Health and Wellness

Functional medicine is a drastically different approach to health and wellbeing and if you look online for ‘the best functional medicine doctors near me’ you are likely to be surprised with the abundance of choices which you have.

Functional medicine is a novel and relatively new approach to medicine and it is playing a key role in many sectors within the healthcare industry, giving many patients hope and support for a wide range of issues. There are numerous benefits to this approach to medicine which we are going to discuss today.

Depth

One of the key aspects of functional medicine is that it doesn’t look to simply treat an issue, but rather look deeper into the patient to find root causes. Instead of simply assuming that a rash is down a reaction to something, this branch of medicine will focus on what inside you reacted to that foreign body. This is the same for any ailment and it is through this depth of study that functional medicine really comes to the fore. Instead of simply putting a band aid over a problem, functional medicine looks to cure and treat the root issue once and for all.

Highlight Issues

Because of the way in which functional medicine reviews a patient, there are very often secondary and tertiary issues which are found, that perhaps the patient had no idea about. Through this process patients have a much higher chance of early diagnosis for a wide range of ailments and illnesses. Patients who attend functional medicine centers will have every aspect of their body, their daily history and their lives looked into, to truly discover what the issue is that is causing a particular set of symptoms.

Accuracy

It is still relatively early days for this particular practice of medicine but what we have seen already is some incredibly high accuracy in the treatment and most importantly in the diagnosis of patients for certain diseases and disorders. There is of course a very long way to go for this branch of medicine but owing to the highly detailed approach that is taken, it is clear that more and more patients are able to live healthier lives and get treated quickly because of the speed and the accuracy of the diagnosis.

Determination

Because of the way that this form of medicine is practiced there is a real determination from those working within it to help the patients and they will not stop until they believe that they have treated the issue right from its roots. This is why more and more patients are realizing the benefits of this new approach to medicine as it leaves no stone unturned. Ultimately people want to know what they should be doing differently and this is what patients of functional medicine practitioners will be able to discover.

This is an exciting branch of medicine that is moving at great speed and helping tens of thousands of patients each year, and in the coming years we can expect that to grow a great deal.

 

At some point in your life, there’s a good chance that you’ll have to have some kind of surgery. Even with the safest of surgeries come with their fair share of risks for complications. But with the right preparation and after-care plans, you can reduce your chances of experiencing complications that can make your surgery more dangerous.

To show you how this can be done, here are three ways to prevent complications following surgery.

Prepare For Recovery Before Your Surgery

While you can’t necessarily prepare for complications that could take place while you’re having your surgery, you can prepare for addressing any complications that may happen while you recover.

To help with this, Carissa Stephens, a contributor to Healthline.com, recommends that you prepare for your recovery as best you can by asking your doctor any relevant questions about your surgery or about your post-operative care. Some of the questions you might want to ask could include what supplies or medications you’ll need during recovery, what side effects you should expect, and what are some common complications you’ll need to look out for.

With all of this information, you should be able to be prepared for both the best and worst-case scenarios that could take place during your surgery and recovery period.

Pay Attention To Your Body

Once your surgery has been completed and you’re at home recovering, you can continue to avoid complications by paying attention to your body and how you seem to be recovering.

According to Carol DerSarkissian, a contributor to WebMD.com, you should try to really connect with how your body is feeling and recognize if anything seems different than you expected or if you’re feeling “off” in any way. If you do start to feel like something’s wrong or that you’re not recovering as you should be, make sure to call your doctor as soon as possible so that, in the event that something is wrong, you can get it taken care of before it becomes a bigger complication than it already is.

Keep Things As Clean As You Can

One of the biggest reasons why people develop complications at home following a surgical procedure is due to not keeping things as clean as they should be. If your incisions become infected, you can develop major complications as a result of that.

To combat this, Jennifer Whitlock, a contributor to Very Well Health, advises that you wash your hands often, keep your incision clean and dry, and use antibacterial hand sanitizer if you have to leave your home. Taking these measures will help you decrease your chances of developing an infection as you recover.

If you’re going to be having surgery soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you avoid complications as you recover.

