Allthelook Blog

Drug rehabilitation centers are absolutely a way to fetch your life back on track. Most people deliberately or unknowingly fall in the trap of drugs and before they comprehend anything, they are hooked to it. Drug addiction overwhelms the lives of your family members, friends and your own. So, before you lose everything, get a move on towards any drug rehabilitation center, re-transform your life, and be a role model for all. Centers for drug treatments has grown in gigantic amounts over the past several years and though many of them have anecdotal philosophies on the best approach to addiction treatment, they all have one thing in common – to give each individual addict the tools needed to endure in the real world without further material abuse.

The thriving effects of drug treatment centers are genuine, and these rehabilitation centers hoard lives every day. With the increasing demand for drug rehabilitation centers, several niche centers and another means of treatment have arisen to make sure sufficient drug treatment centers and programs are available for all kinds of addictions, mental health disorders, and individual needs. While the main kinds of treatment programs available are still outpatient, residential short-term and residential long-term, the philosophies of drug treatment have spread far beyond the 12-step program. Not every addict reacts definitely to the 12-steps, especially those who have been in treatment multiple times. Drug addiction and alcohol abuse are life threatening diseases and loved ones are generally not willing to give up hope if the first attempt at treatment proves to be unsuccessful. For this reason, alternative treatment centers and philosophies have become more popular.

For more information kindly visit Treatment-centers.net.

Water for good health is an idea that goes back centuries. It is an old belief that an average person should drink at least ’8 glasses of water’ a day.

A lot of people believe that drinking water throughout the day can cure many diseases. But the ’8 glasses of water’ per day is just a rule of thumb, not an absolute standard.

Some people force themselves to drink water throughout the day and facing some small problems as well.

According to some kidney experts of the Pennsylvania University, drinking increased amount of water throughout the day is not beneficial for health. Moreover, they said (Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, April 2008), “since water is cleared from the gastrointestinal tract very quickly, it is likely that people who try to diet by not changing their food consumption and just drinking water, will be hungry between meals”.

There has yet to be a study that compares two groups of people and weight loss through water consumption.

In general, to remain healthy one need to drink enough water to replace the amount we lose daily through excretion, perspiration and other body functions. But that amount can vary from person to person. Different things are important like surrounding weather, physical condition and one’s activity level.

In fact, total water intake includes water in other beverages, and the water in food. But how do we know whether we are drinking enough water or not? Some experts say, “If you are not thirsty, your fluid intake is probably ok.” That is why marathon runners and bikers all need to recognise the signs of dehydration.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that athletes drink 16 ounces of fluids a couple of hours before starting sports practice. And certainly people in hot or in dry climates have increased need for water. They need to understand the importance of dehydration.

A German physician, Wilhelm Hufeland (1764-1836), who practiced natural medicine and vitalism, was one of the early promoters of ’8-10 glasses of water’ a day. He and some other practitioners encouraged their followers to drink lots of water for curative properties and to flush out toxins and impurities. He wrote, “fresh spring or mineral water, was the best drink and an excellent means of prolonging life.” He also added, “Many special curative properties were attributed to fresh, cold water – which was a fortifier of the stomach and nerves.”

Drinking 8 glasses water was rarely questioned until Dr. Valtin’s important investigation in 2002. He tries to find any scientific justification for drinking so much water. Dr. Valtin conducted a 10-month review of the scientific literature and historic documents and interviewed many medical experts. He also tried to uncover a definitive science-based origin for the above conventional recommendation.

Than again, it does not mean that we do not need to drink water. Water is important to maintain a healthy body.

Our body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Water transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects our joints and organs. Blood is mostly water, and our muscles, lungs and brain also contain a lot of water. Our body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all our organs.

Anyhow, these views about water have certainly helped the plastic bottled water industries. But remember, bottled water available in our local markets is mostly purified waters. They are not mineral waters. And clearly, we need better sources of information about this bottled water as well.

- Dr Rubaiul Murshed

What is Hib?
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) is a bacterium that causes serious disease in young children throughout the world.

