family-health

Why married men are happier?

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:49:11 +0100

Think bachelors have it made? It turns out married men are actually happier after marriage than they would be if they stayed single, according to researchers at Michigan State University.

The study looked at 1,366 people who weren’t married before participating in the survey, got married at some point during, and stayed married. Researchers compared the subjects to a control group who was demographically alike in every way other than being married.

The results: “People, on average, aren’t happier following marriage than they were before marriage, but they are happier than they would have been if they stayed single,” says Stevie C. Y. Yap, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at MSU and one of the study authors.

“Just being in a well-adjusted, long-term romantic partnership with someone may be the underlying mechanism,” says Yap. “It may not have to do with the marriage itself, the fact that you step up to the altar and say, ‘I do.’” (Want to know the secret to long-lasting love? Discover What Every Woman Wants.)

Happiness in a marriage might not always seem as exciting as when you first meet your wife, says Marsha Lucas, Ph.D., a psychologist in Washington, D.C. That’s because, as research proves, many people have a baseline level of happiness they tend to return to after a positive life event.

“During early romance, we’re getting all kinds of great, pleasurable experiences that are giving us a bit of a hit of dopamine, stimulating the brain areas involved with reward—even euphoria—as well as the motivation to seek out and return over and over to that same source to get some more,” she says. “After you’re married and the thrill has settled, those big, constant hits of dopamine taper off, and like coming down from a high, it can feel like a huge letdown.” (For more must-have relationship advice delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our free Girl Next Door newsletter.)

Lucas says that getting on the same page about your expectations for a marriage has a lot to do with identifying both you and your spouse’s attachment styles, and then working together to counter the other. (An “attachment style” is psych talk for the accumulation of childhood experiences, especially involving your parents, that control how you deal with relationships later in life). Just over half of Americans fall into the “healthy” secure attachment category. But 45 percent have an insecure style of attachment. That results in anxious feelings about seeking comfort, or a desire to minimize or avoid relationships altogether.

“Once you understand and have gotten clear about your own attachment style and its pitfalls, you’ll probably be able to see your spouse’s style more clearly, and hopefully more compassionately, as well,” Lucas says.

For example, if your wife tends to worry that if things aren’t fantastic, they’re about to fall apart, this can lead to very old, hidden memories triggering a fight-or-flight response to seemingly small issues (like you no longer bringing her flowers all the time). “The good news is that the two of you are in it as a team,” says Lucas. “These two styles can provide the fuel for shifting those old, less-than-optimal attachment styles into much healthier ones, leading to a relationship that’s better than it ever was.”

Protect your fertility

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:02:57 +0100

Everyone can take steps to protect their fertility. However, age is an important factor that affects fertility, especially in women.

If you're trying to conceive, you can find out how to give yourself the best chance

Even if babies are the last thing on your mind at the moment, you can take steps to help maintain your fertility.

Professor William Ledger, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Sheffield, explains the basics.

Age and fertility

When it comes to fertility, age matters.

Many people today wait until they're older to have children. But fertility declines over time, and you should consider this if you plan to have children later.

Both women and men are at their most fertile in their early twenties.

In women, fertility declines more quickly with age. This decline becomes rapid after the age of 35. This has a number of causes, but particularly the decline in the quality of the eggs released by the ovaries.

Around one-third of couples in which the woman is over 35 have fertility problems. This rises to two-thirds when the woman is over 40.

Women over 35 are also less likely to become pregnant as a result of fertility treatments, including IVF, and are more likely to have a miscarriage if they do become pregnant.

Men’s fertility gradually declines from around the age of 40, but most men are able to father children into their 50s and beyond.

Good fertility health

Other factors also affect fertility. But in many cases, you can take action to help protect your fertility.

Avoid STIs
Sexually transmitted infections, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, can damage a woman's fallopian tubes, which cause difficulties becoming pregnant. If you think you might have contracted an STI, go to your GP or a sexual health clinic. Find out more about STIs.

Don’t smoke
“Women who smoke 20 cigarettes a day experience the menopause on average two years earlier,” says Professor Ledger. Men who smoke risk damaging their sperm. Get advice on stopping smoking.

Be a healthy weight
Being underweight or overweight can lower your chances of conceiving. One cause of infertility is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), which is made worse by being overweight or obese. You can check whether you're a health weight with our Healthy weight calculator.

