Lifetime Fitness: On Your Way to a Healthier You

Many people end up abandoning perfectly good fitness programs and weight-loss regimens before they even lace up their sneakers.

Why? Because in a world filled with fast food, instant messaging, and a five-second disease-tracking device, anything without a quick payoff goes against the grain of the typical American instant gratification ethic. While it would be nice to actually drop inches in just a few days like what most miracle ads proclaim, managing weight and losing weight through physical fitness is a slow and steady process that takes time and commitment.

Setting weight management goals for yourself can be a good motivator. Gradual weight loss, for those people who wish to shed off some extra pounds, is usually the safest.

That is why health and fitness experts had come up with the idea of lifetime fitness in order to teach people set realistic goals. These lifetime fitness programs generates dietary regimens that cut your normal calorie consumption for your weight by 500 to 1,000 per day, so will burning the same amount with exercise. In turn, this will definitely encourage healthier weight loss.

Lifetime fitness teaches you how to maintain a physically fit body at the same time enjoy and live a happy, contented life. It gives you the chance to strike a balance between the two (exercise and diet), and make exercise, be it team sports, cycling, or walking, something you will truly enjoy.

That is why lifetime fitness embodies the concept that making a long-term healthy lifestyle change is essential to keeping the pounds off once they are gone.

To know more of the advantages and benefits that lifetime fitness can bring, here are some facts that you need to know:

1. Lifetime fitness programs offers you the most comprehensive and wide-ranging fitness and health encounter with quality services, in which the customers will feel gratified.

These fitness programs provide you the right method in maintaining health, build up and encourage your competence, and take care of your family's physical fitness as well.

2. Because the goal of lifetime fitness is to provide you with long-term achievements as far as physical fitness is concerned, these programs utilizes numerous fitness equipments that will tone and manage your health and the different parts of your body.

There are fitness equipments that will give your cardiovascular system a lift. You can also opt for some sports facilities that will provide you with an alternative way of being physically fit.

3. Lifetime fitness programs and centers also provides nutritional products such as food supplements that will aid in the formation of good blood cells and tissues thereby making your body at its pink of health.

Lifetime fitness centers and programs also provide you with up-to-date fitness magazines that do not only give substantial information about fitness and health but inspirational stories as well. These articles will give you an insight on how to make you life balance and how to live a life that is healthy and fit.

Indeed, staying fit and healthy can be a long and winding road and there are instances wherein you may find your enthusiasm fading occasionally. Nevertheless, with the comprehensive programs provided by lifetime fitness plans, you can start heading back to the right track of a healthier you.

Fight Against Insomnia

By : Kevin Pederson

Lack of sleep may not seem to be a harmful disorder for many, but due to this the body clock and many of its functions go for a toss. There are different types of insomnia that need to be identified and treated accordingly.

Insomnia & ways to avoid it
The lack of adequate and restful sleep can be termed as insomnia. It is not defined by the number of hours a person sleeps but by the lack of it. The inability to fall asleep makes the person prone to other diseases.

Signs and Symptoms
Finding it difficult to fall asleep at night? Well, this could be one of signs. The other sign is you fall asleep but won't be able to sleep at a long stretch; you will keep getting up in intervals. Due to this your morning will be lethargic and fatigued.

Problems faced
As the sleep is incomplete, the day suffers due to this. You are tired and drained out without much to look forward. The level of concentration is very less and you might suffer from other sleep disorder problems like sleep apnea, narcolepsy and restless legs syndrome.

Types of Insomnia
A person is affected by primary or secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia means that the person having sleep problems are not directly related to any other health problems. Secondary insomnia means that the persons sleep is affected by the health problems faced by him. These can be any problems like stomach ache, depression, heartburn, arthritis, asthma and many other diseases.

Insomnia can be classified into three categories short term (acute insomnia), chronic (constant insomnia) and intermittent (on and off). When the short term insomnia occurs on daily basis it would be termed as intermittent. It will be termed chronic when such an occurrence happens every night and lasts for a long time.

Some factors which cause insomnia are
1. Old age
2. Prevalent in female gender
3. Stress
4. Depression
5. Odd working hours
6. Long naps in the afternoon
7. Change in environment/surroundings
8. External noise
9. Jet lag
10. Excessive consumption of caffeine/cigarettes
11. Alcohol and many more.

Some Methods to avoid Insomnia
You may not need any treatment if you have acute or intermittent insomnia. These can be cured with some good sleeping habits. The chronic insomnia can be prevented with some medications recommended by your doctor as well as some relaxation exercises, sleep restriction therapy and reconditioning. The numbers of hours may vary from person to person; some may find it okay to sleep for 6 to 7 hours.

Relaxation Therapy
These are some unique methods to remove or reduce anxiety and other tensions in the body. It helps the person to relax as to gain a undisturbed sleep. This requires practice, but the end result is worthwhile.

Sleep Restriction Therapy
By the name itself it means that you are restricting on you sleep time. It starts with a short duration of sleeping time during the night. As days go by the duration will be increased until the normal sleep time is reached.

Reconditioning
Mind plays an important part as it has to remember the association of bed with your sleeping time. You should not use it for any other activities like reading and etc. The other condition is one should go to bed when one is feeling sleepy. During this process one should avoid naps and go to bed at the same time each day. This would create the link with your bed and sleeping time.

Some good habits to practice

1. Sleeping at the same time each night as well as waking up the same time each day.
2. Avoid stimulants like caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before going to bed
3. Regular exercise helps in keeping away insomnia
4. Have a light snack instead of a heavy meal before bedtime
5. Relax yourself by reading a book or listening to music before going to bed
6. Take a warm bath
7. Sleep on a firm bed
8. Drink warm milk or herb tea
9. Sleep on your back
10. Get a massage

The First Step to Successfully Stop Smoking

By : Lill Hawkins

Few things in life are as difficult as stopping smoking. The tobacco addiction has been compared to heroin addiction, though I have talked to counselors who work with heroin addicts and smokers and they have assured me that tobacco addiction, while strong, is not really as powerful or difficult to manage as heroin addiction. But one thing both addictions have in common, in fact, that all addictions have in common, is that once a human being is addicted to a substance, the addiction, though it may be managed, lasts for a life time. So if you are a smoker today you will be a smoker for life. You may stop smoking for years, but if you start to smoke, thinking you will smoke occasionally, then you will soon find yourself right back where you started, wishing you had never tried to smoke a little. It is the same as if you were managing an alcohol addiction, a reformed alcoholic can't take "just one drink," and a reformed smoker can't take "just one puff."

The worst part of stopping smoking is the immediate withdrawal symptoms which may vary from person to person, but are found in almost every incidence of smoking cessation. The first 72 hours are the critical hours when smokers find it the hardest to stick with the stop smoking plan. Therefore, it is important to look ahead and make plans for how you will deal with the symptoms. That should be the first step in your stop smoking program. Ask yourself, "What will I do if I crave a cigarette?" If there are times when you are more likely to smoke, like after a meal, while driving, while out drinking with friends, for instance, then you should plan ahead and think of ways to deal with those situations. Having a clear plan that you can fall back on will make your chances of quitting a lot better.

The old saying, "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail," certainly applies to many misguided attempts to stop smoking. One mistake that smokers often make is thinking that they will think of something creative when the time comes to deal with a strong urge to smoke, or they ignore that possibility and disregard the danger of giving in to the urge to smoke. If you don't manage your smoking habit, then your smoking habit will soon be managing you. Isn't that what has been happening all along?

Very few people manage to stop smoking on their first try. It often takes several attempts before the smoker successfully handles the addiction. The reason for this is twofold. First, when you first try to stop smoking you don't know exactly what to expect. You may have heard other people talk about their attempts and experiences, but since no two people are exactly alike, you still don't know for sure how your attempts to stop smoking will feel or affect you. Secondly, since you don't know what it feels like to stop smoking it is difficult to plan ahead for ways that you will deal with cravings and other urges that may occur.

Once you have attempted to stop smoking a few times you will know how your body reacts to nicotine deprivation and the psychological affect of giving up smoking. So it is wise to consider each attempt, whether completely successful or not, as a positive step toward stopping smoking. The first few attempts are trial runs, training efforts, and learning experiences. Each experience, no matter how painful or frustrating, can be looked at as a valuable lesson and that will help to relieve the frustration and disappointment of a failed attempt.

Another valuable resource that should not be overlooked is the advice of people who have been able to stop smoking and professional counselors who help with addictions. Their advice and support can help you to avoid some of the pitfalls. When you decide to stop smoking you are making one of the biggest and potentially life saving decisions of your life, so using every possible aid at your disposal makes good sense. It all starts with a good plan.

Traditional And Natural Cancer Treatment Options

While there's a whole gamut of cancer treatment options available; which is the best one to use depends upon the type of cancer as well the stage that the cancer has reached. Though the prevailing trend is to resort to more traditional cancer treatment options, cancer patients are not restricted to them. There are a variety of alternative and natural options (some new, some old) for treating cancer.

Traditional Cancer Treatment Options

Traditional cancer treatment options are often referred to as cut, poison and burn (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation).

