Weight loss and diet plan for a healthy lifestyle.

Gold therapy

Gold therapy basically involves the administration of gold salts (so that the gold is in a soluble form) into the system of the patient involved. The mechanism of the anti-arthritic effect has received considerable attention with several theories being put forward. The theories have been based on the bactericidal effect, the suppression of certain enzyme effects, and even the toxic effect of gold. So far the true mechanism is still not known but possibly the inhibiting effect in some enzymes is the most popular theory.

With regard to the effectiveness of gold therapy it was reported that over relatively short periods (about one and a half years) the treatment was quite effective but that a reverse trend occurred after that. The improvement in condition takes place slowly, unlike the therapies described earlier, and it can be necessary for a person to be on treatment for many months.

To complete the gold story the side-effects have to be considered and, once again, these tend to be rather unpleasant. Amongst the side-effects listed for gold are toxicity (it is known to be quite lethal but as it is only administered in small amounts this effect is minimized), dermatitis, loss of hair, mouth ulcers and the seemingly inevitable gastric problems.

Treatment of osteo-arthritis

Drug therapy forms a smaller part in the treatment of osteo- arthritis than in that of rheumatoid arthritis. It is not within the scope of the discussions here to go into therapies that involve the use of splints, surgical appliances, crutches am heat treatment. All of these, together with programmes of balanced physical exercise therapy, are used in the treatment and management of various forms of osteo-arthritis.

Drug therapy and diet are factors which should be î interest to most of us as it will be this area in which we ourselves will be most able to be effective in choice. That die is effective in influencing osteo-arthritis one way or the other is still open to doubt on clinical grounds. However, in trial on the incidence of osteo-arthritis in mice being fed a diet rich in saturated fat, an increased frequency of osteo-arthritis was noted. If some of the saturated fat in the diet was substitute by unsaturated fatty acid, a significant decrease in the incidence of osteo-arthritis resulted. Contrary to common opinion, clinicians do not consider that osteo-arthritis is due to dietary factors causing too much or too little calcium in the bones. Thus, apart from the obvious effect obesity may have on this condition, which could be described as an indirect dietary effect, osteo-arthritis is not considered to be a condition susceptible to nutrition.

In common with rheumatoid arthritis, probably the most widely used drug therapy for osteo-arthritis is aspirin. The analgesic effect would generally be the most active in relieving the pain symptoms of the condition. And inflammatory properties can come into play however where synovial inflammation is occurring. Synovial inflammation means inflammation of the synovial which is a lining membrane in certain types of joints. This membrane is responsible for lining and producing synovial fluid, the lubricating fluid for these joints.

Most other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as used for rheumatoid arthritis, are also used for osteo-arthritis. The side-effects are the same for all these preparations. In general, the use of these drugs in the treatment of different conditions usually involves the same side-effects.

Corticosteroid therapy is not favoured as an oral form of treatment for osteo-arthritis due to the comparative lack of efficacy and the risk of serious side effects following long-term administration. Direct injection of corticosteroids into the joints has been used quite widely with successful, though temporary, relief of symptoms in some cases of osteo-arthritis. From personal reports of people who have experienced this type of treatment, however, the injections themselves are rather an unpleasant experience. The adverse effects of corticosteroid therapy by direct injection are not restricted to the injection itself.

Experimental studies have demonstrated that these drugs can have deleterious effects on the joint cartilage which can assist further deterioration of the joint. Also inflammations and joint infections can follow due to injected steroid crystals. As a result of these factors, and its inability to help in severe cases its use is not widely recommended.

Other therapies exist, including a type of radiation treatment and, particularly with arthritis of the hip, surgery. Wonderful results are being achieved with hip, knee and hand replacement surgery nowadays using durable metal or plastic components.

Thus, there are various means of treating arthritic disorders with various degrees of effectiveness and also various degrees of risk from side-effects. Obviously the best treatment is one where there is the maximum effectiveness with the minimum risk of adverse side-effects covering the broadest range of symptoms.

*10/48/5*

To-date, no treatment has been developed that is effective for all women with endometriosis because little is known about the causes of the condition. However, many different approaches have been tried.

In general, the treatments aim to relieve the symptoms and, where desired, improve the chances of conception by eradicating as many endometrial implants, cysts and adhesions as possible.

The main options available for the management of endometriosis are:

* observation

* symptomatic management

* hormonal treatment

* surgical treatment

* combined treatment

* alternative therapies

Observation

Observation or a ‘wait-and-see’ approach involves no active treatment. Rather, as the name suggests, it simply involves a period of observation and monitoring. Such an approach should still involve regular visits to your gynecologist to monitor any possible progression of your endometriosis and its symptoms.

Some gynecologists believe that a period of observation is the most appropriate form of management for young women who have minimal endometriosis with no significant symptoms. Others believe that it is inappropriate because they believe endometriosis should be treated as it usually progresses.

A period of observation may be the most appropriate form of management if a woman decides that she does not want to have active treatment, particularly if she has minimal or no symptoms.

Symptomatic management

Symptomatic management for endometriosis involves treating only the symptoms – usually the pain – without attempting to treat the underlying disease.

It usually involves the use of various analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs if the pain is intermittent, or a range of pain management techniques if the pain is chronic and ongoing.

Symptomatic management may be appropriate if a woman decides not to have treatment or if she has symptoms that have not responded to previous treatments.

Symptomatic management may also be used as an adjunct to conventional or alternative treatments in order to relieve ongoing symptoms.

If you decide to have only symptomatic management you need to be aware that it will not treat your endometriosis in any way and that in fact your endometriosis may progress.

