live with the pain and do the exercises”. The crewman, exasperated at this attitude, complains to the Doctor
that he was programmed not to hurt his patients. The holographic Doctor quickly replies “I was programmed to do no harm. However, I can inflict as much pain as I
wish.”

In the daily media, we are bombarded with stories about AIDS, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), Heart Disease, and even the latest outbreak of the West Nile
Virus. Yet, you hardly ever hear anything about the greatest threat to our quality of life … Arthritis!

Let me repeat the findings of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).

“Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms affect nearly 70 million Americans, or about one of every three adults, making it one of the most prevalent diseases in the United States. As the population ages, this number will increase dramatically.”

One in Three

God forbid you are a Caucasian woman, with little education, and are 30 lbs or more overweight (obese).

What can be done?

The CDC recommends: “We can do the effective things that are not being done enough. Research shows that physical activity decreases pain, improves function and delays disability. In addition, research studies suggest that maintaining an ideal body weight and avoiding joint injuries reduces the risk of developing arthritis and may decrease disease progression. Obtaining an early diagnosis so that appropriate management, including self-management, can be initiated
may improve the quality of life for persons with arthritis. Early diagnosis and appropriate management of arthritis, including … self-help courses, weight control, and physical activity can help people with arthritis function better, stay productive, and lower health care costs.”

Has your Doctor ever told you to just keep doing your exercises, keep dieting and keep your weight down, and keep taking your medications and just try to live with the pain?

What else is your Doctor going to say? Are we crazy? Could it be that if your Doctor said anything else it would mean committing financial suicide?

I know most doctors are hard-working and doing their best and in many cases are achieving astonishing things.

However, the pressure to use drugs and more drugs is overwhelming. It is not their fault! It is ours!! We go to them for a magic bullet and expect them to heal us… and with not having to make any lifestyle changes. Is this fair to the doctors? Of course not!

“I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too”

Margie Garrison
www.cureyourarthritis.com



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January 17   Aquarium Fish Health: White Spot Disease Symptoms And Cures

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Fish death is one of the main problems that beginner aquarist and even some expert aquarist face. Its frustrating to the extent that most quit keeping aquarium fish.

But fish death can be avoided. Most fish deaths are caused as a result of both an internal and external types parasites that compete with the fish in tank.

As a result if you watch your aquarium fish often you should be able to discover when they have been infected by this parasite and be able to treat them to avoid fish death.

Look out for the following White Spot disease behavioral symptoms in your fish.

- Constant lying on the bottom or hanging at the surface.

- Rubbing of the body against rocks

- Gasping at the water surface

- No response to feeding

- General dullness and lethargy

- Hovering in a corner

- Fish swimming with clamps up

The most common of the visible signs is the development of the pin head-size while spots on the body or fins. This ailment is referred to as White Spot disease and is caused by the parasite – Ichthyophthirius Multifillis.

This parasite has a free-swimming stage, which attaches itself to the fish. The most common chemical used in treating infected fishes is Methylene Blue. You could buy a one per cent stock solution from a reputable chemist or aquarium shop and apply at 0.8 to 1.0ml per gallon of water. This amount should be added all at once. Repeat after one or two days.

The fishes must remain in this bath until every while spot has disappeared. A water change after treatment is necessary or else prolonged contact with the chemical may affect the fertility of the fish.

Another tip if you are using a side filter with activated charcoal should remove it to prevent the coal from absorbing the Methylene Blue.

Another tip… during treatment you should use artificial aeration with coarse bubbles near the surface, since a dirty bottom would inactivate the medicament by absorption. A better measure is to remove all dirt from the bottom before treatment.

Methylene Blue is harmless to young fish and unlike the general belief, it does not affect plants if used in weaker concentration.



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January 10   Ankylosing Spondylitis, Treatment and Symptoms

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What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?
Ankylosing Spondylitis is a condition which is related to arthritis. Ankylosing Spondylitis affects approximately 1 in every 250 mainly young men so while many may have not heard about it, it is quite common.

The word Ankylosing means inflammation of the spine while Spondylitis means joint which is fixed solid and unable to bend. So, in simple terms, Ankylosing Spondylitis is a condition which involves the spine becoming inflamed and as a consequence becoming fixed and solid. What tends to happen, is that tendons or ligaments attached to the spine become swollen. When the swelling reduces, it is replaced by growths of bone. When this happens a number of times, there becomes more and more bone where there used to be tendons or ligaments until eventually the joint fuses together.