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy, which involves the use of chemical agents or drugs to destroy cancerous cells, forms the core treatment of malignancies. These drugs work by targeting fast-growing cells and the type and combination of drugs depends upon the type of cancer. Though chemotherapy has been proven to be effective, it can give rise to a host of side-effects including hair loss, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, anemia or low red blood cell count, neutropenia or low white blood cell count, mouth sores and shortness of breath.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy involves the use of high-energy ionizing radiation from varied sources including x-rays, gamma rays, protons and neutrons to shrink tumors and kill cancerous cells. It is used almost half of all cancer patients; either by itself or in combination with other cancer treatments. External-beam radiation therapy, which involves using radiation that is emitted from a machine outside the body is more common than internal radiation therapy, in which a radioactive material is implanted in the body near the tumor or cancer cells.

Surgery

Surgery often entails a biopsy, which is done for diagnostic purposes. Surgery that is done to remove the cancerous tissues is often followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy, which reduces the risk of the cancer recurring and also to destroy any cancer cells that may be left behind in the affected part of the body.

The kind of surgery depends on which part of the body has been affected by cancer as well as the extent of the cancer. In breast cancer patients the options could include lumpectomy, in which only the lump is removed; segmentectomy, in which part of the breast is removed or mastectomy, in which the entire breast is removed.

Alternative Cancer Treatment Options

Traditional cancer treatment options form only art of the story. An increasing number of health professionals are now exploring alternative cancer treatment options that encompass the whole individual.

Nutrition Therapy

Maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes foods rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene, is the best way to provide your body with the nourishment it needs to fight cancer. Proper nutrition helps minimize nausea and fatigue that are the main side-effects of traditional cancer treatments and are a critical component of the healing process.

Buah Merah or Red fruit, found primarily in the Indonesian island of Papua, has very high levels of anti-oxidants, beta-carotene and tocopherol and offers hope to all cancer patients. Beta-carotene and tocopherol have strong anti-carcinogenic properties and help by boosting the immune system and retarding the growth of cancer-causing cells. Buah Merah also contains Omega 3 and Omega 9 as well as linolenat, oleat, dekanoat and linoleat acids; all of which act as active medicinal compounds and also help in the prevention of diabetes mellitus, heart diseases, hypertension, stroke, diabetes, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Naturopathy

Naturopathy is a system of treatment that focuses exclusively on using the healing powers of nature such as sunlight, water and air. It is supplemented with therapies such as massage as well as a wholesome diet. Naturopathy is by and large a holistic kind of treatment and includes homoeopathy, ayurveda, therapeutic nutrition, hydrotherapy or botanical medicine. It is based on the belief that the body is self-healing and will recover and repair by itself spontaneously if it is given a healthy, conducive environment.

Pain Control

Though, to a certain extent medication can be used to manage pain, Acupuncture is gaining popularity as a means to control the pain experienced by cancer sufferers. The pain could be brought on by the cancer itself or as a side-effect to the cancer treatment. Prevalence and severity of pain depend on the extent, location and type of cancer as well as pain threshold of the person afflicted by cancer.

Increased Risk Factors To Developing Prostate Cancer

By : Evelyn Lim

Prostate cancer is a disease that affects more than 200,000 men each year in the United States. A detection often occurs at the fairly advanced rather than the early stages. This happens as most men are not aware about what early symptoms to look out for. In some cases, symptoms do not show up until much later.

It is therefore important that men who are at higher risk to getting prostate cancer have proper tests done. For most forms of cancer, early treatment can increase survival and recovery rates. Hence, it is possible to treat prostate cancer successfully, if cancer cells can be arrested early enough before spreading to the rest of your body.

Age. Age is the biggest risk factor. This disease usually strikes when men hit over fifty years of age. You should therefore go for a regular prostate exam once you hit about 40 years of age. If you are over 40 and never have had your prostate checked, you need to bring it up with your doctor.

Family History. If you have a family member who has had prostate cancer, your risk to this form of cancer increases. In fact, your risk rises if the family member with the prostate cancer is your father or grandfather. So, it is important that you let your doctor know about your family history. This may mean that you should do more regular check ups.

Race. Studies indicate that racial identity plays a part in increased risk levels to getting prostate cancer. African-Americans appear to be most at risk, according to official statistics. The next group of males is Americans and Europeans. Interestingly enough, Asians from the East and Southeast areas are least likely to get prostate cancer.

Diet. More studies are being conducted lately to examine the link between diet and prostate cancer. Although no direct relationship has clearly been established at this point in time, it is true that when you try to eat healthier, your chances for cancer of any type are generally reduced.

Even if you have increased risks to getting prostate cancer, this does not necessarily mean that you will definitely develop one. You can mitigate your chances by being healthy through proper diet and regular exercises. Regular exercises also help in ensuring that you are well equipped with a greater ability to fight off diseases, including cancer.

The Basics Of Breast Cancer

By : Ann Knapp

It's a fact that every day, cells in your body divide, grow and die. Most of the time they do it in an orderly manner. But sometimes they grow out of control. This type of cell growth forms a mass or lump called a tumor. Tumors can either benign or malignant.

Benign tumors are not cancerous. But left untreated, some can pose a health risk, so they are often removed. When these tumors are removed, they typically do not reappear. Most importantly, the cells of a benign tumor do not spread to other parts of the body or invade nearby tissue.

Malignant tumors are made of abnormal cells. Malignant tumor cells can invade nearby tissue and spread to other parts of the body. A malignant tumor that develops in the breast is called breast cancer.

To continue growing, malignant breast tumors need to be fed. They get nourishment by developing new blood vessels in a process called angiogenesis. The new blood vessels supply the tumor with nutrients that promote growth. As the malignant breast tumor grows, it can expand into nearby tissue. This process is called invasion. Cells can also break away from the primary, or main, tumor and spread to other parts of the body. The cells spread by traveling through the blood stream and lymphatic system. This process is called metastasis.

When malignant breast cells appear in a new location, they begin to divide and grow out of control again as they create another tumor. Even though the new tumor is growing in another part of the body, it is still called breast cancer. The most common locations of breast cancer metastases are the lymph nodes, liver, brain, bones and lungs.

There are genes that control the way our cells divide and grow. When these genes don't work like they should, a genetic error, or mutation, has occurred. Mutations may be inherited or spontaneous. Inherited mutations are ones you were born with - an abnormal gene that one of your parents passed on to you at birth. Inherited mutations of specific genes, such as the BRCAI and BRCA2 genes, increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer.

Spontaneous mutations can occur within your body during your lifetime. The actual cause or causes of mutations still remains unknown. Researchers have identified two types of genes that are important to cell growth. Errors in these genes turn normal cells into cancerous ones.

You need to be aware that cells may be growing out of control before any symptoms of the disease appear. That is why breast screening to find any early changes is so important. The sooner a problem is found, the better a your chance is for survival.

Experts recommend that women 40 years and older have a mammogram every year. If you have a history of breast cancer in your family, talk with your doctor about risk assessment, when to start getting mammograms and how often to have them. If your mother or sister had breast cancer before menopause, you may need to start getting mammograms and yearly clinical breast exams before age 40. It is important for all women to have clinical breast exams done by a health care provider at least every three years starting at age 20 and every year after age 40 and to do breast self-exams once every month starting by age 20.

There Are Many Different Types of Cancer

By : Nick Johnson

In its most general terms, cancer is a word used to describe the occurrence of cells in any part of the body or on the external skin to grow out of control and in a dis-ordered manner. Normal cells are able to regulate their growth and division, but cancer cells do not have this ability. There are many different types of cancer, many of which are more treatable than others, but all forms of cancer share at least one common feature: they are abnormal cells.

Sometimes, different types of cancer consist of very different types of abnormal cells. This is why different types of cancer are treated with different medications and procedures. For example, the treatment for breast cancer is completely different from the treatment a mesothelioma patient receives.

In terms of mesothelioma, a tumor begins to form when the cells on the mesothelium begin to grow abnormally and out of control. Normally, these abnormal cells do not know how to stop dividing and they grow and grow until a lump or a tumor can be seen. Eventually, the tumors begin to inhibit the functioning of the normal cells. When this occurs, a person's body does not work as it should, and the person becomes dangerously ill.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that produces tumors, and when just a few cells from the tumor break away and travel through the blood stream, they can land in another area and begin growing. This is called metastasis, and is an extremely common occurrence with malignant mesothelioma.

The general public is constantly cautioned about what causes an increased risk of developing cancer. In general, risk factors boil down to habits (i.e. smoking and drinking, excessive sun exposure), family history, health conditions, and the environment in which a person works and lives. In the case of mesothelioma, it has been determined that almost every single case is due to the unprotected exposure and inhalation of asbestos particles at any time during a person's life.

A diagnosis of any form of cancer, including mesothelioma, can only be diagnosed by way of a biopsy. For a biopsy, doctor will take a tiny sample of the cells causing a lump, tumor or suspicious group of cells, and look at it under microscope. While tests such as x-rays and other imaging scans can see masses or lumps, they can not determine the type of cells that make up abnormal growths. When a doctor looks at the cells under a microscope, it can be determined if the cells are cancerous, and usually what type of cancer is present.

The Facts About Breast Cancer

By : Ann Knapp

The causes of breast cancer are not completely understood, although it is clear that a woman's age, gender and lifetime exposure to estrogen and her age at the time of her first childbirth can play an important role. Because no one knows exactly what causes breast cancer, there is absolutely no way to prevent it. However, there are steps that every woman can take that may make developing this cancer less likely.

Did you know:
- The older a woman is, the more likely she is to get Breast Cancer?

- White women are more likely to get it than women of any other racial or ethnic group? They also have a better chance of survival, primarily because their cancer is usually detected earlier.