Hormonal treatments

The hormonal treatment of endometriosis uses drugs to treat the condition. In general, hormonal treatments aim to eradicate the endometriosis by suppressing the menstrual cycle and preventing the growth and development of the endometrial implants and cysts.

Surgical treatments

In general, surgery for endometriosis aims to remove as many endometrial implants, cysts, endometriomas and adhesions as possible and to repair any damage caused by the disease. In the case of a hysterectomy, surgery aims to cure the disease by removing the uterus and sometimes the ovaries as well.

Combined treatment

Combined treatment is the use of a course of hormonal treatment before, or after, surgery to enhance the effects of the surgical treatment.

Alternative therapies

A variety of treatments are used by alternative therapists. Each therapist uses a combination of treatments, although the actual treatments used for each individual will usually depend on an assessment of her problems.

*29/41/5*

Noted brain experts Richard Wurtman and Judith Wurtman conducted experiments with CCO (carbohydrate-craving obesity) patients. Their work demonstrated how the urge to consume carbohydrates strikes predictably during the late afternoon. But why should this be so? If a person has a disorder that compels her to eat huge quantities of food, why should her appetite be greater at certain times of day? And why is it limited to a certain type of macronutrient? Not all of the answers are in yet. However, some evidence points to the neurotransmitter serotonin-or rather, a defect in serotonin secretion-as one possible source of the problem.

A normal person who feels the urge to eat something sweet might be satisfied with a couple of cookies or a candy bar. In contrast, a carbohydrate craver continues to eat beyond the point of satisfaction. As we learned earlier, serotonin usually acts to suppress eating. The Wurtmans believe that carbohydrate-craving behavior suggests something has gone wrong with the feedback loop that signals the brain when enough food has been taken in.

There’s another level to the problem as well. When asked why they succumbed to such dangerous eating practices, carbohydrate-craving people reported that they weren’t interested in the taste of the food. Instead they ate as a means of fending off tension, anxiety, or mental fatigue. In other words, carbohydrate cravers seem to use food as a kind of self-prescribed regimen of antidepressant therapy. Earlier we saw how carbohydrates lead to increased serotonin levels. Could a defect in the serotonin system be a common link between these disorders?

Knowing that a faulty serotonin system may underlie certain kinds of abnormal eating has led to the use of medications to correct the problem. A chemical called d-fenfluramine, for example, acts as a kind of biological boxing coach. It calls on serotonin to get out there and fight by triggering its release from nerve cells. Then d-fenfluramine prolongs the bout by blocking reabsorption of serotonin back into the cell-in a sense, keeping the boxer from returning to his corner before the fight is over. The popular antidepressant Prozac (fluoxetine) also increases serotonin levels by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin by the nerve cells.

Through this one-two punch, d-fenfluramine helps serotonin do the job it was designed for: control appetite. Use of this and other similar compounds can help some carbohydrate-craving patients enjoy more normal moods and in some cases lose weight. There has also been some success in using these medications for PMS and SAD. Recent research in patients with PMS has also shown that consumption of high-carbohydrate meals (which increases serotonin) can help improve premenstrual depression, tension, and fatigue.

Eating is not just a simple process. A complex network of signals exists between the brain and the rest of the body. Some of these signals arise from within. Others- anything from the amount of daylight outside to a friend’s invitation to go and grab a burger-come from the outside world.

These signals trigger the release of biochemicals that stimulate appetite. The digestive organs respond to what we eat by releasing still more chemical messengers that report to the brain. The brain processes the information and issues orders to stop, continue, or eat something different next time.

Although social cues play a role, eating is largely a self-sustaining physical process. Disruptions can occur at any point in the system. There may be insufficient supplies of a certain brain chemical or a defect in an organ’s ability to respond to a neurotransmitter’s message. Fortunately, our growing knowledge of how physical problems contribute to eating disorders points the way to new and effective biological treatments.

*44/35/5*

Seven years ago, Mitch Lipka tipped the scales at 450 pounds, thanks in large part to a steady diet of high-fat foods. But he never got serious about slimming down until the day he tried to climb a short flight of stairs to his mother’s apartment. The effort left Mitch, who could no longer fit through a turnstile or slide into a restaurant booth, exhausted and gasping for air. On the spot, he resolved to lose weight.

He started by giving up meats and fried foods, then eliminated cheese, ice cream, and other high-fat fare. In their place, he learned to prepare low-fat meals, using a cookbook that his mom gave him. The pounds started coming off almost immediately.

Inspired by his progress, Mitch started plotting his next strategy: exercise. At first, he tried walking around the block. But because his job as a newspaper reporter had him working odd hours, he had to find an activity that better fit into his crazy schedule. So he invested in a stationary bike, which he rode when he got home from work. “I’d set little goals for myself,” he recalls.

“I’d ride for 5 minutes the first five sessions, then 7 minutes the next five sessions, and so on.”

Of course, some nights Mitch could hardly bear to look at his bike, much less ride it. That’s when his diversionary tactic came into play. He’d throw a towel or a T-shirt over the timer, then concentrate on something else. He’d get so lost in thought that before he knew it, his time was up.

After 2 years of his diet-and-exercise regimen, Mitch had lost 200 pounds. Five years later, at age 34, he’s still fit and feeling good about himself.

WINNING ACTION

Let your imagination go. Boredom can put a crimp in even the best-laid exercise plans. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, chances are, you won’t stick with it. So find ways to make your workout interesting. Mitch hides the timer and thinks about something else. If you’re using a stationary bike or other fitness equipment, try watching TV, flipping through a magazine, or cranking up some Tina Turner, Madonna, or your favorite uptempo tunes. Personally, as dull as it seems, I’m a fan of nothingness, like Mitch. I like quiet time when I’m on my treadmill. My mind wanders everywhere!

*98\89\8*