Author Archives: schatzi

A Proactive Approach to Eye Care

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Take a second to close your eyes past halfway and imagine what life would be like without them. Try to do a few things; walking into the next room, eat a snack, continue to read this article. While you should be successful in just about everything you attempt, your effectiveness and speed will make even the most mundane of tasks difficult. Now, give it all a try with your eyes completely closed.

Vision is all-important, especially for those of us that are lucky enough to be used to living with it. However, like all health systems, vision must be protected to ensure continued well-being and functionality. General deterioration or a simple oversight in safety could result in your world darkening quickly without proper eye care; utilizing goggles, dieting, and regular eye exams.

One obvious element to protect your vision is using goggles when playing sports or taking part in activities and work that leave the eyes particularly vulnerable. Shatter proof goggles are essential for these activities. Nearly impenetrable by normal means, goggles will protect against the stray limbs that could strike in an athletic competition, or the occasional stray bit of wood or metal that comes with labor and crafting activities. Know when there is potential for that random element that justifies protective eyewear. Don’t leave anything to risk; if Kareem Abdul-Jabbar can become an international basketball hall-of-famer while wearing goggles, chances are you can handle averting the risk and playing with them.

Next, diet and supplements will play a role in the maintenance of your vision. Stretching beyond the simple “eat your carrots,” (though carrots and other vegetables are particularly good for strengthening retina) there are many other dietary factors that will affect healthy vision. Blood pressure is a serious link to damaged eye sight. High blood pressure causes the deterioration of blood vessels, especially in the eyes where such blood vessels are exceptionally delicate. Also, many different vitamins and supplements can bolster your eye’s health; including vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, and Omega-3 EFAs (essential fatty acids).

Finally, hire the help of a professional to manage eye care. Regular eye exams are becoming more and more essential to ensure continued vision health. Whether you need a new pair of glasses, multifocal lens replacement, or a number of other services; schedule an eye exam with your preferred ophthalmologist to take a proactive approach to vision health. If they happen to find something wrong, the next step can effectively be taken with regards to cataract surgery or glaucoma surgery and treatment.

If you don’t protect your vision, you’re going to miss it when it ultimately fails you. Take a proactive approach to protecting your eyes with protective wear, dieting, and eye exams to ensure health and longevity.

Rotator Cuff Rehab Exercise a Training Guide

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Rotator cuff rehab exercises are the most significant aspect in rotator cuff tear rehab. In fact, rehab from any cuff problem, will comprise largely of rehab exercises.

It is a straightforward, established truth that the recovery time for rotator cuff problems is dramatically reduced by a dedicated approach to following a rehabilitation program or protocol.

One of the chief reasons specified by surgeons and doctors for a failure in surgical recovery is a lack of patient observance with rehab exercise protocols.

Rotator cuff rehab exercises

Rehab exercises fall into four major categories.

  • Isometric
  • Stretches
  • Weights
  • Resistance bands

Each of these categories can be broken down further but they are sufficient for this purpose.

Most people with a cuff injury are given a basic exercise routine or protocol to follow. You will then have been sent off to “do your rehab” and report back in 2 or 3 weeks for a progress report.

For the vast majority of people this is of little or no use. Most people remain uncertain of what exactly they are supposed to be doing and more importantly why. Setting about an exercise routine for the first time can be daunting.

I hope I can break down some of the barriers you may face. This simple rotator cuff training guide should be all you need to give you the confidence to get started.

Do not worry about “getting it right”

There are no real “rights and wrongs” in choosing which exercises to do. Any type of exercise from those shown above will aid in recovery. For best results, however, a mixture of all types will be beneficial.

Consider this; your shoulder is required to work naturally in many different ways. To exercise it through the full range of movements a full range of exercises are required. That being the case it is often best to use some imagination and make it fun.

Listen to your body

The most important thing you can do is to listen to your body. If you are feeling tired, have pain, or a reduction in performance, it means you need more recovery time. In some cases a complete break from exercise may be required.

A muscle requires anywhere from 24 – 48 hours to repair and rebuild itself. Working it again too soon, simply leads to tissue break down instead of building. For any weight training routines it is essential never to work the same muscle groups two days in a row.

Recovery from exercise

One of the most important factors that affect the benefits gained from exercise is recovery. The vast majority of people do not have an exercise recovery plan. This is despite the fact that a post exercise routine can have a huge impact on gains in strength and performance.