- African American women are more likely to die from this cancer than white women.

- Men can get breast cancer too, although it is rare. Less than one of every 100 cases in the U.S. occurs in men.

- In 2006, it is estimated that men will account for 1,720 cases of breast cancer.1

All women are at risk. Known risk factors like having a family history of breast cancer, starting menopause after age 55 or never having children account for only a small number of new cancer cases every year.

That means that most women who get breast cancer have no known risk factors except being a woman and getting older.

Typical questions you might have about breast cancer include:
I have a family history of breast cancer. Does that mean I'll develop it, too? Just because other family members have had it doesn't mean that their disease was inherited. Only about 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers occur because of inherited mutations.2

If I am diagnosed with breast cancer, what are my chances for survival? The 5-year survival rate for all women diagnosed is 90 percent.2 This means that 90 out of every 100 women with breast cancer will survive without a recurrence for at least five years.

Most will live a full life and never have a recurrence. Your chances of surviving are better if the cancer is detected early, before it spreads to other parts of your body. In fact, when breast cancer is confined to the breast, the 5-year survival rate is 98 percent.2

The best way to find it, especially in its earliest stages, is to routinely check your breasts for signs and symptoms of the disease.

There are three basic methods:

Mammograms. These are X-ray pictures of the breast. They can find breast cancer in its earliest stages, even before a lump can be felt. All women 40 and older should have a mammogram every year. If you are younger than 40 with either a family history, or other concerns talk with your health care provider about when to start getting mammograms and how often to have them.

Clinical breast exam. This is performed by a health care provider who carefully checks your breasts and underarm areas for any lumps or changes that may be present. Many women have a clinical breast exam performed when they get their Pap test. Women should have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years between the ages of 20 and 39 and every year starting at 40.

Breast self-exam (BSE). This involves two main steps: looking at and feeling your breasts for any change from normal. If you notice any change in the normal look or feel of your breasts, see your health care provider. All women should perform monthly BSE by age 20. BSE should be done once a month, a few days after your period ends. If you no longer have periods, do BSE on the same day each month. At your next appointment, ask your health care provider to show you the steps for BSE.

Simply being a woman is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. But remember, there is no one cause. If you are concerned about your breast cancer risk, discuss your options with your doctor.

Known, probable risk factors:
- Being a woman
- Getting older
- Having a mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer genes
- Having a previous biopsy showing hyperplasia or carcinoma in situ
- Having a family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer
- Having high breast density on a mammogram
- Having a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Starting menopause after age 55
- Never having children
- Having your first child after age 30
- Being overweight after menopause or gaining weight as an adult
- Having more than one drink of alcohol per day
- Currently or recently using combined estrogen and progestin hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
- Having your first period before age 12

PANDORA is pleased to announce its continued support of Susan G. Komen For The Cure. For 2007, a guaranteed minimum contribution of $25,000 and a portion of the sales from the pink ribbon charm will go to the organization.

For each pink ribbon charm sold, PANDORA will donate a percentage of the proceeds to Susan G. Komen For The Cure to help eradicate breast cancer through research, education, screening, and treatment.

Adopt A Vegetarian Detox Diet For Cancer Prevention

By : Sandra Kim Leong

Cancer is a stealthy and dangerous disease that is not well understood. There have been links made between cancer and high risk behaviors, but there is no clear recipe for either the development of or the avoidance of cancer. Many naturopathic doctors, however, say that cancer prevention is possible when you adopt a detox diet.

A detox diet can help you to cleanse and remove toxins from your body. Naturopathic doctors suggests that cancer is likely to result when you have too much toxins in your body. A detox diet is primarily vegetarian. Vegetarian foods are biochemically more acceptable to your body as compared to junk food like potato chips and diet pepsi. They are fiber rich and are better able to help you cleanse waste products much better.

A vegetarian detox diet can help you with lowered risks when it comes to cancer. Whether you are looking out for your future and you have never had cancer or you are recovering from cancer, getting into a vegetarian diet may be a good consideration.

The Meat Association
Meat has been linked with the risk for developing cancer. Red meat is especially notorious for being listed among the offenders. While no one is certain why the meat is linked to cancer, there are a few theories.

When red meat is grilled or broiled , it is blackened on the outside. Charcoal is also suspected to be a carcinogen. When you eat the blackened surface of your hamburger or steak, you are actually eating charcoal.

Another theory is that the animals reared nowadays for human consumptoms are often fed with hormones to hasten growth. It could be that those hormones continue to work after the cow is dead. Instead of stimulating healthy muscle growth though, they start to affect healthy cells negatively. Chickens and pigs are also similary fed hormones nowadays. Hence, consider switching or eating more vegetarian foods for cancer prevention.

Health Benetifs Of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are chemical compounds found in many of the plant foods that you eat. They work together with your natural defenses to combat disease. They are especially useful when it comes to promoting healthy tissue growth rather than cancerous tissue growth.

Spinach as well as blueberries, apples and several other plant foods are rich in antioxidants. The great news is that these foods are highly nutritious and are also very flavorful.

Cleansing Foods
To improve your health and for cancer prevention, select a plan that emphasizes on foods that can help you to remove bowels easily and on an everyday basis. A vegetarain detox diet ought to fit the bill!

4 Steps for You to Help Yourself During Chemotherapy

By : Dave Saunders

Chemotherapy is a word that causes dread in most who hear it. It is a time of stress as well as risk. If you, or someone you know, are facing chemotherapy, these four simple steps may help get through the process with better spirits and better results as well.

1. Tell your doctor if you get side effects from treatment

You can't expect the possibility of relief from side effects if you do not share them with your doctor. Be sure to communicate with your doctor. Some people keep a health journal during and after treatment to improve the information you have to present to your doctor if problems arise more gradually. Discuss what you might keep in a health journal that might improve the effectiveness of your treatment.

2. Ask your doctor before you take any other medicine

All drugs operate by manipulating some normal cell function. This includes the chemotherapy drugs as well. These manipulations may conflict with the intended effects of your chemotherapy treatment. Even herbals, or an over the counter pain reliever can lead to unintended consequences. Always inform your doctor before taking any other medications.

3. Take care of your health

There are many things you can do to support the natural ability of your body to restore, protect and defend itself from the effects of injury and disease. Seek to improve your diet, find ways to reduce other sources of stress in your life and be thankful for the hope and opportunity you have because of your treatment. These things can have a remarkable affect on your body and your feeling of good health.

4. Talk about your feelings

These are stressful times. Don't keep your feelings bottled up. People you know and love are probably feeling stress too. Help each other by being open about what you are going through. By being open with others, you can feel more in control of the stress and trepidation you're feeling, instead of those things being in control of you.

Self-help can never take the place of professional health care. Ask your doctor and nurse any questions you may have about chemotherapy. Also don't hesitate to tell them about any side effects you may have. They want and need to know.

Viral Infection Headaches And Meningitis

While many types of virus such as the common cold and flu can cause headaches, meningitis is one viral infection that people fear the most.

Meningitis is an dangerous infection in the membrane surrounding the brain. Infections of this type mostly cause inflammation that places pressure on the nerves, bringing on severe headaches. Other symptoms stemming from the inflammation include fever, severe headaches and confusion. In cases where meningitis is severe, the affected person can have brain damage, strokes and seizures, and even die.

Causes of Meningitis

A bacterial infection or a virus is the main cause of meningitis. While the body can usually fight and beat an infection, once the bacteria or virus reaches the bloodstream, it could get into the brain and spinal cord fluid. It will then affect the nerves before moving into the brain itself, causing inflammation and swelling. This swelling is the most dangerous stage, as it kills nerve cells and causes bleeding. Since the brain is primarily a soft organ in a hard container that is the skull, the brain will push against the walls of the skull as it swells, leading to serious damage.

Meningitis can be caused by many factors, including bacterial infection, viral infection, fungal infection, reaction to medication or medical treatment, lupus, some forms of cancer and trauma to the head or back.

Bacterial Meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is considered as the most dangerous type of meningitis, and while rare, it can eventually cause death. Bacterial meningitis is caused by an infection in the upper respiratory tract. The infection then spreads through the blood vessels to the brain. In some cases, the infection heads directly to the meninges during a trauma or injury. The danger here lies with the blocked up blood vessels inside the brain, which could trigger a stroke and lead to brain damage.

Viral Meningitis

Known as the most common form of meningitis in the United States, viral meningitis is typically caused by types of viruses known as enteroviruses. Enteroviruses often enter the body via the mouth. They then proceed to the brain where they multiply. An individual infected with viral meningitis have the virus in his or her mucus, saliva and feces.

Viruses that can cause this type of meningitis include chickenpox (varicella zoster), flu, mumps, HIV and genital herpes.

Potential Risks

While anyone can get viral meningitis, people whose immune systems are weak, like those with HIV or those taking immunosuppressant medications, are highly susceptible to contracting viral meningitis.

Symptoms of Meningitis

Initial symptoms of meningitis are similar to the flu, usually lasting around between one and two days. In some cases, a rash will be present. Other symptoms to look out for include the sudden onset of fever, severe headache, stiff neck and aversion to light.

Treatment for Meningitis

A speedy treatment is required for bacterial meningitis for a successful recovery. Medication will also involve antibiotics that will be provided intravenously if the infection is severe. In the case of viral meningitis, antibiotics won't be of much help, as they don’t destroy viruses. Resting at home or in a hospital will be beneficial.

