Foot Pain is Sometimes Our Best Friend by Dr Andrew Schneider
Pain. Everyone seeks to avoid it. No one likes physical pain. We choose our relationships and hope to avoid emotional pain. Generally speaking we seek a life without pain...

...then you get your wish and realize that you miss it.

That's exactly how millions feel who are suffering from peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is a condition that commonly affects people with diabetes. It can also be caused by a result of chemotherapy, alcoholism, autoimmune disorders, and a host of other conditions that we may not even know about.

So why does it happen? That answer's not so simple. Neuropathy as a complication of diabetes is caused by microvascular disease. That's the small vessels that branch of from the main pipeline arteries. The vessels stop carrying blood, which hold oxygen and nutrients, to the nerves and causes them to fail. So how do we correct this? Not easily. If that's the reason, sometimes the individual needs a procedure to restore circulation. Other times, when the main circulation is in good shape, there may be other modalities. One therapy is called MicroVas, which is a non-invasive treatment that stimulates the microvascular circulation to reverse diabetic neuropathy. It is effective based on the cause of the neuropathy. Studies have shown it to be very effective for diabetic patients, but less so for those that have neuropathy due to other reasons.

For conditions other than diabetes, the cause of neuropathy is not clear. If we don't know the cause, then it's really hard to find a solution. Sometimes the cause is a compression of the nerve, sometimes a nutritional deficiency, and sometimes for a reason that cannot be determined.

So big deal, why is this so important. Think about how you react when you touch a hot stove. Your first impulse is to pull back your hand. This is because your brain reacts to the pain even before you can feel it. And if you had no pain? You'd get a pretty nasty burn.

Now think about your feet. We wedge them into shoes every day. What if your shoes didn't fit? The average person would take them off and figure out why. If you had no pain, you'd keep walking. What if you had a pebble in your shoe. Again, the pain would cause you to take care of it. If you were walking barefoot and stepped on a piece of glass? You see where this is going...

People with diabetes will not feel these minor injuries and can develop sores, blisters, and skin ulcers. These ulcers can become easily infected. The infetion spreads to the bone and can then cause major problems. More than 60% of amputations not caused by some sort of trauma is due to complications from diabetes. This is why all people with diabetes should be familiar with a podiatrist. I routinely tell my diabetic patients that they should check their feet daily before they go to sleep and call me if they see anything that wasn't there the night before. I tell them that I'd rather they call me and it be nothing than let it go and let it develop into a problem.

The research documents that a comprehensive foot care program can reduce the rate of amputations in people with diabetes by 45%-85%. With those numbers, you should run (carefully) to your podiatrist's office. It's the first step in keeping you walking for years to come.

What Sources Of Water Should You Take? by Jim Brown
People are all concerned about the water sources that you should take because it affects the health greatly. In this article I am going to identify some common and uncommon sources of water for drinking.

First of all, we have to stay away from the contaminated sources of water such as lakes, the sea or river. Never drink this kind of water without any physical treatment. Some people from poor countries drink water from the contaminated river and get sick. It is because the water contains so many contaminants and sometimes these are too small that we cannot see them clearly.

Also, do not think that rain water is clean. Some people think that rain water is from the sky, and it is pure. It is dead wrong. Sometimes rain water contains a high content of acid, and it is not good for your health at all. It is best to drink processed water or if you are not able to get processed water, boil the water carefully before you drink it.

Now, we come to tap water. Tap water in some developed countries like USA, England, Japan, etc, where the providers have a formal announcement that it is clean enough for you to drink water from the tap, is safe. So, other than those countries, you should always treat water before you drink. You can either boil water, or get filter to filter the water.

Whether boiling water is good or bad still remains controversial. Some say that it is better not to boil water before you drink because high heat will take the minerals and nutrients in the water away. Some people are more concerned about the cleanliness of it and say it is better to boil water. However, it is better to be safe in the first place than to think of the minerals and nutrients in water.

When people think of water intake, they think of pure water only. However, in our daily life, there are many forms of water intake which we may not recognize. Fruit is the second form of water. Most of the fruits contain a very high percentage of water. Some kinds of fruits like watermelon and coconut milk are very high in water. So, if you eat them, it means you also drink a considerable amount of water.

Also, milk is a good source of water. Most of the components in milk is water. So, if you drink two glasses of milk per day, it is almost like you drink a glass of water per day. Vegetable is another good source of water. Eat as much vegetables as possible, which will help to increase your water intake.

There are also some other sources of water which are not recommended like coffee, tea and beer. In theory, those kinds of beverage contain water also. However, when they are in our body, they will not boost your health. In contrast, they enhance the process of losing water quickly. That is why after drinking beer, you feel very thirsty and want to drink water. Those kinds of beverages are definitely not recommended as good sources of water.

Hypoglycemia - What You Should Choose from the Fast Food Menu by Noel Glass
If you have Hypoglycemia, it will mean careful planning of your diet and a sharp reduction in fast food, but this need not be the end of the world for you.

Just remember when you are 'starving' or running late for lunch, a quick visit to a fast food outlet can easily offer a 1000 calorie punch from the refined carbohydrates and salad dressing.