Hib causes one-third to one-half of all cases of bacterial meningitis. Bacterial meningitis is deadly unless treated immediately with the correct antibiotics. Even with proper treatment, 3-25% of affected children may die. 15-35% of children who survive Hib meningitis are left with permanent disabilities.

It also accounts for up to one-third of all cases of severe pneumonia which can also be deadly, especially for young children. Hib can also cause infections of the blood, joints, bones, throat, soft tissues and the covering of the heart.

Hib bacteria live in the nose and throat area. Like Measles virus, Hib bacteria are passed from child-to-child in droplets of saliva when an infected child coughs or sneezes or when children share toys and other objects they have put in their mouths.

Children often carry the Hib bacteria without showing any signs or symptoms.

In spite of its name, Hib does not a cause of influenza (or “flu”) or the common cold.

Who is most at risk for getting Hib disease?
Hib disease is most common in children under five years old. Children between the ages of four months and 12 months are most at risk. For that reason it is important to immunise the children and prevent disease very early in life.

At birth, antibodies from the mother sufficiently protect most infants. But when the child reaches two or three months of age, the level of maternal antibodies falls, and the risk of Hib infection increases.

By age of five years, children usually develop their own immunity against Hib. The disease is rare after the age of five.

Can diseases caused by Hib be treated?
Treatment for Hib disease is not always effective because some strains of Hib may be resistant to antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance is a serious problem and is increasing every day. Hib immunisation is more effective and less costly than treatment.

How effective is Hib vaccine?
Hib vaccine is highly effective. Complete vaccination with Hib vaccine (three doses of vaccine) reduces the risk of Hib disease in young children by more than 90%.

Hib vaccine does not protect against diseases caused by other germs. Even after complete vaccination with Hib, a child may still get other types of pneumonia, meningitis or viral infections, such as the flu.

Are there any contraindications to Hib vaccination?
No. Children over six weeks of age can be given Hib vaccine safely. Monovalent Hib vaccine (vaccine against Hib only) can safely be given to children, teenagers, or adults. But combination vaccines that include DPT vaccine should only be given to children over six weeks of age and under five years of age. DPT vaccine is not effective for children under six weeks of age and the “P” component of DPT (pertussis vaccine) can cause adverse reactions in children over the age of five, teenagers, and adults.

Pentavalent Hib vaccine includes (Hib+DPT+ Hepatitis-B) protects against five diseases (Hib disease, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B).

Children should be immunised on schedule, even if they have a mild cold or fever, mild respiratory infection, etc. These are not contraindications to giving Hib vaccine.

What if a dose is missed?
To guarantee long-term protection, all three doses of pentavalent vaccine should be given at 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. If a child misses the date for vaccination, the child can be given the dose as soon as possible. There is no need to re-start the vaccination schedule.

Can an extra dose of Hib vaccine hurt the child?
An extra dose of Hib vaccine given after the last scheduled dose does not hurt children, but also does not increase the effectiveness of the immunisation.

What are the side effects of Hib vaccine?
Millions of doses of Hib vaccines have been given to children around the world. But there have never been any reports of serious reactions to Hib vaccine. However, if a child seems to have had a severe reaction to the vaccine, he or she should be given immediate medical attention.

Only 25% of children receiving Hib vaccine develop mild redness, swelling and soreness at the injection site. This will go away within 1-3 days, and is not serious. Parents may want to give the child paracetamol to treat these symptoms.

It is rare for a child to have a fever after being vaccinated only against Hib. However, infants vaccinated with pentavalent vaccine may have fever, probably because of the DPT.

Children older than five years, teenagers, and adults should not be given DPT vaccine, or any combination vaccine containing DPT, because there is a higher risk of adverse reactions for those age groups.

What is the Pentavalent vaccine?
The pentavalent vaccine combines five different vaccines in one injection to protect against five diseases: Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) disease, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus and Hepatitis-B.

Children immunised with the 5-in-1 vaccine do not need anymore to be vaccinated separately with the DPT vaccine or the Hepatitis B vaccine as he will get those in the same injection.

