21st Century Apothecary

Thyroid Dysfunction: Its Symptoms & Treatment

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:33:39 -0800

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland situated under the pituitary gland does not produce the required amount of thyroid hormone. This hormone is necessary for proper functioning of the cells of our body and assist in metabolism. Any deficiency in this hormone would result in a host of problems in the human body.

There many people around the world with some form of hypothyroidism or thyroid dysfunction without even knowing that they have that disorder. Surgery, medications, iodine deficiency, dysfunction of the pituitary gland, and thyroid gland inflammation are some of the causes of hypothyroidism. The other causes of hypothyroidism could be chronic fatigue and weakness, weight gain or difficulty in losing weight, dry and rough skin, and abnormal menstrual cycles....

Soda Dangers: What You Should Know About Soda

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 13:26:06 -0800

Statistics show that the average American drinks an estimated 56 gallons of soft drinks each year. Before you grab that next can of soda, consider this: a can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar, 150 calories, and 30 to 55 mg of caffeine. Moreover, it is loaded with artificial food colors and sulphites, which are preservatives that can trigger migraine and headaches and can cause heart palpitations and arrhythmia.

Some of the major components of soda are the following:...

Natural Treatment For Depression -- It Is Possible!

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:32:59 -0800

Depression is one of the most common psychological and emotional problems American adults encounter. A study reports that about 13 to 20 percent of American adults have some form of depressive symptoms. Unfortunately, many severe cases of depression can ultimately lead to suicide.

Are there any solutions and treatments available to stem this unfortunate tide? Fortunately, the answer to this is yes. Unfortunately again, many of these treatments involves a soup of medicines that may have some form or side effect. As we discussed previously psychotherapy is another solution that is gaining popularity due to the favorable results they have exhibited....

Major Advantages of Massage Therapy

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:32:59 -0800

Most often, people think that having a massage physiotherapy is expensive with a small number of advantages to a person's overall health condition. Definitely it is a false notion because it gives us major advantages such as in a form of relaxation or lessening the stress you have.

A lot of people seek for this kind of therapy in order to relax and get rid of stress. Our muscles do contract and relax in a given time according to our daily activities. Giving the right amount of tension to our muscle will give more comfort and good flow of blood in our body. It promotes better circulation inside our veins that prevents hypertension, plaque formations, blood viscosity and a lot more. If everything inside your body is functioning well, you will gain enough energy to fight against the external stressors you are facing each time of the day....

Look Like You're 20 Even When You're Not: Five Youth Preserving Guidelines

Sun, 11 Dec 2011 13:01:14 -0800

Was 20 a long time ago? You can't reverse time and go back to 20, but you can look and feel like 20 again…. And it's actually pretty simple to pull off. You'll look younger than your age if follow a few simple guidelines about a proper diet, an active lifestyle, and control of stress levels. A healthier body is just three steps away.

Here are some simple ways to make you look like 20 once again:

1. It's the berries

Kids love 'em. You should too. They're good for you. Most berries and fruits are loaded with the antioxidants that your body needs to neutralize free radicals. Because these free radicals cause most of the cell and tissue damage in your body. What we see as aging is primarily the damage caused by free radicals in your body....

Liver Detox: Weight Loss and Liver and Gall Bladder Cleanse

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:29:44 -0800

Like the colon, the liver is begging for a cleanse.

First, start your morning with freshly squeezed lemon in warm water. This helps to cleanse the liver and promote detoxification. It also stimulates bile production, cleanses the stomach and stimulates bowel motion.

Here's a recipe for an amazing drink for the liver that I highly recommend:...

Anger And Your Health: How Your Outlook Influences Health and Your Ability To Control Anger

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:29:20 -0700

The situation: Jane and Anthony have differing ways of viewing the world. Jane is a pessimist (the glass is half-empty), while Anthony is an optimist (the glass is half-full). These outlooks influence how they experience similar situations.

Scene 1: Job loss. Jane is devastated, convincing herself that she is all washed up, she can never catch a break, it is useless for her to try to be successful, and she is never going to succeed at anything.

Anthony, however, has a healthier inner dialogue. He tells himself he may not have been good at that particular job, his skills and his company's needs did not mesh and being fired was only a temporary setback in his career....

Resveratrol As A Substitute of Aspirin For Heart Health

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:38:25 -0700

Resveratrol - Resveratrol as a substitute of Aspirin for Heart Health

Resveratrol, an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory substance created by a variety of plants, starting from vines to peanuts and pine trees. Resveratrol has been used in Asian medicine for hundreds of years, especially in liver and heart problem treatments. Resveratrol helps lower cholesterol, and is as much as 10 to 20 times more potent than vitamin E in protecting against LDL oxidation. Further studies of resveratrol revealed that it helps prevent blood clots by keeping blood vessels open and pliable....

