About Bipolar II Disorder

Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depressive disorder. It is a mental illness that presents itself as mood swings or mood cycling. Many people do not realize that there are actually two types of bipolar disorder. Bipolar I disorder is typically defined as raging mood cycling with episodes of extreme mania and depression, as well as the occasional mixed episode. Bipolar I patients may also experience psychotic or hallucinating symptoms.

Bipolar II disorder is typically defined as rapid mood cycling with episodes of hypomania and depression. Bipolar II disorder does not occur with psychotic or hallucinating symptoms. Additionally, hypomania is defined as a milder form of mania, in which the patient has a period of hightened happiness or elation. Depression with bipolar II patients is often more severe than in patients with bipolar I disorder. Suicide, suicide threats, suicide attempts, and thoughts of suicide are much more common in bipolar II patients than bipolar I patients.

A diagnosis of bipolar II disorder is typically made when the patient has had one or more major depressive episodes, at least one hypomania episode, no manic episodes, and when no other reason for symptoms can be found.

Symptoms of depression with bipolar II disorder include decreased energy, unexplained weight changes, feelings of despair, increased irritability, and uncontrollable crying. Symptoms of hypomania include sleeplessness, racing thoughts, distractibility, excess energy, and rash judgements. These symptoms are similar to mania, but are less severe.

Treatment of bipolar II disorder typically involves a combination of medication and therapy or counseling. Medications typically prescribed for treatment of bipolar II disorder include anti-depressants such as Celexa, as well as mood stabilizers such as Topomax. Mood stabilizers are vitally important in treatment of bipolar disorders, because antidepressants alone can cause the patient to enter into a manic or hypomania episode.

Bipolar II disorder is actually often misdiagnosed as clinical depression. This is due to the fact that depression is most often present, and hypomania episodes rarely come to light in therapy sessions due to their upbeat nature. It is typically through treatment by antidepressants that the correct diagnosis is made, because the patient will spin into a hypomania episode almost immediately if the diagnosis should be bipolar II disorder rather than clinical depression.

Counseling or therapy treatment options for bipolar II disorder may include traditional counseling methods, discussion of triggers and life style changes that can lessen the severity of episodes, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Patients with a mild case of bipolar II disorder may benefit from counseling or therapy alone without medication. However, this is less common with bipolar II disorder than with bipolar I disorder, due to the nature of the severity of the depressive states.

It is vitally important for people with symptoms of bipolar II disorder to seek the help of mental health professionals as soon as symptoms become evident. Bipolar II disorder patients account for at least half of the suicides each year. To prevent suicidal behavior, it is important for bipolar II patients to be properly diagnosed at an early stage, so that ongoing treatment of the illness can begin and be continued in order to avoid suicidal behavior.

To learn more, check out <a href="http://bipolardisabilitiesguide.blogspot.com">Bipolar Disabilities Guide</a>.

Alternative Treatments For Diabetes Management

Cinnamon

During the early stages of testing a new chromium supplement, Agricultural Research Service chemist Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D. and his colleagues were attempting to disrupt some volunteers’ blood sugar control by feeding them a low chromium diet that included apple pie. Surprisingly, these volunteers’ blood sugar remained under control. Subsequent test-tube studies showed that cinnamon in the pie was boosting insulin activity, as chromium does, and thus controlling blood glucose. The spice turned out to be the “best thing we ever tested” for that purpose, Anderson says. (Science News Online 1/5/2004; Vol. 165, No. 18).

Since then Dr. Anderson and colleagues have confirmed the blood sugar lowering properties of cinnamon and its ability to lower triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol in test tube and animal studies as well as in a number of human trials. Details of these studies and human trials are outside the scope of this article.

Richard A. Anderson said: “If you can improve insulin function the cholesterol goes down, triglycerides go down, glucose goes down, and all this goes towards the alleviation of type 2 diabetes,” He cautioned, however, that consumers should not simply start dousing their food with cloves and cinnamon [at high doses]. He noted, for example, that cinnamon in powder form is rendered ineffective by contact with saliva, and its lack of solubility in water can result in an unwanted build up of the spice in the body. (HealthDay News 5/4/06).

There are some simple ways around this including buying cinnamon capsules.

