What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?

By M. XavierMost people aren't aware of the fact that there are over onehundred different kinds of arthritis, and each one comes withits own unique set of symptoms. One of the lesser known formsor arthritis is called psoriatic arthritis. This type ofarthritis is associated with psoriasis, a skin condition thatis evidenced by red, raised or patchy areas of skin as well asthe classic joint pain symptoms that are common to just aboutall forms of arthritis. While this type of arthritis usually doesn't develop before the30s, it has been known to afflict all age groups, up until theage of 50 or so. The condition is not gender specific, althoughit may be considered hereditary, as parents or siblings with thedisease show a high rate of development in family members. Knowing and understanding the signs of psoriatic arthritis arean important first step toward finding adequate treatmentmeasures, for both the psoriasis and the arthritis. This may beeasier said than done however, as many people experiencedifferent symptoms, at different rates, and flare-upoccurrences typically delay treatment. Many people go for years without being diagnosed with psoriaticarthritis because the symptoms can come and go. Only recentlyhas the disease been recognized as both progressive and withthe ability to worsen from mild to severe forms. In some,chronic pain and inflammation of joints offers early detectionof the disease, but its similarity with several other types ofarthritis often make diagnosis difficult. Psoriatic arthritis is considered an arthritis that will affectthe spine, and may also mirror the signs and symptoms ofrheumatoid arthritis. Most often, pain and swelling is noticedin the wrists, knees and ankles, as well as fingers and toes. In some, swelling at the tips of digits creates an almostsausage-like appearance. Many people suffering from this typeof arthritis feel pain in their lower back, as well asbuttocks, accompanied with grey, scaly areas on the scalp,elbows and knees. Five types of psoriatic arthritis exist, which may oftenoverlap in one individual. Determining what you are sufferingfrom takes the expertise of a physician, and more often thannot, patients are referred to a rheumatologist. Only an expertwill be able to tell you whether you suffer from one type oranother. Some forms of this disease occur on one side of the body only,while others develop on both sides. Other forms of this type ofarthritis can affect the spine, while another form, ArthritisMulitans Type Psoriatic Arthritis, while rare, can be severe aswell as disabling. If you feel that you might be suffering from any form ofarthritis, keep a list of your symptoms, when they occur, aswell as how long you have been feeling pain or have noticedwarmth or swelling in your joints. While there is no cure forarthritis, with a proper treatment plan and perhaps evenmedications, most people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritislead otherwise normal, healthy lifestyles.About the Author: For more information on arthritis, tryvisiting http://www.easyarthritistips.com a website thatspecializes in providing arthritis related tips, advice andresources to include information on psoriatic arthritis.Source: http://www.isnare.com

The Truth About Buying Treadmills

The great attraction of a home treadmill is being able to exercise whenever you want to, regardless of the weather. Treadmills are designed to enhance the most popular form of exercise - walking, jogging and running. The home treadmill has experienced substantial growth over the past few years. A treadmill consists of a wide belt that's stretched over a bed and around two or more rollers. A well-constructed treadmill is a piece of home exercise equipment that every member of your family can enjoy. With treadmills you need to watch out for the impact involved when your feet hit the belt; your body absorbs up to two and a half times your body weight.Some excellent features, like heart monitors and safety keys that automatically stop the treadmill if you slip, will contribute to the enjoyment and safety of your treadmill workout or help add motivation. Notice that some treadmill heart rate monitors clip onto an ear or, for more accurate readings, strap on to the chest. Adjustable inclines let you vary the steepness of a hill.The newest models of treadmills come with many extra features. Features such as extra cup holders, built-in fans, CD players and other electronic gizmos may be handy but not essential for you to get an ideal workout. Some treadmills monitor your heart by way of sensors built into the frame that are gripped by the hands, but this can only be done if you're walking not running. The more expensive treadmill models will also offer a selection of preprogrammed exercise routines. Folding treadmills collapse to allow for easy storage and are ideal for people without enough room for a bulky exercise machine. Before buying, make sure the deck area provides enough space for you to exercise in comfort and the belt should work smoothly without slipping or sticking. Keep in mind that what feels right to you may not accommodate others around you as comfortably. Consider bringing your water bottle and towel to the treadmill store and try out their treadmills.Once you've decided on the treadmill that you think is right for you, make sure to compare prices online. It's best to get a treadmill that has a warranty that lasts for at least a year. Treadmills are a very important investment, regardless of the price; if it's not right for you, you don't want to find this out after you've set the treadmill up at home.If you're looking for a heavy-duty treadmill that can withstand running as well as walking, be prepared to spend more money. To make sure that your treadmill is sturdy and comfortable and doesn't operate noisily, step on it and test it out before you buy. Make sure to check out the warranty, this is very important.Consider the cost of maintaining your treadmill as well. You'll want a treadmill with an aluminum or high alloy steel frame that's strong enough to support the heaviest runner who'll be using it. The more incline variation offered in a treadmill unit, the more expensive the model will be. The first thing to consider when shopping for a home treadmill is the kind of use you need it for. Better quality treadmills provide excellent cushioning to limit the impact on knees, ankles, hips and lower backs. Selections of preprogrammed exercise routines are not essential to obtaining a good workout from a treadmill, but they do help to provide motivation. Walking, whether on a treadmill or not, is one of the best approaches anyone can take toward fitness. Make sure to see your doctor or naturopathic doctor before you start any new fitness or exercise program. A treadmill is a good investment for anyone who has decided to make a conscious effort to become healthy and fit. Choosing the best treadmill is easier than ever. Purchasing a treadmill can be overwhelming but with help from treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews you should be able to make an informed decision.For more information on saving money on treadmills and best buy shopping for treadmills online and offline, go to Helen Hecker R.N.'s http://www.Best-Treadmill-Tips.com specializing in treadmill tips, advice, and resources, including information on treadmill ratings and treadmill reviews

