The Lava Bot

The orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in straightening and moving teeth to improve the appearance of the teeth and how they function. The orthodontist is generally a dentist who has had about two to four more years of additional specialty training in the application and uses of orthodontics beyond normal dental school.

The majority of the orthodontist’s patients are children. Orthodontic treatment is best carried out when the person is a child although some adults may see the orthodontist as well. New advances in cosmetic dentistry now makes it possible for adults to have perfectly straight teeth, without the hassle of braces. Sam Muslin, a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry, is renowned for his instant braces - perfectly straight teeth within as little as two visits.

There are different types of treatments that the orthodontist may use to treat different levels of problems. The orthodontist may use traditional braces which involve using metal anchors that are affixed to each tooth that is to be straightened. The anchors are then threaded with a metal wire. Over a period of time the orthodontist tightens the wire in the patient’s mouth, pulling the misaligned teeth into the desired position.

In some instances, the orthodontist will fit a patient with a head gear unit. These head gear units are specifically designed to coincide with the metal braces systems and are generally only worn at night.

Another treatment option that the orthodontist may use is an invisible tray orthodontics treatment system such as the Invisilign system. With the Invisilign system the orthodontist would fit the patient with a series of virtually invisible trays that would be switched out about every two weeks. The trays are designed to gradually pull the teeth into proper alignment. Many people choose the Invisilign system because they don’t have the metal appearance that traditional braces have which gives them better self esteem.

Once either one of the above mentioned orthodontic treatments have realigned the teeth and the teeth are in the correct placement, the orthodontist may prescribe the use of a retainer. When teeth are in the correct position after braces, they need to be held in place for a period of time so they can settle in. The retainer holds the teeth while the surrounding gums and bone reposition themselves.

The success of orthodontics treatment depends greatly on the communication that the patient has with the orthodontist and the patient’s ability to follow the prescribed course of treatment. Finding an orthodontist that you like and works best with you may be a little difficult at first. It may be good to get a referral from a friend who has had a successful relationship with their orthodontist.

Filed by admin at 10:55 am under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

It’s estimated that there are 47 million Americans without health insurance. For a time me and my family were among them. My husband was laid off from his job. We lost his health insurance coverage. We have two teenagers at home and needed coverage. We didn’t know anything about how to buy health insurance. One of my husbands ex-colleagues, who had also lost his job told us about how to search for health insurance family on line.

He told us he learned about different types of coverages and prices. He was able to look at five different health insurers and do side-by-side comparisons. He was able to pick the best health insurance coverage for his family.

It can be overwhelming trying to pick health insurance for your family. There are so many different companies and plans to choose from. I went on line and did a search on health insurance family and found a wealth of information. I hadn’t considered lots of things. I needed to make sure that the doctors we see accept the health plan I choose, or we would have to change doctors.

I needed to consider things like deductibles and co-insurance payments and also prescription drug coverage. Buying the cheapest health insurance coverage you can find isn’t the best thing to do. Make sure you have all the facts before you choose.

Filed by admin at 11:30 am under Better Medical Resources, Healthy Stuff, House Of Insurance
Comments Off

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional disorder of the colon (large intestine) that causes crampy abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and/or diarrhea. The symptoms of IBS can include:

1.Gas

2.Pain

3.Bloating

4.Nausea

5.Vomiting

6.Mucous in the stool

7.Constipation

8.Diarrhea

There are 3 different forms of IBS:

1.Diarrhea-predominant

2.Constipation-predominant and,

3.Switching constipation and diarrhea

Some of the guidelines may help in improving the conditions of IBS; eating several smaller meals during the day, rather than three large ones (large meals may result in cramping and diarrhea). Additionally, it may be helpful to keep meals low in fat and high in carbohydrates such as whole-grain breads, pasta, rice, fruits, vegetables, and cereals. A low fat, high protein diet may also help with pain experienced after eating. Fiber which is soluble in nature has several benefits that may also reduce symptoms of IBS.
Fiber may prevent spasms because it keeps the colon somewhat distended. It also absorbs water, which helps to keep stools soft rather than hard.

Initially switching to a high fiber diet may increase gas and bloating, but these will subside in a few weeks time as the body adjusts to these parameters.

