Wellness Posts by Mareesa

Is watching TV before bed a bad idea?

support@wellness.com — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:45:33 Z

Wellness.com - Is watching TV before bed a bad idea? by Mareesa

I've grown up with a TV in my room and always fell asleep to the TV being on. For a few years I removed the TV from my room and only recently have added the TV back. I fall asleep nightly to the TV being on, but don't know if it's a healthy way of falling asleep. For me the TV gives the white noise that I need to help clear my mind, it also seems to help me ignore the constant thoughts of what I didn't get done that day.

Does anyone know if falling asleep to the TV a bad idea? Am I causing unneeded sleep problems?

Gluten Free?

support@wellness.com — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:22:34 Z

Wellness.com - Gluten Free? by Mareesa

At my local health food store I see "Gluten Free" written on quite a few products, how does on know if they have a reaction to gluten and should be on a gluten free diet?

Does anyone know what the signs are? What should I look out for?

What causes swelling during exercise?

support@wellness.com — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:53:13 Z

Wellness.com - What causes swelling during exercise? by Mareesa

When ever I exercise or it's really hot out my hands and feet swell up and it becomes pretty uncomfortable, does anyone know what causes this? Could it be the food I am eating? Are there any remedies that anyone knows of?

Why are kids growing up so fast?

support@wellness.com — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 10:08:45 Z

Wellness.com - Why are kids growing up so fast? by Mareesa

My cousin e-mailed me the other day to say that her 6 year old daughter is growing up way too fast and wants to know how to slow the process down. The little girl's name is Adreanna, her bedroom was just changed from the little girl princess room to a more mature girls room, this was Adreanna's choice. She told her Mom I don't want to play with Barbie's or dolls anymore, those are for little girls, needless to say her Mom was shocked as Adreanna is still a little girl, she's only 6! When my cousin asked Adreanna what she wanted for Christmas, she listed, an iPod, C.D.'s, purses, accessories, jewelry, etc, she did not want one single toy. My cousin is afraid that her little girl is missing out on some of the best days of her life by trying to grow up too fast.

Why are kids growing up so fast now? Is it something we are doing or society is doing?

If anyone has any ideas for my cousin on how to get her little girl to be a little girl please let me know.

Helping someone through a Miscarriage

support@wellness.com — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 16:13:16 Z

Wellness.com - Helping someone through a Miscarriage by Mareesa

I got a call today from one of my best friends who until yesterday did not know she was pregnant, she had a feeling and was late, so she decided to take a test and there it was she was pregnant with their second child. She was thrilled and nervous, she and her husband had decided not to tell anyone until they got past the first trimester as they have had two previous miscarriages. She woke up this morning and was bleeding, she knew something was wrong and ended up going to the hospital for testing, she was miscarrying her third child.

I am generally one that can handle delicate situations and offer my love and support, but I find that when the pain comes from miscarrying your child I do not know how to help or react.

Can anyone suggest any ideas on how I can help my best friend? She is a very emotional person by nature and when she loses her child it's too much for her to handle. I need to be there for her and need your help on ways to help her cope.

Thanks.

How soon should you eat before and after a work out?

support@wellness.com — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:54:43 Z

Wellness.com - How soon should you eat before and after a work out? by Mareesa

How soon should you eat before and after a work out?

I generally work out after work and then run my errands, etc, sometimes I do not end up eating for a few hours after my work out. Is that good for you? Should you eat right after a work out or does it depend on the type of work out you do?

Flax Seed Oil and Fish Oil....

support@wellness.com — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:46:23 Z

Wellness.com - Flax Seed Oil and Fish Oil.... by Mareesa

Do Flax Seed Oil and Fish Oil pills work well together? I've been taking Fish Oil pills for a few years now and have recently started taking Flax Seed Oil pills as well. If I take both vitamins at the same time does one counteract the other or do they work well with each other?

What vitamins should someone take on a daily basis?

It's time to Detox...

support@wellness.com — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 10:22:26 Z

Wellness.com - It's time to Detox... by Mareesa

It's time for me to detox, I've been doing a bit of traveling lately and feeling kind of sluggish, so figure it's probably time for a good detox. I am training for a half marathon, so I need to find a detox plan that allows me to run 4 days a week and also allows me to eat enough normal food so I have the energy and will to run those 4 days a week.

The last detox I tried was horrible, it's from my local health food store and the shakes they want you to drink taste horrible and I was starving towards the end of the day.

