The key lies in a lack of Awareness and Action. More people need to know about the links between the lifestyles they lead and how these affect their bodies. But knowledge is nothing if it is not applied. There needs to be the additional effort of acting on the knowledge to make the tough but necessary lifestyle changes that will halt disease and put our overtaxed bodies back on the path to health and wellness.

Creating Awareness

Let’s talk about cholesterol. It is one of the fats in the blood and can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease and stroke. Yet how many people actually know this? We may vaguely “know of” good and bad cholesterol from what we read or hear about in the news, but not many of us will make the connection between what we are eating now on a daily basis and the disease that erupts years down the road. Even fewer will do something about this connection.

According to the Director of the Heart and Vascular Division at The George Institute for International Health, Associate Professor Bruce Neal, many Australians do not fully appreciate the health risks caused by cholesterol. If they did, many deaths could be prevented.

The good news is that high cholesterol is a problem that is preventable and treatable with a better diet, more exercise and (for some) medication. Unfortunately, most people are not even aware that they may be at risk of cholesterol-related health problems, and do not get their cholesterol levels checked regularly.

What can we do to educate ourselves on disease prevention and healthy living? For a start, we can read more. The Internet has incredible amounts of useful information from reliable, respected sources such as regulatory websites and medical research websites. Health magazines often carry short, easy-to-digest articles on the latest health and research findings. The library is a free resource for specialized and general health topics. That is where my husband and I chanced upon Dr. Sandra Cabot’s wonderfully readable yet highly informative books on the Liver Cleansing Diet, weight loss and cholesterol.

Secondly, we must take greater responsibility for our health. Doctors treat symptoms; they have neither the resources nor the interest to help you discover what is at the root of your particular ailment. You and I have to assume that responsibility ourselves by being conscious of what is going into our bodies each day. We need to ask more questions about the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the personal care products we slap on our faces and skin, the household cleaning solutions we use. All of these things potentially contain toxins and chemicals that are damaging to our long-term health because they create toxin build-up in our bodies.

The food we eat

Our bodies have become burdened with high levels of trans and saturated fats which cling to our blood vessels and organs. They need to be broken down and flushed out of the system, but there isn’t enough dietary fibre to help them move along. The result is a cluttered, sickly bowel and liver, which in turn leads to disease. A 2-pronged solution is recommended. First, increase the amount of living foods in our diet. Living foods are raw, unprocessed foods which (still) contain the vitamins, minerals and enzymes needed to help you properly break down and digest your food. If you can, choose organic food. It is pesticide free, GMO free, and has more nutritional content; some even assert it tastes better.

Secondly, do a regular cleansing of your bowel and liver with a good detoxification routine. One way is to take probiotics. Probiotics are the supplement form of beneficial microorganisms that protect and build gastrointestinal health. Beneficial microorganisms play a critical role in improving digestion, rebalancing the intestinal flora lost through the use of antibiotics, and preventing harmful bacteria from growing to levels where they can cause disease. To ensure that the probiotic you take is of maximum benefit to you, there are 2 things you can do. Look up independent watchdog Consumer Lab’s website for product reviews to see if the brand you intend to buy is on their approved list. Secondly, check that the brand is certified organic.

The water we drink

The water we drink is highly processed, treated and disinfected. This is to combat the effects of contamination from natural and synthetic sources. The latter include sewage, industrial activity, pesticide runoff, improper dumping and defective water treatment. Even though tap water is generally safe for drinking, there is controversy over the effects of adding chlorine and fluoride. A possible solution is to buy bottled water (preferably water that is bottled at its source) or to use a water filter or purifier that removes impurities without disturbing dissolved minerals that are essential to our health.

What are we feeding our skin?

The skin is the largest organ in our body, which makes it the entry point of toxins into the system. Anything we apply to the skin is potentially absorbed. This includes anti-ageing creams and serums, moisturizers, facial cleansers, cosmetics, sunscreen, shampoo and deodorants. Off-the-shelf products contain a notoriously high level of harmful chemical ingredients (some of which are cancer-causing) that we may not be aware of because they are not fully disclosed on ingredient labels, and even if they were, we might not understand them. Over time, use of these products contributes to toxic build-up and disease.