Metabolic Syndrome

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:08:46 -0700

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Conditions like increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels are not diagnosed as metabolic syndrome, but they do contribute to the risk of a serious disease. If more than one of these conditions occur in combination, the risk is even greater.

Symptoms of Metabolic Syndrome:

Having metabolic syndrome means one has several disorders related to the metabolism at the same time, including:...

Lycopene: Promote The Health Of Heart

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:30:31 -0700

Lycopene is a Carotinoid (a red pigment) appears in tomatoes and other red fruits. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant. Lycopene is a derivative from tomatoes which is responsible for giving many fruits and vegetables a healthy red color. This natural substance is an unsaturated carotenoid pigment, similar to Beta-Carotene. While Lycopene has no vitamin A activity, research has shown it to be one of the most important natural antioxidants produced today.

Lycopene in tomatoes can be absorbed more efficiently by the body if processed into juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. The chemical form of Lycopene found in tomatoes is converted by the temperature changes involved in processing to make it more simply absorbed by the body. Lycopene is related with reduced risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin. Lycopene is a potent antioxidant that may help to encourage the health of the heart, prostate, skin and eyes....

Exercise's Effect on the Heart - 10 Ways it Helps Your Heart

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:08:35 -0700

It is quite common for one to hear about all of the reasons that you should exercise. You typically hear that it is good for your health or can help us to lose unwanted pounds. But, these reasons are a bit vague for those of us who are a bit more scientifically minded.

Specifically, what positive effects does exercise have on the heart? Sure, you know that working out, walking, biking, swimming, and related exercises are good for your heart. But, you may find yourself wanting more facts and details about exercise's effect on the heart.

If you are wondering about exercise's effect on your heart, here are 10 ways exercise helps your heart:...

Difficult Behaviors After A Stroke

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 11:31:27 -0700

Some stroke survivors behave in ways that can make life unpleasant for the people around them. A stroke survivor may be depressed, anxious, and angry, and he may not know how to express his feelings in a positive way. He may lash out at you verbally or even physically.

Difficult behaviors can also arise from personality changes. Almost half of people who care for stroke survivors describe them as being negative, impatient, and easily upset. A stroke survivor may exhibit child-like behaviors, lashing out verbally or even physically.

Here's what you can do to deal with these behaviors:...

Coronary Artery Disease - What You Need to Know

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:39:00 -0700

Coronary Artery Disease is commonly known as Heart Disease or Atherosclerosis. In coronary artery disease, plaque builds up inside the arteries. These plaques are formed by fats and cause the arteries to harden. The deposits are made of fat that came from the food that we eat. These fat deposits narrow the arteries and impede circulation. The narrowing of the arteries also causes high blood pressure because the body tries to compensate for the inadequate supply of blood throughout the system.

Fat deposits in arteries are very dangerous. Aside from the fact that these arteries should not be present in the arteries, these deposits also cause a disturbance in the heart's normal functioning. The blood vessels with fat deposits are narrowed. It also causes hardening that inhibits the normal elastic function of the vessels. It causes decreased blood flow to the heart which results in chest pain called angina....

Can the Amino Acid L-Arginine Help With Circulation and Blood Flow?

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 23:10:33 -0700

L-arginine is one of the amino acids most widespread in nature, and involved in varied tasks of biological significance in heterotrophs such as human beings. The scientific community is convinced that the body produces the right amounts of L-arginine under normal circumstances, but also points out that individuals with unhealthy levels of L-arginine must get this chemical compound from their diets, infants included. The presence of L-arginine in the human body must amount to concentrations sufficient to support bodily functions such as healthy circulation and blood flow.

Poor nutrition is associated with low levels of L-arginine, which in turn has been associated with most cases of high blood pressure. Blood pressure is one of the most important measures of physiological functions adopted by modern day medicine, and more often than not pertinent to the assessment of human health and medical conditions. While there are no identifiable causes of high blood pressure, the use of L-arginine in treatment of cardiovascular diseases and hypertension has been common place....

Avandia is Killing Americans, FDA Negligence Comes Front and Center

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 17:29:03 -0700

It appears the new FDA leadership is not much different than the last administration, as the diabetes drug Avandia killed 304 people in the third quarter of 2009 while the FDA dragged its feet. The scandal is hitting a fever pitch as the New York Times and Washington Post feature stories on a bipartisan Senate investigatory report released over the weekend. It criticizes GlaxoSmithKline for failing to warn patients years earlier that Avandia was potentially deadly.

"Instead, G.S.K. executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk," concludes the report, which was overseen by Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, and Senator Charles E. Grassley, an Iowa Republican....