Headaches: Which Kind Are You?

Nearly everyone has at one point in time experienced the fight against a headache. Almost 90% of Americans have had headaches, whether they be throbbing, sharp, dull and achy, or you fill in the blank. A common assumption is that if these headaches persist, reoccur, or are severe, that they must be migraines. There are many different types of headaches, migraines being one, however the most common type is called Tension headaches. Below is a list of different headaches, and how to differentiate.

Tension Headaches

Described as a "band-like" or "compression" pain that most commonly occurs in the forehead, or the back of the skull and neck. These headaches can be unilateral or encircle the entire head. The pain is often mild to moderate in severity, and feels like a dull, non-pulsating pain. Nausea and sensitivities to light and sound may be present, but usually not as severe as migraines. Tension headaches can be caused by misalignments in the spine, muscle tension, trigger points, trauma, stress, and postural strain.

Migraine Headaches

Migraine headaches can be unilateral (one-sided) or bilateral and are more prevalent in females. Often times, patients are able to predict the occurrence of their migraines. The pain associated with migraines are usually described as pulsating, are moderate to severe in quality, and have associated symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and phonophobia. Migraines are believed to be caused by stress, excessive sleep, menstruation or pregnancy, as well as red wines, chocolate, nuts, alcohol, and aged cheeses.

Good Carbs - Bad Carbs - Know the Difference - Your Health Depends on It

When it comes to carbohydrates in the diet and how healthy they are for you, the types of carbohydrates you consume, whether they are good carbs or bad carbs, becomes more relevant than how much you consume. Carbohydrates carry out important functions in our bodies such as providing cells with energy and allowing us to engage in physical activities. They provide necessary nutrients for cells to perform effectively. Without enough nutrients from carbohydrates you will become susceptible to disease just as you would if you were missing any other vital nutrient from your body. The important thing to understand is how to separate the good carbs from the bad carbs. Understanding the difference can make a major positive difference in your health.

How do we understand the difference between good carbs and bad carbs? Bad carbohydrates cause a high rise in blood sugar levels. They are usually referred to as high glycemic foods. The glycemic index (GI) is a qualitative assessment of carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar levels. When glucose levels increase in the blood the body releases a hormone, insulin, in an attempt to regulate them. Insulin converts and stores the excess sugar in the blood as fat.

Obesity and diabetes are common diseases that are caused by eating too many bad carbs. You definitely want to avoid bad carbohydrates if you are trying to lose weight and improve your overall health. Bad carbs are usually processed and refined and have lots of additives in them. They include refined flour, breads and pastas, and grains such as white rice and table sugar.

Good Carbohydrates, Bad Carbohydrates and How You Can Tell the Difference

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has created a food pyramid to improve the eating habits and the health of all Americans. The pyramid made carbohydrates the most important food group, suggesting 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta. As a result, people have reduced their consumption of meat, cheese, and eggs and started loading up on bread, pasta, and rice. But did it make us healthier? The answer is obvious - it did not.

That is why many nutritional experts say that excessive carbohydrates are not as healthy as the USDA would have us believe, or at least that not all carbohydrates are good for you. It is plain to see. More and more people are getting overweight, including even children. It is estimated that by the year 2030, 9 out of 10 people will be obese. On the other hand, high protein low carbohydrate diets showed that you can improve your waistline and reduce your cardiovascular risks simply by reducing the amount of carbohydrates that you eat.

So are carbohydrates good or bad? Both. Some carbohydrates can make you fat and increase the risk of heart disease. Yet other carbohydrates are healthy, they reduce the risk of heart disease, they are a good source of vitamins and minerals, and they help you lose weight. You see, there are different kinds of carbohydrates out there. That is why it is wrong to lump them all together, like the food pyramid does. Some are definitely good for you and others you should stay away from.

It is easy to tell good carbs from bad. Most simple carbohydrates are bad, and most complex carbs are good. All carbohydrates are made from small building blocks. These are called simple sugars. This is a purely chemical name and has nothing to do with how they taste, although some of them happen to be sweet. Three common simple sugars are glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Heal Acne With Best Natural Treatments for Acne

Acne is an irritating skin condition that is occurred as a result of clogged skin pore created by dead cells in combination with oils secreted from oil glands. Whiteheads, black heads and pimples are different varieties of acne. There are a significant varieties of acne, that are extensively used in treating mild to severe cases of acne, however, a wide range of acne natural treatment is found to be more appealing to some individuals worldwide. This article specifically focuses on different natural treatments available in treating acne.