Cloves

Dr. Alam Khan, Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan, a former postdoctoral student and Fulbright Fellow in the Anderson laboratory, reported on the first study of the effect of cloves on insulin function in humans at the Experimental Biology 2006 meeting, in San Francisco. (Medical News Today 9/4/2006).

At the end of the study, regardless of the amount of cloves consumed, all those who ingested cloves showed a drop in glucose, triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Blood levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol were not affected among the clove eaters. Those who did not ingest cloves experienced no changes. (HealthDay News 5/4/2006). More details of this study can be found at the author’s website.

Gymnema

Studies show that Gymnema sylvestre helps control both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Gymnema is a well-proven treatment for diabetes, and it has been used for this purpose for over 2,000 years and has proved to be very effective in type 1 diabetes.

It is best known for its apparent ability to lower blood sugar levels. Results from case reports and studies in humans and animals suggest that it may work in several ways to help control both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It is possible that gymnema sylvestre may even prompt the pancreas to develop more beta cells – the source of insulin. It may also make body cells more responsive to the insulin that is available. (DrugDigest).

The first scientific confirmation of the effects of gymnema on glucose in human diabetics was in 1926 when it was demonstrated that the leaves of Gymnema reduced urinary glucose. (K.G. Gharpurey, Indian Medical Gazette 1926; 61: 155).

A number of trials have been carried out demonstrating the properties of Gymnema sylvestre, the details of which are beyond the scope of this article.

Chromiun

Scientists believe that insulin uses chromium as an assistant (technically, a cofactor) to “unlock the door” to the cell membrane, thereby allowing glucose to enter the cell.

More than 15 scientific studies support the safety and role of chromium in improving insulin function and glucose metabolism in people with type 2 diabetes and related conditions. “There is strong scientific evidence to suggest that supplemental chromium picolinate may improve insulin sensitivity, blood glucose control, and cardiovascular risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes,” according to Dr. Kaufman, former president of the American Diabetes Association and specialist in pediatric endocrinology. (PRNewswire-FirstCall 15/2/2005). Details of these studies are outside the scope of this article.

Science News Online reported in April 2005 that Robert DiSilvestro and Emily Dy of Ohio State University showed data at the Experimental Biology 2005 meeting in San Diego indicating that only the picolinate form of chromium is absorbed well by the body. The report stated that according to Robert DiSilvestro about 40 percent of chromium picolinate was absorbed by people taking chromium supplements in one experiment. DiSilvestro added that absorption of other forms of the mineral in supplements ran as low as 1 percent and only about 10 percent of any form of chromium in foods is typically absorbed. (Science News Online 16/4/2005; Vol. 167, No. 16).

Additionally, an animal study conducted at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that chromium picolinate was better absorbed by the tissues (e.g., liver and muscle) than chromium nicotinate and chromium chloride. Absorption into the tissue is important because for a mineral to be beneficial, it must survive the digestive tract and reach the bloodstream. Otherwise, minerals pass through the body, leaving it void of necessary nutrients. (Medical News Today 7/2/2007).

If this article is reproduced please ensure the link to my website is kept live. If you can’t see the links hover your mouse over the words in the bio box.

Kevin Flatt specialisies in Alternative Medicine. For <a href="http://www.kflatthealthnews.com/2007/01/diabetes-articles.html" target="_blank">Diabetes Management</a> go to <a href="http://www.kflatthealthnews.com/2007/01/diabetes-articles.html" target="_blank">Natural Health Articles and News</a>

Men Who Pop Too Many Vitamins Are Increasing Their Risk From Prostate Cancer

Vitamin and mineral supplements have become part and parcel of everyday life for millions of people around the world today and you do not have to look far to find an advertisement for yet another product which is designed to make you look or feel better, give you more energy or cure a wealth of common, and not so common, ailments.

Many of us take vitamin and mineral supplements on a regular basic and this is particularly true as we start to get a bit older. However, in the case of men, and particularly those men who have a family history of prostate cancer, it has now been shown that they could be doing themselves more harm than good.