Oxygen Therapy And Headaches

For cluster-type of headaches, oxygen therapy can be effective. The benefits of oxygen therapy is not known by many doctors, and the same goes for insurance companies, who are hesitant to pay for this type of treatment. (In some cases, a letter from your doctor can sometimes help to persuade them.)

Effectiveness of Oxygen Therapy

Fifty percent of cluster headache sufferers are helped by oxygen therapy. Even though this looks like a good result, the other 50% are not helped at all. If you tend to suffer from cluster headaches and you are interested to try out oxygen therapy, it is best that you request your doctor to arrange a trial run for you.

History of Oxygen Therapy

As early as 1939, oxygen has been studied as a possible treatment for headaches. Eighty percent of migraine headaches were either helped or stopped by the oxygen treatment, as discovered by Dr. Alvarez at the Mayo Clinic. To get a 100% amount of oxygen, the patients wore masks during treatment. Not only was oxygen therapy found to work on treating cluster headaches; it was also found to be effective in relieving other types of headaches. Oxygen therapy was found to be most effective when administered at the first sign of a migraine. However, it is unfortunate that the study did not provide more details as compared to recent and thoroughly conducted studies.

100% Oxygen

Perhaps the first important study of oxygen therapy's effectiveness in treating cluster headaches was carried out by Dr Kudrow (father of Lisa Kudrow, the actress who played Phoebe in Friends). Kudrow, who also suffers from migraines, treated 52 out-patients with 100% oxygen. He came up with extremely encouraging results:

· In at least seven out of ten attacks, 75% of the patients experienced a "complete or almost complete cessation of head pain within 15 minutes."

· Those under 50 years of age responded to the oxygen treatment well as compared to those over 50.

· 62% of the test patients that responded to the treatment felt better after seven minutes of inhaling the oxygen.

Better than Air

In a study done by Dr Fogan, he showed that it was the oxygen itself that was helping, rather than the mask or tank. People who inhaled pure oxygen showed definite improvement than inhaling air.

How Oxygen Therapy Works

Even though oxygen therapy works, exactly why it works remains unclear. It is known that both migraines and cluster headaches involve an increase in the flow of blood to the brain. Oxygen can cause a drop in blood flow, so there would be fewer enlarged blood vessels and less pressure on nerves in the brain, resulting in relief.

Side Effects of Oxygen Therapy

Smokers seem to comprise a majority of people who have cluster headaches, which could be potentially dangerous, as lighting an open flame next to an open oxygen tank will result in an explosion.

According to Dr Kudrow's study, 25% of his patients experienced rebound headaches after oxygen therapy. Other than that, oxygen therapy has no other known side effects.

Ergotamine

Ergotamine, which is commonly used for headaches, has many drawbacks and side effects, among them are feeling and being sick, a sense of unreality and leg cramps. Ergotamine cannot be used on people with high blood pressure, have peripheral vascular disease and infections. Unlike Ergotamine, oxygen does not cause these side effects, so anyone can use it.

What Causes Migraine Headaches?

A migraine is a severe headache that is recurring. You may experience migraines monthly or once or twice a year. Migraines can be accompanied by extreme sensitivity to lights and sounds, nausea and vomiting. A severe migraine will be disabling to most people. Migraines have long been a sort of medical mystery. Researchers are not sure of the exact cause of migraines, but over the years have constructed a few theories. This article is going to look at the possible causes of migraine headaches.

A lot of researchers think that migraines are caused by an imbalance in the complex systems of nerves in the brain and neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain responsible for pain perception and emotions.

Serotonin is one of the neurotransmitters that researchers have studied. It has been proven that when you have a headache, your levels of serotonin drops. This in turn will cause the trigeminal nerve in your brain to release neuro peptides. These chemicals will cause the blood vessels on the outside covering of your brain to swell and the resulting pressure will produce a headache. This is the assumed mechanism of how a headache develops, but what causes this to happen.

Your headaches may be the result of certain triggers. The triggers that can produce a migraine are:

- Certain foods can trigger a migraine in a lot of people. Common food triggers are alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, aged cheeses, monosodium glutamate and other canned or processed foods.

- Sometimes skipping a meal can bring on a migraine also.

- Intense physical activity, including sex, can trigger a migraine. Too much sleep or too little sleep can also be a trigger.

- Stress is a big factor in triggering migraines. If you have worked hard all week and are starting to relax on the weekend, it may be ruined by a weekend migraine headache.

- Any type of change in your environment such as, the weather, temperature, barometric pressure and even a change in the time zone, can trigger a migraine.

- Some people are overly sensitive to all types of sensory stimulus such as, bright lights and certain smells. Certain perfumes or flowers have been known to trigger migraine pain.

- Women who are going through hormonal changes will be more at risk for developing a migraine. Researchers aren't sure why the fluctuations of hormones will trigger a migraine, but the incidences of migraines seem to increase right before or during a woman's period.

- Certain medications have been know to trigger migraine headaches.

If you are having frequent migraine headaches, try to pinpoint the trigger for them. Try keeping a journal of everything that you eat or do that's out of the ordinary each day. When you have a migraine read back through your journal and try to identify a possible trigger. If you haven't started treatment for migraines, see your doctor. He can prescribe medicine that will decrease the migraines or make them less intense. Don't suffer in pain anymore, find the cause of your migraine headaches.

Headaches After Exertion

If you get a terrible headache whenever you exercise or rush around, it could be due to a number of reasons, which are mostly harmless. These are what's commonly known as ‘benign’ causes, which means that they are just unpleasant, and not dangerous. However, in rare instances, headaches that follow exertion might have serious underlying reasons. Thus, if it is a major cause of worry for you, see your doctor.

Effort Migraines

An effort migraine is a type of headache that commonly occurs in people who exercise a lot and engage in sports. Those who experience this type of headache often had a migraine in the past, so they may recognize familiar warning signs, like flashing lights before the headache begins. An effort migraine typically lasts between four and six hours.

An effort migraine is believed to be caused by the rise in body temperature after intense exercise or activity. A high body temperature may dilate the blood vessels in the brain and make them press on the nerves, bringing about the headache.

To relieve effort migraine, the usual medications for migraine can be effective, particularly the preventative ones. It also helps trying not to get too hot to lower your chances of getting a headache as well as taking a dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications like ibuprofen before exercising.

Exertional Headaches

Exertional headaches are a type of headache that affects one in every 100 people, and is believed to be caused by the increase in blood pressure and subsequent increased pressure in the brain's blood vessels after exercising. An exertional headache is often manifested by the onset of a sudden, intense throbbing pain at the back of the head. An exertional headache can last for six hours, during which time the headache becomes a background ache. Exertional headaches can be easily controlled by over-the-counter painkillers.

Benign Coital Headaches

Benign coital headache is a type of exertional headache that manifests regularly during or after intercourse. Because of the nature of this headache, people who experience this type of headache are embarrassed to see their doctor for treatment.

Some individuals will experience a severe and intense headache during sex. This type of headache is unusual and needs to be treated as an emergency case. Thus, if you tend to experience benign coital headaches, see your doctor as soon as possible.

Cervicogenic Headache

Cervicogenic headache is a type of headache that is linked to exercise. This headache arises from disorders in the cervical spine, with symptoms that usually include blurred vision. The problem can be traced to the muscles, joints or nerves. To prevent further headaches from occurring, neck problems need to be treated.

Signs that You Should Consult Your Doctor

Getting a headache while exercising could indicate a more troublesome condition, but it is rather rare if this happens. To know if it is time to see a doctor, you should have the following symptoms:

- A headache that starts suddenly from nowhere
- A headache that gets worse in the next few days
- Any type of recent head injury
- A type of headache that you never experienced before
- A headache with symptoms that you are not familiar with
- Constant pain on one side of the head
- Waking up either at night or in the morning with pain
- A stiff neck
- Numbness or tingling in any part of your body

Causes of Morning Headaches

If you wake up each morning with a headache, you're not alone. A recent study made headlines when it found that one in thirteen people wake up with a headache each morning. Even more revealing was that the study showed that nearly 8% of those people had endured the headache for at least four years. Women between the ages of 45 and 64 are the most likely to suffer with these headaches.

If this sounds like you, there could be many reasons you are waking up with these headaches. In this article we will look over these reasons one by one.

Sleep Apnea

Many people think they are getting a full night of sleep, yet feel tired during the day. Sleep apnea is a common cause of this feeling of sleepiness during the day following what is believed to be a full night of sleep. Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing for a few seconds during sleep. It is believed that about 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea.

Among the common symptoms of sleep apnea is waking up with a headache. Many people also say that they wake up feeling as if they have not slept at all. It is common to feel like your throat is dry when you wake up. Others may describe you as snoring loudly during the night or note that you jump up suddenly during the night and then go right back to sleep.

Most of the symptoms of sleep apnea are caused by a failure to sleep deeply. For this reason it is important to see your doctor if you believe you may be suffering from sleep apnea. Typically, your doctor will order a sleep study to determine the severity of your sleep apnea. Commonly you will be treated for this condition with a CPAP machine with a mask you wear while you sleep.

Teeth Grinding

It is common for people to grind their teeth during the night. However, excessive teeth grinding can cause a tightness and pain in the muscles of the jaw, neck and head. This problem can often be fixed with a remedy as simple as a 'nightguard' fitted for you by your dentist. This device is a soft piece of plastic that rests in your mouth while you sleep to prevent grinding. A search on the Internet will also provide you with a lot of leads on these devices.

