HIV: MEDICAL TREATMENTS-THE RANGE OF AVAILABLE THERAPIES

July 24, 2011

In the early years of the AIDS epidemic, medical treatments could do little except relieve unpleasant symptoms. As researchers understood more about HIV—how it infects, how it multiplies—they began to find drugs that slow the infection, and even to understand how to custom-build drugs to attack HIV. The result of their understanding was and continues to be a rapid succession of new drugs to treat HIV itself.     We now know that certain drugs will delay the development of AIDS. We also know that certain vaccines and antibiotics will delay or even prevent the opportunistic infections that define AIDS. These drugs and vaccines are part of traditional medicine.     The medical care of people with HIV infection can be divided into traditional medicine and alternative medicine. Traditional medicine is traditional to us in the West—in the United States and the Western world—and is based on specific scientific standards. Alternative medicine has diverse forms: some borrow heavily from” Eastern (Chinese, Japanese, or Indian) philosophy; some use methods based on the mind-body interaction; and some are based on nonapproved drugs or diets or other treatments that, measured by the standard yardstick of the science of medicine, have no established merit.     Nearly all people with HIV infection receive traditional medical care. As many as a third of the people with HIV infection receive some form of alternative treatment as well. Both traditional and alternative medicine make the same claims: the treatments kill HIV or prevent HIV from reproducing, or strengthen the immune system, or relieve symptoms. People with HIV infection hearing these conflicting claims are understandably confused.     The first section discusses the drugs of traditional medicine and their side effects, and—another source of concern for people with HIV infection—how to pay for them. The next section discusses how drugs are tested to find out whether they are useful and how best to use them. The last section is on alternatives to traditional medicine—treatments that have not been and are not likely to be tested—and whether they are likely to help or be harmful.*175\191\2*

COPING WITH EPILEPSY/ACCEPTANCE: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM – WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND PARENTS DO ABOUT FRIENDS WHO SEEM SO UNCOMFORTABLE AROUND THEM? WHAT ABOUT THE HANDICAPPED YOUNG ADULT?

July 10, 2011

“What do you recommend parents do about friends who seem so uncomfortable around them?”"Friends, even good friends, may be uncomfortable asking about your child’s problems. They may be so uncomfortable they can’t even ask how he’s doing, or what’s new? In many, perhaps most cases, it’s not because they don’t care. Perhaps it’s because they care too much and are afraid of hurting your feelings or bringing you more pain. Perhaps the best way for you to help them is to bring the questions up. Make them feel that you are comfortable talking about your child and his problems with them. You may have to be the one to take the lead.”"What about the handicapped young adult?”"One of the saddest experiences for a counselor is to encounter a young adult with limitations, whose seizures are under control but who has been so overprotected by loving and caring parents that as a child he never learned to care for himself, never learned survival skills. The parents are now getting older and finally realize they won’t be around forever to care for him. They begin to worry about what will happen.”Our local epilepsy association has apartments where we teach these individuals independent living and survival skills. But the skills are much harder to teach and to learn at an older age. It is difficult to break patterns of dependency that have built up over the years. Much of the overprotection and the resultant handicap could have been prevented if the family and the child had had good early counseling. The life of the whole family would have been much better.”*237\208\8*

CHARACTERISTICS OF BDD IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: CASE HISTORIES

July 5, 2011

Kristin, a 17-year-old adolescent, had many of the classic BDD symptoms shown in Table 9. I met her in the hospital after she’d tried to commit suicide. She said she’d attempted suicide primarily because of her appearance concerns. Since age 13 she’d been excessively preoccupied with her nose, which she thought was too large; her breasts, which were too “small”; and her hair, which “wasn’t right.” She described her concerns as “very, very distressing—an obsession. They’re so horrible I get suicidal; it’s why I overdosed. I couldn’t stand the pain any more.”Kristin thought about her appearance “every second of every day,” and she checked mirrors, store windows, and other reflecting surfaces for hours a day. “I also constantly compare myself to other girls, and I ask my mother a million times a day whether I look okay, but I really don’t believe her when she says how pretty I am…. Sometimes people compliment me on my hair, but it makes me angry. I think they’re saying they like my hair so they don’t have to say how ugly the rest of me is.” Because she thought she was so ugly, Kristin avoided seeing friends and dating. She also failed some of her courses and eventually dropped out of high school. To feel better about how she looked, she had a nose job, which diminished her concern with her nose, but she then worried more about her breasts.At the age of 14, Eric became preoccupied with the idea that he had severe acne, wrinkles around his eyes, and “stuck-out” ears—deformities that weren’t discernible to others. Eric often checked himself in mirrors and kept lights dimmed so his “defects” wouldn’t be visible. He covered his forehead with his bangs and a baseball hat, and he wore makeup to hide his supposed acne. Eric had had many friends and had been a very good student and a star soccer player. But as a result of his appearance concerns, his grades plummeted, and he became increasingly self-conscious, depressed, anxious, and socially isolated. Eventually, after several years of these symptoms, he was unable to attend school and became housebound.*155\204\8*