Ten simple steps to recover quickly from rotator cuff rehab exercises

  1. Rest – the body has an incredible way of taking care of its self; if you give it time. Exercise is important, rest is critical, do not overdo it.
  2. Warm up and cool down – always warm up before exercise and don’t just stop gradually cool down by moving around at low intensity for 5 – 10 minutes after exercise.
  3. Stretch – if you only do one thing after a workout make it gentle stretching.
  4. Replace fluids – you can lose a lot of fluid during exercise. Ideally try to replace it as you exercise, but filling up after exercise is a simple way to boost your recovery.
  5. Eat properly – your body needs fuel. Ideally eat within 60 minutes of exercise and try to include high quality proteins and complex carbohydrates.
  6. Active recovery – easy, gentle, controlled movements such as low intensity aerobic exercise improve circulation. This in turn improves the body’s processes and helps muscles repair faster.
  7. Ice bath – as I said above a little severe for a rotator cuff so let’s restrict it to localised ice treatment. Some people swear by alternative water therapy such as alternating hot and cold showers. My advice try it – if it works for you, it works for you. I am not a fan of ice baths!!!!
  8. Massage – massage improves circulation, allows you to fully relax and feels great. If you can’t afford a professional, simply massage the area yourself.
  9. Sleep – get lots of sleep. While asleep your body does some incredible things. The healing process continues unabated.
  10. Avoid over training – excessive exercise will limit any fitness gains from exercise and undermine your recovery efforts. Exercise a maximum of every other day. Your shoulder will be working naturally between times anyway.

Rotator cuff rehab exercises are proven to work. They will reduce pain, improve strength and increase range of motion. Be dedicated but do not overdo it. Follow these simple rules and you will have an effective, free, long term, natural and healthy solution.

The Best Way To Start A Diet Is By NOT Starting One At All!

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It’s your New Year’s Resolution… the holidays are over, you are getting married soon… you just had a baby… heck, it’s just Sunday… sound familiar? These are all events that trigger many of us to say “I need to start dieting to lose weight!” I’m here to tell you that the best way to start a diet is by NOT STARTING A DIET.

“WHAT?! How’s that 10 to 20 pounds gonna come off of me, sister!?” – I hear you yelling. EXACTLY! When we choose to start a diet-we do just THAT-we DIET. We diet without giving any true thought to what we are doing and whether it will work or not. We try the latest fads such as the lemonade diet, the grapefruit diet, the cottage cheese diet, all in a fruitless attempt to lose weight fast. “But I bought the book?!” “I signed up for the meetings – I’m SO READY!”

NOT SO FAST. Starting a diet is not an easy thing for anyone. MOST DIETS FAIL. That’s why there is a “cha-ching” fitness industry out there competing for your hard-earned dollars to help you lose those pounds.At any given time, there are millions of people on a diet. Dieting is such a norm for Americans that we are conditioned by marketing to think its so easy, but then we try and fail over and over again. I’m not saying “Don’t diet”. I’d like to give you some tips to think about and do before you begin your diet. By following this advice, you will be arming yourself with a MUCH greater chance of success in the battle of the bulge.

1. Do you know what it means to diet?

Prepare yourself mentally for starting your diet. Realize you must reduce calorie intake to lose weight. Are you at time in your life where stress levels are low or high? You’ll need to be “at your mental best” to meet the challenges that arise everyday in your life without reaching for food to “deal”. You must be ready to WANT to exercise and eat right. Don’t beat yourself if you aren’t ready YET. Use the time to contemplate HOW you got to this point of needing to lose weight, and WHAT it will take to reduce some stresses that might interfere with your weight loss goals so you can succeed at losing weight.

2. What diet is right for YOU?

All diets are not “one size fits all”. In some cases, a strict diet that cuts out certain food groups may not be a healthy one. You won’t succeed on a plan that goes against WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON. If you love to eat fruit, a diet that lacks in this food group will make you more apt to cheat. It’s hard to stay on any diet if you can’t live with its guidelines daily – especially if they are strict ones. No matter what diet program you decide to follow, make sure it’s one you can comfortably live with for the next 3-6 months.

2. What do you LIKE to eat?

NO-not your weaknesses that have brought you to where you are in the first place, but what do you like? If you can’t live without bread, a diet like the Atkins Diet may not be for you. A diet should help you lose weight, but if you are depriving yourself from the beginning, you are sure to fail.

3. Is your 24 hour day a 25 hour day?

Think about all of the things you have to do for most days of the week. Do you have an “on-the-run” schedule? Can you honestly sign up for a one hour weekly meeting and GO to the one hour weekly meeting? REALLY? It may SOUND great and look like a plan when you’ve written in all in your daily planner… but do all those arrows and re-arranging mean you’ll really even bother to go? Just be honest with yourself here. Maybe you are an independent person with lots to do, or one with a family and lots to take care of. An E-Book or convenient downloaded program might work better for you.

4. Who are you surrounded by?

The people in your life can make a big difference in whether or not you will have a greater chance to succeed. If you go out with the girls once a week for drinks, does your diet allow it (see point one) and will your friends understand if you a) only have one, or b.), you opt-out of going sometimes so you can go the gym or avoid the extra calories? If you are the head of household, do you still have to buy all the potato chips and snacks for the rest of your family? Having discussions with those around you about your goals and getting a sense of what level of support they will be giving you can help you make decisions in your journey. Surprises and/or arguments down the road will only lead YOU to the potato chip bag. How much focus is this diet going to require?