Bloating can be decreased by reducing the intake of foods that cause intestinal Gas. Carbonated beverages (such as soda pop or sparkling water) are the major ones which lead to abound bloating and intestinal gas. Foods that may cause Intestinal gas include Bananas, Beans, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Garlic, Leeks, Nuts, Onions and Raisins.
Foods high in soluble fiber include; Barley, Brown rice, Currants, Dried beans, Figs, French bread, Fresh peas, Oat Bran, Oatmeal, Pasta, Prunes, Ishagula (Psyllium husks),Raisins, Rice, Whole wheat bread, Soy etc.
Supplements may be helpful in adding the necessary fiber to the diet. Soluble fiber supplements like Psyllium, Methylcellulose, and Polycarbophil can be taken on a daily basis as per the recommended dose. Psyllium can be taken every day to bulk up stool, making it easier to pass. Methylcellulose is a fiber that is non allergenic, since it is created from the cell wall of plants. It absorbs water to create a softer stool. Its better than Psyllium, as it is less likely to cause intestinal gas. Similar to methylcellulose, Polycarbophil is created from plants too, and is not absorbed by the body. It absorbs water in the intestinal tract and creates a bulkier and softer stool. Polycarbophil is less likely to cause bloating and can be used long term.

Last but not the least; please refrain from drinking Coffee, as Coffee is a known bowel irritant. The caffeine contained in coffee is bad for the digestive system. Caffeine speeds up every system in the body, including the colon, which can lead to diarrhea. Well, even decaffeinated coffee is not good for IBS patients as it contains acids that can increase stomach acid production, further triggering the symptoms of IBS.

N.SRIVATHSHAN MBA(PHARMA MARKETING),BA SALES,PRODUCT, ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT,PHARMACY,NUTRITION&DIETETICS.
PRODUCT MANAGER
NANDAN BIOMATRIX
srivathshan@yahoo.com
http://www.geocities.com/srivathshan

Filed by admin at 11:35 pm under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

Tips to Survive Long Airplane Flights

If you are planning a long airplane flight, then here are some
ways to combat the ill affects of traveling for long periods of
time. A flight might last about 6 to 8 hours on longer
international flights, here are some ways to combat being stuck
in a chair flying at over 30,000 feet for such a long period of
time.

Keep yourself hydrated. Many people hate flying, so the first
thing they do is down as much alcohol as possible. This is not
good, because the air is usually dryer in the airplane and the
affects of alcohol only dry out your body even more. Add air
turbulence and motion sickness and you have the makings of an
extremely uncomfortable flight.

Exercise regularly. It is difficult to sit in one place for such
a long period of time, so the best thing to do is to get out of
your seat and walk around a few minutes each hour. Make sure to
stretch your arms and legs and to roll your head around your
neck. This will make you feel much more flexible and less
lethargic. Make sure you don’t overeat before arriving on the
plane. You don’t want to have to go to the bathroom when you are
sitting on the tarmac or while the seatbelt sign is lit. Plus
you don’t want to have a stomach ache to begin your flight.

So remember follow these quick tips the next time you fly and
you should be feeling great in the air and once you touch down
on the ground.

Filed by admin at 4:56 am under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

If considering pregnancy, ideally the patient should be in optimum nutritional condition prior to conception; deflation of the band may be required prior to planned conception. Deflation should also be considered should morning sickness be present. The band may remain deflated during pregnancy and once breast feeding is completed, or if bottle feeding, the band may be gradually re-inflated to aid postpartum weight loss if needed

Gastric band placement, unlike mal-absorptive weight loss surgery, does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. Removal would likely require a laparoscopic procedure, after which the stomach usually returns to its normal pre-banded state. It is unusual for gastric band patients to experience any nutritional deficiencies or mal-absorption of micro nutrients. Calcium supplements and Vitamin B12 injections are not routinely required following gastric banding. Gastric dumping syndrome issues also do not occur since no intestines are removed or re-routed.

Statistics indicate that over a 5-year period, weight loss outcome is similar. Weight regain is possible with any weight loss procedures including the more radical procedures that initially result in rapid weight loss. The World Health Organization recommendation for monthly weight loss is to 1 kilogram per week and an average banded patient may lose this amount. Clearly this is variable based on the individual and their personal circumstances, motivation, and mobility.

