Nurture Your Own

Family care-givers are the quiet, little-known but self-sacrificial and sustaining force to stroke survivors world wide. Their contribution towards the National Health Budget in any Country is seldom noticed. November is the Care-givers Month where in the US, is celebrated with appreciation and acknowledgment to these group of “Angels.” In support for them I have reproduced a beautifully written poem by a stroke survivor from India. Some thing that was written from the heart.

It seems I never can begin to say,

“Thank-you for all you’re doing for me.”

I’m grateful and I want to let you know

That I appreciate the help and loving care you’re giving me.

But when I try to say the words,

They get stuck in a lump in my throat.

You may think I am an ingrate,

So this small poem to you I wrote.

Thank you, dearest, for looking after me,

Helping me with things I cannot do.

My stroke has caused me much misery,

But I know that I could not have survived without you.

You have saved my life several times over,

I realize you are patient and wise.

And I can do nothing to help you or thank you,

Except look at you with love in my eyes.

I love you with all my heart,

I don’t want to live if we are apart.

You are my savior, much more than my wife,

Without you for me there can never be any life.

All these months from your lips has there rarely come a rude word,

Only soothing, calming and comforting sounds I have heard.

Patience and compassion in plenty have you displayed,

In return, my tongue has been sharp as any blade.

I want you to know that your efforts have not been a waste,

I want to quickly recover and then, post-haste.

We’ll get back to normal and once again,

I’ll return to the happy life we had before I was felled by the stroke.

And this will all look like an unpleasant joke.

Happy days will be here once more,

We will go on visits to many a far away shore.

We will take long walks together hand in hand,

And go sight-seeing in an exotic land.

We’ll return to being the most romantic couple the world has ever seen,

We will paint the towns red and orange and blue and green!

Through my illness you have kept your cool,

Even when I clumsily drop things and disgustingly drool.

I try my best to present a cheerful face,

But I am unable to match life’s vigor and pace.

Edward Haeems

Stroke Survivor

Ahmedabad, India

Read Related Posts on Stroke
What is a Stroke?
Facts of Stroke & The Warning Signs.
Stroke Risk Factors.
Understanding Spasticity
Eating & The Stroke Survivor
The Job No One Asks For

Technorati Tags: stroke, stroke survivor, stroker caregivers

Saw this ad featured at Versa Creations blog and thought whoever created it made the point very neatly… …

If you think the exhaust smells terrible, imagine what’s like being a smoker.

The hair, hands and body of a smoker is consumed in smoke every time he puffs and huffs. You just have to stand within 3 feet of a smoker and you’ll know if he has been smoking recently. Only a smoker can’t smell his own stink. For everyone else, he’s as good as an ash tray. By the way, I picked up that analogy from this very interesting post called 10 Peeves Non-Smokers Will NOT Tell Smoker.

Additional Wisdom on Stop Smoking
A Painless Way to Stop Smoking

Victor Connor’s Other Posts on Stop Smoking
7 Good Reasons to Stop Smoking
What’s So Bad About Inhaling Tar From Smoking?
Have You Heard of “World No Tobacco Day”?

Technorati Tags: Ready to Quit, quit smoking painlessly now

If you are a frequent visitor to Nurture Your Life and have been following the various Posts on Stroke, I am sure you realized now that Stroke ranks number Three among the top killers world wide. It is good to educate yourself on Stroke so that either you learn how to avoid having one yourself or to warn others of its dangers, there are some good resources where you can have more information.

1. Information on Stroke.

American Stroke Association. (Free Quarterly Magazine).

Family Care-giver Alliance.

2. Stroke Rehab Treatment & Equipment.

Saebo Flex – Arm Equipment.

Ness H200 – Arm Equipment.

Assistive Technology – Bath Equipment

Ability Camp – Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

3. Special Clothing & Utensils.

Life With Ease.

Professional Fit.

Adaptive Clothing.

Senior Care Clothing.

Active Forever – Utensils and Aids.

AmVans – Vehicles for the Disabled.

4. Books on Stroke, Care-giving and Recovery.

• Brain Heal Thyself by Madonna Siles.
• I Will Survive by Corinne Laboon.
• How To Prevent Your Own Stroke by J. David Spencer.
• The Comfort Of Home by Maria Meyer.
• Love Honor & Value by Suzanne Geffen Mintz.
• Drawn From Memory by Elizabeth Cockey.
• The Advantage Of A Stroke by J.B. Harris.
• Edna Mae Thornberry, Herself by Joyce Liberty.
  