HIV INFECTION AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE EMOTIONS: FATIGUE AND ACCOMMODATION-ACCOMMODATING TO FATIGUE

June 20, 2011

Fatigue is an integral part of this infection. Whether its cause is psychological or physical, fatigue cannot be ignored. First, talk to your doctor: some medications can counter fatigue. The best way to deal with fatigue may be to accept it and go on from there. Decide what you want to do most, be sure it is possible, plan it out, and pace yourself. When Dean wants to go to a concert on Thursday, he begins resting on Tuesday and takes off Friday and Saturday. Lisa’s husband stayed in the community theater but tried out only for small roles. Steven gets up late, goes to work late, and goes home early. Dean kept his job but cut back his hours and tried to have meetings in his office rather than in offices across town.     Try to plan things that can, if necessary, be changed or postponed. Dean’s long-time partner helps him in this: “We deal from day to day. We don’t look ahead because the illness is so powerful and changes at any time. Plans for one day can easily be impossible, so we just do what we had planned a few days later.” June’s son had planned a trip to Europe in great detail: reservations for travel and for hotels, sites to visit, places to eat, tickets for everything. When he realized he was too easily fatigued to go, he planned another trip, in the same detail, to a part of the United States he had always wanted to see.     Know what times of the days you have most energy, and plan accordingly. If possible, cook and eat at those times when you have energy: food is the body’s best source of energy. Otherwise, use those times of the day for things you want to get done, things that will give you a sense of accomplishment. Alan schedules appointments for late morning or over lunch. Lisa’s husband asked the community theater to change rehearsal times to early evenings, when he had more energy; the theater was happy to accommodate him.     In general, try to find ways to accomplish what you want with less energy. Lisa’s husband’s fatigue also affected their social life: “Socially, we didn’t go out as much. But then we redefined ‘socially.’ Instead of going out drinking and dancing, we entertained at home. Our social life didn’t disappear.” People who find driving tiring can often take public transportation. Or they consolidate several trips into one, or ask their friends to drive them. When they want to buy clothes or household supplies or presents, they order from catalogs. Catalogs from large department stores have enormous selections of everything from shampoo to shirts to lamps to sheets. To buy groceries, they find a store that delivers, or ask their friends. They get their medications from pharmacies that deliver.     If cooking is tiring, buy foods that are prepared or that can be micro-waved. Try cooking a large amount of food and freezing what you don’t eat. Spaghetti sauce, chili, pot roasts, stews, and soups all taste good made in large amounts and reheated, and they freeze well. If eating is tiring, use nutritional supplements that come as powders and are mixed with milk. Or make a nutritional supplement out of milk, ice cream, and fruit mixed in a food processor. Alan used to do all the cooking, and he still does most of it, but when he is tired, Alan says, “My partner offers to do parts of the meals. He makes great desserts.” Helen does the dishes immediately after eating; she finds that less tiring than letting them stack up and doing several meals’ worth at once. She keeps a chair in the kitchen for when she needs to rest. Dean keeps a chair in the shower, and sometimes he showers sitting down.     Cleaning services may not be prohibitively expensive; friends might help with cleaning too. To minimize what must be cleaned, try consolidating your living into one area or one floor. Make a bedroom on the first floor, or turn the bedroom into a living area. Consolidating your living also saves steps. Put a dorm-sized refrigerator next to your bed for juice or fruit. Keep the phone near your bed.     Wear clothes that are easy to wear and to care for: jeans, knitted shirts and pants, sweatsuits, clothes with elastic waists and no buttons, clothes that can be washed and dried easily and do not need ironing. Alan used to do the laundry alone; now he and his partner do it together. “I don’t get as tired,” Alan says, “and it’s more fun that way.”     If several friends or relatives have offered help, do not be shy about accepting it. After all, you need the help, and if circumstances were reversed, you would want them to accept your help. Try making lists of things you would like help with. Perhaps one friend would not mind regularly watering plants, another might feed your cat, another might help with the laundry.     Fatigue often makes paying bills particularly onerous. Friends can help with regular bills; they can write the checks for the mortgage, rent, utilities, taxes. Some banks will deduct payments for monthly bills directly from your banking account.     Do what you can; don’t give up before you need to. June worries that people give in too soon to their fatigue, and then they miss doing what they are capable of doing. When June is not at home caring for her son, she visits other people with AIDS. “Some are tired and giving up,” she said. “I say to them, ‘Don’t tell me you can’t go out next Wednesday. This is only Sunday. How do you know how you’ll feel on Wednesday? If you think tired, you’ll be tired.’” Steven says, “I keep pushing myself. I do wake up tired and don’t like that. I make myself get up. I get out of that bed.” Alan agrees: “The main thing is that I not feel like an invalid. I still cook, even though my partner helps out a lot now. But I still cook.”     If you know you’ve done your best, then relax and rest. Try not to let fatigue affect your good opinion of yourself. You’ve done what you could.
*73\191\2*