A commonly reported occurrence for banded patients is regurgitation of non-acidic swallowed food from the upper pouch, commonly known as productive burping. Productive burping is not to be considered normal. The patient should consider eating less, eating more slowly, or chewing their food more thoroughly so that less food is digested into the stomach system. Occasionally, the narrow passage into the larger / lower part of the stomach may become blocked by a large portion of unchewed or unsuitable foodstuff.

Filed by admin at 4:39 pm under Better Medical Resources, Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

There are numerous ways that people use to stop smoking. People do actually succeed in stopping smoking but the same method of stopping does not work for everyone and sometimes the same method may finally work only after a second or third attempt at it is tried.

The most popular methods used to quit smoking and not in any particular order are:

1) Willpower
2) Cutting down
3) Hypnosis
4) Patches, Gum, Lozenges
5) False Cigarette
6) Zyban
7) Acupuncture
Shock event

There is no doubt that each of these methods have been successful in helping someone to stop smoking. They work in slightly different ways to each other and I will attempt to describe each method and in my opinion the pros and cons of each

1) Willpower
This is probably the most used method for stopping smoking and one that does work. Actually a certain amount of willpower will be required no matter what method of quitting smoking you use. Unfortunately willpower kind of suggests a fight and suggests that if you are strong minded you will succeed and that if you fail you are weak minded. The description willpower is not helpful as far as stopping smoking is concerned because of the perceived battle that the word suggests. A better word would be ‘decision’. Just make your decision and then that can be that. But make it a final decision and not some half-hearted attempt and then you can quit successfully.

2) Cutting down
This involves willpower with the idea of feedback that you are succeeding plus knowing that you are gradually weaning yourself off any perceived chemical dependency of cigarettes. In theory it sounds great because if each day you smoke one less cigarette you know you are getting closer to stopping. Unfortunately in order to know how many cigarettes you are smoking you have to count them and then know at any particular moment of the day how many you have had and how many more you can have. This method means that you have to think about smoking much more than if you were smoking freely. If something is on your mind more often, then it can make it harder to stop it. If you really want to succeed with using the cutting down method, don’t get into counting each cigarette.

A better tactic is to decide to leave out certain cigarettes such as the one at 10:30 or the one after lunch. This way you don’t have to count how many you are smoking and yet you know you are cutting down.

3) Hypnosis
This method still requires ‘willpower’ or even better the ‘decision’ from the smoker that they want to stop. Hypnosis does not take away the choice of the person to smoke but rather it supports the decision to stop. It is like getting some extra help to support your decision to stop. Importantly it uses suggestions that are aimed at the stronger part of the mind, the subconscious mind, to let get of this old outdate and no longer useful response to life.

4) Patches, Gum and Lozenges
These methods still give you nicotine. The idea is that it helps with any withdrawal symptoms you may ordinarily put down to stopping smoking. It is an odd sort of logic in that patches, gum and lozenges still give you nicotine as a way of helping you to stop taking nicotine via cigarettes. Also as long as you chew gum, suck lozenges or have to wear a patch it constantly reminds you of smoking. A constant reminder is not a useful method to use to help stop doing something.

5) False Cigarette
This is a substitute for the action and behaviour of smoking but without the intake of all the chemicals involved. It helps those who would ordinarily miss doing something with the hands, or those who would feel less confident with having nothing in their hands. The down side is that although you are no longer inhaling all those poisons you are still keeping the habit and behaviour of smoking going.

6) Zyban
This is a prescribed drug that was found to help smokers deal with any perceived chemical withdrawal symptoms. The idea is that if the physical side of smoking is being aided by zyban than all you have to do is to deal with the action or routine of smoking. As soon as you have stopped the routine and discovered you are okay and life can carry on then you can, under your doctor’s direction, come off zyban. Once again a method that may work for some but there may be side effects of using zyban which need consideration before using this method.

7) Acupuncture
This is the ancient Chinese treatment that inserts needles in certain acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncture points are not random but are definite and accurate places on the body. The idea with acupuncture is to enable the free flow of energy known as chi (pronounced ‘chee’) to flow along the meridian lines in the body. Blocks in the energy flow can cause or relate to issues whether physical, mental or emotional. For some people, acupuncture treatment has succeeded in helping them to stop smoking.