All the above books are available from amazon.com.

Read Related Posts on Stroke
What is a Stroke?
Facts of Stroke & The Warning Signs.
Stroke Risk Factors.
Understanding Spasticity
Eating & The Stroke Survivor
The Job No One Asks For

Technorati Tags: stroke, stroke survivor, stroker caregivers

Whether you are a smoker trying to quit smoking or a non-smoker trying to get a smoker to stop smoking, you must realize that there is MORE to quitting smoking than simply stopping! You need to unlock the secrets of not returning to the old habits. That is probably the single biggest challenge many face. But worse, many people do not recognize the fact that smoking is a HABIT. It is not so simple to stop.

Nicotine addiction is a very real predicament. While it is true that the harmful effects of nicotine are long term (which means you will not die immediately) when compared to the devastating effects of some other drugs, the harm is real. The good news is, to break the nicotine addiction is actually relatively easy. Yes, you heard it right, it is EASY TO BREAK THE NICOTINE ADDICTION. Not all treatments are equally effective for all individuals. But generally speaking, there are many effective treatment from gum to patches that have been proven to work against nicotine addiction. But SMOKING IS MORE THAN AN ADDICTION!

Smoking is both an addiction and a habit. When you fully realise that to stop smoking is more than just to break the nicotine addiction, you will begin to realise that your biggest challenge is going to lie within yourself. One of the most effective ways of dealing with yourself is hypnosis. However, even though hypnosis has been proven to be quite effective, it cannot cure all ills, nor is it the quick-fix, silver-bullet solution some make it out to be. It is merely one of the tools in the arsenal.

Realistic expectations, solid knowledge and a disciplined, consistent approach will all pull together to get you where you need to be!

SIGN UP for a FREE 5-part MINI eCOURSE on 12 Key Questions To Help You Stop Smoking! Take action now, limited period only.

NurtureYourOwn has grown steadily over the past few months, since it was conceptualized on 22 June 2007. Still, the recent development has been very encouraging. We were

1. included in the Top 20 Blogs of Checkup Today
2. listed in Matt Wolfe’s “to read” blog
3. enjoying 2000 hits every day after mid September 2007
4. attracting new writers like Bokjae and Victor Connor who write exclusively on stroke and stop smoking respectively

And this week, we are pleasantly surprise to discover NurtureYourOwn enjoys

1. an Alexa ranking of 399,865 and
2. a Google Page Rank 2

We like to say a big “thank you” to our readers and our NutureYourOwn writers. It wouldn’t be possible without your support.

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My friend cannot conceive after trying for 6 years, and finally she is considering egg donation. Her challenge is that there are very few Asian egg donors in the United States. The shortage of Asian and Asian-American egg donors means that people like her who are looking towards building their family through IVF with egg donation have to employ an egg donor agency that specializes in finding Asian donors.

For those who wanted to know more about egg donation quickly, Andrea Moore’s “Complete Guide to Egg Donation and Fertility” is a wonderful source of information in egg donation. I have extracted some salient information from her blog to give you a glimpse what egg donation is and how it is done.

What is Egg Donation?

Egg donation involves taking several drugs and undergoing a medical procedure to remove the donor’s eggs. The first phase of egg donation usually involves taking drugs to synchronize the donor’s menstrual cycle with the intended mother’s cycle. Once synchronized, the egg donor begins taking drugs to stimulate her ovaries to make extra eggs. The final phase, called egg harvesting, involves surgically removing the eggs from the donor’s ovaries. During the egg harvesting phase, the donor is put under light anaesthesia (called “twilight”) so she feels no pain, and doctors place a small needle into her vagina to remove the eggs in a process called egg harvesting. The entire process, from synchronizing her cycle to egg harvesting is called an “egg donation cycle.” Egg donors report that the process can be physically uncomfortable for a few days before returning to normal.