Drink sensibly
Women who regularly exceed the government’s recommended daily alcohol limits of 2-3 units may damage their fertility. Men who exceed 3-4 units a day may damage their sperm. See Drinking and alcohol for advice on safe drinking.

Keep your testicles cool
A man's testes should be one or two degrees cooler than the rest of their body. Tight underwear, hot showers and hot baths can all raise the temperature of the testes.

Avoid radiation and dangerous chemicals
Exposure to radiation and chemicals such as glycol ester, found in some paints, can damage fertility.

Fertility problems

If you've been trying to conceive for a year or more by having regular unprotected sex, it's time to see your GP.

Your GP can do tests to identify possible fertility problems, and can provide advice on the next steps.

source nhs.uk

Does coffee cause or prevent heart failure?

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 01:54:54 +0100

“Two cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of heart failure (but five can be bad for you),” the Daily Mail reported today. This seemingly contradictory headline is actually a fair but slightly overenthusiastic reflection of a review of research that looked at the relationship between regular coffee drinking and risk of heart failure.

Heart failure is a condition in which the heart cannot pump blood to meet the body’s demands, this can have many causes, the most common being a heart attack. This review of five large studies questioned people about how much coffee they drank and then examined whether they went on to develop heart failure. The combined results suggested that, compared to no coffee consumption, four to five servings of coffee a day was associated with an 11% lower risk. Drinking excessive amounts of coffee had no benefit – and is likely to give you the jitters.

Because some of the studies included people who had already had a heart attack, it is not clear whether some may have already had some stage of heart failure when their coffee drinking was assessed.

Although a systematic review can provide good evidence, the results of this one should be viewed with some caution. All of the included studies relied on self-reported coffee drinking and this can affect the reliability. Coffee consumption was only measured once and did not take into account any changes in consumption over the years. It is also unclear how the studies defined the outcome of heart failure. Because some of the studies included people who had already had a heart attack, it is not clear whether they were currently in some stage of heart failure when their coffee drinking was assessed. The studies were inconsistent in how they adjusted for other factors that can be related to heart failure risk, such as high blood pressure and obesity.

The type, strength and volume of coffee consumed by people in this study will also have varied widely, making it hard to get any clear message about the benefits or risks of coffee consumption.

Overall, this review does not prove that coffee is good for the heart - only a possible association between coffee drinking and the risk of heart failure. The relationship between coffee consumption and heart health remains confusing, with previous studies showing inconsistent results. As in most things, moderation is key.

Living With Asthma

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 01:37:14 +0100

If you have asthma, you’ll need long-term care. Successful asthma treatment requires that you take an active role in your care and follow your asthma action plan.

Learn How To Manage Your Asthma

Partner with your doctor to develop an asthma action plan. This plan will help you know when and how to take your medicines. The plan also will help you identify your asthma triggers and manage your disease if asthma symptoms worsen.

Children aged 10 or older—and younger children who can handle it—should be involved in creating and following their asthma action plans. For a sample plan, go to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "Asthma Action Plan."

Most people who have asthma can successfully manage their symptoms by following their asthma action plans and having regular checkups. However, knowing when to seek emergency medical care is important.

Learn how to use your medicines correctly. If you take inhaled medicines, you should practice using your inhaler at your doctor's office. If you take long-term control medicines, take them daily as your doctor prescribes.

Record your asthma symptoms as a way to track how well your asthma is controlled. Also, your doctor may advise you to use a peak flow meter to measure and record how well your lungs are working.

Your doctor may ask you to keep records of your symptoms or peak flow results daily for a couple of weeks before an office visit. You'll bring these records with you to the visit. (For more information about using a peak flow meter, go to "How Is Asthma Treated and Controlled?")

These steps will help you keep track of how well you're controlling your asthma over time. This will help you spot problems early and prevent or relieve asthma attacks. Recording your symptoms and peak flow results to share with your doctor also will help him or her decide whether to adjust your treatment.

Ongoing Care

Have regular asthma checkups with your doctor so he or she can assess your level of asthma control and adjust your treatment as needed. Remember, the main goal of asthma treatment is to achieve the best control of your asthma using the least amount of medicine. This may require frequent adjustments to your treatments.

If you find it hard to follow your asthma action plan or the plan isn't working well, let your health care team know right away. They will work with you to adjust your plan to better suit your needs.

Get treatment for any other conditions that can interfere with your asthma management.

