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Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays

December 10, 2014

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays – Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays

The biggest victim or culprit in causing skin problems is the excessive sun rays. Skin cancer is one of the most worrying skin health conditions to everyone. Therefore the experts’ advice that skin cancer prevention among many other health complications relating to the skin needs to be prevented by all means. It is always said that prevention is better than cure, meaning that we can do a lot more when we prevent such chronic conditions. It will not just keep our skin healthy, but it will also save us money, time and psychological problems. What actually goes in your mind at the mention of the disease cancer? I know that this is one of the most frustrating and traumatizing health condition one would not want to be associated with. It is because of its adverse effect on human life that doctor Dalal Akoury a medical professional of more than two decades of practice, founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center to bring forth preventive solutions to everyone about skin care. Protecting your skin from the harms of the sun becomes the primary preventive measure anyone can take.

This is one point that when you visit this facility will be emphasized to you because it forms the basis of the problem. Therefore, the most important way of skin cancer prevention is to protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s rays. This article’s objective is to give you tips on how you can protect your skin from the harmful effects of sunlight. And most importantly, it is very imperative to protect children from the sun. Remember that the skin of a child is more delicate and sensitive to sun damage than the skin of an adult. Proper care needs to be exercise at that tender age to avert any possibilities of contracting skin cancer in later when they become adults. This does not necessarily mean that you and your children won’t enjoy the warmth of the sun, no the sunlight has some benefits and so you can still enjoy sunshine and the outdoors. This article only aims to help you to do so in a manner that encourages skin cancer prevention.

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays – Sun and Skin Damage

I have never seen anybody who doesn’t want to have a perfect skin complexion. Because this is a common denominator to all, doctor Akoury is explaining certain facts to put more emphasis on the effects of sun rays to the skin. Too much exposure to sunlight is harmful and can damage the skin. Some of this damage is short-term like sunburn. However, permitting your skin to burn consistently in such unfriendly weather can lead to future complications like skin cancer. The damage is often caused by the two main types of ultraviolet (UV) sunlight namely UVA and UVB.

  • UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin, damaging the skin dermis (the middle layer).
  • The dermis contains the elastic tissues that keep the skin stretchy.
  • UVA rays therefore have the effect of ageing the skin and causing wrinkles.
  • UVB rays are absorbed by the epidermis (the top layer of skin). This causes sun tanning but also burning.

It is important to note that both UVA and UVB rays will intensify your risk of developing skin cancer. Receiving sunburnt is a pointing sign that you are putting yourself at risk of contracting skin cancer. Also remember that damaged skin cells also points out that you’re at greater risk of becoming abnormal and cancerous.

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays: Melanin

Melanin is the colour pigment in our skins. When skin is exposed to sunlight, more melanin is produced to help protect the skin against the UV rays. This makes the skin darker what people refer to as a suntan. Although melanin stops your skin burning so easily, it does not prevent the harmful effects of UV rays.

Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to the sun. This includes:

  • The non-melanoma type of skin cancer
  • The melanoma type of skin cancer

Non melanoma skin cancers include basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Sun damage can also cause other skin problems to develop. For example, it can cause premature skin ageing, such as wrinkles and loss of elasticity. It can also cause non-cancerous growths on the skin, such as solar keratosis

Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays – Who is at risk of skin cancer?

People of all ages should protect their skin, but it is even more vital to protect children. Although skin cancer is rare in children, the amount of sun exposure during childhood is thought to increase the risk of developing skin cancer in adult life. Children who have had episodes of sunburn are more likely to develop skin cancers in later life. The skin of children is more delicate and more prone to damage. Therefore, take extra care with children, and keep babies out of the sun completely.

If you have pale skin, red or fair hair, and freckles, you have the type of skin which burns most easily. This puts you at increased risk of sun-related skin damage and you should take extra care to protect your skin NEVER allow yourself to burn. If you have pale skin, you do not have as much protective melanin. Skin cancers, especially melanoma, are less common in non-white skin types. However, they can still occur, and sun protection is still important.