As with many conditions, different people are affected with varying degrees of this condition, with some barely noticing it while others lose their full independence. What is also interesting is that the Ankylosing Spondylitis symptoms can come and go over time.

What are the Symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis?
The first time people tend to notice that they have Ankylosing Spondylitis, is when the experience lower back pain and some muscle spasms. This tends to be worse during the night. This pain often spreads to the upper back, neck and buttocks. Also, in the morning, neck pain may be experienced which is relieved during the day through exercise.

Without treatment, it is possible that the symptoms could develop into fever, fatigue and a loss of appetite. There may be some weight loss as well.

As the spine starts to fuse together, you may start to find it more and more difficult and painful to move around. Also, in a number of cases. as the joints start to become more and more affected, it becomes harder to breath as the ribs start to stop moving. This means that breathing is now being conducted using only the muscles of the diaphragm. On top of this, the lungs could be affected by Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Ankylosing Spondylitis in approximately 1 in 3 cases can cause inflammation in one or both eyes.

Causes of Ankylosing Spondylitis
Nobody knows exactly what causes Ankylosing Spondylitis. It is generally thought that the antigen HLA-B27. This may explain why this condition appears to run in families. This is also linked to a condition called Reites Syndrome.

Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis
There are no drugs in existence today which can slow or stop the condition. However, there are drugs called Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) which can help to control the inflammation and reduce the pain.

Also, daily exercise consisting of gentle stretching exercises or swimming can help to improve the movement of the spine and help to create a more positive posture. On top of this, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy can also help to relieve the symptoms.

Unfortunately, there are a small number of people suffering from Ankylosing Spondylitis who will require hip replacements. Thankfully, those cases are few and far between.

Interestingly, the symptoms of Ankylosing Spondylitis can be present for a period of time and then they reduce significantly.



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January 2   All About Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Types.

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While talking about diabetes, you may be frightened from the idea that you may have it. Or maybe, you may have it in the future. You want to know if you are at risk to develop diabetes and anxiously you’re looking to find if you have any diabetes symptom.

Diabetes affects the manner in which the body handles carbohydrates, fats and proteins. If neglected, diabetes can have serious complications. The diabetic people have high blood sugar level. The blood sugar level is regulated by insulin – a hormone produced by the pancreas, which depends on your eating habits.

Diabetes is a serious disease. But the startling truth is that diabetes is reversible. Diabetes is the number one cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). This disease is a condition where the body is unable to automatically regulate blood glucose levels, resulting in too much glucose (a sugar) in the blood. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects as many as 16 million Americans.

Actually, there is no clear symptom for diabetes. The most common symptoms of diabetes are as follow:

- being all the time thirsty
- frequent urination
- increased hunger
- feeling all the time tired; having an excessive fatigue,

On the other hand, there are some other symptoms of diabetes that are prescribed as diabetes complications in fact. These symptoms are:

- vision changes;
- recurrent skin infections very difficult to heal;
- tingling or numbness you may feel in your extremities;
- gums disorders;
- Hair loss and many others.

There are two different types of diabetes.

Type I Diabetes (juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes): The reason for type I diabetes is due to pancreas unability to produce insulin.

Type II Diabetes (non insulin dependent diabetes or adult onset diabetes): This diabetes is a result of body tissues becoming resistant to insulin. It is usually hereditary.

Type 2 Diabetes is more common than Type 1 Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. Conditions associated with type 2 diabetes include hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. Type 2 diabetes may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Up to two-thirds of people with type 2 diabetes have no symptoms. Obesity is the single most important risk factor for type 2 diabetes. An estimated 20% of all cases of new onset type 2 diabetes are in individuals between the ages of 9-19. The more you know about type 2 diabetes, the more you’ll be able to take the right steps to take control of your condition.

If neglected, diabetes can lead to various complications such as damage to the kidneys, heart disease, nerve damage, hypoglycemia (drastic reduction in glucose levels). Diabetes is a serious disease and there is no treatment of it. However, it can be brought under control by proper diabet diet.



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