In a five year study carried out recently by the National Cancer Institute and involving nearly 300,000 men it was found that men who were regularly taking more than the recommended daily dose of one multi-vitamin tablet a day increased their risk from advanced prostate cancer by about thirty percent. In addition, the risk of death from advanced prostate cancer for those in the study was doubled. The study also noted that there was a significantly increased risk in a sub-group of men who also had a family history of prostate cancer or who also took selenium, beta-carotene and zinc supplements.

One very important finding of this study was that there was no apparent increase in the overall rate of prostate cancer within the study group and this means that there is no suggestion that the excessive use of vitamins actually causes prostate cancer.

However, in the case of those members of the study group who were taking multi-vitamins in excessive quantities the risk of their developing advanced prostate cancer was increased by nearly one-third and their risk of dying from advanced prostate cancer was doubled.

Vitamin and mineral supplements have been shown over many hundreds of years to have considerable health benefits and today a multi-million dollar industry has been established to meet our growing demand from an ever widening range of supplements. Indeed several supplements, such as green tea extract (EGCG), have been developed in recent years specifically for men who are suffering from prostate problems. So does this study mean that we should stop taking supplements?

Not at all. First, the study clearly shows that the problem only arises in those men who exceed the normal recommended daily dose of multi-vitamins and there is no evidence at all to suggest any risk as long as you keep your intake within recommended daily levels. Second, because the study looked only at multi-vitamins, it is not possible at this point to say just which component (or components) causes the problem. At this point further study will clearly be necessary if we are to isolate the true root of the problem.

On balance, if you feel that you need to supplement your diet with vitamins, then the benefits will almost certainly outweigh any risks. Just be careful and take no more than you need and which your doctor recommends.

ProstateProblemCenter.com covers everything from <a href="http://prostateproblemcenter.com/articles/prostate-cancer-symptoms-that-are-all-too-often-ignored.html">prostate cancer symptoms</a> to <a href="http://prostateproblemcenter.com/articles/prostate-cancer-treatments-for-early-and-advanced-prostate-cancer.html">prostate cancer treatment</a>

Things I Learned Being a Type — 2 Diabetic

Now, I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on T.V. but after living with diabetes for seven years I’ve learned some things that I haven’t seen while researching diabetes. Most of the things you learn are the basics, e.g., that diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. In order to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy you need insulin. The cause of diabetes is genetic with environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise likely to hasten the onset. My hope is if you are having difficulty with some aspect of diabetes this article may provide some insight to you. As always, check with your doctor prior to incorporating any changes to your daily regimen as each person is unique and may or may not have success with my experiences.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Before I was diagnosed with diabetes I went to several doctors with a complaint about my hands feeling severe pain. I especially felt it during a swing of a golf club. I was told I had CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) but I wondered how I could get something like that since I didn’t spend that much time on my computer keyboard. I was also skeptical of the diagnosis because the nurse practitioner treating me left the room before reaching a verdict then returns and tells me I have CTS. I guess she discussed my symptoms with the presiding doctor. Later that week, I read an article saying that if your doctor diagnoses you with CTS ask him to give you a simple blood test to rule out more serious diseases like cancer and diabetes. I showed the article to my doctor who agreed and lo and behold when the test came back it showed I had diabetes.

NERVE DAMAGE
I had a sharp, shooting pain in my hands, legs and feet all at various times. My doctor suggested exercise. I didn’t like jogging because I seem to aggravate my right knee when I do run. I have easy access to a pool but don’t really enjoy it enough but I liked the idea of riding a bicycle around my neighborhood. The fresh air, meeting neighbors and taking it light on my knee seemed appealing to me. The trick is to find some form of exercise you can tolerate and keep up with. If you don’t like jogging chances are you won’t maintain the exercise required. You need ninety minutes of exercise a week.

I usually like to exercise during the late afternoon but because of a hot spell I decided to exercise during the morning to escape the hot weather. To my surprise my glucose readings were somewhat high before dinner. So I went back to exercising at 4 p.m. and my glucose reading fell back considerably. I reasoned that my biggest meal of the day was dinner and exercising a few hours before dinner helped regulate my glucose. Also, I noticed my readings weren’t affected much when I exercised 15 minutes, or even twenty minutes. It seemed to me that I wasn’t benefitting from that amount of time spent exercising. But when I extended it to 25 and especially 30 minutes, I noticed the difference. My appetite wasn’t as ravenous and I felt better overall. But best of all, the nerve damage to my legs and hands were gone. No more numbness in those areas as well. The only complaint I had was the amount of time it took me to get there, 3 — 6 months. Aren’t we all impatient? I was so encouraged by the results that exercising has become a way of life for me. Now I bicycle 3 to 4 miles per day, 5 days a week. In fact, on the days that I do miss my workout I feel guilty.