How much does Egg Donation costs

Usually the cost is $5000-$1000 per egg donation cycle

Egg donor agencies place a high value on egg donors’ personal accomplishments. Women without high school diplomas usually won’t be accepted, but those on the other end of the spectrum—women with graduate degrees, those who attend(ed) Ivy League colleges like Harvard and Yale, or those with high-paying professional jobs—can earn high fees for their eggs. Some egg donor agencies even have special “exceptional egg donor programs” where they pay the egg donors more than “regular” donors.

By the way,

In the United States, Israel, and the Czech Republic, egg donors are legally allowed to be paid for their services. In other countries, such as New Zealand, egg donation is done for free, without any monetary compensation. This is sometimes called egg sharing.

Like Andrea said, this must be one of the very few jobs where females make more than males. Women who have empathy for other women who cannot conceive, or simply want to earn an income by an egg donor can check out Andrea’s Step by Step Procedure used on egg donation. She even has a comprehensive list on fertility clinics and egg donor agencies in the United states for those who want to consider egg donation to start a family.

Additional Wisdom on Fertility: The Fertility Secrets Handbook.

Technorati Tags: egg donation and infertility

I found out through first hand experience that the more I scratched, the more the rashes spread. It began as a few innocent red bumps around the knee. And then, it spread all the way up to the thighs and dotted their way down to the ankles. That was when I learned that I had to curb the excruciating urge to scratch and claw. I ended up hitting the affected area with my palm. Painful, but at least I will not break the skin. When I really, really had to scratch, I used my finger tips (not nails) and scratch over a fabric. So, one of the most important components of an eczema treatment routine is to prevent scratching.

Some DIY methods to curb itching without consulting dermatologist or a general practitioner:

1. The most common treatment is the application of lotions or creams to keep the skin as moist as possible. The drier the skin, the itchier it becomes. These treatments are generally most effective when applied directly after bathing so that the moisture from the bath will be trapped in. Don’t just use any lotions or creams. Check out creams that do not contain added fragrances or alcohol. Fragrances and alcohol can dry the already dried and leathery skin further.
2. Cold compresses applied directly to itchy skin can also help relieve itching.
3. Application of non-prescription corticosteroid creams and ointments to reduce inflammation.
4. Blended vitamin E oil and patcholi and apply to the affected area.
5. Take raw sprouts, and increase in-take of raw food and juices. The benefits can be found in my earlier post.

What would a doctor prescribe for you if the condition turns chronic?

1. For severe flare-ups, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids, but be aware that side effects including new flare-ups can develop when treatment is discontinued (this treatment is not recommended for long-term use).
2. Skin affected by eczema may frequently become infected. The doctor may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics to kill the bacteria.
3. For severe itching, sedative antihistamines are sometimes used to reduce the itch. Drowsiness will be a common side effect; antihistamines are usually recommended for use in the evening to help a person restless from eczema get to sleep. I had to use this from time to time when I couldn’t sleep. Deprivation of sleep causes lots of inconvenience at work the next day.
4. Tar treatments and phototherapy are also used; however, tar can be messy. Phototherapy requires special equipment (lights).
5. Finally, in cases where eczema is resistant to therapy, the doctor may prescribe a drug called cyclosporine A. It supposedly modifies immune responses. However, this is used only in severe cases because of the serious side effects.

Like I had shared in previous posts, I had bought e-courses to improve my skin conditions and I also consumed raw sprouts to boost my immunity. Eczema can be treated but it might never be totally cured.

After 6 years, I learned to be content to keep it under control and enjoy the eczema free period as long as I can. It is possible to have a totally eczema-free skin for 1 -2 years. It is possible to keep it under control with just a few red bumps when it does surface again. The onus is on you to take precautions to prevent it from deteriorating or recurring. The responsibility is yours to take care of your diet and hygiene.

Additional Reading:

• Eczema Free Forever by Rachel Anderson
• Cure Your Eczema in 14 Days by Janet Simpson
• Eczema Diet Secrets by Evelyn Lim

Read Vivienne’s earlier posts on Eczema:
What’s so Depressing about having Eczema?
Can Eczema Be Prevented?

Technorati Tags: can eczema be treated, eczema treatment

I got a blank look from the smoker-friend who earlier shared that he didn’t think that tar in the cigarette is as harmful as nicotine.

Well, that shows you how powerful the tobacco players are and how weak the health authorities around the world are. After all, the tobacco companies provided an indecent amount of legal tax money to the governments.