 

Getting plastic surgery done is something that people choose to do either as a way to improve their looks or as a medical necessity. There are millions of surgeries every year across the world. Whether it’s surgery to it’s a burn victim undergoing facial reconstruction or a mother of four getting a tummy tuck, there is no shortage of patients for plastic surgeons.

Nowadays, the risks are relatively low for plastic surgery patients. However, that’s not to say that going under the knife doesn’t come without its pros and cons.

Let’s take a look at some of the positive and negative aspects of plastic surgery.

Pro: It Can Increase One’s Self Image

People who are born with physicals features that aren’t considered “conventionally” attractive may feel like an outsider in society. People can be cruel by nature when they feel someone is different from them. They may be teased as a child or discriminated against as an adult. Plastic surgery is a chance for them to feel more included in society.

With the help of a surgeon, they can boost their self-esteem and learn to love themselves more. In many cases, although plastic surgery may seem superficial, it can significantly improve a person’s self-worth.

Con: It’s Pricy

Plastic surgery isn’t for people on a tight budget. Most procedures range between five and fifteen thousand dollars, some even surpassing twenty. More plastic surgery procedures aren’t covered by insurance than are, and as a result, they can leave patients in serious medical debt.

In cases where the surgery is medically necessary, like skin grafting or a deviated septum, it can be difficult for patients who don’t have the funds.

Pro: It Can Help People Live A Normal Life

Some patients may be physically impaired to the point of inability to carry out simple daily tasks. Reconstructive surgery can make it possible for them to do actions they wouldn’t be otherwise physically capable of. Plastic surgery makes it possible for people who have always wanted to live a normal life to be able to.

Con: It Can Result In Drug Addiction

Recovering patients are often prescribed heavy medications to help them improve from the pain. In some cases, the prescription may last longer than generally recommended because of the patient’s recovery time. As a result, patients may take so many pain killers that they develop a dependency.

Pain killers are one of the most difficult addictions to kick and can lead to a downward spiral of addiction.

Plastic surgery is a personal choice that one should make only after carefully considering all of the pros and cons involved. After contemplation and research, you can make a more informed decision.

 

American College of Acupuncture is based in Houston, Texas and it is widely considered to be on of the bets places in the country to study both acupuncture and traditional oriental medicine. I have just finished a course there and I must say that it is easy to see why the college is so widely respected in the industry. There are many reasons to study acupuncture that can help you in many ways and if you do decide to invest some time in studying this ancient medicinal practice, this is why you should be looking to study at the American College of Acupuncture.

Reasons to Study Acupuncture

Let’s first take a look at why studying acupuncture is worthwhile:

• There is a growing demand for holistic health practices and if you are looking at setting up a clinic or a business based around this then you will find that there is a lot of money to be made and patients to help.
• You can really make a positive difference to people’s lives when you practice acupuncture and this is one of the motivating factors behind my own choice to study this practice.
• There is a lot of job flexibility with this type of position and you can work in a wide range of settings and environments.

Why Study At the American College

There are a number of reasons why this college is so respected and much of it comes down to the quality and the depth of the teaching which it offers, as well as the high standard of the teaching staff here. The college teaches both acupuncture and traditional oriental medicine and the professors here offer rich experience which they can impart onto you.

This is a college which also features an in-house clinic which will give you the chance to practice what you are being taught in the classroom, with real patients. This ability to practice what you are learning is absolutely crucial in terms of your development and your ability to cement the theory that you are learning.

The college offers a wide range of short and lengthy courses which can fit around you and your life and this is yet another reason why I think that it is one of the best in the country when it comes to this kind of teaching. Don’t just take my word for it either, this college has won multiple awards for its work, just another measure of how high the standard is at the college.

Studying acupuncture will help you and others around you, it gives you excellent career prospects which can be used in both traditional and modern medicine and it will offer you great rewards if you embark on a career in acupuncture. If you do plan to get studying, there is only one place that I would recommend and that is of course the American College of Acupuncture.

A breast biopsy involves the removal of tissue or fluid from the breast so that the cells can be examined under a microscope and tested for the presence of Cancer. Although it is an invasive procedure there are breast biopsy benefits which self exam or mammogram do not have.