Baloney And The Fountain Of Youth

By: Tracie Johanson Lately I've been receiving a lot of spam emails. It's amazing how many of them are promising quick weight loss without any effort! One of them even promised that their new 'super tonic' was the new Fountain of Youth.....just take their product and watch the years fade away. If you'll excuse the expression, that's all just a bunch of baloney. The radio advertisements promise "weight loss without diet or exercise" and the infomercials brag about the newest and greatest pill that will magically make the fat melt away.....baloney!I'd like to ask those advertisers just a few questions: If your "magic-weight-loss-potion-miracle-in-a-bottle" is the real deal, then why hasn't the media picked up on the story? If your product is indeed the Fountain of Youth, why didn't my doctor recommend it? Why isn't it being featured on CNN and all the major news networks?The reason why the media, and the entire world, isn't going ga-ga over these new 'miracle' cures is that they're not real miracle cures.However, I do have some BIG NEWS for you! Against all odds, after careful research and years of painstaking effort, WE HAVE DISCOVERED THE REAL FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH!!!The only real Fountain of Youth (at least, the closest thing we've found) is EXERCISE! There, now you're in on the secret too! It turns out that our doctor was right, the Surgeon General was right, the American Medical Association was right, and your old coach was right too.....the best way to help keep the body young and healthy is through regular exercise!The human body can fail in a staggering number of ways. Yet most problems develop gradually over months, years or decades. That leaves plenty of time for action. Doctors can help, but studies show that at least 70 percent of healthy aging depends on decisions each person makes about diet, exercise, smoking and other lifestyle choices (Source: St. Petersburg physician Timothy Carlson).Did you catch that? Let's read it again: At least 70 percent of healthy aging depends on decisions each person makes about diet, exercise, smoking and other lifestyle choices! Now that's what I call the Fountain of Youth!Unfortunately, the vast majority of people make poor decisions. "Only 18% of patients are at goal," meaning that their body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and so on are normal (Source: St. Petersburg physician Timothy Carlson).Guess what? Regular exercise improves body weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and so much more! People who engage in regular exercise are much more likely to be in the 18% group.....the 18% who are at their goal.So what are we waiting for? Let's go exercise!Until next time, we'll see you at the Fountain of Youth.....oops, I mean we'll see you at the gym!Article Source: http://www.nulife-weightloss.com/articlesTracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.