Herbs

When we are talking about acne natural treatment, this is quite natural that the list will begin with the discussion of herbs and their usefulness in treating various types of skin diseases including acne. There are various valuable herbs which can offer a great solution in treating acne such as Neem (Azadirachta indica), Calendula (Calendula officinalis), Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra), and Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum).

There are few plants around the world that possess antimicrobial property. Hence the extracts from these plants are especially beneficial in treating Propionibacterium acnes. This is actually a bacterial strain which is attached with acne. Research shows that tea tree oil has antimicrobial property. Hence it is effective over mild to moderate level of acne. However, there are known side effects associated with the usage of tea tree oil. These may include itching, burning and dryness.

Good Calories/Bad Calories, The Ultimate Key to Weight Loss!

The Reason Why a Low Calorie Diet does not always yield the best fat burning results.

Calories are not all created equal, a calorie coming from sugar is not the same as a calorie coming from a piece of meat. The reason being they both have a different response to insulin. Insulin determines whether you will burn body fat,maintain body fat or store body fat. So if you were on a 1400 calorie diet that included sugars, coming from fruit, breads, pasta and other starches, you most likely be in a calorie deflect but not burning any body fat because you are giving your body the wrong foods to signal any fat burning.

The Reason Why a No sugar and Low carbohydrate diet signals the best fat burning results.

If we were to put you on a 1400 calorie diet that didn't have any sugars or carbohydrates that will eventually turn into sugar inside your body you would be in a place to burn fat all day long. Your insulin levels would be nice and low so that burning body fat would be easily achievable.

See Why Calories don't mean anything?

This is why you need to look at sugar and carbohydrate content and not calories. You will have the best fat burning results when you take into consideration the way that your blood sugar and insulin responds. So never look at the amount of calories that are in a certain snack food, but rather look at the sugar and carbohydrate content. If you want maximum fat burning results you will limit your sugar and carbohydrate content to the best of your ability.

Another way you can make Super Charged Fat Loss results!

Heal Acid Reflux - An Integrative Approach

GERD also known more commonly as acid reflux can not only create that uncomfortable sensation of heartburn, but also contribute to abnormal cell formation of the esophagus (known as Barrett's esophagus) and erosion of stomach if not addressed properly. The western traditional protocol for working with GERD are dietary changes, reduction of stress, and the use of medications that stop acid production.

However, recent research has questioned the long term use of such medications as it is necessary for the human body to have acid present to absorb certain nutrients and maintain balance of the internal organs. Also, on the long term, such medications may have side effects that may create imbalances with internal organs.

However, having said that, it should also be noted that short term use of these medications can be a very critical and useful regimen especially for people who have been diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells of the esophagus, also known as Barrett's esophagus.

How is the diagnosis for Barrett's esophagus made? A western medical doctor performs an endoscopy to visually examine the tissue of the stomach and esophagus.

A biopsy is also performed on tissue.The biopsy test is either negative (meaning no pre-cancerous cells are present at a level to be detected) or positive (meaning they were able to find pre-cancerous cells).

This is not a diagnosis of cancer but of pre-cancerous cells.

Therefore, if one corrects the lifestyle issues that are leading to high production of acid, one can prevent the cells from mutating further into cancer cells, and reduce the level of pre-cancerous cells to restore healthy tissue.

Health Cards and Health Insurance Are Very Different

Recently there has been a proliferation of advertisements for health cards. These cards claim to offer access to high quality and affordable medical care, dental care, prescription drugs, vision and other health care services. The rates vary but may be as little as $20 a month to as high of $125 a month for a family. The two big selling points of these plans are that they are affordable and that you cannot be turned down.

Exactly what are you buying? Health cards can also be called discount medical programs or plans. This industry has grown so large that they even have their own trade association, the Consumer Health Alliance. Here is the definition of a health card given by the Consumer Health Alliance. "Our member companies make health care products and services, including prescription drugs, dental, chiropractic, eye care, physician, hospital and laboratory services, available to millions of Americans by providing opportunities for consumers to directly purchase health care services and products at discounted rates." According to the Consumer Health Alliance more then 28 million consumers have purchased these plans for various companies.

The problem lies not in the concept of the programs but in the sale and execution. The most important fact you must know about these health cards is that they are NOT health insurance. Many consumers have failed to understand what they are buying and as a result have been saddled with hundreds and even thousands of dollars in medical bills they assumed would be covered by their health card.