In the US, the cosmetics industry is self-regulated and resource-strapped regulators do not have the legal muscle to enforce product and ingredient reviews. This means we don’t yet know as much as we should about the effects of product ingredients on our long-term health. In the meantime, we continue to buy on the basis of brand recognition and price and unknowingly contribute to the levels of toxins in our bodies. The solution? Start reading ingredient labels. Find out what parabens, sodium lauryl/laureth sulphate and phthalates can do to you and your children. There are helpful toxic ingredients glossaries on the Internet. Secondly, switch to organic personal care. Better still, find suppliers whose products are certified organic by a reputable independent certifying body. It is the only way you can guarantee the quality of the product.

Our household cleaners

Dishwashing and laundry detergents and multipurpose cleaners tend to emphasize effectiveness over safety. When you read the product label of the average cleaning product, it contains a warning that you should not inhale or swallow the product as this can cause irritation or poisoning. This is an indication of the harshness of its contents. Some companies are realizing that there is a growing demand for safer cleaning products and have developed phosphate-free, ammonia-free and fragrance-free alternatives. Look for these in your supermarket aisles or online. Again, if you can, choose organic.

What are we feeding our minds?

The cornerstone of good health is a balanced diet and exercise. However, as part of a more holistic approach to health, we also need to be conscious of what we feed our minds. As a man thinks, so is he. If you want to attract the positive into your life, you must attune your mind to focus on the positive. Attitudes and actions flow from thoughts. Focus your energy on thinking of what is good, pure and beneficial to you and to others, and replace self-limiting thoughts such as “I can’t”, “I don’t know how” or “I won’t”.

The journey to optimum health starts with a series of small steps in the right direction. Build an awareness of issues that affect your and your family’s health. Then take action to make the lifestyle changes that we have discussed in this article. If you make a start today, you will create a positive chain reaction that will have long-lasting benefits for you, your children and your children’s children – a legacy of good health that will be your best gift to the future.

Serena Tan is a writer, network marketer and WAHM residing in Melbourne, Australia. She enjoys writing on health and wellness, personal growth and home based business. For more pointers on toxin free alternatives to personal care, please visit http://www.greenfamilyorganics.com

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When going through the ordeal of a stroke a person has to have a good support system. They have to have someone that will be there for them and give them the help that they need and someone to confide in as well. A stroke victim is going to need help with both the physical and the emotional part that they will go through.

There will be many feelings and this is very important to address. Helping someone that has been through the process of a stroke is going to be something that you can do to make a difference. The worst thing that can happen is for someone to go into a deep depression when they are trying to recover from a stroke.

Having fun is important too. Making a stroke survivor laugh is important so that they can see that they still have life ahead of them and that they are going to make it through the bad times and have many more good times ahead of them. Making sure that the person knows that they can still go out and enjoy life is very important.

If you or someone that you know has been through the process of a stroke, you have to get up and moving around. Get up every morning and get dressed. Make sure that you are feeling good about yourself and that you have the confidence to go through life.

Make sure that a person that has survived a stroke is going to all the appropriate therapy sessions. It is important to get the strength back and get back to normal or as normal as possible. It will make the difference between someone gaining their life back and someone just giving up. Getting through this time is difficult and it is only time and healing that will make it better.

Depression is hard on anyone especially someone that has been through a devastating process like a stroke. The most important thing is to not stress over it and get through the bad times and know that good times are coming again and that the opportunity for a second chance has been given so do not pass it up. It is important to have a better diet and the right exercise as well so that the body can gain strength and be healthy once again.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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Stroke is a common disease nowadays that takes the lives of many. What actually is it? What can cause it? We have tried to answer these questions in the lines below.

Stroke is a medical condition described by the lack of blood supply in part of the brain or in the whole brain. The interruption of blood supply can e caused by thrombosis ( a clog in a blood vessel that prevents blood from passing through and circulating normally in the blood system), embolism (blockage of a blood vessel caused by an object such as fat, air bubbles, talc, bacteria, amniotic fluid, etc), or hemorrhage (bleeding). The result of irregular or no blood supply to the brain or even a part of it leas to lack of oxygen and glucose that results into brain cells dying. For that reason stroke leads to serious brain damage and even death.

Stroke symptoms are quite different and depend of the level of brain damage. Stroke symptoms may include muscle weakness, numbness, reduction in sensory or vibratory sensation, altered smell, taste, hearing, or vision (total or partial), decreased reflexes, altered breathing and heart rate, disorganized thinking, confusion, etc. In some cases ony one side of the body is affected.