Some Helpful Information About Dry Skin

Xeroderma (dry skin) occurs most commonly on the lower legs, arms, the sides of the abdomen and thighs. Xeroderma literally means "dry skin". It's easy to treat dry skin cheaply, simply, naturally, yet effective, at home.Skin contains the hair follicles, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, apocrine glands and blood vessels. Skin also harbors many nerve endings that provide the sense of touch and heat. Skin is considered one of the most important parts of the body.The dermis is tightly connected to the epidermis by a basement membrane. The dermis is the layer of skin beneath the epidermis that consists of connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. The blood vessels in the dermis provide nourishment and waste removal to its own cells as well as the epidermis. Xeroderma can also be caused by a deficiency of vitamin A, systemic illness, overexposure to sunlight or some medications. Dermatitis, contact dermatitis, eczema, seborrhea or psoriasis may cause the skin to be dry too. Certain drugs, including diuretics, antispasmodics, and antihistamines, can contribute to dry skin. Dry skin happens more often in the winter when cold air outside and heated air inside cause low humidity.Apply moisturizers just after a bath or shower, when your skin is still damp. Drink plenty of water every day. Thick, oily-type moisturizers work bestFor an easy fiber boost, mix in 2 tablespoons of ground up flaxseeds in raw applesauce, from 2-3 apples, made in your food processor. Eat foods that contain essential fatty acids. You want to work from the inside out too. The two most common, sluggish, digestion culprits that affect your skin are not enough water and not enough fiber. Drink freshly juiced carrot juice every day. Use bath oils and moisturizers, especially coconut oil, at least daily. Apply coconut oil to heal and soothe your skin. Apply a thin layer of coconut oil and massage it deep into the skin. It just takes motivation, a willingness to try it, and diligent application of coconut oil several times daily and at bedtime to see its benefits. The skin supports its own ecosystems of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, which cannot be removed by any amount of cleaning. The skin is subject to constant attack from without, so can be affected by numerous conditions, diseases and ailments. Functions of the skin are disturbed when it is dirty; it becomes more easily damaged, the release of antibacterial compounds decreases and dirty skin is more prone to develop infections. If your dry skin lasts for a long time and is itchy or feels hot when you touch it, see your doctor. With this information your dry skin should be well on its way to recovery. If you're still worried, or the problems persist, go and see your doctor.For more information on coconut oil treatment for dry skin & dry skin care treatments, see Helen Hecker R.N.'s http://www.Best-Skin-Care-Tips.com specializing in care for skin conditions with tips, advice and resources for women, men, teens, babies, including information on best natural products

Weight Loss Tips

Weight Loss TipsCopyright (c) 2007 Jon M. StoutGolden Moon Teahttp://www.GoldenMoonTea.comToday, doctors are calling obesity our number one health concernin the United States. Today, about 30% of the adult population inthis country is considered obese. In addition, 16% of childrenbetween the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. Though it has gaineda tremendous amount of attention in the past few years, theproblem is still on the rise.One of this country's national health objectives is to reducethe incidence of obesity to less than 15% of the adult populationby the year 2010. And, while there is a lot of talk about theproblem, many people don't seem to truly understand the stepsthey need to take to get their weight under control.Most of us understand that in order to lose weight you need toburn more calories than you consume. However, many people attemptto reach this goal by seriously restricting their calorie intake.This type of dieting generally fails for two reasons.First of all, when you begin to significantly reduce the numberof calories you consume, your body goes into starvation mode.When in starvation mode, your body works very hard to hold ontothe fat that you have, decreasing the number of calories you'reburning. This means that your body is adjusting itself to thereduced number of calories you're consuming.Secondly, starvation diets are not realistic. We simply cannotlive on such restrictive plans for any significant length oftime. So, we begin to feel deprived, and before you know it,we've given up on dieting.Doctors believe that just after a starvation diet, our bodieswill quickly accumulate fat when we begin to eat again, as thoughtrying to make up for the famine it just endured. So, often, justa few weeks after ending a diet, we find that we're fatter thanbefore. We feel defeated and as though losing weight is simplynot possible.However, losing weight is possible if you approach the situationcorrectly. There are two important pieces to the weight losspuzzle. The first is adjusting your diet.Adjusting your diet doesn't mean eating so little that you'rehungry nearly all the time. Adjusting your diet for permanentweight loss means replacing your high fat, high calorie foodswith those that are healthier and contain fewer calories. Byeating the right foods, you can easily eat enough to feelsatisfied, but still lose weight. Avoiding hunger will help youstick to your diet long enough to see serious results.Take a look at the way you're eating. Get rid of thehydrogenated fats like butter and replace them with healthy oneslike olive oil. Eat mostly chicken and fish - making red meats anoccasional meal rather than a regular one. Eat lots of freshfruits and vegetables, and make your breads and cereals only fromwhole grains. Avoid processed foods. If you can make thesesubstitutions, you should lose weight automatically.The second part of the weight loss equation is speeding up yourmetabolism. You can make a significant difference in the numberof calories you burn each day, making weight loss and weightmaintenance far easier.The fastest and easiest way to speed up your metabolism is toexercise. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.Walking is a great exercise that anyone can do. In addition, tryto make your life more active in general. Take the stairs insteadof the elevator and walk wherever you can.Be sure to get in some resistance training, as well. Muscle, evenwhen resting, burns more calories than fat, so adding someadditional muscle is extremely beneficial. You don't need to aimto be a body builder; just 20 minutes of strength training 3times a week is enough to build some additional muscle. Strengthtraining will also help shape your body, making your weight lossresults more noticeable.It is also beneficial to use foods to your advantage when itcomes to speeding up your metabolism. For example, eat thosefoods that require lots of energy to digest, like raw fruits andvegetables. Many raw vegetables actually require more calories todigest than they contain!In addition, try adding some tea to your diet. Tea has been shownto speed up the metabolism and help oxidize fat. It may also havethe ability to inhibit the absorption of dietary fat into thebody.One research study, conducted at Maastricht University in TheNetherlands, looked at tea's ability to increase thermogenesis,burning fat and speeding up the metabolism. Many studies haveshown that caffeine helps speed weight loss, but tea seems tohave more potential than other beverages with caffeine.Tea's catechins, a potent form of anti-oxidant, seem to work inconjunction with the caffeine in tea to burn fat and speed upmetabolism. The study in the Netherlands came to this conclusion,along with concluding that other substances often used to speedmetabolism, like caffeine with ephedra, simply are not safeenough to be recommended as a weight loss supplement.For those prone to being overweight, keeping the scale in checkis a lifelong project. But, armed with the right tools, includinga sensible diet, regular exercise and helpers like tea,maintaining a normal weight for the long term is entirelypossible.http://ajpregu.physiology.org/cgi/content/abstract/00832.2005v1---------------------------------------------------------------------Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden MoonTea Company. For more information about tea,(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea) green tea (http://www.goldenmoontea.com/blacktea) and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com