Breast Biopsy Benefits

Breast biopsy is the only way to detect breast malignancy. A pathologist will examine the breast tissue or fluid removed to see if there are breast cancer cells present within the sample. If it is determined that the cells are cancerous then the type of cancer cell is identified to determine the extent of the cancer. Only about 20% of breast biopsies are found to be positive for cancer in America as we have procedures on identifying cancer at early stages, so just because one has been ordered for you doesn’t mean the Doctor feels you will definitely have cancer.

How is a Breast Biopsy Carried Out?

There are three types of breast biopsy, one is carried out by a fine needle, the other a core needle, and the third is a surgery biopsy. What is the difference between the three types? And do you get to choose?

Your Doctor will determine which type of breast biopsy is required for you based on their examination findings and the type of tissue present.

A fine needle aspiration biopsy uses a very fine needle attached to a syringe which is used to withdraw fluid of small amounts of tissue from an area of the breast which is concerning. This is usually done when the lump is easy to access and the Doctor suspects the lump to be a fluid-filled cystic lump, which will be apparent if the lump subsides once fluid has been removed from it.

Core needle biopsy uses a larger hollow needle which removes a larger sample of breast tissue. Because of the size of the needle the patient is usually done under local anesthetic during the procedure, so the patient is awake but the area is numbed. Multiple samples will be removed during the extraction process possibly up to seven times. Ultrasound technology may be used by the specialist performing the procedure so they can see where the lumps and unusual cells are to extract tissue directly from them.

A surgical breast biopsy is carried out when the Doctor would like to remove a lump from the breast, so with a small incision will access the lump to remove it and some of the surrounding tissue so that both can be examined. Again this surgery is carried out under local anaesthetic and will result in stitches having to be put in and a scar remaining afterward. Therefore a surgical breast biopsy is usually only carried out when you and the Doctor are keen that the lump is removed and there are concerns that you may have cancer.

Results from all types of breast biopsies can take up to two weeks to be completed and reported back to your Doctor.

Meditation often gets a bad rap by many, as an exercise for those with a flight of fancy or a religion which indicates that they do so, but the reality is that this is an amazing exercise which everyone should be looking to perform each day. Meditation is a relaxation tool which offers a huge array of benefits to every single type of person and if you don’t already meditate, it really is worth giving it a try. Don’t take our word for it though, science also supports the benefit which meditation can have, so let’s take a look at what you can expect.

How to Get Started

There are many guides online which will help you to get started with meditation and you can also use a meditation app on your phone which will help you to understand how to meditate and it will guide you through the process. This is tricky at first but after just a week or so you’ll find it much easier.

Stress Reducer

A recent study of 3,500 adults indicated that meditation is a great tool for stress reduction. When we get stressed our bodies produce a hormone called cortisol which is what produces the harmful effects of stress. The adults in the study had their cortisol levels monitors before the study and then 8 weeks after daily meditation and on average the cortisol levels were halved.

Anxiety Control

People who have issues with their anxiety actually have a problem in controlling their anxiety, and this is something else that meditation can certainly help with. Another 8 week study called mindfulness meditation found that different types of meditation approaches can help to reduce anxiety. The study of 2,464 adults who suffer from anxiety showed a notable reduction in panic attacks, paranoia and social anxiety following this 8 week study.

Enhances Self Awareness

Self esteem and self awareness are more benefits which people who mediate can count on and through a number of studies we have seen the improvement that many have made in this regard. Self inquiry meditation is a way of using this tool to get to know yourself better, to allow you to formulate and organize thoughts in a better way, and to help you recognize negative or self defeating thoughts. This can help in a great many ways in your private and professional life.

Attention Span

The same study which found that the participants displayed lower stress levels also found that the attention span in those adults also grew in length. Maintaining attention is key in so many ways, especially in this fast paced world were we have more reasons to be distracted than ever before. One stay which focused on attention in their participants found that its participants improved their ability to maintain attention after just 4 days of meditation.

These are just a handful of many health and emotional benefits which you can count on when you start to meditate, why not give it a try?