It is believed that men are more likely to suffer from stroke than women. Indeed men have 1.25% more chance of having a stroke however 60% of deaths from stroke occur in women.

Stroke is considered to be one of the medical urgencies. If stroke is not caught in time the damage on ones health might me much more serious.

Stroke can be caused by a variety of factors. Some of the most important ones are advanced age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and drinking habits, unhealthy diet and overweight. Stress is also one of the significant factors that increase the risk of stroke.

Stoke prevention is possible at several levels. The first and most important one is reducing the risk factors in ones every day life such as reducing smoking and drinking, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, regular sport activities. People who have close relatives suffering from cardiovascular diseases must me much more careful since it is more likely they to suffer from similar diseases or share an unhealthy lifestyle. Regular medical examinations are required especially with increasing of age as mentioned the risk of stroke increases significantly with age especially after 45 years.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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Older adults are what most would think of when it comes to taking a stroke. Usually this is true and it is more likely to happen to someone that has high blood pressure. Anyone that is overweight and smokes or has diabetes can also be put in the higher category for having a stroke.

Younger people are not immune to having a stroke. There are about 28% of stroke victims that are under the age of 65. Strokes in younger people usually affect men and women in the same ways. However drugs and alcohol is also a big part of younger people having a stroke. This is something that is becoming more and more popular and young people need to know that they have to take care of their bodies and not treat them like a garbage can so that they are not at risk for having a stroke too young.

In most age groups except for the older adults, a stroke is more common in women. It will kill more women than men no matter what ethnic group they are in. Women defiantly have a greater risk for hemorrhagic strokes occurring than in men. It is not really understood why this is so, however researchers are doing more and more studies on the facts to find out just what is going on.

No matter what your age or gender you have to find out what you can do to lower your risk for stroke. Eating and exercising are the two biggest things that you can change to get the risk lowered. However, drinking and doing drugs is going to be something else that can cause men and women to have stroke. It is so important that younger people are getting the right facts so that they do not put their bodies at risk for danger later on in life and ending up dead from a stroke when it could have been prevented.

If you are a parent, you need to show your child the facts now so that they are in a good understanding of what they have to look out for later on down the road. You have to help them lead their life in the right direction and get them to know that this is a serious problem and it can be stopped before it happens.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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While reporting on Grammy results Sunday night, Branson completely unable to pronounce any of the words she’s trying to say as she slurs her way through the incomprehensible report. As she spoke, she looked fine but seemed to be aware that her words were not coming out right. It must have been a very scary moment for her as she tried to continue for about 10 seconds. As soon as the station recognized there was a problem, they cut away to pre-recorded Grammy coverage. “It’s possible that what initially seemed like the next viral video was actually a real-time medical emergency.” Time writes.

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel within the brain is blocked or ruptures. When a stroke occurs the parts of the brain that are deprived of oxygen start to die. The parts of the body that are controlled by the damaged part of the brain do not function properly. Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke and getting medical treatment quickly can help limit the damage and increase the chance of recovery.

Some of the most common contributions to strokes are a person’s addictions. In particular, smoking and alcohol present dangers to the health of the user. With unhealthy behaviors such as over-consumption of alcohol, a person increases the possibility of a serious blood-related problem, which explains the clots or hemorrhaging that cause strokes. In addition to these issues, drastically poor dieting and lack of proper nutrition play a role in clot formation.

These unhealthy consumption issues may be complicated with a lack of physical exercise. As obesity factors into the possibility of a stroke, the underlying causes attached to weight problems can manifest not only in heart problems, but may also contribute to clots elsewhere in the body, namely in the brain. Although weight reduction has not necessarily been proven to reduce the chance of a stroke, most studies verify that weight, alcohol consumption, smoking, and dietary habits all do contribute to the event of stroke.

In addition to these concerns, drugs can often be the major cause for a stroke. Illegal drugs can severely damage the body, particularly ruining the body’s ability to manage its own circulatory system. In addition to illegal drug use, some prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs may add to the possibility of a stroke.

UPDATE: CBS 2 posted a statement about Branson’s condition, saying “Serene Branson was examined by paramedics on scene immediately after her broadcast. Her vital signs were normal. She was not hospitalized. As a precautionary measure, a colleague gave her a ride home and she says that she is feeling fine this morning.”