INFECTIONS
I recently had a continuous spell of high glucose readings of which I had no rational explanation as to why. My exercise regimen was usual and my eating habits and weight were the same. I began taking Glyburide once a day. Even that didn’t work. Concerned, I made a doctor’s appointment and thanks to my doctor asking questions (innocuous I thought at the time) it turned out that I had an infection on my arm. As soon as I took the antibiotics, my glucose levels returned to where they previously were. I cut the pills in half (from 5 milligrams to 2.5) because when I was first prescribed the Glyburide I was not told about the side effects of the medication. I remember walking in the park and feeling terrible. I thought I was going to die. I made it home and took a glucose reading and was alarmed that it was 35. (Normal is between 70 and 125.) I called my doctor and relayed what was going on and they advised me to get some sugar in my body. I did and felt better within minutes. Today, I keep tomato juice in my refrigerator in case I need it. Don’t make the mistake I made and try to raise your blood sugar with food. Food will take 15 minutes to digest and may raise it over the level you want thereby negating your goal.
After taking the Glyburide during my fight with that infection, I had an Hba1c test and I was surprised that my lipid profile improved considerably. Also, I am glaucoma-suspect and my eye pressure level was reduced 26%! Is there a correlation between Glyburide and my improvements in these areas — I don’t know but I anxiously await my next quarterly blood lipid test.

There is a positive side to diabetes. Now I’m forced to exercise, watch what I eat and keep tabs on my weight. None of which I did before. The result from all this is a healthier lifestyle, less complications from diabetes and a longer lifespan. Diabetes can be manageable. Consider it a wakeup call to a healthier lifestyle.

I can’t stress enough that before you make any changes to your daily regimen to talk it over with your doctor. Write all of your questions down before you go in and if you’re too shy to ask, hand him your piece of paper.

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Depression symptoms

I would like to describe why I am optimistic about the future of medicine in general and anti-aging medicine in particular. My optimism is due to the growing popularity and effectiveness of energetic approaches to medicine. Western biomedicine has held back in looking at life from the energetic perspective because the predominant focus has been on chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. From my perspective, chemistry is one of many successful approaches to life and health. Energy medicine is filling in many of the previously unexplored or unknown areas in the puzzle of life and healing, and thereby increasing our understandings of how to help patients live longer and happier lives.

Recent medical research is showing that one of the main obstacles to longevity is best described in terms of energy. And the best approach to treatment is energetic. This is exciting to someone who has spent 25 years studying energetics and written two medical texts on energy medicine.
Energy medicine is growing in popularity because it is extremely successful, sometimes resolving conditions that have previously been considered incurable. The main side effect of these methods is an enhancement of the functioning of the immune system, and this is obviously the best thing that we can do to improve health and increase longevity

Let me explain this. If the body is injured or if there is an infection, a set of energetic reactions takes place to alert the whole body that something has happened, and to regulate the healing process. For example, if I get an injury to my arm, a wave of electrical energy called the injury potential spreads away from the site of injury. An orthopedic surgeon, Robert O. Becker, MD, documented this process in papers published in the early 1990’s. Ideally, the injury potential spreads throughout the body and informs every cell of the size and location of the injury. In this way, cells a distance from an injury can participate in the repair process if necessary. For example, in a serious injury, cells from the bone marrow or liver may be recruited to assist in the repair process.

For more read at http://www.ondamed.net

ONDAMED® GmbH was founded in 1994 by Rolf Binder, who developed the ONDAMED® Biofeedback System after 25 years of research in biophysical medical testing and therapy. Binder is well known for developing Bioterrain and EAV measurement devices, and other Medical Electronics equipment.
In 2002, the company opened its U.S. subsidiary, Ondamed Inc. and currently has customers around the world.

How 5-Htp helps in Depression & Its Other Benefits.

What is 5-Htp?