IBS AND CANDIDA ALBICANS: CANDIDA – WHAT CAN HAPPEN AT THE DOCTOR’S?

June 12, 2011

Scenario a)Patient: Doctor, my bowel is worse. I’m so bloated and not sleeping; it’s getting me down. There was a bit in a magazine about a fungus in the bowel called Candida; could it be that?Doctor: You worry too much, Mrs Lamb – and don’t believe all you read in magazines. No, Candida is only a problem in the vagina and in babies’ mouths. Have you had any more thoughts about a part-time job?Scenario b)Patient: My bowel is getting worse. I had afternoon tea with a friend and I blew up like a b»alloon. It is always the same if I eat bread or anything sugary. I try to keep off these things but I get such a craving for them. It’s like needing a drug. You can see how much weightI have put on. There was a doctor on the radio saying that sugar craving can be sign of thrush in the bowel; could that be my trouble?Doctor: Well it’s possible. We could try you on an anti-fungal drug for a couple of weeks to see if it helps.Scenario c)Patient: Doctor I’m really depressed with this bowel trouble. My diet is becoming very restricted, I am always tired and I have lost a stone in weight. Do you think it could have anything to do with this? (She produces an article on Candida).Doctor: I’m certainly seeing a big increase in fungal infections, so it’s a possibility. Let’s see, yes, you had antibiotics for that septic toe and you have had three prescriptions for pessaries for thrush this year. It could well be a fungal problem. Patient: Will I need more tests?Doctor: There isn’t a reliable test for overgrowth of bowel Candida. Patient: Can you send me to a specialist?Doctor: I’m afraid not; there are very few doctors in the Health Service who deal with problems like this. You could see a clinical nutritionist privately, but it could be costly. The alternative is for me to start you on a course of a drug called Nystatin. It has been around a long time and is quite safe but, to be honest, a lot of people do not tolerate it well. It can kill off the yeast cells too quickly and the poisons from them can make you feel pretty rotten.Patient: I will gladly put up with being off-colour for a couple of weeks if it will clear this bowel.Doctor: No, you would have to be on it for several months. I think the best plan would be to see if I can get the pharmacist to order one of the newer anti-fungal substances. They are from plants and seem to work well. You will have to keep to a diet and look after yourself a bit more; you try to do too much.*71\326\8*