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There are many doctors and scientists that are studying this fact now. They are concerned that many teens are putting their own life at risk to have a few moments of freedom and intensity when they are smoking marijuana. It is important that parents and teens know that they are not doing something that is going to help them but only hurt them for their future and their life ahead.

It is not ok to even use marijuana one time. However the more that you use, the more that you are putting your body at risk for a stroke. Marijuana is hard on the body and will take its effect on the heart and can cause stroke or even heart attack. There are so many young people dying for the chance to get their buzz on and this is literally. It is not worth the chance or the risk to end your life with a stroke because of using drugs.

There are many teens that go to parties and have the peer pressure put upon them to do marijuana. This is something that they think is cool and that will not hurt them. However they could not be more wrong. It is a dangerous drug and one that can bring them great harm by clogging up their blood flow and causing them to have a stroke.

There are so many books and articles that you can get your child to read about on this subject. Telling that what the danger of a stroke is and what they can do to their body is important. It is very necessary to sit down with them and have this open-minded talk before it is too late.

It is important for parents and guardians to know that they can prevent this terrible tragedy from happening to children and teenagers around the world. Telling them about the dangers of marijuana and all that it can do to the body and leave them disabled from a terrible stroke or even bring them to death should be brought to their attention. This will help them to better understand the dangers so that they are not thinking about trying it even for one time.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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The most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke is high blood pressure. Another cause is an aneurysm. It causes the blood vessel wall to become thinner and bust at some point. Stroke can also be caused by the accumulation of a protein called amyloid within the artery walls, particularly in the elderly. This makes the arteries more prone to bleeding.

Hemorrhagic strokes form nearly 20% of all stroke cases. It may occur in all ages and the average risk age is lower than the ischemic stroke risk age.

The symptoms of the hemorrhagic stroke include weakness or inability to move some part of the body, numbness or lost of sensation, decrease or lost vision, speech difficulties, disorientation and inability to recognize familiar faces, sudden headache, dizziness, etc.

The hemorrhagic stroke can be treated through a surgery or with medication only. Depending on the severity, treatment includes lifesaving measures, relief of symptoms and repair of the cause of the bleeding. Surgery can help reducing the brain damage caused by the stroke as well as quicken the recovery. Regardless of the treatment chosen a person who has suffered a hemorrhagic stroke needs a serious long term treatment. Most of the patients need physical therapy, other need behavior modification or family counseling.

There are different types of hemorrhagic stroke – subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage. The subarachnoid hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel in the area between the brain and the skull starts bleeding. The intracerebral hemorrhage occurs when a blood vessel deep inside the brain starts bleeding. Both types may be caused by structural problems with the arteries such as aneurysm or Arteriovenous Malformation.

The aneurysm is a week area in the blood vessel wall that fills with blood and bulges. High blood pressure or an injury may cause the bulge to rupture and start bleeding. Arteriovenous Malformation is a malformation of the brain’s blood vessels. This kind of malformation is usually present since birth and develops slowly with time. It characterizes with weak blood vessels that increases the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke.

Strokes can be very scary.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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Having read the above, you probably have at least a few questions ready in your mind. We have tried to answer them below.

What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the measurement of the force that the blood exercises over the arteries walls when passing through. If the hypertension is high the blood is putting extra pressure to the artery walls.

What causes hypertension?
Hypertension is caused by various factors including an unhealthy diet (including a lot of salt and fats), obesity, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, drinking abuse, drug abuse, high cholesterol, family history of cardiovascular problems, diabetes, gender (men are more likely to suffer from hypertension).

Why hypertension is a risk factor for stroke?
Hypertension has different effects over the human body. It can accelerate the effect of atherosclerosis (narrowing the walls of the blood vessels because of build-up of fatty plaques). These plaques can be off the artery walls and can block the blood supply to the brain and to cause a stroke. In addition chronic hypertension weakens the walls of the blood vessels which increase the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (caused by bleeding within the brain). In other cases hypertension helps thicken artery walls due to the constant strain applied which reduces their flexibility and makes them fragile and easy to rupture. This may also result into a stroke.

What shall I do to prevent stoke if I have high blood pressure?