Other factors which can put you at more risk of developing skin cancer are:

  • Having lots of moles.
  • Having a history of a skin cancer of any type.
  • Someone in your family having a history of skin cancer.
  • Having albino skin. This is very white skin which has no melanin at all.
  • Having vitiligo. This is patches of very white skin with no melanin.
  • Scars on your skin from burns or ulcers.
  • A weakened immune system (being immunosuppressed.) This can be from an illness such as HIV or AIDS, or from certain medication which affects the immune system.
  • A job which involves you being outdoors most of the time.
  • Living in a hot country, particularly if you have naturally pale skin.
Skin Cancer Prevention and the Effects of Sun Rays – Risk Factors for Skin Cancer

 

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Hibiscus for Kidney Support And Beyond

November 12, 2014

Hibiscus for Kidney Support And Beyond

The kidney is one of the most essential organs in every animal. The double-bean-shaped organ performs the crucial role of filtering toxins from the human blood ensuring a healthy life fluid flowing through the blood vessels.

In addition to its filtration function the kidney is also responsible for the production of certain essential hormones that support blood pressure and the blood cells production.

Its working mechanism involves accumulating waste matter into urine through several microscopic filtering units. The organ is interconnected to the rest of the body by blood vessels and directly to the major organs in the human body such as the liver, lungs and the heart.

A number of disorders may often affect the working of the kidney and this poses a severe threat to the entire body. Kidney cancer or the renal cell carcinoma is just one of the most serious diseases that may affect the kidney and render them ineffective. The cancer of the kidney involves development of tumor or cancer cells at a very fast speed that the body’s immunity mechanism cannot fight.

As a result, the cancer cells can always spread to the rest of the body via the respective blood vessels, a common symptom of this condition being the appearance of blood traces in the urine.

Hibiscus

With an ineffective set of kidneys, the body becomes vulnerable. Cases of diabetes may result as the kidney can no longer filter excess water or excess sugars and salt from the blood.  The patient is faced with two dangerous possibilities, either diabetes insipidus of diabetes mellitus. This essentially means that the patient is faced with the possibility of rising blood pressure either way.

With excess water levels in the blood, the normal blood vessel sizes will appear smaller for the excess resultant fluid causing a build-up of pressure as the blood fluid forces its way through the narrow vessels.

Another scenario involves the blood containing excess amounts of blood sugars that end up getting deposited on the walls of the blood vessels. This results in a network of constricted blood vessels. As the normal blood volumes flow through the vessels, a level of pressure builds up in the process.

The Value of Hibiscus

Originally valued by certain nations as being good for tea- sour tea, Hibiscus has of late gained immense attention of scientists who are currently investing a lot in studies to establish the extent of its medical usefulness.

Various nations within the tropical region as well as the sub-tropical expanse have traditionally used the herb to treat various ailments and control certain known disorders, with each nation using it in their different unique ways.

Sudanese and the Egyptians for instance have for years used Hibiscus to maintain a normal body temperature, encourage body fluid balance as well as in heart health support.

In North Africa the herb has been used to manage respiratory health, including care for the throat and skin maintenance. Beyond the seas in Europe, the herb has popularly been in use in almost the same ways as their neighboring North Africans. They have however had additional uses including alleviation of constipation and for the promotion of proper blood circulation.

hibiscus

From all the nations that have used Hibiscus in traditional fashion, a major line of use that features commonly among all the nations and groups of people is the maintenance of normal blood pressure.

And science now has a backing on this. Recent studies have provided evidence of how hibiscus helps with cases of blood pressure. The plant is made up of a lot of plant acids such as citric, malic, allo-hydroxycitric and tartaric acids.

It also has several other chemical constituents including alkanoids, quercetin and anthocyanins which put together are useful in the maintenance of cholesterol and a normal blood pressure and ensures a holistic health of the major organs in the body. It most particularly offers a big support to the kidneys.

Hibiscus for Kidney Support And Beyond

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Medicare Law and The Cost Of Chemotherapy

October 15, 2014

Medicare Law Has Little Impact On The Cost Of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy in general

Chemotherapy is one of the many types of methods that are used to treat cancer. Depending on the particular type of cancer, its level of progression and other factors, this method has proven to be one of the most effective ones in reversing the effects of a tumor in the body by killing the cancer cells directly.

Although effective, chemotherapy has been described as one of the most expensive forms of treatment for cancer. The type and amount of drugs that are used in the course of the treatment usually amount to a substantial amount. Yet cancer is a disease whose adverse effect on the population is well documented.

Therefore, the need to develop programs that reduce the cost of undergoing chemotherapy has dominated academic and public debate for long. That is why the government developed a comprehensive medical law to help in bringing down the costs of chemotherapy.

How the chemotherapy costs are covered in the Medicare law

Generally, the law seeks to reduce the financial burden of undergoing chemotherapy by following four main strategies designated as plan A, B, C and D. every one of these plans covers different aspects of the overall cost and vary from the rest in terms of the amounts that are covered for every component of the treatment.