You might not have a choice but to grab a fast food. Think while you order and choose the least damaging food. Watch portion size. For example a Taco Bell taco with salsa contains 52gsms of fat and 850 calories and a Taco Supreme with very similar ingredients contains 14 gsm fat and 210 calories. The supersize taco shell causes the problem with nearly half the calories. Also, restrain yourself with cheese and sour cream.

By remaining ignorant of the effects of fast foods on hypoglycemia you are denying yourself the opportunity of getting rid of the symptoms. Your body gets onto a rollercoaster ride of constant up and down blood sugar levels.

This over-stimulation of insulin leads to, among other things, adrenal problems. Then the familiar symptoms of hypoglycemia take hold - mood swings, dizziness and lack of concentration, which eventually lead to the more serious illnesses of diabetes, heart and kidney diseases.

Should you indulge in refined foods, always remember to eat good portions of fruit and vegetables throughout the rest of the day. This will keep your blood sugar levels from crashing.

Here are a few pointers for hypoglycemics when eating out at fast food joints.

At breakfast avoid the highly sugared doughnuts or chocolate chip muffins. Look for a plain bagel and fruit. Choose plain scrambled eggs and avoid high fat sausage, cheese and bacon. Especially avoid breakfast sandwiches consisting of sausage and bacon.

For lunch choose a grilled chicken sandwich or even a regular hamburger. Skip the deluxe, mayo and sauce. Definitely choose soups or salads instead of fries.

At the salad bar choose greens and vegetables while limiting potato and macaroni salad. Do not be tempted by bacon, cheese, crouton and high fat dressing.

It is important to always eat protein with refined food, since this allows a slow release of sugar. You cannot go a whole day ignoring your diet. You absolutely have to balance your low blood sugar levels so there is no point in being casual about dieting.

Even so, hypoglycemics find it difficult to remain on course over holiday periods, like New Year and Easter. Although, after a period of constant diet watching you could eat occasional treats but too much will set you back again.

A clear understanding of all the symptoms of hypoglycemia is needed. With a carefully laid out program based on your research, changes in your lifestyle and diet choices, you will go on to enjoy a carefree life and control your low blood sugar.

PARASITES AND WORMS by Katherine Fletcher

I know we don't like to think about it, but we all have parasites and worms. Many of us don't realize how much harm to the body these little critters can cause. Parasites and worms are also one of the major causes of stress and illness in the body.

Where Do We Get Parasite?

Parasites come from our food, water, pets, gardens and other sources. They are found world wide. Poor sanitation doesn't help but we still can acquire worms through every day activities. Walking barefoot in the garden, contact with pets, meats, certain fruits and veggies (depending on the soil). Our water supply can also be infected, also swimming in lakes and oceans. Most parasites and worms are microscopic so we don't visually see them. Worms can release as many as 200,000 eggs per day. Think about that for a minute.

Once they get in our body they can settle into our organs, sap our nutrition. The intestinal tract is the most common area for worms and parasites to settle. Parasites reproduce around the full moon so this is when we feel the effect the most. Our bodies may actually play host to over 100 different types of parasites.

Types of Parasites / Worms

Roundworms

It is estimated that 25% of the world's population has roundworms. They get infections from consuming worm eggs found on fruits and veggies in contaminated soil.

Some of the symptoms of roundworms are intestinal gas, weight gain around full moon, digestive problems, fatigue, anemia, teeth grinding and blood sugar imbalances. Tapeworms

There are lots of different types of tapeworms and they can grow to be very large in the body. The usually source of tapeworms is pork, beef and also our pets. When they get in our intestines, the absorb all of our nutrients and the give off dangerous waste.

Some of the symptoms of tapeworms are thyroid and intestinal imbalances, blood sugar imbalances, jaundice, bloating, gas and a possible fluid build up during the full moon.

Flukes

These are very small parasites that attach themselves to our organs. Some of these organs include the lungs, heart, intestines, brain, bladder, liver and blood vessels which can cause inflammation and damage. The eggs are tiny with protruding spines that cause damage as they move through the body. The main source of flukes is raw or under cooked fish or crab, infected veggies like water chestnuts or drinking and wading through infected water.

Single Cell parasites

These are also called Protozoans and these microscopic critters cause more harm than any other kind of parasite. Our immune systems usually naturally take care of these parasites, but if your body and immune system is weak, you have a better chance of having them. They are very resistant to dryness, chemicals and temperature which are everywhere in our society. Protozoans are found in the intestines, muscle tissue, digestive tract and lungs. They release toxins and tissue destroying enzymes. Infections caused by Protozoans are associated with arthritis, asthma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, M.S., ovarian cysts, dermatitis, muscle diseases and more.

GETTING RID OF THESE NASTY PARASITES

Herbal cleanses are great for getting rid of worms and parasites. I also recommend limiting or eliminating the amount of pork from your diet. This seems to be a huge source from our foods. Herbal cleanses should be started a week before the full moon, since parasites reproduce at the full moon. It is important to stay on a 4 to 5 week cleanse to ensure you get the next full moon to get rid of the remaining eggs. Some suggestions:

- eating raw pumpkin seeds to keep parasites away

- Garlic, thyme, cayenne also help with parasites.

- Milk Thistle and cloves are also great for parasites and restoring the digestive tract.

- Avoid sugar and alcohol and potato chips which parasites love and thrive on.

* pomegranates, cranberry juice, apple cider vinegar are good foods to control parasites

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