Well, the World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31st. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. The objective is to draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and to the preventable death and disease it causes. It aims to reduce the 3.5 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems.

The 29 May2007 WNTD press release said:

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death globally, causing more than five million deaths a year. Tobacco use continues to expand most rapidly in the developing world, where currently half of tobacco-related deaths occur. By 2030, if current trends continue, 8 out of every 10 tobacco-related deaths will be in the developing world.

This year’s observance focuses on second hand smoke and highlights the progress that has been achieved around the world in protecting non smokers by making workplaces and public spaces smoke-free.

Exposure to second-hand smoke causes heart disease and many serious respiratory and cardiovascular diseases that can lead to premature death in adults. It also causes diseases and worsens existing conditions, such as asthma, in children. The new WHO policy recommendations are based on the evidence of three recent major reports, which all reached the same conclusion: Monograph 83 Tobacco Smoke and Involuntary Smoking by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the United States Surgeon General’s Report on The Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke and the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Proposed Identification of Environmental Tobacco Smoke as a Toxic Air Contaminant.

The costs of second-hand smoke are not limited to the burden of disease. Exposure also imposes economic costs on individuals, businesses and society as a whole. These include primarily direct and indirect medical costs, but also productivity losses. In addition, workplaces where smoking is permitted incur higher renovation and cleaning costs, and increased risk of fire, and may experience higher insurance premiums.

It is good that there is such an international event to call to attention on

the harmful chemicals inside a cigarette

the benefits of the stop smoking

the frequently asked questions of stop smoking

Perhaps they should also start telling smokers that there is a no-pain, no withdrawal suffering method to stop smokin. Many smokers were put off by the cold turkey treatments, pains and suffering. The decision to stop smoking is tough for them, they don’t have to suffer unnecessarily in the process of stop smoking. Perhaps you like to login to this site for a FREE mini course on stop smoking with no pain.

Additional Wisdom on Stop Smoking
A Painless Way to Stop Smoking

Victor Connor’s Other Posts on Stop Smoking
7 Good Reasons to Stop Smoking
What’s So Bad About Inhaling Tar From Smoking?

Technorati Tags: World No Tobacco Day

Count yourself very fortunate if you never ever had eczema before – whether as a child or an adult. Some women have been known to develop eczema during pregnancy or after child-birth. It is quite difficult to diagnose the cause of eczema unless you go through an extensive series of tests with your dermatologist.

When I was diagnosed in 2001, the good doctor could only classify it as atopic eczema. She said if I were to know what was the source, I would have to go through a series of tests. Even then, she could not guarantee that the results will be conclusive. Many times it is difficult to identify the exact trigger that causes a flare-up.I decided against it as there was no real cure for eczema.

Since then, my skin will flare up periodically. It was very depressing and agonizing as the itch was excruciatingly unbearable. The more I scratched, the more the affected area hurt and itched. The more it hurt and itched, the more I wanted to hit, scratch or even claw at my skin. At times when I couldn’t tolerate it any more, I put a cloth over the affected area to scratch or claw with my fingers. The cloth reduced the risk of my skin breaking. The nights were worse. I would be gripping my hair at the temple, screaming silently as the burning sensation and itch kept me pacing up and down.

What does eczema look and feel like?
Although eczema may look different from person to person, it is most often characterized by dry, red, extremely itchy patches on the skin. Eczema is sometimes referred to as “the itch that rashes,” since the itch, when scratched, results in the appearance of the rash. Most sufferers will hide that part of body from sight. I was wearing pants and ankle long skirt for almost 2 years because my legs, from thigh to ankle, were usually red and sometimes even weepy. The legs were dry, leathery and scared even when the red patches subside. This is known as skin thickening or lichenification.

What makes patients with eczema itch?
The trigger will be different for different sufferers. For some, it could be rough or coarse fabrics that come into contact with the skin. For others, the hot weather caused them to perspire and would lead to an outbreak. While some would find that certain soaps, detergents, disinfectants, contact with juices from fresh fruits and meats, dust mites, and even animal saliva could trigger itching. Upper respiratory infections and stress can also sometimes worsen an existing flare-up.

How common is eczema?
The National Institutes of Health estimated that 15 million people in the United States have some form of eczema. About 10-20 percent of all infants have eczema. Fortunately, 50% of them will show very little symptom between 5 and 15 years old. Others will have some form of the disease throughout their lives.