First of all ask your doctor to carry the required tests and estimate the severity of the problem. He will prescribe you some medications that will normalize your blood pressure. If you have close relatives suffering from cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure in particular, start making regular checks early. One of the great dangers is that many people suffer from hypertension and don’t even realize it this is due to the fact that there are no symptoms at the begging. A healthy diet will greatly help improve not only your overall health but the health of your cardiovascular system. A low-salt diet rich of fibers is great for this purpose. However consult with a specialist and don’t just apply a diet of your own. Try to reduce stress as much as possible. Quit smoking. Smoking is a stroke factor on its own and on the top of this it is among the risk factors for high blood pressure. The substances contained in cigarette smoke increase the blood pressure, increase the cholesterol levels and harm oxygen supply

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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Many have doubts if normal activities such as their favorite foods, sports activities or even sex are appropriate after a stroke.

We have compiled a short guide for those who wonder is sex allowed after stroke.

Do not rush things.
Surely the recovery process after stroke is a long path and it might not be possible to have sex right after it. Make sure you are relaxed and take one step at a time. Do not rush things just out of desire of because you feel guilty about your partner. Make sure your partner understands the situation well and doesn’t rush you too.

A U – turn in sex positions.
In some cases of stroke part of the body remains paralyzed. Do not let this obstacle stop you. Surely you will need some time to adapt mentally that things are not the same, however your partner is still the same and you are the same so it doesn’t really matter. Look for new sex positions to cope with the disability problem. For example if one of the legs and the hands is paralyzed, try the side by side position. Make sure that the stroke victim is positioned so that the “healthy” side is uppermost.

All the uncomfortable questions Mane men suffered from stroke as well as their partners are worried if they will be able to have an erection after a stroke. In general yes it is possible as the nerves and the blood supply to the penis still work well enough to give an erection. However this very much depends on the type of stroke. In some occasions the medications used after a stroke may prevent a man from having an erection. In this case he should contact his therapist and ask for different medication.

Get help.
Getting on the track after stroke is not easy. If you feel you and your partner are unable to cope with this problem alone, seek help. You can contact an association dealing with relationships between people with disabilities, your GP, relationship concealing, or even the stroke association.

Do not believe myths.
Remember an amazing and satisfactory sex life is possible after stroke. Do not believe myths that say sex after stroke is forbidden because it may lead to another stroke or a heart attack. There’s no reason why stroke survivors can’t resume usual sexual activity as soon as they feel ready for it. Make sure you feel comfortable, take it easy and everything will be just fine.

Keith Londrie II is the Webmaster of http://life-after-strokes.info A website that specializes in providing information on
Life After Strokesthat you can research on the internet. Please Visit http://life-after-strokes.info Today!

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The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of stroke survivors of the rehabilitation services received by them in the Jordanian community. A secondary aim was to explore the impact of culture on providing appropriate services for stroke survivors.

Eighteen stroke survivors were recruited from an outpatient stroke rehabilitation programme. All 18 participants had been discharged from hospital for between one and six months. Semi-structured interviews were performed either in the physiotherapy outpatient clinic where the stroke patient was attending a clinic or in their homes. Transcription of interviews carried out in Arabic and thematic analysis was also carried out in that language by transcribers who were fluent in Arabic and English, using a back-translation method. Necessary measures were taken to ensure the accuracy, reliability and validity of the data collection and analysis.

Following thematic analysis, themes arising out of the data included physiotherapy and occupational therapy support in the community, out-patient rehabilitation clinic services, community clinic services and support from families, friends and neighbours. Participants expressed satisfaction with their therapists but there were large areas of unmet rehabilitation need for stroke survivors in the Jordanian community such as a limited availability of occupational therapy services, insufficient amount of therapy services and poor medical support.

The current study was unique and elicited a new body of evidence about the life experiences of stroke survivors after they are discharged from hospitals in Jordan. The findings from this study will inform service providers and planners about the needs of stroke survivors and will contribute to the development of appropriate community care for these people.  This study presents a unique contribution to knowledge relating to the experiences of stroke survivors in a developing country and also shows how rehabilitation services are very dependent on cultural contexts, cultural beliefs and practices.

Saleh AL-Oraibi, PhD, MSCP, MHPC

Assistant professor, Allied Health Faculty

Physiotherapy Department

Hashemite University-Jordan

E-mail: soraibi@hotmail.com or so55@hu.edu.jo

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