Watch for Signs That Your Asthma Is Getting Worse

Your asthma might be getting worse if:

Your symptoms start to occur more often, are more severe, or bother you at night and cause you to lose sleep.
You're limiting your normal activities and missing school or work because of your asthma.
Your peak flow number is low compared to your personal best or varies a lot from day to day.
Your asthma medicines don't seem to work well anymore.
You have to use your quick-relief inhaler more often. If you're using quick-relief medicine more than 2 days a week, your asthma isn't well controlled.
You have to go to the emergency room or doctor because of an asthma attack.

If you have any of these signs, see your doctor. He or she might need to change your medicines or take other steps to control your asthma.

Partner with your health care team and take an active role in your care. This can help you better control your asthma so it doesn't interfere with your activities and disrupt your life.

Pharmacist Picks: Top Cough, Cold, and Allergy Products

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 01:23:41 +0100

Battling allergy, flu, or cold symptoms, such as a nasty cough? This chart includes products that pharmacists recommend most often for cough, cold, and allergies:

Category	#1 Recommended Brand(s)
Antihistamines—Oral	Claritin
Bronchial Asthma	Primatene
Cold Remedies	Cold-EEZE (tie) Zicam (tie)
Cough Suppressants	Delsym
Cough/Cold/Flu Combinations—Daytime	Vicks DayQuil (tie) Advil Cold & Sinus (tie)
Cough/Cold/Flu Combinations—Nighttime	Vicks NyQuil
Cough/Cold/Flu Combinations—Liquid Formulations	Robitussin
Cough/Cold/Flu Combinations—Solid Formulations	Advil Cold & Sinus (tie) Sudafed / pseudoephedrine (tie)
Decongestants—Oral	Sudafed/pseudoephedrine
Decongestants—Nasal/Topical	Afrin
Expectorants	Mucinex
Flu Products	TheraFlu (tie) Tylenol Cold & Flu Severe (tie)
Homeopathic Cold Products	Zicam (tie) Cold-EEZE (tie)
Homeopathic Cough Products	Hyland's Cough Syrup
Homeopathic Flu Products	Oscillococcinum
Sinus Products	Sudafed/pseudoephedrine (tie) Claritin-D (tie)
Topical Cough Suppressants	Halls
Topical Cough Suppressants—Lozenges	Halls
Topical Cough Suppressants—Ointments	Vicks VapoRub
Zinc Cold Remedies	Cold-EEZE
Zinc Lozenges	Cold-EEZE

Nuns at Higher Risk for Cancer

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:59:57 +0100

Nuns pay a high price for their chastity. Leading a life without having children increases the risk of cancer. Therefore, the Catholic Church should allow nuns to take the contraceptive pill to reduce the high death rates from breast, ovarian and uterine cancer, researchers say.

In the first half of the 20th century, researchers already found out about the alarming mortality rate among nuns caused by cancer. A study of nearly 32,000 Catholic nuns in the U.S. showed that nuns more often die of cancer compared to other women of their age. Childlessness increases the risk of cancer, because pregnancy and breastfeeding reduce the number of ovulatory cycles a woman has during life. More ovulatory cycles means a higher risk of getting cancer.

As outlined by Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae in 1968, the Catholic church condemns all forms of contraception. Today, in an online publication in The Lancet, Dr Kara Britt from Monash University, Melbourne, and Professor Roger Short from the University of Melbourne plead that nuns should be free to use the contraceptive pill. Previous research shows it reduces the overall mortality rates of women who have ever taken it by 12% compared with non-users. The risk of developing ovarian and endometrial cancers falls by 50%-60% in pill users compared with women who never used it, protection that persists for 20 years.

“If the Catholic church could make the contraceptive pill freely available to all its nuns, it would reduce the risk of those accursed pests, cancer of the ovary and uterus, and give nuns’ plight the recognition it deserves”

Source: The Guardian

Understanding Depression

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 06:01:06 +0100

Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of life. But when emptiness and despair take hold and won't go away, it may be depression. Just getting through the day can be overwhelming. No matter how hopeless you feel, the first step to recovery is to understand the problem.

What is depression?We all go through ups and downs in our mood. Sadness is a normal reaction to life’s struggles, setbacks, and disappointments. Many people use the word “depression” to explain these kinds of feelings, but depression is much more than just sadness.

Some people describe depression as “living in a black hole” or having a feeling of impending doom. However, some depressed people don't feel sad at all—they may feel lifeless, empty, and apathetic, or men in particular may even feel angry, aggressive, and restless.