CANCER IN FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: UTERUS CANCER

June 1, 2011

The main function of the body of the uterus is to provide a suitable environment for a growing embryo and fetus. Under the influence of a huge increase in the amount of oestrogen and progesterone the uterus grows from an organ of approximately 7-8 cm long in the non-pregnant stage, to an organ that reaches from the floor of the pelvis to the diaphragm when carrying a fetus. It surely is one of the miracles of nature that this hugely increased size goes back to normal within a week or two following delivery of the baby!
Cancer of the Uterine LiningCancer of the body of the uterus can develop in the lining of the uterus (‘endometrium’) or in the muscle (‘myometrium’.) Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological cancer in women worldwide. There seems to be two types of cancers that can affect the uterine lining. The first – being the more common and found in up to 70% of cases – is due to an excess of oestrogen or to oestrogen which is not balanced by progesterone which takes place when ovulation does not occur. The second type, which is oestrogen independent, is much more aggressive and spreads more commonly to lymph glands and elsewhere.Type I Endometrial Cancer (a cancer that affects the lining of the uterus) occurs particularly in women who are overweight. Over 80% of endometrial cancers occur in women who have entered the menopause.When the ovaries eventually give up growing follicles and producing eggs at menopause, the amount of oestrogen and progesterone falls to between one-tenth and one-twentieth of that seen in younger women. Furthermore, the oestrogen in the menopause is ‘oestrone’ which is much less powerful than the oestrogen produced by the pre-menopausal ovary. The source of this oestrone in women following menopause is mainly from body fat. The body fat converts prehormones, particularly male hormones, into oestrone. Therefore the more fat a woman has, and then the more conversion of these hormones to oestrone takes place. So that, if a woman is double her ideal body weight, she produces more than double the amount of oestrogen. Since there is little or no progesterone around to counteract this oestrogen, then the oestrogen acts on the lining of the uterus to cause it to grow, to become thicker (‘hyperplasia’) and to eventually develop a cancer. These cancers are usually similar when seen under the microscope to the normal lining of the uterus and only in about 10% of cases do they invade deeply into the muscle.The other causes of this excess oestrogen situation include tumours of the ovary; taking oestrogen for hormone replacement without the addition of progesterone, and diabetes mellitus – in which more of the precursors are converted to oestrogen. The use of Tamoxifen, although an anti-oestrogen commonly used in breast cancer, also has paradoxically oestrogen-like effects on the uterine lining and doubles the risk of uterine cancer developing.The second type of uterine cancer, when seen under the microscope looks quite different to the normal uterine lining. These cancers, which may be confusing to understand, but which doctors may refer to as ‘poorly differentiated cancers’, ‘papillary serous cancers’, ‘adenosquamous cancers’, and ‘clear cell cancers’ can spread very rapidly, and often invade deeply into the muscle or spread outside the uterus. These Type 2 cancers are stimulated by abnormalities in the genes that control the growth of the uterine lining, but what causes these gene changes is currently unknown.*1/144/5*