What did I do?
I tried everything I deemed safe. I got the dermatologist’s prescription of oral medicine and ointment including steroids, urea cream, hydrocortizone, moisturizer, etc. I sought holistic treatments like aromatherapy and essential oils; I used blended concoction of vitamin E oil and patchuli. I consulted a dietitian to work out a diet plan. Recently I started sprouting and started to eat raw sprouts to boost my immunity and enzyme levels. I also bought e-courses to make sure that eczema stay away as long as possible. The reason for trying out alternative and holistic approaches is because of the side effects (including skin thinning) for prolonged usage of oral and external medicine.

Frustrating as it is, life still goes on.

Additional Reading:

• Eczema Free Forever by Rachel Anderson
• Cure Your Eczema in 14 Days by Janet Simpson
• Eczema Diet Secrets by Evelyn Lim

Read Vivienne’s earlier posts on Eczema:
How Can Eczema be Treated?
Can Eczema Be Prevented?

That is a mock advertisement taken from the Stroke Connection Magazine. The job description fits to a T of care-givers. Most people, friends, relatives and family members included tend to look at the stroke survivor as the ‘victim’ and very few understand that care-givers suffer or experience stress and emotional trauma just as much. This is especially very much so in Asian Culture. Writing from a care-givers’ point of view, I wish to direct our focus away from the stroke survivor and turn our attention to the care-giver who plays a vital role in the stroke recovery process.

Generally one can classify care-givers under three main categories namely:-

A. Those who have aging parents and young children of their own.

B Those in their 50’s or 60’s with aging parents, adult children or perhaps grand-children.

C. The rest in elder care. ( single adult children; spouses etc)

I believe many care-givers can identify themselves under one of the above general categories. I come under category C, and there are only two of us whereas our adult children are living overseas. Those who are in category A and B are also known as The Sandwich Generation for obvious reasons and will have more to say further on.

Someone aptly says that care-giving is “Between a rock and a hard place”. Even under the best of circumstances, money is not an issue, enough space to accommodate a stroke survivor, sufficient insurance coverage, but taking on the day to day management of another person’s life is full of situations where the manager/care-giver can experience stress, emotional turmoil which leads to physical and psychological exhaustion. What more when care-giving rarely happens in the best of situations.

Care-givers invariably experience guilt and stress, a constant component in the job. They rarely feel that they’ve done enough and hence some guilt and when they done too much, leading to exhaustion and stress. For those with family, children’s needs are often compromised and very often having a sense of not in control of the situation.

Although multi-generational living can be meaningful and satisfying, but a care-giver need to balance his or her role between own family needs, personal needs as well as the needs of the parent stroke-survivor. Dr. Herbert Lingren and Jayne Decker of University of Nebraska, Lincoln have the following advice for the Sandwich Generation Care-givers:-

1. Have Weekly Family Meetings.

To encourage open communications, conflict resolutions, updating on the real situation. Also helps to prevent denial problems of family members and establishes healthy attitudes among the members.

2. Clarify House Rules.

Cleaning-up responsibilities, laundry, space issues, when the house need to be quiet, transportation and review rules as changing circumstances justifies it.

3. Prepare Long Range Financial Plans.

Invariably sacrifices must be made and letting your children understand the why’s and how’s prevent resentment or misunderstanding. If children are earning adults the sharing of bills must be clearly defined taking into consideration the member’s personal goals and needs.

4. Use Community Programs And Services

At times you need to get assistance from such community programs so that everyone can have their own personal time. Social contact for the stroke survivor is very important so that the survivor do not feel isolated. However the care-giver must be sensitive to the survivor’s emotions when doing so.

5. Take care of your own family, your marriage and especially take care of yourself.

You do a great disservice to yourself, your spouse and your children if you allow the stress overload to be so great that you burn-out. The following guidelines are good:-

• Don’t neglect your own family to take care of your parent.

• Make caring for your parent a responsibility of the whole family; i.e. get everyone involve!

• Make everyone fully aware of any problems with good explanations.

• Take time for self renewal, you must continue to have a life.

• Take time for your marriage, get away together for short period of time.