Chemotherapy

For Plan A, cover for the costs of chemotherapy is extended to patients who are admitted to a hospital. The hospitals that are taken into consideration when this plan is applied are the usual public ones as well as the specialized medical facilities that offer cancer treatment and care to patients. This plan is different from Plan C under which care is extended to outpatient clients only.

For Plan C, all the provisions under plan A and B are included but there are other additional advantages that are provided to individuals. What this implies is that a person who is subscribed to Plan C of the Medicare policy is able to enjoy a range of advantages in terms of reduced costs for undergoing chemotherapy. The advantages apply to any hospital or cancer treatment facility.

Then there is the last plan which is referred to as Plan D. under this plan, an individual is able to enjoy reductions in the cost of buying the drugs that are used for chemotherapy. Although this plan covers all the prescription drugs that one may use in the course of undergoing chemotherapy, it is worth noting that the plan only covers outpatient services. This implies that it is not applicable to the drugs used by inpatients.

How the Medicare law sought to reduce the cost of chemotherapy

Passed back in 2003 and 2005, the Medicare law sought to help reduce the costs of chemotherapy for cancer patients. Generally, the law pursued several approaches. The first one was reducing the usage of highly priced drugs for treating cancer. since a large portion of the costs of undergoing chemotherapy are consumed by buying highly priced drugs, the law sought to reverse this by introducing special reimbursements to clinics that charge clients a fee for their service. The idea was that by reimbursing such service providers, the manner in which they recommend drugs for cancer treatment would be controlled.

Therefore, under the legislation, different types of drugs were accorded different levels of reimbursements to the service providers. The law sought to reduce the high dependence that service providers show on such expensive drugs by reducing the amount of reimbursements that is offered to them. This way, it was thought that service providers would find selling such drugs not as profitable as it was before and consequently reduce the frequency with which they prescribe them to their patients.

Impact of the Medicare law on the cost of chemotherapy

Although the Medicare law that was developed and passed sought to bring down the costs of chemotherapy to individuals who are registered in the plan, this has not been the case. So far, things have turned out quite differently from what the drafters of the policy and laws intended. Increasing academic opinion indicates that the policy itself has failed, apart from the relevant legislations that were passed as a way of implementing it. There are several ways in which this failure in the law and policy has been seen. These are described in the sections that follow.

First, it has now become obvious that the law has failed to limit the extent to which doctors prescribe the most expensive drugs to patients. When developed, the law sought to limit the number of highly expensive drugs that doctors recommend to their patients by reducing the amount of reimbursements that are offered to doctors on such drugs. The idea was that by reducing the amount of reimbursement that is offered to doctors on such drugs, doctors would definitely avoid recommending them to their patients because of the financial implications involved.

However, this has not been the case. Over the course of time, doctors have continued to prescribe to their patients the most expensive drugs. This only means one thing; that the policy has failed to achieve this objective.

Another way that the Medicare law can be said to have failed in achieving its objectives can be seen in the relationship between the overall cost and rate of cancer. Research studies have indicated that cancer rates have fallen slightly over the years. However, the overall cost of cancer has been rising over the years. Yet the overriding objective of the Medicare law was to reduce the costs of chemotherapy. What this implies is that the law has failed to curb the rising costs of chemotherapy for patients and other stakeholders in the healthcare industry.

It is because of this situation that the need for comprehensive cancer treatment and management is on the rise. AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a leading institution in provision of integrated cancer treatment therapies. We believe that an integrated approach has an important role to play in overall cancer treatment and management practices.

Medicare Law Has Little Impact On The Cost Of Chemotherapy

 

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Integrative Cancer Treatment and the Hallmarks of Cancer

September 19, 2014

Integrative Cancer Treatment and its Relation to Hallmarks of Cancer

In this article, we shall examine the relationship between integrative cancer treatment and the hallmarks of cancer. Our concern shall be to show how exactly an integrative cancer treatment model like Life over Cancer is used to address the molecular and metabolic realities of cancer as indicated in the Hallmarks of Cancer model.

Integrative cancer treatment

This is an approach that has gained a lot of popularity in the current days both in theory and practice. In simple terms, integrated cancer treatment is a new approach to managing the disease that, unlike conventional approaches, takes a multi – dimensional approach to helping cancer patients manage the disease. It is much easier to understand how integrative cancer treatment works by first understanding how conventional therapies operate. Essentially, conventional therapies are based purely on scientific innovation and research. Using specially prepared and regulated approaches such as chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, surgery and other technologies, conventional cancer treatment targets to treat the disease with little disregard to how the body of the patient gets affected.