5 Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is so-called natural alternative to traditional antidepressants, used to treat unipolar depression and dysthymia. It is an amino acid that is an intermediate step between tryptophan and the mandatory brain chemical serotonin. The human body manufactures 5 htp from a natural amino acid called “L-Tryptophan”, which is found naturally in dietry proteins as 5 HTP and is not present in significant amounts in a typical diet.

Benefits:

Depression and anxiety are caused by the decreased level of serotonin in our brain, people who are suffering from fibromyalgia often have low serotonin levels in there blood, serotonin level may increase in these cases by the use of 5-HTP supplements. 5 HTP may also cure abnormal serotonin function in blood vessels, which is the main cause of migraine headaches. It is also found beneficial in Insomnia which is caused by tryptophan deficiency.

In Insomnia:

It is the intermediate precursor of serotonin. Good results have shown by 5-Htp in promoting & maintaining sleep in normal people and those who are suffering from insomnia as well. It is also found beneficial in increasing the quality of sleep.

In Alleviates Migraines and Fibromyalgia Pain:

Migraine sufferers experience periods of abnormally high activity of MAO (Monoamine oxidase) as indicated by latest medical research. MAO is the enzyme which is found to be the cause of serotonin split up. This is proved by the presence of Serotonin Metabolites in the urine of migraine suffers during migraine attacks. 5-Htp is not only found to be beneficial in relieving migraine pain but the frequency and severity of migraine headaches are also reduced.

5 Htp Dosage:

Take 1 Vcaps daily, preferably on an empty stomach at bedtime.

5 Htp Precautions:

5 Htp should only be used under supervision of a physician especially in the following cases as increased level of serotonin may be harmful:

1. Cardiovascular diseases
2. Extremely elderly persons
3. People who are suffering from Parkinsons disease
4. Lung disease
5. Chronic Alcoholism
6. Liver Disease
7. Parasitic infection
8. Aids
9. Allergies

Conclusion:

Although research questions are answered by a large number of studies but few are trustworthy. These substances may help in alleviating depression. Further studies are required to confirm 5-Htp safety before it can be widely recommended. It is also not clear how 5 htp helps in Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome. Alternative antidepressants exist which have proven to be effective and safe while the usefulness of 5 htp is still limited.

Hmark writes part time about depression and other important health issues. To learn more about 5-Htp and other natural supplements, visit http://www.herbmark.com/5-htp.html

Things I Learned Being a Type — 2 Diabetic

Now, I am not a doctor and I don’t play one on T.V. but after living with diabetes for seven years I’ve learned some things that I haven’t seen while researching diabetes. Most of the things you learn are the basics, e.g., that diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. In order to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy you need insulin. The cause of diabetes is genetic with environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise likely to hasten the onset. My hope is if you are having difficulty with some aspect of diabetes this article may provide some insight to you. As always, check with your doctor prior to incorporating any changes to your daily regimen as each person is unique and may or may not have success with my experiences.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Before I was diagnosed with diabetes I went to several doctors with a complaint about my hands feeling severe pain. I especially felt it during a swing of a golf club. I was told I had CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) but I wondered how I could get something like that since I didn’t spend that much time on my computer keyboard. I was also skeptical of the diagnosis because the nurse practitioner treating me left the room before reaching a verdict then returns and tells me I have CTS. I guess she discussed my symptoms with the presiding doctor. Later that week, I read an article saying that if your doctor diagnoses you with CTS ask him to give you a simple blood test to rule out more serious diseases like cancer and diabetes. I showed the article to my doctor who agreed and lo and behold when the test came back it showed I had diabetes.

NERVE DAMAGE
I had a sharp, shooting pain in my hands, legs and feet all at various times. My doctor suggested exercise. I didn’t like jogging because I seem to aggravate my right knee when I do run. I have easy access to a pool but don’t really enjoy it enough but I liked the idea of riding a bicycle around my neighborhood. The fresh air, meeting neighbors and taking it light on my knee seemed appealing to me. The trick is to find some form of exercise you can tolerate and keep up with. If you don’t like jogging chances are you won’t maintain the exercise required. You need ninety minutes of exercise a week.