I generally eat pretty healthy and mostly organics, I do my grocery shopping at the health food stores, the hardest part for me is during lunch.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Interesting new article on TSS.

support@wellness.com — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 11:57:37 Z

Wellness.com - Interesting new article on TSS. by Mareesa

I found this article on MedicineNet.com about a new tampon that cuts out the risk on Toxic Shock.

New Tampon Cuts Toxic Shock Risk
Fiber Finish Reduces Production of Disease-Causing Toxin, Researchers Say

By Charlene Laino
WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

Latest Womens Health News
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Sept. 18, 2007 (Chicago) - Researchers have developed a novel tampon that appears to cut the risk of menstrual toxic shock syndrome (TSS).

The key to its success: a fiber finish called glycerol monolaurate (GML) that reduces the production of the toxin that causes menstrual TSS, says researcher Pat Schlievert, MD, a professor of microbiology at the University of Minnesota at Minneapolis.

His team's study of more than 200 women also showed that the new coating promotes vaginal health, facilitating an environment with a protective bacterial balance, he tells WebMD.

Manufacturer Johnson & Johnson hopes to have it on the market in the near future, Schlievert says.

The study was presented at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

Cases of Menstrual TSS on the Rise
Menstrual TSS grabbed headlines in the late 1970s and 1980s after the deaths of several young women who were using a brand of superabsorbent tampon that was later removed from the market.

At the time, there were about 10 cases per 100,000 per year, Schlievert says. While no longer as common, menstrual TSS is still a problem, with about two to three cases per 100,000 women per year, he says. The incidence has risen slightly over the past seven years, he adds.

The condition is brought on by the release of toxins from an overgrowth of a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus, which is commonly found in many women, especially during menstruation. The toxins enter the blood and can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure that deprives vital organs of oxygen and can lead to death.

Several years ago, lab studies showed that GML, a widely used emulsifier in cosmetics and food, inhibited the production of those toxins by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in the test tube.

The idea behind the GML-coated tampons is to add a finish that prevents the toxin from ever being made, Schlievert says.

Coated Tampons Cut Toxin Production
The new study involved 225 menstruating women who used their own tampon followed by a test tampon that may or may not have had a GML coating. Neither the researchers nor the participants knew which test tampon the women received.

When the tampons were removed and the code was broken, results showed that the GML-coated tampons contained significantly fewer toxins than the non-coated test tampons or the women's own tampons.

Scott M. Hammer, MD, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Columbia University in New York City and chairman of the committee that chose which studies to highlight at the meeting, says the idea behind the new tampon is simple, but ingenious.

"What they've done is use bioengineering to interact with the molecular mechanism of a disease-causing bacterium, thereby cutting down on the risk of a potentially fatal infectious disease," he tells WebMD.

Johnson & Johnson funded the study.

SOURCES: 47th International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC), Chicago, Sept. 17-20, 2007. Pat Schlievert, MD, professor of microbiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Scott M. Hammer, MD, chairman, 47th ICAAC Program Committee; chief, division of infectious diseases, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City.

© 2007 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

Extreme Case of Excema...

support@wellness.com — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:29:20 Z

Wellness.com - Extreme Case of Excema... by Mareesa

My 1 year old niece was diagnosed with Excema when she was about 3-4 months old, she has been prescribed Excema creams, bath wash, etc and nothing seems to work. They live in Denver, CO and the weather there is very dry, which seems to aggravate her Excema, her skin is so dry that it's not cracking and a milky-brownish fluid is coming out of the skin around her ankles. She has red blotches on her upper thighs, back of both knees, arms and back, and scratches constantly when those areas are not covered by clothing. My brother and sister-in-law have been to dermatologists, her pediatrician and now the Children's Hospital in Denver. The Dr. has prescribed another cream to try and has advised that her condition could worsen with the coming winter. They are hopeful that the Excema will lighten up as she gets older, but for the time being it's horrible and she seems to be itching all the time. The Dr at Children's Hospital recommend wetting a onesie and wringing out water so the onesie is damp then putting her new lotion on and the onesie over it, then putting another layer of dry clothing over the wet onesie, this should keep her skin nice and moist, the problem is that with living in Denver, CO they can only do this during the warm months.

Does anyone have any recommendations as to what they can try to cure or help with the Excema?

Does anyone have any knowledge on Egyptian Magic cream for skin?