For further information and resources, please visit The Sandwich Generation by Carol Abaya a Newspaper Columnist and Expert on this topic. Ms. Abaya has been featured in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, and New Choices magazine.

Read Related Posts on Stroke
What is a Stroke?
Facts of Stroke & The Warning Signs.
Stroke Risk Factors.
Understanding Spasticity
Eating & The Stroke Survivor

Technorati Tags: stroke, stroke survivor, stroker caregivers

This video is really well done, and well said. Smokers who don’t believe can just duplicate and see if the same thing happens.

Smokers’ loved ones and friend definitely deserved better than having the smoker poisoning them with second-hand smoking. Medical studies have proven more than once that passive smokers suffer as much as smokers.

Quit Smoking – Smoking video

Nobody said it’s an easy decision to stop smoking but smokers must start to think of those whom they love. Touch wood, just imagine the medical bills, surgical fees, health-support equipment he’ll need to buy if he get one of those smoking-related diseases. Prevention is better than cure. Take it from an ex-smoker, life is so much more rewards without the smoke and smell of cigarette. Stop smoking is tough enough, and you don’t have to make it painful in your quest to quit. Check out this ebook that advocates a no-pain, no-withdrawal method of stop smoking.

Additional Wisdom on a Healthy Lifestyle – all FREE
A FREE 5 Part e-Course on stop smoking painlessly.

Read more on Stop Smoking
What’s harmful inside a Cigarette?
Benefits of Stop Smoking
FAQ on Stop Smoking
10Peeves Non-smokers will NOT tell smokers
A Painless Way to Stop Smoking
7 Good Reasons to Stop Smoking
World No Tobacco Day 2007

Doing something and knowing something can be two different things. A smoker-friend told me he knew all about nicotine and tar in those cigarettes. However, he did not know that nicotine “rides” on small particles of tar in tobacco smoke. And he didn’t think tar is as harmful as nicotine. Such lack of knowledge may deter him from taking the bold step to stop smoking.

Source of Photo: The University of Miami. Click to see enlarged image.

Tar is the main culprit for clogging up the lungs and cause lung cancer. It contains many cancer-causing substance.

The concentration of tar in a cigarette determines its rating:

• High-tar cigarettes contain at least 22 milligrams (mg) of tar
• Medium-tar cigarettes from 15 mg to 21 mg
• Low-tar cigarettes 7 mg or less of tar

Cigarette filters were first added to cigarettes in the 1950s when scientific research showed that there is an increased risk of lung cancer for smokers. The filter was supposedly to trap harmful chemicals like tars and nicotine from entering the body. Sad to say, studies showed that it did not work as well as hoped. The poisons in the smoke will still penetrate and enter the smoker’s lungs, making the smokers more susceptible to of smoking-related disease.

What you see on the end of the cigarette filter is a brown substance, that is tar. Not only will the tar stains a smoker’s teeth and fingers brown, it will lined everything it passed through with a brownish-yellow film. Just imagine that brown sticky substance lining the delicate pink tissue of your lungs.

Though you can’t see it, tar is there. Tar and tends to increase as the cigarette is burnt down, which can mean that the last puffs on a cigarette may contain as much as twice the amount of tar as the first puffs.

There’s an interesting question at The University of Miami: Is smoking marijuana safer than smoking tobacco? Look at the picture above and read the answer below:

19.Is smoking marijuana safer than smoking tobacco?

Marijuana smoke contains more carbon monoxide, more tar and more cancer causing chemicals than tobacco smoke. If the smoke from a marijuana cigarette and a tobacco cigarette (e.g., Marlboro) are blown forcefully through a clean tissue or handkerchief, it can be demonstrated that the marijuana smoke contains even more tar than the tobacco smoke. (See picture). This is the same tar that contains poisons that cause cancer, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and heart disease. Marijuana smokers also inhale more deeply and hold it longer to get “high” thus exposing their lungs to more toxic chemicals. Smoking marijuana is not safer than smoking tobacco!

According to QuitSmokingPainlesslyNow, just within one year of no smoking:

Risk of heart disease decreases to half that of a smoker

You really don’t want the health complication now or during your golden years. The only way to get back to the healthy track is to stop inhaling all the harmful chemicals by stop smoking. Stop smoking is tough enough, and you don’t have to make it painful in your quest to quit. Check out this ebook that advocates a no-pain, no-withdrawal method of stop smoking.