Shock event
For many people a shock of some sort will cause them to finally quit smoking. The shock may be the discovery of some smoking related illness such as cancer or it may be the loss of a friend or relative. Either way it brings home to the smoker their own mortality and what part they play in staying well and healthy. No one really chooses to be unhealthy. The shock event can work for many people and help them to stop smoking. Where the shock event fails is when, over time, the shock fades and feels more distant and the ex-smoker once again feels comfortable with smoking.

The overriding asset and best resource in using any of the above methods is the decision to stop smoking. So just make your decision to stop smoking and then stick to it.

Steven Harold
London Stop Smoking Hypnosis

Filed by admin at 4:10 pm under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

Why Herbal Preparations are Becoming the Preferred
Alternative

While still regarded with some degree of skepticism in the
medical community, alternative medicine and herbal remedies are
gaining attention and recognition in the world of alternative
health care and preventative medicine. Alarmed by several high
profile medications being taken off shelves for health hazards,
more and more people are turning to alternatives medicines to
help treat physical symptoms and heal their bodies naturally.

Alternative medicine is gaining more attention every day. The
idea that one can heal their body, prevent physical symptoms and
even treat them - naturally - is very appealing. It is
especially appealing in the wake of some alarming findings on
popular prescription medications which resulted in them being
pulled from shelves due to health hazards.

While one should still approach alternative medicine with
caution and thorough research, natural cures, remedies and
herbal preparations still should be considered when researching
the best options for treating various physical ailments that
impact your quality of life.

Still regarded with some skepticism in the medical community,
there are undeniably some truly remarkable and tangible benefits
to be garnered from herbal preparations, as testified by many
users of the array of natural health products available today.
Herbal remedies and alternative medicines can help treat and
alleviate symptoms ranging from pain and menopause to acne and
depression.

Users of these herbal preparations and remedies most commonly
are those who are health conscious, have had adverse reactions
to traditional medications, or just have a holistic mindset and
approach to their mental and physical health, longevity and
proactivity in prevention.

With it’s increasing popularity and recognition, you are likely
to see a rising number of new product offerings and also an
increase in companies willing to put more money into research
and development of new natural health products as their demand
increases.

This is going to give us, as consumers, a great advantage, since
it will give traditional medications a run for their money in
effectiveness and safety.

Filed by admin at 7:36 pm under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

Question : I’M planning to start up a detoxification programme
as I’ve been eating out a lot and often have to hang out with
smokers for business purposes. I often have a bloated stomach
and suffer from fatigue.

Answer : OF course it is best to avoid situations in which you
usually have to drink or sit with smokers. But since most of the
time we do not have a choice, a detoxification programme will be
beneficial. There are various ways you could detox and set your
body systems right again. It could be done herbally, with fruit
and vegetable cocktails, nutritional supplements or through
hydrotherapy.

Supplementing your diet with milk thistle and dandelion may be
helpful in your detoxification programme. These herbs have the
ability to regenerate new liver cells through protein synthesis
and repair damage. It can also help eliminate toxins and protect
the liver.

Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated that the herb milk
thistle improves liver function by cleansing the liver of
dangerous toxins, as well as stimulating the formation of new
liver cells. The herb dandelion enhances the flow of bile and
thus dramatically improves conditions such as bile duct
inflammation, liver congestion and gallstones.

Since you are exposed to cigarette smoke, you should eat more
fruits and vegetables that contain lots of antioxidants such as
beta-carotene, vitamins C and E, selenium, zinc and alpha lipoic
acid.

Spirulina also helps the body to eliminate heavy metals from the
bloodstream, strengthen the immune system and improve
gastrointestinal and digestive health. Most notably, spirulina
is 65-71 per cent complete protein, with all essential amino
acids and other nutrients in perfect balance.

Improve digestion and digestive health with probiotics and
digestive enzymes. Recent clinical studies have shown that
probiotics have potential in the treatment of clinical
conditions as well as the management of early allergic diseases
by reinforcing gut mucosal barrier functions and inhibiting the
growth of many harmful bacteria.

Filed by admin at 6:28 am under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

Lately, people have been asking me the same question over and over, “Should I buy a digital camera?” And for everyone that asks, I have the perfect answer. Maybe.

There are many factors that go into the decision about going digital, not the least being whether you are a professional or amateur photographer. You need to ask yourself how you will use your photographs. Will they be for your website, magazine articles, stock agencies, advertising or something else? You then have to do some research and see what each of these markets asks for. Stock agencies love digital, as do many ad agencies, but most magazines want slides.