Mentally, going on a diet seems great at first, but constantly thinking about food or following a plan that doesn’t allow you to eat many of the foods you like will require more thinking on your part. Services like Jenny Craig succeed in part because they take a lot of the thinking away by providing ready made meals. This may be better for you if you don’t have a lot of time to plan out meals. I would advise to only use such plans for a “jump-start” if you must. In the long run, you want to be eating well-rounded meals that you can purchase as you would normally if you were not dieting, otherwise, the pounds may creep back on. I’d suggest following a diet that is well-rounded, contains most foods, and also offers an online version so you can get support and “in-an-instant” info and tips. The South Beach Diet provides a full line of books plus an online program so dieters get every advantage when fighting the “battle of the bulge”.

5. Are you ready to “shake your groove thing”?

If you truly want to succeed in losing weight, you must know that any successful plan incorporates activity and exercise. Are you ready to move? Think about what exercises you can and cannot do. What exercises are you WILLING to do, and how often? Do you have physical restrictions… which leads me to question number 6…
6. Last… but not least… Have you consulted a doctor?

Do you NEED to lose weight for health reasons? Are you medically overweight or just want to look a little better? No matter which is your answer, having consulted a doctor in the last 3 months or before you start your diet is very important. Your doctor can help you decide what type of food diet might be geared towards creating a healthier you. He or she can help you to determine the healthy weight for your height as well as the weight range for your health. Your doctor should be your biggest supporter-or your biggest naysayer if you don’t need to lose or are being too unrealistic in your plans. You’ll also get a chance to know your true start weight!

Just taking the time to read over the above questions and answer them honestly will be a HUGE help in turning your weight loss goals into an achievable reality. You’ll be more prepared to meet life’s daily challenges while pursuing a healthier YOU!

Monogenic Diabetes

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The most common kinds of diabetes, which would be type 1 and type 2, are polygenic, which means that the potential of developing these varieties of diabetes is related to many different genes. Several rare types of diabetes come from mutations in one gene and consequently are referred to as Monogenic Diabetes.

Monogenic diabetes comprises roughly 1 percent to 5 percent of all of the diabetes occurrences discovered in young people. Usually, this gene mutation is inherited. Almost all mutations regarding monogenic diabetes, reduces the body’s ability of creating insulin. MODY (Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young) in addition to NDM (Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus), happen to be the predominant forms of monogenic diabetes.

Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young is more widespread in comparison to Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus. NDM occurs in newborns and also infants however MODY originally develops in youngsters along with teenagers, nevertheless symptoms could very well be slight and not found until adulthood.

Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus

NDM appears around the first 6 months of existence. It’s an unusual health problem manifesting in 100,000 – 500,000 live childbirths. Babies experiencing NDM simply can’t manufacture a sufficient amount of insulin, resulting in a surge in bloodstream sugar levels. It could possibly end up erroneously diagnosed as being the way more common type 1 diabetes.

In roughly one-half of all occurrences of NDM, it’ll be a life-long condition which is referred to as PNDM (Permanent Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus). For the rest, the disorder is non-permanent and vanishes entirely during infancy, then again it might recur in the future. This kind is referred to as TNDM (Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus).

Signs of illness normally include constant urination, increasingly being thirsty in addition to dehydration, and may be discovered by detecting excessive quantities of glucose within the blood or maybe the urine.

Most of the fetuses suffering from NDM tend not to progress the proper way inside the uterus, and on top of that newborns are usually smaller as compared to other infants who have exactly the same gestational period, a medical disorder termed intrauterine growth restriction.

Soon after childbirth, some infants might not put on weight or advance as rapidly as many others having exactly the same age and sex. Effective medical care improves and can even normalize growth and progression.

Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young

MODY comes about in adolescents and also young adults, nevertheless it could very well continue being undiscovered until their adult years. Many different gene mutations bring on Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young, which diminishes the ability of the pancreas to generate insulin. This will cause higher bloodstream glucose values usually linked with diabetes mellitus and, after a while, could produce damage to body tissue, particularly the nerves, kidneys, eyes and blood vessels.

Men and women could very well have slight or perhaps not have any telltale signs at all that are typically associated with diabetes mellitus, and also their high blood glucose may only be detected in the midst of routine blood checks. In addition it could possibly be wrongly identified as being type 1 or 2 diabetes. Folks suffering from MODY generally are not too heavy and also do not feature various other risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.

Even though it could be inherited, people who may have Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young usually have some sort of family history of diabetes in a number of successive generations, which means it would likely be observed within a grandparent, a parent, as well as a child. Unlike people with type 1 diabetes mellitus who continuously need to have insulin, those that have MODY are typically treated through oral diabetes drugs.

Researchers are exploring inherited causes together with metabolic activities connected to diabetes. Results relating to monogenic types of diabetes could perhaps lead to discovering the contributing elements of, and also treatment methods for, type 1 and type 2 diabetes.