Additional Reading: Hypnosis To Change Your Life by Steve G Jones.

More Wisdom on a Healthy Lifestyle – all FREE
A FREE e-course on stop smoking painlessly.

What’s harmful inside a Cigarette?
Benefits of Stop Smoking
FAQ on Stop Smoking
10Peeves Non-smokers will NOT tell smokers
A Painless Way to Stop Smoking

Read more on Stop Smoking by Victor Connor
7 Good Reasons to Stop Smoking
Have You Heard of “World No Tobacco Day”?
What’s So Bad About Inhaling Tar From Smoking?

Technorati Tags: stop smoking, tar, tobacco tar, marijuana tar

By taking that very first step of acknowledging the need, the want and the wish to stop smoking for good, the smokers are being very courageous. They know it’s going to be tough but the tough get going anyway. I applause them for their determination to quit smoking.

Whatever their reasons are for wanting to quit smoking, they must be good. Many smokers could not quit smoking because it has become a second nature, a habit and an action that they do unconsciously daily. Is there an easy way to quit smoking painlessly? Must you quit smoking cold turkey? What kinds of stop smoking aids are there? What is the best stop smoking program?

These and many other questions must be going through the smokers’ mind. In fact, a smoker probably would have stopped smoking several times before finally succeeding. Many stopped smoking quite a few times, but somehow, went back to the old habit. Nicotine is the culprit. It is one of the most addictive substances, more so than caffeine and even some drugs!

Think of all the great reasons why you want to stop smoking:

1. You will live longer and live better
2. Become a high-energy person without cigarettes
3. Quitting will lower your chance of having a heart attack
4. Reduce the chance of Cancers of the lung, mouth and throat
5. Relax and enjoy the pleasure of relaxation without cigarettes
6. You can deal with your tensions without a cigarette
7. If you are pregnant, quitting will improve your chances of having a healthy baby
8. The people you live with, especially family members will be healthier and happier
9. Save money as much as $4000 a year. Just check out Cheu Fong’s post on Quit Smoking to Regain your Health and your Wealth

At NurtureYourOwn, we shall explore more on smoking, benefits of stop smoking, the facts and FAQ on smoking in the coming days. Do watch out for our new posts.

Additional Reading: Hypnosis To Change Your Life by Steve G Jones.

Some more on Stop Smoking
What’s harmful inside a Cigarette?
Benefits of Stop Smoking
FAQ on Stop Smoking
10Peeves Non-smokers will NOT tell smokers
A Painless Way to Stop Smoking 7 Good Reasons to Stop Smoking
World No Tobacco Day 2007

Technorati Tags: stop smoking, quit smoking painlessly now

As Hari Raya is approaching, we Malaysians celebrate with our Muslim friends on this joyous occasion. Iinvariably, it revolves around all the tasty dishes and a diverse selection of food. I take this opportunity to share on the challenges of eating for a stroke survivor. The stroke survivor not only need to have a healthy diet but also a sufficient amount which provides the survivor the strength to go through all the physical exercises plus the building up of strength.

One common symptom among stroke survivor is the issue of depression. This is a serious matter for it affects every aspect of recovery – like the willingness to maintain a healthy eating habit. I have listed some common challenges a stroke survivor faces which affect his or her eating habit.

1. Reduce sense of smell and taste.

2. Short-term memory loss, causing the survivor forgetting to chew or swallow.

3. Physical impairment or paralysis affecting survivor’s use of eating utensils.

4. Survivor experiencing Dysphagia or difficulty in swallowing or choking.

5. Depression and emotional problems causing loss of appetite.

Due to the above challenges, a stroke survivor may lose interest in food thereby experiencing weight-loss and malnutrition, which in turn will affect the recovery process. For this reason, stroke survivors need help from family members or the care-giver. The care-giver must be aware of any specific issue the stroke survivor is having concerning eating. If the problem is with Dysphagia or Depression or perhaps physical impairment, the care-giver must seek advice from the doctors for medication to treat these challenges.