Aging is an inevitable part of life for everyone. Although most of the effects of aging are physical, there are changes that extend beyond your white hair and wrinkles.

When most people think of the characteristics of aging, their minds gravitate towards a hunched over, wrinkly, flighty old man. But science shows that aging goes a little more in-depth than that. In fact, many people notice improvements as they age, like a fine wine.

When it comes to getting older, here are some of the most common changes that you anticipate happening.

Things Start To Sag

Unfortunately, gravity does set in when you get to a certain age. Your skin is usually the biggest giveaway of how old you are. Aging skin loses its elasticity and loses it’s fat. The result is looser and saggy skin covered in deep lines.

Your skin isn’t the only thing that sags. You may find that other parts of your body start to change with age too.

More Positive Outlook

Even though the stereotypical grandpa is grumpy with a furrowed brow, a lot of older people find that age brings greater happiness. As you get older, you may worry less about sweating the small stuff.

As your attitude becomes more relaxed, you may find that fewer things in life make you angry, worried, or sad. Older adults tend to wear rose-colored glasses while people in their younger years dwell on the worst-case scenarios.

Your Beliefs Get Stronger

Along with a more relaxed attitude also comes more conviction about your beliefs. People who have lived longer tend to have more rigid beliefs about everything. Whether it’s their political or spiritual beliefs, olde people tend to get stronger.

While this can be frustrating to some people who don’t share the same views, it may increase their sense of satisfaction in life. When you believe in things so strongly that there’s no doubt in your mind that they’re true, you have a greater sense of purpose and security.

You Require Less Sleep

Remember the days when you were a teenager, and you could sleep all day long? Those days are gone once you’re over a certain age. As you age, your body has a harder time, not only falling asleep but staying asleep.

Unfortunately, this leads to feeling tired and like you can’t seem to catch up on your z’s. For this reason, a lot of people have to take medication in their older age to maintain a healthy sleep schedule.

You Are Distracted Easier

Things seem to distract you easier the older that you are. Distractions arise, and it’s hard to tune them out. Although there are brain exercises that can help you stay focused longer, its, unfortunately, a part of aging.

 

No one ever wants to be involved in a catastrophe. No one wants to have their name associated with the tragedy. Everyone would prefer if life was always nice and good and no trouble ever happened, and no issues ever came up. This is highly unrealistic. When you hope for this kind of happy life, it can be disappointing or even dangerous when something bad happens.

That’s why creating some psychological grid for yourself is such a good idea. One way to do this is by mentally preparing yourself for catastrophes.

What steps would you take if certain terrible things happen? Do you know the legal recourse for tragic events? Do you know what to do in the event of a natural disaster? Do you know how to create financial buffers just in case something goes wrong where your income and expense ratio changes? These are the kinds of questions that you should ask yourself to create a sort of psychic shield in your day-to-day behaviors against the evils of the world.

Legal Recourse

Do you know how to contact a lawyer in the event of a catastrophic injury? No one ever wants to hear that a family member was in a terrible accident. But you should know what to do if you do get that news. You shouldn’t be paranoid about family members getting injured. However, it’s a good idea to at least know where to look up information to find out what your legal options are if something awful were to happen.

Natural Disasters

All around the world, the news media are continually covering natural disasters. California wildfires. Floods. Tsunamis. Hurricanes. Mudslides. Snowstorms. All of these things create life-threatening conditions for people everywhere. Do you know what to do if a natural disaster happens to you or a family member?

Do you have an emergency plan? If not, spend some time researching the most likely bad thing to happen in your geographical area. Find out what you should do, and then spread that information to your closest people.

Creating Financial Buffers

Everyone should have a savings account. But not everybody feels it’s necessary, and some people might even create a financial hardship for themselves if they were living paycheck to paycheck even without putting money in their savings account.

Whenever possible, give yourself a financial buffer. Have some way that you would survive for a month, six months, or maybe even a year without your income. This will force you to prepare your mind if something outside of your control happens to your financial bottom line. It’s not easy to put money away when you feel like you could be using it for something else. However, logic dictates that it’s a good idea.