Restlessness in Bed

Tossing and turning during the night often leads to a headache in the morning. The reasons for this restless tossing and turning can vary from our daily stresses or buried stressors from the past. A licensed psychologist or psychiatrist may be able to help you deal with these issues.

Restless legs can also lead to a lot of movement in bed. The restless leg sensation involves a feeling that you must move your legs. Some have described this sensation as 'insects crawling inside the leg.' Suggested remedies for this sensation range from a hot bath before bed to drug abstinence to include nicotine, alcohol and caffeine. Your doctor may suggest iron or magnesium supplements if they are suitable for you. Your doctor may also decide to prescribe a drug such as Ropinirole.

A Snoring Partner

Often, it can be the person sleeping next to you that keeps you from getting a full night of sleep. In fact, studies suggest that a person living with a partner who snores can lose nearly 50 minutes of sleep each night. That can really add up over time.

The Cause of the Night Groans

Snoring is the sound created by the muscles the back of your throat flopping around in vibration. Common causes of snoring are chronic allergies, upper airway resistance, obesity, a stuffy nose and medication side effects.

If you feel any of these common causes apply to you, they need to be dealt with swiftly to improve sleep and ultimately your health. In the mean time, you may be able to find some relief using a special snoring prevention gum shield provided to you by your dentist.

Quiet Time Anxiety

It is extremely common for people to worry or have anxious thoughts when they lie down to sleep. During the day a variety of tasks and entertainments allow us to push these concerns to the backs of our minds. However, when we lie down, we no longer have distraction and our minds turn attention towards these anxious thoughts.

For many people, this will only occur during times when they deal with special problems or issues and then gradually disappear. For some, though, this can continue on indefinitely as they suffer from or head towards depression. If you think this may describe you it is important to see a doctor to help you end this nightly anxiety cycle.

How To Get Rid Of A Migraine

If you are a migraine headache sufferer you know how important it is to get pain relief fast. A migraine can be so severe that it can put a stop to your whole day. Many people who have migraines may have two or more each month. This article will examine a few ways to get rid of a migraine headache.

If you experience auras with your migraines then you have a warning system in place. It you start to notice bright flashes of light, dark spots in your field of vision or zigzag lines in your vision field, then you are about to develop a migraine. Take an over the counter NSAIDS right away. These drugs such as, Advil and Motrin can help with mild pain from migraines. It is probably a good idea to lie down in a dark, quiet, room also. A cool cloth applied to the forehead may be of some comfort.

If your migraines are severe, you need to see your doctor. He will prescribe prescription strength migraine medicine for you such as,Imitrex. This was the first drug that was developed specifically to treat migraines. Imitrex acts like serotonin and binds itself to the serotonin receptors in the brain. This cause the blood vessels to constrict, therefore relieving the pressure on the brain and the migraine pain.

Since Imitrex was developed a few other drugs have been created also. They work in similar ways to Imitrex but have fewer side effects and will cause fewer rebound headaches.

Since nausea is a common complication that occurs with a migraine, your doctor may prescribe an anti-emetic medication such as Reglan, Compazine or Phenergan. These medicines do not decrease the pain from a migraine, but they can stop the nausea and vomiting associated with it. Some of these drugs do have the ability to make you relaxed and very sleepy. Being more relaxed can help your pain medicine work better and possibly shorten the duration of your migraine.

The best thing you can do for your migraines is to find out what causes them. Keep a diary and try to pinpoint certain triggers that may set off a migraine headache. Some people are overly sensitive to certain perfumes or flowers. Others may develop a migraine after eating certain foods.

Your other option is to talk to your doctor about preventive medicines for migraine headaches. Studies have found that certain cardiovascular drugs and certain antidepressant medications have been highly effective in the prevention of migraines. New studies are being done all the time. Who knows, maybe eventually they will find a cure for your migraine headaches. But for now all you can do is try to prevent them or if you feel one coming on, try to treat it as quickly as possible.

The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation

If you look at recent history, people are starting to sleep less and less. Less than 100 years ago, people slept 9 hours a night on average; now they're getting less than 7 hours. We have so many modern conveniences that are supposed to save us time, but really they just give us more to do. Before you accept not sleeping enough as an inevitable way of life, consider the harmful effects sleep deprivation could be having on your body.

Physical Effects

Most people are aware of the obvious short terms effects of sleep deprivation including exhaustion, fatigue, and a general lack of energy, but they're less aware of some of the more serious physical consequences from not sleeping. Sleep not only recharges and repairs our brains, it also repairs our bodies. Here are some other problems that can arise from not sleeping enough:

* Inability to properly process glucose. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and other symptoms of type II diabetes. This also causes glucose to be stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain

* Increased symptoms of aging

* Core body temperature is lowered, which can impair proper functioning.

* Less consistent heart beat.

Mental Effects

All day long, no matter what you're doing, your brain is working. It's spending time inputting processing, and outputting information. Even if you don't think you get much done during the day, your brain does a lot of work. That's why it's important that it has time to rest and recharge. Here are just a few of the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.

* Less control over speech; exhibited through slurring, stuttering, speaking in monotone, and choosing repetitive words and clichés. Scientists assume this occurs because the speech center of the brain actually shuts down and another, less capable part, must take over.

* While short term memory may be improved, there is a decreased ability to access older memories and convert long term to short term memory. It is almost impossible to learn a new skill.

* Decreased creativity, especially when it comes to problem solving. Sleep deprived people tend to be slower and less accurate when solving problems.

* Hallucinations and even temporary insanity can occur from a lack of REM sleep.

* Decreased judgment abilities and reaction time. Sleep deprivation is comparable to alcohol intoxication when it comes to driving ability.

Emotional Effects

While we tend to focus on the physical and mental symptoms of sleep deprivation, there are also significant emotional symptoms as well. Emotional difficulties can take a severe toll on our personal relationships and safety. Some emotional problems associated with sleep deprivation are:

* Increased emotional stress and anxiety.

* A more pessimistic attitude.

* Extreme sadness and even depression.

* Extreme anger. Sleep deprivation has actually been indicated to be one of the major causes of road rage.

It's important to remember that not everyone needs the same amount of sleep. You should try to get enough sleep to make yourself feel rested; this may mean getting more than 8 hours. If you're getting a lot of sleep and not feeling rested, you may have a sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, and should see a doctor. While it may be difficult to fit a good night's sleep into your schedule, it will not only make you feel better, it will also make you more efficient in the time you spend awake.

Sleep Maximization

Do you wake up feeling tired and run down, before you even start your day? Do you have trouble sleeping soundly? Would you like to sleep less and use the extra time doing other things?

If any of these describe you, you're in luck. I've recently learned about some specific things you can do to make your sleep much more energizing for the time invested.

And in that spirit, I'm going to get right to the heart of the matter and spell out some of the most important steps you can take to increase the amount of energy you can get from your sleep.

One of the most important things to know is that the best sleep is the deepest sleep. The deeper you sleep, the more your mind and body recuperates and the more energy you get.

There are a couple of factors that determine how deeply you sleep.


Get Plenty of Exercise

As most of us know, one of those factors is how hard you've worked during the day. If you've put in a full day's labor and really worked your muscles good, you will generally fall asleep easily and reach a deep level of sleep. This is because the body has a definite need to recuperate and gets right to it.

Most people today don't do nearly enough physical work to activate this natural phenomenon. Our only alternative is to take time to follow an exercise program. Of course, there are many other benefits to this besides just getting better sleep.

The general recommendations here are:

Get at least 15-20 minutes of exercise every day if possible.

Make sure to exercise hard enough to increase your heart rate by 25% of your resting rate.

Exercise early in the day, and if possible, right after waking up in the morning.

Combine both strength training and cardiovascular training.


Get Out Into The Sun

One of the surprising facts that I learned is that the more sunlight you get during the day helps to promote deeper, more restful sleep. And the flip side of this is that the darker it is where you're trying to sleep, the better too. The body's natural rhythm is based on several cycles. There's the daily cycle of bright days and dark nights as well as monthly cycles and so on.

When you're exposed to sunlight, there is a chemical in the brain that is inhibited. Melatonin is a chemical produced by the brain, and makes you drowsy and ready to sleep. The main thing to remember with this is that the more light you take in through your eyes, the less of this chemical you have in your system. And so, to have the most energy during the day, get out into the sunlight.

When we spend most of our time indoors, we get very little light. Any photographer will tell you that the ambient light levels indoors are pitifully small compared to full sunlight. And when we don't get enough full sunlight, our bodies don't really know if it is day or night, and our sleep cycles are disturbed.


Drink Plenty of Water

Here's something else that we've all been told is good for us. Drinking lots of water (not colas, coffees, teas, or alcohol) will improve your blood-flow, making it easier for your body to repair itself from the daily wear and tear of life. All of your physical systems work better when you're blood is flowing right.


Eat Light

Again, something we should be doing for other reasons. If you go to bed with food still in your digestive system, your blood is engaged in distributing the nutrients of the food to the rest of your body and has a hard time doing double duty to help in the daily repair work. Also, when your body is healthier, all systems and processes work better, including the daily recuperation of sleep.


Lower Your Stress Levels

I'm sure you're surprised by this one, heh? When you go to bed with worries and problems on your mind, you have a hard time relaxing enough to get to sleep. There are many different things you can do to help here, but one of the best may be a short period of meditation before bedtime. Resolve to put off the problems of the day (or of your life) until tomorrow. By getting a quality night's sleep, you'll have more energy and more brainpower to find a solution.