I CAN HANDLE ANY CRISIS— I’M A MOTHER: AND THEN STEVE MARCHED OFF TO VIETNAM

May 11, 2011

While Bill was mending, the Vietnam War shifted into high gear and our second son, Steve, who was seventeen at the time and a senior in high school, got restless. Many of his buddies had already joined the Marines, and he wanted to follow them. He disliked studying and school was a pain to him. With reluctance, I signed the papers that allowed him to enter the U.S. Marines just a few months before his eighteenth birthday. Steve was a Christian, and that was my comfort as he went off to training. When he enlisted, we thought the Vietnam thing was winding down, but by the time he finished basic training, it was full-blown, and he told us he would be shipped to Vietnam in March 1968.I remember driving alone with Steve to Camp Pendleton the day he left. It was St. Patrick’s Day, and we stopped for lunch at a place that was all decorated for the holiday. Normally, I would have enjoyed all the frivolity, but I was quiet and without much laughter.We were early in arriving, so we had time to drive up a steep road that leads to a fabulous church in San Clemente, near Camp Pendleton. It has a spectacular view of the ocean, and although it was a dismal day with low clouds and fog, I have some indelible memories of our standing there by the church, looking out at the thrashing ocean below the cliffs. We prayed together there by the church, and then we slowly made the final lap of our trip to the Marine base.In my mind, I have a memory video of Steve swinging his green Marine duffel bag over his shoulder . . . turning and waving . . . and then disappearing beyond the chain link gates of Camp Pendleton.His frequent letters from Vietnam reflected the spiritual growth that had surfaced in his life. When you are a Christian and your buddies are dropping all around you in battle, all you have left is your faith in God.Although he was killed on July 28, 1968, it was not until three days later that a car marked “U.S. Marines” drove up to our home. Two young Marines in full dress uniforms came to the door to tell us that Steve and his entire platoon had been wiped out in a battle near Da Nang.When a loved one is in a dangerous situation, as Steve was, you live with constant apprehension and fear, but somehow, when it finally happens, it is like a “lifting”—that something is over. Indeed, life was over for Steve.About ten days later, a call came from a mortuary near us, and a man’s voice said, “Mrs. Johnson, you’ll have to come up here and identify Steven’s body because whenever a person dies in a foreign country, the law says that the body has to be identified.”Because Bill wasn’t even driving a car yet, I decided he should be spared this gruesome situation, and I went by myself to the mortuary on a 100-degree-plus day in August.I was ushered into a viewing room by a little man dressed in a dark suit, who stood waiting as I looked into the hermetically sealed box and tried to determine if the brown bloated face before me belonged to my son. He had lain facedown in a rice paddy for two days before being found. All they showed was the top half—I couldn’t even be sure there was anything left of him below the belt. The little man kept standing there, and finally I decided that it must be Steve. I signed the little paper that said, in effect, “This boy belongs to this box.”As I walked out of that mortuary, I thought, By now we’ve surely had the cup of suffering. Bill is back to normal—well, almost. He still watches old. John Wayne movies over and over and doesn’t think he has seen them before, and he forgets birthdays and anniversaries … but I guess lots of men do that . . . and now we’ve lost this beautiful son who is our deposit in heaven.Steven’s memorial service included the congregation singing “Safe in the Arms of Jesus,” which was the song our church sang when he left to go to Vietnam. We had a little brochure printed with Steve’s picture on the front, the message from his memorial service inside, and the plan of salvation on the back. And we began to share with other families who had lost sons in Vietnam. It was possible to obtain names from The Los Angeles Times, which printed a list each day of young men killed in action in Vietnam. We sent Steve’s brochure to these families, feeling it was an opportunity to share our conviction that, as Christians, we have an endless hope because we know Jesus Christ.Tim Called from the Yukon—CollectThe next five years went by quickly. The war in Vietnam finally ended, and we began to have closure in our healing from the loss of Steven.Tim, our oldest son, was twenty-three. He had finished college and then graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy in June 1973. He and his friend, Ron, had decided to take an extended vacation, so they drove to Alaska, where they planned to stay a few weeks, make a little money doing some temporary summer work, and then return home in early August to get ready to carry out their fall schedules.I must tell you that, although Tim was a handsome and darling young man, he wasn’t what I would call a lot of fun. That he worked during college at Rose Hills Mortuary tells you an awful lot. His idea of fun—and this was the epitome of fun for Tim—was to bring home the bows from mortuary bouquets and decorate our two dogs and cat with them. These bows had messages like, “May he rest in peace,” or “God bless Grandpa Hiram.” Whenever I came home and found the family pets all decked out in funeral ribbons, I knew Tim was “having fun” again.After Tim arrived in Alaska, he wrote about his new friends and also mentioned that he had been baptized. This sort of hurt my feelings because he had already been baptized in our church, and I thought we had good water there, but I sensed some new spiritual dimensions in Tim’s letters, unlike the boy we had known at home.On August 1, 1973, I got a collect call from Tim. Now, I have always enjoyed having a new month. I change the sheets, take a bath, have my hair done, and we do something special to have FUN on the first of every new month. Of course, I do this at other times, too, but I always make the first a special celebration.Tim’s first question was, “What are you doing, Mom, to celebrate the first of the month today?”My quick response was, “Well, I was just HOPING for a collect call from you.”Tim went on to say, “Ron and I are on the way home. We should be there in about five days, and I can’t wait to tell you what the Lord has done in my life. I’ve got a sparkle in my eye and a spring in my step, and I know the Lord is going to use my story all over.”I couldn’t help but notice that Tim had an air of excitement in his voice; it was different from the conservative, well-modulated tone which was so familiar to me—one which seldom had shown much enthusiasm about anything. How exciting to think he would be home in five days to share with us all what had happened to change a quiet, sedate young man of twenty-three into an exciting, turned-on Christian.Tim’s call came around noon, and after we hung up, I started thinking of all of my efforts to get him entrenched in Christian activities. Once I had even bribed him with a new set of tires to get him to go to a Campus Crusade conference. But no matter what we did, Tim never took notes or seemed to act interested. He would just go with the flow, but would never get turned-on or excited . . . until NOW!That night at dinner I was telling Bill and the other two boys, Larry and Barney, about Tim’s phone call a few hours earlier. We were all laughing and enjoying what Tim had said, when the telephone rang. It was an officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police calling from White Horse, Yukon. It was hard to hear everything he was saying, but as the words came over the static-filled line, they came out like this: DRUNK BOYS IN A THREE-TON TRUCK . . . CROSSED THE CENTER LINE … HIT TIM’S LITTLE VOLKSWAGEN HEAD ON . . . TIM AND HIS FRIEND, RON, WERE KILLED . . . INSTRUCTIONS NEEDED FROM YOU AS TO HOW YOU WANT BURIAL PLANS MADE.Tim and Ron had been immediately ushered into the presence of God! Stunned, I thought, But this can’t BE! I was just talking to him a few hours ago, and he was on the way home to share his story with us. He was to be home in five days! This can’t be! I already have ONE deposit in heaven. I don’t need TWO! Tim is our firstborn, a special gift. It just isn’t FAIR!I lashed out at how this could happen to us . . . again! Hadn’t we had enough? How could God let this happen when Tim was so thrilled about coming home to tell us of his exciting spiritual experience?A few hours later, we got a call from the pastor of the church in Alaska where Tim had been attending during the summer. He said, “We’re not going to let those boys’ story die in the Yukon. We want to bring some folks down to share what really happened in their lives.”I thanked him and told him I would let him know the date of Tim’s memorial service. Grief-stricken as I was, his offer to share with us was comforting. Later at the memorial service he told what had changed this dull, conservative boy into a sparkling, shining personality so turned-on to spiritual things. Tim had rededicated his life to the Lord and his friend Ron had become a Christian.Our local newspaper published the story about the accident, including pictures with the heading: “TWO BOYS KILLED BY DRUNK DRIVER ON THE ALASKA HIGHWAY.” The very next day some darling young girls dropped by to tell us how shocked they were to read of the accident. They brought along letters Tim had written to them, which they had just received. Evidently, the day before he had started for home, Tim had written to several girls he used to go with, as well as some other friends, and told them of his spiritual experience. His letter to one girl said, “Please forgive me for being such a creep. . . .” Any mother would wonder what that meant. Apparently, Tim wasn’t as boring as I thought he was.*10\316\2*