Do you want to stay with film? Great. Film still gives better image quality than digital. However, in a year or two digital will probably rival film. You also need to consider that film manufacturers are reducing the range of film they produce. I was amazed when a few months ago the owner of my local camera store told me that Kodak is going to discontinue Kodachrome 25 soon, and within two years discontinue Kodachrome 64 and 200. Film manufacturers know that eventually digital will take over, and they don’t want to be caught flatfooted. So they’re making fewer types of film, and starting to manufacture digital camera.

You also need to consider the costs of going digital. A professional digital camera or camera back, will cost between $5,000 and $15,000. These prices are dropping quickly, but they are still high. There’s also the need for a computer (like a Mac G4 at $2,500), PhotoShop 7 ($600), high end printer (at least $500), maybe a scanner ($500 and up) and possible external data storage devices. This along with time spent manipulating each image in a computer, after you learn to use the computer and software, archiving each image on several sets of CD’s so you can store at least one set offsite. An off-site set protects your images from being lost due to flood, fire, theft or some other catastrophe. As you can see, digital will eat up lots of time and money.

One way to get into digital, but save some money, is to go the hybrid route. Shoot with film, make some great prints then scan them into a computer using a flatbed or drum scanner. You can also scan negatives and prints directly. Some photo labs can even do the scanning for you. Many professional photographers go this route to have the best of both worlds. They can use their existing film cameras, while having digital images.

Still not sure which way to go? You could buy a nice digital camera, with at least 3.1 megapixels, for under $1,000 and give it a try. You can even buy a printer that connects directly to the camera, so you don’t need a computer.

If you do decide to buy digital cameras, ask the same questions you would for film cameras. What lenses, shutter speeds, ISO’s and flash sync speed do you need? What subjects will you shoot, in what kind of lighting and how portable does it need to be? Do you need to end up with prints, digital images or slides?

Then talk to photographers that you know, or that you can find on newsgroups, and see if they use the camera you’re looking at, and what they think of it. If you live in a large city, you can probably rent the camera you want, and if you decide to buy it you may even be able to apply your rental fees toward the purchase price.

So don’t jump on the digital bandwagon just because everyone else seems to be doing it. A camera is a tool. Select the proper tool to meet your needs. You will be happier and your pictures will look better.

Want to know what some of the pros are using for digital? Check this out.

Cameras
Canon EOS-ID and D30
Nikon DI

Computers
Macintosh PowerBook G3 and G4
Sony Vaio PC

Scanners
Agfa DuoScan and Arcus 2
Flextight Precision II
Imacon Precision II
Nikon Coolscan 8000
Scanview Scanmate 11000 drum scanner
UMAX PowerLook 1100 with transparency attachment

Printers
Epson 1160, 1270, 1280, 5500 and 10000

Software
Adobe Photoshop 6.0 and 7.0

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Colburn’s books, “The Writer’s Dictionary Of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror and Mythology” and “The Youngest Ninja,” can be purchased from his site, The Creative Cauldron at www.CreativeCauldron.com. The Creative Cauldron is a site filled with information for writers, photographers, artists and other creative people.

Filed by admin at 8:50 pm under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off

Dentistry is the practical application of knowledge of dental science (the science of placement, arrangement, function of teeth) to human beings. A dentist is a professional practitioner of dentistry. A Dentist is skilled in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases, injuries, and malformations of the teeth, jaws, and mouth and who makes and inserts false teeth.

A Dentist is needed for correct most teeth conditions but there is a clear alternative to closing a tooth gap. So forget everything you’ve heard about closing gapped teeth. Because now there’s breakthrough technology that lets you closes your gap without bands, brackets or wires.

Teeth Gap has a product called Teeth Effects. By placing a Teeth Effect Band around the teeth with a gap will draw the teeth together; your gap will close right before your eyes. Your teeth will move, little by little, day by day, until your gap is closed. Teeth Effects are also removable so you can eat, drink, brush, and floss as usual.

Teeth Effect Bands are clear; most people won’t know you are straightening your teeth unless you tell them. After closing your gap you’ll also enjoy the added assurance of being able to express yourself with confidence, without being embarrassed or insecure about your teeth.

Please visit http://www.teethgap.com to close your gap simply by wearing a band around your teeth.

Filed by admin at 5:53 pm under Healthy Stuff
Comments Off