For more blog posts like this from Meme Bucket, check these posts out!

Aging is a part of life and doesn’t have to be something that you dread. That’s not to say that you should throw your hands up in the air and let yourself go either. There are ways to embrace your age while still putting in the effort to look and feel beautiful.

In fact, you can improve your outward and inward self throughout the process of aging by following these simple tips.

Apply Sunscreen

As we get older, our skin loses firmness and begins to degenerate slowly. It may start to sag or develop sunspots. While this is an inevitable part of aging, you can slow down the effects that time has on our skin by limiting your exposure to the sun.

No, that doesn’t mean you have to stop going outside. However, you should apply sunscreen. Most dermatologists will tell you that almost all wrinkles and spots are a direct result of sun exposure.

Applying an SPF of 30 or higher every day, even in cloudy weather, will drastically reduce the speed of your aging.

Use Products With Retinol

Applying moisturizer regularly will keep your skin smooth and maintain its elasticity longer. It’s advantageous to buy moisturizers and serums with retinoids. Retinol is derived from vitamin A, and increases the production of collagen.

In addition, it boosts your blood vessels giving your face a rosy and youthful glow.

Stay Active

Just because you’re over a certain age doesn’t mean you have to stop moving. On top of living an active lifestyle, you should engage in an exercise program. Your body will maintain its muscle and have a higher resistance to common age-related injuries.

Your body will feel younger, and your heart will thank you for the activity as well. If you’re not sure what kind of exercises to do, talk to your doctor about what they recommend.

Eat Sensibly

Regardless of how much skin cream you apply or push-ups that you do, diet plays an enormous role in how well you age. By eating sensibly and nourishing your body with natural foods low in sugar and processed fats, you’ll not only feel better, but you’ll look better too.

Don’t Get Trapped In a Decade

A lot of people have fond memories of a certain part of their lives and tend to identify with the fashion of that era. As a result, their style gets stuck in a time warp. Even though you may feel like it works for you personally, failing to evolve your look can make you look even older.

Try to combine your personal taste with modern style. You might be surprised that opting for a more modern look will make you feel younger!

It turns out having clear skin isn’t as easy as you might think. Some people spend hundreds on products that promise working miracles, yet the result is another frustrating breakout.

If your skin is prone to acne, then you’re not alone. Sometimes it’s a matter of genetics, and in other cases, it may be anything from hormones to the foods that you eat. The good news is that there is usually a solution if you manage to narrow down the culprit. Here are some of the potential reasons you may want to consider your skin is less than happy.

You’re Using A Poor Quality Razor

Whether you’re shaving your face or you’re *ahem* unmentionable parts, no part of your body is immune to irritation. Most people are prone to a little redness after shaving; however, in some cases, it can lead to a full-fledged breakout.

The best way to avoid post-shaving breakouts is to use a better razor! A good razor prevents irritating your skin and causing ingrown hairs. Sure the cheap razors may cost less, but they don’t do the job! Buy a quality razor that won’t irritate your skin.

Not Washing Your Face After Working Out

Most people know that they should wash their face in the morning and at night. However, few people realize that they should also be washing their faces any time that they break a sweat.

If you go to the gym, make sure that you thoroughly wash your face post-workout. The sweat and bacteria will settle into your pores, making it an ideal place for a breakout to fester.

Stress

Stress isn’t just something that you feel emotionally. It can take its toll on your body physically. In many cases, stress can take shape on your skin. Unfortunately, it winds up being a vicious cycle. The more stressed that you are, the more you break out. The more you break out, the more stressed you feel.

If you lead a stressful lifestyle and suffer from frequent breakouts, it may be time to ask yourself whether the two are connected.

The Brim Of Your Hat Is Dirty

Hats are great for throwing on your head when you’re not up for fussing with styling tools or even a comb for that matter.

They also work wonders for protecting your face from the harmful rays of the sun. However, the brims of our hats are often dirtier than we think. Sweat and bacteria can build up on the brim resulting in breakouts along the hairline.

If you’re breaking out in that area and you’re a hat-wearer, you’ve got your answer right there.