Can Oolong Tea Help Men Lose Weight?

It seems that were all fighting the battle of the bulge.Especially as we get older, it seems to get harder to keep thepounds at bay. We often think of women as being the dieters,but in fact, men are just as subject to weight problems aswomen.As youre looking for ways to make weight loss easier, considerthe research that has been performed on the health benefits oftea. Tea has long been used in Asian cultures to preventillness and protect health, and it seems that science isproving what Asians have believed all along: tea is good foryou.Lifelong tea drinkers have lower incidences of heart disease,high cholesterol and some forms of cancer. They are also lesslikely to suffer from diabetes or be overweight. Tea protectsyour teeth and may even have potential to prevent diseases likeParkinsons and Alzheimers.We are beginning to learn a lot about the benefits of tea, butclearly there is much more to learn, so that we can pinpointexactly how we can best use tea to help with medical needs.One of the most promising areas of tea research centers on teaas a weight loss aid. Much research has shown that tea seems tospeed up the metabolism and promote fat oxidation. Other studieshave shown that lifelong tea drinkers are less likely to beoverweight, have a lower percentage of body fat and have alower waist to hip ratio.In addition, studies have shown that when tea was part of asensible diet and exercise plan, subjects lose more weight thanthose subjects who used a diet and exercise plan without tea asa supplement.One study that is particularly interesting was conducted by theBeltsville Human Nutrition Center in Maryland in conjunctionwith the University of Tokushima in Japan. In this study,twelve men between the ages of 25 and 60 were evaluated. Allparticipants were in good health, and the study was conductedover a period of one month. The target participants were thosewho consumed the caffeine equivalent of 2-4 cups of coffee eachday.Prior to the beginning of the study, each participant wasevaluated with regard to their calorie expenditure per daywithout caffeine or tea. During the study, each participant wasplaced into one of four study groups. One group received asupplement of water, one group received water with caffeine,one group received half strength oolong tea and one groupreceived full strength oolong tea.For three days, the participants were fed the exact same diet.The diet was low calorie and free of caffeine, other than thecaffeine in the beverage supplements. The beverage supplementswere given to the participants five times per day.This study found that the participants who drank full strengthoolong tea and caffeinated water burned more calories in a daythan the subjects who drank water or half strength tea.Drinking caffeinated water increased energy expenditure by 3.4%over those participants who drank water alone.Drinking full strength tea increased energy expenditure by 2.9%over drinking water alone. Drinking half strength tea did notsignificantly increase energy expenditure over drinking wateralone.So, why not just drink water with caffeine?You might ask why we wouldnt just drink water with caffeine tohelp increase our metabolic rate. Well, according to this study,you could do just that. However, when you consider the manyother studies that have touted the many other benefits of teaconsumption, its clear that getting your metabolic boost fromtea is far healthier than adding caffeine to your water.Tea is full of anti-oxidants, which is believed to be why itprevents illnesses and protects health. Anti-oxidants arepowerful fighters of free radicals in the body. Free radicalsare oxygen containing molecules that are created as aby-product of our digestion process.These free radicals damage our cells and DNA if left unchecked.However, consuming anti-oxidants combats these free radicalsbefore they can harm our bodies. Scientists have shown thatconsuming a diet high in anti-oxidants helps us to avoidserious illnesses and slows down the aging process.In addition, there have been other studies that have suggestedthat tea promotes more weight loss through fat oxidation thanother caffeinated beverages. It is believed that this too isthe result of anti-oxidants. It appears that the combination ofcaffeine with the anti-oxidants in tea is a more powerful weightloss supplement than caffeine in other beverages.Finally, research has shown that the caffeine in tea seems tobe better tolerated than other forms of caffeine. Many peoplewho are caffeine sensitive find that they can drink tea withoutthe usual side effects of caffeine. The caffeine in tea oftendoes not produce the irregular heart rate and nervous jittersthat caffeine sensitive people experience from othercaffeinated beverages.So, adding tea to your diet plan may be a great way to speed upyour weight loss. Tea is healthy, refreshing, inexpensive andreadily available. So, why not add tea to your diet routine?About The Author: Marcus Stout is President of the Golden MoonTea Company. For more information about tea, green tea andblack tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com