Apart from these, here are some practical ways for care-givers to promote good eating habits are :-

1. Sharing meals at regular times with the survivor.

2. Setting a leisurely pace for the meal.

3. Serving meals that the survivor likes and wants.

4. Reducing distractions round the table.

5. Encouraging multiple small meals throughout the day.

The good news is that with some planning and a few adjustments, the stroke survivor can enjoy the pleasure of eating again. Some suggestions to note are :-

1. Choose healthy food with stronger flavors like steam fish or broiled fish.

2. Use Spices to enhance smell and taste, also to replace salt.

3. Choose softer food for easy chewing like cereals, bananas, yogurt and soups.

4. Cutting meat into smaller pieces.

5. Choose colourful visually appealing food like salmon, carrots etc.

Read Related Posts on Stroke
What is a Stroke?
Facts of Stroke & The Warning Signs.
Stroke Risk Factors.
Understanding Spasticity

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When you observe stroke survivors, very often you’ll find them tight fisted with bent elbows and arms bent against the chest. These symptoms are due to brain injury from the stroke, causing muscles to contract involuntarily (shorten or flex) giving rise to stiffness and tightness. Medically, this is known as Spasticity.

When a muscle cannot complete its full range of motion, tendon and soft tissues surrounding that muscle can become tight. This makes stretching the muscle difficult. If left untreated this can become a permanent freeze into an abnormal, often painful position.

Precisely because of this reason, it is extremely important for a stroke survivor to commence physiotherapy as soon as possible after being discharged from the hospital. Physiotherapy will help to prevent Spasticity from setting in. In other words, stroke-rehab must commence as soon as the doctors deem the patient fit for discharge. Once the stroke survivor’s condition improves, Occupational Therapy will be conducted to teach the stroke survivor the basic daily living skills such as dressing, washing, bathing, feeding etc.

Here are several recommended treatments for Spasticity:-

1. Stretching Exercises.
This helps to maintain a full range of motion to prevent muscle shortening. In the early stages after a stroke, such exercises are of the passive type. This means somebody has to help the stroke patient to do the moving and stretching. It is advisable to encourage the stroke survivor to try to move even though he cannot. After some weeks, movement will begin, usually with the stronger and bigger muscles moving first. Slowly, the smaller muscles in the extremities like knuckles and fingers will start to move.

2. Wearing of Braces.
Braces help to hold muscles in proper position, thus preventing contraction. This is often recommended by the Physiotherapist. There are different types of braces for different body parts.

3. Oral Medication.
This will help in relaxing the nerves and preventing the muscles from contracting. It is best to leave such prescriptions to the Neurologist.

4. Injections.
Medication is injected into specific muscle groups, to weaken the overactive muscles. During this period, intensive Physiotherapy is done to strengthen the muscles so that it can fight against the contractions or pull naturally. Such injections only lasts a couple of months.

5. Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy (IBT)
This is a specialized treatment and should be performed by a doctor. A small pump is surgically implanted to supply Baclofen to the Spinal Cord. This method is better than Oral Medication because it has lesser side effects.

As for which of the above Treatments are best, it’s best to consult your doctor. For IBT, a screening test will be done to determine suitability. For my wife who’s a stroke survivor, she could not take oral medication due to her blood condition. She is following a regime of physical stretching and exercises, all guided and assisted by a physiotherapist. Lately, we are considering the injection of ‘Botox’ to a particular muscle group to relax it. Apparently, the effects will last for about six months. During this time, when the spasticity in the hands or legs are loosen, doing the stretching exercises will help to strengthen the muscles which in turn can help fight against the contraction.

In conclusion, I would like to add that the brain is injured or damaged in a stroke. In some cases, the brain’s injury or damage will impair the motor-function part. In other incidents, the sensory function is damaged or both can occur. The damaged part of the brain cannot be treated, it is dead and gone. Physiotherapy can help to stimulate the undamaged part of the brain to re-connect the nerves to the damaged part and take over those function that was lost. Recent studies indicated that it is possible for stroke survivors ,who lost their motor-function for as long as seven to eight years, to regain their mobility through stimulation either through physiotherapy or electro-magnetic impulses treatment.

Don’t ever give up hope and press on with all the exercises, eat a healthy diet too!

Read Related Posts on Stroke
What is a Stroke?
Facts of Stroke & The Warning Signs.
Stroke Risk Factors.
Eating & The Stroke Survivor

Technorati Tags: stroke, spasticity, Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy, physiotherapy for stroke survivor