Asthma is a condition where due to certain stimuli a person experiences narrowing of air passages and difficulty in breathing. Treatment for asthma should be done under the guidance of a doctor and should be planned carefully. The key lies in recognizing the causes and managing the condition such that you are in control of the situation.

Treatments include:

1. Preventive action where you avoid situations that triggers off symptoms.

2. Practice meditation and breathing exercises to strengthen the air passages and lungs.

3. Exercise regularly to keep fit and to strengthen your heart as well as lungs.

4. Use air conditioning this will reduce your exposure to air born pollen and other triggers.

5. Keep your environment free of dust mites, pet dander, fur and feathers by regularly vacuuming and decontaminating your mattresses, pillows, sofas, throws, carpets, as well as curtains and covers.

6. Use inhalers which are of three types: aerosol inhalers; breath-actuated inhalers; and dry powder inhalers. These contain medication in aerosol form to provide immediate relief.

7. Drugs like short acting beta agonist namely salbutamol and terbutaline are first prescribed. The alternative medications are long acting beta2 agnostics like salmeterol or formoterol or antimuscarinics like ipratropium or oxitropium. In layman terms asthma medication is of two kinds anti-inflammatory medicines and bronchodilators. Common medicines are Albuterol, Altrovent, Pulmocort Respules.

8. Combination therapies where a steroid along with long acting medication are prescribed. Alternately, a combination of antimuscarinic and short acting beta 2 agnostic is used.

9. Use of special equipments like a peak flow meter which will warn you of an impeding attack and an inhaler spacer which will ensure efficient disbursement of medication.

10. Allergen Immunotherapy where the patient is desensitized to asthma causing allergens like smoke, weed, grass, pollen, dust, mold and so on. Similarly the patient is tested for food allergies that trigger off attacks and treated for them.

Research indicates that the best option for patients is to maintain a dairy and record when and why attacks occur. This will give a clear understanding of triggers.

 Then the next step is to create an asthma management plan with the help of your doctor. To strengthen the mind and spirit patients are often asked to join therapy groups that talk about fears, problems faced by asthmatics,   personal experiences, and work together at breathing exercises and other regimens to strengthen their bodies.

You know you should be getting some sort of exercise, you know of all the health benefits that come with a more active lifestyle. You’ve tried the whole Gym thing, but it just wasn’t for you. The temptation to just sit in front of the TV, to curl up with a good book, or to spend a little extra time at your computer is just too big. Who wants to head to the gym right now anyway?

There are many other options to get more active that don’t include jogging, weight lifting or other “traditional” ways to work out. Here are a few ideas to get you moving

1) Chase your Kids around the Yard
You’d be surprised at how much of a work out you’ll get playing catch with your kids. Time will fly while you are having fun and your children will enjoy the extra time with you. Just get out there and play.

2) Turn up the Music and Dance around the Living Room
While you’re dusting, putting up dishes, straightening up the kids’ rooms, or after you’ve been sitting around for too long, just play some of your favorite upbeat music and dance around in the house. Not only will you get your heart rate up, but you’ll also have more fun doing some of those chores.

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Do you have high cholesterol and need to lower it? That is no surprise considering how many people have high cholesterol these days. To help lower your cholesterol, here are 10 tips you can get started with today.

As with anything health related, diet and exercise are the two crucial components. What you eat is critical to lowering your cholesterol levels, so that is what is included here.

One thing you should know is the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol. Simply think of HDL as "healthy" and LDL as "lousy." HDL can actually help carry cholesterol out of your blood vessels while LDL allows it to deposit inside your artery walls.

The good news is that you can change your cholesterol for the better. Here is how to do just that:

1. Have a nice sandwich on whole wheat bread or a pita with some lean turkey and lots of fresh veggies. Skip the hot dogs, bologna, and salami, and hold the Mayo. All of those are highly processed and filled with fat and cholesterol.

2. Fish, like salmon, is good. Look for wild red salmon varieties, which are very high in Omega-3 fatty acids (good fat.) Also, flax seed is a good source of Omega-3s.

3. Avoid Trans fats! Not only do they raise the lousy LDL cholesterol, they can also lower your HDL levels! Stay away from foods like margarine, shortening, and processed foods containing partially hydrogenated soybean oil.

4. Go ahead, go nuts! Look for walnuts mainly but also try almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, and pecans. Nuts are high in fat, but it's the good kind. (Also, use natural peanut butter instead of the normal kind which contains unhealthy Trans fats.)

5. Limit desserts and try to eat only the healthier ones like angel food cake, graham crackers, Jell-O, and fat-free frozen yogurt.

6. Eat foods that are high in fiber. Examples include whole wheat bread, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and some cereals. (Look for the boxes that say "may help lower cholesterol.")

7. Use the grill. If you're going to have steak or burgers, grill them at home and use lean meat. This practice avoids the grease, is fun, and the meat tastes great.

8. Find a new salad dressing. Most of them are full of Trans fats and cholesterol. Olive oil is good, and maybe add vinegar or lemon juice. Also, skip the bacon bits, croutons, and egg yolks.

9. Go overboard on fruits and vegetables. They contain no cholesterol and they have lots of nutrients like antioxidants.

Here are some examples: green peas, broccoli, cauliflower, apples, oranges, mangos, papaya, pineapple, tomato, garlic, onions, spinach, water chestnuts, bananas, apricots, blueberries, and kiwi.

10. Avoid fast food like french fries and anything else from the deep fryer. Those foods will raise your cholesterol like crazy, so stay away from the burger joints if you can.

11. Bonus tip: Use spices like pepper and oregano to add flavor to your dishes. They are a healthy alternative to other toppings like Mayo.

That was easy, wasn't it? Just make some of these changes and get plenty of exercise like walking, jogging, swimming, or playing basketball. You will have lower cholesterol in no time!

What is Yeast Infection?

This kind of infection is most common among women. However, many remain ignorant or unaware of this medical problem. It is important to know the symptoms, dangers, and related conditions of yeast infection to be able to treat it early on.

It is also necessary to determine the various causes of this disease to be able to avoid it before it even happens. Finally, it will be most helpful for any female person if she is also knowledgeable of the several possible treatments for yeast infection to be able to curtail it immediately.

Not many women are familiar with the term “yeast infection”. However, more women are probably aware of or have experienced previously the symptoms of this condition. The top three signs of having yeast infection are itching, burning and pain, and discharge. Itching of any part of the skin or body is usually caused by an infestation of foreign organisms such as fungi or bacteria in a particular area of the body. In the case of yeast infection, the affected portion is the vaginal part and the surrounding areas.

 The infection can cause intense itching that rashes or redness usually develop secondary to scratching. Another indication is a burning or painful sensation in that area especially when urinating. The skin in a woman's vaginal part may already contain sores due to frequent scratching that when placed in contact with the acidity of urine may cause pain or a burning sensation.

This feeling may be similar to that which is experienced when having urinary track infection, however, they occur at different areas of the body. Lastly, some women report of having discharges that are usually described as odorless, white, and cheese-like. At other instances, a starch-like odor is said to be observed from the discharges.

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