WORMS IN HUMAN BODY

May 1, 2011

Worms may be present in the bowels without causing much in the way of serious symptoms. However, some worms do cause severe symptoms and must be eliminated from the body. Among them are the hookworm (ancylostoma); the pin-worm (enterobius vermicularies); the roundworm (or ascaris); the whipworm (trichuris trichurea); the tapeworm, known under such names as the beef tapeworm, the broad tapeworm, the fish tapeworm and the pork tapeworm.By far the most common is the pinworm, also called the seat worm or thread worm. The eggs taken into the human body hatch in the small intestines, where the worms mature and mate. Females move on to the large bowel and develop the eggs. The males pass out of the body. The eggs may lodge in areas around the openings of the bowel, may get on the sleeping garments or bedclothes. They cause itching and scratching which may result in infection. In the control of pinworms, the utmost cleanliness is required. Several drugs are available which will quickly eliminate such worms, among them hexyl-resorcinol and other substances.The roundworms, exceeded in frequency only by the pinworms, live in the bowel and may develop to lengths of 6 to 15 inches. They hold themselves in the bowel by a sort of spring-like pressure. The female worm can discharge 200,000 eggs a day. This worm does not cause much in the way of serious symptoms, but can produce blocking of the bowel. They are controlled by giving cathartics and washing out the bowel, after which drugs are provided that destroy the worm and eliminate it.The hookworm can produce severe anemia. It penetrates the skin, producing the condition called ground itch. It then gets into the intestines by way of the blood. The doctor establishes the presence of the condition by examining the material from the bowel. Such remedies as hexylresorcinol, oil of chenopodium and tetrachlorethylene are used. All worm remedies are poisonous if administered wrongly or in excess amounts.The tapeworms live in the human intestine. There are thirty or forty different species. A complete tapeworm will measure one to fifteen feet long and contain as many as 2000 parts. The presence of these worms means serious loss of appetite, secondary anemia, loss of weight, and other serious symptoms.*39/318/5*