I usually like to exercise during the late afternoon but because of a hot spell I decided to exercise during the morning to escape the hot weather. To my surprise my glucose readings were somewhat high before dinner. So I went back to exercising at 4 p.m. and my glucose reading fell back considerably. I reasoned that my biggest meal of the day was dinner and exercising a few hours before dinner helped regulate my glucose. Also, I noticed my readings weren’t affected much when I exercised 15 minutes, or even twenty minutes. It seemed to me that I wasn’t benefitting from that amount of time spent exercising. But when I extended it to 25 and especially 30 minutes, I noticed the difference. My appetite wasn’t as ravenous and I felt better overall. But best of all, the nerve damage to my legs and hands were gone. No more numbness in those areas as well. The only complaint I had was the amount of time it took me to get there, 3 — 6 months. Aren’t we all impatient? I was so encouraged by the results that exercising has become a way of life for me. Now I bicycle 3 to 4 miles per day, 5 days a week. In fact, on the days that I do miss my workout I feel guilty.

INFECTIONS
I recently had a continuous spell of high glucose readings of which I had no rational explanation as to why. My exercise regimen was usual and my eating habits and weight were the same. I began taking Glyburide once a day. Even that didn’t work. Concerned, I made a doctor’s appointment and thanks to my doctor asking questions (innocuous I thought at the time) it turned out that I had an infection on my arm. As soon as I took the antibiotics, my glucose levels returned to where they previously were. I cut the pills in half (from 5 milligrams to 2.5) because when I was first prescribed the Glyburide I was not told about the side effects of the medication. I remember walking in the park and feeling terrible. I thought I was going to die. I made it home and took a glucose reading and was alarmed that it was 35. (Normal is between 70 and 125.) I called my doctor and relayed what was going on and they advised me to get some sugar in my body. I did and felt better within minutes. Today, I keep tomato juice in my refrigerator in case I need it. Don’t make the mistake I made and try to raise your blood sugar with food. Food will take 15 minutes to digest and may raise it over the level you want thereby negating your goal.
After taking the Glyburide during my fight with that infection, I had an Hba1c test and I was surprised that my lipid profile improved considerably. Also, I am glaucoma-suspect and my eye pressure level was reduced 26%! Is there a correlation between Glyburide and my improvements in these areas — I don’t know but I anxiously await my next quarterly blood lipid test.

There is a positive side to diabetes. Now I’m forced to exercise, watch what I eat and keep tabs on my weight. None of which I did before. The result from all this is a healthier lifestyle, less complications from diabetes and a longer lifespan. Diabetes can be manageable. Consider it a wakeup call to a healthier lifestyle.

I can’t stress enough that before you make any changes to your daily regimen to talk it over with your doctor. Write all of your questions down before you go in and if you’re too shy to ask, hand him your piece of paper.

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Health – Depression & Broken Heart

You don’t have to suffer in silence. In most cases of panic attack, it usually starts with depression. A female reporter in Hong Kong who successfully juggled the demands of writing for publications around the world suddenly suffered panic attack. She often had panic attacks as she was overwhelmed by feelings of isolation, hopelessness, inadequacy and failure. She would always excuse herself and pretended to have urgent private calls to make so that she could get out and calm down.

A cartoonist for a famous Japanese magazines; suddenly hit a dry spell in 1986 and she was afraid to get out of bed in the morning. She stopped eating and lost seven kilos within a few days. She was left without getting any assignments for a month and spent her time lying in bed, smoking and drinking and was overwhelmed with thoughts of dying. Both the female reporter and cartoonist were suffering from clinical depression.

There are millions of people like them and they kept the illness to themselves. In Japan alone there are more than six millions people suffering from depression according to Dr Takahashi Toru of the Toru Clinic in Tokyo. It is estimated that one in 13 people aged 24 to 64 suffered from depression according to a study done by Singapore National Mental Health survey.

We seldom hear about depression just thirty years ago but the world is different now. People were different then, but presently many human beings have lost their value of life. Many have lost their conscience and killing is everywhere. People live in fear from many kinds of threats and even in the comfort of their homes, danger is there. There is no peace even to just go marketing for fresh vegetables. A bomb may explode anytime, anyplace.