Who should get penta-valent vaccine?
All children between six weeks and five years of age should receive three doses of pentavalent vaccine with an interval of at least four weeks between the doses. However children who have already started immunisation with DPT and Hepatitis-B will complete their vaccination with DPT and Hepatitis-B. They will not get pentavalent vaccine.

Vaccination with pentavalent must be completed within two years of age if the child starts before 1 year of age.

Children under six weeks of age, over five years, teenagers and adults should never be given pentavalent vaccine because of the DPT component.

Source: The Daily Star

Breast cancer is one of the most frightening diseases faced by today’s women. In fact, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, after non melanoma skin cancer. About 13% of American women will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. And, it is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, after lung cancer.

Scientists are continuing to look for new information to determine what causes breast cancer as well how to prevent and treat this disease. Today, we still don’t know what causes breast cancer, but we do understand some of the risk factors.

In addition, we have come a long way in treating breast cancer – though many women still die each year. Some of the research is very promising, including research on green tea.

One group of breast cancer sufferers who cause doctors a great area of concern are those who have a higher than average expression of the epidermal growth factor Her-2/neu. Her-2/neu is a growth factor that sometimes presents itself in a tumor. An over expression of this growth factor is a concern for breast cancer patients.

During routine testing of patients who have been recently diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, doctors will determine the level of Her-2/neu. If the level is high, this information is used to guide treatment. The level of this growth factor is important because studies have shown that patients with an over expression of Her-2/neu have a higher likelihood of their cancer metastasizing, and have an overall lower survival rate. The Her-2/neu is high in about 30% of breast cancer patients.

As part of the ongoing research to find effective treatments for breast cancer, scientists have been looking seriously at the benefits of green tea, both on preventing cancer and treating it. Asian cultures have used green tea for its healing properties for centuries, and their overall rate of cancer is much lower than that of the Western world.

Tea is derived from the Camellia sinensis plant. You’ll hear tea referred to as green, white or black. These differences do not result from actual different types of tea leaf, but rather from differences in how the tea leaves are processed. Green and white teas are not fermented during processing, but black tea goes through such a processing.

Tea leaves contain catechins, part of the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is a potent anti-oxidant. Fermenting the tea leaves converts the catechins to other compounds that are not as healthy as those in unfermented tea. So, the focus of research has been on green tea, because of its healthier form of anti-oxidants.

What’s So Great About Anti-Oxidants?

During our body’s process of converting food to energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals are damaging to our cells and DNA if we don’t combat them. Left unchecked, free radicals contribute to speeding up the aging process and to causing diseases such as cancer, heart attack and stroke.

Anti-oxidants, however, can help us combat these free radicals, and a diet in anti-oxidants is linked with preventing cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, doctors recommend a diet high in anti-oxidants – which means eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking green tea each day.

However, scientists also seem to be finding out that green tea may be able to increase the effectiveness in some cancer treatments. Several studies conducted on mice already diagnosed with cancer have shown that taking green tea along with the cancer treatments can increase the effectiveness of the traditional therapy and may slow down the progression of cancer to other cells. There is promising research; some of it directly related to breast cancer treatment.

One particular study of interest was conducted by the Boston University School of Medicine. In this study, female mice with breast cancer whose Her-2/neu levels were very high were treated with green tea along with their regular cancer treatment. Mice that ingested the green tea showed a slower growth of their tumors and a slower progression of their cancer than those who were treated with the same medicine without green tea as an adjunct therapy.

Researchers who found these results also believe that if green tea can inhibit the growth of tumors in patients already diagnosed with cancer, it may also be effective in preventing cancerous cells from forming and growing in the first place. This coincides with other research that indicates that green tea may be significant in preventing cancer. In addition, it helps explain why Asian cultures have such a low cancer incidence compared to the Western world.

This is very promising news for a group of breast cancer sufferers who have traditionally had a lower survival rate than others with breast cancer. If we can slow the rate of cancer progression in those with over expression of Her-2/neu to approximately the same rate as other breast cancer patients, we may be far more effective at treating these patients.