SKIN IN CHILDHOOD: PREVENTING ECZEMA

April 20, 2011

Eczema tends to flare up periodically, particularly in response to teething and infections in children and to stress in adults. It can also be aggravated by external irritants such as the following: Animal hair and fur Animal hair and fur will often aggravate eczema. This is most obvious after a child has been playing with a cat, dog, horse or other pet.
Shampoos and other hair products Many shampoos irritate the skin as they often drip onto the face and neck. Children with eczema should use non-perfumed shampoos such as Ionil T, Neutrogena and T/Gel. Hair sprays, mousses and gels may also irritate the skin if they come directly in contact with it. Blow driers, like heaters, create dry heat and can precipitate eczema on the face.
Perfume and perfumed preparations Perfume and cosmetics and creams containing perfume will irritate eczema. Most creams contain perfume to mask the smell of chemicals, so it is important to choose true fragrance-free creams for any child with eczema. Even creams which have no smell may still contain a ‘masking’ perfume. Suitable products will have ‘fragrance free’ written on the label.
Sunscreens Although the use of sunscreens should be encouraged, most will irritate the skin of eczema sufferers. All of the chemicals in sunscreens can produce this reaction, especially in high concentration. The least irritating sunscreens are Ego SunSense Toddler Milk, Ego Sunsensitive, Clinique City Block, Ella Bache SPF 15 sunscreen and UV Low Allergenic Formula. Zinc creams and foundation make-up containing titanium dioxide such as Clinique Continuous Coverage do not cause irritation but are often messier to use.
Antiseptics Most antiseptics are extremely irritating to normal skin, let alone eczema skin. Antiseptics are still commonly added to babies’ bath water in maternity hospitals. They may also be used to clean bathrooms, desks and so on in schools and kindergartens, leaving a residue on the surface. If a child with eczema comes into contact with an antiseptic solution, a flare up may occur.
Chlorine The chlorine present in most heated swimming pools can severely irritate eczema in both children and adults. The newer ozone pool chemicals are less irritating but may still aggravate eczema. On the other hand, sea water is often beneficial and can help clear up eczema. Children with eczema should not swim in chlorinated pools while their eczema is active. Even spas and Jacuzzis use heated, chlorinated water and so are best avoided.
Vaccines Although vaccines will occasionally aggravate eczema, this is now fairly rare and children should be given routine vaccines. If a child becomes allergic to the triple antigen vaccine, he or she should not have a second or third booster.
Cold sores Cold sores are a particular problem in children with eczema. If a child comes into contact with a person who has a cold sore on his or her lip, the child can develop cold sores all over the face. Therefore, adults with cold sores should not kiss children with active eczema.
*8/150/5*

WHAT HAS STRESS GOT TO DO WITH PMS?

April 10, 2011

Looking through the list of stress symptoms there are some obvious similarities with PMS. In feet studies in the USA by Dr Irene Goodale, of Harvard University medical school, have shown that in the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle women have a higher man normal response to stress compared with the rest of the time:• their heart rate goes up• blood pressure Increases• more adrenalin is released• urine samples have higher levels of adrenalin and noradrenalin – both signs of stress.If you have PMS and you are under a lot of stress your body will be under a double dose of pressure. It’s important that in seeking a cure for your PMS you do not ignore the influence of stress. There is simply no point in treating your PMS if your stress is out of control You will either not respond to PMS therapy or those symptoms will clear up and you will succumb to something else.In dealing with stress you can either avoid the stressors or you can learn to cope with the stress. In practice it’s impossible to avoid all stressors so it’s best to develop coping strategies.*34\120\4*

Random Posts

• COFFEE – MAKING SAUERKRAUT AT HOME (PART 2)
• SYMPTOMS OF ARTHRITIS
• BEDROOM BEHAVIOURS: ROMANTIC WOMEN
• RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: JOINT PROTECTION GUIDELINES
• HOMOSEXUAL OFFENDERS VS. CHILDREN
• AFTER CANCER: FEELINGS. READING THE OBITUARIES
• MIGRAINE – MIGRAINE HEADACHES
• RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: HINTS TO PROTECT ELBOWS, SHOULDERS, HIPS AND KNEES
• CIRCULATORY DISORDERS – GANGRENE
• CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: HEALING

Newer Posts »