Set a Regular Sleep Schedule

Although our modern cultures play havoc with our schedules, requiring us to get up and out of the house at different times each day, if we are to get the most we can from our sleep, it's important to always start our days at about the same time. The main reason for this is simply because our bodies work by regular cycles, and if those cycles are disturbed, our systems don't work as efficiently. The time we get up in the morning is more important to this cycle than the time we go to sleep at night, but both will affect the quality of sleep that we get.

One thing that most of us do which kills the regularity of our sleep cycle is sleeping later on the weekends than we do during the work week. Of course, that was to try to increase our energy levels, and now that we know how to get the most energy from our sleep, this will no longer be necessary.


How To Sleep Shorter Nights

Before you can start decreasing the amount of time you spend sleeping each night, it's important to increase the quality of sleep by implementing the above suggestions. Once you start getting better sleep, you can then adjust the amount of sleep you get each night.

Another piece of information that you'll need to know is that during the time we spend sleeping, we go through a number of sleep cycles. We drift from light sleep to deep sleep and back again over and over. Most of us experience about 6 to 10 of these sleep cycles, which last about 20 to 40 minutes in length.

Ideally, you want to wake up at the end of one of these cycles, when you are in a light sleep, not a deep sleep. This makes it easier to wake up, and helps you to feel more energetic to start your day. The simplest way to find out what works best for you is simply to experiment with different bedtimes, and seeing how much energy you have after waking up the next day.

Walk 10,000 Steps To Improve Health and Fitness

It’s a fact, America is becoming obese at an alarming rate and the rest of the world is following close behind. We are eating more (and more of the wrong stuff) and exercising less or getting no exercise at all. Our health is in steep decline and doctor and hospital visits are at all time highs. Just a brisk 30-minute walk a day can begin to turn that around.

You name it, we have it, and it’s getting worse. Heart and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, out of control blood sugar levels, diabetes, obesity, and more. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends getting at least 20-30 minutes of moderate activity each day and many of us are falling far short of even that.

Studies show the average person takes about 3000 to 5000 steps a day, and some even much less. Let’s face it, we just do not get the exercise our ancestors did a hundred or so years ago and we tend to eat more refined foods. For some of us, most of steps we take are from the easy chair in front of the TV to the fridge so we can fill up on snacks. For others, like me, we sit at a computer all day as part of our jobs.

Many fitness experts recommend we walk 10,000 steps a day to maintain our weight and overall good health. 10,000 steps are approximately 5 miles, give or take depending on the length of your stride. You will need to purchase and wear a pedometer to count how many steps you take each day. Follow the directions that usually come with the pedometer. Do this for a week or two and you will get a good average step count. Your goal is to reach 10,000 or more steps each day. There is nothing magical about 10,000, but it will put you in the right ballpark.

As a general rule, a person will burn about 100 calories walking a mile, depending on age, size, and fitness level. The heavier you are, the more calories you will burn.

Become creative on ways to increase your steps. At work, go for walks at lunchtime. Go for walks with your spouse or children. Walk the dog. Walk to the store instead of driving, or park at the far end of the parking lot. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. For me, I take brisk 2-mile walks around the neighborhood twice a day everyday (aerobic walking). Just do whatever works best for you, but do it! You will need good walking shoes and socks to prevent injury when walking for exercise (like aerobic walking).

Go to your favorite search engine and type in “10,000 steps” to learn more about this life saving, life changing program. The information is abundant.

Walk 10,000 Steps To Improve Health and Fitness

It’s a fact, America is becoming obese at an alarming rate and the rest of the world is following close behind. We are eating more (and more of the wrong stuff) and exercising less or getting no exercise at all. Our health is in steep decline and doctor and hospital visits are at all time highs. Just a brisk 30-minute walk a day can begin to turn that around.

You name it, we have it, and it’s getting worse. Heart and cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke, out of control blood sugar levels, diabetes, obesity, and more. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends getting at least 20-30 minutes of moderate activity each day and many of us are falling far short of even that.

Studies show the average person takes about 3000 to 5000 steps a day, and some even much less. Let’s face it, we just do not get the exercise our ancestors did a hundred or so years ago and we tend to eat more refined foods. For some of us, most of steps we take are from the easy chair in front of the TV to the fridge so we can fill up on snacks. For others, like me, we sit at a computer all day as part of our jobs.

Many fitness experts recommend we walk 10,000 steps a day to maintain our weight and overall good health. 10,000 steps are approximately 5 miles, give or take depending on the length of your stride. You will need to purchase and wear a pedometer to count how many steps you take each day. Follow the directions that usually come with the pedometer. Do this for a week or two and you will get a good average step count. Your goal is to reach 10,000 or more steps each day. There is nothing magical about 10,000, but it will put you in the right ballpark.

As a general rule, a person will burn about 100 calories walking a mile, depending on age, size, and fitness level. The heavier you are, the more calories you will burn.

Become creative on ways to increase your steps. At work, go for walks at lunchtime. Go for walks with your spouse or children. Walk the dog. Walk to the store instead of driving, or park at the far end of the parking lot. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. For me, I take brisk 2-mile walks around the neighborhood twice a day everyday (aerobic walking). Just do whatever works best for you, but do it! You will need good walking shoes and socks to prevent injury when walking for exercise (like aerobic walking).

Go to your favorite search engine and type in “10,000 steps” to learn more about this life saving, life changing program. The information is abundant.

Try These Natural Hair Loss Treatments

This article will examine the different types of natural hair loss treatments. Hair loss can be a problem for both men and women alike. Losing your hair can affect many aspects of your life, especially your self confidence as you worry about your personal appearance. There are many types of conventional treatments for hair loss, including surgical procedures. However, there are natural hair loss treatments that may be less expensive and could be just as effective for your hair loss problem.

The use of herbs for hair loss has been proven to be successful in some cases. Herbs may be taken internally or applies externally, depending on the herb. For this article we will list the herbs that can be applied externally for hair loss treatment.

Onion pulp has been a popular remedy for the treatment of hair loss. The sulfur content of the onion stimulates hair growth. Apply an onion paste to the area of the scalp that is experiencing the hair loss.

Safflower oil applied to the scalp has been very effective in stimulating hair growth by giving increased blood circulation to the scalp.

Aloe Vera has been used by Native Americans for centuries to promote healthy hair and prevent hair loss. It protects the scalp by healing it and promoting a balanced PH level. It also can cleanse the pores of the scalp. Preparing a combination of Aloe Vera gel with wheat germ oil and coconut milk and using it as a shampoo, has proven to be very beneficial in hair re-growth and preventing hair loss. You may want to look at your favorite health food store for premixed Aloe Vera shampoo.

Rosemary and sage are two herbs that have shown benefits when used externally. Mix rosemary, sage, peach leaf, nettle and burdock together in a pan of water and boil. Strain the loose leaves from the liquid and use the liquid to wash your hair daily. This can thicken the hair and stimulate the scalp to promote hair growth.

Massaging your scalp with essential oils, lavender in particular, has been shown to increase hair growth in mild cases of hair loss. Blend six drops each of lavender and bay essential oils in a base of four ounces of either soybean or sesame oil. Massage this into the scalp and let it set for about 20 minutes. Once it sets for 20 minutes, shampoo your hair with your favorite shampoo mixed with three drops of bay essential oil.

These are just a few natural treatments for hair loss. It is important to find the cause of your hair loss first to be sure it is not caused by an underlying disease. Other ways to help with hair loss is to start taking a good multi-vitamin and to eat a healthy balanced diet. Get plenty of exercise to stimulate blood flow to all parts of your body, including your scalp. Hair loss can be overcome once you know natural treatments for hair loss.

Helpful Tips On Preventing Hair Loss

This article will give you some helpful tips on preventing hair loss. For some men and even women, hair loss will be hereditary and there is not a lot they can do to prevent it. But if you don't have the hair loss gene, there are steps you can take to keep your hair healthy and prevent it from falling out.

First and most importantly eat a healthy balanced diet. Your hair needs nutrition to grow and be healthy. Try to eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. If this is not possible, take a good multi-vitamin everyday that can provide you with the required daily allowance of vitamins and minerals.

Get plenty of exercise and plenty of sleep. Exercise increases the blood flow to every part of your body, including your scalp. Increased blood flow can nourish the hair follicles and keep them strong and healthy. Your whole body, including your scalp and hair needs rest to rejuvenate, so try to get at least eight hours of restful sleep each night.

Avoid hair treatments that can damage your hair. Frequent dyeing, hot curling irons, blow dryers, perms and frequent brushing or combing can all do damage to your hair and result in hair loss. Be gentle on your hair, using a soft bristled brush and letting it air dry whenever possible. Avoid vigorous combing when your hair is wet. It is more prone to breakage at this time.

If you notice excessive hair loss, see your doctor right away. Hair loss can be a sign of an underlying disease that needs treatment. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus can cause hair loss. Also disorders of the endocrine system, such as diabetes may cause you to lose your hair. Any type of hormone imbalance can be a big factor in hair loss also. It is important to find the cause of your hair loss and get treatment to prevent further hair loss and damage to other body organs.

Certain medications can cause hair loss. Talk with your doctor about your medicines and ask about the possibility of them causing your hair to fall out. You may be able to change to another medication that has less of a risk of causing hair loss.