Whatever the symptoms, depression is different from normal sadness in that it engulfs your day-to-day life, interfering with your ability to work, study, eat, sleep, and have fun. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are intense and unrelenting, with little, if any, relief.

Are you depressed?

If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression.

you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
you feel hopeless and helpless
you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
you are much more irritable, short-tempered, or aggressive than usual
you’re consuming more alcohol than normal or engaging in other reckless behavior
you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediately if this is the case)

Common signs and symptoms of depression

Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. A bleak outlook—nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation.
Loss of interest in daily activities. No interest in former hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
Appetite or weight changes. Significant weight loss or weight gain—a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month.
Sleep changes. Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping (also known as hypersomnia).
Anger or irritability. Feeling agitated, restless, or even violent. Your tolerance level is low, your temper short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves.
Loss of energy. Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Your whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
Self-loathing. Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. You harshly criticize yourself for perceived faults and mistakes.
Reckless behavior. You engage in escapist behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports.
Concentration problems. Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things.
Unexplained aches and pains. An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.

Causes and risk factors for depression

Loneliness
Lack of social support
Recent stressful life experiences
Family history of depression
Marital or relationship problems

The road to depression recovery

Just as the symptoms and causes of depression are different in different people, so are the ways to feel better. What works for one person might not work for another, and no one treatment is appropriate in all cases. If you recognize the signs of depression in yourself or a loved one, take some time to explore the many treatment options. In most cases, the best approach involves a combination of social support, lifestyle changes, emotional skills building, and professional help.

Make healthy lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes are not always easy to make, but they can have a big impact on depression. Lifestyle changes that can be very effective include:

Cultivating supportive relationships
Getting regular exercise and sleep
Eating healthfully to naturally boost mood

Managing stress
Practicing relaxation techniques
Challenging negative thought patterns

source helpguide.org

Financial strain
Early childhood trauma or abuse
Alcohol or drug abuse
Unemployment or underemployment
Health problems or chronic pain

Ask for help and support

If even the thought of tackling your depression seems overwhelming, don’t panic. Feeling helpless and hopeless is a symptom of depression—not the reality of your situation. It does not mean that you’re weak or you can’t change! The key to depression recovery is to start small and ask for help. Having a strong support system in place will speed your recovery. Isolation fuels depression, so reach out to others, even when you feel like being alone. Let your family and friends know what you’re going through and how they can support you.

6 Symptoms You Shouldn't Self-Treat

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 05:34:17 +0100

Watching Grey's Anatomy won't help you heal yourself, though it may make you happy. While it's fine to self-treat symptoms such as a runny nose or a mild headache, others require a health professional's attention. And a phone consult isn't always enough: Your doctor may need to see you. For instance, if you're having symptoms for the first time and are unsure why, consider scheduling a visit with your healthcare provider. And if you're experiencing familiar symptoms, you may still need medical advice, especially if the problems stick around.

"I certainly understand a patient wanting to just get some information over the phone. But a description over the phone doesn't always tell us what's going on," says Randy Wexler, a physician and associate professor of family medicine at Ohio State University. Read on to get information about common symptoms you shouldn't self-treat—even though a quick trip to the drug store can be very, very tempting.

Heartburn. You're starting to pop antacids like candy, and that's a problem. If you have heartburn twice a week or more and have been taking antacids or heartburn medications for more than two weeks, see your doctor, advises the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). You could have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more serious form of acid reflux that can cause complications like ulcers and cancer if left untreated.

Another reason to dial your doc: "Sometimes heart disease can mimic heartburn," says Jorge Rodriguez, a gastroenterologist in Newport Beach, Calif., and author of The Acid Reflux Solution: A Cookbook and Lifestyle Guide for Healing Heartburn Naturally. If you have a cardiac issue, you need to be checked out. Plus, even if heart issues aren't to blame (and we hope they're not), prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications can be dangerous if used for long periods of time, he adds. (For instance, OTC drugs such as Prilosec and Prevacid can increase your risk of fractures, according to the Food and Drug Administration.) Most doctors can treat GERD and will often recommend lifestyle changes, NIDDK reports.

Chronic dry eye. It's easy to rely on often-hyped eye drops, but if you always feel like you're in the Sahara (and you're not in the Sahara), consult a health professional. "People think that any time their eye is red that they just need eyedrops," says Wexler. But you could have anything from an infection to allergies. You'll want to see your doctor to figure out why your eyes are dry, so you can have any underlying problem treated and your vision checked, Wexler says.