It is this weakness in conventional methods of treating cancer that the integrative approach seeks to correct. Essentially, integrative cancer treatment or integrative oncology, as it is commonly referred to, is based on taking all the different aspects of the cancer disease into perspective during the course of treatment. The evidence that is used in this approach is not just what has been collected from scientific research as is the case with conventional medicine; it is rather what has been collected from epidemiological studies of the disease, clinical research, basic science and ancient healing practices. The end result is that we have a system of treating cancer which uses different types of methods such as nutrition, lifestyle, spiritual support and naturopathic medicine. With the use of all these methods, the system is focused on the overall wellbeing of the individual rather than on merely ameliorating the disease.

How integrative cancer treatment works

So far, integrative cancer treatment has proven to be a successful method of treating cancer patients. This is so because the system has consistently been used to achieve various objectives with regard to cancer treatment which include reducing the severity of cancer symptoms, improving overall life quality of the patients and most importantly, treating the disease itself. This is achieved in several ways.

Integrative cancer

Integrative Cancer

Integrative Cancer Ways:

To begin with, integrative cancer treatment seeks to enhance the overall wellbeing of a patient. This is achieved using different intervention measures such as use of acupuncture and acupressure to restore the energy flow in the body to an optimum level. The wellbeing of a patient is also boosted by inclusion of natural supplements in the diet. This is important in ensuring that the body is well nourished in the first place.

Secondly, the direct effects of the disease are tackled by use of conventional therapies. Depending on the nature of the cancer, the stage that it is in, the patient and other factors, appropriate treatment procedures are used to tackle its effects on the body of the patient.

Thirdly, specific methods are used to rebuild the immune system of the patient. This is an important step since cancer itself as well as the specific therapies used to tackle it has been known to weaken the immunity system of patients. Therefore, it is of great importance that after specific therapies have been used, special steps be taken to rebuild the immune system of the patient and if possible, restore it to its initial level.

Lastly, integrative cancer treatment seeks to stop the process of angiogenesis for a considerable length of time. The importance of this cannot be overstated. At the heart of the growth, development and spread of cancer is angiogenesis. This is the ability of cancer cells to maneuver in a patient’s body and utilize the blood for their own development. It then follows that blocking them from doing this is a noble goal if a patient is to live a fulfilling life after treatment. This is exactly what integrative cancer treatment seeks to achieve.

The Hallmarks of Integrative Cancer

The different methods that are used in integrative cancer treatment work in such a manner that they represent the core realities of cancer as discovered by recent studies. New research in cancer has culminated in identification of six core realities about cancer cells, referred to as hallmarks of cancer. The principles are as follows.

Integrative cancer

Integrative Cancer

First, it is stated that cancer cells have the inbuilt capacity to trigger their own growth. By taking advantage of special signals in body cells which are used to regulate the process of growth, cancer cells are able to guide their growth and proliferation within the body of a patient quite easily. Second, after stimulating their own growth and proliferation, cancer cells are able to avoid natural signals that are used to inhibit growth. This further increases their capacity to proliferate the body. Third, cancer cells are able to initiate the process of metastasis. Fourth, they are able to replicate their ability to evade inhibition of growth. Fifth, cancer cells are able to initiate angiogenesis and lastly, they are able to overcome the natural process that is meant to lead to their automatic death as it is the case for normal body cells.

Relation between Integrative Cancer Treatment and Hallmarks of Cancer

Essentially, integrative cancer treatment is based on the six principles that are contained in the concept of hallmarks of cancer. It is by recognition of these principles that integrative cancer treatment seeks to use multiple approaches, evidence and technologies to tackle the disease. This is done by taking care of the special needs of the patient as well as seeking to reduce the side effects of the therapies used while suppressing the capability of recurrence of the disease.

AWAREmed health and fitness center is one of the most recognized centers where integrative cancer treatment is practiced. With a team of highly trained, experienced and passionate experts, we offer the best services in integrative cancer treatment to our patients.

Integrative Cancer Treatment and its Relation to Hallmarks of Cancer

 

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Alternative Medicine Therapies for Diabetes

September 6, 2014

Alternative Medicine Therapies for Diabetes That May Help You

Diabetes is a dangerous disease that has enslaved many people to insulin injections. However there are some alternative that when used under care of qualified medical expert can help treating diabetes. Here are some of the alternatives.