There are a number of myths out there about hair loss. Here are a few of them:

- Wearing a hat will cause hair loss. While it may be true that a lot of bald men may wear a hat to cover their thinning hair, a hat in no way caused their hair to fall out. If wearing a hat caused baldness, everyone in the national baseball league would be bald!

- Standing on your head can prevent baldness. This has never been proven to be true. But if you like to stand on your head, go for it!

- Hair loss in females means that you are not a proper woman with two X chromosomes. This is crazy because hair loss has nothing to do with chromosomes but has everything to do with hormones.

- Hair loss in women is a sign of an overactive brain. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back this statement up.

Hair loss can be upsetting at any age. Do your best to stay healthy and follow the above tips for preventing hair loss.

Causes Of Hair Loss: Prescription Medications That Cause Hair Loss (Part 2)

Hair loss is not always the result of disease, radiation treatments, or even genetics. In fact, most cases of men and women who lose their hair can be the direct result of prescription drug medications. In this article we will cover three drugs in particular; anti-inflammatory medications, anabolic steroids, and hormone replacement drugs.

Anti-inflammatory Medications: These drugs are used to relieve inflammation as well as reduce pain. Included in this category are ibuprofen and naproxen, both of which can be obtained over the counter. Anti-inflammatory medications (also referred to as NSAIDS) such as these have been reported as a contributor to hair loss in both men and women. Although rare, children's hair loss may also be affected by anti-inflammatory drugs.

If your doctor is going to prescribe you anti-inflammatory drugs, and you are concerned about hair loss, then you may want to discuss if the prescription he is giving you is one of the following: Relafen, Clinoril, Voltaren, Nalfon, Rofecoxib, Celebrex, Lodine, Orudis, & Indocin. All of these drugs have been reported to cause hair loss as a side effect.

Anabolic Steroids: When we hear the term “anabolic steroids” the first thing that usually pops up in a person's mind are bodybuilders who are known to abuse this drug in order to increase muscle mass. Indeed, anabolic steroids do increase a person's muscle mass if taken correctly because they are considered to be a male hormone, otherwise referred to as a synthetic androgen. However, one of the major side effects of taking anabolic steroids is premature hair loss in both men and women who were under these hormones.

Even if these medications are not abused in a way that bodybuilders treat them, just a slight dose of male hormones prescribed by a doctor can cause hair loss in people that are genetically sensitive to DHT.

Such medications that include testosterone and is considered an anabolic steroid prescription drug include the following: Depo-Testosterone, Android, Testred, Winstrol, Danocrine, Halotestin, Virilon, and Metandren.

Thyroid Medications: Last but not least, men and women who have a thyroid disorder have been shown to experience hair loss as a result of the medications given to help their condition. Two examples of these thyroid medications that are linked to hair thinning and baldness are thiouracil & carbimazole.

Causes Of Hair Loss: Prescription Medications That Cause Hair Loss (Part 1)

If you are concerned about future hair loss, or are currently in the process of losing your hair, then consider prescription medications as a possible cause to the problem. There are alarming amounts of reports on the number of prescription drugs that are known to cause hair thinning, as well as baldness. This is a side effect these drugs that everybody should ask their doctor about before taking them.

Before we go on, please make an important note here that not all prescription drugs will cause hair loss, so do not be afraid to take any recommendations from your doctor. And also, many cases of prescription drugs resulting in hair loss is temporary and last for just a few weeks to at most a few months. This is of course in regards to people that go off their medications during this time period.

Other factors should also be taken into consideration, such as the potency of the drug, the dosage amount, and an individual's unique response to the medication. While hair loss may be a side effect for one individual, it may not affect another person's hair follicles at all.

The following list are a few examples of prescription drugs that have been reported to cause hair loss in both men and women:

1. Drugs that lower cholesterol: There are many cholesterol-lowering drugs that pose a danger to cause hair loss as a side effect. One such example medication is called Lopid .

2. Blood Pressure medications: There are a few beta blocker blood pressure medications that have been reported to cause hair loss in some cases. A few examples of these drugs would be Corgard, lopressor, and Blocadren.

3. Parkinson's medications: Not all Parkinson's medications have been linked to hair loss, but one such example drug that has been known to affect a person's hair is called Dopar.

4. Arthritis medications: Some medications designed to relieve arthritis may cause hair loss. For example, naproxen, penicillamine, and methotrexate, are such drugs.

5. Blood thinners: Some blood thinners (anticoagulants) may cause hair loss, such as heparin and inderal.

4 Natural Ways To Help Prevent Early Hair Loss

Hair loss occurs in a progressive nature. Most men have a specific pattern in which hair starts to fall out and then over the years increases down the same route. Women on the other hand, do not typically have the same experience. Unlike a receding hairline, or a particular bald spot forming on a man's scalp, a woman will generally experience broad hair thinning throughout the entire top of her head. In both cases, men and women, the pattern in which air falls out increases in time.

Many people assume that losing hair as we age is just a normal part of life. This same group of people also assumes that we have no responsibility when it comes to the cause of hair loss or the increased of the amount of hair that is lost in time. However, this is a wrong assumption. Below are a few examples of how people can directly cause the loss of their hair, whether they realize it or not.

1. Wearing hats most of the time: It is very fashionable these days to sport head coverings and tight caps. However, because hats can affect the blood flow to the scalp, this may cause hair loss. This is especially true if you wear tight hats. The result of hair loss due to covering your scalp with a hat does take time to make it's effects known, but once it starts, the pattern of loosing your hair speeds up faster than if you had never started the hat-wearing habit.

2. Oily scalp: Here is another example of a condition that can be directly related to the decrease amount of blood flow that is available to your hair follicles. By not washing your scalp enough a build up of natural skin oils can affect your hair. Regular washing can help reduce this problem.

3. Brushing your hair too much: This is one issue that I have personally experienced myself. I was once told by a hairstylist that if I want to grow my hair long then I should brush it with 50 strokes every time I went into the bathroom. Needless to say, after about six months, I noticed severe thinning in the areas that I was brushing. Once I stopped, the hair eventually started to come back like normal. Unfortunately, I set forth in motion a pattern that caused my hair to grow back thinner in that area for the rest of my life.

4. Brushing your hair too little: Opposite of brushing your hair too much, by not brushing your hair enough, you may not be stimulating the right amount of blood flow needed to retain growth in hair follicles. It doesn't take much, but just brushing your hair with a few strokes that hit the scalp will be enough stimulation.

Myths And Causes of Female Hair Loss

This article will look at some of the causes of female hair loss and will also list a few myths associated with female hair loss. If you are a woman and are experiencing hair loss, it can be a very trying time in your life. For centuries, hair has been thought of as a woman's "crowning glory." Some women may feel less sexy or even less of a woman without the long, luxurious hair that they are used to.

There can be quite a few reasons for female hair loss. One type of hair loss that is quite common, but not often talked about is, androgenetic alopecia. This is hereditary and affects roughly 50% of women over the age of 40. It is also called female pattern baldness. Like it's male counterpart, it is permanent.

There is another condition called telogen effluvium. This is the rapid onset of hair loss in a scattered pattern on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body. It is usually a reaction to intense stress on the body's physical or hormonal system. It can occur at any age and usually gets better on its own in about six months.

Another cause of hair loss in women is called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that causes the hair follicles to be attacked by white blood cells. This will slow hair production down dramatically so there may not be new hair growth for months or even years. This is usually not a permanent condition, and the hair may start to regrow on its own.

Now let's look at some of the common myths associated with female hair loss:

1) Shaving your head will make it grow back in thicker. While it is true that the base of the hair shaft is thicker than the end, it will not grow in thicker when you shave it.

2) Hair dyes and perms can cause permanent hair loss. These chemicals can cause hair loss, but it is not permanent. The chemicals may just make your hair more brittle and easy to break off, sometimes at the scalp. But it will grow back on its own.

3) Hair loss is caused by washing your hair too much. There is absolutely no scientific proof to back this statement.

4) Hair loss is caused by too much brushing and combing. While you may see hair in your brush or comb, this is the hair that is in the resting phase of the hair cycle and was due to come out.

5) Female hair loss means that you are not a "proper" woman with two X chromosomes. Hair loss has to do with hormones not chromosomes.

Whatever the cause of your hair loss there is treatment for it. Minoxidil 2% solution is approved for use on women, but may not be effective for everyone. There are also hair transplants and scalp reduction surgeries. However, if you don't want to go those routes, consider wigs or hair weaves. The most important thing is to know the causes of female hair loss and how it relates to you.

What Is Considered Normal Hair Loss?

This article will teach you about the normal growth cycle of your hair and about what is normal hair loss. Your hair goes through a normal progression of loss and re-growth each year. This is the same principle as shedding old skin cells for new ones.

Hair has a growth cycle. Normally, a hair growth cycle will last for two to six years. This growth stage is called the anagen stage. Each hair grows at a rate of approximately one half inch per month. Ninety percent of all the hair on your head is in the anagen or growth stage at one time.

The other ten percent of your hair is in the telogen or resting phase. This phase will last for two to three months and then that hair is shed. New hair will start to grow from the same hair follicle to replace the shed hair. This cycle repeats itself over and over, year after year.

This is why you may notice hair in your hairbrush or in your sink or shower. Your body is naturally shedding the dead hair to make room for the new hair. It is normal to shed anywhere from 100 to 300 hairs per day.