Quick Weight Loss!

By: Tracie Johanson Perhaps you've heard the joke about the shocking news headlines from the year 2050: "New study reveals that exercise and proper nutrition is the key to successful weight loss!"It seems that we're always looking for a quick and easy way to lose fat, but those darn studies and that reputable research just keeps getting in the way of our dream!There's always someone out there telling us we can lose fat without watching our diet and without any exercise. As much as we'd like to believe that's true, deep down inside we know better. The ads promising that we can 'get slim quick' remind us of the 'get rich quick' infomercials we see on late-night television. Still, there's no shortage of 'get slim quick' products out there.A YaHoo search of the term "Easy Weight Loss" yielded about 10,600,000 hits.A Google search of the phrase "Quick Weight Loss" showed about 14,300,000 recommended sites to visit.Looking up "Easy Fat Loss" on YaHoo revealed about 4,290,000 answers.Finally, running a Google search for "I want to lose weight but I don't want to exercise because I don't have the time, money or will power" will bring up about 633,000 sites. We're not kidding!Compare that to the Google results for "Weight Loss Truth": only about 2,760,000.PERMANENT FAT LOSS REQUIRES EFFORT:Let's face it, there really is no good way to lose fat without any effort. Successful and permanent weight (fat) loss takes some time, it takes some effort, and it certainly requires some exercise. Consider what Dr. Gabe Mirkin had to say on the subject: "There are many products on the market today that promise to help you lose weight. None will help you unless they get you to exercise more and eat fewer calories." (Source: The Sportsmedicine Institute, Inc. - DrMirkin.com)DON'T BE TEMPTED BY SHORTCUTS:So is it possible to lose weight quickly? Sure, but weight loss achieved quickly and/or by 'cheating' will never be permanent and is usually not healthy.Remember the phen-fen pills that were popular just a few years ago? While they certainly helped you lose weight, they were withdrawn from the market in September of 1997 after being linked to the occurrence of serious cardiac valvular disease, and primary pulmonary hypertension.Ephedra, another weight loss pill, was pulled from shelves on April 12, 2004. After a careful review of the available evidence about the risks and benefits of ephedra in supplements, the FDA found that these supplements present an unreasonable risk of illness or injury to consumers. The data showed little evidence of ephedra's effectiveness, except for short-term weight loss, while confirming that the substance raises blood pressure and stresses the heart (Source: nccam.nih.gov).Please note that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that ephedra was effective for only short-term weight loss. Does that sound like a permanent solution?There are lots of other 'shortcuts' out there, from laxatives to harsh stimulants. There are also some honestly good products that can help us lose fat if they are used in conjunction with regular exercise and healthy nutrition. Green tea is a good example. Clinical studies conducted by Dr. Abdul Dulloo, of the University of Geneva in Switzerland brought the conclusion that green tea weight raises metabolic rates and speeds up fat oxidation (Source: green-tea.dminternational.biz).THE TAKE-HOME MESSAGE:So what's the take-home message? The bottom line is that there is no 'get slim quick' miracle out there. The only way to achieve permanent fat loss is by following the same advice we've been hearing for years: exercise regularly and watch what we eat.Let's watch out for products that claim we can achieve the body we've always wanted without diet or exercise. We know that's not true, so let's not be tempted by the empty promise.Article Source: http://www.nulife-weightloss.com/articlesTracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.