Abnormal vaginal discharge. If your discharge suddenly smells or looks different, don't douche or buy over-the-counter yeast infection cream. You could have a bacterial infection, such as bacterial vaginosis, a sexually transmitted disease, or even non-allergic vaginitis (often caused by irritation from sprays, douches, or spermicides). And if you have a bacterial infection—the most common culprit of suspicious discharge in women of childbearing age—you'll need prescription antibiotics, according to the National Library of Medicine. Your healthcare professional can do an exam and recommend appropriate treatment.

A wound or bump that won't go away. You've had a weird spot or lump on your skin for more than a couple of weeks—it may look like the worst pimple ever—so you slather it with drugstore cream and hope for the best. Or you wait it out. Not the best idea. If you have a wound that's changing shape, growing, or not healing, "you need to see a doctor because it could be skin cancer," says Zoe Diana Draelos, vice president of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and a consulting professor of dermatology at Duke University School of Medicine. Skin cancer can look different on different people, reports the AAD, but it does have a high cure rate if caught early. By the way, similar rules apply for your mouth. If you have a sore that doesn't improve after a week or two, call your dentist, advises the American Dental Association. While many mouth sores are harmless, others can signal infection or oral cancer.

A blister on the tip of your nose.See your doctor immediately, says Draelos. These blisters, often painful, could signal shingles, which is caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox. Though people over 50 and people with a weakened immune system have a higher risk, "anyone who's had chicken pox can get shingles," says Draelos. And shingles on your face can damage an eye, says Draelos, so you must seek treatment.

Heart palpitations accompanied by other symptoms. Your job is stressing you out. Or maybe it's your super active kids. But if you suddenly feel your heart beating extra fast or irregularly, it could signal a cardiac problem—especially if the feeling is accompanied by symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, or shortness of breath. (If you have these latter symptoms, call 911, advises the National Library of Medicine; and call your doctor if you have frequent palpitations or if you have risk factors for heart disease.) "People often think, 'well it's just anxiety,' but there are certain heart conditions that just present that way," Wexler says. So don't assume you can simply wait it out and move on. And, in general, don't think that you're bothering your healthcare provider if you have questions or concerns, says Wexler. If something feels very wrong or if your symptoms are ongoing, make the call .

source Health usa

For Kids, Laughter Really May Be the Best Medicine

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 19:26:40 +0100

Scans show that humor activates parts of the brain linked to resilience, well-being in children

TUESDAY, Jan. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Specific areas of children's brains that are activated by humor have been identified by researchers in a first-of-a-kind study.

The findings, published Feb. 1 in the Journal of Neuroscience, will provide a base for understanding how humor and other positive emotions can affect a child's well-being, according to the Stanford University School of Medicine team.

"Humor is a very important component of emotional health, maintaining relationships, developing cognitive [brain] function and perhaps even medical health," senior study author Dr. Allan Reiss, director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Brain Sciences Research at Stanford, said in a university news release.

A strong sense of humor is an important part of positive emotion and may help children to be more resilient, he noted.

"In particular, we think a balanced and consistent sense of humor may help children negotiate the difficult period of pre-adolescence and adolescence," Reiss said.

The researchers used functional MRI to scan the brains of 15 children, aged 6 to 12, while they watched short video clips that were categorized as funny, positive or neutral. The positive clips were rewarding to watch but not funny. The neutral clips were neither rewarding nor funny.

The brain scans showed that the funny videos activated two regions of the children's brains that also respond to humor in adults. However, these circuits aren't as developed in children.

Humor activated the children's mesolimbic regions, which process rewards, and the temporal-occipital-parietal junction, which processes perceived incongruities. Incongruities are things that go together that represent opposites (for example, many clowns emerging from a tiny car).

The positive videos activated the reward-processing area but not the area that processes incongruity. This suggests that incongruity -- a surprise for the brain -- is an important factor in humor, the researchers concluded.

"Negative emotional states such as depression or anxiety are compelling to study, but you can't completely understand why a child has emotional stability or instability until you look at both sides of the coin," Reiss said in the news release. "This work is setting the stage for helping us look at how humor predicts resilience and well-being."

More information

The American Psychiatric Association offers an overview ofchildren's mental health.
source : http://health.usnews.com