Far more research is needed in the area of breast cancer prevention and treatment. In addition, scientists will be spending more time examining the benefits of green tea in cancer prevention and treatment. But, it seems clear that green tea has a place in the prevention and treatment of many diseases, including cancer.

Even though there is more research to be done, there is no downside to adding green tea to your diet to help prevent disease or to improve your health if it is already failing. Scientists have found no risks involved with drinking green tea. It has no side effects, and is a healthy alternative to coffee because of its high level of anti-oxidants and because it is much lower in caffeine than coffee. So, get a jump start on your anti-oxidants by drinking green tea!

Losing a lot of weight & to become extremely thin is one thing which no one would like to face. So now let us see how to prevent this problem. Some of the major weight related health problems can be controlled by controlling your weight. You can just exercise regularly for keeping your body fit & fine, & also keep a watch on whatever you eat & how much you eat.

Weight loss can occur because of four reasons, they are, dysfunction in metabolism of the cell, increased calories used due to some involuntary movements, abnormal food-related behaviors which result from the psychological changes as well, & even some social factors, such as less or no access to some of the quality foods or if you do not have a proper understanding of proper nutrition. Weight loss can be caused by both physical as well as psychological dysfunctions. Some of the habits such as reduced chewing & swallowing ability, coughing & even drooling interfere with the normal intake of the food. All these symptoms together can first lead to loss of fat & then to loss of mass of the lean muscle, which usually the body cannot replace. You can prevent this by having good amount as well as regular intake of food, that is, not to skip any lunch or dinner or snack etc. Good & proper amount of calories will also help you. So now you know how to prevent weight loss, just keep exercising, have good food, & that all you have to do!

A heart attack is basically a coronary artery disease (CAD). In Coronary artery disease some material named plaque is built up on the inner walls of coronary articles. As time passes, a section of plaque breaks open which causes blood clot to form on the walls. Now if the blood clot becomes large enough to cut off most or all of the blood flow through the artery then Heart Attack occurs. The heart is a muscular, complex organ which maintains the circulation of blood throughout the body. Heart attack can also be called as acute myocardial infarction in other words. It is basically the death of heart tissue caused by complete blockage on one of the arteries which provide blood to the heart resulting in an interruption in blood supply to heart.

Heart attack is caused when the blood supply to part of heart muscle (myocardium) is reduced or stopped. As the material “plaque” gets deposited on the inner walls, the oxygen rich blood flow reduces. Lack of oxygen further damages the heart muscle. Now if this blockage of blood is not cured as soon as possible then the damaged heart muscle begins to die.

There are some other causes too, like problems with very small, microscopic blood vessels of heart. This is called microvascular disease. This disease is more common in female than in male. Signs and symptoms of heart attack differ, like sometimes there might be not symptoms and one can get sudden heart attack called, Silent Heart Attack. Other symptoms are chest pain or discomfort, feeling breathless, nausea, vomiting, fainting, cold sweat, upper body discomfort in one or both arms etc.

Skin care is one of the most important things related to health that one must know & follow. So let us see some of the best tips for skin care. Firstly, the lotion or cream which you are using, there are various kinds of lotions available, for various skin type. So first you should identify your skin type, whether it is dry, oily or normal skin. Using them regularly will help your skin glow always & you won’t face any kind of skin problems. Also, washing your face regularly, with a safe soap or face-wash, will help your skin from getting deteriorated.

Milk baths are one of the famous formulas that are usually recommended to be added to your regular bath tub. Firstly, soak in it for a while so that your skin absorbs the goodness of the milk. This formula is made popular by the very famous Cleopatra, who herself had a beautiful skin. Body lotions are ones you are supposed to put all over your body, for that instant moisturized effect. Most of the body lotions have different fragrances & colors according to different mood. They also come with substances that will give you protection from sunscreen & ultraviolet rays. Baby lotions are the best to use; they are safe for all types of skins. They are tested by various dermatologists in their labs. This type of lotion is usually organic & does not contain any kind of harsh chemicals & even fragrances that could irritate the sensitive type of skin. So these were some of the best tips for skin care that you can remember forever.

