Showing posts with label Medicine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medicine. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Palliative care nurses speak hope when hope seems lost

Any Family dealing with the loss of a loved one is usually involved in the Medical Community. The ones wit the most frequent and closest care are the nurses. The nurse is there working closely with the client assess their needs as well as the families needs. Family and dear friends are coping with the many physical and emotional demands of the dying or palliative patient. It is a heavy burden to bear and bearing it can cause a deep feeling of hopelessness that blurs all vision of hope for help and improving the situation for both the Patient and the Family.


A Nurse is a listening ear and not only for the client but for the family. There are a lot of fears that can be put to rest when they are voiced and appropriate and helpful solutions are presented. A nurse is A Client Advocate who will speak up and seek out help that the client or family may not know how to or be unable to themselves.


When many fears have been put to rest by being able to talk them out with the Nurse and Other members of the Palliative team then the client and family will have a better sense of being in control of the process a little better and are then able to make healthier and more beneficial decisions for their care.


A Client who is unable to speak for themselves is often spoken for by the family member. They may not be reading the signs that the patient may be giving non-verbally. The Nurse can come along side the Family member and help them become more aware of how to assess the needs and manage comfort levels in a safe and healthy way.


Speaking the truth in kindness is a difficult thing to do. But as the Patient is priority the nurse takes this responsibility and does her best to respectfully bring to awareness the needs. She helps set up a Plan with the Doctors, Case managers and many other valued members of the health team.


Often a Spouse will try to take a lot of the load on themselves and they often get burnt out and put themselves at risk of physical and emotional exhaustion. There are many Palliative resources that can alleviate the stress and help improve both client and Family members safety. For example and older woman trying to help her palliative husband to the bathroom is unable to support him if he would fall and the risk of them both ending up with a detrimental injury is high! The care giver in this case the wife would be of no further help if she ended up in hospital with a broken hip for example. This can be avoided with getting a helper in for transferring the client or for daily care like getting bathed etc.


Helping the Client and Family become aware of the help they can get and being positive with them as much as possible Speaks Hope were things seem Hopeless!


It Is always good to talk and ask as many questions as you need to. You can only get more information to help relieve your overwhelmed feelings if You are in this situation.


Tuesday, May 3, 2016

What is an antioxidant

An antioxidant is a chemical that reduces the rate of particular oxidation reactions in a specific context, where oxidation reactions are chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons from a substance to an oxidising agent.


Antioxidants are particularly important in the context of organic chemistry and biology: all living cells contain complex systems of antioxidant chemicals and/or enzymes to prevent chemical damage to the cells' components by oxidation. The importance and complexity of antioxidants in biology is reflected in a medical literature of more than 142,000 scholarly articles.


A diet containing antioxidants from plants are required for good health since plants are an important source of organic antioxidant chemicals. Antioxidants are widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements that are used for health purposes such as preventing cancer and heart disease. However, while many studies have suggested benefits for antioxidant supplements, several large clinical trials have failed to clearly demonstrate a benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may be harmful.


Antioxidants are chemicals that reduce oxidative damage to cells and biochemicals. Researchers have found high correlation between oxidative damage and the occurrence of disease. For example, LDL oxidation is associated with cardiovascular disease. The process leading to atherogenesis, artherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease is complex, involving multiple chemical pathways and networks, but the precursor is LDL oxidation by free radicals, resulting in inflammation and formation of plaques.


Research suggests that consumption of antioxidant-rich foods reduces damage to cells and biochemicals from free radicals. This may slow down, prevent, or even reverse certain diseases that result from cellular damage, and perhaps even slow down the natural aging process.


Since the discovery of vitamins, it has been recognized that antioxidants in the diet are essential for healthful lives. More recently, a large body of evidence has accumulated that suggests supplementation of the diet with various kinds of antioxidants can improve health and extend life.


Many nutraceutical and health food companies now sell forms of antioxidants as dietary supplement. These supplements may include specific antioxidant chemicals, like resveratrol (from grape seeds), combinations of antioxidants, like the "ACES" products that contain beta carotene (provitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E and Selenium, or specialty herbs that are known to contain antioxidants such as green tea and jiaogulan.


Disclaimer


The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. If you need more information about Antioxidants, please consult your physician or a qualified specialist.


Permission is granted to reprint this article as long as no changes are made, and the entire resource box is included.


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Treating cellulite treatments that work

Cellulite is stubborn fat caught between bands of connective tissue causing a bumpy lumpy appearance on the hips, buttocks and thighs of most women and even some men.


Ninety percent of women have it. While hormones and age do play a role in the developing cellulite, they are not completely limiting factors. Cellulite can be reduced at any age.


Treatments


1. The first and most important thing you can do for cellulite reduction is exercise. Exercise may be broken down into Cardiovascular Exercise and Muscular Strength and Conditioning Exercise.


- Cardiovascular Exercise will help you to burn calories and lose some of the fat that is caught between the bands of connective tissue. In order for cardiovascular exercise to be effective, you must manage to fit in at least 30 minutes 3 times per week. This 30 minute interval may be broken down into three 10 minute segments, two 15 minute segments or one 30 minute segment. Keep in mind that your metabolism stays elevated for a few hours after you do your cardiovascular exercise, so you continue to burn more calories even after you are finished. Cardiovascular exercise also helps to increase circulation which is crucial to reducing the appearance of cellulite.


- Muscular strength and conditioning exercises will increase muscle tone in the cellulite prone areas and result in a smoother more attractive appearance. Picture a freshly filled balloon. It is full of air and therefore very smooth. Now consider the skin covering your cellulite prone areas like the balloon. If you have lots of nice muscle tissue underneath, it will press up on the fat that is underneath and make it appear smoother. If you're a women, do not fear becoming too muscular from strength training.


2. The next treatment for cellulite reduction is diet. It's crucial to reduce or eliminate white sugar and white flour. This does not meant to cut out carbohydrates. It simply means to look for whole grain products instead of ones that are made from white sugar. Try to include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet everyday. Whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber which is very important in regulating your digestive system. Try to drink lots of water as opposed to drinking fruit juices and soft drinks.


3. There are many types of treatments that help to reduce the appearance of cellulite. Some of these treatments are done in medical spas or are performed by dermatologists. The availability of these treatments varies by location. A list of cellulite treatments includes Endermologie, massage, body wraps and Velasmooth. Velasmooth is the first cellulite treatment to be approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration in the United States). There are home devices that claim to reduce cellulite that vary in cost and effectiveness. Many cosmetic companies offer topical treatments that may also reduce the appearance of cellulite. Be sure to check the ingredients for substances that may result in an allergic reaction due to user sensitivity.