Financial security is one of the main causes for depression. Jobless people or those hardly can make end meet, are usually victims of depression which can after some time of suffering start to have panic attacks. Depressive disorders range from dysthymia — low grade, chronic depression — to bipolar disorder, or manic depression, which causes extreme swings between depressive lows and manic high. Depression remains widely misunderstood and sufferers lead a double life. One minute full of confidence and another minute worse than a little mouse when panic attack. Depression is a taboo among Chinese and if people know that you are depressed, they will avoid you.

I should say broken heart is the worst mental blues and almost everyone gets the blues once in a lifetime. Those who have not experience it are lucky or maybe they have never fallen in love before. They will not be able to grasp the anguish depression brings. It’s so emotionally intense that it paralyses you and says one sufferer, “You never know when it will end, the pain is so overwhelming that you want to end it all.”

People will sometimes give advice with the best intentions for broken heart but says Siti Mohammad, a young female accountant who has lived with depression for much of her life: “Sometimes my relatives will tell me to look at the positive side of things. They say, ‘You have to be strong and believe in God.’ They make it sound as if I could just snap out of it. If it was that simple, I wouldn’t be like this.”

Depression is often inadequately treated or not treated at all because the truth of broken heart may not be admitted by the sufferers. For instance, many Malays believe the emotions lie in the liver and will complain about stomach soreness rather than admit to depression. Among the Chinese, the heart is often seen as the source of emotions, so they complain about chest discomfort. Singapore National University’s Kua says these cultural factors lead to misdiagnosis or no diagnosis at all in as many as one-third of cases.

For the elderly, physical ailments can mask symptoms of depression (it is often confused with Alzheimer’s disease), and there is a belief, even in the medical community, that depression is simply a fact of an older person’s life. According to a study conducted in the 1980s by Dr Lee Aik Hoe, president of the Malaysian Mental Health Association, showed that three-quarters of people who had attempted suicide also suffered from depression.

Rose Lee’s depression nearly killed her. As a teenager, she tumbled into a black pit and said, “I was severely depressed — the pain was terrible. It seemed logical to kill myself.” Richard Ng of Kuala Lumpur said he lost his father to suicide. “He displayed signs of depression — being withdrawn and losing his appetite — signs that I recognized but did nothing about, but when he committed suicide, I was shattered.”

The road to recovery is a tough one but it can be treated. If it is not because of broken heart, then the chances of recovery is good with medication. If it is because of broken heart, then there is no medicine that can cure a broken heart. There are many drugs that physicians can prescribe and certain antidepressants really work effectively so as to allow the sufferers to get on with life. But drug may have side effects like insomnia and sexual dysfunction, professional help is advised in such a case to take the right type and also avoid the risk of taking an overdose.

One of the best rescues is interpersonal and cognitive counselling. Therapy can help to change a patient’s thinking and reappraise their external circumstances. Interpersonal therapy focuses on specific-related problems, while cognitive therapy tries to counter the feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness that plague those who are depressed. In Malaysia the “Befrienders” is doing an excellent voluntarily job to make life worth living. The 24-hour helpline, modelled on the Samaritans in the United Kingdom, is one of the oldest services in Asia. It has more than 200 volunteers and fielded 24,000 calls a year.

Suicide is a grave sin according to spiritual teachings in almost every religion. Certain religion says that if a person commits suicide, he will also commit suicide for his next seven future lives. I had a relative who committed suicide many years ago. She was one of the most beautiful women in my hometown and married to one of the richest men there. Very fortunate during her younger days because of her beauty, but when her husband passed away early in life, she was cheated of everything she possessed by a conman who only wanted her properties. Unable to take the pain of her broken heart and loss of all her possessions, she took her life.

Smith Chen is an author and internet marketing consultant.<br> Find more about <a href="http://www.stayhealthonline.com">Health Online</a> and review page <a href="
http://www.stayhealthonline.com/2007/08/13/breast-cancer-chemotherapy-and-the-endocrine-system/">more</a>

Diabetes Info: Simple Diet Plans For Diabetics

Diabetes info can be found almost anywhere on the web and one thing is for sure: you don’t know how your health going to hold up in the near future or far future for that matter, as such never take your health issues or tell tale sign in off hand manner. If the day ever comes it is inevitable that it will somehow change the way you live your live and may affect something as simple as your eating habit. Diabetes have such effect on peoples lives.