A lot of us face the problem of hair fall, due to many reasons such as not having proper diet, the external surroundings, etc. So we need to take a lot of care for preventing hair fall, & so let us see how to stop hair loss. First let us see what is the normal hair growth & hair loss cycle. The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 6 years. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing, & the remaining 10 percent of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase. Then after around 3 months, the resting hair falls out & the new hair starts growing in its place. However, some people do face a much excessive hair fall.

There are many reasons which can cause excessive hair loss. One of them, it can be after a major surgery or operation you have had to undergo, which is because of the stress & is temporary. Hormonal problems are also one of the reasons. Also, just 2 to 3 months after delivering a baby, many women notice hair fall, which is hormonal. Intake of some medicines can also cause hair fall, some of which include blood thinners, medicines for gout problems, those used in chemotherapy, excessive intake of vitamin A, & even certain antidepressants. Even dandruff can cause hair fall. Lastly, hair loss may also occur as part of a disease that you may be suffering, such as diabetes. It is important to find the cause so that it can be treated since hair loss is usually an early sign of a disease. These can mainly be prevented of regular oiling of hair, & also cleaning it regularly by using some safe shampoos. If there is some infection, then visit to some skin specialist can help. I hope these above causes & tips will help you take care of your hair well, & prevent your hair from falling.

There are many people who suffer from breast cancer, but not all of them actually know what exactly it is. The term breast cancer refers actually to a large family of cancers that can develop in any part of the breast tissue. The most common types start in the glandular tissue & also in the ducts. Cancers, which are also called malignant tumors, also start within a small area, but they can spread to the nearby organs or tissues or even to more far off parts of the body. This spreading of the tumors is known as metastasis, or also called secondary cancer. The area where the cancer originated is called the primary cancer.

Now let us see how the cancer spreads. Our body has two transport systems, one is the blood & the other is the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system normally helps the body to fight against any kind of infections, & consists of series of nodes, called glands, & vessels, called tubes, which are linked throughout the body. Breast cancer cells can break from the original lump, move through the surrounding tissue, & then carried by the transport systems to the various other parts. These cells can spread to the lymph nodes in the armpit as well. In fact the involvement of the lymph nodes can indicate how likely it is for the cancer to return back. Here they may form some new tumors called metastasis. If by chance the breast cancer spreads to other parts, it is impossible to cure. However, some treatments can control the secondary disease. Often the breast cancer spreads to the bones, lungs or even the liver, but the primary cancer is in the breast. So now you know about breast cancer, so if you or any you know suffers from it, it will be easier for you to understand what the problem is.

All women have dream to become mother. This things are very important issues for women health. You’re a mother to be, are planning on having a baby or know someone who is going to have a baby, a pregnancy due date calculator is definitely something you should look into. There are all kinds of different things that one can tell you, and they’re just as fun as they are informative. You can find a lot of them online for free, or you can go to your local bookstore and pick one up. The kind of information you can get from a pregnancy due date calculator varies by which one you use, but when you plug in the first day of your last period many will tell you some basic stuff.

For example, more than one pregnancy due date calculator will tell you your conception date. It’s something simple, but you’ll need that later as you start taking gender quizzes and partaking in other mom to be entertainment. Also, you’ll learn the time when your baby is at the greatest risk for birth defects. This is usually in the range of 5-10 weeks. Other useful tidbits will include when your baby’s fetal organs have begun to form, when your baby’s major organs have formed and the date at which the risk for miscarriage decreases.

A good pregnancy due date calculator will also tell you at point at which a prematurely born baby is most likely to survive. Finally, it will tell you when your actual due date is…ideally at around 40 weeks. You can also start to toy with things like the ancient Chinese lunar calendar, which people in the old days used to tell if the baby was going to be a boy or a girl. There are also different old wives tales that you can have fun with. Is your belly sticking straight out, or is it big and broad?