Alternative Medicine Therapies for Diabetes

Use of dietary supplements

Typically, the foods we eat ought to give us the necessary nutrients that not only provide us with energy to go about our daily chores but also to improve our immunity by helping in fighting diseases as well as avoiding diseases. Due to some factors we are not able to get all the required nutrients from the foods we eat and therefore our bodies lack defense mechanism hence cannot fight or protect itself from chronic illnesses like diabetes. It is therefore helpful to use dietary supplements to avail the necessary nutrients in the body to boost immunity and help fight these chronic illnesses especially diabetes. Dietary supplements are products that can help us get the right balance of important nutrients in our daily diets therefore ensuring that there is no deficiency in most crucial vitamins and minerals that our body needs to keep healthy. They insert what is missing in the diet while replacing what should not be there. It is however good to note that dietary supplements cannot be used to replace the healthy foods that are rich in essential nutrients. Certain vitamins that are crucial in our bodies like vitamin D can be taken as food supplements as they offer many health benefits to us. Some of these food supplements can be used to fight diabetes. These supplements may be absent in person’s diet or may be available in fewer quantities. The supplements may be available in capsules, tablets, powder and liquid form.

Supplements for diabetes treatment

There are very many studies that have proved that various nutrients in our diets can help in curbing the effects of diabetes. Specifically, certain vitamins, minerals, herbs and spices have been found to be potent enough to assist in managing diabetes, and in some cases treat or prevent diabetes-related complications such as nerve damage. Some supplements have also been shown to reduce the chances of a person developing type 2 diabetes. These supplements that have been promoted to reduce the complications related to diabetes and help in healing the diabetic patients include: Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), Vitamin D, Coenzyme Q10, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium and Chromium. Apart from these known food supplements, there are also other spices, herbs and plant based supplements that can help in treatment of diabetes. They include: Aloe Vera, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Bitter melon and Ginger.

The use of dietary supplements in fighting diseases is not a new thing in medicine. It has been used in treatment of chronic diseases and diabetes is no exception.

Ayurvedic Medicine

Ayurvedic medicine is a holistic treatment that focuses on the whole person healing as opposed to most treatments that focus on mitigating the side effects of the symptoms in a patient. It is a practice that is common to the Indians and is said to have developed amongst Brahmins some 4000 years ago. It focuses on healing by achieving and maintaining internal balance hence promoting whole person healing promoting physical, spiritual and emotional health. It is also tailored to suit the conditions of an individual on treatment.

In Ayurvedic medicine, diabetes is treated as a metabolic disorder that is classified in the Kapha category, due to poor functioning of the Agni. Typically the ayurvedic medicine treats diabetes on a multidisciplinary approach. This involves different stages with the first stage involving modification of the diet where all sugars are eliminated while complex carbohydrates replace the simple carbohydrates. Another stage also involved is the cleansing program that is known as panchkarma and it involves sauna, herbal therapy, fasting and massages. After this stage the patient will be put into yoga and breathing exercises while still using herbal detoxifiers. This treatment also involves the use of a strict diet and use of certain herbs that promote healing and internal balance.

Yoga therapy is a crucial part of the Ayurvedic treatment. The Yoga therapy helps in stimulating the body through exercises after which the patient is left refreshed and relaxed. Relaxation is good for healing.

Aromatherapy

Alternative Medicine Therapies for DiabetesAromatherapy refers to the use of essential oils that are naturally available in plants. These essential oils are extracted and used to improve the health of the person both in the physical and mental state. The use of these essential oils are supervised by an expert in the art of aromatherapy who most of the time have these products in their specialty shops. Different essential oils can be used in different scenarios as they impact the body differently. They may help the patient in many ways as they stimulate, relax, sedate, sanitize, anti-inflame, decongest among others. This promotes the patients health.

The essential oils may be delivered into the body through the nose, orally or through massage. The essential oils can be effectively used to fight diabetes. Particularly they work better when used with massage therapy. The essential oils that can be used against diabetes include; Juniper, Geranium oils and Eucalyptus oils. It is however advisable to consult your doctor before you begin using aromatherapy in treating diabetes.

Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease as well as other chronic diseases like diabetes. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many patients suffering from various chronic diseases. Call on her now and get help.

Alternative Medicine Therapies for Diabetes That May Help You

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