Always ensure that you do not succumb to the temptations of eating junky food and fatty food when you are trying to keep your sugar level in check. Do keep in mind that the junk food can wait but your health is too important to throw it away on a whim. Another thing to note is that there are heaps of website on diabetes info discussingthis very topic

You can only make it worse by opting to skip a meal. Often it recommended that you break down your meals into six to seven smaller ones and this is to maintain your blood sugar content at a tolerable level. Anything that you want can be eaten as long as it does in moderations. Set your daily limit of milk to about 3 glasses per day and drink it sporadically. As milk is rich in lactose (a form of sugar), you would want to cut down from it. Never rely only on one sources for your calcium requirements. Milk is not the only source, you can try host of other alternatives.

Don’t be tempted to lounge around and will your time away in front of the TV set. Get some exercise and this can lower your blood glucose level too. It is always good to exercise however do go into a sudden intense physical activity all of a sudden. Exercising can be harmful to those that are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

The key to diabetic diet plan is the balanced that it strikes with the things you have to eat and getting the right diabetes info to boot. It is about taking the meal as balanced as possible. Being on diabetic diet will certainly means that less fatty foods and carbohydrates are consumed.

The main meal is often too large a meal and it can easily be broken into smaller meals and divide evenly throughout the day to enable easier control and monitoring of your blood sugar content. This will certainly ensure you blood sugar contents are within the allowable limit. Smaller meals is often a good practice in maintaining your blood sugar level as this will facilitate optimum blood sugar content as recommended by medical practitioner across the globe. For diabetes patients, food that are high in starch are often the best for them, This include vegetable, beans and corn.

There are a lot more to be covered about diabetes info and diabetes info is not a difficult subject to come by. Be sure to read as much as possible on diabetes info before making any decision regarding your ailment.

Nash Burns offers fresh and free insights on really useful facts in his content rich
<a href="http://www.diabetes-info.factips.com/">Diabetes Info Website</a>. To find out through assorted helpful articles on the diabetes diets, look into – <a href="http://www.diabetes-info.factips.com/"> Diabetes Info Main Index Page</a>.

Prostate Cancer Treatment For Those With Recurrent Prostate Cancer

Being diagnosed with prostate cancer for the first time will more than likely be traumatic for you and your loved ones, being diagnosed with recurrent prostate cancer can be devastating. Your doctor will prescribe a prostate cancer treatment plan that is designed to help you beat this disease. For those who have recurrent prostate cancer, there are many prostate cancer treatment that your physician may advise you to try.

Radiation Therapy

One prostate cancer treatment option is radiation therapy. This prostate cancer treatment includes the use of radiation of high energy from protons, neutrons, gamma rays and x-rays, as well as other sources to kill the cancerous cells and to shrink any existing tumors. There are two ways that radiation therapy can be administered as prostate cancer treatment. The first is from a machine that is located outside your body called external beam radiation therapy, or you may have material that is radioactive that is placed in your body near where the cancer is located. This is referred to as internal radiation therapy.

Hormone Therapy

Another prostate cancer treatment your doctor may employ is hormone therapy. This prostate cancer treatment will remove, block or add hormones. When you are suffering with recurrent prostate cancer, hormone therapy may aid in preventing the growth of the cancer. It is also used as a cancer treatment for breast cancer as well.

Prostatectomy

If you are not responding to conventional methods of prostate cancer treatment, your doctor may suggest that you have a prostatectomy. This is an operation that will remove some or all of the prostate. When you have a radical or total prostatectomy, the surgical team will remove the entire prostate gland as well as surrounding tissue.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a common prostate cancer treatment as well as a treatment for a host of other types of cancer. Chemotherapy can come with a lot of side effects and if this is the course of prostate cancer treatment your doctor recommends, you will learn about the possible side effects you may suffer with this treatment option. There may be other prostate cancer treatment other then those mentioned that your doctor will discuss at length with you.

For more information about <a target="_new" href="http://www.prostate-land.com/Prostate-Cancer-Treatment.html">Prostate Cancer Treatment</a>, feel free to visit us at: <a target="_new" href="http://www.prostate-land.com/Prostate-Cancer-Treatment.html">http://www.prostate-land.com/Prostate-Cancer-Treatment.html</a>