But what is not normal for hair loss? When you start shedding more hair than you are reproducing, you will start to notice thinning patches or bald spots. However, for men that are genetically prone to get male pattern baldness, this may actually be normal in terms of their genetic makeup.

Temporary hair loss can be normal in certain situations. For example, it is completely normal to loose a large amount of hair after surgery or a major illness. This is a reaction to the stress that your body endured during this time.

It is normal to lose a large amount of hair about three months after childbirth. Being pregnant caused a lot of hormone imbalances in your body. After childbirth, the hormones return to normal which could result in hair loss.

You also have to remember that certain types of hairstyles and styling products may cause hair loss. If you wear a style that causes a lot of pulling traction on the root of the hair, it may result in hair loss. Some chemicals that are found in dyes and perms can make the hair brittle so that it breaks off easily. While this is not normal hair loss, it is easy to rectify.

If you have noticed an excessive amount of hair in the sink or shower lately, and it is not caused by one of the above conditions, see your doctor. Let him know about your sudden, excessive hair loss. He may want to run a series of tests to investigate the cause. It may be a problem that is temporary and easily fixed or your hair loss can be an indicator of an underlying disease or health problem.

Once you know what is normal hair loss and what isn't, you will be able to tell when something is wrong and when you need to see your doctor.

Causes Of Hair Loss: Severe Head Injuries & Child Birth

In today's article we are going to discuss two physical reasons why a person may experience hair loss. This information has been reported to be very accurate and taken from actual studies of men and women who have undergone either severe physical trauma to the scalp area, and women who have experienced hair loss soon after giving birth.

Head Injuries & Physical Trauma To The Scalp

Permanent hair loss can be a direct result of a severe physical injury to a person's scalp. Although in some cases the hair might grow back, the majority of head trauma victims will have a total loss of hair for the rest of their life. Some possible head trauma examples would be chemical burns from acid or other highly flammable substances, severe cutting and damage from a blunt object, and over-exposure to cold temperatures such as freezing from liquid nitrogen or from frostbite.

At times, physical damage that causes hair loss may not come in the form of a severe injury as described above. For example, if a person wears a tight fitting helmet or other headgear that causes continuous pressure, this can lead to permanent hair loss.

Surgical operations that went wrong can cause permanent hair loss, such as cosmetic surgeries like scalp reduction or a face lift. They may even have suffered from an incorrect hair replacement surgery as well.

Hair Loss In Women Who Have Gave Birth

Some women experience a temporary loss of hair soon after giving birth. The term for this condition is called “telogen effluvium”. What happens here is that during the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the hair follicles that a woman has stays in the “growing phase” longer than it should have. So instead of the hair going through the normal regeneration cycle and shedding like it's supposed to, the hair follicles remain active and do not fall to the wayside which results in extremely thick hair.

Many women enjoy this temporary burst of luxurious hair growth. Unfortunately, this hair growth is not permanent. Within 12 weeks after giving birth, the woman's hair follicles will go back into their normal growth cycle. This means that all of this extra thick hair that should have been shedding for the last few months, as everyone's hair sheds normally, will now begin to fall out at a rapid pace, and usually does so all at once. This condition is temporary and is merely the result of a woman's body bouncing back to its original state as it was before becoming pregnant.

Does Stress Cause Hair Loss?

Yes, stress can definitely cause a person to lose their hair! However, it is important to note that the type of stress we are referring to in this article is not the everyday stress experience that most of us go through. In terms of hair loss, the type of stress that causes this condition is the result of sudden emotional shock or a very disastrous physical accident.

This type of hair loss is known as “telogen effluvium”. When an extremely stressful incident occurs, what happens is that the hair follicles that are actively growing are suddenly shifted forward into the “regression phase”. Soon after, the follicles then begin the “resting phase” and when the growth cycle of a hair follicle reaches this resting place, it falls out rather easily.

How soon after a stressful event does person's hair begin to fall out?

When a person goes through a physiological or an emotional event, hair does not begin to fall out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the event. But once it has begun, hair loss continues at a fast pace.

And because it takes some time for their hair to start shedding after the stressful event, the person is usually not aware that it is related to that past experience. It never occurs to them that the hair loss they are experiencing is not because of a new “sickness” or anything of the sort, it is simply the aftermath side effect of the stress they went through a few weeks or a few months ago.

What are some examples of severe stressful situations that would cause hair loss?

As we stated earlier, “stress” in terms of hair loss does not mean the standard stress most people experience from work, financial, relationships, etc. Instead, occurrences such as going through the sudden death of a loved one would be an example of a stressful situation that could result in hair loss. Getting a divorce would be another example. Having to take care of someone close to you who has a terminal disease may also fall into this category.

And of course, physical experiences that cause a lot of damage to a person's body will also produce stress at such high levels that hair loss is an eventual side effect. For example,a heart attack or a major surgery may cause a person's hair to fall out. Sickness that keeps a person in a long period of deterioration, such as the flu or malaria, may cause hair loss. And also, accidents such as vehicle crashes or any other similar situation where the body undergoes sudden physical damage, may cause hair loss.

Micrografting Surgery - Part 3: What To Expect After The Operation

Once all the grafts have been planted and the procedure is finished, your surgeon will carefully clean your scalp so the grafts are hardly noticeable. Most patients do not need to wear bandages when they leave the doctor's office. In fact, most patients who undergo this type of surgery go back to work only a day or two after the procedure.

After the surgery is completed, you will be transferred to a recovery room where you can rest and have a light meal. After you have finished eating, your doctor will give you medication that will help lessen the pain as well as the swelling once the anesthesia wears off. More photos of your scalp will also be taken at this time.

This is also the time for you to call someone to pick you up. Most, if not all doctors, will not let their patients drive themselves home after the surgery. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead for a designated driver to pick you up.

You will be asked several questions and the doctor will give you a final check-up before leaving the hospital. Your doctor will also give you certain instructions to follow and how to take care of your grafts to ensure a quick recovery. Among them are listed below:

1. Your doctor may advice you to take prescription medication as soon as you arrive home to reduce any aches or pain in the donor area and to help you relax. Most patients only feel a slight discomfort and decide not to take any medication, while some patients may take a light dose of ibuprofen.

2. Your doctor will also advise you to avoid too much sun exposure and strenuous activity, which could do damage to your new implanted grafts.

3. During the healing process, which takes about 7 to 10 days, you will be given specific instructions on how to clean your scalp. This includes gently washing your scalp the day after surgery with a mild shampoo to keep it clean and get rid of bits of blood crusts.

You will also be instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment on your grafts everyday to prevent infections and to keep them moist. In addition to antibiotic ointment, you may also be prescribed antibiotic capsules to avoid any complications. Call your doctor's office immediately if any problem occurs, such as redness, bleeding, bumps, or swelling.

Your doctor will schedule you to come back after several days to remove the sutures from the donor site. This is a painless process and takes about 3 minutes. Your doctor will take more pictures and check your scalp to make sure that everything is going smoothly.

The grafts will start to establish connections to the blood supply right after the surgery. When the new blood supply is completely developed, new hairs will grow permanently, a process that takes about 4 months. Similar to the other hairs on your head, your new hairs will grow approximately ½ inch per month. You will notice dramatic results in the density of your hair after about 4 months.

Micrografting Surgery - Part 2: What To Expect On The Day Of Your Operation

On the day of your micrograft transplant surgery, make a plan to have someone drive you to the doctor's office. Also make a plan to have someone pick you up. To ensure your safety, doctors will not let you drive yourself home because you may still feel drowsy, a bit disoriented, and your coordination may still be off.

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment in case you need to take care of paperwork. Before the surgery, you will be given a surgical dress to put on over your clothes. You will also be given certain medication prior to your surgery. This may include a tranquilizer and other types of medication to minimize swelling and pain. Use the bathroom even if you don't need to go. This will eliminate the inconvenience of having to stop in the middle of the surgery because you have to use the bathroom.

Your doctor will again explain the procedure to you. He will mark your scalp in the specific area to be treated and take photos. You will then be taken to the operating room where you will be lying face down on a special surgical bed that is specifically made for your comfort and to keep you in place during the surgery.

Your doctor will begin by trimming a narrow section of your hair that is covering the back of your scalp. Next, using an antiseptic solution, the doctor will clean the scalp on the back of your head. He or she will then numb the donor area by injecting it with anesthesia. The first injection will be slightly uncomfortable and you will feel a sting, which will last very briefly. The medication that you took a few minutes ago will begin to kick in, making you feel more relaxed and calm. Your scalp will also start to feel numb and will continue to feel that way until after the surgery.

The surgeon will also inject the donor area with saline solution. The saline solution will help swell up the donor area, which makes it easier to remove the section of tissue. Your doctor will then take out that section of tissue using a single blade scalpel and pass it over to a group of medical assistants. The medical assistants will then cut the tissue into follicular unit micrografts. During this time, the doctor closes the open section of your scalp with sutures and puts a bandage over the closed wound while applying a soft pressure to lessen the bleeding. At the same time, the medical assistants will cool and trim the transplant tissue and form hundreds of follicular unit micrografts, a process that will take a few hours to finish.

The section of your head where the grafts will be placed will be numbed and the doctor will make very small slits to place the follicular unit micrografts. The surgeon will plant the grafts in places that enables them to grow in a natural pattern. Once that area is filled, the doctor will begin to work on the next site. During this time, many more follicular unit micrografts are being cut by the medical assistants. The surgery will be finished when all the graphs are planted into all the designated sites.